IV
When I was growing up out on Long Island, your sports season was basically pre-determined. You played soccer or football in the fall, CYO basketball in the winter, and Little League in the Spring. Maybe it was just where I lived, or maybe it is times changing, but it seems now there are more sports available, and they are available throughout the year.
There are summer hockey leagues, and there are indoor winter baseball leagues. As a parent of a five year old, my goal is simply to expose my son to as many sports as possible to see which ones he enjoys the most and wants to continue playing when he gets older.
Going through this process, it amazes me how much some sports are better run than others and how much professional leagues are involved in some of these sports.
For example, when it comes to hockey, the NHL runs the Learn to Play program. For $195, a child is fully equipped with hockey gear, and they participate in a 10 week session guided by team officials. Part of that gear is your own personal practice jersey from that team.
Even if you don’t go that route, there is not one hockey arena which does not have some sort of NHL presence. Moreover, when you sign up for different hockey lessons, you actually will receive USA Hockey magazines. Inside are not just stories from American hockey league players or stories on college teams, there is information on different drills to do.
Hockey is not alone in reaching out to fans this way. In addition to hockey, my son if playing NFL Flag Football. That league, run by the NFL, teaches children the basics of football while providing a safe and fun environment to play. Without dropping names, it is interesting to see some former NFL players have their children participating in my son’s league (albeit in a different age division).
What is fun about this is the children receive a reversible NFL jersey. Also, similar to the USA Hockey magazine, there are weekly emails with different drills to do with your children.
This is much different than the Little League experience thus far. Just like when I was in Little League, you got a jersey which was identified with a local sponsor and/or color. I remember growing up, I was the light blue, white, and blue teams. It wasn’t until I was older that there were MLB like jerseys, and those needed to be returned after the season.
It’s also interesting there is no newsletter or emails from Major League baseball. Basically, you are leaving it to your child’s coach. From my experience on both sides of the aisle, that is the luck of the draw.
Really, there’s a disassociation between Little League and MLB as far as children are concerned.
To be fair, Major League Baseball has taken some steps with the Little League Classic. Last year, Mets fans got to see Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Zack Wheeler, and Steven Matz watch a game with the teams participating in the Little League World Series. Then again, the game was broadcast on ESPN on Sunday night.
Often times, we discuss why children aren’t as interested in baseball as they are the other sports. There are many varied and plausible theories focusing on pace of play or time when games are broadcast. Lost in all of those is the fact baseball isn’t focusing enough at creating fans at a very young age.
Honestly, if not for me, I’m not sure my son would be as big a baseball fan as he is. After all, baseball makes little to no effort to make him one themselves.
Far too often, we lionize professional athletes. At times, they disappoint us, and sometimes, they lift us up. The thing is whether or not they know, athletes can leave a profound impact on our lives, and when that player leaves, it certainly hits home.
It hit home when Mats Zuccarello was traded to the Dallas Stars.
I’m far from alone. We saw Henrik Lundqvist break down when talking about it. There have been a number of Rangers fans upset as well because Zuccarello was a fan favorite. For me, it was a bit more than that.
My wife had a very difficult pregnancy with my oldest. When my son was born, he wasn’t a preemie, but he wasn’t far off either. When he was born, his Apgar score was two . . . two. Thankfully, he would be okay.
One thing about babies born this early is they’re small. It’d be a while before my son grew into the newborn sized clothes, even longer to get to three months. That left his Rangers onesies quite big on him. It was a slight issue because he wore them often.
Whatever the reason, during those sleepless nights as he slowly made his way towards that magic 10 pound mark, he really enjoyed hockey. He was on my lap during that epic Olympic game against Russia, and he was on my lap during that magical run to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The ritual was the same. I’d get home from work and get him in a onesie for the game. We watched through all the ups and downs in that incredible run partially driven by how well the Zuccarello-Brassard-Pouliot line played. It was Zuccarello’s two goal game in Game 6 against the Habs which propelled the Rangers to the Finals.
That run would be the first time I bonded with my son on a sports level. He was excited whenever I celebrated, and he’d clap in these moments. Many of those moments were directly related to Zuccarello’s play on the ice.
Fast forward a few years. At three, we decided to sign up my son for ice skating lessons. The reason was as simple as he was bouncing off the wall, and we wanted to find him an outlet on the weekends. Ice skating lessons for his age were available.
At three, he was still one of the smallest guys on the ice. Even with him being smaller, he picked up on things right away. He continued to get better and better.
It’s been over five years since my son was born. That little guy has now more than caught up to the kids his age. He’s actually one of the taller ones, which is a far cry from where he once was.
However, with him having started skating earlier than most in my area, he finds himself as the little guy on the ice. The little guy in his Rangers jersey.
Admittedly, I do allow myself to dream. Sometimes, I look at that little guy with a left-handed shot skating through much bigger players, and I see the next Zuccarello.
After all, my son’s a tough little guy who’s beaten the odds, so if this is something he wants for himself, I wouldn’t count him out.
And I don’t count him out too because I’ve seen Zuccarello play. I’ve seen him overcome the odds created due to his size, draft status, and even his home country of Norway not exactly being an NHL hotbed. Despite all of that, he became a good NHL player. He became a fan favorite. He showed us all anything is possible.
This is what Zuccarello gave to me during his Rangers career. He gave me a bonding experience with my newborn son, and eventually, he gave us a role model for a little guy playing against much bigger players. He fortified the faith and belief I’ve always had in my son.
Honestly, although he never knew it, Zuccarello gave me a lot during his time as a Ranger. I appreciate it more than he could know, and I wish him the very best in Dallas.
At least one day on the weekend, my son and I will make breakfast together. Typically, this will involve making either pancakes or waffles. Not to get all “If You Give A Pig a Pancake,” on you, but if you give a child a pancake, they’ll want some syrup to go with it.
Well, one day, I did not check the fridge or the pantry, and after I made the pancakes with my son, I realized there was no maple syrup. While I didn’t have maple syrup, I did have a bottle of Hershey’s Chocolate syrup in my fridge. My son loved the chocolate syrup on his pancakes, and he loved it even more when we made waffles.
Now, the natural inclination upon reading this may be to question why you would give a child chocolate syrup for breakfast. Well, as I discovered, the chocolate syrup was actually the better nutritional choice. If you don’t believe me, take this into account:
| Mrs. Butterworths | Trader Joe’s Agave | Hersheys | |
| Serving Size | 1/4 cup | 1/4 cup | 1/4 cup |
| Calories | 200 | 170 | 180 |
| Fat | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sodium | 150 mg | 5 mg | 20 mg |
| Carb | 52 g | 43 g | 48 g |
| Sugars | 37 g | 42 g | 40 g |
Looking at the information, the Trader Joe’s Agave is arguably better than the chocolate syrup as it has 10 fewer calories as well as less sodium and carbs. Conversely, Hershey’s has less sugar, and unlike the Trader Joe’s Agave, the syrup has some calcium and potassium. If you buy the calcium enriched Hershey’s, you will get even more calcium. That said, there still may not be that much to make that much of a difference.
What would make some difference is the Hershey’s Lite Syrup. On a 1/4 cup basis, that syrup only has 80 calories, 60 mg of sodium, 24 g of carb, and 20 g of sugar. The sodium does offset some of the benefits of a lower caloric or sugar count, but it is still not enough sodium to move the needle on it being unhealthy, at least as far as syrups go.
Ideally, you would make your own syrup using fruit, but for a variety of reasons including spoilage and expense, that is not always an option. More than that, it is the time to make the pancakes or waffles while simultaneously making a quick syrup. Many times, when you are a parent, you just need a quick way of doing things.
With that being the case, give your child chocolate syrup instead of maple syrup with their breakfast. It is the ever so slightly healthier option, and really, it is a much more fun option.
If you’re an older Mets fan, you are familiar with the neons which used to adorn the facade of Shea Stadium. With the move to Citi Field, the neons are now just a part of the carpeting of the Mets clubhouse. Quite possibly, those neons were incorporated because they are so uniquely Mets, and they are reminiscent of those 80s Mets teams.
Athlete Logos has taken it a step further with his Neon Project. The Neon Project takees different iconic moments from Mets games and creates them into one of the classic Shea Stadium neons. For example, here is one of the classic David Wright fist pump after he scored a key run in the game against the Nationals.
Since its #DavidWright Weekend I figured it would only be fitting to do a neon of one of his iconic moments as Met. The fist pump against the Nationals was a great example of who David Wright was as a player. #LGM #NYMNeonProject #ThankYouDavid pic.twitter.com/evV03CLipb
— Athlete Logos (@athletelogos) September 28, 2018
Being a fan of the Neon Project, I reached out to Athlete Logos to see if he could do it for more than just Mets moments. He was not only able, but he was more than willing. In order for him to do the work, all I needed to do was to provide the picture.
For me, the choice of the picture was easy. Last year, my son began playing t-ball. In his first ever at-bat, he would hit a home run. It was a proud moment for me as a father, and I was thrilled I had both photos and videos of it. Being the huge Mets fan I am, I wanted to take it a step further.
With the neon, I have been able to do a t-shirt for my son, which he loves. I also got an ornament for my Christmas tree, and some gifts for relatives this Christmas in the form of ornaments, magnets, or those Shutterfly photo plaques. No matter what the medium, they have printed great, and I have no issues whatsoever.
Overall, it has proven to be a fun one to encapsulate one of my fondest baseball memories, and it is something I highly recommend other people do. If you are interested, and you should be, you can begin the process to emailing Athlete Logos at [email protected].
Editor’s Note: This is not a paid advertisement or endorsement. Rather, this is just my being satisfied with the work product and recommending it to other people.
When you operate a blog, when you observe everything that happened today at Citi Field, the last thing you want to be is overwhelmed by the moment. But when it comes to David Wright how could you help but be overwhelmed.
As a diehard fan who watches nearly every game, beginning on July 21, 2004 until May 27, 2016, in some, way, shape, or form, Wright was a part of your everyday life.
The hits. The catches. The wins. The losses. Sadly, the injuries.
From February until October, Wright was there. The best thing about my favorite baseball team. The one thing worth loving from a team who did not always deserve the love and respect.
To pick a favorite moment is nearly impossible.
The bare-handed catch in San Diego. Diving into the stands in Seattle. The classic bare-handed play with which he’s become synonymous.
The walk-off hit off Mariano Rivera. Arm draped across the shoulder of Jose Reyes when the Mets clinched the division. Becoming Captain America in the World Baseball Classic.
Putting on a show in the Home Run Derby with Paul Lo Duca firing in darts. Homering in his first All Star at-bat. Starting and playing third at the first All Star Game played at Citi Field. Any of his seven All Star appearances.
The 30/30 season. Gold Gloves. Silver Sluggers. Being the first Met to homer at Citi Field.
Homering in his first at-bat back of the DL. The slide in Washington. The RBI single and fist pump in the NLDS. Staring at the World Series logo on his cap at Wrigley Field. The home run:
As much joy as there was, there is a sadness.
The epic 80s type run we all expected never materialized. It wasn’t due to Wright’s lack of trying.
Wright would be the only Met to deliver an RBI in Game 7. In September 2007, he hit .352/.432/.602. In September 2008, he hit .340/.416/.577. He homered off Yordano Ventura. More than any of that, he stayed.
Because he stayed, we watched on as his body failed him. It robbed him not just of a chance to go out there and play, but it was enough to cost him a chance at a ring and possibly much more.
With his body failing, we got to see what made Wright truly great. His integrity, hard work, dedication, and love of baseball were on full display. Make no mistake. Unless Wright possessed all of these qualities, especially the love of baseball, we would not have seen him continuously fight his way back despite the injuries and the surgeries.
If nothing else, Wright earned the opportunity to step back onto the field and end his career on his terms instead of in a trainer’s room. He earned that not just by the rehab and work he put in to return, but because of who he is and what he means to the franchise.
While Wright was thinking of sharing the moment with his daughters, I was thinking of sharing it with my sons. It was important for me to share the moment with them. After all, we’re Mets fans, and as Mets fans we love David Wright.
After Jeff McNeil bunted Reyes to third, you were hoping Wright could deliver the RBI. It wasn’t to be as Trevor Richards and the Marlins didn’t get the memo that today was about David Wright.
Certainly, poor Peter O’Brien missed the memo as he caught a Wright foul out in the fourth. For that crime, he will be forever mercilessly (and good-naturedly?) booed every time he returns to Citi Field.
With the foul out, you were left hoping and praying for just one more at-bat. Even an inning in the field. It wasn’t to be as Mickey Callaway made the switch.
Wright left the field to the adoration of Mets fans everywhere. Really, it’s remarkable how loud everyone was as they were all fighting through the tears.
A brilliant career in which he set many records and became arguably the second best player in Mets history was now over, and even with fans having over two years to prepare, none of us were.
We can say it’s time to find a new face of the Mets. It’s possible there will be another captain. But, there will never be another David Wright.
I count myself lucky for watching Wright’s entire career. I cherish the fact I got to share the experience with my father and brother, but also now my sons.
To me, in the end, this is what baseball is all about – the shared experience across generations.
There will be other players and other moments we can all share. Short of a World Series, it’s going to be next to impossible to top David Wright’s career.
In some ways, it’s sad to see that go. In others, there’s joy in having been able to experience it. Mostly, it’s gratitude.
Thank you for everything David Wright. You are loved by Mets fans, and you will never be forgotten.
Tonight was about one thing and one thing only – David Wright.
While we always anticipated he could be shut down at any time without warning, after he homered in his third straight game, no one truly expected May 27, 2016 to be his final game as a Met.
In a pleasant surprise,Mickey Callaway said pregame that Wright was going to pinch hit tonight. To ensure he got in, Callaway assured us Wright was going to be the first pinch hitter of the game.
For a brief moment, it appeared that would be the bottom of the fourth. A noticeably nervous Wright emerged from the dugout and the fans erupted.
While Wright began a routine both familiar from his 13 year career and yet new from this being an all too different experience all together, he dropped the bat.
He picked it up and continued that routine etched in our memories. Alas, with Kevin Plawecki grounding out to end the inning, the process would have to begin anew in the fifth.
What a moment. #OurCaptain pic.twitter.com/n8rmX2WC3D
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 29, 2018
As I saw this, I knew it was time. My oldest was up next to me in eager anticipation of the moment. We had been talking about it all night, and he was telling me how cool each of the highlights of him was.
I went and I got the baby out of his crib. I had each of my boys on my lap to watch a baseball game. It wasn’t the first time it’s ever happened, but it was the first big Mets moment since my youngest was born.
There was no option other than sharing this important moment with my sons. One day when they are older, they can each honestly say they saw David Wright play.
It’s not too dissimilar how my dad made sure I saw Tom Seaver pitch, or how he actually turned off the Mets game one day as my brother and I watched as Nolan Ryan won his 300th game.
So while my phone was abuzz with texts from my brother and dad, I sat there with my boys on my lap, and we watched Wright eagerly swing at Jose Urena‘s first pitch:
Welcome back, Captain. #OurCaptain pic.twitter.com/o5Sk2cjSex
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 29, 2018
Even with all that Jacob deGrom has done, that groundout to third was the top moment of 2018 because for a brief moment David Wright was once again a Met.
Game Notes: In case you were wondering, the Mets lost 8-1.
Yesterday, I had the joy of bringing my youngest to his first ever Mets game. With this being the second time for me and my family, there are some suggestions I can make to get the most out of the experience:
1. Bring Everything
At Citi Field, you are allowed to bring food and drinks to the game. The caveat with the drinks is they can only be boxed drinks or plastic bottles, no cans. They will say you can only have one bottle per person, but I’ve yet to see them enforce it. In the event they do, it is all the more reason to park close to the ballpark.
Bringing food will limit the chances your child is asking for a hot dog or french fries or ice cream or popcorn . . . . If you don’t have your child asking for these things, you don’t have to deal with saying no to everything. At a minimum, it will limit the chances.
More important than the food is the extra clothes. Make sure you have a change for everything. The weather changes. Things get spilled. Accidents happen. Instead of having a child too hot or too cold, you can switch to pants and you can throw on a sweatshirt. This will also limit the need to go to a souvenir stand, overpay for a sweatshirt, and deal with a child wanting everything in the store.
An important note is the Promenade and the back rows of any level have the wind whipping through making it all the chillier than you’d expect. It’s not quite AT&T Park chilly, but it should give you an idea as to how to prepare.
One other note, get stuff ahead of time. You can get the Oyo figures ahead of time for cheaper. You can get the shirseys cheaper before the game. You can get a whole slew of other stuff as well. Pack it, and just give it to your child at the game instead of dealing with them running around a team store looking for things to buy.
2. Avoid the Big Giveaways
When you have a bobblehead day or gnome day, the crowds and lines outside the ballpark are going to be ridiculous. You’re going to get bumped into, and you’re going to deal with a lot of angry people who are anxious they are not going to get their freebie despite getting to the ballpark hours before the game. Moreover, you don’t want to create excitement for your child over a big giveaway only to not get it.
3. Go On A Sunday
When it is not raining, Family Sundays at Citi Field are great. There is always a giveaway. There are events outside the stadium. There is the Mr. Met’s Kids Club in the center field area with fun things like face painting. While he’s always present before the game at at the second inning, Mr. Met is also a little more prominent in the stands on a Sunday as is Mrs. Met. You can go get your picture with Mr. and Mrs. Met in this area.
You can also do the dunk tank, hit in the batting cages, play video games, and do the tee ball home run derby in this area. Of course, this is all dependent upon the weather. All of these things will be shut down if it is raining. Although, they will let you run around for a bit:
If your child can make it to the end, they also have the opportunity to run the bases after the game. If aren’t a part of the Kid’s Club, you will want to get out there by around the seventh inning as that line gets real long real quick.
4. Buy Tickets Last Minute
While it may take some planning to get your whole family together for the event, if at all possible, you should look to do a game like this at the last minute. Weather is fickle, and kids are all the more so. In the blink of an eye, the weather or a child getting sick can wipe away days, weeks, or even months of planning. On another note, if you wait to the last minute, you increase you chances of getting discounted tickets on Stub Hub, especially in a down season like this one. If at all possible, get your tickets near the bathrooms as this will make the trips to the bathroom for potty or diaper changes less of a walk.
5. Bring Help
It always helps to have grandparents or an aunt and uncle at the game with you, especially if you have more than one child. Instead of having two kids in tow everywhere you go, you can divide and conquer. You can also accomplish this by bringing your spouse as well, but both parents will constantly be running around all game. It’s nice to have a buffer and a break.
Another possible benefit is they will want to spoil them. That could be a souvenir or something like ice cream or cotton candy. Really, any burden you can take off yourself is always good. Also, aunts, uncles, and grandparents are always looking for these opportunities, and this is a good setting for it.
As an aside, don’t bother with the Family Bathrooms. I’ve been doing to games with my oldest for four years now, and I’ve yet to see one of those be accessible.
6. Get There Early
For some children, the biggest issue for baseball games may be the crowds. Getting there early allows you get there and get acclimated before there are too many people at the ballpark. As an aside, it also allows you to get a great parking spot near the ballpark to minimize the walking you have to do with the little ones.
7. Stop at Fan Assistance Immediately
Enter through the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. If you enter through the Rotunda, there are areas for family photos like by the giant 42. Entering through there also makes it easier to stop by Fan Assistance as they are just left of the escalators. At Fan Assistance, you can get passes to the Mamava pods, if you are breastfeeding your child.
At Fan Assistance, you can also sign up for a certificate to commemorate your child’s first game at Citi Field. You can pick them up at the seventh inning, or you can have them mailed home. It will be easier to get them mailed home as it is one less thing to have to worry about on your way out of the ballpark. It’s also one less thing you need to carry.
Fan Assistance also has bags you can get to help you carry things like the giveaways. Really, if you need any help, they can help you.
8. Good Family Photo Spots
As noted earlier, you can stop behind center field to get a family photo with Mr. Met. Admittedly, this can be dicey for a few reasons. First, Mr. Met may not be there if there is rain. You also may have to wait in line, and you may have to deal with your child being afraid of a giant baseball head. With that, you may want to look for other key spots.
Now, many people like to stop at the Shea Bridge. Don’t. There’s far too much traffic, and you run the risk of getting bumped into or getting your photos photo bombed.
Instead, just off to the side is the M&M seats. There you have the red and yellow M&Ms holding up Lets Go Mets signs and wearing “foam” fingers. It’s cute and fun, and it is never crowded allowing you to get that great and easy family photo you wanted.
Another spot worth your time is the Nikon photo booth. There they have a giant glove for you to sit in with props like bats and foam fingers. The bonus with the spot is they will email you the photos. Double and triple check they have the correct email address, otherwise, you will be like me without that great photo you wanted so much.
Also, the Home Run Apple outside the stadium is a good spot, but you’re going to have to deal with some form of a line and with people just blatantly ignoring your taking a picture.
9. Know Where To Get Your Free Stuff
To do this, it is easiest to head through the Rotunda, go up the escalator, and proceed left to hit all of the spots. As already mentioned, there is the Fan Assistance area with the certificate, and the Nikon photos are atop the escalator. After those spots, hit up the Designated Drive booth.
When you sign up, they give you a voucher for a free drink, which may come in handy on a hot day. Now, they put a bracelet on your wrist to indicate you are not drinking. Of course, you can get around that if you really want a drink by taking it off.
As you proceed further down, around Section 121 by the ramps leading out of the ballpark, there is usually a wheel. You and your child can spin the wheel for past promotion items like t-shirts and caps. They will also have Mets baseball cards and signs. Usually in the walk up and just past this, you have those booths where you get free stuff just for signing up for some dumb mailing list or contest. (They’re supposed to check your license to ensure it’s you, but really when you have a couple of kids and a bag on your shoulder, they usually let you go unchecked).
Also as noted prior, you can get face painting and the like in the center field area. One other note is if you take the elevators, the attendant always has Mr. Met stickers on them.
Overall, if you work your way around the ballpark, you will have some free stuff and souvenirs ensuring your child has something to take home with them without you so much as having to reach into your pocket.
10. Just Have Fun
Ultimately, you are there because you are a Mets fan, and you want your children to be one as well. If they need to leave early, leave early. If they want to walk around, walk around. If they need you to plop them on your lap and explain everything to them, do it. Honestly, this is part of the memories and how your child becomes a Mets fan just like you (which may not be a good thing).
Really, there will come a time where you child wants to stay the whole game and they don’t want to do anything but watch the game – just like you. I’m sure when that happens, you will miss the times watching them try to launch homers at the tee-ball field or their wanting to make sure they don’t miss Mr. Met.
For my part, I can tell you when I came home from the game last night, my oldest was all excited to tell all of his friends he got to go to the game, see his favorite player Todd Frazier, and he saw Michael Conforto jump into the stands and hit a homer. We even had to do wash late last night so he could wear his shirt to school.
One of the best ideas Major League Baseball has had in quite a while is Player’s Weekend. It’s a fun way to let fans see a bit of each player’s personality, which is just great marketing.
Really, in the end, baseball does stuff like this to market the game to young fans.
To a certain extent, it does work as I know my son wanted a Noah Syndergaard “Thor” shirsey. As a parent, whenever my son shows the slightest interest in both baseball and the Mets, I try to cultivate it (within reason).
With that in mind, I went to both MLB.com and Fanatics to try to get the jersey. No dice.
The best I could do is $21.99 plus shipping for a Player’s Weekend hat, which is an absurd price to pay for a specialty hat for a kid.
Sure, some of the other teams, emphasis on some, had player shirseys available. Notably, the Yankees had Didi Gregorious, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gary Sanchez available.
And no, the off logo shirsey does not really count. If you can recreate the shirsey for the other teams, you could’ve for the Mets.
What makes it all the more absurd is the Mets are wearing the Player’s Weekend uniforms in the Little League Classic.
Basically, they want kids to go see these players, but under no circumstances do they want them to be able to get their favorite player’s shirsey.
There’s not even a personalization option.
This is just bad business, and it’s an unforced error. Ultimately, if you’re going to do promotions like this to partially generate interest from younger fans, allow them to get the shirsey.
Thomas Jefferson survives.
The 2018 Mets season didn’t.
Happy Fourth of July
Yesterday, equipped with his Spider-Man hat and Todd Frazier shirsey, my son played in his first ever t-ball game.
I guess technically it was “scrimmage” at the end of his t-ball camp, but to me, it was his first game, especially when the camp was split into two teams.
Well, top of the first, my speedy lead-off hitter began his baseball career hitting a leadoff homer:
With that sweet left-handed swing leading off the game, I did let my mind wander to Curtis Granderson and Michael Conforto because, well, I’m a proud dad.