Mets' Year in Review

Wow... nice pic.

Sunshine on the left, clouds on the right. Cars on the left, none on the right. and the poop adds flair.

So who are you rooting for now?

Just got back from the Rogers Centre, got a ton of autos most notable would be Shaun Marcum, Roy Halladay and Adam Lind... didn't get any balls (no BP)

and post game got 4 pairs of batting gloves and almost a bat

Lucky you. I went to the last regular season Cubs game, where they Normally throw out a TON of stuff. But that day was just 3 hats.... BUMMER.

It was epic in the way they did it, in the mid 8th they acknowledged the fans through some video and the Jays came out of the dugout tipped their caps and then tossed em in the crowd, but I was on the visitor side near left field baseline and then at the end of the game Russ Adams tossed me his gloves and Adam Lind threw a bunch of batting gloves into the crowd and gave away some bats.

the 8th? The Cubs USUALLY do it at the end of the game. That gives me time to get from wherever I am to the dugout.

they only did the hats during the 8th which kind of pissed me off cause I wanted a hat so badly

wow, congrats jimmy!! i cant wait to hear what kind of bonus items people got so if you have a story please post it here....thanks

I HAVE to try to make the game where they (WILL) win the WS. Imagine they stuff they'd give away!

http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z309/alistair_mendonsa/Stuff/

Scans of the goods

Rios? NICE. That guy is just gonna keep getting better.

ha, i was there. its so disturbing watching the phillies celebrate with champagne.

I went to the Rangers Mariners game today. But I only got 1 ball because there was no BP... I was SOOO close to getting Adrian Beltre's hat at the end of the game and my friend got some rangers player's gatorade bottle which I thought was pretty unique

^^Ditto to finding the Phils celebration disturbing. I've been dry-heaving all afternoon.

As for the Mets, I wish I could say that was not the second-most fun game I've watched this year... Uhhh, but I can't.

http://gamefish.mlblogs.com

Thats messed up what freddi gonzalez did to you. You asked him nicely before the game. He gave me them there first trip in but last trip he said he keeps them. Anyway Cody Ross finally kept his promise and gave me his batting gloves and signed them and I got 5 glavine autos,1 elduque and 1 dtrain. Its amazing how they finish. Its terrible for glavine to end his ml career or atleast his mets career like this

Great picture! ****ty Field now; ****ty Field forever.

Nice seeing you in Baltimore. You were right about the near sellout crowds--although today's crowd was about 1/3 less than the announced attendance of 43,000.

Not a lot of action for the last game of the regular season on "snagging." As usual, no BP--and not even guys like Brian Bruney would part with a season ending souvenir for the fans. He must think he's on the post-season roster! Hah!

Anyway, time for the playoffs. We're ready in the Bronx!

is that poo on the ground?

Thanks Zack.
I'm glad you're still a baseball fan... and not just a collector. :)

I'm off to kill myself.. bye.

Here's to the Rockies making it in and making this postseason interesting...

Zack, I'm leaving to pick up the poop at Shea now. I had a great second day and I'll post later.

My dads friend told the guy sitting next to us that there were 8 suicides in Queens today, and that they had to stop the Mets game cuz 3 fans jumped from the upper deck, and the guy was like "Really!?"

P.S Joba is my new favorite player (besides Derek.)

Zack,
I know exactly how you feel. Being a lifelong Tigers fan. That is how I feel right now....Throroughly let down. Injuries, injuries....I am totally shocked that the Mets did not make it. It will however be an exciting post season. I guess that is why it pays to be a "baseball" fan as opposed to a "baseball homer". Less pain at post season time...Good news is, now hopefully I can get the premium seats that I want in the last row behind the visitors dugout at the Copa for my 27 game package this year. This season I had to sit in sec 330 Upp Deck behind home plate for 82 games. Great view..terrible for snagging. I am thinking that a mini season ticket package will be best at the Copa this year seing that the Copa avg at least 35,000 fans per game last year..I hate paying scalpers at my home park...Besides, if I can guarentee myself a prime lower deck snagging seat for most of the season, should help the snagging effort for game balls....

Mike in Detroit

Zack, I feel your pain. I was at John Maine's amazing start on Saturday, then after the game, I bought tickets for Sunday, so I was there yesterday as well. Disgusting!!!

Zack,
From your Bonds 724 Homerun post.....8/29/2006

"16) What if Bonds hadn't ever hit another home run after the one I caught? Would the Hall of Fame (or Bonds himself) have come asking for it? Would I have been willing to part with it? What would I have asked for in return? As always, the bargaining would've had to start with a chance to take batting practice on a major league field. That's still my dream"

I don't know if you are aware of this but at CoMerica Park they allow the fans to pay 250.00 tp take BP on the field. This year they did it under the lights on a Friday night in September...

Mike in Detroit

Zack....

Unbelievable choke in Milwaukee yesterday. Ughhh!! I'm hoping for the best today. I can't believe Tony Gwynn Jr got that hit on Saturday off of Trevor. Ughhh again!! Tony Jr. is a good guy though. I actually attended his wedding last year, but that is another long story for another time. It's a good story too! We'll see what Peavy and the gang bring today with everything on the line.

Sorry to all the Mets fans out there. That was kinda sad. What a way for Glavine to go out. I could be joining your sadness and pain in less than 12 hours myself. It would have been nice if the Diamondbacks would have played SOME of their regulars. Jeeze, it was like the Rockies were playing the Tucson Sidewinders.

The Padres do a BP at PETCO Park for certain fans that attend a certain number of games and swipe their "Compadres" card. The first time was last year. I did ok. They use a pitching machine. I had it set at 60mph! Ha ha. I hit one that was about 10 feet short of the track. I actually did ok and hit some line drives. They give you like 15-20 pitches. Our BP this year is in November sometime. Wish us luck everyone and if we win, we can pay back the Phillies for you. Looking forward to the Baltimore post and Sunday Shea post.

Leigh

glavine said that he wanted to come back next year to the mets...

we'll see how he feels now, but i think he'll play one or two more years. hes got the stuff and his family clearly supports him

you have a flair for hitting the nail on the head!

what a shot. you could have sold it to the Post!

i did it! i got how to snag major league baseballs! i dont officially own it yet but its at my house with me. my friend has an older brother who was in second grade when it came out and he got it for a class project. ethan (my friend) said he would let me borrow it and i asked him if i could keep it and he said for 10 bucks. he just had to ask his brother first but if he says yes than its mine!

Zack, do you still plan on coming out to Chicago?

My day started at Gate H at 4:00. There was already a line for the gates. At 5:00 I sprinted into the right field seats. A ball was hit to Kurt Birkins. I quickly asked for the ball, and made the easy catch for Ball # 1. Then a ball landed in the gap between the seats and wall. I don’t know if it was hit or if the fans dropped it. I was stuck on like a step, with a railing in front of it, so after 2 or 3 minutes Zack managed to knock the ball onto the flat part of the gap. It was a battle for the ball, and after 30 or so seconds, I came up with my second ball of the day. That was the second time this year that I had beat Zack with his own trick! Yes! Soon after a player, maybe Radhames Liz tossed me my third and final ball of the day. The seats filled up quickly, and when left field opened, I sprinted to the seats only to be denied by Brandon Fahey. I moved to foul territory, but Matt DeSalvo was being a jerk and didn’t give me the ball even though I was the only one that asked. After BP, on Eutaw Street, Boog Powell signed my ticket stub, and gave me an every-letter autograph, on the sweet spot of one of the training balls that I had gotten. In the 8th, I moved down behind the Yanks dugout, and after the third out, Shelly Duncan headed to the other tunnel, so I rushed up the stairs, but I realized that it was hopeless, so I turned around. Shelley was about to toss a ball into the crowd, and I just missed it. I was pissed because I should have stayed where I was. I didn’t get anything after the game, but three was okay for me.

The next day was even better. It started the day before when I found out that the guy who sits next to my dad at Yankee Stadium need a ride home from Baltimore because his car broke down. He said his sister was sick, and he would forever be in debt if anyone could get a Yankee to sign a ball that said, “Get well Karen.” So the next day I rushed into the outfield to find no BP. The only action was Mike Mussina in the bullpen. When he was done, he threw the ball into the upper deck in left field. After 15 minutes, someone claimed the ball, which I would have had, if I had a season ticket to get into the rest of Camden before 12:00. When the stadium opened, I moved into foul territory, where Joba Chamberlain was throwing. When he was done I asked for the ball. He walked over, but no with the ball. I handed him a pen and one of my balls (baseballs that is.) He signed sweet spot, and then very politely signed the “Get well Karen” ball, and he even added “Best Wishes.” Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After shoving all the autograph hounds to get out of the first row, Tyler Clippard overthrew me, and the ball that was mine was in the hands of some old guy. I moved to the right field foul line where Rob Bell was throwing. “Rob, can I get that ball when your done please!?” “Yeah!” he called back to me. When he was done he looked up, and bounced the ball onto the rubber warning track, but it fell short. Then he bounced it again, and I made the backhand over the fence catch for my first an only ball of the day. In the ninth I was in the first row behind the dugout, but all I got was a four year olds foot in my face, and his dads’ foot in my back. As I was complaining to my dad about the security, and he replied “Well they let you in.” And I headed home.

im so depressed. first, the mets lost. next, unless i wana pay a ton to watch my 2 least favorite teams (phils and yanks) in the playoffs, my snagging is over for the year. but mostly the mets. i watched every game. attended a ton. and they blew it. it *****. good luck padreleigh, i would never wish what i feel right now to anyone. except a yankees or sillies fan. hope you guys beat the rockies.
anyway, lookin forward to your last 2 game entries(possibly) of the season. i wanted to say that this was the 1st year reading your blog, and finally meeting you, and it helped my snagging start and take off. not to mention the excitement of reading your new adventures every day at the ballpark. thanks, its been good, but its not over yet.

Hey Zack it's Darron from St.louis here is my year in review: baseballs 12 not including one that i gave to a little pirates fan.I got on your website didn't get a ball after BP at the Pirates' dugout, but I did get recognized again. It was another "Are you Zack Hample," this time from a kid named Darron who reads the blog. Earlier in the day, he had snagged his 8th lifetime ball which he didn't think was very good compared to my total.This is what it said:

"How old are you?" I asked.

"Twelve."

"Guess what," I said. "I didn't catch my first ball until I was twelve, and I only got four balls that entire season, so you're already ahead of my pace."

He asked for my autograph (NOT on the ball), and we had our picture taken with both of our camerasthis is the piture with the never ending line of kids go to 5/22/07 at Busch Stadium i got sprayed by a phillies pitcher when i told him i wasnt scared of the water hose when he started to spray us with it was pouring down rain and i had to tell him that. he sprayed the hose right in my face i got told shut up 9 times this year and i laughed every time i got a high five from barry bonds (EEEEEEEEEEEEEEwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww steroid user)haha i got a batting glove from So Taguchi the last home game 4 autographs including youand geoff jenkins adam laroche billy petrick of the cubs and as for your picture and commet about the mets So was the cardinals

Your man Heath Bell did his job, is that what you call the reverse Hample curse?

With all due respect to Leigh and the outstanding career of the Padres' closer, I'm waiting for Trevor to blow the save on the only games that ever REALLY matter to the rest of the baseball world.

What a choke job by Hoffman! Unreal! Sorry Leigh! Welcome to the world of Mets fans! Yikes! I hope Holliday isn't that injured. They need to beat Philly!

fatherpuck, you were 100% right!

It's sad, but in his entire career, as an East Coaster I have never seen Trevor Hoffman save a game that truly mattered. When he came in on Saturday, I said to my friend that Trevor would probably blow another one that counts.

At least Heath Bell did his job.

LEIGH-

I'm really sorry it went down like this.

EVERYONE-

I'm hard at work on my Camden Yards entry, and I'll have it up within an hour or two. Might not get to answer comments tonight, though, but I'll get to them before too long.

Father Puck....

You are ABSOLUTELY 100% correct about Hoffman. He always chokes in BIG GAMES. You nailed it perfectly. They should have left Heath Bell in, but Trevor is too much of an icon in SD for Bud Black to take a chance on Bell. Well, Bud Black, it cost you. Unfortunately, he'll be back next year. In SD it's like everyone loves Trevor, but we all hold our breath when he comes in to close. What a goat. Thanks for the condolences everyone.

Leigh

CUBS0110-
Thanks. I'm not sure who I'm rooting for. I generally dislike the Yankees, but they ARE an exciting team, and the playoffs ARE more exciting when they're in it, so I wouldn't mind seeing them go far. I think I'm probably rooting for the Cubs and Rockies. The Rockies are really the best story at the moment, you have to admit. As for making it out to Chicago, it's not looking too good. I really don't want to wake up at 3:30am, even to go for free to a playoff game at Wrigley, and it looks as if that's what it'll take.

JIMMY-

Four pairs?! I wish I could trade my final game for yours.

REDSOX342445-

My "bonus item" story is short and sad. You don't want to hear it.

GOISLANDERS4-

You were there? Hey, me too! :-)

Congrats on almost officially owning your very own copy of "How to Snag Major League Baseballs."

SPORTZFREEKA-

Not sure what I would do with a Gatorade bottle, but that is definitely unique.

KELLY-

I didn't dry-heave, but I was pretty bummed.

ZNEUFELD2-

The whole **** day was messed up. I don't even want to think about it anymore, yet I'm so far behind on the blog that I still have to relive it and spend a few hours writing about it. Ugh.

FATHER PUCK-

Nice seeing you (two) as well. Were there really that many empty seats at Camden on Sunday? Hmph. I'm glad I wasn't there. I haaaate games without BP.

MARKSHARK22-

Yes indeed.

SLDICKINSON-

You're welcome, and don't worry about my fandom. I'm still obsessed with watching baseball. Sometimes it might be hard to tell, but believe me, I'm deeply in love with the SPORT as a whole.

PUCK COLLECTOR-

What a great second game in Baltimore for you! Congrats on getting Joba, and congrats on not getting shut out despite the lack of BP and other opportunities. Good seeing you, as usual, and thanks for taking the time to write up all the details for everyone here.

MIKE IN DETROIT-

Do you ever roam from your assigned seat and try to sneak into better sections? Thank you for feeling my pain...although, as you said, that pain is not nearly as bad as it is for most people. Are you serious about BP on the field?! Do you have to be a season ticket holder? Or can ANYone register and pay and do it? How can I get more info? Ohmygod, it'd be worth it to fly out there just to do this.

PSU532-

Thank you as well. Sorry you were there. Did you stay 'til the very end?

LEIGH-

How did you happen to attend the wedding? I'll have to hear that story at some point. Meanwhile, I'm so sorry about your Padres. That's just awful. But at least we can be depressed together. I was REALLY hoping to get to attend a World Series game at Shea. I've never done that. I have one more year before that beautiful hellhole is torn down.

JONELI24-

Glavine has the stuff to be a number four starter at best.

TSWECHTENBERG-

Thanks! I should've tried to sell the photo right away, but I didn't think of it 'til the next day.

GJK2212-

Don't pay to watch those other teams. Just stay at home, save your money, get a great view on TV, and have fun rooting against them. Thank you soooo much for saying that about my blog. It's been great having you read it and leave comments, and I'm really glad we finally got to meet...and that I was able to help jump-start your collection and provide some entertainment along the way.

DARRON-

Sounds like you had a busy season. At least you got more baseballs than "shut up"s. :-) Hopefully you can beat your total next year, and you might want to consider counting the balls that you give away. After all, you DID snag them.

EVAN.BIZZZ-

Good call! And yes, that's the reverse Hample Jinx at its best.

TREVOR HOFFMAN-

Seriously, what's the deal?

Great summary since a picture paints a 1000 words! ;)

Zack I actually stayed there until the 8th inning on Sunday. Deep down, I really thought they'd come back, and Philly would lose, but I was deeply mistaken........