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The Most Incredible Night

Valadius Jun 04 2007 07:29 PM

Hey everyone! Sorry I disappeared again, but I just got buried in schoolwork during the year. I can't decide whether this belongs here or in Members Promotion, but since this is Mets-related I'm putting it here. Something just happened that made me return at last - and you're not going to believe this: I'M THROWING OUT THE FIRST PITCH AT A METS GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's the headline. Let me back up a few hours. My dad was invited to the Willie Randolph Foundation golf tournament and charity auction today at the Essex County Country Club. He played golf with El Duque and some other people. I showed up later for dinner and the auction. I met a whole bunch of people - Rick Peterson, Yogi Berra, El Duque, Joe Smith, Sandy Alomar, John Maine, Aaron Heilman, Ron Darling, Herb Williams, John Starks, and of course Willie. David Wright left before I got there. I managed to get pictures with Willie and El Duque, which I'll upload later. So we eat and then the charity auction begins. There were both raffle prizes and live auction prizes. These little kids, I swear to God, won like 80% of the raffle prizes, including a big-screen TV. Items being auctioned off included signed bats, balls, and jerseys, trips to spring training, dinner with Willie, and the chance to throw out the first pitch at a Mets game. My dad, God bless him, won not only a signed Jose Reyes bat, but the chance to throw out the first pitch at a game!!!!!!!!!! My dad wants me to do it, but I feel guilty that I would be depriving him of the same chance, so I'm going to see if we both could possibly do it. If not, I'll do it, but I really need to get out and practice so I don't make an ass of myself in front of 50,000 people. We went up to Willie after the auction was over and he told me that I gotta throw a strike, or else I'll hear it from everybody in the stands. It's a ton of pressure - and if I think I'll totally embarrass myself I'll probably pass it off to my dad, and settle for being on the field. I don't know when the game is yet, but I'll be hearing from the Mets at some point. We also talked afterwards to Yogi Berra again, who wants to be introduced to my dad's boss, and who will be calling my dad himself to make the arrangements. Needless to say, I'm excited beyond anything I could have ever imagined - this is fucking INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!

Valadius Jun 04 2007 08:06 PM

Me with Willie Me with El Duque

Frayed Knot Jun 04 2007 08:14 PM

I heard Willie talking about his tourney over the weekend but I figured it wound up getting monsooned out. Work out whatever you have to do with your dad, but don't NOT do it because you're afraid of looking silly. If that winds up being the reason you skip it you'll regret it. Dust off your mitt and go throw a ball against a brick wall for 20 minutes in case you haven't thrown for a while.

cooby Jun 04 2007 08:22 PM

What did Yogi say??!!!

cooby Jun 04 2007 08:32 PM

BTW Val, I've missed your IGT cartoon thingy

Edgy DC Jun 04 2007 08:42 PM

Any idea what game this is? Make sure you have yourself introduced as a representative of your college. They'll love you for it.

Rockin' Doc Jun 04 2007 08:42 PM

Sounds like a great night. That sounds like a great tournament to take part in. Val, hope to see you around the 'pool this summer.

Johnny Dickshot Jun 04 2007 08:42 PM

You go, Vladdy. Did Willie come off as clueless or a liar?

OlerudOwned Jun 04 2007 08:45 PM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: You go, Vladdy. Did Willie come off as clueless or a liar? I guess it depends on if he forgets who Val is or tells him he's not allowed to throw the pitch.

Valadius Jun 04 2007 08:45 PM

Thanks cooby! Yogi told some guy that he shouldn't have gotten people to sign his baseball with a Sharpie because it would come off in about six months. He talked about a Yankees auction, saying that they were auctioning off bats signed by Giambi, Jeter, etc., mentioning Rodriguez twice. Later as we were leaving, he came out of the bathroom and said that he had to take a piss and didn't want to crash his car - he'd had a lot to drink.

Edgy DC Jun 04 2007 08:50 PM

I bet he did.

DocTee Jun 04 2007 08:54 PM

Cool Val-- let us know when it is so we can buy tix and heckle you! You should also have the PR guy introduce you as the Nightcrawler. j/k

Valadius Jun 04 2007 08:56 PM

I don't know what game it will be yet, they'll probably tell me soon, at which point I'll let everyone here know. Willie came across as a really positive guy, the kind of guy you get inspired by. It's no wonder players love playing for him. Didn't strike me as the lying type, but perhaps a bit forgetful - when he got up to thank all the well-known people for coming, he forgot Rick Peterson entirely and had to be reminded about Sandy Alomar and a whole bunch of other people he sees regularly. By the way, Rick Peterson is a really quiet guy. He said that Pedro's going to throw from a mound tomorrow. He also revealed his philosophy about young pitchers: either they have the makeup or they don't. So he came across as very sure of himself, but almost too sure.

SteveJRogers Jun 04 2007 09:00 PM

Valadius wrote: Willie came across as a really positive guy, the kind of guy you get inspired by. It's no wonder players love playing for him. Didn't strike me as the lying type, but perhaps a bit forgetful - when he got up to thank all the well-known people for coming, he forgot Rick Peterson entirely and had to be reminded about Sandy Alomar and a whole bunch of other people he sees regularly. Val, I think you gave Ira some material for the next couple of weeks! Especially along the lines of Willie not being manager material! =;)

metirish Jun 04 2007 09:12 PM

Great stuff Val,have a blast..good to see you Ice.

soupcan Jun 04 2007 09:16 PM

That's great Val. I'm very excited for you. If its at all possible I'm going to go to your game.

seawolf17 Jun 05 2007 08:22 AM

Awesome! I threw out a first pitch once back in my radio days at a Rochester Red Wings game... I still remember it like it was yesterday. I still have the ball. (Minor trivia: the guy who caught my first pitch was one-game Met Kenny Greer.)

metirish Jun 05 2007 09:46 AM

Val,was Peterson wearing his Mets jacket?,his philosophy on young pitchers doesn't sound like much of a philosophy,maybe he was bullshitting you. I think that's really a cool thing that your Dad did for you.

iramets Jun 05 2007 09:55 AM

Wouldn't it be nice if we could all try to attend that game? Maybe a group outing kind of deal? [Puddy] Got to support the team! [/Puddy]

Valadius Jun 05 2007 12:13 PM

It was the first time I have ever seen him without the jacket.

iramets Jun 05 2007 12:43 PM

That's a jacket? I thought it was a skin condition.