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Only eleven seasons, but some memorable moments nonetheless. As ever, in almost no particular order:
• Pratt (10/9/99)
(As if anything else needs to be said.)
• First playoff game at Shea in eleven years (10/8/99)
--First incidence of pregame fireworks...and the blasts kept on coming, Mets 9 Arizona 2
• Super Joe, Super Mike and the Extra Base Hits (5/21/2000)
--McEwing doubles twice and homers off Big Unit, Piazza takes him into the mezzanine and the Mets' first nine hits are of the extra-base variety. The tenth, a single down the line by Derek Bell, wins it in the ninth (it would have been a double had it not ended the game).
• Just You Wait (5/20/2000)
--Three-hour rain delay at start. Mets grant those who waited tickets. They build a big lead behind Mike Hampton. It's a very long day, I opt to leave as the ninth starts for train purposes, Mets up 8-2. My friend tells me it will be on my head if the Mets lose. I listen in horror all the way to Woodside as, in fact, Rich Rodriguez nearly blows it. Final 8-7. It's not quite on my head.
• This Guy Is Clutch! (5/29/99)
--Part of legendary eight-game losing streak that gets three coaches fired and one night after Mets load bases in ninth off Gregg Olson and can't score (losing 2-1). Here it's 8-7 Snakes and rookie Byung-Hyun Kim makes his Major League debut. Surely the Mets batters -- Alfonzo, Olerud, Piazza -- will handle some fresh kid from Korea. Kim totally overwhelms them. Mets lose. Obviously Kim has the makeup to pitch in New York.
• Pelfrey Comes of Age (6/11/08)
--Wagner makes us all age, Beltran turns back time.
• Zambrano is Deep Throw (6/1/05)
--Victor goes eight, outuels Webb; for one night the Mets chalk up a steal from Tampa Bay.
• Dancing and Laying Out (6/2/05)
--The sprinklers go off on Pedro and he deals with it nicely. Cameron makes a ridiculous catch on his stomach. Mets win.
• The End of an Era (8/3/02)
--Alfonzo puts Mets up in the eighth, Counsell ties in the ninth, Mets lose in tenth of doubleheader opener. Everybody -- everybody -- knows the Mets have stopped being contenders all at once. (ETA: Second game is one of Shea's droopiest affairs ever.)
• The Beginning of the Doldrums (6/3/07)
--An unremarkable loss, except it kicks off in earnest a disastrous June and unleashes a year-plus of sub-.500 ball.
• It Rains Runs (8/13/04)
--Horrible storms let up just after six. The Mets come out an pour hell on Casey Fossum, taking 8-0 lead after three. Recent acquiree Kris Benson tries to blow it, doesn't.
• Memorial to Perseverance (5/29/06)
--Heilman gives up three-run homer to Tracy, puts Mets down 7-6 in seventh. But on a holiday night, Reyes festively ties it and Wright festively wins it.
• Endy! Endy! (5/31/06)
--Webb starts, game goes thirteen. Sound familiar? Pedro and Brandon exchange goose eggs as do the pens. In the bottom of 13, Chavez singles home Valentin.
• By the Time Phoenix Get to Shea (5/4/98)
--First Arizona visit. Buck Showalter manages torpidly. Mets lose in eleventh.
• Pratt Once More (5/6/98)
--Todd triples to highlight a seven-run eighth and the scoreboard salutes him as TANK! First time his in-house nickname became public property. (Also, during a rain delay, the Rey O! defensive video is shown on Diamondvision. My future blog partner identifies it as "The Rey Ordonez Festival of Truculence".)
• Santana vs. Haren (6/12/08)
--Good game to this point.
ETA
• Wagner vs. Mets (6/12/08)
--This game, however, was horrible.
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