I went to the Saturday and Sunday games at Citi Field, and besides the disappointment in watching the Reds play like ... well, the Reds ... I thought I'd summarize the experience.
The ballpark:
- While anything is an improvement over Shea. This stadium is "nice," but lacks character and you can tell from the $18 parking to the fact that you can't walk 2 feet without some huge ad in your face that it's there to generate revenue. Honestly, you'd be hard pressed to guess that you were in the Mets stadium ... you don't see the team colors or logo or very much Mets' historical stuff anywhere. GABP, Pittsburgh and San Francisco are much nicer "new" stadiums.
- It's an absolute cavern, the anti-Yankee stadium. The Mets will need a CF-level defensive player to cover all of the ground in RF.
Saturday's game:
- Cueto had good velocity, but was really struggling with control early. The two hits were bloops, not hit very well. He settled down, surprisingly, and wasn't too bad after that.
- Ramon Hernandez hit a bomb to CF in the top of the first that would've given the Reds a 3-0 lead in most parks.
- Gomes hit a flyout in the 4th or 5th that would've been a 2-run homer in GABP.
- Bruce probably doesn't have to slide for that fly ball in GABP (the play where he hurt his wrist). But there's so much space in RF, he was stationed 15-20 feet deeper than he'd have to play in GABP.
Sunday's game:
- Harang, according to the Citi Field gun, was in the mid-to-high 80s. He had nothing. I don't think he touched 90.
- Votto was the first of many Reds to get mad at Welke's strike zone. But what the heck took Dusty so long to get out there to keep Votto from getting tossed?
- Tavares must get the worst jump on the ball than any OF in the majors. And if he's not going to steal when he gets on, what good is he. Speed is his only positive.
- Manuel was throwing mid-70s to low-80s according to the gun. I thought he threw harder for some reason.
- Weathers was apparently on vacation already, as he threw batting practice fastballs over the heart of the plate.
- I don't know any ballplayer that looks like he enjoys playing the game as much as Brandon Phillips.