TAKE ME OUT TO THE METS GAME

by Maria Christoforidis

NEW YORK, NY – The Mets’ hunger for a sweep still remained in their minds after they were unable to fulfill it at Fenway Park this past Sunday. All players came together this week to effectively produce three satisfying wins, giving the Mets their second 3-game-sweep of the season-the first being against the Pittsburgh Pirates in early May.

The Mets had a couple of highlights during this series against the Washington Nationals, particularly in Tuesday night’s Game 2, when fifth starter Livan Hernandez became the first Mets pitcher to pitch a complete game at Citifield. Hernandez allowed nine hits and only one run with six strikeouts on his lucky night. The team has been playing fairly well, considering their starters have been plagued by injuries, causing the lineup to constantly change with players being placed on and off the disabled list. With all these unfortunate changes, the Mets are able to top the Philthydelphia Phillies in the NL East Standings.

One aspect of any Mets game at Citifield that still leaves me puzzled, is the choice of the players’ entrance songs. As I was walking to my seat on Tuesday night, Game 2 of the Washington series, I heard the über-girly “This Is Your Night” song by dance diva, Amber, playing, only to look over at the field and see Ramon Martinez walking to the plate. There’s nothing wrong with that song, I just didn’t realize Ramon was a fan of perky, bubble-gum pop hits from the 90’s. There were a lot more unusual match-ups (Livan Hernandez, Notorious B.I.G. “Big Poppa”; Luis Castillo [lower c], Fabolous “Make Me Better”), so I decided if I was able to run the Mets soundtrack for one night, these songs would correspond a lot better with each Amazin’.

JOSE REYES: Superman theme song – Faster than a baseman’s throw, more powerful than a pitcher’s arm (led the NL in hits with 204 in 2008), and able to leap bases in a single moment (led the NL in stolen bases from 2005-2007).

DANIEL MURPHY: U2 “The Wanderer”– Murphy, who is originally a third baseman, started out the season in left field in which he has struggled with quite a bit. He moved, yet again, to first base because of Delgado’s absence in the Mets’ defense. If Minaya ends up picking up a first baseman, where will Murphy wander to now?

DAVID WRIGHT: Mims “This Is Why I’m Hot” – We all know how much the white boy loves his hip hop but this song makes absolutely no sense; and frankly, it still boggles my mind why every teenage girl at Citifield is in utter and complete love with him, hence the perfect combination between song and player. Maybe the explanation is as simple as he is hot “coz” he is fly. And we are not “coz” we are not. This is why, this is why he is hot. If I just confused you, I have accomplished my goal.

CARLOS BELTRAN: David y Abraham “El Esta Aqui” – He hasn’t changed his song since coming to the Mets in 2005. I won’t even bother.

FERNANDO MARTINEZ: Right Said Fred “I’m Too Sexy” – The Mets prize prospect has had every Met fan eager to see what the consistent hype around him is all about. F-Mart made his MLB debut Tuesday night with an RBI on a fielder’s choice but is still looking a little shaky on The Show’s stage and then getting booed for not running out a dropped pop up. He still has to convince Met fans he really is, indeed, too sexy for his shirt.

GARY SHEFFIELD: Prodigy “Firestarter” – The title basically describes it all.

“Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical”.

JOHN MAINE: Primus “The Air Is Getting Slippery” – Casey Stengel once said “Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical”. This quote couldn’t apply any more to John Maine whose nerves immediately overtake him when he lets just one batter on base. One walk and this guy starts fidgeting back and forth, back and forth, literally allowing “the act of perspiration to be beyond control”. Not to mention that the bass notes seem to be in perfect proportion with his legs as he slowly, but rhythmically, runs to first base when he hits.

I left the rest of the roster open for you kids…

Kisses, Maria At Bat

P.s… Congrats to the Red Wings (and Chris Chelios) and Penquins for making it to the Stanley Cup Finals – it should be a good one. And it looks like I may have been wrong about Kobe/LeBron last week. Unless the Cavs can find some Kryptonite fast, Superman will be bringing them back to Earth.

COOKIE’S CORNER TOMORROW…