Mets Best On Opening Day and Other Irrelevant Facts
Did you know the New York Mets have the best Opening Day record in MLB?
With a 33-18 (.647) record, the Mets have the highest winning percentage on Opening Day in MLB history. Despite that record, the Mets have only outscored their opponents by eight runs (223-215) in those contests. The next-closest is the Arizona Diamondbacks at 9-6, .600. The Seattle Mariners are third at 21-15 (.583), and the Yankees and Orioles are tied for fourth at 64-47-1 (.577). No, I’m not sure how there could’ve ever been a tie, but I wonder if it was a game between the Yankees and Orioles? Or, maybe the press release from the Mets (via Elias Sports Bureau) was incorrect.
More good news for today: the Mets are undefeated in season openers at Citi Field (2-0).
Bad news: the last — and only other — time the Mets and Padres hooked up on Opening Day was April 1, 1997, when San Diego won 12-5.
When Opening Day has been April 1, the Mets are 3-2.
The Mets have shut out their opponent 7 times on Opening Day, and been shut out only once (by St. Louis in 1963).
The Mets have played six extra-inning games on Opening Day, and are 5-1 in those games.
The Mets have scored 10 runs or more on Opening Day four times. They once allowed 15 – to the Cubs in 2003.
This is David Wright‘s 9th season opener, tying him for third with Jerry Grote and Howard Johnson amongst Mets in Opening Day appearances. The only Mets with more are Tom Seaver and Bud Harrelson, who both started as Mets on Opening Day 11 times. Wright has a .375 batting average on Opening Day, and has had at least one hit in every home opener of his career.
Today is Daniel Murphy‘s birthday — no foolin’! He turns 28.
Also celebrating his birthday today is Rusty Staub, who turns 39 for the 29th time. He’s throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.
Emmy Rossum – singer, actress and star of Showtime’s Shameless – will perform the National Anthem backed by 50 choir members from the Scholars’ Academy School Chorus from the Rockaways.
Keith Carradine, Allison Case, Kathleen Monteleone and David Larsen — stars in the popular Broadway show “Hands on a Hardbody” — will perform God Bless America.
The Mets gave away 1,000 Opening Day tickets to to citizens who were heroic in their response to Sandy, and those who were affected by the devastation. Over 500 first responders will be honored and recognized during the pregame ceremonies.
Many thanks to the Mets PR department for providing all of these fun facts.
As for the Yankees, I think it was a 4-4 game against the Red Sox (who else?), that was called due to darkness (1910s).
Duda‘s front foot is a mess, doing different things from pitch to pitch.
Ike is either guessing wrong, or not seeing the ball well, or his timing is off. Not alarming, just cold.
Cowgill and Byrd swung at everything, especially down in the count, but at least they can square up a meatball.
John Buck is a large dude. Showed good technique on a blocked curve. Hit some balls hard. Burkhardt said he’s extremely vocal in meetings.
I was worried that the young Mets would be missing out on Johan’s example for competitiveness, but Niese seems to have stepped up. Looked in charge for most of the game, and really fought Terry to stay in. As for his pitching, he yanked a few to his glove side, hung a couple curves, and didn’t throw many truly nasty pitches, but he did a good job switching up velocity, movement and location just enough to keep the Padres off balance.
Scott Rice‘s first few pitches didn’t go where he wanted, but after that he looked nasty. Good angle, good sink, good change. Reminds me of a left-handed Matt Wise, when Wise was good.
Flipping through other games, I was reminded how the Mets’ booth is the best in the bigs. What viewership the Mets retain through their losing seasons should be credited largely to Gary, Keith and Ron. If the organization’s goal is to attract fans, they should pay those guys more than they do middle relievers.
Will repost later if there’s a dedicated thread for this.