I took my family to a Binghamton Mets game, or more accurately they took me to one as a father’s day gift. I wouldn’t say I am an avid minor league game attendee, but I generally get to half dozen games or so every year at various stadiums. When I go alone, I generally am focusing on a few players, and doing a bad impression of an amateur scout.

When I am with the kids, it’s more about the game and the atmosphere. I take the opportunity to point out who is playing that they can expect to see in the big leagues (more on this in a bit). While we try to get a souvenir or two, and a few autographs.

The staff at the field were outstanding, from the on-field coordinators who bounced around the field and stands in between innings to the guys working the children play area. I appreciate the attendee at the micro-brew stand opening up early to serve me during BP, and security allowing us to enter the stadium before actually opening.

Great work all around, special thanks for the guy at the radar gun who let my son help him out by handing out the baseballs and collect them afterwards. An an apology to the father of the boy my three-year old son got into his first physical altercation with.

With a paid attendance of just over 2,000 there were a lot of empty seats. In speaking with some locals during the game, there is concern that team may still move contrary to what the new ownership has stated. More involvement and coordination with local schools was mentioned a few times as a way to improve the attendance.

While I may be in family mode, it doesn’t mean I am not the same baseball junkie that can’t help making observations, and looking for silver linings.

The game itself was a disappointment, you can read the recap of the game here.  Stranding 13 runners, with many a squandered opportunity, a comment heard in passing from a fellow fan “at this rate they are ready for Queens”, was both apt and accurate of what appears to be a systemic issue throughout the organization.

Some mental notes from the game:

• Rainy Lara struggled from the first inning, and never seemed very comfortable. A coaches visit in the first, prevented one in the second when it was need after Lara walked the pitcher, then loaded the bases, then walked home a run.
  • Side note: not having a single native Spanish speaking IF or C is ridiculous considering how many pitchers are from Latin countries.
• Dominic Smith was not getting anything to hit. Opposing pitchers are not going to let him beat them.
  • What swings I saw, he is driving the ball where the pitch is at
  • His body build is fine, moves well around the bag, the criticism is greatly exaggerated.
• L.J. Mazzilli put together some good at bats, very polished approach
• There was an aggressive game plan being executed early with stolen bases off the tall RH Clay Holmes.
  • An inexcusable error by Pedro Lopez putting the brakes on Sabol rounding third, led to Maikis getting tagged out at third, killing a rally early (Teufel would have been blasted). 
• Maikis De La Cruz is a fun player to root for, hustles, solid defensive player. 
• Jayce Boyd should not be in LF, put him in Vegas at 1B.
• Kevin McGowan (wins points from me by wearing stirrups) pitched out of a jam, with the help of a great throw by Sabol.
• Tim Peterson is one of the bullpen guys that knows how to pitch. Radar gun clocked him low 90’s but he worked the zone, changed eye level, and kept hitters off balance.

When the tickets were ordered, I had hopes of seeing Amed Rosario along with Austin Meadows. One was promoted the other is still stuck in St. Lucie (now promoted, I was that close!) So that did add to the overall disappointment of the on-field product. From the B-Mets on the field, I would say I seen maybe four players who will reach the pros, and two of those were relief pitchers. Dom Smith and Phillip Evans being the others. From the Curve Reese McGuire stood out, and Erich Weiss impressed me. 

None of that diminished the great time my family had. My boy woke up this morning wanting to go back and cheer on the Mets. My daughter kept score for the first time, and said learning algebra was easier, (so that’s something I need to work on with her) From the sounds of things we will be returning to Binghamton soon, hopefully when Rosario is present.