The Countdown - 9 to go

So I'm at my full time temporary job which will hopefully become full time soon because I need some benefits because children need shots and dentist appointments and that stuff cost a lot when you don't have insurance to knock down the cost...

Anyway, I'm walking past the manager's office, after overhearing him say
"Not the Jets, the Mets..."
And I notice tickets on his desk. Naturally I ask about the four tickets and if I could buy one off him. He says he's going with his girl and a couple of her friends.

The day continues and eventually, five minutes before 5 pm, I head home. I'm doing manual labor on a regular basis for the first time in my life, meaning I'm getting sweaty at work so I quickly get into the shower.

I don't notice the missed calls and voicemail on my cell phone, instead I get on the phone with my former insurance company. It's not until my wife says "Your job is on the phone" that I pick my head up to hear my boss say those magic words...

"I've got two tickets. Do you want them?"
My answer was the married man's answer - "Yes. I have to ask my wife, but yes."
Faye, clearly upset with my question, mumbled a yes that was full of venom and general angst that I'm sure I'll feel the wrath of later but...
But...
BUT...

That's a story for a different day. As for the moment, I went to the office, was handed two tickets and after my brother-in-law turned down my invitation for the free ticket I parked my car, hopped the next MARTA train downtown and join the throngs headed for Turner Field.

My baseball stadium list isn't long, but includes Fenway, Yankee, Shea and Tiger Stadium before they tore it down. I've seen SafeCo and Pac Bell and Turner has them beat with public transportation to the game. Train to Underground, then countless free bus shuttles to right outside the front gate.

Good sight lines from the main concourse and although I didn't get there soon enough to watch batting practice, I did have enough time to get lost trying to find my seat.
In case you go, field level is 100 and 200, the upper deck is 400 and the mezzanine or covered section is 300 and you have to go through/near/around the casino which threw me and two fellow Met fans looking for their seats for a loop.

I didn't have to bet on black to sit down. Thought about it, but Jose Reyes was coming up and I try not to miss his plate appearances. You never know when he'll lead off the game with a home run off Jo-Jo Reyes for an early 1-0 lead.

Oli P didn't pitch great, but he wasn't helped by two errors by David Wright in the second (although the official scorer only gave him one) that allowed the Braves to take a 2-1 lead. I pleaded for the team to get my runs back and Jo-Jo Dancer obliged by walking Reyes to lead off the third.

Luis Castillo, who a random Met fan on the train home ripped for "swinging like a girl" and wouldn't listen to me say that he's batted .300 a couple times with that swing, advanced him to second, then Jose Reyes stole third and scored on a single to center by Wright.

I'm not going to go through the entire game, but I haven't been to a pro game in a while so bare with me. It was fun to watch the game and the scoreboard as the Marlins beat up on the Phillies and helped us regain first place.

I realize I really hate the tomahawk chop, mostly cuz they do it all the time. I mean when the No. 7 batter walks in the sixth, I don't think we need the fucking chop. But I will admit it's funny to see the big Chic-Fil-A cow high on the rafters in left-center doing the chop.

Some fans tried a wave and I joined in, but it died out. Yes, I know it may sound corny, but the wave is fun to do at a stadium and watch it go around. Some silly fans tried to start a Let's Go Mets chant. There were enough of us there for it to work, but Braves fans would counter with a Let's Go Braves which made the whole thing just sound like noise.

After Reyes singled home Daniel Murphy in the eighth, I tried to start a "Jose Jose Jose Jose Jose Jose" chant ala any Spanish soccer game but stopped when the realization of what I was doing set in.

I didn't stick around for the fireworks show after the game (They do it after every Friday night home game), but all in all was completely pleased with my trip. The only thing that would have made it better is if I tried to use my valid 2008 Mississippi Press Pass to get into the press box, but I was too busy enjoying the game to search for Newsday's Wallace Matthews and the News' John Harper.

By the way, did I mention that I was given the $13 tickets and when I tried to pay for them was told that they were company tickets that were passed down, that it was cool and my payment really was taking a couple of pictures of my boss and his girl and a $6.25 bag of peanuts?

Next Up:
Pedro Martinez (5-5, 5.47 ERA) vs. Jorge Campillo, (7-7, 3.79)
On the train home, I was asked by the same fan who made fun of Castillo if I was going on Saturday. My answer was "I don't want to see Pedro get roughed up." He could throw a gem, but more than likely this is a high-scoring affair that will likely tax a bullpen that needs more rest days with the season coming down the wire. Campillo hasn't pitched well lately and against the Mets, but he's still got a pretty impressive ERA and I can only hope the offensive team, the same one that got clutch hits late to put the game away, shows up knowing that they control their own destiny,

With the Brewers latest loss, they are now 1.5 behind Philly. If they stay that way and the Mets and Phillies end the regular season tied, according to everyone knowledgable that I asked, the Mets would be division chamnps due to their 11-8 regular season record. Let's just hope it doesn't come down to that.