Original Met and Mets Hall of Fame broadcaster Ralph Kiner will
throw out the ceremonial first pitch today…Kiner is celebrating his
50th season broadcasting Mets games this year…He was inducted
into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975 and into the Mets Hall of
Fame in 1984…Michael Amante, a New York native and an
acclaimed tenor, will sing the National Anthem…More than 140
veterans representing all five U.S. Armed Services – Army, Air
Force, Coast Guard, Marines and Navy – will be on the field during
the pre-game presentation of a giant American flag…The first
25,000 fans will take home a Mr. Met bobblehead courtesy of Citi
HOME OPENERS: The Mets host the Washington Nationals today in
the club’s 50th Home Opener…The Mets are 31-18 in Home Openers,
including 0-2 at the Polo Grounds, 30-15 at Shea Stadium and 1-1 at
Citi Field…The Mets are 10-2 in their last 12 Home Openers…The last
time the Mets opened their home schedule on a Friday was April 28,
1995 when they beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 10-8.
OPENING VS. WASHINGTON: The Mets beat Washington, 3-2, in
their Home Opener on April 3, 2006…New York also went 4-4
against the Montreal Expos in home openers.
R.A. DICKEY: Today will be R.A. Dickey’s second home opening
start of his career…Dickey started the Texas Rangers Home Opener
on April 9, 2004 vs. Anaheim…He picked up the win, working 7.0
innings, allowing six hits, three runs, none earned, with no walks
and five strikeouts in Texas’ 12-4 win…Dickey pitched in relief in the
Rangers Home Opener the following year (2005) and suffered the
loss, allowing one run in 1.0 inning of work in a 7-6 loss to the
Angels on April 11.
DICKEY IN THE CITI: R.A. Dickey went 7-3 with a 1.99 ERA (19
earned runs/81.1 innings) at Citi Field last year…The 1.99 ERA was
the sixth-lowest at home in the majors and he finished tied with
Florida’s Josh Johnson for the fewest runs allowed (19) at home in
the majors.
WRIGHT ON: David Wright has collected at least one hit in every
Home Opener since making an Opening Day roster in 2005 (six
straight)…Wright has hit a home run in each of Citi Field’s two Home
Openers…Overall, he’s batting .360 (9-25) with five runs, four
doubles, three home runs and seven RBI in six Home Openers.
HOME SWEET HOME: Thirteen of the Mets’ next 16 games will be
played at Citi Field…New York went 47-34 at home last year, tied for
12th in the majors…The Mets have compiled an 88-74 (.543) record
at Citi Field.
