Doctor Seuss once said, “Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.” This is the quote I will take with me into this off-season. As a fourth straight losing season comes to a close, some may look to the bleak but I want to take a page out of Terry Collins’ book and look towards the positive.
I am of the younger faction of Mets fans (often referred to on here as Generation Piazza) and I can honestly say this season has been my most memorable season. I have three playoff experiences, one World Series appearance, and zero rings. And although this season provided none of those three, I find myself more satisfied after this Game 162 than I have any other since 2006.
The obvious choice for top memory of the season is the franchise’s first no-hitter, thrown by Johan Santana on June 1st. I still haven’t moved on from the fact I wasn’t in attendance, but the fact I was able to share that moment at the bar with my dad eased that sting. More important than a Mets pitcher getting 27 outs without a hit was the fact that Citi Field finally had a positive memory to build upon – something we haven’t seen as fans since its opening in 2009.
Monday June 18th against the Orioles was the most energetic game I’ve ever been a part of at Citi Field. The Mets were once again in a June pennant race, but the building had a different feel. R.A. Dickey was on the mound and from the first inning you knew it could be a special night. It ended up being a one-hitter, his second in a row.
And finally the last week at Citi Field featured two milestones that really meant something to me. First was David Wright passing Ed Kranepool as the franchise’s all-time hits leader. I was at other games this season when Wright put himself atop a franchise list, but never had I seen a bigger smile on his face than standing on second base watching a career highlight reel of himself on Citi Vision and getting two standing ovations. The next day R.A. Dickey nailed down his 20th win of the season – the first time a Mets pitcher has done so since 1990. And if everything goes accordingly, he should be rewarded with a Cy Young award next month.
There were countless other memories of big moments on the field (Wright walk-off versus Phillies), road trips to see the Mets and Bisons, and Blogger Tailgates. But more importantly, what made this season memorable, was meeting so many fans that feel as passionate about the orange and blue as I do and sharing these moments with them. So until Opening Day (or maybe even PSL), keep calm and cheer on.