February 18, 2008

Ticket-buying tips for final season at Shea Stadium

NewYorkology contributor Scott Ross keeps you abreast of upcoming Mets and Yankees home games in New York City in-season. But first, here's his look at which Mets tickets to buy early. Last week: the Yankees outlook.

The Mets head into their final season at Shea Stadium after imploding last season. Thanks to the largesse – or was it inexperience? -- of Twins general manager Bill Smith, they were able to land ace starter Johan Santana for pennies on the dollar, thereby helping their fans forget about 2007.

Last spring Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins declared that Philadelphia was the team to beat in the NL East. The bold prediction elicited a great deal of scoffing. When the Phillies were 7 games back with 17 games to play, the scoffing reached a fever pitch. Over the next two and a half weeks Rollins wrapped up the NL MVP award in leading his team to a division title.

On April 8, the Phillies return to Queens for the Mets' final home opener at Shea Stadium. Rollins deserves a standing – if begrudging – ovation; expect a thunderous chorus of boos.

There was a time when it seemed as though the NBC Major League Game of the Week was exclusively Mets-Dodgers. The rivalry is renewed May 29, when erstwhile Yankees manager Joe Torre returns to New York with his new band of charges, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers are loaded with young talent that has been festering on the bench for too long. Hopefully by late May, Torre will have the good sense to showcase it.

June 27 sees the New York Yankees make their final regular-season visit to Shea. Oh hell, let's be honest, the odds of both New York teams meeting in the Worlds Series is beyond long. So June 27 sees the New York Yankees make their final visit to Shea.

What the Rockies had to do to reach the playoffs last year was even more improbable than what the Mets did to miss them. Colorado won 13 of the final 14 games to finish in a tie with San Diego, then came back from a two-run deficit in the 13th inning to win a one-game playoff and reach the post season. They then won their next seven in a row to blow through the first two rounds of the playoffs and make the World Series. The rest, as they say, is history. Will the Rox be playoff bound when they arrive in Queens on July 11? Probably not, but they weren't playoff bound on July 11, 2007 either.

At 1:10 PM on Sept. 30, 2007, Tom Glavine took the hill for the Mets' with a chance to send New York to a one-game playoff with the Phillies for the division title. By 1:45 the Mets were down 7 – 0 and Glavine's career in Queens was over. On Aug. 19, 2008, Glavine returns to Shea as a member of the Atlanta Braves. Bring some earplugs, Tommy.

The Florida Marlins come to New York on Sept. 26 for the final three regular season games at Shea Stadium. By 5 PM on Sept. 28, that wretched ballpark will be nothing but an unpleasant memory. Good riddance. Don't sweat it, though, Mr. Met and the top hat will be moving to their new digs in 2009.

Your chance to register for tickets to the first and last game of the season, as well as the Subway Series, runs out on Feb. 18. Season tickets and ticket plans are already available and tickets to select single games are on sale at a discount (for as little as $5,) for a limited time.

Earlier: Mets premium-game tix registration ends at midnight

February 18, 2008 10:05 AM in Cheap Stuff, Kids, Out of Manhattan, Sports

®Copyright 2006, All Rights Reserved