Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Is Mike Casiano Baseball's Biggest Fan?

 

Mike Casiano at Guaranteed Rate Field

In February 2018 I wrote about the passing of Fuzzy who was New York's greatest sports fan as he likely attended over 10,000 baseball, basketball, and hockey games.  Fuzzy would sit with his crew of diehards in the upper deck of Shea Stadium behind home plate.  One of the diehards is Mike Casiano seen above who regularly sits in Section 515 of Citi Field behind home plate.  Whenever a Met pitcher registers a strikeout he yells out at the top of his lungs "He struck him out."

I read in his Twitter feed (@KingcougarMike) that he just attended his 8,200th baseball game and his making a quest to be at 10,000 games in his lifetime.  I am certain that he attends all 81 games each year at Citi Field, but he also makes road trips to other stadiums.

I am not acquainted with Mike, but perhaps he knows by sight since he often passes by my seat in section 516.  When Mike hits 10,000 games there should be a seat in Citi Field named in his honor.

Monday, May 29, 2023

Four Terrific Female Bob Dylan Fans


In no particular order:

  • Nancy Cobb - I had the pleasure of meeting her at a luncheon during Bob Dylan's residency at the Beacon Theater in November 2019.  She visited Duluth during Dylan's birthday celebration and from there visited Hibbing.  She is now on her way to Tulsa for the World of Bob Dylan 2023.
  • SueMyAss - that is her Twitter handle.  I don't know her real name.  She is planning to go to every Dylan concert in June in Portugal, Spain, France and Italy
  • Laura Tenschert- She has a podcast called Definitely Dylan and has spoken at several conferences.  She posts regularly on Instagram and Twitter about her favorite singer-songwriter
  • Anne Margaret Daniel  - a professor at the New School for Social Research in NYC.  She teaches a course about Dylan there and has spoken at academic conferences about him.

 

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

For Bob Dylan's 82nd Birthday I am Playing Dear Landlord

 


Sometimes one must take Dylan's lyrics out of context to find words of personal significance

Please don’t put a price on my soul

My burden is heavy

My dreams are beyond control

When that steamboat whistle blows

I’m gonna give you all I got to give

And I do hope you receive it well

Dependin’ on the way you feel that you live



Dear landlord

Please heed these words that I speak

I know you’ve suffered much

But in this you are not so unique

All of us, at times, we might work too hard

To have it too fast and too much

And anyone can fill his life up

With things he can see but he just cannot touch



Dear landlord

Please don’t dismiss my case

I’m not about to argue

I’m not about to move to no other place

Now, each of us has his own special gift

And you know this was meant to be true

And if you don’t underestimate me

I won’t underestimate you

Copyright © 1968 by Dwarf Music; renewed 1996 by Dwarf Music


Monday, May 22, 2023

Mets Defeat Guardians 2-1 on Sunday Night

 


My 20-game plan called for games on Friday 5/19 and Sunday 5/21 scheduled as a night game.  The pitching matchup was between two former Cy Young winners, Justin Verlander, and Shane Bieber. Jose Ramirez hit a home run in the first inning to give the Guardians the early which stood until the sixth inning when Francisco Lindor homered against his former team.  Jeff McNeil hit a tie-breaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning to put the Mets ahead.  Verlander pitched eight innings, the longest for any Met starter this season.  Brooks Raley came in for the ninth inning to get the save.  The Mets have now won five games in a row.  Can they go on a winning streak and get into contention for the NL East championship?



Game Highlights

Saturday, May 20, 2023

Happy Recap - The Mets Beat the Cleveland Guardians 10-9 on a Walk off Hit by Francisco Lindor in the 10th Inning

 


Our 20-game Sunday plan includes last night's game against the Cleveland Guardians.  The game started out on a low now for the Mets as starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco returned from the IL but allowed five runs in his five innings as the Mets trailed 5-0.  The Mets got two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth inning.  To make it close at 5-3.  However, the Guardians scored twice in the top of the seventh to increase their lead to four runs.  In the bottom of the seventh, Pete Alonso hit a grand slam (see below) to tie the game at 7-7.



The game went into extra innings when Gabriel Arias hit a two-run home to put the Guardians ahead 9-7.  It looked bleak, but the Mets rallied in the bottom of the 10th to win the game topped off by Lindor's game-winning hit.

The Mets have now won three games in a row evening their record at 23-23,  Hopefully, they will go on a winning streak and be in contention for the National League East title.
 
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