Mets 6 Cardinals 2 in My First 2018 Game at Citi Field

This is likely the first time I attended a baseball game in March as the season began a few days early this year.  We usually go on the first weekend of the season, so this year was no exception. Jacob de Grom who cut his hair in the offseason was the starting pitcher for the Mets.  He was sharp as he allowed 1 run and 4 hits with 7 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.  Home runs by Yoenis Cespedes and Travis d'Arnaud led the hitting attack as the Mets won 6-2.  This is the first time since 2013 that they won their first two games of the season.

The only problem was that relief pitcher Anthony Swarzak left the game with a sore left oblique.  Hopefully, this is a minor injury as I don't want to see the team decimated by medical problems as it was last season.

Game recap

Mets and Yankees Win on Opening Day Saddened by the Passing of Rusty Staub

Very early this morning Rusty Staub passed away in Florida at the age of 73 in Florida.  I am sure that all baseball fans and players who knew him were greatly saddened today.  There is so much that can be said about him but I am going to refer my readers to a biography of him written by SABR member Norm King.

Mickey Calloway made his managerial debut at Citi Field as the Mets beat the Cards 9-4.  Noah Syndergaard stuck out ten to lead the Mets to victory.  Yoenis Cespedes led the hitting attack by driving in three runs.  I wish the Mets could have openers every game as their record is 37-12 on opening days since 1970.  It is a long season and anything can happen over the next 161 games.

Game Summary

In Toronto, the Yankees beat the Blue Jays 6-1 in a game featuring two home runs by Giancarlo Stanton and an excellent pitching performance by Luis Severino.  The Yankees could run away with the AL East, but its a long season.

Game Summary

Happy 30th Birthday to Lee

Where did all these years go?  March 28 is Lee's 30th birthday.  He is wearing his Wheel of Fortune t-shirt as he is the family's champion of this game show.  He is looking forward to the start of baseball season which will be on March 29.  He shares his birthday with my friend Herb Hollander.

Random Comments of the Day

I just I haven't posted random comments in a while so here goes:

• Radio personality Don Imus is retiring this week after 40+ years in radio.  I never cared for his style of radio, but he certainly had an impact.  Back in 1977-78 while I lived in New London, CT, he had a big following there as WNBC come in loud and clear about 120 miles away from NYC.
• Today for the first time since I retired from NJIT I ate lunch at Subways.  All of them are pretty much the same.
• Lee hears his favorite Bob Dylan song, Tangled up in Blue, on WFUV this morning.
• I am looking forward to Opening Day this Thursday.

We Saw A Bronx Tale for Lee's Birthday

Every year we take Lee to see a Broadway show for his birthday (March 28), so this year he picked A Bronx Tale.  It is a streetwise musical that takes place on the stoops in the Bronx in the 1960s where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he'd love to be.  It was a movie released in 1993 that starred Robert De Niro.  That film was adapted from Chazz Palminteri's 1989 play of the same name.  The musical opened at the Papermill Playhouse in February 2016 and the moved to Broadway.

Bob Dylan's Never Ending Tour Resumes in Lisbon, Portugal

I just checked Bill Pagel's Boblinks page and found out that the Never Ending Tour has resumed.  Dylan will be 77 years old in May and he keeps going.  Here is the setlist:

Lisbon, Portugal Altice ArenaMarch 22, 2018

1.	Things Have Changed (Bob on Piano)
2.	It Ain't Me, Babe (Bob on Piano)
3.	Highway 61 Revisited (Bob on Piano)
4.	Simple Twist Of Fate (Bob on Piano)
5.	Summer Days (Bob on Piano)
6.	Make You Feel My Love (Bob on Piano)
7.	Honest With Me (Bob on Piano)
8.	Tryin' To Get To Heaven
9.	Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (Bob on Piano)
10.	Pay In Blood (Bob on Piano)
11.	Tangled Up In Blue (Bob on Piano)
12.	Soon After Midnight (Bob on Piano)
13.	Early Roman Kings (Bob on Piano)
14.	Desolation Row (Bob on Piano)
15.	Spirit On The Water (Bob on Piano)
16.	Thunder On The Mountain (Bob on Piano)
17.	Why Try To Change Me Now (Bob center stage - no harp)
18.	Love Sick (Bob on Piano)
	(encore)
19.	Blowin' In The Wind (Bob on Piano)
20.	Ballad Of A Thin Man (Bob on Piano)

Snow, Snow Go Away

I wouldn't mind so much if this were January or February, but on March 21 we shouldn't get 8 - 12 inches of snow.  The weather forecast stated that the storm will intensify over the next few hours and may not end until about 5 AM.  Since the days are longer in March, the snow will melt quicker, but not instantaneously.  It is hard to believe that open day at Citi Field is in 8 days.  I am sure the groundskeepers will get the field in shape.  Our first game is on March 31.  I hope I won't have to wear my winter coat to the game.