Bisons Beat Teams-Up With Mets Merized Online

Thanks to Joe D from Mets Merized Online for inviting me to submit weekly Bisons content to his site. I encourage every Mets (and Bisons) fan to check out the site, which is highly informative, draws from a number of contributors, and contains a lot of unique features including downloadable Mets graphics.

Opening Day Pics

Upper-Deck at Coca-Cola Field. Note Jon Niese, pitching
from 40 ft instead of the usual 60.5 ft. This was an attempt
to record an out after being clobbered for 1 2/3 innings:

Gov. Paterson and crew sucking-up to Mr. Met (left):

Pawtucket starter Enrique Gonzales, he pretty much handled the Bisons over 5.0 innings.

Another pregame pic:

Mr. Met freezing his @$$ off:

Some ugly guy with a cute kid:

Niese and Evans Right Where they Belong

Today, I took my son to Buffalo Bisons opening day, and saw first-hand why Jonathon Niese and Nick Evans didn't make the Mets roster. The game-time temperature was 42 degrees, Evans was colder and Niese was near absolute zero. Niese's line reads 5 hits, 5 runs (all earned) with 3 walks in 2.0 ip. The Paw Sox were putting dents in the outfield walls, and Niese looked lost.

Other potential Mets fared just as poorly. Nick Evans went 0-4 with two strikeouts and hit into an inning ending double-play. Eddie Kunz pitched 1.1 innings in relief, walking at one point three out of four batters, forcing in a run. On the bright side, Fernando Martinez looked great, going 2 for 4 with a double and a triple. Bobby Kielty also chalked-up a 2 for 4 day.

The end result: Pawtucket 6, Buffalo 4

Notes:

• Mr. Met was on hand today. I tried to get my kid to pose with him for a picture, but no, Mr. Met scared the %#$& out of him.

• Gov. Paterson, Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Buffalo Mayor and the Erie County Exec. were on hand to throw out the first pitch. All of them bounced the ball and Paterson got booed.

• Jeff Wilpon was on hand as well. I wonder if he stayed to watch the game.
  

• This isn't the first time the Buffalo Bisons have teamed-up with the Mets. The Bisons were the International League affiliate of the Mets from 1963-1965.

• Fernando Martinez, at the age of 20, is the youngest player to sport a Bisons uniform in fifteen years.
  

• AAA Baseball is one of the best values in all of sports. Two tickets to the game, program, soda, ice cream, bring your own snacks, parking, game ball, and one carnival game: $28.00.

Opening Day in Buffalo

I'm taking my boy up to Coca-Cola Field to see the Bisons opening game today. I'm looking forward to seeing so many almost-Mets and used-to-be Mets on the field. Jonathon Niese gets the start, and we'll see if Mets fans will be wishing he was in Queens with the big boys.