With tonight's rainout, SNY showed a "Mets Classic" from 6/11/05, the Mets' first over-.500 season since 2001. In this game, in the top of the 10th, after Carlos Beltran, two months in to a dismal season to kick off his seven-year contract with the team, and Mike PIazza struck out, Cliff Floyd came to bat. Floyd, a fan favorite who was always either a little or a lot injured, came to bat, got to two strikes and crushed a foul ball. He then fouled off two more pitches before sending one over the right-center fence, just to the base of the scoreboard, to the right of the homerun Apple.
Those were the days when hopes were brightening anew, the Piazza era was coming to a close, and no one knew the anguish and high-end futility that would define the ensuing seasons. Nonetheless, I was a little emotional seeing Cliffy win it in the 10th.
Every damn Yankees Classic is a World Series game. The Mets' classic games are usually insignificant, but scrappy blue collar wins, usually staring forgotten heroes (or Mike Piazza). I prefer the Mets when they're scrappy and bad, and not expected to win. I never went to more games than I did between 2002 and 2005. Empty Shea, so many great seats for cheap. Good times.
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