The moment word got out that New York Mets star pitcher Jake de Grom was likely to take a rehab start in our very own Syracuse Mets’ NBT Bank Stadium, my dear wife Karen said, yes, thank you, she would like to see that moment with her own eyes.
So I drove over on my Monday lunch break from the library and walked up to the stadium ticket window.
Only upper deck tickets were available already for the Thursday night game. Yes, please, I’ll take a pair. The polite clerk handed over two in section 315, row 10.
By the time I got home from work, the word came over that the game was sold out, 10,000-plus tickets worth.
I grabbed a take-out medium pizza from OIP on my way home from work last night. We ate sitting in our portable chairs after parking in the auxiliary lot, wanting to avoid the food lines on dollar Thursday night.
The upper deck seats were fine to take in de Grom’s four innings of work, 42 pitches in all, two hits allowed, one wild pitch that sailed over catching prospect Francisco Alvarez’s head as one run scored.
Best of all, Mr. de Grom appeared to be throwing free and easy. And when all was over, the Syracuse Mets had prevailed, 6-4.
Word is that our star will throw a simulated game during the all-star break and be back on the mound for the big Mets for the first time since July of 2021. Knock on wood.
Mark Bialczak 
Thanks for taking us out to the ballgame, Mark.
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I know it’s not your Red Sox but it’ll have to do for you, Ann!
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Did you notice I took a photo that said “Syracuse” for you, Mark?
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https://annkoplow.wordpress.com/2022/07/11/day-3569-a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words/
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I haven’t seen a baseball game in over a decade. But I love the enthusiasm vicariously through you and DWK !
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I am very happy that we share the vibe with you, MBC. You share so many things with us that we don’t get to try here!!
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You’re the best 🙂
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You may be less likely to catch a fly ball in the upper deck but it still looks like you had a great view, even without Karen’s iPhone.
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That’s one of the great things about our 10,800-seat Triple-A ballpark, Chris, not a bad seat in the joint!
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Going to the ballpark is a blast and seeing a major leaguer doing a rehab start has got to be very cool. The Mets need him.
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Mets Nation will rejoice when he’s back on the big hill, Clay, that’s for sure. As for living two miles from the Syracuse Mets stadium, well, my dear wife Karen and I are going to the game tonight with daughter Elisabeth and fiancé to be George. It’s fun, easy and a family favorite.
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Sounds like a great night, Mark…and good to hear the fans responded by filling that ballpark up.
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Yes, it’s an interesting relationship with the big Mets, who actually bought the franchise, further than signing an affiliation agreement when a bunch of teams were changing partners five or so years ago. Before that we partnered with the Washington Nationals since their beginning, before that, the Toronto Blue Jays, before that, even the New York Yankees until George Steinbrenner wanted his Triple A team in his hometown of Columbus in the 60s/70s. There you have a history. Anyway, the Mets coaxed a name change from the Syracuse Chiefs and many diehards here were not thrilled. Me, I wanted the name to change from that anyway because of cultural sensitivity. And this Mets fan loves the new name.
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Now that you mention it, I do remember that team in Syracuse being called the Chiefs before. I did not know the Mets actually bought the franchise outright. Just makes good sense to call ’em the Mets.
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I wondered if you got tickets. Happy to se you did. Must have been awesome with a packed house cheering! Can’t wait to see him rejoin the big boys. By the way, what kind of uniform was that?
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It was Latin night with special edition uniforms for the occasion, Mike. They were the Congueros de Syracuse. Yes, the stadium was abuzz for Jacob, an evening that felt major-league to me.
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Que hermoso…. Great uniforms.
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Personally, my assessment on the unis was asi asi, Mike. Too busy!
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what a lucky set to circumstances!
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We were very glad to be there, Beth!
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