
### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023 - STOP 31](2026-08-16_summerofbaseball2023)

Martha’s Vineyard is one of Massachusetts’ most popular tourist destinations. I remember visiting the island as a kid WAY back in the day, but I don't remember much of what happened on that trip (though my parents have a memory of nearly getting involved in an incident with Carly Simon - look her up if you don't know who she is).

Given the large number of people on the island in the summer, a baseball team here makes some sense. Said team was established in 2011 as a founding member of the Futures League (and named after the movie Jaws, which was filmed on the Vineyard), where they were decently successful - winning a pair of championships (kinda)[^1]. In 2019, the team switched over to the NECBL (a year before [Bristol](2026-06-30_briblues)), and since moving, they’ve added an NECBL championship (in 2022) to their name.

One thing I learned when I came here: when you’re trying to figure out how to get to 30 different baseball stadiums within a two-month period...planning a trip here is a DOOZY.

First, Martha’s Vineyard is too far from land to be accessed by bridge, so you have to take a ferry to even get to it. Once you get to the island, you still need to take a bus or car to where the ballpark is because it’s way too far from the ferry dock to walk to. In all honesty, all of that wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world...if games didn’t start at 7 PM. Things (i.e. the bus and ferry) don’t run super late (or often) on the island (though they do run more in the summer), so being at the mercy of TWO public transportation schedules hoping you don’t end up stuck on an island where hotels are (probably) quite booked and quite expensive can be insanely stressful (I didn’t want to book a hotel for...reasons I honestly don’t fully understand looking back).

Thankfully, cars are allowed on the ferries, so you can bring a car and cut a lot of the middle stuff out...as long as you book early enough (i.e. not in the summer and potentially spring); spots are limited and sell out FAST. I bought my ferry tickets in January of 2023 once I selected my date (the day the schedule came out), and the ferry was not cheap (it also didn’t help that I accidentally booked for the wrong day).

![A photo of Vineyard Baseball Park](/images/baseball2023/vineyardgrandstand.jpeg)

All of THAT aside, I’d liken the Sharks’ stadium to - quite fittingly - [Buck Hardee Field in Wilmington](2026-06-22_ilmsharks). It's officially known as "Vineyard Baseball Park", but seems WAY more commonly known as "The Shark Tank"; Wikipedia doesn't have a page for it, but it does note that it's on the campus of the island's high school, and received renovations at some point (seemingly to accommodate the arrival of the Sharks).

There’s a grandstand with seats apparently taken from Oriole Park at Camden Yards, a fairly expansive space on the right side (you enter from left center and then walk around the right side of the field), a beer garden in the outfield, and some interesting little shacks behind home plate; I’m not sure which ones are used for various things during games, but one of them had ice cream when I went. There’s also a brick backstop a la the [Chatham Anglers](2025-08-17_chaanglers), though the paths around the ballpark are sand and gravel as opposed to being paved.

Interestingly, grandstand seating was sold as reserved seats when I visited (a rarity in these summer leagues) and (somewhat obviously) cost more than general admission. Normally, this wouldn’t be such a big deal since you could simply buy a cheaper ticket then sit in a “more expensive” seat once you realize no one’s going to take it. However, the Sharks are one of the better drawing teams in New England (they've been first in the NECBL for a few years), so those reserved seats are probably going to be used by the people who bought them (in fact, the names of what I assume are the season ticket holders are on the backs of the seats).

![A photo of the field at Vineyard Baseball Park](/images/baseball2023/vineyardpark.jpeg)

Having mentioned the fans, I should note that I got to the game (in 2023) about an hour before first pitch (when gates typically open), and...I was the only one there for a while. It wasn’t until the game was about to start that there were more people, and the stadium seemed to fill after the game started (attendance, apparently, was just under 2500).

<div id="merch" />

### MERCH

I would honestly say that merch here isn’t OVERLY special - it’s sold from what appears to be the back of a truck and features items that don’t stray too far from what you’d expect to get at a baseball game. I don’t recall ever seeing the team sell logo baseballs or mini bats, however - just clothing (including old jerseys FWIW). Like the [Sanford Mainers](2026-09-10_sfdmainers), the Sharks sold both fitted and flexfit hats when I came here in 2023 (I didn’t check for flexfit hats the first time). 

I do have to also mention the fact that the team hosted the 2022 NECBL All-Star Game (which I went to as it was SLIGHTLY easier to handle as an all-day thing[^2]), and for THIS GAME ONLY (as I've yet to see the NECBL do it since), each team in the league had a special hat (a la what MLB does for their All-Star Game). At the All-Star game, I bought a game ball (as they were on sale) and a whopping THIRTEEN hats: one All-Star hat for 12 of the league’s then-14 teams, and a normal Sharks hat[^4]; getting ALL of them from the game to the bus to the ferry and then to the shuttle to the ferry's parking lot and then finally back to my car was...interesting. 

![An image of a bunch of hats stacked on top of each other](/images/baseball2023/necblhats.jpg)

Finally, prior to me coming here, I once attempted to order a hat from the team as they had it listed on Facebook Marketplace (or what was essentially an equivalent to it back in 2020), but they were unable to complete the order for whatever reason...

---

And with that, I've talked about every summer league baseball team in New England that I've ever visited that played in 2026.

_However..._

### ON DECK

...there is one more team to discuss. They haven't played since the summer of 2023 (which is why I've saved them for the end), but they also haven't (technically) folded I think, so there's that.

---

[^1]: I have yet to mention this, but in 2018, Game 3 of the Futures League championship series (i.e. the series deciding game) was cancelled due to rain delays dragging it way too late into August (remember, the players are college students who have to go back to school). The two teams that played in the series - the Sharks and [Worcester Bravehearts](2026-08-18_woobravehearts) - were declared co-champions.

[^2]: Yes, I had to leave "early", but the fact that the day started at 1 instead of 7 meant that I could be there for several hours, take in a few of the festivities (such as the Home Run Derby) plus a bit of the game, and then head back at a time when I knew I wouldn't have to worry about missing any critical transportation connections.

[^3]: The two I didn’t end up getting were [North Shore](2026-08-22_nsnavigators) and [North Adams](2026-09-02_nasteeplecats), as I had found them at the team’s stadiums earlier in the year; some of the teams sold their All-Star hats at their own stadiums before and after this game, and the Sharks themselves sold their OPPONENT’S All-Star hat when I came here in 2023 (partially because _theirs_ sold out at the All-Star Game). Also, unlike the All-Star game the following year, I don't remember if jerseys were actually available for sale...

[^4]: The ferries from Cape Cod to the Vineyard do have parking options, but they're a bit far from the actual ferry docks (largely due to land); shuttles carry passengers from the lots to and from the docks, and I actually saw quite a few of the teams waiting in line for the ferry when I arrived.


The absolute JOURNEY I took to complete my 2023 goal

Martha’s Vineyard Sharks (New England Collegiate Baseball League) @ Vineyard Baseball Park (Oak Bluffs, MA)


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 30](2026-08-16_summerofbaseball2023)

You’ll probably never guess how the Sanford Mainers got their name, but they were founded in 2002. They’ve won three league championships (with the third being this past year), and while their average attendance seems a bit low, part of that is due to the relative “size” of Sanford vs. other cities in the NECBL as well as their stadium, as it’s the smallest one in the league at under 1,000 seats.

Goodall Park was opened in 1915 (one year before the Chicago Cubs moved to Wrigley), and among other things, is apparently the site where one George Herman Ruth played his final game for the Boston Red Sox (an exhibition game against a local team). Outside of that, there's not a lot of information on teams that have played here (due to Sanford's size/location plus the low capacity), but apparently the old grandstand burned down in the 90s and had to be fully rebuilt (which is part of why I like this place quite a bit).

![A view of Goodall Park from the grandstand](/images/baseball2023/sanford.jpeg)

Instead of wooden (or even metal) benches, the seats here are actual individual seats (like the ones you’d find in a regular stadium), the stairwells feel “modern” enough (even as they approach 30 years old), and there’s some rather ornate details. Thanks to this rebuilt grandstand, I would say that Goodall Park is one of the more "comfortable" NECBL parks to watch a game (though the grandstand is covered with foul ball netting if you're concerned about obscured views). There's also a little statue of a baseball behind the grandstand, and while it doesn't really do much to impact the overall experience, it is still a neat touch. 

Somewhat similar to Bristol, there’s a large concourse outside the grandstand, but it’s a bit different in layout and the fact that it’s basically a small lot instead of a sidewalk and almost exclusively down the right field line. Lines for parking spots can be seen in this area, but it's off limits to vehicles during games (plus parking right next to a foul line during a baseball game is just asking for trouble in SO MANY ways...)

Despite Sanford being fairly remote from Boston (as it's a fairly local route once you leave Interstate 95), I came here two times: once in 2022 on the FINAL day of the regular season as the end of a "suspended" game (which I mentioned back when I talked about the [Winnipesaukee Muskrats](2026-04-11_wpsmuskrats)), and another time for a "full" game in 2023. Coincidentally, the 2022 visit featured...the Keene Swamp Bats, who I saw START a game against [Bristol](2026-06-30_briblues) that got suspended before it went official.

<div id="merch" />

### MERCH

Wikipedia implies that at some point, merchandise was sold from the concession stand under the grandstand. The reason I bring it up here is because when I visited, merch was instead sold from a “shed” in the plaza across from the grandstand.

As my first visit was on the absolute last day of the 2022 season, the team was running out of items to sell, but I was able to get a jacket (and a hat that’s too big for my head). Prior to my second visit, I ordered a hat from the team (Sanford having probably the most robust online store in the NECBL), but it was not mailed properly, so it arrived pretty beat up (I ended up exchanging it at the game).

One thing I found interesting about Sanford: while most teams in the NECBL and Futures League use flexfit hats, a few do use fitteds (such as the two Rhode Island teams). Sanford, on the other hand, sold BOTH fitted and flexfit hats (at least they did in 2023) - something only one other team did when I was going around the New England leagues (though my recent visit to [Danbury](2026-07-24_dbywesterners)[^1] indicated that they had fitted hats for at least a year or so before switching back to flexfit hats).

---

[^1]: Who, it should be noted, lost to Sanford in the 2026 NECBL Championship series.

All the information is in the team's name

Sanford Mainers (New England Collegiate Baseball League) @ Goodall Park (Sanford, ME)


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 27](2026-08-16_summerofbaseball2023)

The Upper Valley Nighthawks were founded in 2015 in the White River Junction area of Vermont (near the intersection of the two major interstate highways that travel through the state). The family who established the team (and it seemed like they were still in control when I visited) were involved with the then-[Laconia Muskrats](2026-04-11_wpsmuskrats), but I guess they moved from the Lakes and decided to set up operations in White River Junction.

They've been playing at a local park known as the Maxfield Sports Complex since their inception (which, it should be noted, doesn't have a Wikipedia page). I don’t think I can properly discuss this place without discussing my experiences trying to catch a game AND get a hat since I didn’t have a regular Nighthawks hat when I visited (emphasis on the "regular" - which I'll get into later).

Let’s start with the field itself and the best part: games are actually free to attend (or at least they were back in 2023)! It’s the only stadium I've been to outside of Cape Cod that does this (though Mystic is seemingly doing it now since they moved out of Dodd), and it made what happened a little less painful. Outside of that, I’d say it’s pretty standard NECBL material - not awesome, but not a horrible experience. There are very FEW bleachers, so much like a Cape League game/Danbury/Ocean State, a lot of fans show up with lawn chairs and plop then down along the fences.

So what actually happened?

Let’s start with this: the date I used to mark this post is actually the THIRD time I visited the Nighthawks; my original plan for Summer 2023, in essence, gave me only one chance to come here (it is somewhat drivable from Boston at a 2-ish hour drive, but it’s not a fun drive IMO). However, thanks to my parents booking a week in Vermont (partially as my plans to visit the [Lake Monsters](2026-09-05_vtlakemonsters) and [Mountaineers](2026-09-07_vtmountaineers) coincided with them vacationing with my mom's cousin), I had a week in which the team was home three times: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. That same week, however, featured another thing: rain. Basically every day.

On Monday, I saw that the team was scheduled to play a doubleheader - neat! I can go down and get my "stuff" done early...or so I thought. Instead, it rained so hard on the way to the stadium that I thought I’d end up hydroplaning off the winding roads of Vermont for like a good two miles. When I got to the stadium, it was still pouring...but thankfully the rain eventually stopped. The doubleheader turned into a single game that started at 7 and didn’t go nine innings because of the rain, and the uncertainty with the weather caused the team to opt not to sell concessions/merch (part of the reason I went to all of these stadiums is because I like collecting team hats, which are usually unavailable online).

After that mild disappointment, I decided to give it another go on Wednesday - my weather models that I use to check conditions seemed to indicate that things should be fine. Unfortunately, things were very much NOT fine, and the game was postponed to I don't know or remember when because it's honestly not important.

Finally, on Friday, things worked out and I ended up going to a game, getting the stuff done that I wanted to do before heading back to Massachusetts (where I lived at the time). Unfortunately for the team, they end up getting walloped by the worst team in the league that year ([North Adams](2026-09-02_nasteeplecats))... 

<div id="merch" />

### MERCH

As mentioned earlier, the first game I went to did not feature concessions or merchandise, as the team wasn’t sure if it’d actually go on as scheduled. However, the second game featured the team’s standard concession stand (i.e. the press box), from which VERY LIMITED merchandise was sold - by which I mean just hats and NOTHING ELSE. Honestly, this was fine by me as I was really only looking for hats , but the team seemingly did have a few old jerseys lying around, though I wasn’t super sure if they were available (and they were shirseys, so I wasn’t actually that interested).

However, it should be mentioned that the second game featured local food trucks, and one of the trucks sold maple products (unlike the other Vermont stadiums) including something I had never heard of until 2023 (even if it is more or less just soft serve ice cream) - a creemee (AND it was in a mini helmet to boot)[^1]!

---

### ON DECK

The NECBL's most self-descriptive team.

---

[^1]: I think I mentioned it in another post, but this particular week marked what I think is the first time I've ever been in Vermont in the summer - EVERY other time I've been has been during one of the other three seasons.

A story of EXCRUCIATING travel

Upper Valley Nighthawks @ Maxfield Sports Complex (White River Junction, VT)


I've mentioned the possibility (or rather, unfortunate likelihood) of an [MLB lockout](2026-05-02_1994ws) that could have MASSIVE impacts not just in 2027, but beyond as well. The last thing I've heard is that things are very much NOT going well, and some owners are prepared to lose AN ENTIRE SEASON of baseball if necessary. With that in mind, I also have a different goal in mind - one I kinda alluded to at the [last MLB game I was at two days ago](2026-09-06_nymets2).

Y'see, the MLB Ballpark app has this feature where it tracks which stadiums/teams you've seen based on which games you attend - including a feature to manually add games you went to in the past (such as games that occurred prior to the app's debut in 2012). Heading into this game, I've seen 18 of 30 MLB teams, and my goal is to get to 30/30 by 2030 (lockout be damned). To this end, I had several games I was tracking on SeatGeek for potential visits, but wasn't able to make it to most of them for various reasons[^1].

This game is one of those contests I was tracking - a National League East showdown between the Phillies and Atlanta Braves with postseason implications on Labor Day. While tickets weren't SUPER expensive despite the two teams, I was a bit hesitant on committing to one - and then I got an email: as part of a promotion involving the team's All Stars, the Phillies had a flash sale with special ticket prices for select games - and this was one of the games[^2]. Sure, the only tickets available were in the 400 section, but SeatGeek's least expensive tickets were still double what I ended up paying for this seat during the sale (and were unlikely to get any "better"). Funnily enough, I also saw this game go on sale about a week or two before it happened, but the prices for seats arguably WORSE than what I got were HIGHER than what I paid (and as a reminder: this was all "firsthand" pricing). I won't say that this was "merely" an upper deck seat, as I honestly LOVE this view you get of the game from up top (and it includes views of the Philadelphia skyline, which you don't really get at the lower levels):

![An image of Citizens Bank Park](/images/2026/0907-fullfield.jpeg)

As I've been to Citizens Bank Park TWICE this year already and have pretty much seen all it has to offer, I won't go over it this time. However, before I talk about the game itself, I'd like to discuss

<div id="merch" />

### MERCH

I didn't think I'd be doing a merch section in this post, but here we are!

First, I probably should've mentioned this as more than just a footnote last time, but the Phillies are a bit different from other teams in that they don't publish a "magazine". Instead, they have these scorecards with a single article plus the standard "how to score a baseball" guide for "programs", which are much more compact (and less expensive than a regular program). At [the last Phillies game I was at](2026-06-08_phiphillies), I got that game's card plus ones for the games before it, and at this game, I got the scorecards for the games between my last trip and now. As this game's scorecard is the last card for this season, I (think I) now have a full set of Phillies scorecards for the 2026 regular season - NONE of which have a game score recorded in them.

Second, there was a deal on merchandise associated with the Phillies' City Connect identity, where if you got a jersey, hat, and shirt from the team's City Connect collection, it was 40% off (City Connect being a Nike program wherein MOST MLB teams have a special jersey meant to harken to the city they play in)[^3]. I should've mentioned this when I was at Citi Field [two days ago](2026-09-06_nymets2), but the Mets also had a 40% off deal on their City Connect jerseys. What that means I'm not fully certain, but I do know that teams tend to cycle through City Connects on a three year schedule (the Mets and Phillies both debuted their current City Connect uniforms in 2024), so it's very possible that one or both teams are planning on releasing new City Connects soon (again, whether or not they hit the field next year is questionable right now).

Finally, I decided to visit the Eagles team store at Lincoln Financial Field across the street (as I had arrived early to ensure that the parking I wanted was available). While I've said that I'm not interested in football things, there are two Eagles players whose jerseys I'm mildly interested in due to a connection I share with them (which also happens to involve the day the Eagles won that Super Bowl over the Chiefs). Alas, I'm not a fan of replica football jerseys as the name and number are usually not that great, and while they did have an Authentic jersey for one of the players, I'm not the biggest fan of the "style" of the jersey they had (it's a throwback), plus it wasn't super discounted like the Sauce Gardner jerseys at [MetLife](2026-08-15_nyjets). However, they did have discounted jerseys for a player the team traded this past offseason (including "Authentics" - but those were only available in 3XL and 4XL...).

### Your own personal Jesús _(hey-soos)_

This game ended up being a pitchers' duel - a game where the pitchers for both teams excel and hits and runs are hard to come by. Exactly ONE mistake was made by either side's pitchers, and it was the game's lone relief pitcher who pitched for the Braves - star Phillies hitter Kyle Schwarber turned a misplaced fastball late in the game into one of his patented home runs (commonly known as "Schwarbombs").

That Schwarbomb ended up being enough for Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo, who was absolutely dominant - pitching a complete game shutout (i.e. he was the only Phillies pitcher and gave up zero runs). In the modern era of MLB where pitchers are HEAVILY regulated (i.e. they're pulled after like 70 pitches and/or four innings), it's INSANELY rare for a starting pitcher to even be allowed close to finishing the game by himself - and it seems the crowd knew it as well, as the place LIT UP when he came out to pitch the ninth inning.

With this game in the books, I (am pretty sure1) I have teams remaining that I haven't marked as having seen yet[^4]:

- Colorado Rockies
- Chicago Cubs
- Detroit Tigers
- Kansas City Royals
- Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim)
- Wherever-the-hell-they-claim-they-are-from Athletics
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Seattle Mariners[^5]
- Texas Rangers
- Toronto Blue Jays

This is almost certainly the final MLB game I go to this year, as I don't see myself going to another game before the end of the regular season (there's only one team I haven't seen yet that's visiting New York or Philly, and it's the Rockies getting fed to the Yankees this week - but I'm busy). Assuming this is the final MLB game I get to see in person before 2028, at least I had a SUPER good game to end this year on (and it was under two hours too!).

![An image of the final scoreline of the game](/images/2026/0907-finalscoreboard.jpeg)

<figcaption>As an aside, the fact that the Phillies script above the scoreboard is "left aligned" and not "center aligned" is INFURIATING to me</figcaption>

---

[^1]: This is also part of why I opted to go to Mets/Giants, as I hadn't recorded the Giants on the app either.

[^2]: It should also be noted that all of the games listed were weekday games - this one being the only afternoon game as it fell on a holiday (namely Labor Day).

[^3]: 28 of MLB's 30 teams have had at least one City Connect - the two teams without one being the A's (due to the whole "Screw Oakland - Vegas or bust" thing) and...you can probably guess the other team.

[^4]: There's a chance that there's more than ten teams, as there are a few Mets games I recall going to but don't remember the opponent. I'm almost certain these games were against the Diamondbacks, Marlins, and Astros so I put them in the app, but I could very easily be wrong (the Astros game being my lone visit to Shea Stadium).

[^5]: I ALMOST saw the Mariners TWICE this year: once in Washington, DC (though it was never going to be likely - more on that soon), and then at Yankee Stadium with friends in August, but let's just say there are a fair number of reasons I wasn't able to make it - one of them being my inability to justify willingly buying Yankees tickets (especially in light of several announcements they made in the days before the game...).


A THIRD trip down to "The Bank" in 2026

Phillies 2: Another Phine Day Out


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 26](2026-08-16_summerofbaseball2023)

I could dive into the history of the Vermont Mountaineers, but <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_61ce44Jw8" target="blank">someone did it better</a>. Not much has changed since this song came out (though the team made the NECBL finals in 2022), which I personally think is kinda damning[^1]...

Anyway, I’ll just cut to the chase: located north of downtown Montpelier, Recreation Field was opened in 1940. Wikipedia indicates that some minor and/or independent league played, but there is little to no information about outside of the fact that Robin Roberts played for the local team.

While, like many fields in New England, I honestly don't feel like there's a ton to discuss about the stadium, the field is probably most notable for its large grandstand. I’m pretty sure that of the grandstands that sit behind home plate, this or [Bristol's](2026-06-30_briblues) is the largest in the NECBL, but it's a bit hard to describe how it is inside, though, as it doesn't really feature any real seats - instead, it's like the stands in [Newport](2026-08-20_nptgulls) where you sit on what would simply be the "floors" of the row behind you.

Unfortunately, since my lone visit back in 2023...Montpelier has been the victim of multiple floods. My visit was prior to the FIRST flood, so I have no idea how this place is now, though the fact that the team is still around is a good sign (downtown Montpelier seemed "okay" during my last visit - though a lot different from how I remembered it in prior visits).

Of note: the team was rowdy the night I was there.

Not the fans; the players themselves.

Or at least, I felt that the team was being quite rowdy during the game (and noted it when I wrote my original notes). The umpires seemingly noticed it too, because I think the dugout got a warning from the home plate umpire (though part of it was the manager being super pissed off about balls and strikes).

<div id="merch" />

### MERCH

I’m not fully sure of which year it happened, but the NECBL has a deal with a company named Zephyr for all of its teams’ caps. From what I can recall, I believe 2022 or 2023 was the first year all teams wore Zephyr caps, but prior to that, some teams had other cap manufacturers, and Vermont was one of those teams. The reason I know this because in 2021, I ordered a hat from the team online, and it was a New Era flexfit hat.

This is (mildly) important, because when I went to the game in 2023...they didn’t have Zephyr player hats (at least not in the size I wanted). In addition, it seemed like most fans who were wearing the same style of hat as the player hat were _also_ wearing the older New Era hat, so I wonder if the team actually sells a lot of player hats nowadays (though they did have a "fan" hat with a different logo).

Anyway, merchandise is in a little by the left field entrance, and this is one of three NECBL stadiums I went to where official game balls were on sale. In addition, I bought a jersey here (and had thoughts about a second before ultimately deciding against it) - one of only four NECBL teams I bought a jersey from (the others being [Winnipesaukee](2026-04-11_wpsmuskrats), [Danbury](2026-07-24_dbywesterners), and a team that'll be talked about shortly).

Also, I know I mentioned ordering a hat from the team, but I'm not sure how their online merch site is nowadays, as it hasn't been updated in YEARS. I also don't recall ever receiving any emails about the hat - it just showed up in my mailbox one day.

---

[^1]: Also, I believe that the guy who wrote this song died somewhat recently.


A New England summer team with A SONG

Vermont Mountaineers (New England Collegiate Baseball League) @ Montpelier Recreation Field (Montpelier, VT)


Sure, the Mets haven’t exactly improved since [the last time I saw them](2026-05-01_nymets), they've gone and fired Carlos Mendoza (no clue what that does to the value of the signed baseball I got last time), and they're taking on one of the few teams worse than them, but that didn’t stop me from going back!

Why?

I’ll be honest: I liked Citi Field itself last time. I usually try not to give “hot takes” on this blog, but I felt that Citi Field > Yankee Stadium INDEPENDENT of my feelings about the teams that play in those stadiums. A large part of that is the highly corporate, business-like atmosphere of Yankee Stadium (even when the [Savannah Bananas](2026-04-25_bananaballny) are playing), but I should also mention that from what I've seen online, I'm not the only one who feels this way. Also, this game lines up conveniently with an event I went to in the evening (4 PM game, 7 PM event) PLUS it features a team I haven't seen before: the (also bad) San Francisco Giants (now featuring former top Red Sox prospects in Rafael Devers and Marcelo Mayer[^1]).

![An image of Citi Field](/images/2026/0905-wideview.jpeg)

There’s also a few things I didn’t talk about last time - some of which are things I did see, and others I didn’t.

First, the Mets Hall of Fame. Inside the Jackie Robinson Rotunda (i.e. the main entrance) are plaques dedicated to important figures in Mets history; my understanding is that it used to be in a different part of the ballpark, but was moved at some point in favor of the museum I saw last time. I feel like I should’ve talked about it a bit more last time, however, because I have a bit of a connection to two of the people honored: one was the father-in-law of one of my teachers in middle school, and the other I met completely randomly a few years ago because he lives in my town (I will let any internet sleuths out there try and figure out who each one is).

However, one of the BIG things I missed last time I was at Citi Field: what I thought was a Mr. and Mrs. Met store on the second concourse. It’s towards right field, but by the time I wanted to scope it out the game had ended and security was trying to get everyone out. I made sure to check it out this time...only to find that it was a candy concession stand. Coincidentally, this game featured giveaway and a pregame ceremony for Mrs. Met, as she was inducted into the <a href="https://mascothalloffame.com/" target="blank">Mascot Hall of Fame</a> as its first (canonically) female mascot[^2] - featuring a MASCOT GIVING AN ACTUAL SPEECH.

![A photo of a video of a mascot giving a speech at Citi Field](/images/2026/0905-mascotspeech.jpeg)

<figcaption>This was every bit as weird as you'd probably imagine it being</figcaption>

Also, I mentioned that there’s a store that sells memorabilia, which includes game used Mets jerseys. What I forgot to mention, however, is that many (if not all) of the game used jerseys that aren't pullovers (the Mets have a pullover jersey) feature something that I very much don’t like: VELCRO. While the velcro is there to keep the jersey closed (as it’s supposed to be closed when worn on the field), I like wearing jerseys open, and the patch can damage your clothing or even the jersey itself (which it often does). However, this store is the only place where I could find authentic ROAD jerseys (which, in a way, I kinda prefer over the home jersey[^3]), so I decided to look into it and found one with one of the most amazing names ever: Richard Lovelady (who actually pitched for the Nationals in the other game I saw at Citi Field this year).

I know I made a comment about the day-to-day nature of baseball [before](2026-03-29_rutgers_batandball), but that idea really rings true with this game (again, two of the not-as-good teams of the National League). Rafael Devers and the Giants' number NINE hitter both hit two home runs, and by the time the Mets offense got going, it was far too late. I wasn't able to see the end of the game, however, as I had to leave a bit early to make it to the evening event I mentioned at the top in time (not that it really would've mattered IMO...).[^4]

I have no idea when the next time I'll be seeing the Mets is with a potential lockout looming, but I will say that if/when they play again (after this season), the Mets are likely going to be one of the "centerpieces" of my next BIG goal...more on this in a few days.

(P.S.: I did have thoughts about going to ONE more thing at Citi this week, but the game is at **8 PM** - far too late for me to be journeying to/from Queens...)

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[^1]: Whom I actually saw with the WooSox in [the Lehigh Valley](2025-08-11_lhvironpigs) before he made his MLB debut - though he wasn't in this game as I believe he's either injured or still rehabbing.

[^2]: I won't go TOO in depth on the Mascot Hall of Fame, but it's basically an online museum dedicated to, well...mascots. Mr. Met and the Phillie Phanatic were both inducted in the late 2000s, and the Giants mascot was actually inducted in 2024 (there was a ten-year gap in inductions in the 2010s).

[^3]: This is partially due to the Mets home jersey basically being unchanged from the one I got way back in 2005 - even if it does look cleaner without the unnecessary black shadows. Another reason - as outlined when I talked about jerseys at a [Phillies game](2026-06-08_phiphillies) - is jersey templates; while the Mets didn't lose a special script feature like the Phillies did, the Nike template splits the "Mets" script in an odd spot that's a bit awkward when worn open (which is how I typically wear my baseball jerseys).

[^4]: To add insult to injury, the Mets won the other two games of this series...

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