DAVID RUBIN: EXCITED/NOT EXCITED TO SEE THE METS OUT HERE IN SOCAL

I have been a Mets fan since my first game in 1968; I have lived in Southern California since 1994.  As you might imagine, MLB.TV has been my FAVORITE invention of the past 25 years!!! 

Before it began in 2002 (and before I started getting it in 2003) I had to be inventive in order to watch my beloved Mets. Of course I attended nearly every game in Los Angeles (before inter-league play) and often drove to San Diego and sometimes San Francisco to see games in person. 

I watched every Mets vs Cubs game on WGN and every Mets vs Braves game on Superstation TBS. 

Games of the week? Yup! 

Nationally televised games? Of course!!! 

I even found various bars in the San Fernando Valley with satellite dishes (and subscriptions, legal or otherwise) that would put the game on a TV IF I stayed and ate and drank (although my not being a big alcohol drinker meant much bigger tips and a LOT more bar food then otherwise recommended!!!) 

Once I had MLB.TV on my computer? Heaven!!!!!

On my Smart TV and Telephones? Nirvana!!!!!!!

Never missing a game or having to plan trips to my in-laws (who for some reason, living 25 minutes away had a different cable system that somehow had the NY Sports Channels)- Priceless!!!!!

I never take it for granted, being able to watch every Mets game, and I never got mad when we had to listen to the Dodgers announcers when they played out here, because VIN SCULLY!!!!!

Now, we have NO Scully...and NO CHANCE at playing meaningful games due to the horrible injury bug that has effected us and also due to the horrible manager that is leading us. And still, today, Thursday, I will be taking a seat once more, amidst a sea of blue Dodger fans, in full Mets regalia, in a ballpark where some might say I am taking my life in my hands. And for what? 

Well, for starters, I get to see Steven Matz once more; I saw his first MLB game out here a few years ago, and the fact that he's healthy and using that drop and drive motion will hopefully give us a result more like his first game back then his second one.

As a huge baseball fan, I am a firm believer in streaks. I have gone every year of my life since 1968 seeing at least one Mets game in person (and while living in NY, as often as 40+ games in a season), and I have NO intention of breaking that streak as long as I am able to walk/drive/run to the ballpark. (BTW- if you haven't seen a game in Dodgers Stadium and you ever get to SoCal, it MUST be on your "to do" list as it remains a dinosaur but a beautifully maintained dinosaur!!!!)

Finally, as someone who attended dozens and dozens of games when we were at our very worst (and there were times when there were less than 2,000 of us at the ballpark regardless of what numbers were reported), it's impossible for me to miss a chance to see my Metsies in person! 

I'll have some thoughts about the game on the day after, Friday, as well as a number of new posts across the next week or so (including, finally, parts 2 and 3 of my baseball book review) but the once nice thing about this game is this- I ALWAYS want them to win, but this game, if they don't, I won't be AS pissed off on the way home; I won't be AS hard to live with for the 24 hours afterwards; and I won't avoid my phone and email for the next day as I often do after an in-person loss. I am simply going to hope for a win, accepting of a loss and counting the days until pitchers/catchers report in February, when I KNOW we will be returning to Contender status once more. Maybe, just maybe, without the pressure, I'll actually enjoy myself tonight. I'll let ya know!!