Mike's Review: Citi Field

After dealing with a crowded 7 train, filled more with commuters returning home during rush hour than mets fans, your first glimpse of Citi Field reveals the outside of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. The beauty and impressiveness of the ballpark is not fully realized until you enter the rotunda. (Recomendation: Definitely enter citi field at its main entrance.) Head up the escalators and onto field level, the path leads up the first base line and you get your first look at the field from behind the Met's dugout. Awesome.

The ballpark is beautiful.
From the totally open concourses on every level, to the scoreboard area in center field, the Met's did everything right. Even the lighting towers resembled bridges, like the bridge in right center field - no corners were cut as a beautiful ballpark was constructed at every angle. The outfield has many angles that makes things interesting, and Justin pointed out the the furthest point of the field from home plate is in right center, not straightaway center, at 415 feet.
Behind the scoreboard is a large open concourse with tables, restaurants (with an amazing pulled pork sandwich from Blue Smoke), and beer. By beer, I mean a LOT of beers:

Local beer highlight: Brooklyn Ale.

The Mets really did a nice job with this one, and it is certainly an upgrade from Shea!
4.5 / 5

The Game and Fans
A perfect way to start the trip, an 11 inning pitcher's duel that ends in a walk off win for the home team. I just wish the home team's fans stayed around to see it. The game went by quickly, the three hour mark occured in the 10th inning, and a lot of people had left. There were a lot of families and kids (the ballpark is very family friendly). The park doesn't seem to have the same energy and excitement as Shea. Overall the game was great and the fans who stuck around were active and into the game.
3 / 5

Flushing meadows isn't great, although LaGuardia did give us flyovers during the national anthem and God Bless the USA. The surrounding area is under development. Because there's parking around the ballpark it does allow for tailgating, which it looked like a small number of people were doing.
2 / 5

I don't need to describe New York City. It's a baseball town that raises great fans of the game.
5 / 5