Met Fans Cautiously Optimistic About New Season

After two dreadful last place finishes, and an off-season occupied with acquiring fresh faces, New York Met fans filled Shea Stadium on opening dayin a game that also marked the 40th anniversary of the Flushing ballpark.
The Mets responded appropriately: on a day when the weather started mild and sunny, but finished dreary and rainy, the new-look Mets didnt let their fans newfound optimism turn cloudy, as they held on for a 10-6 victory over their National League East rivals, the Atlanta Braves, before a sellout crowd of 53,666.
Fans of the Amazins flocked to the Flushing stadium from across the borough, hoping to see a dramatic improvement from last years disastrous 95-loss team and, perhaps, to catch a glimpse of the teams new shortstop, Japanese import, Kazuo Matsui.
"I think theyre going to do better than most people think," Mike Arevalo, 30, of Flushing said. "There are some good signs already. Matsui was one of the best players in Japan and hes only going to get better. Im a die-hard Mets fan and theyre going to do great."
Others were just as excited about the new season.
"Im cautiously optimistic," John Schaffer, of Whitestone said. "They have some great new additions. The pitching staff is going to be better, especially with some of those young arms they have. We also have a lot of great rookies coming up. Theyre going to win 87 games and come in second place behind the Marlins."
Despite the Mets being picked by pre-season prognosticators to finish 4th or lower, there was no way to quell the glow many felt on the first day of the season in Flushing.
"This year theres optimism because of all the new guys weve added," Eddie The Cow Bell Man Boison said. "I love Kaz Matsui. Hes going to adjust well to playing here, in the best city in the world, and this season will definitely be a step in the right direction."
Richie Trente of Bayside echoed those sentiments.
"Im cautiously optimistic. I came to see Matsui and he looks great so far. I think theyll win 86 games and slide into the wild card."
Playoff Bound Mets?
While some were predicting the playoffs, others clad in the orange and blue were just hoping for an improvement on last year.
"I think they can finish close to .500 this season and that would be o.k. with me," Demetrios Delio, 40, of Whitestone said.
Despite the good start, some were already worried about the rash of injuries that robbed the home team of starters Jose Reyes, Mike Piazza and Cliff Floyd for the home opener.
"All the injuries theyve had so far leads me to believe it might be a long season," Rafael Perez, 38, of Corona said. "But theyre playing good ball so far."
John Kwiatkowski of Floral Park just hopes to see improvements and have the youth movement continue.
"I think theyre going to finish around .500," Kwiatkowski,32, said. "They have weak pitching and good hitting. This is going to be a rebuilding year and hopefully well see more of the farm system."
Good Vibe For Queens
Other Met fans were ecstatic their hometown heroes were returning to town and believe that the Amazins help create a good feeling in the borough.
"All winter we were counting down to the season," Karen Clark, of Rego Park said. "Im very excited that the Mets are back. There is definitely a buzz going around the borough. I think theyre going to do great with all of the new players, especially Kaz Matsui."
Louis Castro, 40, of Corona was excited about both what the Mets can do for the borough and their chances this year.
"Ive been craving baseball for a long time," Castro said. "The Mets returning means a lot to Queens. It means added business, good spirits and a lot of positive vibes. It also signifies the beginning of the warm season. I think theyre going to do great. We have better players, a better chance, and were going all the way this year."
Some predicted the playoffs, others just hoped the Mets would not finish in the cellar again, but on opening day at Shea, one thing was certain: optimism was flying through the air like Met base hits, and at least for one day, the Mets lived up to the expectations.
Street Station
At the 74th Street station the necessity of the No. 7 service is perhaps most evident: this station serves as the vital link/transfer point for thousands of passengers going to work in the various boroughs of New York City.
"I take the No. 7 train from 46th Street to Queensboro Plaza, and the service is always delayed," said Nancy Snchez, a 46-year-old who works for a private business.
Still, not everyone agrees with the complaints in reference to the No. 7 train, which is one of the most congested lines in the city. "I only take the No. 7 train for two stops, so I don’t have major problems with the service," said Luis Prez, who works as a cleaning service operator at Roosevelt Avenue.
One of the most frequent complaints is the mandatory stop that the outbound No. 7 train running from Manhattan to Main Street, makes at 111th Street. At this station, congestion is created when the first train stops, then discharges passengers, because it is taken out of service at the time. The discharged passengers join an already crowded station, creating heavy congestion.
"Nobody explains the reason for this stupid stop," complained a passenger who wished not to be identified.
"This is a routine stop, and it is done to clean up the wagons," responded one of the employees of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.