Remembering Mets Opening Days (2006) A Win for the Eventual NL Eastern Champs

Monday, April 3rd, 2006: There was plenty of optimism after the solid 2005 season where the Mets went 83-79 but finished in third place. A busy off season brought in newcomers- in closer Billy Wagner, slugger Carlos Delgado, catcher Paul LoDuca, second baseman Jose Valentin & outfielder Xavier Nady.

The Mets said goodbye to Mike Cameron, Braden Looper, Kris & Anna Benson, as well as one of the Mets all-time greatest, Mike Piazza. Mike Piazza was 37 years old & his career was winding down. The Mets let him go to free agency & he signed on with the San Diego Padres.

It was a new era of Mets baseball & they were heading in the right direction. Many people were already picking them to win the NL pennant even before the season started.

On Opening Day, 54,371 excited Mets fans came to a cloudy, rainy Shea Stadium to welcome in the new season. 

20th Anniversary of the '86 Champs: This season marked the 20th Anniversary of the 1986 World Championship Mets team. In honor of that team, Jesse Orosco threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter. 

Mets manager Willie Randolph sent Tom Glavine to start the season as New York hosted Frank Robinson's Washington Nationals. The Nationals sent Livan Hernandez to the mound.

The game began with Tom Glavine retiring the side in order & holding the Nat's scoreless thru three innings.

In the bottom of the 3rd inning, new Met Xavier Nady led off with a base hit into center field. He advanced to second on a ground out. The pitcher Tom Glavine then singled to right field putting runners on the corners. Jose Reyes lined out to center but Nady couldn't score. 

Another new Met, Paul Loduca drove a single up the middle bringing in the first run of the 2006 season giving the Mets a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the 4th the Nationals came back as Glavine walked the first batter then gave up two straight singles. With the bases loaded Royce Clayton hit a sac fly bringing in Nick Johnson to tie the game up at one. Glavine retired Brian Scheider & Livan Hernandez to end the threat.

In the home 4th, Cliff Floyd drew a two out walk. then, Xavier Nady lined a shot to left field, that got by Alfonso Soriano. Floyd came all the way around to score giving the Mets a 2-1 lead. 

X: Nady already had two hits & two RBIs in his Shea Stadium debut. He would have a four-hit game, with two doubles & an RBI. In 75 games with the Mets, Nady would hit 14 HRs with 40 RBIs, batting .264. 

On July 31st, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for a much-needed reliver, Roberto Hernandez. He replaced Duaner Sanchez who was injured in a Miami car accident & would miss the rest of the season.

Tom Glavine would pitch six innings, allowing the one run on six hits, striking out five & walking one. 

In the bottom of the 6th inning, David Wright led off the inning with a solo HR off Livan Hernandez making it a 3-1 Mets lead. That year Wright would hit 26 HRs & drive in 11 runs (second most in his career) & make the first of five straight All-Star appearances.

In the top of the 7th, Mets reliever, Aaron Heilman gave up three straight singles with Jose Virdo's hit bringing in the Nationals second run. 

In the top of the 8th, Alfonso Soriano led off with a base hit. Ryan Zimmerman then doubled to left field; Clif Floyd fielded the ball threw to relay man Jose Reyes at short who threw to catcher Paul LoDuca. LoDuca applied the tag on Soriano who was out at the plate. 

Heilman got the next two outs ending the inning striking out Brian Schneider.

Heilman pitched the seventh & eighth innings, allowing a run on five hits, leading the way to new closer Billy Wagner. 

In Wagner's Shea Debut he got pinch hitter Marlon Byrd to ground out then struck out pinch hitter Matt LeCroy. Jose Vidro then singled to center field & tried to extend it into a double but got thrown out at second base by Carlos Beltran to end the game.

The Mets won the season opener 3-2 with Glavine getting the win. Tom Glavine would win 15 games that season (15-7) with a 3.2 ERA, having his best Mets season.

Offensively, Nady had four hits, David Wright, Tom Glavine & Paul Loduca all had two hits each. 

The 2006 Mets would go on to take the NL East winning 97 games (97-65) making their first playoff appearance since 2000. In the NLDS they would sweep the Los Angeles Dodgers but lose to the St. Louis Cardinals in a seven game NLCS.