The Mets are the neglected stepchild of New York baseball. They've won just two World Series titles while the mighty Yankees have twenty-seven rings. However, the Mets own bragging rights when it comes to having good weather conditions on the day of their home opener. Since 1979 the average high temperature on the Mets big day has been in the low 60's, four degrees warmer than the Yankees' home openers. Temperatures have ranged from 40 to near 90 degrees (the range for the Yankees has been 37 to 75). Based on a scale of 1-10 (where 1 is a strikeout and 10 is a home run), Mets home openers have averaged a 6.0 versus the Yankees' 4.7. They've had seven games rated 9 or 10 and three in the 1 or 2 range.
What follows is a recap of weather highlights for home openers of the Mets. So ... play ball!
1979 (April 10) - Game time temperature in the mid-50's was seasonable for the first week of April. In front of a paltry crowd of 10,000 the Mets lost in 11 innings to the Montreal Expos, breaking their 8-game home opening win streak. Weather rating: 5
1980 (April 10) - A day after 3.42" of rain fell today was dry and warm with afternoon temperatures in the low 70's, thirteen degrees above average. The Mets beat the Cubs 5-2 on the strength of a 4-run 6th inning. Rating: 9
1981 (April 15) - Like last year the Mets lucked out as the game was played one day after a significant rainfall (0.87"). And although it was a chilly day with temperatures in the low 50's there was plentiful sunshine. As for the game the Mets scored four runs in the 2nd inning and held on to beat St. Louis 5-3. Rating: 6
1982 (April 13) - Despite sprinkles throughout the game nearly 41,000 were in attendance, the largest home opening crowd in twelve years. Dave Kingman hit a 3-run HR to power the Mets over Philadelphia 5-2. Rating: 4
1983 (April 5) - Temperatures were in the low 60's, slightly above average, as Mets icon Tom Seaver returned to the mound for them for the first time in six years. 46,000 fans (the biggest home opener crowd since 1968) came see him pitch. The Mets won 2-0 and Seaver pitched six scoreless inning but he didn't get the win. Rating: 7
1984 (April 17) - After three damp and chilly days today was sunny and pleasant with a high of 66, seven degrees above average. Unfortunately the sunshine didn't inspire the Mets as they were walloped by Montreal 10-0, the most one-sided home opener loss in Mets history (which still stands). Rating: 7
1985 (April 9) - Breezy, which made the chilly 47 degree temperature (eleven degrees below average) feel even colder. Not the best weather for an extra inning game but at least it went into the W column for the Mets as newly acquired catcher Gary Carter (RIP) hit a walk-off homer run in the 10th inning to beat St. Louis. Rating: 2
1986 (April 14) - After a chilly morning low of 41 degrees the temperature rebounded nicely under sunny skies to 67, seven degrees above average. It was a long day for the Mets who, after tying the score in the 9th inning ended up losing in 14 innings to St. Louis by a score of 6-2. Rating: 8
1987 (April 7) - This was the 5th day in a row with rain but the last drops were over by 9AM and afternoon temperatures were seasonably pleasant (upper 50's). The three inches of rain that fell during these days left the field somewhat soggy. After receiving their World Series rings the reigning champs beat Pittsburgh 3-2, scoring all of their runs in the first inning on a 3-run HR by Darryl Strawberry. Rating: 6
1988 (April 12) - Mostly cloudy and chilly with a high of 56. Ron Darling pitched a complete game shutout over Montreal, 3-0. Rating: 4
1989 (April 3) - Morning showers were over by 11:00 but gray skies and fog persisted into the afternoon. Temperatures were seasonable. And although he didn't pitch a great game Dwight Gooden lasted 7 innings as the Mets beat St. Louis 8-4. Rating: 4
1990 (April 9) - Lots of sunshine with pleasant temperatures in the low 60's. Despite Dwight Gooden being on the mound for the Mets the Pirates crushed the Mets 12-3. Rating: 7
1991 (April 8) - The temperature soared to a record breaking 90 degrees, NYC's earliest 90-degree reading (later broken in 2010 on April 7). And with Dwight Gooden on the mound the Mets defeated the Phillies 2-1. Rating: 10
1992 (April 10) - It was twenty degrees cooler than last season's record heat but today's afternoon high of 71 thru hazy sunshine was still twelve degrees above average. This was also the first 70-degree day of the year. On the ball field the Mets were blanked by the Expos 4-0, the first time they were shut out in their home opener in eight seasons (and it was the Expos who shut them out that time as well). Rating: 9
1993 (April 5) - After a chilly start (35 degrees), the temperature rose into the upper 50's under fair skies. Starting his fifth home opener in a row, Dwight Gooden pitched a shutout against the Colorado Rockies, their first game as a Major League team. Rating: 6
1994 (April 11) - The temperature rebounded from a morning low of 42 to 68 under clear skies (until later in the afternoon when clouds moved in). The Mets fell behind early (8-1 in the 3rd inning) and lost to the Cubs 9-5. Rating: 8
1995 (April 28) - Partly cloudy and mild with temperatures in the low 70's. The Mets slowly wore down the Cardinals and overtook them late in the game to win by a score of 10-8. This was the latest date for a Mets home opener, a result of the players strike which started in August 1994 and wasn't settled until April 2. Rating: 9
1996 (April 1) - Light rain fell all day and temperatures were only in the low 50's. Heavy rain moved in after the game was over. After falling behind 6-0 the Mets rallied and beat St. Louis 7-6. Rating: 2
1997 (April 13) - Partly cloudy and mild (67 degrees). The Mets fell behind early and never mounted a challenge, losing to the Giants 5-1. Rating: 8
1998 (March 31) - The earliest home opener in Mets history was played in 86-degree weather, twenty-nine degrees warmer than average (and the fifth day in a row of 80-degree temperatures). And the icing on the cake was the Mets 1-0 victory over Philadelphia in 14 innings. Rating: 10
1999 (April 12) - Morning showers ended by 9:00 and the sun was shining by lunchtime. Temperatures in the mid-50's felt colder because of gusty winds. This was quite a cool-down from last year's mid-80's. The Mets won the game easily by a score of 8-1, the widest winning margin of any Mets home opener. Rating: 3
2000 (April 3) - The Mets official home opener was played in Tokyo on March 29 where they played the Cubs (and the Cubs home opener was the following day). The first game of the season at Shea was played five days later. And on that day skies were mostly overcast but conditions were mild (high of 64) and on the humid side. The Mets won their game against San Diego 2-1 on a tie-breaking solo HR by Derek Bell in the eighth inning. Rating: 6
2001 (April 9) - A warm front moved north of the City late in the morning and the accompanying balmy breezes pushed the temperature up to 78 in Central Park, twenty degrees above average. At Shea, however, a breeze off the ocean kept the temperature in the mid-60's (still well above average). As for the game, Mike Piazza hit two HR to help the Mets beat arch-nemesis Atlanta 9-5. Rating: 10
2002 (April 1) - Sunny and pleasant with a game time temperature of 60, a few degrees above average. The Mets played the Pirates for the first time in twelve years and beat them easily 6-2 behind Al Leiter. Rating: 6
2003 (March 31) - Five years earlier the Mets were wildly lucky when their home opener on March 31 was played in record warmth (86 degrees). Not so lucky this year. Although the game was played under clear skies the temperature hovered around 40 degrees and a biting wind created a "feels like" temperature of 30 degrees. No surprise that this was the coldest Opening Day in the 1979-2011 period. To make it even worse the Mets were destroyed by the Cubs by a score of 15-2. Rating: 3
2004 (April 12) - Not a great day for the game as rain moved in after 2PM and continued for the rest of the day (0.55"). Temperatures were in the low 50's. However, the Mets scored early and after taking a 10-0 lead after 5 innings held off the Braves 10-6. Rating: 2
2005 (April 11) - Although the game was played under clear skies it was nearly twenty degrees chillier than yesterday's low 70's. However, the Mets got hot in the 8th inning and scored five runs to come from behind to beat Houston 8-4. Rating: 6
2006 (April 6) - After a week of fine weather the Mets got today's game in just as rain from a coastal storm began at around 5PM. They beat Washington 3-2. Rating: 5
2007 (April 9) - A sunny but chilly day with a high of 49, nine degrees below average. Before a record crowd the Mets scored seven runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to come from behind and beat arch-rival Philadelphia 11-5, improving their home opener record against them to 7-0. The 11 runs was the most scored by the Mets in a home opener. Rating: 4
2008 (April 8) - Sunny skies and temperatures in the seasonable upper 50's. This was the eighth time the Mets hosted the Phillies for their home opener and for the first time Philadelphia beat them, rubbing salt in the wound after last September's epic collapse to them. Rating: 7
2009 (April 13) - After a chilly start (34 degrees, coldest reading of the month) afternoon temperatures rose into the upper 50's, a few degrees below average. Unfortunately, the Mets lost the game to San Diego, the first game at their new Citifield ballpark. Rating: 5
2010 (April 5) - It was a fine spring day as the temperature rose into the mid-70's, eighteen degrees above average, making it the warmest home opener in nine years. The Mets easily put away the Marlins 7-1 behind Johan Santana. Rating: 10
2011 (April 8) - Gray and raw conditions prevailed with afternoon temperatures well below average (high of 49). Mirroring these dreary conditions, the Mets fell to Washington 6-2. Rating: 3
2012 (April 5) - Skies were sunny and temperatures in the seasonably pleasant upper 50's as the Mets beat Atlanta 1-0. The last time they won a home opener by this score was in 1998. Rating: 7
2013 (April 1) - It was fortuitous scheduling as the game time temperature of 62 degrees was the mildest reading of the year. And the day was even better as the Mets won their game over San Diego, 11-3. Later in the day the mild weather came to an end when a cold front moved through. Rating: 8
Game information cited in the recaps comes from the Baseball Almanac website.
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