CLEVELAND -- Walked into the visiting clubhouse today in Progressive Field and it was like a Bisons game broke out. Seven of the Mets' current 25 players began the season in Buffalo and an eighth (infielder Ruben Tejeda) opened the year in New York for five days before reporting to Triple-A.
The main task was to catch up with outfielder Jesus Feliciano after his first week in the big leagues following nearly 1,300 games in the minor leagues. In a five-minute interview, the 31-year-old couldn't stop smiling.
"The welcome they gave me has been great," Feliciano said. "I can't ask for any more. And the good thing is we're winning. That makes it easier."
Feliciano left Buffalo batting .385 and was 0 for 5 with the Mets before getting his first two big-league hits Sunday in Baltimore.
"It makes you smile and gives you cause to continue to hope," knuckleballer R.A. Dickey told me. "It's a real hopeful kind of feeling. He's put in the work. He's dedicated himself, put in the numbers and didn't get overlooked. So there's hope, hope for guys out there (in Triple-A).
Be sure to read plenty more from Feliciano in Wednesday's paper. And, for once, you can watch the Indians in Buffalo as this series is on SNY. Feliciano is not playing tonight as Johan Santana pitches against Justin Masterson. April Bisons Ike Davis (1b) and Chris Carter (dh) are batting 5-6 for the Mets.
I'm getting a good look at the Tribe's attendance woes. There is basically no one here and the ones who are seem to be Mets fans. Very sad scene compared to what I saw here in the late 90s and again in 2007.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
tagged
Bisons/Mets | Mets | Television
