How 2009 actually went.
Citi Field opened with wide gaps, high walls, and expectations that a new home would refresh the franchise. The first season instead became an injury list. Reyes, Beltrán, Delgado, and many others missed major time, leaving Wright as the only everyday star trying to hold together a lineup that changed constantly.
The ballpark itself became part of the discussion. Its first design leaned heavily on the old Brooklyn Dodgers and did not display enough Mets history, while the dimensions punished home-run hitters. On the field, Johan Santana pitched well before his own season ended early, and the club never recovered from losing nearly its entire core.
Seventy wins and fourth place made the new beginning feel flat. The injuries were too large to blame on one tactical failure, but the lack of depth showed how fragile the roster had become. Fans needed time to make Citi Field feel like home, and the team offered very little winning baseball to help. Another rebuild had begun without anyone clearly announcing it.
A beautiful new park opened, but most of the players fans came to see were stuck in the trainer’s room.