Only 4 New York Mets Had Ever Done This – Now It’s 5!
The excitement of getting that call that you are going to the big leagues is pretty special. When you are lucky enough to have mom, dad and the family in the stands, well, that's pretty cool too. Then add in that you play for an organization in first place, trying to hold off the defending World Champions in their ballpark and you are starting at third base. Okay, the butterflies in your stomach are the size of horses.
Now, your team is up 2-0 in the top of the 2nd with a runner on. The butterflies in your stomach have grown to the size of elephants. You have a job to do. All of that other stuff shouldn't matter, not now while you're at the plate. You take a solid swing at a breaking pitch from an All Star pitcher on the opposing team and you hammer it. Oh man, that ball is sailing over the right fielder's head. Your mom, dad, family and friends rise to their feet and begin screaming.
As you run down the first base line, you sort of can't believe what is happening. The ball that you hit is landing in the right field seats. You can believe it. You just hit a home run in your first at-bat as a Major League Baseball player. You round second and look up into the stands and your mom and dad are hugging and crying with pure happiness. Your family and friends have their phones locked-in recording your every step as you circle the bases.
You step on home plate to a smattering of cheers in the visiting stadium but return to your new team's dugout to a more than enthusiastic reception of your now-teammates chock full of MLB stars, high-fiving and hugging you. After all of the ground balls, hitting lessons, travel games, countless hours of conditioning and hard-work, you have arrived. You are a big league baseball player and you will forever be in the history books with a very small group by hitting a home run in your first Major League at-bat. That was New York Mets rookie 3rd baseman, Bret Baty, on Wednesday.
Brett Baty joined Benny Ayala (1974), Mike Fitzgerald (1983), Kaz Matsui (2004) and Mike Jacobs (2005) as the only New York Mets to hit a home run in their first Major League at-bat. He described his excitement to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, who was on The Drive with Charlie & Dan on Wednesday. “Just pure joy. To be able to help this ballclub out in my first at-bat, and then to look up and see my family up there and be able to celebrate it with them? Just pure joy for sure.” Pretty cool. It's every Little Leaguer's dream come true.