Syracuse Mets Organization Prepares for Opening Day Syracuse Mets Organization Prepares for Opening Day

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – While fans love to celebrate what happens on the field during Opening Day, the behind-the-scenes preparation from stadium employees and players often gets forgotten.

NBT Bank Stadium hasn’t seen any baseball since last September, everyone in the Mets organization knows the importance of starting off strong.

“We don’t want it to be a spring training or a dress rehearsal,” said Mets Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations Michael Tricarico. “We’re hitting the ground running. You want that first experience for those fans to be just as good as the experiences for people who have been coming for 40 or 50 years.”

The main key to making experiences for everyone involved great this early is consistency, says Syracuse Mets outfielder and top prospect Drew Gilbert.

“You have a certain routine that you try to stick to,” said Gilbert.  “It’s really important to find a certain balance of not doing too much but also not doing too little. You have to find a good routine that works for you.”

However, Syracuse Mets manager Dick Scott said there the fine details of the entire gameday operation still need to be ironed out.

“There’s guys in the clubhouse that are working through things that they’re going to have to get right by tomorrow,” said Scott.

Being game-ready by the end of March is a tough challenge for the hundreds of Syracuse Mets employees and dozens of players and coaches, but Tricarico says fans are what keep everyone in the organization motivated to improve each and every day.

“We’re just really excited to have the fans out here for Opening Day,” said Tricarico.