The Shea Countdown: 8

8: Sunday, September 14 vs Braves

Welcome back to the Countdown Like It Oughta Be. Today's removal of the number 8 is brought to you by Queens Bruised Produce. When you need a soft cantaloupe, an overripe tomato or a brown banana, discover Queens Bruised Produce. It is with QBP's compliments that ushers are passing out gift bags of not-so-fresh fruit and vegetables to every row in every section.

Ladies and gentlemen, today marks the final scheduled visit to Shea Stadium by the Atlanta Braves, the other half of the longest and most fiercely held rivalry ever played out in this ballpark. The Mets and Braves came together in the shotgun marriage of realignment in 1994 and for a decade, the phrase “Braves at Mets” has indicated the National League East's version of Family Feud is about to reignite. Welcome the same people over to your house so many times a year across so many years and you begin to think you're related to them…and what's that they say about how you can't choose your relatives?

Whether it was a grand slam single, a ten-run inning or something as beautifully mundane as the return of baseball to a city that had no idea how much it wished to take seriously something as allegedly insignificant as a game, intense competition between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves has left its mark on this site. The Braves have been tough foes, but unforgettable ones as well. You will not be able to remember Shea Stadium without thinking of them sooner or later. It is in that spirit we acknowledge the role they have played in the history of Shea.

To remove number 8 from the right field wall — a peeling, once again, brought to you by Queens Bruised Produce…everybody get a bag? — we have on hand the following Brave icons:

Today's home plate umpire, Angel Hernandez.

Folks, may I remind you the contents of your bags of spoiled produce are to be used at your personal discretion.

The hitting coach of the Atlanta Braves, a former National League MVP and the clutch-hitting third baseman on the 1987 St. Louis Cardinals, Terry Pendleton.

Really, you don't have to open those bags right now…unless you choose to.

Three-time National League Manager of the Year honoree, skipper of the Braves throughout their divisional dynasty, Bobby Cox.

You will see that the fruits and vegetables provided by Queens Bruised Produce aren't really what you'd call edible.

The mastermind of those great Braves pitching staffs for so many years, now rocking his Saturdays away as a Fox baseball analyst, Leo Mazzone.

Though bruised produce is not suitable for framing, it may be suitable for flinging.

The 1996 National League Cy Young award winner and quite possibly the best starter-closer the senior circuit has ever seen, he made his first Major League appearance right here in 1988, beating the Mets handily, and continues to battle your team successfully to this day, John Smoltz.

May we remind you that in the scheme of things, one forfeit is only one game against the backdrop of what feels like a lifetime's frustration.

One of the hardest-throwing, plainest-speaking lefty relievers to trot to the Shea Stadium mound — and a staunch advocate of diversity in public transportation ridership — welcome back the latter-day Georgia Peach, John Rocker.

Attention all Shea Stadium security personnel: you are dismissed for the day. Repeat: all Shea Stadium security personnel may abandon their posts.

And finally, leading these Atlanta Braves legends to their date with Shea destiny, two lifelong members of the Brave organization, recognized by Mets fans everywhere for their contributions to this rivalry — they'd be devastated if you forgot them now — the outstanding switch-hitter whose son bears a name near and dear to us all, Larry Wayne Chipper Jones, and the southpaw 300-game winner…

Ladies and gentlemen, today's game has been cancelled because of a water main break attributed to hell freezing over. The New York Mets thank you for attending, please be sure to forcefully empty your bags of bruised produce as you exit.

Number 9 was revealed here.