Citi Field opens with a whimper

After a 3-3 road trip, the Mets opened their new home, Citi Field, Monday night against Los Padres de San Diego, and had the show stolen from them but two ex-Mets and Jody Gerut.

Gerut became the first player in the history of baseball to hit a homer in the first regular-season at-bat in a stadium's debut game, and it was all downhill from there for Mike Pelfrey, who allowed five runs in a less-than-spectacular start.

Give David Wright credit for bringing the Mets back in style, hitting the club's first home run at the new digs with a three-run blast to left that tied the score, 5-5. Wright golfed a low and outside breaking pitch over the wall in left, which looks wayyyy out there.

Unfortunately, the Mets' fielding woes killed them again. This time the normally surehanded Ryan Church had a fly ball bounce off his glove for a three-base error, the run scoring when Pedro Feliciano balked in the run after some miscommunication on the signs from Brian Schneider.

At least it wasn't a walk-off balk. Actually, that would have been preferable to the sight of ex-Mets Duaner Sanchez and Heath Bell -- is it me or did Bell suck when he was here -- polishing off the San Diego victory.

One down, 80 more to go.