Last week I had most of my posts for the week done early.

So it was a week ago Saturday or Sunday - maybe even Friday - that I wrote this.

And as I wrote it I started feeling a little emotional and I thought to myself, “I think I need to go to Citi Field for David Wright’s number retirement and Mets Hall of Fame induction.”

So I popped on Mets website, saw there were some nosebleed tickets available for about $75, and I called my parents to make sure it was OK for me to spend the night (of course it always is but I like to be courteous) and my dad said, “I’ll go with you.”

Which meant no more nosebleeds - his eyes aren’t what they used to be (if we’re being honest I wouldn’t have sat up there all that much and I would have found a spot to post up much closer to the action because my eyes aren’t what they used to be either) - so he sprung for some nicer seats closer to the field. Overpriced because it was a big event, but not entirely unreasonable.

(Fun fact I discovered: Since it was within two weeks of the game I had to go through an ID verification process because I was trying to buy tickets from a non-New York City-area zip code and they’re trying to combat ticket fraud. I understand it, but it was unbelievably inconvenient. This is actually a non-fun fact.)

So that’s how it came to be that I was there to watch this great moment in Mets history.

And I’m really happy I was there.

First of all, the history - only Tom Seaver has had his number retired the same day he was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame. All others were either one or the other (mostly Hall of Fame) or the two events happened on separate days. (For what it’s worth, I’ve been to Gary Carter’s Mets Hall of Fame induction, and Dwight Gooden’s number retirement. So it’s rare that I attend these events too.)

The Hall of Fame piece was almost an afterthought. The Mets also recognized their longtime visiting clubhouse manager, which I knew was happening when they announced it back in the winter or early spring, whatever it was…but I had totally forgotten that was happening too.

But the plaque, as you can see to the right, was covered as we walked in, and then by the time I went to the store to see if there was anything souvenir-ish left over, the plaque was unveiled.

Citi Field was crowded. Even during the post-season last year I don't remember Citi Field being this crowded.

I think the big difference was it just wasn’t a lot of people who’d been to Citi Field before, or at least a lot. I always tell my daughters when we’re at a game we have to walk with purpose through the concourses, because most people have no idea what they’re doing in a ballpark concourse. And on Sunday there were a lot of people traffic jams. I think a lot of those people just didn’t know what to do.

Part of the problem was everyone was going into the stores - first, the one in the Rotunda had huge lines (and two lines for that program I showed you last week that I bought early and haven’t taken out of the plastic), and then the one at the top of the escalator had a huge line, and that was causing backups.

Once we got around that, though, it was OK - but after the ceremony I tried to duck into the bathroom and the store and both were still packed. (I finally got in to both during the 4th inning or thereabouts.)

By the time I got into the store most of the David Wright-specific stuff was pretty picked through. But I was glad dad and I decided to get a couple of hot dogs before the ceremony (that was all we ate - again, the lines were crazy) and I lucked into a great souvenir cup which I wasn’t even thinking about getting but when I saw it I realized it was a perfect takeaway from the game.

OK. On to the ceremony.

David Wright’s speech was great. He said all the right things. Which, of course he did. That’s what makes him so appealing. He rarely takes a mis-step.

It was really emotional, seeing all the highlights, thinking about what could have been, and just in general feeling closure for something that when it’s happening you don’t think about it ending but now that it’s over feeling all of those things hit you.

I’m not sure how they picked the few ex-teammates to be introduced down on the field, but I was wondering why it was such a limited selection of ex-teammates. I later saw there were a bunch more guys there to celebrate with him - I saw pictures of Endy Chavez, Matt Harvey, guys like John Franco - so first let me say this: I think at a ceremony like this all of the guys who have had their number retired and all of the guys in the Mets Hall of Fame should be introduced. I want to cheer them all.

I understand guys like Cuddyer and Satin and Raccaniello are Wright’s closest friends, but man, I’d love to cheer for Endy Chavez too. It was nice to see Cliff Floyd and I was happy Willie Randolph got such a nice ovation. He deserved better than he got from the Mets.

I drove down Friday night - I got home before the Mets game ended. It was a fireworks night, and it was a very good crowd. It is cool driving past Citi Field when it is that packed and you can see people all the way up in the type of seat I almost got myself for $75.

That’s how it was again on Saturday, and it was nice to see that kind of turnout for David Wright.

It’s too bad the game couldn’t match the good vibes of the ceremony.

The Mets are struggling right now.

I thought it was funny that the day David Wright’s 5 was retired, the guy who currently wears Jose Reyes’ number 7 homered for the Mets. (I have complicated feelings about the way the Mets fully embrace Daniel Murphy and Jose Reyes - I get it, they have had great moments on the field. But off the field things are a little more complex and there’s an ick factor there for me but this is a post to celebrate David Wright so we’ll save these conversations for another day.)

We left at the beginning of the 8th inning. Had the Mets tied it in the 9th (they got the tying run to the plate with nobody out) I would have been disappointed but I also would have been fighting traffic to get back to my parents and then drive the 3-plus hours back home, so I have become a guy who doesn’t always stay until the bitter end. As it was…the Mets did not tie the game so I avoided a more frustrating, later stay at the park.

I was thinking during the time between the ceremony and the game that I’ve been lucky to attend some great Mets games/events. There was the Gary Carter Mets Hall of Fame induction. (Only complaint about the David Wright event is that they didn’t give out any kind of commemoration - which I was disappointed about for Dwight Gooden’s day too. For Gary Carter’s I got a nice 8 1/2 x 11 poster that I still have hanging on my wall.)

There was the 20th anniversary of the 1986 Mets World Series, with Citi Field construction just beginning beyond the Shea Stadium outfield and David Wright wearing the throwback racing stripe uniform on the field in front of us. We were sitting mezzanine-level, I think, right even with the third base bag. There was the first game ever at Citi Field (in which David Wright hit the first Mets homer in the ballpark). There were, of course, the playoff games I’ve attended.

I’ve been lucky to go to these games.

And I’ve also been lucky to witness David Wright’s career.

I had this thought driving home late Saturday night - David Wright’s entire career took place while I lived in Massachusetts, which is kind of another milestone in my Mets life.

So it’s somewhat remarkable that I was still able to see him play in person so much.

I’m glad I got to see him in person one more time on Saturday afternoon.