Looks like Mets will have big apple at Citi Field

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-spciti0514,0,4595724.story

Mets fans can sleep easy because now it's official: There will be a big apple at Citi Field.

The Mets opened the doors to their new stadium to reporters Tuesday for another guided tour led by chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon, and you can't miss the spot where the apple is going to be.

In straightaway centerfield, there is a circular opening directly behind the wall. When Wilpon was asked what that was for, he gladly said, "The apple!"

Wilpon did not know whether the existing apple from Shea Stadium will make the move, or whether they will use a new apple.

But there will be an apple, which had been a point of contention among die-hard Mets fans. One group of fans even started a Web site dedicated to the Shea Stadium staple, savetheapple.com.

As for the rest of the stadium, it is increasingly taking shape.

While the only evidence on the ground that this will be a baseball field is home plate and batter's boxes marked with white paint, the rest of the structure looks like the state-of-the-art stadium you would expect.

The outfield walls are already marked with measurements -- 330 in the rightfield corner, 408 in centerfield, 379 in left-centerfield (with a wall that goes as high as 14-to-18 feet) and 335 in the leftfield corner.

Green seats have already been installed in many upper-deck sections, as well as the section that sits right above rightfield in fair territory, much like Tiger Stadium used to have. The seats even have cup holders attached to the backs of them, so no more kicking over a drink while leaving your seat.

The structures for the two large scoreboards that will sit high above the outfield are already in place, and they're awaiting only the actual scoreboards. Wilpon also said the Citi Field sign -- which will go above the scoreboard -- will be installed sometime early in the summer.

"Can't rush a good thing," one of the many construction workers on the job said as the crowd of reporters passed.

As Wilpon led reporters on a tour of the press box, another construction worker tried to conspicuously hide his hard hat, which had a Yankees logo on the front. Hey, at least he didn't bury it, right?