Mets Fans Perplexed By New Stadium's Prominent Tim Teufel Statue

NEW YORK—Although an undeniable atmosphere of excitement swirled around new Mets ballpark Citi Field at its unofficial opening Friday, many of the team’s fans were put off by an 18-foot-tall bronze statue of Tim Teufel displayed in the center of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. “From far away I thought it was a really nice tribute to Tom Seaver or Darryl Strawberry, but then, boom, there’s Tim Teufel,” fan Kevin McGoey said about the statue, which includes a plaque commemorating the second baseman’s career .254 average and 86 home runs. “Actually, I had to read the little placard underneath to figure out who it was. I mean, we’ve had Mike Piazza, Lenny Dykstra…. Even a Robin Ventura statue would make a lot more sense. And man, is it big. Does it have to be so big?” Other notable features of Citi Field include a mural of Jerry Grote portraits, a giant scoreboard in the shape of Benny Agbayani, and lemonade served by Dwight Gooden himself.