NEW YORK -- As has become their tradition in early September, the Mets on Sunday wore caps during batting practice to commemorate New York's first-responder agencies from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Sunday marked the club's final home game before Sept. 11, though the Mets will also wear the caps during batting practice next Sunday in Atlanta.
"I always think it's a tremendous honor," manager Terry Collins said. "It's something to honor those people who had to go through what they had to go through on a daily basis -- especially reading the papers today, all the time, about what's happening around the country. These guys need to be rewarded. Because I'll tell you one thing, when I go home at night, I feel safe."
The Mets wore caps honoring New York's Fire Department, Police Department, Court Officers, Port Authority Police Department, Office of Emergency Management, Sanitation Department and Department of Corrections. Last Friday the Mets also continued their tradition of visiting an area firehouse on or around Sept. 11; David Wright and Edgardo Alfonzo represented the team this year.
"It's our way of trying to say, 'Thank you,'" Collins said.