Francisco Lindor has a bad case of Rangers fever
New York Mets' Pete Alonso (20), Francisco Lindor (12), Eduardo Escobar and Luis Guillorme (13) celebrate after defeating the Washington Nationals in a baseball game, Monday, May 30, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) Credit: AP/Mary Altaffer
Putting on his shirt and shoes after the Mets pounded the Nationals, 13-5, on Monday night, Francisco Lindor was humming — and sort of singing — perhaps the most-played tune at Citi Field in the hours prior: the Rangers’ goal song.
He couldn’t help himself. When the ballpark video board operators periodically piped in updates on the Rangers’ simultaneous 6-2 Game 7 win over the Hurricanes, which sent them to the Eastern Conference finals against the Lightning, the song always followed. Fans chanted along. It was stuck in Lindor’s head.
Like those who have been wearing Rangers jerseys to Mets games, catching his eye, Lindor has enjoyed the Rangers’ run.
“It’s great. It’s fantastic,” he said. “I wasn’t much of a hockey fan. I still don’t know much about the hockey game. But I’m a fan of seeing athletes perform at the highest level. And right now, watching them is special. You can feel the vibe. You can see when people come to the games with Rangers jerseys. It’s special.”
Lindor has an Adam Fox No. 23 jersey after meeting the defenseman and Jericho native during his visit to Citi Field last summer.
Lindor was among a bunch of Mets who attended Penguins-Rangers Game 7 on May 15, an experience they raved about. The native of Puerto Rico never has gone ice skating — his one experience roller blading did not go well — but enjoyed the playoff atmosphere at Madison Square Garden. So did his music-loving toddler, Kalina, who took to the goal song after initially being scared.
Lindor’s idea: a goal song-esque, “fighting”-type anthem as a ritual for the Mets after, say, every home run.
“I love their song,” Lindor said. “So every time they put it on the scoreboard, it’s great.”
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
