Citi Opener Ends Badly
The Mets had a great comeback last night capped with a David Wright home run, his first of the season and the first regular season home run for a Met at CitiField. The problem is that the comeback came in the 5th inning and only tied the game. The Mets would not score another run in the game. But the visiting Padres would score one in the top of the 6th inning on a Pedro Feliciano balk and end up losing the game 6-5.
The game included an error by Ryan Church that cost 3 runs in the 2nd inning. Church will be spelled by Gary Sheffield for tomorrow’s game but I don’t read very much into this. I think Jerry Manuel just wants to see Sheffield play a little bit and it’s still Church’s job to lose.
Mike Pelfrey allowed 8 hits in 5 innings. There’s some concern over the lack of movement on his pitches but it’s too early to tell if there is a real issue.
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Book Review: A Magic Summer
In commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the 1969 World Champion Mets the folks at Skyhorse Publishing have re-released Stanley Cohen’s A Magic Summer. (Kindle version available here.) The book tells the story of the of the team from spring training through the last game of the series. Though the book originally came out 20 years ago I had never read it before. I was very happy that I had the opportunity to read it now.
Cohen, an award winning journalist, tells the story and relays a great amount of information without ever getting dull or boring. The narrative is interspersed with background information and interviews of many of the players who played for the Mets that year. Among the players highlighted in these interludes are Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Duffy Dyer, Ed Kranepool, Gary Gentry & Rod Gaspar. One of the highlights for me was the interview with Nolan Ryan. We all know that Ryan turned out to be one of the greatest pitchers to ever play the game. But in 1969 he was young and still trying to find his way.
One of the things I learned through the book is how so many of the players who were on that team dislike the word ‘miracle’ used to describe their feat. The book discusses (and the interviews confirm) that there was a quiet but strong shift during the 1968 season where the 1969 team was beginning to take shape. By the end of the 1968 season there was a great mix of young, very talented players and experienced veterans that would serve as the core of the 1969 team. The attitudes of the players took a dramatic uptake as the 1968 season went on despite being a last place team because they all thought that they had what it took to be a winner.
The book also discusses the role that manager Gil Hodges played in the championship season and highlights the differences of approach between him and his former manager with the Dodgers and 1969 counterpart with the Cubs Leo Durocher. Hodges silent but strong approach contrasts dramatically to Leo the Lip’s in your face approach.
I was born in 1970 and so was unable to experience the magic as it transpired. Thus all of my exposure to the 1969 team has all been second hand. Stories told to me by people who were older than me. An occasional article in a magazine or newspaper. This was the first time I read a comprehensive summary of the season and I was not let down. Cohen gives a game by game accounting of the season jam packed with information about the players, the games and the times without ever losing the reader. I’m a slow reader who really needs to be turned on by the writing in order to get through a book and I was able to complete the book in just three weekends while enjoying it tremendously.
If you’re a Mets fan who is too young to have been there or if you’re just looking to remember good times I highly recommend this book.
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Mets Police: Madoff’s Season Tickets
The government is auctioning off Bernie Madoff’s season tickets for the Mets.Mets Police has an idea about what to do with these tickets. I think it’s a great idea.
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Satana’s Greetings
I love this video. Watch Johan Santana give everyone on the team a different greeting before taking the mound on opening day against the Reds:
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Mets Win Opener
Opening day was a success for the Mets. The story people are making the biggest deal about is the bullpen. Sean Green, J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez did a great job after starter Johan Santana left the game with 2 outs in the 6th inning. The thing to remember is that this is one game out of 162. Putz and Rodriguez will not appear in each of the remaining 161 games so positive reviews of the performance of the bullpen are premature. Let’s see how the rest of the group pitches before we comment.
In other news, both Mets runs were driven in by Daniel Murphy. Murphy hit a homer in the 5th and drove in the second run when grounding out in the 6th. Murphy appeared to pick up this season where he left off last season. It’s only 1 game but it’s encouraging to see some production from Murphy out of the second slot in the batting order.
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Sheffield A Low Risk Signing For Mets
Jon Heyman of si.com is reporting that the Mets have signed Gary Sheffield.
Though I’m skeptical about what Sheffield brings to the Mets both on and off the diamond I don’t think this is a bad signing (as I’m sure many Mets fans will think it is). Sheffield will most likely replace Marlon Anderson on the roster and slip into a platoon situation with Ryan Church in right field. I’m assuming he chose to sign with the Mets in anticipation of getting more playing time than he could with the Phillies or Reds, the other teams courting him, so I’d figure they’d use him to spell Daniel Murphy in left occasionally (or replace Murphy if he falters).
If he hits even half decently and keeps his attitude in check then this is a great signing. If he doesn’t then the Mets haven’t really lost anything since all they need to pay him is the league minimum $400,000 (the Tigers are responsible for the rest of his salary this season).
As an added incentive Sheffield is more or less playing for his major league life this season. He’s in a contract year and hopes to continue playing next year. If he fails with the Mets then his playing career is most likely over. But if he has a good year he’ll likely get a contract (most likely for 2 or 3 years) on the free agent market in the off season.
This is a relatively low risk signing for the Mets that will either turn into nothing or make them a better team. Why not take the chance?
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Mets Intrigued By Sheffield?
Adam Rubin is reporting in the New York Daily News that the Mets may have interest in signing Gary Sheffield. The work Rubin uses is “intrigued”.
Sheffield was released from the Tigers the other day. He has 1 year remaining on his contract. Whoever signs him will only have to pay the $400,00 major league minimum with the Tigers being responsible for the remainder of his $14 million salary.
The question with Sheffield and the Mets will be how to use him. Sheffield has said that he’d like to play beyond this year so playing time is important to him. With the Mets he’d likely start the season on the bench and if all goes to plan then that’s where he’d stay. There’s minimal risk on the Mets side but there doesn’t appear to be much reward on Sheffield’s side so I’d be surprised if they end up signing him.
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ESPN 2009 National League Preview
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2009 Opening Day Roster
Below is the opening day roster as it stands now. When the fifth starter is needed Livan Hernandez will replace Nick Evans.
| Pitchers | B/T | Ht | Wt | DOB | |||
| 25 Pedro Feliciano | L/L | 5-10 | 190 | 08/25/76 | |||
| 48 Sean Green | R/R | 6-6 | 235 | 04/20/79 | |||
| 33 John Maine | R/R | 6-4 | 200 | 05/08/81 | |||
| 36 Darren O’Day | R/R | 6-4 | 225 | 10/22/82 | |||
| 39 Bobby Parnell | R/R | 6-4 | 200 | 09/08/84 | |||
| 34 Mike Pelfrey | R/R | 6-7 | 215 | 01/14/84 | |||
| 46 Oliver Perez | L/L | 6-3 | 215 | 08/15/81 | |||
| 22 J.J. Putz | R/R | 6-5 | 250 | 02/12/77 | |||
| 75 Francisco Rodriguez | R/R | 6-0 | 195 | 01/07/82 | |||
| 57 Johan Santana | L/L | 6-0 | 210 | 03/13/79 | |||
| 43 Brian Stokes | R/R | 6-1 | 210 | 09/07/79 | |||
| Catchers | B/T | Ht | Wt | DOB | |||
| 11 Ramon Castro | R/R | 6-3 | 258 | 03/01/76 | |||
| 23 Brian Schneider | L/R | 6-1 | 196 | 11/26/76 | |||
| Infielders | B/T | Ht | Wt | DOB | |||
| 1 Luis Castillo | S/R | 5-11 | 190 | 09/12/75 | |||
| 3 Alex Cora | S/R | 5-11 | 190 | 09/12/75 | |||
| 21 Carlos Delgado | L/R | 6-3 | 265 | 06/25/72 | |||
| 7 Jose Reyes | S/R | 6-1 | 200 | 06/11/83 | |||
| 5 David Wright | R/R | 6-0 | 215 | 12/20/82 | |||
| Outfielders | B/T | Ht | Wt | DOB | |||
| 9 Marlon Anderson | L/R | 5-11 | 200 | 01/06/74 | |||
| 15 Carlos Beltran | S/R | 6-1 | 205 | 04/24/77 | |||
| 19 Ryan Church | L/L | 6-1 | 190 | 10/14/78 | |||
| 6 Nick Evans | L/R | 6-2 | 214 | 04/01/85 | |||
| 28 Daniel Murphy | L/R | 6-2 | 214 | 04/01/85 | |||
| 18 Jeremy Reed | L/L | 6-0 | 200 | 06/15/81 | |||
| 17 Fernando Tatis | R/R | 5-10 | 180 | 01/01/75 | |||
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Santana Jokes With Burkhardt
I saw this video of Johan Santana joking with SNY‘s Kevin Burkhardt posted by Brian Costa on NJ.com. Funny stuff.
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