Updates (Sept. 29): By now everyone knows the Mets will be Pedro-less for the playoffs but let's be honest: That doesn't surprise us. He hasn't been healthy for a long while, and though it would be nice if the Real Pedro was with us, we've been more concerned about the lineup than the pitching all year long, even while they made it look easy and now, especially, as they make it look difficult.

Stuff we neglected to mention recently: Ramon Castro 11 returned from the disabled list Sept. 12; Kelly Stinnett 36 was designated for assigment Sept. 27 and Phillip Humber 49 made his big-league debut Sept. 24. Along with the return of Mike Pelfrey 34 to the (nominally) active roster, the '06 Mets have 36 active players on their roster at once, which ties them with three other Met clubs for the second-most ever, according to Met roster historian Jason:

10 Pair (Sept. 9): Gwreck wonders: Pending Phil Humber getting into a game, there will be no fewer than 10 (!) uniform numbers that were issued to more than one player during this 2006 season.

20 - Victor Diaz, Shawn Green
22 - Xavier Nady, Michael Tucker
25 - Kazuo Matsui, Pedro Feliciano
32 - Jeremi Gonzalez, Eli Marrero, Dave Williams
34 - Jorge Julio, Mike Pelfrey
36 - Henry Owens, Kelly Stinnett
39 - Pedro Feliciano, Roberto Hernandez
43 - Bartolome Fortunato, Royce Ring
49 - Roberto Hernandez, Phil Humber (pending)
59 - Alay Soler, Guillermo Mota

I'm pretty sure that's a record.

It's not! As with many season records concerning the Met population, 1967 dominates. In that year the Mets ran out a record 54 players, including 15 sets of like-number-wearing teammates, including four-of-a-kind at 38 (unfortunately, they weren't Aces). In the example below, Nolan Ryan assumes Humber's place as the rookie pitcher who saw no game action but occupied a jersey.

2 - Chuck Hiller, Phil Linz
5- Sandy Alomar, Ed Charles
6- Bob Johnson, Bart Shirley
18- Al Luplow, Joe Moock
19- Kevin Collins, Hawk Taylor
24- Johnny Lewis, Ken Boswell
26- Bob Shaw, Bill Graham
29- Danny Frisella, Nick Willhite
30- Dick Selma, Nolan Ryan
32- Jack Hamilton, Hal Reniff
33- Chuck Estrada, Bob Hendley
34- Jack Lamabe, Cal Koonce
35- Don Shaw, Billy Wynne
38- Ralph Terry, Dennis Bennett, Billy Wynne, Billy Connors
44- Bill Denehy, Al Schmelz

And there you have it. Great question!

In case you didn't see it, MBTN's meeting with the brilliant Paul Lukas of Uni Watch was published this week -- there's no higher recognition for a uni-centric web site. Be warned: Some language is not suitable for adults!

The Answer is ño (Sept. 6): Only a matter of hours after posing the question MBTN readers came through with the definitive proof: Willie Montañez went tilde-less during 1979, as shown in this screen capture sent in by on-the-spot reader Paul C. Interestingly, this cap came from the same '79 opening-day footage that Paul provided earlier to solve the Jesse Orosco 61 controversy: It's also first day the Mets (except for young Orosco) ever wore their names above their numbers. That font by the way looks a lot chunkier than that which we've become accustomed to, and we needen't get into the icky use of a separate nameplate. That's a lot of mileage from a single game.

Greg (you should read his blog) in the meantime confirmed Rory's earlier contention that Alex Treviño in 1980 was the first Met to sport a tilde. Others, according to Rory: Roger Cedeño, Rey Ordoñez, Alejandro Peña, Edwin Nuñez and Fernando Viña.

If the above interests you then by all means you should be reading the Uni Watch Blog, where recent discussion involves nameplates bearing the æ and ø characters.

Thanks also to Stephen (and Steve) for the updates to the Uni-Controversies list: Both guys wrote recently to remind that Rusty Staub waited patiently (three years!) for the Mets to finally trade Duffy Dyer and assume the No. 10 jersey he wore. Stephen also recounts that Jeff Reardon requested No. 41 when he arrived as a Met and couldn't understand that if it hadn't been retired yet why equipment manager Herb Norman wouldn't issue it to him. "So he settled for 45. Apparently, Norman didn't feel the same way about Tug McGraw."

Final Update: Reports this morning say Mike Pelfrey 34 was in fact not recalled but is attending to a sore back in St. Lucie.

Humber's Number (Sept. 6): As threatened, the Mets recalled the six men below in time for yesterday's rainout. New arrivals Kelly Stinnett and Phillip Humber were dressed in Nos 36 and 49, respectively. (Thanks to readers Lou and Michael for the updates). Both numbers have been issued previously this season: Henry Owens wore 36 during his brief callup and 49 belonged briefly to Roberto Hernandez before he could pry 39 from Pedro Feliciano. In addition to being the digits favored by knuckleballers, 49 tends to be a relief pitcher's number for the Mets -- you have to go back until 1984 and Walt Terrell to find a regular starter who wore it, though Humber for the short term looks destined for spot-starts and relief work anyway.

Stinnett, who wore 33 for the Mets in 1995, becomes the latest member of the two-time Met club.

Montan-yes, with an ñ (Sept. 6): The following is exerpted from a note from reader Rory:

Willie Montañez -- I know the ñ is definitely part of his family name, but I'm not entirely sure whether the team sewed the tilde on too. Somebody told me that the Mets only started sewing names on their uniforms in 1979, and so that left only part of that season where Willie could have sported a tilde as a Met. Are there any pictures to prove it one way or the other?

Though we doubt we'd find a tilde if we found a picture (the '79 Mets, like this site, were lazy with that kinda thing), we haven't found a picture. Can anyone help? Let us know.

Meaningful Games in September (Sept. 4): Now that September has arrived, the Mets are reportedly looking to promote several minor leaguers, in addition to Heath Bell 19 and Royce Ring 43, who were activated Friday. Considering Sunday's performance by Mike DiFelice 6, there's little doubt catcher Kelly Stinnett will be among them: Stinnett is a returning Met who was last seen wearing No. 33 in 1995 (that number currently belongs to John Maine). Also slated to return, reports say, are Lastings Milledge 44, Mike Pelfrey 34, Brian Bannister 40, Ricky Ledee 9, and newly arriving prospect Phillip Humber. Humber, should he see action, would become the 799th man to play in a Met uniform: Barring any additional shenanigans, that means we're likely to see the 800th Met on opening day next year.

Postseason Positioning (Sept. 1): The Mets yesterday made the Anderson Hernandez promotion official, temporarily sending down lefty Dave Williams 32 to make room for him. Williams is expected to return in time for his next start. The recall comes in time to make Hernandez, who was dressed in No. 1, eligible for the postseason roster, along with the 12 other current position players and disablees Cliff Floyd 30 and Ramon Castro 11. Having not called up recent signee Kelly Stinnett suggests the team is confident in Castro's return, though reports this morning say Stinnett's likely to be recalled now that rosters are exandable and Norfolk's season is winding to a close.