Jon Springer – Page 55 – Mets by the Numbers

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I’m still here; I didn’t dare to speak up or crow during the win streak, and there were no moves that needed making affecting uni numbers, so I kind of sat back and watched. And with the eight straight wins in the rear view, the old adage looks pretty accurate: You’re never as good as you think you are when you’re winning; and you’re never as bad as you think you are when you’re losing. That said, Jason Bay looks really bad. I mean, really.

The Amazin’ Tuesdays event mentioned below is still on; but due to circumstances beyond our control, the venue will be changing. Check back here to see where we’ll be gathering May 18. If you haven’t made it out to one of these events I strongly suggest you do!

Help me help my sister fight Lou Gehrig’s Disease: Join me the in the Walk to Defeat ALS May 15 or sponsor my team. Thanks!

Sometimes It Rains

Got off the 7 train at Willets Point this evening just as they made the rainout announcement. Sucks, but I’d be lying if I said I was exactly up for a few hours of trying to stay dry and warm in Flushing on a cool rainy April evening. I’ll try again next month; the Mets in the meantime have an old-fashioned doubleheader on the schedule for Tuesday.

The doubleheader comes at an interesting time for the Mets, whose wild swings in momentum so far suggest they are still in the process of developing a character. I’d have to look this up to be sure but I’d guess the Mets have had a lousy time at doubleheaders in recent years, which like extra-inning games tend to be rough on the sloppy and unfocused. That said, I’ve been encouraged lately to see the Mets fundamentaling the living crap out of clubs like the Braves, Marlins and Cubs, and as a result I haven’t been surprised to see the breaks going their way too. The idea of taking two games isn’t outrageous, as long as they hit a little.

Mark your calendars now: Amazin’ Tuesday is returning to Two Boots Tavern on the Lower East Side on Tuesday, May 18. Come join me, along with Greg Prince (Faith & Fear in Flushing) and special guests Taryn Cooper (Met fan extraordinaire and author of the My Summer Family blog) and from Chicago, Josh Wilker, the author of the outstanding Cardboard Gods blog and new book of the same name. I will have more to say about the book at a future date but if you’re not familiar with Josh’s project yet you should know he uses baseball cards from his 1970s youth as a launching pad for ruminations on the game and life, it’s astonishingly great, and we’re lucky to be one of the few stops in New York on a tour for a new book that’s been universally lauded.

Two Boots (384 Grand Street) will provide pizza and drink specials; the Mets-Braves game from Atlanta on the big screen; and your first beer free in exchange for any Mets baseball card. Hope to see you there!

Help fight Lou Gehrig’s Disease: Join me the in the Walk to Defeat ALS May 15 or sponsor my team. Thanks!

Many Being Manny

I’d like to call out this nugget from MBTN reader Ranjrz25 in a recent comment section:

Acosta is the Mets’ fourth Manny (not counting Acta)… all 4 have worn a number that’s a mutiple of 6 (Alexander, 6; Aybar, Acosta, Hernandez, 36).

That’s too, uh, Manny Mannies to remember. Let’s give ’em a look.

I have no memory whatsoever of Manny Hernandez, a right-handed pitcher who made only one appearance for the Mets — throwing a scoreless sixth inning in a 10-1 blowout loss at Montreal on Sept. 16, 1989. Hernandez was a product of the Houston Astros — he’d played with the ’86 NLCS opponent but not in the postseason — but the Mets purchased him from the Twins’ organization in the summer of ’89 and recalled him that September. Hernandez hung around the Mets’ minor leagues for another two years but never resurfaced, with the Mets or any other major-league club.

Manny Alexander was a hotshot shortstop prospect with the misfortune of having bashed into the glass ceiling beneath Cal Ripken in Baltimore: He would be acquired in a trade from the O’s during spring training of 1997 (the Mets gave up minor league pitcher Hector Ramirez) and installed as a middle-infield backup. Alexander wasn’t much of a hitter but I liked him in the backup role — he was versatile, had some speed, didn’t embarrass himself or the team with the glove and still had enough youthful fire to be a consideration to start. He’d be famously dealt away to the Cubs that August in the first move of Steve Phillips’ burgeoning general managership: Included along with Mark Clark and Lance Johnson for Mel Rojas, Turk Wendell and Brian McRae in a trade that would reverberate for years to come. Alexander had another several years as a reserve and part-time starter ahead of him. (The photo at left is shown at the Mets Hall of Records).

Manny Aybar was part of the 2005 bullpen that took rookie skipper Willie Randolph a little while to figure out. The opening-day relief corps was stuffed with veterans including Aybar, Mike DeJean, Felix Heredia (with whom I conflate Aybar), Mike Matthews and Roberto Hernandez. Of those, only Hernandez would last the entire year; all the others would be released one by one. Aybar’s climax was coughing up five runs in one inning (including issuing a bases loaded walk and three-run homer) in a shameful 12-2 blowout in Anaheim. That game and Aybar’s subsequent release — also the last of his big-league career — set the mood for the miraculous Marlon Anderson/Cliff Floyd Game the following night.

We’re already getting to know Manny Acosta and his dazzling terror: He possesses the kind of strikeout stuff that once prompted the Braves to make him their closer; also the propensity for meatballs and walks that got him released by the same club this spring.

Help fight Lou Gehrig’s Disease: Join me the in the Walk to Defeat ALS May 15 or sponsor my team. Thanks!

Step Right Up and Meet the Jens

More than 70 years after the condition inspired Lou Gehrig’s “Luckiest Man” speech, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) has no known cause and no known cure. As some of you may know, my sister Jennifer has been bravely battling ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, now for a few years. Jen is less than two years older than me, and a big Mets fan herself. She has three young kids, and they’re Met fans. In recent months, Jen’s been keeping a remarkable and eye-opening journal of how this condition has affected her life.

The Walk to Defeat ALS, being held May 15 at Hudson River Park in New York, helps to support research and care for those affected by ALS, and spreads awareness of the urgency to find treatments and a cure. To support Jen and others affected by ALS, my brother Chris and I started a team, Meet the Jens, to participate in the event.

Please consider walking with our team, and/or sponsoring me, at the event this year. We have already raised more than $7,500 but with your help we can do much more. You can sign up to sponsor me and learn more about the walk, at this address (just click “donate to Jon” to make a contribution). While any donation would be deeply appreciated, as an added thank-you, I have a limited number of copies of the Mets by the Numbers book, which I’d be happy to personalize and send free to any donor contributing $30 or more to this great charity. Just let me know! Meantime, I hope to see you at the walk this year. Thanks!

Handy Manny

Ryota Igarashi went onto the disabled list today with injuries sustained when attacked by a Koyie Hill bunt last night, and the Mets summoned former Brave and spring training waiver claim Manny Acosta to take his place. Reports said Acosta will be suited up in No. 36, a number worn last year by Ken Takahashi and not by a Met of significance since, uh, Greg McMichael or, perhaps, Ed Lynch. I guess maybe Grant Roberts would count if only for the hype and front-page bong hits.

Acosta, you might remember, is one 10,000 men who’ve been the closer for the Atlanta Braves during the Bobby Cox Era and should, but probably won’t, serve as a reminder to the Mets that they’re still trying way too hard to capture this elusive 8th-inning thunder. If they weren’t, Igarashi might never have needed to take the mound last night in the first place.

Psyike!

A brief update on the Ike Davis situation: Yes he’s been called up and may start this evening against the Cubs, while Tobi Stoner heads back to Buffalo with our thanks and a tough luck loss. Think Jerry’s a little obsessed with creating eighth inning magic? Jeez.

As for why you’re here: The mets.com roster lists Davis as wearing 29, which Stoner just surrendered. (Now I see the press release reportting same). Isn’t it my fate to campaign for a guy to get Keith Hernandez‘ number only to see them give up Dave Magadan‘s instead. I don’t much get into that number, 29. It’s Steve Trachsel. It’s Steve Bieser. It’s some guy named Steve.

At any rate, tonight we really don’t have to worry about it since Davis will be wearing No. 42, along with the rest of his Met teammates in Part II of Chuck Taylor Appreciation Night.

And it Stoned Me

Well, as suspected below last night’s marathon prompted the Mets to bring up another pitcher tonight — and the offense just might get a jolt too.
Tobi Stoner, who made a few late-season appearances last season wearing No. 29, was recalled. The surprise was that rather than demoting a gassed arm, the Mets designated flailing first baseman Mike Jacobs for assignment in order to make room. That leads to speculation that an offensive player would be recalled once the Mets depart St. Louis, first base prospect Ike Davis being the most intriguing option.

Davis has been wearing No. 20 up in Buffalo but there’s some speculation he could end up in No. 49, which his dad, reliever Ron Davis, wore for at least some of his career.(As pointed out below, Ron Davis wore 53, 39, 34, 55 and 33 in his career). No. 20 currently belongs to coach Howard Johnson. We’ve argued here before for No. 17, which would properly honor another terrific Met first baseman but require that Fernando Tatis changes his shirt. Stay tuned!

Now Drop and Give Me 20

Holy crap. I’d be surprised if the Mets, once they wake up, don’t make a few quick roster moves for relievers this afternoon after playing 20 innings last night. And though it’s more of a long shot, it’d be also nice to get a few hitters considering they were blanked for 18 innings and managed only to squeak out single runs despite facing position players on the mound for three innings thanks to Tony LaRussa and his seeming strategy to defeat the Mets by humiliating them. This after failing to hold a 1-0 lead on Friday night. Can’t wait till Jose Reyes gets back. What? Oh…

Anyway, it wasn’t a pretty game by any wild stretch but props to Alex Cora for a terrific catch and to Hisanori Takahashi, who became a vicious strikeout artist at the right moment to squelch a 2-on, no-out situation in the 14th. Jerry Manuel’s absurdly passive game plan reached new heights by ordering Luis Castillo to bunt in a plan that successfully resulted in a single run in the 19th but predictably was proven not enough. Mike Pelfrey with the save. Ridiculous!

Saluting a True American Hero

Today all of baseball gathers to celebrate the groundbreaking career of legendary reserve catcher Ron Hodges, who bravely shattered the Scrubeenie Barrier by serving 12 years for the same team while hardly ever rising above third on depth charts at his position. His example of self-sacrifice, waiting his turn, and hitting lefthanded while being a catcher has been an inspiration for last-men-on-the-bench everywhere including Alberto “Bambi” Castillo, Tim Spehr, Ed Hearn and Barry Lyons.

To mark the historic occasion, every player in the Major Leagues today will be outfitted in the No. 42 jersey Ron made famous while rotting on the bench behind Grote and Dyer; then Grote and Stearns; and then Stearns and Grote; and then Stearns and Trevino; and then Trevino and Stearns; and then Stearns and Trevino again; and then Mike Fitzgerald. Relievers from Harry Parker to Wes Gardner found Hodges’ target while warming up in the bullpen; and managers from Berra to Frazier to Torre to Johnson called on his left-handed bat to pinch hit in crucial situations, provided they had already used Kranepool, Staub or Jorgensen.

It’s an extra special occasion for the Mets, whose new home stadium features a Rotunda dedicated to Ron’s exploits including a gigantic No. 42 statue to honor his contributions. Mets owner Fred Wilpon paid Hodges the ultimate compliment by implying he might have been good enough to warm up and perhaps pinch hit for his childhood chum Sandy Koufax, a hero of his beloved Dodgers.

Weak 1 in Review

What a dreary opening homestand this turned into. And that was while we got adequate starts from the buttend of the rotation and solid work from a bullpen rumored to have sucked. No, it was the offense that couldn’t get unstuck: there are too many outmakers.

The unfairly beleaguered bullpen in the meantime today debuted a new lefty, Raul Valdes, who contributed two scoreless innings today wearing No. 22. No, it wasn’t Al Leiter.