Author: Jon Springer

Jon Springer is a writer in Brooklyn. Mets by the Numbers began as a goof in 1998, later became a book, then went back to being a goof.

Let’s Take a Break

The Mets as expected activated Dave Williams 32 prior to Sunday’s getaway in Houston and the Astros summarily beat him silly. The question as to who would be demoted to make room was answered when Ricky Ledee 9 was optioned to AAA.

The 8-3 loss sent the Mets limping into the break still in first place, but hardly looking like a championship team. While injuries have been a part of the struggle, it’s the performance of the guys out there everyday — particularly the right side of the infield — that’s really been a drag. That and the fact that some Mets just seem … unhappy. There’s Reyes sulking after bouncing out and and failing to run out grounders. There’s Heilman and his hangdog expression. LoDuca blowing up at umpires and/or the press. Wagner flattening a teammate with a comment in the papers.

There’s been some good stuff too, particularly from Reyes and Wagner. But over the break the Mets will have to consider how much more rope they can afford to give Jose Valentin 22, who is battling wounded knees and just doesn’t look sharp at all and how they intend to get better production out of the corner outfield slots. As the trade deadline approaches it will be interesting to see just what the Mets go for (I’m thinking, Brand Name Relievers if nothing else, but it would als be nice to see them pry some future help as well, like they did with Oliver Perez a year ago.

Damaged Cargo

As you probably heard by now, overmatched rookie outfielder Carlos Gomez 27 injured a bone in his hand in Denver and underwent surgery that will likely sideline him until September. In his place for the time being is utilityman David Newhan 17, recalled from New Orleans last night. Though his inexperience was exposed at times, CarGo on balance acquitted himself well while pressed into duty. He leaves behind the impression of a ballplayer who’s going to be good — someday.

Ironically, speculation is that Gomez’ injury will give another shot to Lastings Milledge, who like Gomez, showed flashes of potential and moments of inexperience during emergency service last season. Milledge might have gotten a shot sooner this season but has been rehabbing injuries of his own in the minor leagues. Just a guess here but No. 44 will be in left field when the Mets return from the All-Star break Thursday. I mean, were you expecting Moises Alou?

Alo-More

Veteran catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. was in the dugout during last night’s debacle in Denver and wearing No. 19. Alomar had been recalled from AAA after Jason Vargas 43 was whacked following his revolting outing on Tuesday. Alomar is expected to last at least until Sunday when it is anticipated the Mets will recall Dave Williams to take the turn in Houston initially scheduled for Vargas. Williams threw, fairly effectively, for the Mets last season wearing No. 32.

As for Alomar, he becomes the second No. 19 this season (disgraced reliever Lino Urdaneta was the first) and the third member of the Alomar Clan to play for the Mets. Brother Roberto began the decline phase of his career here wearing No. 12 and their father, Sandy Sr., was a reserve infielder for the Mets in the first few weeks of 1967 (wearing No. 5); and has served as a coach since 2005 (wearing No. 2).

The Alomars now match the extended Alou clan (Moises Alou 18, his uncle Jesus Alou 25, and cousin Mel Rojas 51) as the Metliest families we know of.

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Kaz

Tonight the Mets travel to Denver to take on the Rockies and second baseman Kaz Matsui, who missed the first series at Shea this year due to (what else) back spasms.

I just might be a softie but I’ve always felt bad for how poorly things went in New York for Matsui. The organization completely biffed the entire acquisition, unnecessarily installing him at shortstop while they already had a popular, accomplished and exciting incumbent there, then leaving Matsui at short to become a target of fan abuse when it was obvious he lacked the range of the man he displaced. Frequent injuries — a source of frustration for fans and his manager — followed and when it was clear that Jose Valentin was a better bet to serve out the year than Matsui the Mets anxiously shipped him to the Rockies, along with all the money they’d need to pay him, for washed-up reserve Eli Marrero.

Alas, Matsui’s good health has accompanied strong performance this year, as has a switch back to the No. 7 jersey he wore in Japan. (Here the Mets let Matsui have Jose Reyes’ position and batting-order slot but not his jersey). Matsui discusses his number, and other stuff in this interview with MLB.com.

Pertinent breakout:

You wore No. 7 in Japan, but it wasn’t available when you came to the U.S. You wore 25 with the Mets and 16 with the Rockies last season — in both cases, the digits added up to seven. Why No. 7?

When I became a professional in Japan, I liked 1, 3, 5 and 7. But 1, 3 and 5 were unavailable. The No. 7 at that point, a guy, Darin Jackson, went back to the U.S., so I told them I wanted his No. 7.

Is wearing your favorite number making you play better?

I don’t know about that. But I like No. 7.

In other Met news, Mike Pelfrey 34 was recalled yesterday, and lost again, when Jorge Sosa 29 hit the disabled list with a hamstring pull. Reports this morning made it seem likely that Oliver Perez 46 would miss a start this week too with back spasms, a scenario likely to result in the return of Jason Vargas 43 from the minors.

Don’t All Run to the Clubhouse Shop at Once

Yes, Ricky Ledee is back. The reserve outfielder returned today for a second engagement with the Mets after a second year of awaiting an emergency at AAA. This year’s crisis concerns injuries to three starting outfielders and one reserve, and that two minor league reinforcements are already up. Ledee, who again this year is wearing No. 9, tagged punchless utilityman David Newhan 17 on the way down, so the news isn’t all bad.

On Thursday, creaky-kneed second baseman Jose Valentin 22 and magician Endy Chavez 10traded places on the active and disabled lists. Endy looks to be gone for a month or more with a bad hammy. Valentin hopes to make do on a partially torn ACL.

More Updates

The Mets placed Shawn Green 20 onto the disabled list Tuesday and recalled Ben Johnson,who entered the game later that night as a defensive replcement in the outfield. Johnson, whom the Mets received in the Heath Bell trade, wore the same No. 4 as he sported in spring training.

In the meantime shamed reliever Guillermo Mota 59 completed his 50-game juicing suspension and re-joins the Mets tonight in place of struggling bullpener Ambiorix Burgos 40.

Over the weekend we failed to mention the return from the disabled list of Orlando Hernandez 26 and the subsequent demotion of pitcher Jason Vargas 43.

Vargas Up, Alou Down

With Orlando Hernandez still out, Jorge Sosa still effective and Mike Pelfrey still needing some work, Jason Vargas is making his Met debut this afternoon, wearing No. 43. To make room for Vargas, who was acquired over the winter from Florida in the Henry Owens deal, the Mets assigned Moises Alou 18 to the disabled list. The last No. 43 to appear for the Mets was reliever Royce Ring a year ago.

Vargas by the way is the 812th Met ever. That counter, along with other cool stuff, returns to the new new site soon.

Pelfrey or Die

Yet another struggling outing Saturday left Mike Pelfrey 34 with an 0-5 record and a ticket to New Orleans. The Mets demoted the lanky righthander and in his place recalled outfielder Carlos Gomez, who according to the Mets, will wear No. 27 for this afternoon’s game. Gomez was leading the PCL with 17 stolen bases and could be seen in the short term as insurance for Moises Alou 18 and whatever joint is troubling him this week.

Gomez is poised to become the 24th No. 27 in Mets history. Darren Oliver wore 27 most recently.

Infinity

Looks like it’s one-and-done for Chan Ho Park 61, whose messy debut start in place of Orlando Hernandez appears to have been his last as a Met. For now. The Mets designated Park for assignment Thursday, and recalled in his place AAA reliever Lino Urdaneta, whose prior Major League experience consisted of a single nightmare appearance for the 2004 Tigers. He faced 6 batters allowing, in order, a walk and 5 straight singles — all of them scored — in what would be a 26-5 asswhoop by Kansas City.

Urdaneta was injured shortly after his appearance and later released by Detroit, leaving him with an ERA of infinity when the Mets signed him out of the Mexican League last summer.

Urdaneta pitched Spring Training wearing No. 58 and is listed by mets.com today as wearing 19(alert us if you happen to eyewitness). Though a sideways 8 might be appropriate at least until he gets an appearance — no guarantee since he’s expected to be returned to New Orleans when Hernandez’ turn comes up next. Jorge Sosa (No. 29 in Spring Training) is expected to get that start.

Meet the Missing Mets: Les Rohr

A post below regarding Moises Alou’s appearance as the 800th Met of all time drew an interesting response from Harvey Polis, who writes:

The 2007 Mets Media Guide lists only 797 all-time Mets through 2006, not the actual 79[9]. As was the case last year, the missing Mets are pitcher Les Rohr(the only Mets born in England) and outfielder Darren Bragg. The same two were missing from last year’s All-Time Roster in the 2006 Media Guide.

I notified them of the error, but it was not corrected.

Amazin’! Because not only does Les Rohr have the distinction of being the first and only Met born in England but he was also the first-ever Met draft pick when the amateur draft as we know it today was established in 1965.

Until then, all amateur ballplayers were free agents, whom scouts competed to find and to sign. This competition of course led to inflated signing bonuses — an effect owners first tried to blunt by limiting the number of first-year players a team could protect from a postseason raid. This plan never worked out: Not only did teams lose good players this way (the Orioles in 1962 robbed the Mets of Paul Blair, who might well have become the Mets’ best player of the 1960s), but teams trying to avoid such losses simply carried young players on their squads all year long whether or not they were ready for the competition, or else tried hiding them with bogus injuries and other tricks. No, there had to be a better way, and a draft — which would limit every player’s suitor to one club (and therefore, his salary to what that club was willing to pay and not a penny more) was the solution.

Oh yeah, and the draft also would evenly distribute talent and prop faltering minor leagues, proponents were quick to add.

For the Mets the introduction of the draft was a mixed blessing. While pleased to be free of threats and restrictions to their prospects, they along with the Dodgers and a few other free marketeers feared the draft would blunt their financial advantages over the competition. Not that the Mets of the era ever carried through on the threat to spend big, they clearly enjoyed having the option.

And so on June, 9, 1965, teams would pick amateur talent one player at a time in the reverse order of the past year’s standings and alternating by league. The AL and the Kansas City A’s got the first crack that year so the Mets picked second overall.

Writing in the New York Post that day, Leonard Schecter:

As all the keen-eyed, sharply experienced baseball men from all over the world gather here to draft young baseball players off the sandlots and campuses of the nation, we can be certain of only one thing – they will make mistakes. … In years to come, these men will sit around over a glass of iced tea or something, shake their heads sadly and say, ‘How the hell could the Mets have passed that kid up?’

The passage is remarkably prescient. Because after the A’s selected Rick Monday, an outfielder with Arizona State University who’d go on to have a fine 19-year career, the Mets with overall pick No. 2 chose Les Rohr, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound lefty who was born in England but just graduated high school in Billings, Montana.

Met Scout Red Murff on Rohr that day:

“He is as impressive as Ray Sadecki when the Cardinals signed him. He strikes out everyone and his own catcher is in danger of being injured. He should be a 20-game winner in the majors in a few years.”

 

“I feel like I’ve been a part of something historic,” Mets assistant GM Bing Devine added afterward, and he had. In the 12th round, he’d unknowingly called the name of baseball’s future all-time strikeout leader.

That Les Rohr would battle injuries and ultimately appear in just six major league games over three seasons, while a 12th-round pick would go to become Nolan Ryan provides an early illustration of just how hit-and-miss the new draft system could be. And with the Mets still fighting an organizational talent deficit relative to their peers, it’s easy to understand their reservations. (In addition to Monday, the first round would also produce Joe Coleman, Bernie Carbo and Jim Spencer but no other Major Leaguers of substance). Future Met infielders Joe Moock and Ken Boswell were selected in rounds 3 and 4, respectively; and pitchers Jim McAndrew and Don Shaw in rounds 11 and 24, respectively.

As for Rohr, he’d have a promising debut in September of 1967 but suffer continued arm trouble and make brief appearances in 1968 and 1969, also in September. His lifetime record 2-3, 3.70. He wore Nos. 31 (1967-68) and 33 (1969) for the Mets.