| Mets by the Numbers // Est. 1999

For the Record

February 19, 2010 Uncategorized One comment

If recent dispatches from Port St. Ledger are any indication, David Waldstein of the Times seems determined to wrest the title of Uni Number Beatwriter Champion from Marty Noble.

Today he gets Hisanori Takahashi on the record discussing what we’d already reported here — he’s got eyes for the vacant No. 21 jersey, and not the 47 they’ve outfitted him in already. The other day Waldstein explored whether Jerry Manuel would consider changing his jersey number to 3 so as to mimic the Yankees’ Joe Girardi and his pretentious switch from 27 to 28 this spring. As if Joe shouldn’t really get to the point and change his jersey number to 208 million.

That piece sparked an even dumber post on the Bats blog where Jim Luttrell tries to zing the Mets by demonstrating he hasn’t realized the 21-day disabled list is long since dead and once again raises the issue of retiring Mets jerseys (Harrelson?)

Happy New Year

February 18, 2010 Uncategorized One comment

Pitchers and catchers report today. I’ll be honest, I’m not one of those people who swoon over this news; if anything, it tends to make the coming weeks drag. The Mets probably have a little more than usual to solve during this one at least, but don’t be surprised to see it come down in the end to a matter of options and not performance. Have I crapped on your new year’s celebration yet? It does beat the alternative.

Anyway, here’s an updated roster, with contributions from Adam Rubin of the Daily News and other sources. Interestingly, Egbert’s trip to waiverland (he resurfaced on a minor-league contract) did cost him his uni number 35. That’s now with Mike Jacobs. Also worth noting is Hisanori Takahashi listed in 47, with Jay Marshall tumbling all the way to 94. (Edited to add Riggans, Warthen and Hernandez as pointed out by readers. Thanks!)

New players in bold. * indicates non-roster invitee.

1 Luis Castillo, 2B

2 Frank Catalonotto*, INF-OF

3 Chris Coste, C

4 Henry Blanco, C

5 David Wright, 3B

6 Nick Evans, OF

7 Jose Reyes, SS

8 vacant

9 Omir Santos, C

10 Andy Green*, INF (was 29 last year)

11 Anderson Hernandez, INF

12 Jeff Francoeur, OF

13 Alex Cora, INF (was 3 last year)

14 Retired

15 Carlos Beltran, OF

16 Angel Pagan, OF

17 Fernando Tatis, INF-OF

18 Ryota Igarashi, P

19 Gary Matthews, OF

20 Howard Johnson, Hitting Coach

21 vacant (was Delgado)

22 Jolbert Cabrera*, INF-OF

23 Chris Carter, INF-OF

24 vacant

25 Pedro Feliciano, P

26 Fernando Martinez, OF

27 Nelson Figueroa, P

28 Daniel Murphy, 1B

29 Tobi Stoner, P

30 Josh Thole, C

31 vacant

32 Arturo Lopez, P

33 John Maine, P

34 Mike Pelfrey, P

35 Mike Jacobs*, 1B

36 R.A. Dickey*, P

37 retired

38 Fernando Nieve, P

39 Bobby Parnell, P

40 Eddie Kunz, P

41 retired

42 retired

43 Josh Fogg*, P

44 Jason Bay, OF

45 Kelvim Escobar, P

46 Oliver Perez, P

47 Hisanori Takahashi, P

48 Pat Misch, P

49 Jon Niese, P

50 Sean Green, P

51 Chip Hale, 3rd base Coach

52 Razor Shines, 1st base coach

53 Jerry Manuel, Manager

54 Dave Racaniello, Bullpen Catcher

55 Randy Niemann, Bullpen Coach

56 Dave Jauss, Bench Coach

57 Johan Santana, P

58 vacant

59 Dan Warthen, pitching coach

60 vacant

61 Clint Everts, P

62 Jesus Feliciano*, OF

63 Shawn Bowman, INF

64 Elmer Dessens*, P

65 Russ Adams*, INF

66 Mike Hessman*, OF

67 Mike Cervenak*, INF

68 Bobby Livingston*, P

69 vacant

70 Carlos Muniz*, P (was 32 in last appearance with the Mets, 2008)

71 Mike Nickeas*, C

72 Kai Gronauer, C

73 Shawn Riggans*, C

74 Francisco Pena*, C

75 Francisco Rodriguez, P

76 vacant

77 Eric Niesen*, P

78 Ike Davis*, 1B

79 Ruben Tejeda*, INF

80 Luis Hernandez*, INF

81-89 vacant

90 Travis Blackley*, P

91 Kirk Nieuwenhuis*, OF

92 Jason Pridie, OF

93 Jack Egbert*, P (was 35)

94 Jay Marshall*, P (was 47)

More Mets

February 12, 2010 Uncategorized One comment

The Mets are hitting the leftovers like the day after Thanksgiving. Only hours after posting the numerical roster below, one number, 35, came available again when the Mets claimed outfielder Jason Pridie from Minnesota with a waiver claim and designated pitcher Jack Egbert for assignment. Egbert joined the Mets roster late last season when they claimed him off waivers from the White Sox, fulfilling the destiny of all baseball players on the downside of their careers from the tri-state area.

Anyway, Pridie, a potential challenger for innings in center field, is in and not yet assigned a number.

The Mets were hardly done, it turned out, signing former Met Mike Jacobs to a minor league deal and a chance to pressure incumbent Daniel Murphy at first base. There’s been some speculation that Jacobs would take his old No. 27 and leave Nelson Figueroa to search for a new uni, but I doubt that comes to pass. Jacobs hasn’t really earned any equity in 27 and I think he’s a longshot to be anything more than a Buffalo Soldier this year, as attractive as ability to punish mistakes by righthanded pitchers is. He could really help his cause by taking up catching again, though. My guess is he takes Egbert’s 35.

Also new to the NRIs is Tokyo Giants lefty Hisanori Takahashi (no relation to Ken as far as I know). This Takahashi could land in the vacant No. 21, that was his jersey back East. Ex-Rays catcher Shawn Riggans, like Jacobs a shaky defensive player with power, accepted an invite and looks to me destined for 73 or 76.

Yo, That’s Fresh

February 9, 2010 Uncategorized One comment

Thanks to Dave Mackey in the post below who pointed out new assignments as per the Mets.com roster. I’ll rap more about these later, but here’s the pertinent info. Hats off to outfielding prospect Kirk Nieuwenhuis, with the highest digits assigned so far.

Of interest: Alex Cora moving to 13 and new catcher Chris Coste taking over 3.

New players in bold. * indicates non-roster invitee.

1 Luis Castillo, 2B

2 Frank Catalonotto*, INF-OF

3 Chris Coste, C

4 Henry Blanco, C

5 David Wright, 3B

6 Nick Evans, OF

7 Jose Reyes, SS

8 vacant

9 Omir Santos, C

10 Andy Green*, INF (was 29 last year)

11 Anderson Hernandez, INF

12 Jeff Francoeur, OF

13 Alex Cora, INF (was 3 last year)

14 Retired

15 Carlos Beltran, OF

16 Angel Pagan, OF

17 Fernando Tatis, INF-OF

18 Ryota Igarashi, P

19 Gary Matthews, OF

20 Howard Johnson, Hitting Coach

21 vacant (was Delgado)

22 Jolbert Cabrera*, INF-OF

23 Chris Carter, INF-OF

24 vacant

25 Pedro Feliciano, P

26 Fernando Martinez, OF

27 Nelson Figueroa, P

28 Daniel Murphy, 1B

29 Tobi Stoner, P

30 Josh Thole, C

31 vacant

32 Arturo Lopez, P

33 John Maine, P

34 Mike Pelfrey, P

35 Jack Egbert, P

36 R.A. Dickey*, P

37 retired

38 Fernando Nieve, P

39 Bobby Parnell, P

40 Eddie Kunz, P

41 retired

42 retired

43 Josh Fogg*, P

44 Jason Bay, OF

45 Kelvim Escobar, P

46 Oliver Perez, P

47 Jay Marshall, P

48 Pat Misch, P

49 Jon Niese, P

50 Sean Green, P

51 Chip Hale, 3rd base Coach

52 Razor Shines, 1st base coach (thanks for the correction)

53 Jerry Manuel, Manager

54 Dave Racaniello, Bullpen Catcher

55 Randy Niemann, Bullpen Coach

56 Dave Jauss, Bench Coach

57 Johan Santana, P

58 vacant

59 vacant

60 vacant

61 Clint Everts, P

62 Jesus Feliciano*, OF

63 Shawn Bowman, INF

64 Elmer Dessens*, P

65 Russ Adams*, INF

66 Mike Hessman*, OF

67 Mike Cervenak*, INF

68 Bobby Livingston*, P

69 vacant

70 Carlos Muniz*, P (was 32 in last appearance with the Mets, 2008)

71 vacant

72 vacant

73 vacant

74 Francisco Pena*, C

75 Francisco Rodriguez, P

76 vacant

77 Eric Niesen*, P

78 Ike Davis*, 1B

79 Ruben Tejeda*, INF

80-89 vacant

90 Travis Blackley*, P

91 Kirk Nieuwenhuis*, OF

Unaccountable

February 3, 2010 Uncategorized One comment

Not to toot my own horn here but the latest JJ Putz flap only goes to support the idea expressed way back when that the Mets cared not about the results when they committed five guys and $10 million to get Putz, only the illusion that they’d boldly gone out and created some kind of impenetrable bullpen.

That said, I think there’s more room for debating whether the team treated JJ Putz’s injuries properly than whether an impenetrable bullpen really exists. In other words, the Mets screwed up no matter how Putz’s health turned out.

A look at the Mets roster will tell you how unspectacular this offseason’s been by contrast. A little more than two weeks before pitchers and catchers report, and 11 men on the 40-man roster have yet to be officially assigned numbers, and a couple of them (Eddie Kunz, Tobi Stoner) are no locks to return in what we saw them wear last (40 and 29, respectively).

Behold the unassigned:

Jack Egbert, P

Kelvim Escobar, P (probably 45)

Clint Everts, P

Ryota Igarashi, P (probably 18)

Arturo Lopez, P

Jay Marshall, P

Henry Blanco, C

Chris Coste, C

Shawn Bowman, INF

Chris Carter, INF-OF

Gary Matthews, OF

Also invited to camp on minor-league deals:

R.A. Dickey, P

Elmer Dessens, P (wore 64 last year)

Bobby Livingston, P

Russ Adams, INF

Jolbert Cabrera, INF-OF

Mike Cervenak, INF

Andy Green, INF (wore 10 29 last year)

Mike Hessman, OF

Jesus Feliciano,OF

Frank (Smithtown’s Own) Catalonotto, INF-OF

As You Were

January 23, 2010 Uncategorized No comments

The photo above of the Bobbsey Twins (Bob “Righty” Miller and Bob “Lefty” Miller) comes from our friend Paul, who noted it was a wire photo dated May 8, 1962. The Mets were at Wrigley Field that day, as the scoreboard in the background should give away, and we won — a momentus occasion indeed.

One interesting fact that photo unfortunately doesn’t show is that on that day, the uniform Lefty Miller is wearing was No. 23 — and not the No.36 he’d be dressed in once he appeared in a Mets game. That’s because although Lefty Miller was obviously with the club — he’d only just been traded for two days before, from the Reds for Don Zimmer — by the time the Mets returned from this roadtrip Miller was assigned to the minors and Joe Christopher called up: He’d be wearing No. 23 when Miller returned.

The other gentleman in the photo — like the newest Met, Gary Matthews Jr. — is notable for having been one of 35 men who’ve played for the Mets, then someone else, then the Mets again. Few have made their second go-round significantly better than their first, but Bob Miller did, and we may as well hope Matthews can. Behold the list:

Frank Lary                             1964                      1965                      17

Al Jackson                             1962-65                 1968-69                 15/38

Jim Gosger                             1969                      1973-74                 18/19, 5

Bob L. Miller                         1962                      1973-74                 24/30

Ray Sadecki                          1970-74                 1977                      33

Tim Foli                                  1970-71                 1978-79                 19

Mike Jorgensen                      1970-71                 1980-83                 16/22

Dave Kingman                       1975-77                 1981-83                 26

Rusty Staub                           1972-75                 1981-85                 4, 10/10

Tom Seaver                           1967-77                 1983                      41

Bill Almon                              1980                      1985                      25/2

Lee Mazzilli                            1976-81                 1986-89                 12, 16/13

Clint Hurdle                           1983, 1985             1987                      33/13/7

Alex Trevino                          1978-81                 1990                      29/6

Hubie Brooks                        1980-84                 1991                      62, 39, 7/7

Jeff McKnight                        1989                      1992-94                 15/5, 7, 17, 18

Kevin McReynolds                  1987-91                 1994                      22

Greg McMichael                    1997-98                 1998-99                 36

Bobby Bonilla                        1992-95                 1999                      25

Josias Manzanillo                   1993-95                 1999                      39

Jeff Tam                                 1998                      1999                      38, 36/36

Bill Pulsipher                          1995, 1998             2000                      21/25

Lenny Harris                          1998                      2000-01                 19

Pete Walker                           1995                      2001-02                 49/43

Roger Cedeno                       1999                      2002-03                 19

Jeromy Burnitz                       1993-94                 2002-03                 5/20

Tsuyoshi Shinjo                      2001                      2003                      5

David Cone                           1987-92                 2003                      44, 17/16

Todd Zeile                             2000-01                 2004                      9/27

Roberto Hernandez                2005                      2006                      39/49, 39

Kelly Stinnett                         1994-95                 2006                      33/36

Marlon Anderson                   2005                      2007                      18/23

Brady Clark                           2002                      2008                      15/44

Anderson Hernandez              2005-07                2009                      1, 4/11

Reporting for Duty

January 22, 2010 Uncategorized One comment

Quick note on the developing Gary Matthews Jr. trade: If you remember the magical start to the 2002 season, Sarge Jr was wearing No. 25 for all of one turn at bat and one pinch-running appearance before being traded to the Orioles. No. 25 subsequently went to Scott Strickland when he was acquired days later.

Today, 25 belongs to Pedro Feliciano, and so unless Pedro cares to make a mind-boggling fourth uni-switch in his Mets career, matthews can find something else to wear. He was 24 in his ill-fated adventure with the Angels.

I’m not ready to say this move (reportedly for reliever Brian Stokes with the Angels paying all but$4 million $2 million remaining on Matthews’s contract) completely spoils the “No Stupid Moves” theme for this offseason but it’s not terribly great either. I am thankful they dodged the Bengie Molina bullet, and still think they’ll look for a pitcher via the trade market especially after letting Joel Piniero go. F all once and future Cardinals.

As for Stokes, he did a pretty nice job amid meager expectations, but I think it’s good practice in general to shuffle these middle-reliever and bench types in and out with some degree of frequency.

Know Your Millers

January 19, 2010 Uncategorized One comment

They weren’t related but shared a name and a Polo Grounds locker room for the 1962 Mets, becoming one of the mildly amusing sidelights in that sadly comic debut season.

That’s Robert Lane Miller on the left. He came to the Mets in the expansion draft from St. Louis, where he was a 1957 Bonus Baby and though unproven at the major league level, was just 23 with a promising right arm. Observers of the ’62 squad would say Bob L. Miller (No. 24 in your scorecards) had some of the best “stuff” on staff, but they also felt he hadn’t handled adversity well despite getting his share of it with a 1-12 record. He was traded after the season to the Dodgers and quietly began building a solid resume as a relief pitcher. Miller wound up pitching for 17 seasons for 11 different teams — including the Mets again in 1973 and ’74, when he suited up in No. 30. In retirement Miller became the first pitching coach in the history of the Toronto Blue Jays, and was a scout for the Giants when he was killed in an auto accident in 1993.

His roundfaced teammate to the right was Robert Gerald Miller, also a former Bonus Baby (Detroit, 1953) but a lefthanded minor-league journeyman when acquired by the ’62 Mets in midseason.Bob G. pitched exclusively in relief for the ’62 Mets, including five times in relief of Bob L. Miller, racking up a 2-2 record but a 7.08 earned-run average that year, wearing No. 36. He was released shortly after the season and never pitched in the majors again, but confessed to reporters he was often mistaken for his more accomplished teammate.

BIG thanks to longtime MBTN supporter Ed A. for providing the cards (he sent along even more cool stuff we’ll get to). And stay tuned for ruminations on the Bobby Joneses, Pedro Martinezes and Mike Marshalls.

My query as to the significance of the No. 18 jersey in Japan got a little more clarification fromDaigo F. of the SABR Asian Baseball Committee. Take it away, Daigo:

When I read the question, first answer that poped in my head, speaking
from my personal experience growing up in Japan, was that its because
Yomiuri Giants 18 has always been “Ace’s number”. But funny thing is
when I looked it up, in my lifetime only two Yomiuri Pitchers has worn
18, Tsuneo Horiuchi from 1967-86 and Masumi Kuwata (also played for
Pittsburgh Pirates) from 1986-2006.

Horiuchi no doubt was a great pitcher, and Kuwata for the most part,
too. Horiuchi is in Japanese Hall of Fame and won bunch of Sawamura
awards and MVPs.

Other significant pitchers that I can think of who wore 18 are:
Victor Starffin, Motoshi Fujita (both Yomiuri Giants), Tetsuya Yoneda
(Hankyu Braves), Hideki Irabu (Lotte- Yankees) and Daisuke Matsuzaka
(Seibu Lions).

Masahiro “Ma-kun” Tanaka, of the Golden Eagles; and Hideaki Wakui of the Seibu Lions (who said I am not worthy of Daisuke’s 18 at first and wore 16 for a while) wear 18 now, that I can think of off top of my head. Both are considered aces.

On the side note, I grew up rooting for Chunichi Dragons and their
ace’s number has always been 20, and my friend told me for Yakult
Swallows (Igarasghi’s team), ace’s number has aways been 17. So I
guess in that regard, you can’t say 18 is Japan’s ace number entirely
– but because of popularity of Yomiuri Giants, it could be argued.
Also undoubtedly, in high school ace’s number is 1, across the board
(I don’t think anyone would argue that in Japan). Interesting that Yu
Darvish is wearing 11, too.

Anyway, big thanks to Daigo and a shout out to his squad, the Chunichi Dragons. To the extent I have a rooting interest in Japan, I like them in the Central League and Nippon Ham in the Pacific, of course. I certainly was rooting for the Chiba Lotte Marines during Bobby Valentine’s tenure, but reading about the reprehensible treatment at the hands of management goons during his final year, they’ve lost any support from me. As the sign said, “What An Unforgivable Disgrace.”

And not for nothing but it puts this whole Beltran tempest in some perspective. I have to think that the Mets felt betrayed at some level by Beltran/Boras, but they had to know that picking a fight with them was bound to fail too. In any event, everyone ought to do a better job containing their despair and anger at losing an injured guy for a month or two at the beginning of the year.

Why Igarshi was Issued No. 18

January 13, 2010 Uncategorized One comment

Thanks to the commenter in the below post who passed along the info, which seemed to eminate from a David Lennon tweet this afternoon indicating the the Mets’ new reliever,Ryota Igarashi, will suit up in No. 18 this year.

Lennon (and a good number of commenters at MetsBlog where the news was dissected and blown up in 45 seconds) focused in on what a crime it was to re-issue Darryl Strawberry’s number — as if they hadn’t noticed they’d given it to Jeremy Reed, Art Howe and Craig Paquette, to name only three, in the years since Strawberry left town, and they all missed the real significance of the number to players from Japan.

It’s been a tradition in Japan dating to the 1930s to give an ace pitcher No. 8 or 18. Eiji Sawamura, the 1930s legend for whom Japan’s equivalent of the Cy Young Award is named, wore No. 8 for the All-Nippon team that hosted a team of American stars for a 1934 tour that sparked the creation of a professional baseball league in Japan. Hall of Fame pitchers including Masao Date (an All-Nippon teammate of Sawamura’s) and Motoshi Fujita were 18. The tradition carries to modern players like Daisuke Matuzsaka, who now wears 18 for the Red Sox, and Hideaki Wakui, who today wears 18 for Matuzsaka’s former team, the Seibu Lions, and who this year won the Sawamura Award. The Mets issued No. 18 to their first pitcher from Japan, Takashi Kashiwada.

The passing along of numbers with significance is in my opinion an admirable tradition in the Japanese game and is echoed in pro soccer where its common to see a team’s top player wear No. 10.

Thanks to Rob Fitts, a writer and Japan baseball researcher, whose collection of photos andbaseball cards helped illuminate this post.

« Older Entries Recent Entries »

For the Record

Happy New Year

More Mets

Yo, That’s Fresh

Unaccountable

As You Were

Reporting for Duty

Know Your Millers

More from Japan

Why Igarshi was Issued No. 18

Mets by the Numbers // Est. 1999

Pages

Meta

Latest Tweets

Archives

Categories