Number Up

Here’s what the roster looks like now that numbers were published on the Mets’ site today. Notable is Chris Young in No. 1. Taylor Teagarden in 23. Omar Quintanila takes No. 0, as both 3 and 6, his previous numbers, are already occupied. Bartolo Colon, as expected, in 40. John Lannan in 32, Noah Syndergaard in 55. Looks like all coaches and Jennry Mejia retain their assignments. New assignments in bold

No. 2013 occupant(s) 2014 assignment
0 Vacant Omar Quintanilla
1 Jordany Valdespin Chris Young
2 Justin Turner Anthony Seratelli
3 Omar Quintanilla Curtis Granderson
4 Collin Cowgill, Wilmer Flores Flores
5 David Wright Wright
6 Marlon Byrd, Matt den Dekker den Dekker
7 Bob Geren Geren
8 Vacant Vacant
9 Kirk Nieuwenhuis Nieuwenhuis
10 Terry Collins Collins
11 Ruben Tejada Tejada
12 Juan Lagares Lagares
13 Josh Satin Satin
14 Retired Retired
15 Travis d’Arnaud d’Arnaud
16 Rick Ankeil, Daisuke Matsuzaka Matsuzaka
17 Vacant Vacant
18 Tim Teufel Teufel
19 Zach Lutz Lutz
20 Anthony Recker Recker
21 Lucas Duda Duda
22 Eric Young Young
23 Mike Baxter Taylor Teagarden
24 Vacant Vacant
25 Ricky Bones Bones
26 Tom Goodwin Goodwin
27 Jeurys Familia Familia
28 Daniel Murphy Murphy
29 Ike Davis Davis
30 David Aardsma Vacant
31 Vacant Vacant
32 LaTroy Hawkins John Lannan
33 Matt Harvey Harvey
34 Brandon Lyon Joel Carreno
35 Dillon Gee Gee
36 Collin McHugh, Juan Centano Centano
37 Retired Retired
38 Shawn Marcum, Vic Black Black
39 Bobby Parnell Parnell
40 Tim Byrdak Bartolo Colon
41 Retired Retired
42 Retired Retired
43 Sean Henn Ryan Reid
44 John Buck, Aaron Harang Kyle Farnsworth
45 Zack Wheeler Wheeler
46 Greg Burke Jeff Walters
47 Aaron Laffey, Andrew Brown Brown
48 Frank Francisco Jacob deGrom
49 Jon Niese Niese
50 Scott Atchison Rafael Montero
51 Dave Hudgens Hudgens
52 Carlos Torres Torres
53 Jeremy Hefner Hefner
54 Vacant Vacant
55 Pedro Feliciano Noah Syndergaard
56 Scott Rice Rice
57 Johan Santana Vacant
58 Jennry Mejia Mejia
59 Dan Warthen Warthen
60 Vacant Brandon Allen
61 Vacantr Miguel Socolovich
62 Vacant Erik Goeddel
63 Vacant Steven Matz
64 Vacant Daniel Muno
65 Vacant Cesar Puello
66 Josh Edgin Edgin
67 Vacant Dustin Lawley
68 Vacant Eric Campbell
69 Vacant Vacant
70 Wilfredo Tovar Tovar
71 Gonzalez Germen Germen
72 Vacant Kevin Plawecki
73 Robert Carson Adam Kolarek
74 Vacant Cory Vaughn
75 Vacant Cory Mazzoni
76 Vacant Chase Bradford
77 Vacant Brandon Nimmo
78 Vacant Vacant
79 Vacant John Church
80 Vacant Logan Verrett
81 Vacant Jack Leathersich
82 Vacant Matt Clark
83-99 Vacant Vacant

Ralph

When I moved to the Philadelphia area to attend college in the 1980s, I became an admirer of Jayson Stark’s whimsical Sunday baseball column in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Rumblings & Grumblings. Stark’s tracking of oddball statistics (“last guy to get a hit”) and goofy stories in retrospect were an inspiration to my own approach to baseball writing. But the part where he’d include a weekly “Kinerism” featuring a mangled phrase or goof made by the Mets’ venerable announcer and Hall of Fame slugger never sat right with me.

To read it, you’d think Ralph Kiner was either a clown on the order of Bob Uecker or a dumb drunken unaware jock-turned-broadcaster like Rick Sutcliffe, but Ralph of course wasn’t either of those things: He was extraordinarily knowledgeable about baseball, could hold your attention when the game got close, and could make you laugh with a story about Branch Rickey. And his screw-ups to me never seemed out of proportion to the sheer volume of his work: the man called Mets games for 50 years after all. There may not ever be anyone with more to say about them.

So while you trudge through the dozens of #kinerisms you’ll be sure to come across today (many of which are already splintering into urban legend territory: I’ve seen Ralph “quoted” wishing mothers and fathers a Happy Birthday today) please also see pieces by the terrific Marty Noble at mlb.com and the Daily News’ Gary Myers who express the admiration people held for Ralph, and the fact that when he did screw up, he did it with self-effacing humor and class. RIP Ralph!

Tweet It Out Loud

 

In case you didn’t hear, that’s hot Mets pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard on the Twitter this afternoon. And we’re happy to report that if 34 is what he wants, it’s currently available. That’s not to say he’ll necessarily get it, although with a relative dearth of established big-leaguers accompanying Syndergaard to camp this year it could certainly happen.

Thirty four is perhaps known best as Mike Pelfrey’s number, though for some reason I also flash on nondescript reliever Tom Martin. Also Jim McAndrew. Also Junior Ortiz.

Following is a list of minor leaguers, 40-man adds, and other assorted newbies expected to be in big-league camp this year and seeking a new uni assignment:
PITCHERS (40 man)
Bartolo Colon
Jacob deGrom
Eric Goeddel
Steven “Meet the” Matz
Ryan Reid
Jeff Walters
PITCHERS (NRI)
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Joel Carreno
Miguel Socolovich
Jack Leathersich
Adam Kolarek
Chasen Bradford
John Church
Jeremy Hefner
Rafael Montero
Syndergaard
Cory Mazzoni
Logan Verrett

CATCHERS (NRI)
Taylor Teagarden
Kevin Plawecki

INFIELDERS (NRI)
Brandon Allen
Eric Campbell
Anthony Seratelli
Daniel Muno

OUTFIELDERS (40 Man)
Chris Young
OUTFIELDERS (NRI)
Dustin Lawley
Cory Vaughn
Brandon Nimmo

Rock & Roll Over

Only a short week or two before ballplayers begin trickling into Port St. Lucie to begin another season and respective number assignments reveal themselves. It seems as though there’s been considerable turnover from 2013, which not only featured a lot of different players (53 in all), but an unusually large number of oddball high assignments. That’s in part because there were numbers occupied all year by guys who didn’t play much due to injury (Tim Byrdak, Pedro Feliciano); and others by guys who couldn’t establish themselves (Colin Cowgill, Kirk Nieuwenhuis); and that set the team wheeling and dealing, often for scrubs who themselves were short-lived (Rick Ankeil, Aaron Laffey, Aaron Harang, etc.). There’s also the fact the manager and most of the coaches have been occupying traditional “player” numbers (7, 10, 18, 25, 26).

In all, 28 players made their debut with the 2013 Mets. A conservative estimation reveals at last 21 2013 Mets won’t be back, freeing up some prime numerical real estate. Currently there are 7 players on the 40-man awaiting assignment (Bartolo Colon, Jacob deGrom, Erik Goeddel, Steven Matz, Ryan Reid, Jeff Walters, Chris Young), as are at least 20 non-roster invitees. A quick look:

No. 2013 occupant(s) 2014 assignment
1 Jordany Valdespin Vacant
2 Justin Turner Vacant
3 Omar Quintanilla Curtis Granderson
4 Collin Cowgill, Wilmer Flores Flores
5 David Wright Wright
6 Marlon Byrd, Matt den Dekker den Dekker
7 Bob Geren Geren
8 Vacant Vacant
9 Kirk Nieuwenhuis Nieuwenhuis
10 Terry Collins Collins
11 Ruben Tejada Tejada
12 Juan Lagares Lagares
13 Josh Satin Satin
14 Retired Retired
15 Travis d’Arnaud d’Arnaud
16 Rick Ankeil, Daisuke Matsuzaka Matsuzaka?
17 Vacant Vacant
18 Tim Teufel Teufel
19 Zach Lutz Lutz
20 Anthony Recker Recker
21 Lucas Duda Duda
22 Eric Young Young
23 Mike Baxter Vacant
24 Vacant Vacant
25 Ricky Bones Bones
26 Tom Goodwin Goodwin
27 Jeurys Familia Familia
28 Daniel Murphy Murphy
29 Ike Davis Davis?
30 David Aardsma Vacant
31 Vacant Vacant
32 LaTroy Hawkins Vacant
33 Matt Harvey Harvey
34 Brandon Lyon Vacant
35 Dillon Gee Gee
36 Collin McHugh, Juan Centano Centano
37 Retired Retired
38 Shawn Marcum, Vic Black Black
39 Bobby Parnell Parnell
40 Tim Byrdak Vacant
41 Retired Retired
42 Retired Retired
43 Sean Henn Vacant
44 John Buck, Aaron Harang Vacant
45 Zack Wheeler Wheeler
46 Greg Burke Vacant
47 Aaron Laffey, Andrew Brown Brown
48 Frank Francisco Vacant
49 Jon Niese Niese
50 Scott Atchison Vacant
51 Dave Hudgens Hudgens
52 Carlos Torres Torres
53 Jeremy Hefner Hefner?
54 Vacant Vacant
55 Pedro Feliciano Vacant
56 Scott Rice Rice
57 Johan Santana Vacant
58 Jennry Mejia Mejia
59 Dan Warthen Warthen
60 Vacant Vacant
61 Vacantr Vacant
62 Vacant Vacant
63 Vacant Vacant
64 Vacant Vacant
65 Vacant Vacant
66 Josh Edgin Edgin
67 Vacant Vacant
68 Vacant Vacant
69 Vacant Vacant
70 Wilfredo Tovar Tovar
71 Gonzalez Germen Germen
72 Vacant Vacant
73 Robert Carson Vacant
74-99 Vacant Vacant

Once, Twice, Three Times A Quintanilla

Making small headlines over the weekend was the Mets’ annual signing of reserve infielder Omar Quintanilla to a minor league deal. This marks the third winter in a row they’ve done exactly that, and Quintanilla twice now has gone on to play a bigger role than that minor assignment might have indicated.

Now if that happens a third time (and given the Mets shortstop situation why wouldn’t it?) we’ll be in for an interesting dilemma. Quintanilla wore No. 6 his first time through town, but by the time he’d been dealt off to Baltimore and returned the jersey went to Kelly Shoppach, then to Marlon Byrd, then, most recently, to Matt den Dekker. Quintanilla instead was issued No. 3 for 2013; a move that incidentally forced Josh Satin to a new number (13). Now between his release in December and annual January return the Mets have assigned No. 3 to Curtis Granderson, assuring that Quintanilla, should he return to active duty in 2014, do so in his third different uniform number.

Oh, Darling

Hi, I wanted to share quick impressions of the inaugural Queens Baseball Convention, which took place Saturday at McFadden’s at CitiField:

12The program highlight undoubtedly was a revealing interview from Ron Darling, helped along by excellent preparation and questions from interviewer Jason Fry. Darling acknowledged the sometimes ugly singlemindedness and ego required to be a successful pro athlete and the challenges that brings: A rookie-year locker room encounter with Tom Seaver, who dropped a New York Times crossword in his lap with instructions to finish by the end of the week; feelings of confusion upon being traded; of fierce determination on the mound; and of helplessness at the prospect of being released. He described his admiration for Gary Cohen; how encountering his National Guardsman father on the Fenway Park field prior to Game 4 of the 1986 World Series helped to overcome a rattled confidence and a poor pre-game bullpen session; and what it was like to play for a phenomenal team like the 1986 Mets, using the same language teammate Gary Carter once did of saying what ultimately made the difference was love for one another. How great is that?

Darling in addition to being a favorite of mine when he played, is also becoming a terrific broadcaster and establishing a perspective, voice and an accessible presence truly unique among ex-Mets. I was thrilled to hear he signed a five-year contract to continue calling Mets games and that he’s currently at work on another book.

In the brief Q&A session afterward I asked about the rare accomplishment of having worn three different uniform numbers during the course of a single, uninterrupted tenure with the team (quite unusual as the chart on this page illustrates): He relayed the familiar story of pitchers of that era gathering numbers in the teens to surround young Dwight Gooden; but said his change from 12 to 15 some years later was a matter of playing a trick on Mets pr man Jay Horwitz, whom he knew would panic when he couldn’t explain who the guy wearing No. 15 on that mound that day was. (In contemporary accounts, Darling always seemed to me to be less-than-forthcoming, telling writers then that “12 hasn’t been showing up this year.”) Great stuff, Ron!

I was briefly mortified to have forgotten the players to have followed Dwight Gooden in the No. 16 jersey (David Cone slipped my mind) during the session on uniforms in which I participated, but it was only a speedbump in a wild and wide-ranging discussion including Todd Radom‘s discovery and subsequent re-creation of the Mets’ logo in its original — pink and black! — colors. The event also placed me in a seat next to Russ Gompers, whose Whitestone sporting goods firm Stitches is the official embroider to the Mets and so a giant in my line of research. I’m happy to report he’s also a terrific guy whom I intend to meet again soon, to discuss certain matters relating to … Doug Saunders.

We were hooked off the stage so the show could go on, and those who stayed for Mark Simon‘s presentation were treated to a well-researched and well-told tale of unusual Met victories and heros … like Chris Jones. I owe a writeup of a uni-related discovery Mark shared with me recently that was one of the things inspiring my recent return to this project.

I’m in agreement with many who noted the overriding best part of the event was the mere gathering of so many fans in January. I’m happy to have personally met a few longtime readers of the MBTN project including the immortal Alex G., Internet personalities with whom I’ve encountered virtually for many years (Shannon Shark, Mark Healey); and seeing some old friends again. My wife and son showed up and got themselves photographed and quoted. Thanks, guys!

McFadden’s vast expanse and advantageous location made for a good site to gather but some challenging acoustics for events held in the main dining room. That said I was impressed they basically opened an entire restaurant on the fly for a day. Do they ever really need a men’s room attendant? I wish they’d promote this worker to the kitchen or bar and allow me to gather my own paper towels. That goes for any day of the season.

 

Can the Grandy Man?

3I don’t want to set outsized expectations, but a good season from new outfielder Curtis Granderson just might eclipse the career home run totals of the Mets’ all-time leader in among those who’ve worn No. 3. Carl Everett racked up 27 home runs over his three seasons in Mets No. 3 jersey. And an OK season would match the eight-year career home run output of Vance Wilson, No. 3’s second-most prolific home run hitter.

It’s not unimaginable that Bud Harrelson’s 242 career RBI could be in jeopardy after a few seasons, though his totals for Games and at-bats as a No. 3 may never be challenged. Take a look at the career totals here.

 

 

Queens Baseball Con

Hi! I’m honored to have been invited to participate in a panel discussion at the Queens Baseball Convention, a fan-run and organized event scheduled to take place Saturday, Jan. 18 at McFadden’s Citi Field. Actually, this is not just a panel, but “The Greatest Mets Uniform Discussion of All-Time” with Paul Lukas and Phil Hencken of Uni Watch; MLB uniform designer Todd Radom; and Russ Gompers, embroiderer to the Mets. Better bone up.

The QBC, headed up by Mets Police chief Shannon Shark, is also scheduled to include trivia games, appearances by Ed Kranepool and Ron Darling, panels examining history, games for kids, etc. Details and ticket info is available here. Hope to see you guys there!

40 Weight

40I suppose there is little doubt that big fat Bartlolo Colon will show up in Big Fat No. 40 when the Mets open camp this year. The guy after all is 70 years old and worn the same number all his life, or seems to have. That and 40 is available now that Tim Byrdak has flown the coop. He was never the same after that shoulder injury and his presence on the roster in 2013 seemed to border on a favor to him, but now he’s gone. Thanks for all the fish.

Colon, now. This was an acquisition that surprised me somewhat. I guess the front office deserves a tip of the cap for not replacing Matt Harvey with some stiff fighting to reestablish himself with a spring training invite (uh, like Shawn Marcum) when that was exactly what I was expecting them to do. That said, this is a value buy if he pitches like he did for Oakland. But, beyond donning a No. 40 jersey, size 56 short, I haven’t a clue what he’ll do. You?

The Power of Five

I was too excited to notice it, but worth mentioning that last May 3, David Wright’s stunning, game-tying solo home run off Atlanta’s Craig Kimbrel did more than spark one of the best wins of the season (the Mets rallied to win 7-5 in 10 innings at Turner Field). It also propelled Mets who wore No. 5 into the all-time lead for home runs-by-a-uni-number.

Wright, who finished 2013 with 222 career home runs – all while wearing No. 5 — has accounted for more than half of No. 5’s 407 total home runs. And his 18 last year was more than enough to overcome the men of No. 20, who’d led in this category for at least a decade and even got help last year with six fresh dingers from Anthony Recker. That group owes nearly half of its total to Wright mentor (and new Seattle coach) Howard Johnson’s 190 home runs

A solid 2014 season could see David Wright overtake the Mets’ all-time lead in home runs, yet the ever-increasing likelihood of his being the last player who’ll ever wear No. 5 as a Met will someday put this accomplishment in jeopardy.

(Thanks a million to Shorty for pointing this out in comments last year).

Following is a list of the Mets’ all-time Home Runs by Uni Number (through 2013). Note the tight race at positions 4-6 which could certainly change if the Mets give Lucas Duda a shot this year:

No. Home Runs Leaders
5 407 David Wright (222 and counting); John Olerud (63); Steve Henderson (35)
20 399 Howard Johnson (190); Tommie Agee (82); Jeromy Burnitz (37)
18 377 Darryl Strawberry (252); Joel Youngblood (38); Jose Valentin (18)
15 338 Carlos Beltran (149); George Foster (99); Jerry Grote (35)
9 335 Todd Hundley (123); Jim Hickman (56); Gregg Jefferies (42)
21 332 Carlos Delgado (104); Cleon Jones (92); Lucas Duda (44 and counting?)