Play Ball!

Since we last saw the Mets, trudging off the field as last-place embarrasments, it’s been consistently cold and nasty outside, the Jets fell out of the playoffs, the Knicks and Rangers sucked, the Yankees spent another $45 million; there’s armed guards in the Subways and a war is raging. Are we ready or what? On Monday, MBTN welcomes the following players to the Mets All-Time Numerical Roster (pending “official” game status): Rey Sanchez 10; Graeme Lloyd 17; Cliff Floyd 30; Mike Stanton 32; Jay Bell 44 and Tom Glavine 47.

And in new Uni Numbers: Joe McEwing 11; Jason Phillips 23; Scott Strickland 28; and Jae Wong Seo 40.

Joining the All-Time Coaches and Managers List: Gary Pettis 2; Denny Walling 15; Art Howe 18; Don Baylor 25; Rick Waits 52; Verne Ruhle 53; Juan Lopez 60; and in a new number, Matt Galante 4.

The McKnighthood of Jason Phillips

23Mike Piazza’s punishment for his attempted assault of cowardly Dodger pitcher Guillermo Mota has created the potential for third-string backstop Jason Phillips cracking the roster in the early going. Should Phillips see action, it would be while wearing his third “official” different uniform number as a Met and his 4th overall: Quite an accomplishment for a guy with only 26 Major-League at-bats!

To explain: Phillips was called up to Mets in May of 2001 and issued a jersey — No. 3 — but did not appear in a game before being sent back to AA Binghamton. Later that year Phillips made his “official” Met debut in No. 26 — his No. 3 had in the meantime been issued to Vance Wilson. Twenty-six was issued to Marco Scutaro prior to Phillips’ September call-up of 2002 so Phillips instead wore No. 7. This spring, the Mets dressed superstar-in-waiting Jose Reyes in No. 7 and told Phillips to take No. 23, which would be his likely number the next time he appears as a Met. The Goggled One still has two more uni-switches ahead of him if he wants to catch all-time uni-number leader Jeff McKnight but he’s off to a great start!

First Time Issues

77After 40 years and almost 700 players, its rare to see a number issued for the first time anymore, but its possible the Mets will see not one but two first-timers in 2003: Tony Clark in 00 and Russ Johnson in 77. As a late invite to Spring Training, Clark took 00 because, papers said, the Mets were running out. We believe Johnson’s 77 is a religious thing!

Site News

MBTN this week garnered a mention in the Bi-Monthly Bible of Arcane Uniform News: Paul Lukas’ fabulous UNI WATCH column in The Village Voice. We couldn’t be prouder to get some ink from the city’s best sports page! As Spring training winds to a close, our pages are undergoing their annual acid-bath and should be up-to-the-minute and balls-on accurate by opening day! Get ready for more pictures, more commentary, a lot more useless info and (many thanks to cross-checking specialist Jason from New Jersey) more precise info than ever before. Can you believe we’re beginning our 5th season? Take that, Webvan!

He’s Grrrreat!

00The Mets continue to invite new faces to camp. Switch-hitting skyscraper Tony Clark is the most intriguing. Clark is coming off a rotten year in Boston (wearing No. 22) but isn’t too far removed from some good seasons with Detroit (when he wore No. 17). He’d make a nice backup for Mo Vaughn and a dangerous pinch-hitter if he catches on. Feb 23 Update: According to Mets.com (not known for its accuracy) Clark has been assigned No. 00. If that holds, it would be the first double-zero in Met history.Photo courtesy of Ed Tsunoda and Metswiki. More Updates: Esix Snead in No. 1; longshot vet Jay Bell in 44 (Prentice Redman in 82); and Graeme Lloyd in 17. The Mets also announced they’ve invited Donovan “Sunshine Superman” Osbourne to camp and issued him No. 88.

Updates

The lens of photographer Ed Tsunoda captures the Mets in action and the following (unofficial) changes: Aaron Heilman wearing 48 (not 23), with Jason Phillips in 23 (switching to accomodate uberprospect Jose Reyes 7). Jae Wong Seo is wearing No. 40 with Pat Strange keeping 38. Also, David Cone is now wearing No. 16 (thanks, Stephen).

I Love St. Lucie

One of the pleasures of Spring Training is the chance to glimpse baseball players wearing linebacker numbers. Congratulations to infielder Russ Johnson who, according to Mets.com, has been issued the highest jersey number in camp (aka the Luis Figeroa Award): 77 (Update: not true). Other tidbits from the (unofficial) Spring Training roster: Jose Reyes in No. 7; Rey Sanchez in Rey Ordonez’ old No. 10; Aaron Heilman in 23 (update: actually 48) and Prentice Redman in 44 (update: actually 82).

Strickland’s New Number

When Scott Strickland (front row, right) appeared last week in his ridiculous new orange jersey, we were surprised to see it bear No. 28 and not 25 as it did last season. We now know the switch was made so that new bench coach Don Baylor could wear 25, the digits he wore throughout his playing and managing career. (Thanks to alert MBTN readers Matt, Chris and Larry for the update).

Relief from Down Under

The Mets offseason quest for Yankee rejects continued Friday when they signed giraffish Australian lefthanded reliever Graeme Lloyd to a minor league contract with a spring training invite. Lloyd wore No. 27 with the Yankees and 47 more recently with the Expos and Marlins. The latter figure has already been issued to new enemy arrival Tom Glavine; the former to another might-be Met, Jason Middlebrook.