The Scott Erickson Experiment may have ended before it ever started. The Proven Veteran Starter, listed as No. 19, didn’t make it out of warmups Thursday before hitting the disabled list — David Cone last season at least waited until May. Back in his place is Jae Seo 38, whose evil cackle we could hear all the way from Norfolk. So for the time being, we’ve reduced our All-Time Met list to 726 players and are left waiting. Update: Seo appeared in Saturday’s game wearing No. 26. That makes three numbers for Seo in as many seasons as a Met. He made his MLB debut in 2002 in 38; switched to 40 last year and back to 38 this spring after Braden Looper took 40. See here for a list of Mets who wore multiple uniform numbers.
Ready for Opening Day
The Mets packed their bags and headed to Atlanta and Tuesday’s night’s opener, leaving behind a weird spring training. In the final hours it was revealed that Jose Reyes would begin the season on the disabled list, that seeming longshots Eric Valent, Scott Erickson and Orber Moreno would make the team, and thatJae Seo, Roger Cedeno and Timo Perez would be elsewhere. Valent, a minor league phase Rule 5 pick from the Phillies dressed in No. 57 for spring training; we’re waiting to see whether he gets more dignified number. It’s our guess that Scott Erickson ditches the 89given him and takes his customary 19 instead.
We welcome them, along with Ricky Gutierrez 6, Karim Garcia 20, Kazuo Matsui 25, Tyler Yates 33, Braden Looper 40, Shane Spencer 43 and Mike Cameron 44 to the All-Time Mets Numerical Roster, with Todd Zeile 27 making a second appearance in a new number, and Rick Peterson 51 cracking the Coaches and Managers list.
Roger, Over
Check the vector, Victor! The unhappy second chapter of the Roger Cedeno Story came to a predictable end on Saturday when the Mets “traded” the embattled right fielder to St. Louis for two guys who probably won’t make the team, catcher Chris Widger and reserve infielder Wilson Delgado. The Mets also kicked in almost all of Cedeno’s considerable salary. We wish No. 19 good luck in St. Louis; it wasn’t entirely his fault that the Mets overestimated his abilities, and we feel bad knowing that if fans made that distiction, it still sounded a lot like “Boo!” The upshot seems to bode well regarding a potential trade for Cleveland outfielder Milton Bradley; at the very least it may give Eric Valent a shot to be the lefty pinch-hitter they’ll need in Roger’s absense. Stay tuned! The offseason’s going out like a lion.
Yates Up, Seo Down
Barring additional last-minute gynmastics, it appears that hard-throwing righty Tyler Yates has made the squad as the 4th starter and veteran Scott Erickson is hanging on for the fifth slot. Yates, who made a one-day appearance on the Met roster in April 2002 wearing No. 32 (he didn’t appear and subsequently blew out his elbow), will debut against the Expos later this week wearing No. 33. Erickson, should he last these final 48 hours, will likely get a change from the obscene 89 on his back during spring training. We can’t help but point out his customary 19 is available now that Cedeno is gone. Jae Seo 38 is meanwhile scheduled to start the year at Norfolk, with bullpenners Grant Roberts 36, Orber Moreno 49 and Dan Wheeler 39 also surviving the final cut.
Free, Timo Perez
The Mets on Saturday announced that they’d traded reserve outfielder Timo Perez to the Chicago White Sox for minor league reliever Matt Ginter. Perez, who over three years provided stretches of exciting play interrupted by minor injuries and major brainfarts, was a victim of a numbers game in the outfield. On Sunday, the Mets replaced his reserve spot with former Cub, Astro and Indian infielder Ricky Gutierrez, acquired for a scrub to be named. Update:Sure enough the Mets have issued No. 6 for the 28th time in history. That’s the most ever for any number.
Battles Continue
With exactly one week left before the starting gun fires, the Met pitching staff is still under construction. Another subpar outing this afternoon by Jae Seo 38 could give additional hope to one or more of Grant Roberts 36; Aaron Heilman 48; Scott Erickson 89 and Tyler Yates 33. In the bullpen, Orber Moreno 49 and Dan Wheeler 39 are looking to secure jobs.The lineup looks complete unless (or until) the starting infielders cease getting hurt.
More From St. Lucie
New pitching coach Rick Peterson has been spied wearing No. 51 and Shane Spencer in 43. Among those wearing a different number than their previous appearances in a Met uniform: Pat Strange in 34 and Jeff Duncan in 10. More whacky numbers available only for a limited time: outfielder Kenny Kelly 0; infielder Victor Diaz 13; catchers Danilo Reynoso 85 and Tony Piazza 91; longshot pitchers Shawn Sedlacek 86; James Baldwin 88 and Scott Erickson 89.
Pitchers, Catchers and Numbers
The 2004 Mets next week will be arriving in Port St. Lucie for Spring Training and goofy numbers aplenty are expected. According to the official (but not always accurate) Mets website, here’s what to expect: Pat Strange, whose 38 was taken by Jae Seo when Seo’s 40 was given to Braden Looper (whose 41 was unavailable)… is listed in No. 34. As expected, veteran returnee Todd Zeile was issued No. 27. Karim Garcia in the meantime was issued No. 20, with Prentice Redman switching to No. 5. Catcher Mike Jacobs has been issued the highest uni number among the 40-men in camp, at 71. See more at the official site.
Zeile, Spencer Sign
The Mets, as expected, inked yet another pair of Yankee castoffs, Todd Zeile and Shane Spencer. Though we haven’t spied either in uniform yet, Zeile looks likely to wind up in No. 27. Spencer has worn No. 47 — that number belongs to Tom Glavine — and as a nonroster invitee, could be issued an offensive-line number in camp.
Seo Back in 38, Looper to 40
Photos from the Met Caravan in New York this week revealed potential number-switching for 2004. Jae Seo arrived at Grand Central wearing No. 38 and Braden Looper in No. 40. This represents a bit of a switch — Seo actually made his Met/MLB debut in No. 38 back in 2002 but that number was subsequently issued to Pat Strange, who wore it last year as well as Seo took No. 40.
Looper in the meantime appeared earlier this month at the Met Minicamp in No. 46, but perhaps due to our warnings below, thought better of it. (Thanks to Phillip for the tip!)