Gil Hodges

Reflecting on The Mets Longest Tenured Manager

Once Saturday’s game is over, Terry Collins will become the Mets all-time leader in games managed.  With this, he will be above Gil Hodges, who may have owned the record himself if not for his sudden and tragic passing.  He will surpass Bobby Valentine, who was the first Mets manager to lead the team to consecutive postseasons.  Finally, he passes Davey Johnson, who led the Mets to the greatest stretch in team history.

All of the aforementioned managers have had better records then Collins, who owns the Mets mark for most losses as a manger.  It leads to the question, why is it Collins lasted longer in New York than either Valentine or Johnson?  The answer is a complicated one for a man who has led the Mets over a complicated time period.

Collins took the helm for the Mets after the disastrous Jerry Manuel Era.  After bad mouthing his boss, Willie Randolph, he talked his way into the managerial job, and he oversaw his own collapse.  Despite that, the Mets decided to retain him as the new team manager as the Mets opened up a new ballpark.  In his two full seasons as Mets manager, his teams were 149-173.  This was despite having talented rosters with players like David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Carlos Beltran.

The Manuel Era was done in by a number of issues.  First, the team was not built well for the then cavernous Citi Field.  Second, high priced veterans like Luis Castillo and Jason Bay were playing up the standards of being an average major league player, let alone their contracts.  Third, the team deal with a number of injuries – some of which were exacerbated by Manuel’s decision making.  Mostly, the mix of manager, ballpark, and roster were doomed from the beginning.  It was time for new blood across the organization.

This was the stage upon which Collins entered as the Mets manager in 2011.  The team was mostly a mix of veterans nearing either the end of their contracts or their careers and some interesting players who could be talented major league players.  In the early part of Collin’s tenure, the Mets were teams that overachieved in the first half of the season, and then with trades, injuries, or players coming back to earth, the Mets would fall apart as the season progressed.

During the early part of Collins tenure as Mets manager, no one realistically believed the Mets were going to be contenders.  As a result, judging him by wins and losses seemed counter-intuitive.  Rather, you want to look at managers like this through the prism of their ability to get the most out of the talent on their roster.  Specifically, you want to see them develop some young players.

Things almost came to a head in 2014.  The Mets first real prized free agent acquisition of the Sandy Alderson Era, Curtis Granderson, was struggling.  The other, Bartolo Colon, was the staff ace, which meant Zack Wheeler was not progressing like the organization would have liked.  There were also struggles from Dilson Herrera, Travis d’Arnaud, and others.  It was not how the Mets envisioned this season would go, and if not for the Wilpons intervening, it would have been a different manager that led the Mets to the 2015 pennant.

It’s unsure to pinpoint the exact reason Collins survived.  The biggest skeptics will pinpoint Collins was due money, and the Wilpons, who were dealing with the Madoff scandal, were loathe to pay two different managers.  It’s possible Collins was saved because the Mets were not exactly under-performing.  There were also some positive signs for the team.

Lucas Duda not only won the first base job, but he hit 30 home runs.  Daniel Murphy was a first time All-Star.  Jenrry Mejia showed he was closer material.  Wheeler had a strong finish to the season.  Jeurys Familia looked like a closer in waiting.  Juan Lagares won a Gold Glove.  Jacob deGrom was a surprise Rookie of the Year.  Matt Harvey had just been the All Star Game starter the previous season, and he was set to return in 2015.  R.A. Dickey won a Cy Young Award that allowed the facilitation of the trade to bring over d’Arnaud and Noah Syndergaard.  Overall, you could see young pieces who could be part of the Mets’ future.  These were players who were cultivated under Collins.  It should also be kept in mind Collins created a certain atmosphere in the clubhouse that partially led to Wright signing a contract extension in 2012.  Overall, the pieces for a future contender were there, and they were all cultivated under Collins.

There’s another factor that is not often discussed with Collins is the fact he’s a good human being.  Time and again with Collins we hear little things he does that mean so much to people.  He has reached out to grieving Mets fans to offer his condolences.  He’s stopped the team during Spring Training to assemble them to spend some time with sick children.  He struck the right chord between honoring Jose Fernandez and trying to keep the Mets team competitive in that three game set.  That’s a harder job to do than we all give him credit.  Having a man like this around your team and leading young men is always a good thing.

And yet, there are plenty of instances where you look at Collins’ tenure and wonder how he’s lasted this long.  His usage of Tim Byrdak, Scott Rice, Johan Santana, Jim Henderson, and others have had a negative impact upon their ability to stay healthy.  Certainly, it can be argued these pitchers’ arms were ruined by Collins.

There has also been his over-reliance on his veteran players.  Despite Collins mantra that you hit you play, it really has only every been applied to young players.  It has twice taken a litany of injuries to get T.J. Rivera in the lineup.  Collins never would put Michael Conforto back in the lineup last year no matter his raking in Triple-A and his wrist being healthy.  Instead, he watched Jay Bruce continue to flail at the plate.  This year, we see him keeping Reyes and Granderson in the lineup despite their both hitting under the Mendoza Line.

More to the point, Collins allows the question to be asked over who exactly is in charge.  There are always reports Alderson dictates to him what should be done instead of Collins being allowed to manage the team as he wishes.  Collins allowed Reyes to pull himself from the last game of the 2011 season to preserve his batting title.  One of the lasting images of the 2015 World Series was Harvey telling him not to pull him from the game.

That World Series is certainly one that will haunt the Mets.  Collins made a number of questionable moves throughout that series which did not put his team in the best possible position to win.  Given how the Mets are struggling now, it does beg the question whether that was this core’s best opportunity to win a World Series.  But it’s more than that.  We have consistently seen Collins ignore reliever’s workloads and splits when making pitching changes.  He will send Wilmer Flores up there to pinch hit against right-handed pitchers even with other players still on the bench.  Overall, it is his in-game managing that leaves a lot to be desired.

Despite all of that, Collins is still here.  He has survived a lot to get to this point.  There was the Madoff scandal.  There was a rebuild that took a year or two longer than initially advertised.  He has consistently tried to hold a team together that has seen a number of injuries, brutal losses, and disheartening losing streaks.  He oversaw the transition from the Mets being a last place team to a team that almost won a World Series.

The Terry Collins’ Era will forever be a complicated one in Mets history.  To a certain extent, it does not matter that he is the manager who has managed the most games in Mets history.  That is mostly the result of circumstance.  Arguably, the circumstances have dictated Collins remain on for as long as he has.  Say what you will about the man, but he has always been accountable, never left you questioning his loyalty to the players or fans, and he has had the pulse of his clubhouse.  If nothing else, Collins is a leader of men, and as a man, you are hard pressed to find a better human being in baseball.

It does not matter if you believe someone else should have this record.  It’s Collins’ now.  He deserves everyone’s congratulations for it, and he deserves the respect of Mets fans for his tenure.

Mike Piazza Now a Part of the Left Field Legends Landing

Today, Mike Piazza joins Tom Seaver as the only Mets player to have his number retired.  He also joins Gil Hodges and Casey Stengel as the only Mets to have their number retired.  He will also join Jackie Robinson, William Shea, and Ralph Kiner in what has become the Mets “Left Field Legends Landing”

* Photo courtesy of Jeremy Posner.

At least that is what I am calling it.

Piazza is there because he was just inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as a Met.  He was the second Met all-time and their first position player.  He is there because he helped take a “nice little team” and led them to back-to-back postseason appearance for the only time in Mets history.  No Met will ever wear his number again due to him being the greatest hitting catcher of all-time who has hit more homers than any catcher in baseball history.  He is there for the post 9/11 homer, for all the other important homers, and what he meant to Mets fans.  Today, Piazza will officially have his number retired.  Personally, I cannot wait to go to Citi Field and cheer him like I did all those games I attended in the late nineties and early 2000s.  It couldn’t have happened to a better man or a better Met.

Congratulations Mike Piazza.

 

The Three Faces of the Franchise

Every major league team that has been around long enough has three faces to their franchise.  The first is The Immortal player.  He is the player you first think of when you mention a franchise.  The next is the Living Legend.  This player is the one that is revered by young and old.  He is the player that throws out the first pitch at first home game of the World Series.  He’s in the Hall of Fame, and his number is retired.  The last is the best or most popular player on the team.  He is the player that has been traditionally dubbed the Face of the Team.  Here are a few examples:

New York Yankees
Immortal Babe Ruth
Living Legend Derek Jeter
Face of the Team Alex Rodriguez
Boston Red Sox
Immortal Ted Williams
Living Legend Pedro Martinez
Face of the Team David Ortiz
St. Louis Cardinals
Immortal Stan Musial
Living Legend Bob Gibson
Face of the Team Adam Wainwright
Los Angeles Dodgers
Immortal Jackie Robinson
Living Legend Sandy Koufax
Face of the Team Clayton Kershaw

Yesterday, with Mike Piazza‘s formal induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame and with Tom Seaver unable to attend the Hall of Fame ceremony he loves to attend, the Mets now how their own triumvirate.

Not only is Mike Piazza a Hall of Famer who is about to have his number retired by the Mets, he has also become the Mets resident Living Legend.  It’s why he was the former player who threw out the first pitch prior to Game Three of the World Series.  Every big moment for the Mets from here on out is going to prominently feature Mike Piazza much in the same way we have seen through the years with players like Ernie Banks, Stan Musial, Yogi Berra, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and once upon a time Tom Seaver.

It’s unfortunate to see Seaver unable to travel to attend the ceremony and host his table of 300 game winners, including friend and former teammate Nolan Ryan, from his day like he loved so dearly.  It’s sad that he can’t travel cross-country to throw out the first pitch for any of the World Series games or to sit in the owner’s suite and cheer on The Franchise’s Franchise.  It’s almost a surety that he will be unable to attend Piazza’s Number Retirement Ceremony this weekend.  In some ways, that makes him like Gil Hodges and Casey Stengel – gone but not forgotten.

No one can ever forget Seaver.  He’s the best player to ever put on a Mets uniform.  He’s The Franchise.  He’s quite possibly the greatest right handed pitcher to ever play the game.  He is the pitcher who has received more Hall of Fame votes than anyone in baseball history.  He is an Immortal.  No one, not even Piazza, can ever knock him off that perch.

He is joined by the Living Legend Mike Piazza and the current Face of the Mets Franchise, be it David Wright, Yoenis Cespedes, or Noah Syndergaard to become one of the three all important faces of the Mets franchise.  In that way, the Mets have become an older major league franchise with a history worth celebrating.

Build the Tom Seaver Statue!

The main entrance to Citi Field is the well-designed and well-conceived Jackie Robinson Rotunda.  It is an area that not only pays homage to one of the most important and transformative figures in baseball history, it lets you catch a glimpse of what he was as a man and a ballplayer.  There is even a giant 42 that stands in the back of the rotunda that can be used as a backdrop for fan photos:

   
There are many things right about the Jackie Robinson Rotunda.  However, the rotunda highlights one major flaw about Citi Field – Robinson is the only player that is celebrated there.

Sure, there are the retired numbers in left field.  Also, there is the Mets Hall of Fame (which has also become an extension of the team store).  However, is it really enough?  If you are like many Mets fans and Nancy Seaver, the answer is a resounding no.  As Nancy Seaver told the New York Daily News, “They should have a statue for all those numbers they have retired on their wall — Seaver, Gil Hodges, Mike Piazza.”  She finds the fact that here isn’t one for her husband to be “ridiculous.”  She sums up her feelings by saying, “I’m embarrassed for (the Mets). I really am.”

The fact of the matter is she’s right.  At a minimum, there needs to be a statue for Tom Seaver.  He is the Mets version of Babe Ruth.

Seaver has been the greatest player to ever don a Mets uniform.  Considering the mind boggling stats he put up, it is next to impossible to imagine a scenario where there will come another player who will legitimately challenge Seaver’s place in Mets history.  He helped turn the Mets around from a losing franchise to a team that miraculously won the 1969 World Series.  He was the ace of a staff that almost won a second unlikely World Series in 1973.  He’s the Mets all-time leader in wins, ERA, innings pitched, strikeouts, complete games, and shutouts.  It’s one of the many reasons Seaver has been dubbed The Franchise.  The Mets reputation as being a traditionally pitching rich organization began with him.  It’s why he was the first player to have this number retired by the Mets.  It’s why the Mets chose him to throw out the last pitch at Shea Stadium and the first pitch at Citi Field.  It’s why he was elected to the Hall of Fame with the highest voting percentage ever given to a pitcher.  It’s why he needs to have a statue featuring him with that classic leg drive:

  
Any argument against the Seaver statue is ill conceived:

  • It’s too costly – You’re a major league franchise in New York.  You can afford a statue.
  • Seaver can’t travel for the unveiling – Hodges’ number was retired posthumously.  It’s about honoring a player properly, not about attendance.
  • There’s nowhere to put it – First, you found a spot for the old Home Run Apple.  Second, there are empty places in and around the ballpark.  If it’s important to you, you find a spot.
  • It would diminsh the importance of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda – It won’t.
  • Building one for Seaver means the Mets will have to build ones for other Mets Hall of Famers – So what?  There are only two of them so far.  I think the team can manage that.

Other than that, what possible reason is there for not having a statue?  There is no legitimate reason.

The time has long since passed to build a statue in Seaver’s honor.  As many have done before, Nancy Seaver shone a light on the issue.  She’s right that it is embarrassing that the Mets won’t honor the greatest player in their history.  It’s time for the Mets to right that wrong and build the statue.

The 1962 Mets Are Being Challenged

On Saturday, September 27, 2003, my father, brother, and I sat down to watch what was seemingly a meaningless baseball game.  The Minnesota Twins had already locked up the AL Central, and the Detroit Tigers had already locked up the worst record in baseball.  At that time, the only matter at issue was whether the Tigers would finish with a worse record than the 1962 Mets.

As each and every Mets fan knows, the worst team in baseball history was the 1962 Mets.  They were bad from the beginning.  The 1962 Mets lost their first nine games.  That wouldn’t even be the lowpoint of the season.  From May 21st until June 6th, the Mets would lost 17 straight games.  That wasn’t even their only 10 plus game losing streak.  There was an eleven game losing streak in late July, and there was a 13 game losing streak that spanned most of August.  The 1962 Mets didn’t really do anything well except maybe lose.  They inspired manager Casey Stengel to utter the phrase, “Can’t Anybody Here Play This Game?”  It was a phrase so utterly perfect that Jimmy Breslin used it as the title for his book about the 1962 Mets.

The funny part about that team is that they are somewhat beloved.  There were colorful characters Mets fans know to this day regardless of whether or not they were around to see it.  There were old heroes like former Brooklyn Dodgers like Gil Hodges and Don Zimmer.  There was future Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn.  There were colorful characters as well.  There was Marvelous Marv Throneberry who missed not just first but second base when running out a triple.  There was speedy catcher Choo-Choo Coleman who best utilized his speed chasing down balls that went to the backstop.   About the only players who didn’t belong was Frank Thomas with his 34 homers and 17 year old Ed Kranepool who actually had a bright future ahead of him in the majors.

That 1962 season was the first season in Mets history, and it was an important one at that.  This record is quintessentially the Mets.  It is a terrific reference point for each and every time the Mets have success.  Whenever a 1969 or 1986 happens, it’s a reminder of how the Mets really did come from nothing to achieve great heights.  Having this record was important, and it should be important to Mets fans.

It is why my family was rooting for the Tigers that day.  At that point it wasn’t looking good.  The Tigers had to take three of four from the Twins to avoid loss 120.  They lost the prior game, and they were down 7-1 going into the bottom of the seventh.  Somehow, someway, the Tigers pulled it off.  They scored three in the seventh and then four in the eighth to somehow time the game.  Then in the ninth, old friend Jesse Orosco threw a wild pitch allowing Alex Sanchez to score the winning run.  At that point, Orosco was probably throwing things in disgust.  However, to Mets fans, it looked like Orosco was throwing his glove into the heavens like he had done in 1986.  The Tigers snatched a win from the jaws of defeat number 120.  The 1962 Mets would be safe.

Now, this year, the 1962 Mets are being challenged once again.  The Atlanta Braves come to Flushing sporting a 19-46 record.  With their .292 win percentage, the Braves are on pace for a 47-115 season.  If the Mets sweep the Braves like they should, the Braves will be all the closer to loss number 120.  If the Braves are able to move the few major league quality bats from their line-up like Freddie Freeman, who knows how much worse things will get in Atlanta.  Towards the end of the season, there will most likely be a race to see if the Braves could actually surpass the 1962 Mets loss total.

While it has been ingrained in me from the days of Mike Piazza and Edgardo Alfonzo to never root for the Braves, I will root for the Braves to win some games to avoid losing 120 or more games.  Preferably, those wins will come at the expense of the Washington Nationals.  Hopefully, at the end of the season, the 1962 Mets place in history will be secure.

Happy Bobby Valentine’s Day

It’s that time of the year when we get that warm and fuzzy feeling. It’s a time when you feel even closer to what you love. I am of course referring to Pitchers and Catchers reporting to Spring Training this week. 

As the Mets report, they are trying to do something that only Bobby Valentine’s Mets have ever done. They are trying to go to the postseason for consecutive years. It’s still amazing to think that in the 54 year history of the Mets, they have only e been in consecutive postseasons only once. Gil Hodges couldn’t do it. Davey Johnson couldn’t. Willie Randolph came agonizingly close. 

No, the only one to do it was Bobby V. He did it with a core of Mike PiazzaEdgardo AlfonzoRobin Ventura, and Al Leiter. He had a terrific bullpen of Armando BenitezJohn FrancoTurk Wendell, and Dennis Cook. Each year, he had drastically different outfields and rotations. Yet, he was still able to make it work. He got the most out of these teams.  The Mets made consecutive NLCS appearances, and they were close to winning a World Series. 

This now is the task set forth for Terry Collins. For the first time in 16 years and the second time in Mets history, he is tasked with leading a Mets team to consecutive postseason berths. Like Bobby V, he has a strong core of players. Unlike Bobby V, he has not had much turnover in the roster. 

Overall, the one thing uniting Bobby V’s Mets and Terry Collins’ Mets is hope. Mets fans hope and believe in this team. We all believe this is our year even after a heartbreaking loss. And yes, as this is Valentine’s Day, Mets fans love their team. 

So remember on this the coldest of Bobby Valentine’s Day, Spring is in the air, and we will soon be reunited with the team we love. 

Angels in Citi Field

It’s a tough time for the Mets. They gave their all in Game 1, but they lost. They unravelled in Game 2. They’re halfway on their way to losing the World Series. It’s times like these you seemingly only have a hope and a prayer. It’s times like theses you need your guardian angel. The Mets are full in that department. 

In the heavens, Nelson Doubleday sees his Mets suffering. This is the team he rescued from irrelevancy. He once took the helm and ushered in the greatest era of Mets baseball. He knows this team needs his help. 

He knows he can’t do it alone, so he grabs the one man who he knows can gather together the right mix of angels to make this happen. Frank Cashen gives a nod to Mr. Doubleday, and he finds them. He sends them down to Citi Field to help and deliver a message. 

You always start with a winner.  It’s better to have someone who knows how to utilize a young pitching staff. How to bring them to new heights. How to lead them to a championship. He summons Gil Hodges, who under the din of Citi Field is Hodges reaching out to boost morale. 

He summons Yogi Berra. Yogi can’t understand the despair, then again he knows better than anyone it gets late early in New York. The wind swirling into Citi Field reminds us, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” 
For help, Yogi turns to his closer Tug McGraw. Tug is all fired up. He’s been here before with Gil and Yogi. With a loud bang in the concourse in Citi Field you can hear old Tug jumping up and down screaming, “Ya Gotta Believe.” 

Cashen though knows he needs one more. Who better to turn to than the man he last turned to when he was trying to capture a World Series. Gary Carter knows what he’s there to do. You just don’t make the last out. With every crack of the bat, The Kid lets the Mets know they won’t make the last out.  

With that Cashen’s work is done. He’s assembled a group of greats, a group of legends, a group of angels. They’ll be there tonight to guide the Mets to victory. They didn’t let the Mets lose without a fight before, and they won’t let it happen this time either. They’re watching over the Mets. 

We all know what’s leading the Mets to victory tonight even if our human eyes will never see the hands that brought those Mets runs home. 

The Mets Should Honor Yogi

Earlier this year, the Mets organization embarrassed themselves by not having a patch to commemorate the late Nelson Doubleday. I hope the Mets don’t repeat the mistake with Yogi Berra

Yes, Yogi was a Yankee. He was also a Met. He was the man who took over when Gil Hodges tragically passed. As a manager, he brought the Mets their second pennant. He was good enough for the Mets to ask him to come back for the ceremony after the Last Game at Shea:

 
Yogi was a big part of the Mets history. When the Mets are chasing an NL pennant and a World Series, it would be fitting to have a tribute to the greatest winner in MLB history. When times get tough, it would be great to have the reminder of the Met who said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”   
He deserves to be honored with a patch. 

RIP Yogi Berra

Baseball mourns today with the passing of Yogi Berra. He was a Hall of Fame catcher, a three time MVP (most ever for a catcher), and he won 10 World Series as a player. The 10 rings he won was the most ever by a player making him the biggest winner the sport has ever seen. He was a winner for so much more than that.

He was a husband and a father. He was a member of our military, who was part of the D-Day invasion. He was married to his wife for 65 years before he became a widower. When his wife was ill, he moved with her from their home to an assisted living facility. Two of his sons played professional sports.

He left behind the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center. It’s a place dedicated to teaching baseball and social values to children. It strived to promote the values of “social justice, respect, sportsmanship, and educational excellence.”  Fittingly, Yogi said the hours were, “[w]e’re open ’til we close.”

It’s fitting because that’s what we remember about Yogi – the Yogisms. That’s how I became introduced to Yogi Berra. It was at my Nana’s house with my Dad and uncle (who’s a huge Yankee fan) talking trivia and spouting off the Yogisms laughing away. They made you smile, and much of them carried wisdom (some not):

  • “It’s déjà vu all over again!”
  • “You better cut the pizza in four slices because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.” (that’ll be my lunch order today)
  • “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”
  • “A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.”
  • “Slump?  I ain’t in no slump. I’m just not hitting.”
  • “I usually take a two hour nap from 1 to 4.” 
  • “It gets late early out there.”
  • “Never answer an anonymous letter.”
  • “Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical.”
  • “Pair off in threes.”
  • “You can observe a lot by watching.”
  • “When you see a fork in the road, take it.”
  • “I really didn’t say everything I said.”

Yogi said these while a Yankee. He’s one of the greatest Yankees ever. Scratch that. He’s one of the greatest baseball players ever. He was also an important part of the Mets history. 

After the sudden, unexpected death of Gil Hodges in 1972, Yogi took over as the Mets manager.  In 1973, he was the manager when the Mets made an improbable run. They were in last place on July 26th. They were 12 games under .500 on August 16th. We all remember that Tug McGraw said, “Ya gotta believe!” It was their manager, Yogi, that said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

The 1973 Mets went on a tear winning the NL East with a 83-79 record. As Yogi would say, “We were overwhelming underdogs.”  Those overwhelming underdogs beat the Big Red Machine in the NLCS, and they came within one game of beating an all-time Oakland A’s team to win the World Series. 

Yogi has left behind a lasting memory for baseball fans. He was a great man on and off the field. He doesn’t belong to the Mets. He doesn’t belong to the Yankees. He now belongs to the angels. “May the souls of the faith departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.”  

One last thing with Yogi, it’s still not over. He’s gone, but he won’t be forgotten. His life, playing career, and quotes will keep him alive in our minds and hearts. If you have an opportunity, please go to his funeral or memorial service because as Yogi would say, “Always go to other people’s funerals. Otherwise they won’t go to yours.”