It was a day game after a night game, so Mike Piazza was not there to again single-handedly lift the Mets offense. However, to be fair, it is difficult to know how much of a difference Piazza could’ve made (sacrilegious, I know) with the Pirates having Jimmy Anderson dealing the way he did.
It really was a surprising pitchers duel between Anderson and Glendon Rusch, who was making his 2000 debut for the Mets. What is also interesting is both pitchers had beat out other former Mets pitchers to get their spot in the rotation.
With Rusch, he battled with famed Generation K pitcher Bill Pulsipher for the last spot in the rotation. Anderson, on the other hand, battled with Pete Schourek. At least for today, both pitchers proved their teams right in the decisions they made. In fact, both pitchers worked fast, and they each put up zeros for six innings.
Between the two pitchers, Rusch was arguably the better pitcher. In his complete game, he allowed just one run on four hits while walking one and striking out five. Entering the seventh, Rusch had allowed just one Pirate into scoring position. Really, the only reason he didn’t get the win was he made one mistake to Kevin Young, which turned into a two run homer which was all the difference in the 2-0 loss.
It was a shame for him as Anderson lived by the adage it is better to be lucky than good. The Mets had a few rallies fall completely short.
In the first, the Mets had runners on second and third with one out. Todd Zeile lined out, and Jay Payton would strike out. In the second, Robin Ventura would have a lead-off single, and he would ultimately be stranded at third base.
A two out rally in the fourth left runners at first and second stranded as Rey Ordonez flew out. There were runners at the corner with one out in the fifth when Edgardo Alfonzo hit into an inning ending double play. That was it for the Mets, who just couldn’t get the big hit.
What was left was a very good Mets team, or at least is supposed to be one, losing to a bad Pirates team. The one unknown here is how much Bobby Valentine‘s comments at Wharton about the Mets offseason, which including his problems with the team not re-signing John Olerud, had on this game.
Whatever the case, comments like those from Valentine aren’t going to help him or his team. The lame duck manager who was almost fired last year is going to find himself further on the hot seat for his outspokenness. Mostly, he will be on the hot seat if his team continues underachieving this way.
Game Notes: One of the players Valentine indicated he didn’t want was Derek Bell, who had a diving grab in the sixth inning. He also said he would rather play Matt Franco or Jorge Toca at first over Todd Zeile.
Editor’s Note: With there being no games to begin the season, this site will follow the 2000 season and post recaps as if those games happened in real time. If nothing else, it is better to remember this pennant winning season and revisit some of the overlooked games than it is to dwell on the complete lack of baseball.
(3) Cleon Jones – He caught a fly ball off the bat of Davey Johnson, fell to a knee, and the 1969 Mets were World Series champions. In that series, it was his foot which was hit which led to Gil Hodges bringing the shoe polished ball from the dugout. Was the best position player on that 1969 team, and his 7.0 WAR that season lasted as the team single-season record for nearly 30 years. During 1973 run to the division title, starting the key relay in the famous “Ball on the Wall” Play. Hit .284/.356/.444 in postseason play.
(14) Donn Clendenon – Acquired from the Montreal Expos at the 1969 trade deadline in the Mets first ever trade deadline acquisition with the team as a buyer. Gave a speech to team after they lost Game 1 of the World Series helping the team rally to win four straight. First ever Mets player to be named World Series MVP. All three home runs in that series came with the Mets behind or the game tied. Had a somewhat forgotten strong 1970 campaign.
Today, every baseball player is going to wear the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson. It’s a noble concept which has grown somewhat stale and has not entirely hit the mark Major League Baseball has intended. In honor of Jackie’s number, here are 42 different things baseball can do to honor Jackie a better way:
- As written previously, let players choose whatever numbers they like. For example, allow Puerto Rican players wear 21 in honor of Roberto Clemente. After all, Jackie’s legacy is much more than himself. It’s his opening the game for everyone.
- Perhaps it would be more effective to have just one player wear the number 42 or have just a few. This way when you see it, it’s more eye catching.
- The players who stand out as options to wear 42 are former Rookies of the Year, MVPs, batting and stolen base champions. Put another way, choose the players who have accomplished something Jackie accomplished wear the number.
- Overall, make this akin to player’s weekend with teams having special jerseys with special numbers. Also, instead of their name, have the name of a special player, or let their jersey have a special message.
- The Dodgers should wear their Brooklyn uniforms and their position players should wear the uniforms their counterparts wore in 1947.
- The match-ups should be specialized where possible. For example, it would also be a nice touch to have the Dodgers and Braves face-off.
- Considering Robinson first played in the minor leagues in Montreal, the Blue Jays should always be home to permit them to have a special ceremony. That is, unless, they put a team in Montreal again.
- Ideally, the Mets should have a home game on April 15th not only because Jackie Robinson was a New York National League player, but also because they have the rotunda they can showcase.
- Similar to the 42 in the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, each home team should have their own makeshift 42 or other designation where fans can take pictures and promote Jackie Robinson on social media to further promote the day and his legacy.
- Player segments during the game with them speaking on what Jackie Robinson means to them.
- There should be an MLB produced video which airs before the game. It can be telecast inside the ballpark, and it should be shown on each regional network airing a game.
- There should be a separate event on July 5th to honor Larry Doby, who broke the color barrier the same year in the American League. At the very least, the Indians players should wear his 14 or 37. Perhaps, all of the American League can do the same on that date.
- With Frank Robinson being the first African American managers, all managers and coaching staffs could wear the number 20.
- Invite and honor living Negro League players to the ballpark.
- Invite and honor players who were the first to break the color barriers for each MLB team.
- In addition to teams having universally retiring Robinson’s 42, teams should also retire the number of the player who broke the color barrier for their franchise, or at a minimum, a special designation inside the ballpark for that player.
- Teams should annually hold a day honoring the players who first broke the color barrier for their franchise on the day they broke the color barrier.
- Pay honor to Fleet Walker, who had played 42 games in 1884 before baseball denied black players from playing in a game necessitating Robinson to break the color barrier over 50 years later.
- Special events at the Negro League Museum with baseball dignitaries there. This should be aired on MLB Network and/or ESPN.
- Speaking of MLB Network, they should be televising Jackie Robinson’s games and specials all day.
- The day should be an event, and it should be treated as such. It should have the same pomp and circumstance as any big occasion.
- Bring Little League teams to the games as part of the honor and celebration.
- With his being part of the military, have tank battalions do the honor guard as part of the pre-game ceremonies.
- Host educational events such as e-classrooms across the country to teach about who Jackie Robinson was and what his legacy is.
- Instead of selling the hats online, teams should give 42 hats as a promotion at the ballpark.
- It would also help to give away hats and other things at local schools.
- While having the players wear the 42 for a game is a good idea, baseball should consider wearing the caps with a patch for a full week or even month.
- Have alumni of the RBI Program host baseball clinics for players before the game.
- Promote alumni of the RBI Program like Dominic Smith. They can speak to players and television outlets about how the program helped them.
- Like with the Stand Up 2 Cancer during the World Series, there should be a moment of silence during the game with players and fans holding signs with a word or phrase to describe Jackie Robinson and his legacy.
- Have teams put a 42 on the field somewhere. It could be first base where Jackie Robinson played his first game. There could be a 42 behind second base which was his primary position, or it could be in center or behind home plate which would be the most eye catching.
- Kansas City Royals should wear Monarchs uniforms as Robinson go his start playing for them, and their opponent can wear the uniforms of another Negro League team.
- Coordinate with UCLA (Jackie Robinson’s alma mater) to have events at the collegiate level.
- Look to incorporate other sports and famous athletes into the celebrations. After all, Robinson also played football, basketball, and he was an NCAA champion in the long jump.
- Remember, this day is more than just about baseball. It is about how Robinson changed the world, and the event should be treated as such. The more your incorporate other sports and people outside of sports the more you really push to honor all of what Robinson did.
- Pay special tribute to those players who were accepting of Robinson and encouraged him. Those players include, but are not limited to, Pee Wee Reese, Lee Handley, Hank Greenberg, and George Sisler.
- Treat 42 as sacred and be careful of how you use it. For example, don’t contract 42 minor league teams. By doing so, you are taking away opportunity, which is the opposite of what this day should stand for.
- Making minor league opening day April 18, the day Robinson broke the color barrier in the minor leagues.
- Schedule special Cooperstown events for July 23, the day in which Robinson was the first black player inducted into the Hall of Fame.
- Provide special funding for diabetes research and treatment as Robinson was afflicted with diabetes, and it was one of the reasons he died so young.
- This should be a day where baseball is reminded it needs to do more. This one day is not enough.
- Overall, remember Robinson was more than just a baseball player. Whatever baseball does, they should look to honor the man and not just the moment.
For many Mets fans, the number 11 is associated with Tim Teufel and the Teufel Shuffle, or Ruben Tejada, who went from frustrating player to folk hero when he was attacked by Chase Utley at second base in Game 2 of the 2015 NLDS. That said, when you go through Mets history, Wayne Garrett is the Mets player who wore number 11 who stands above the rest.
Garrett was first obtained from the Mets because the team felt they needed an effective backup to Bud Harrelson, who was dealing with knee issues in the offseason. As a result, the team obtained him in the Rule 5 Draft. As a Rule 5 pick, the Mets had to use him or lose him in 1969, so they would up using him.
During that 1969 season, he would bounce all over the infield. Ultimately, he would find himself in some sort of a rotation at second with Ken Boswell and Al Weis at second, but mostly, he played third where he split time with Ed Charles.
Over the first two months of the season, he was a sensation, and he would prove himself defensively. After the year wore on, he regressed significantly at the plate. In the game before the famous black cat game, Garrett broke the tie with a go-ahead RBI single in the sixth. As great as that was, his best work was in the postseason.
In the Mets shocking three game sweep of the favored Atlanta Braves, Garrett hit .385/.467/.769 with two doubles, a homer, and three RBI. It was his two run homer in Game 3 which put the Mets ahead for good and sent them to their first World Series. Garrett didn’t have much of an impression in the World Series, but he was a key part of that team nevertheless.
Garrett’s career from that point was marked by the Mets looking to bring someone over him, like Jim Fregosi, and Garrett outplaying and outlasting that player. The Mets were lucky that was the case as Garrett was one of the best players on that team. In fact, by WAR, Garrett was the best position player on that team.
In that 1973 season, Garrett hit .256/.348/.403, and he had a career best 4.3 WAR. More than that, he rose to the occasion. He hit leadoff and was a sparkplug. He would also lead the team in game winning hits. That included four in September when the Mets needed every last win they could get to win the division.
Garrett didn’t have many hits that 1973 postseason, but when he got them, he made sure they counted. In Game 2, he homered in the Mets victory. He would hit a lead-off homer in the next game, one which the Mets unfortunately lost.
Overall, Garrett would set what was then a World Series record with 11 strikeouts, and he would pop out to short to end the series. Still, there is no way the Mets ever get to that point without Garrett.
One interesting note to consider with Garrett was when he came to the Mets, they went from perennial loser to World Series champions. In his eight years with the Mets, they had a winning record in seven of those years. That’s a remarkable feat considering the Mets didn’t have a winning record in the their first seven years.
After the Mets traded him in 1976, the Mets would not have a winning record again until 1984. In fact, they’d finish in last place in five of the ensuing seven seasons. You can’t put all of that on him, but certainly moving on from a versatile player and leader like Garrett took its toll on the franchise.
By the time Garrett left the Mets, he was the all-time leader in games played at third. He was also fifth all-time in WAR among position players. He was also the all-time leader in walk rate, and he was second in OBP and walks. Today, he is still fifth all-time in walks, and he still has the best walk rate out of any Mets player who has played at least 500 games.
Overall, Garrett was an important player in Mets history, and to a certain extent, he was the first ever player who represented an answer to a murky third base position. He was a leader, could get on base, and ultimately, was the best Mets player to ever wear the number 11.
Editor’s Note: This is part of a series highlighting the best players in Mets history by highlighting the best Mets player to wear a particular uniform number. In this case, this is not saying Garrett was the 11th best player in Mets history, but rather the best Mets player to wear the number 11.
Previous
1.Mookie Wilson
2.Mackey Sasser
3. Curtis Granderson
4. Lenny Dykstra
5. David Wright
6. Wally Backman
7. Jose Reyes
8. Gary Carter
9. Todd Hundley
10. Rey Ordonez
The Mets fell behind 4-0 early in this game with Steven Matz not getting out of the fourth. The Mets pulled within 5-4 with a three run rally in the fifth, but they couldn’t complete the comeback.
The Mets had the bases loaded in that fifth inning, but Jake Marisnick flew out to end the rally.
In the loss, Yoenis Cespedes had a big game going 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBI. Michael Conforto also had a good game going 2-for-5 with a double and a run.
Even with baseball being the ultimate team sport, there are times you just need your superstar to carry you. With the Mets not being nearly as fundamentally sound as they were last year, the team having some internal strife with the Rickey Henderson drama, and ultimately, the team starting the year two games under .500, they really needed Mike Piazza to go out there and right the ship against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He did just that.
The game was tied 1-1 heading into the top of the fifth with Wil Cordero hitting a solo homer in the second and Edgardo Alfonzo hitting a sacrifice fly in the third. Piazza would deliver his first big hit of many in this game with an RBI double scoring Alfonzo, who had just tripled.
After a Henderson error in the bottom of the fifth allowed the tying run to score the game, Piazza would again deliver in the seventh with one of his patented opposite field homers. In fact, the Mets would go back-to-back with Robin Ventura following Piazza’s homer with one of his own.
At that point, the Mets were leading 4-2, and they put Al Leiter in position for the win. In his first start since dealing with an injury issue, Leiter was good. Over 7.2 innings, he allowed three runs (two earned) while walking three and striking out six. The only real mar on this start was the homers he allowed to Cordero and Kevin Young.
Leiter should have walked away with the win, but Armando Benitez would blow his first game of the season. After two quick strikeouts, Jason Kendall doubled, and then he scored on a Pat Meares RBI triple. Fortunately, he rebounded by striking out Young to get out of the inning to send the game into extras.
John Franco came into the game, and he would come up big for the Mets pitching two shut-out innings. That helped send the game into the 12th. At that point, the Mets would not be denied.
Rey Ordonez hit a lead-off single against Jose Silva, and Benny Agbayani sent him to third on a double. Melvin Mora gave the Mets the lead with a two RBI single. Unfortunately, he’d get picked off of first on a hard Derek Bell liner right at Young.
The Mets rally didn’t end there. Alfonzo drew a walk, and then Piazza would hit a two run homer to give the Mets an 8-4 lead. On the night, Piazza was 5-for-6 with a two runs, a double, two homers, and four RBI. With this performance, he raised his batting average from .265 to .350.
Mostly, Piazza looked like Piazza, and for seemingly the first time this season, the Mets offense looked like the Mets offense we expected them to be. This should stand as a reminder not just about how important a player Piazza is but just how good this Mets team can be.
Dennis Cook made it interesting in the bottom of the 12th. After issuing a walk to Young and throwing a wild pitch, he allowed a single to Warren Morris and then an RBI double to Mike Benjamin. After that, with the Pirates able to send the game tying run to the plate, Cook settled down to get the last two outs of the game.
Believe it or not, this is the first time this season the Mets have won on back-to-back days. They are not entering a soft spot in their schedule. Hopefully, with that the Mets can put a run together and start looking like the World Series contenders we hoped they could be.
Game Notes: Franco earned the win. It was his first win in 112 appearances.
Editor’s Note: With there being no games to begin the season, this site will follow the 2000 season and post recaps as if those games happened in real time. If nothing else, it is better to remember this pennant winning season and revisit some of the overlooked games than it is to dwell on the complete lack of baseball.
(6) Jerry Grote – Great defensive catcher and receiver who helped pitching staff lead Mets to 1969 World Series and 1973 pennant. Second all-time in Mets history in defensive WAR. Johnny Bench famously said if he and Grote were teammates, Bench would have played third base. Two time All-Star
(11) Ron Hunt – First Mets player to ever start an All-Star Game. Held record for single-season HBP for 52 years and team record for 48 years. Joked that while some people gave their bodies to science, he had given his body to baseball.
If we were to take the totality of Rusty Staub‘s Mets career, he would be here, but he doesn’t get the nod here because he did most of his damage when he wore the number 4. While having a very good year in 1975, he wore 10 primarily as a pinch hitter extraordinaire for the Mets in the early 1980s.
Looking past Staub, when you look at the number 10, you may think of Endy Chavez robbing Scott Rolen of a homer in what was the greatest catch made in NLCS history. While Chavez isn’t the best Mets player to ever wear the number 10, the number is defined by defense.
Rey Ordonez defected out of Cuba when he was in the United States as part of the 1993 Summer Universiade tournament held in Buffalo, NY. He’d sign on with the Saint Paul Saints before the Mets signed him to a deal. Three years later, he would be at Shea Stadium showing himself to be the best defensive shortstop in team history.
Ordonez was great defensively literally from day one. On Opening Day, Ordonez fielded a throw from Bernard Gilkey, and from his knees, he would throw out Royce Clayton at home plate. It was the first of many unbelievable defensive plays in his career:
Orodonez was never a hitter, but really, he never needed to be. First off, his defensive greatness more than offset his bat. Second, the Mets were smart in building teams which focused on allowing him to do what he does great. That started a stretch from 1997 to 1999 where he won three straight Gold Gloves.
In Major League history, there are only five National League shortstops to accomplish that feat. Ordonez was the fourth to do so following Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith and Barry Larkin. If nothing else, Ordonez’s defense was Hall of Fame caliber. Really, it was the stuff of legends. As noted by SABR, Bill Pulsipher once said Ordonez’s Mets teammates called him “SEGA” due to all the video game plays he would make in the field.
Really, good luck trying to find his greatest defensive play. Out in the field, Ordonez was a human highlight reel who could make even sure base hits into outs.
There are so, so many more plays than this. If he played during the age of YouTube, his defense would have been an absolute sensation.
The best season for Ordonez came in 1999 when he was the best defender on the best infield in Major League history. On that team, he and Robin Ventura both won Gold Gloves with John Olerud and Edgardo Alfonzo deserving them as well. That year, Ordonez would set the Major League record for errorless games/innings at shortstop.
That 1999 season, he would also have some personal offensive highlights with his hitting his first career grand slam. In Game 1 of the NLDS, he would get the bunt down against Randy Johnson to score Ventura from third. In the ninth, with the game tied, he hit a one out single moving Ventura to second in advance of Alfonzo’s grand slam off Bobby Chouinard. Due to a Rickey Henderson fielder’s choice, Ordonez would actually score the winning run of that game.
In Game 3, Ordonez actually delivered the Mets first run of the game in what would prove to be a Mets 9-2 win which put them on the precipice of the NLCS.
The 1999 season would be the last of Ordonez’s Gold Glove seasons. In the following year, Ordonez would suffer a season ending broken forearm. In typical Ordonez fashion, he broke his arm on a truly spectacular play. Al Leiter picked F.P. Santangelo off first, and Todd Zeile made an offline throw to Ordonez. Ordonez leaped and spun himself to put the tag down on Santangelo, but he broke his arm in the process. With his arm not healing, he was not a part of the run 2000 pennant run.
It was a play only he could make, and it was the reason his season ended. To a certain extent, that was the end of Ordonez’s Mets career. In Mets history, Ordonez has the third highest defensive WAR. To put that into perspective, Ordonez accumulated his 10.2 over seven years. The two players ahead of him, Bud Harrelson (13 years) and Jerry Grote (12 years) had much longer Mets careers.
As such, it is very fair to say Ordonez is the best defensive player in Mets history, and ultimately, he is the best Mets player to ever wear the number 10.
Editor’s Note: This is part of a series highlighting the best players in Mets history by highlighting the best Mets player to wear a particular uniform number. In this case, this is not saying Ordonez was the tenth best player in Mets history, but rather the best Mets player to wear the number 10.
Previous
1.Mookie Wilson
2.Mackey Sasser
3. Curtis Granderson
4. Lenny Dykstra
5. David Wright
6. Wally Backman
7. Jose Reyes
8. Gary Carter
9. Todd Hundley
The Mets feel behind 2-0 before Michael Conforto hit a tying two run homer in the first. In the fourth, Wilson Ramos had his own two run shot.
The Mets held on to beat the hated Atlanta Braves with Marcus Stroman picking up the win, and Edwin Diaz getting the save.
(4) Bud Harrelson – First Mets player to ever inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame. Two time All-Star and first infielder to ever win a Gold Glove. Started a brawl with Pete Rose during the 1973 NLCS. Only person on the field for both the 1969 and 1986 World Series.
(13) Nolan Ryan – First and only Hall of Fame player drafted by the Mets organization to debut with the team. Earned a win in the 1969 NLCS clinching game and a save in Game 3 of the World Series. Best known not for his time pitching with the Mets but rather for the trade which netted the Mets Jim Fregosi.