The funny thing is, I was talking to Joe D earlier that day about how I was going to groom my son to be the next great Mets catcher, and then found myself standing in front of that beautifully framed picture of Carter. I had been in that store many times in the past, and never have seen a picture of Carter.

People sometimes wonder what the big deal of owning an autographed picture of a great athlete is. Well, if you find the right piece of memorabilia, it should stir up some memories…

Only the good die young.

We hear that saying all the time, but for a man that carried the nickname “the Kid,” it couldn’t be truer. As I sit here and reflect on one of my childhood heroes, it’s hard to envision the 1986 Mets team that we hold so dear in our hearts, ever reaching the heights they did that season without Carter. He brought stability and leadership to a young and immature team that was in desperate need of guidance. The Mets may have only one World Series under their belts today if it wasn’t for the Mets bringing Carter in for the 1985 season. I think everyone that knows the story of the ’86 Mets would agree that (sorry for the cheesy line but) without No. 8, they would have never been great.

Carter was the only good guy portrayed in the book The Bad Guys Won, which chronicled the crazy journey of 1986 Mets. He has an entire chapter dedicated to himself. The chapter starts off by calling him a “geek.” Literally.

The reason people called him a geek was because if you lumped all the other Mets players in a tank, and the water that filled the tank was represented by all the drug use, womanizing, and alcohol they consumed, Carter was like a bead of oil sitting on top of the water.

He never cursed, never wore cool clothes, never drank alcohol, never smoked, never used illegal drugs or cheated on his wife. For these behaviors, he was alienated in the clubhouse, and labeled a “geek.” The truth is Carter wasn’t a “geek.” He wasn’t a “kid.” He was what we would consider a man in it’s truest form. He was a role model. He was who every parent hoped their child would grow up to be. Oh, and the man could play ball.

The picture in the mall that stirred the emotions.

I remember when I was in little league, I convinced my coach to move me from my main position of shortstop, where I was an all-star, to catcher. I wanted to strap on those shin guards for one reason: Gary Carter. I still had the No. 1 on my back because Ozzie Smith’s back flips and smooth shortstop play had me hooked, but I was behind the plate grinding it out every game because of Carter. And I mean I was grinding it out. I’m not sure how many of you have played catcher in little league, but it isn’t as easy as it seems on the T.V. screen.

The professional pitchers hardly ever throw the ball in the dirt. Little League pitchers, on the other hand, throw it in the dirt quite often. I was bruised up from blocking all the balls, but I stuck with it, and it wasn’t long before I was named an all-star at catcher too. I remember the umpires would thank me at the end of every game because I would block all the wild pitches, saving them from taking their usual beating behind the plate. Evidently that was a rarity at that age.

They really should have thanked Gary Carter. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have been back there blocking the balls that would normally giving them bruises. Carter was my favorite Mets player, but I eventually couldn’t take the abuse anymore that comes with blocking all those wild pitches. I ended up moving to the outfield to try and follow in the footsteps of my next childhood hero who also carried the nickname “the kid” – Ken Griffey Jr. I played the outfield all the way through college, and it earned me some tryouts for some major league teams, but I always regretted giving up on catching too soon.

I was a young boy during 1986, so I don’t remember much from that season. However, there are two moments that always stick out in my mind: the ball squibbling through Buckner’s legs in game six, and Gary Carter jumping into Jesse Orosco’s arms with that completely elated look on his face at the end of the ’86 World Series.

I also vaguely remember being at a game one summer night with my parents. At some point during the game, the umpire made a bad call. The three young men sitting in front of us decided to show the umpire how displeased they were with the call. First they got the umpire’s attention. Then they turned around very calmly, so that their backs were facing the field. After that, they dropped their pants in perfect unison, and proceeded to “moon” the umpire. Evidently, the 80s were a different time, because they didn’t get in trouble, but I can’t go to a Mets game without thinking about that moment.

Gary Carter will always be remembered as a great player (11 time All-Star and Hall of Famer), but he should also be remembered as a great man.  He showed us young Mets fans growing up how to play the game the way it was supposed to be played, and how to be a man, and not a “kid” like his nickname portrays him.

When looking back at that 1986 Mets team, it’s hard to believe that Carter was the youngest man to perish. With the way some of those Mets players abused their bodies with that indestructible feeling so many young men have, it’s amazing they haven’t experienced more health issues. It doesn’t seem fair that a person such as Carter was taken from us so young, especially when he lived his life in a manner that is said to provide us with longevity. I guess it must be true…the good really do die young.

We’ll always remember you No. 8…

But of course, I can’t control myself in reading all the news stories about what is actually in the book before I read it for myself.

So that leads me to a very intriguing discussion.

Piazza admitted in his book to using androstenedione and Ephedra before the substances were banned, according to the New York Post. The 12-time All-Star catcher also said in his book that he took Vioxx (an anti-inflammatory), “greenies” (stimulants) and Dymetadrine (asthma medicine), the Post reports.

The New York Times reports that Piazza wrote in the book that he inquired about HGH, not knowing it was a banned substance, but his trainer advised against using it.

So let’s assume that Piazza is clean of HGH. He claims he never used “steroids,” and to this point, we all know he has never had a positive test on record.

But the real question now is how will Piazza’s admission to using these other drugs – mainly the currently-banned substances of andro and Ephedra – affect his chances at the Hall of Fame.

There will likely continue to be a rift amongst the voters. Some will say that since these substances were legal at the time, Piazza was not cheating. However, some will say that he was still enhancing his performance by using the substances, thus tainting his incredible numbers.

If I had to guess, the voters that voted for him this year will vote for him again next year. But then again, some may now change their vote since Piazza admitted to using “substances” during his career.

Of the writers that did not vote for him this year based on the suspicion of drug use, some may change their votes since Piazza admits to have never used “illegal substances.” But of course, the majority will have their initial inklings about Piazza confirmed and therefore will continue to exclude him from Cooperstown.

Talk about a voting conundrum!

I’m not exactly sure if Piazza’s book will help or hurt him. It almost begs the question of why he would even choose to admit anything in the first place. The timing of the book’s release is also strange, since he could have “cleared his name” before the voting occurred.

But then again, would his admission to using drugs clear his name or would it spark even more speculation like it already has?

I want to believe Piazza. I feel like he might have kept quiet if he used banned substances and would have hoped that no test results ever leaked.

He instead chose to be honest, and from what he admitted in the book, he never cheated according to what was and what was not illegal at the time.

I’m eager to see what else he has to say in his book. I just hope that all the juicy excerpts haven’t been revealed already.

The release of this book just keeps Piazza’s name in the news cycle, which will spark much more debate on whether he’s worthy of baseball immortality.

It’s a good thing I don’t do radio; I wouldn’t have been nearly as diplomatic as they were. As if there wasn’t enough preordained controversy with this year’s crop of candidates, we get this nonsense and I’m not even going to enrage you with her supposed rationale. I have too much respect for you to even try. It’s almost as bad as the one vote that someone gave Aaron Sele. Again, not going to enrage you with the facts, you can look up Sele’s pathetic career statistics here if you wish. Then you have my permission to curse uncontrollably – - and yes you can practice reading that line in your best Bane voice. Or Darrell Hammond’s Sean Connery as I believe they’re one in the same.

Call me naïve but I was always under the impression that those having been afforded the privilege of a Hall of Fame vote would show just a modicum of respect towards it. I’m not the only one who thinks this way as does the great Metstradamus. But this is unfortunately the year that common sense, fairness and respect for the game clearly went over the edge of the train tracks faster than a New York City subway commuter. Ouch.

Now I’ve been very sympathetic to the plight the writers have when it comes to wading through the waters that PED’s have polluted in Major League Baseball. But like Metstradamus, when voters use their privilege to make some grand statement (i.e. voting no one in), peppered with some who find it – I don’t know – comical, to vote for the likes of Sele and Green, it simply demonstrates to me that stupidity isn’t determined by who you write for or what and if you get paid for writing it.

When the likes of Marty Noble, someone I’ve always had tremendous respect for, thinks that because Mike Piazza had an abundance of—wait for it—back hair, during his time as a Dodger and decides to connect the follicles and assume that it meant Piazza used. It shows me just how far we’ve fallen as a people more than anything. We’ll believe the very worst of each other just to protect our own vanity because God forbid a player is later found to have juiced.

We can’t have writers dealing with pangs of remorse now can we? To top it off, Noble then ironically said that as a Met, Piazza had a hairless back, which is ALSO a symptom of steroid use. So if Piazza essentially played with Robin William’s back he’s using yet if he’s smoother than an Abercrombie model he’s also using? Absolutely pathetic, especially that never, not once, has Piazza been accused or named in any report or tested positive for any performance enhancing drugs.

I always believed that MLB needs to be far more proactive of a guide for the BBWAA when it comes to Hall of Fame voting and steroids. I wrote a piece for Metsmerized in early 2011 calling for Bud Selig to commission a panel exploring the effects that PED’s have on actual playing performance. Of course Selig and MLB want absolutely nothing further to do with this issue—at least not what happened in the past. One bright spot happened a few days ago when the MLB Players Association and MLB agreed to year round drug testing for Human Growth Hormone and Testosterone.

The BBWAA and their writers refused to vote for some players and based it on innuendo and unproven allegations; and that is shameful itself. In part I can understand their fear of enshrining someone who later is proven to have used PED’s as players elected cannot be removed from the Hall of Fame. My question is why is that? Hypothetically if a Hall of Famer does something illegal, whether during or after their playing career, why are they not immediately open to removal? That, in my opinion, would allow the writers to choose players based on their careers and not on speculation.

George Orwell was quoted as saying:

“Saints should always be judged guilty until they are proved innocent.”

Now the real question remains, who was Orwell talking about; the players or the writers?

To turn attention away from Mike Piazza and the Hall of Fame vote for just a minute, let’s discuss the future Mike Piazza, or so we hope.

The Mets acquired Travis d’Arnaud, their catcher of the future, in the trade that sent R.A. Dickey to the Toronto Blue Jays.

But why can’t the future be right now?

d’Arnaud said he’s ready to play and recovered from a knee injury that ended his minor league season early last year.

All indications point to d’Arnaud starting the 2013 campaign in the minors. That’s fine, but there’s no need to extend his stay just so he can get “seasoning.”

The Mets likely want to have him start in the minors in order to delay his eventual free agency as well as adjust to his new surroundings. If he spends the first 20 days of this season in the minors, his free-agent clock will start in 2014, rather than this year.

But once that day passes, I’d really like to see the 24-year-old catching prospect in the Majors.

The best way to gain experience in the big leagues is to actually play in the big leagues. I’m all about making sure a prospect is ready, but from everything I’ve read on d’Arnaud, he’s ready.

Especially if the team won’t be too competitive this season, I’d rather see d’Arnaud struggle to find his way so that he’s ready for 2014, when the team has more financial flexibility to improve the roster.

But who knows? Maybe the kid bursts onto the scene and takes positive strides this season. We won’t ever know unless he’s given the chance.

The Mets are also weary of starting d’Arnaud in the bigs right away because the organization wants the catcher to develop chemistry with top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler.

Well, just like I believe d’Arnaud should be in the bigs as soon as possible, that’s how I feel about Wheeler. Give the young guys a shot, and they can develop chemistry together at Citi Field, rather than Las Vegas.

So the plan should be to let them both spend the necessary 20 days in the minors for free agency purposes, and then once they’re available, bring them up in May.

If the organization doesn’t have the money to bring in star players, at least it can give the fans a feel for what they have to look forward to in the coming seasons.

No offense to John Buck, but he’s not exactly a guy who fills up a stadium. But d’Arnaud playing regularly on the other hand may get the fanbase excited.

The sooner d’Arnaud and Wheeler crack the roster, the sooner the Mets will reveal their long-term identity.

Prominent names such as Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Roger Clemens and Craig Biggio will be on the ballot for the first time, but so will one close to all of our hearts here at MMO: Mike Piazza.

Naturally, Mets fans have an enduring love for Piazza. He revolutionized this franchise in the late 1990s-early 2000s, and his legacy will forever live on in Mets lore.

Mike Piazza

However, how do the writers who hold a Hall of Fame vote view Piazza in terms of a first-ballot selection?

I recently saw an article on MLB.com in which writers who hold a vote shared their initial thoughts on whom they would vote for next year. Surprisingly, Piazza’s name only appeared on a handful of ballots.

We as Mets fans have seen Piazza up close. His clutch hits, record-setting home runs and inspirational moments will always be in our memories. But there seems to be a consensus out there that Piazza is not a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

He is sure to earn a spot in Cooperstown at some point, but he is deserving of the honor of being a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

I bring this up because a player with similar statistics and accomplishments to Piazza—Jeff Bagwell—has not been voted in on his first two attempts. Both were major offensive forces during parts of the past two decades.

However, there’s a major difference between Bagwell and Piazza: Piazza was a catcher. Catchers take a beating on a daily basis. Piazza missed his share of time throughout his career with stints on the disabled list and even scheduled off days. Just imagine the stats he could have accumulated had he been a first baseman like Bagwell.

What’s more though about Piazza was that he carried the Mets on his back for two deep playoff runs. Of course, the Mets had a good supporting cast featuring Edgardo Alfonzo, Robin Ventura, Al Leiter, etc. But it was Piazza’s team through and through.

So to answer the title question: Yes, Mike Piazza—arguably the greatest offensive catcher in the history of baseball—is a first-ballot Hall of Famer in my opinion. But frankly, my opinion doesn’t count. It will come down to whether the writers think he’s worthy.

Because he’s a catcher, Piazza holds an advantage over Bagwell. But don’t be too upset next year if Piazza is forced to wait for the Cooperstown call.

Tom Seaver needs some Mets company in the Hall of Fame, so hopefully Piazza gets the call next year.

Then again, there’s even a chance Piazza will be wearing a Dodgers cap on his plaque, which is the subject of a completely different post.

January 10th, 1928: The Giants trade Rogers Hornsby to the Boston Braves for Shanty Hogan and Jimmy Welsh. It’s the Rajah’s third team in three years.

Why exactly is this trade monumental? Mostly because I find it hard to believe that any team would want to trade one of the best second basemen in the history of the game, especially when he is still in the prime of his career. In 1927 for the Giants, Hornsby hit .361, slugged 25 home runs, and had 125 RBI.

Apparently, that wasn’t a good enough stat line and New York traded Hornsby within the National League to the Boston Braves. He then proceeded to hit at a .387 clip, hit 21 homers, and 94 RBI. In his 23 year MLB career, Rogers Hornsby played for five different teams. I find it odd that he switched teams that many times during his professional career. In today’s game, we see players switch teams every year due to free agency, but it didn’t always used to be like that.

Before the 1970s, the reserve clause allowed an organization to hold onto a player for as long as they wish. Due to this, it was common for a player to spend his entire career with only one or two teams. That’s why I think it’s so weird that a career .358 hitter with 301 home runs, 1,584 RBI, and almost 3,000 hits would move around to so many teams during a time when players didn’t move around after they were established.

This fact alone makes me wonder what type of player Hornsby was in the clubhouse. I haven’t read anything bad about his character, but with him moving around to so many teams, there must have been some sort of personality conflict, either with Hornsby and his fellow players, his coaching staff, or the front office; especially with Boston and New York since he only spent one year with each organization.

On the other hand, the star second baseman could have have been too expensive for either the Giants or Braves to hold onto because he was at the peak of his game. There are obviously a number of things that caused Rogers Hornsby to play for five teams during a time in which it was unprecedented. He has always been a personal favorite of mine, and one of a few Major Leaguers that I wish I had the chance to watch in person.

Want to read more of On The Way Home? Visit my blog at http://on-the-way-home.org!

I personally was not around when Gil played or managed, but I consider myself lucky to have heard the great stories of the Brooklyn Dodgers and the 1969 Miracle Mets. I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Joan Hodges recently, who said she hopes this is the year for Gil—even though she believes he should have been inducted a long time ago.

In addition, to speaking with Mrs. Hodges, I caught up with a few members of the 1969 Mets and asked their thoughts on if they think Gil will be elected this time around. The players only had great things to say about their former manager.

“I hope it’s the year,” said ’69 Mets shortstop Buddy Harrelson. “He was a very special man, not just as a ballplayer in Brooklyn but a very special man in the community.”

While his on-field achievements speak for themselves, Gil left just as significant an impact as a manager.

“I think Gil certainly deserves to be in the Hall of Fame,” said original Met Ed Kranepool. “We would have won more pennants under Gil Hodges.”

Hodges died from a heart attack in spring training 1972—right at the peak of his managerial career when the Mets were a feared team in the National League. Still, the players agree that Hodges got them to play much better than they should have.

Hopefully, the word continues to spread about what Hodges meant to the game of baseball.

“I know a lot of people have been working hard to help in that regard,” said ’69 Mets platoon right fielder Art Shamsky. “I think he’s certainly deserving of it, not only as a player and manager, but he was such a great person and ambassador for the game.”

Shamsky noted that Hodges was the main reason the Mets went from being the laughing stock of professional baseball to World Champions just eight years after coming into existence.

Being on the Veterans’ Committee ballot may work in Hodges’ favor for next year’s voting.

“These are people that might have recognized Gil or played against him, know what he’s done, and can vote the way it’s supposed to be voted,” said Kranepool. “There are guys in the Hall of Fame that don’t have his credentials.”

Harrelson likened Hodges to his own father in that both were rugged on the outside but were great men on the inside who deeply cared for their families.

“I loved him as a person and as a manager,” said Harrelson, who also looks forward to someday heading to Cooperstown for Gil’s induction ceremony.

Whether that’s this year or in the near future, I’ll likely be joining Buddy in paying homage to a great baseball player, a great manager and an even better man.

As the class in 1945, the Hall of Fame class of 1946 is another loaded one, with a total of ten players getting enshrined. Obviously, Cooperstown made for the lost time during WWII. There are a couple of familiar names in this year’s class, but more unfamiliar ones. Let’s get into it.

Jesse Burkett: Left Fielder, Cleveland Spiders

.342 average, 1,708 runs scored, 2,872 hits, 75 home runs, 952 RBI, 392 stolen bases

During his 16-year career that was mostly spent with the Cleveland Spiders, Burkett was known for what he could do with a bat in his hands. He hit over .300 on eleven different occasions, surpassing the .400 mark twice. He led the league in hits three times, batting average three times, and runs scored twice. Burkett collected 200 or more hits in six seasons, while being the second player in MLB history to hit .400, the first being 1945 Hall of Famer Ed Delahanty. An interesting fact is that Burkett actually came up as a pitcher originally and notched 30 wins in a season while in the Minors.

Frank Chance: First Baseman, Chicago Cubs:

.298 average, 796 runs, 1,273 hits, 20 home runs, 596 RBI, 405 stolen bases

Although playing 17 seasons in the Major Leagues and 15 of those years coming with the Chicago Cubs, Chance is more known for his managerial resume than as a player. He first started to manage in 1905, when he took over a talented Cubs team; Chance proceeded to lead Chicago to four NL Pennants between 1906 and 1910, while winning back-to-back World Series championships in 1907 and 1908, which unfortunately is the last time the Cubs were able to celebrate something of that magnitude. He also won a league championship in the Pacific Coast League in 1916 with the Los Angeles Angels, and finished his managerial career with a 946-648 record.

Jack Chesbro: Pitcher, New York Yankees:

198-132 record, 2.68 ERA, 2,898 innings pitched, 1,265 strikeouts

Even though Jack Chesbro only pitched for 11 seasons in the Major Leagues, he made the most of them, as you can see in his stat line. He is most well-known for the year that he had in 1904, when he started 51 games, throwing 48 complete games, and compiled a 41-12 record, while posting a 1.82 ERA. All of these games pitched led to 454.2 innings pitched. He led the league in shutouts, wins, and games started twice, and winning percentage three times. He was a known spit baller, which was OK since it was legal until 1920; during the five year span between 1901-1906, he collected 154 out of his 198 wins. Probably the best of all, he threw the first game ever for the Yankees, who where known as the Highlanders when they were established in 1903.

Johnny Evers: Second Baseman, Chicago Cubs:

.270 average, 919 runs scored, 1,659 hits, 12 home runs, 538 RBI, 324 stolen bases

These numbers don’t seem Hall of Fame worthy, but he was inducted by the Veteran’s Committee and was known for being an intelligent and scrappy infielder that was in the middle of the famous Tinker-to-Evans-to-Chance double play combination. He was also tied to winning, celebrating six league pennants and three World Series titles. Evers is unique because he is known as one of the smallest players to play the game, usually weighing in at less than 130 lbs. The pride of Troy, New York also was awarded the MVP award in 1914 when he posted a .279 batting average, .390 on base percentage, one home run, 40 RBI, and 81 runs scored.

Tommy McCarthy: Right Fielder, Boston Beaneaters:

.294 average, 1,050 runs scored, 1,485 hits, 44 home runs, 732 RBI, 506 stolen bases

In his 13-year career in the 19^th century, McCarthy was known for his speed and approach at the plate. He scored more than 100 runs in a season seven times (which all happened consecutively), topped 40 stolen bases six times, while stealing more than 100 in 1888 to help win a pennant for the St. Louis Browns. What is remarkable is that he earned 20% of his career stolen bases in just one year!

Joe McGinnity: Pitcher, New York Giants:

246-141 record, 2.66 ERA, 3,459 innings pitched, 1,068 strikeouts.

While only playing 10 seasons in the Major Leagues, it pretty safe to say that Joe McGinnity was a dominant pitcher, averaging 24 wins per season. The legendary pitching topped the 20-win plateau eight times, 30 wins twice, and led the league in ERA once, wins five times, innings pitched four times, and complete games twice. McGinnity was known for his toughness, which was summed up in the fact that he would pitch both games of a double header. In 1903, he did so three times, winning each of the six games. Once he was done in the Majors at the age of 37, he continued pitching until he as 54 in the Minor Leagues.

Eddie Plank: Pitcher, Philadelphia Athletics:

326-194 record, 2.35 ERA, 4,502 innings pitched, 2,246 strikeouts

Eddie Plank is considered one of the best left-handed pitchers to ever toe the rubber, compiling the third-highest win total and recording the most shutouts and complete games by any southpaws. Even though he didn’t play baseball until he got to high school, he ended up playing in the Majors for 17 years and helped the Athletics dominate in the newly formed American League by winning six pennants and two world titles. Plank eclipsed the 20-win plateau on eight different occasions and did so with finesse and a big, sweeping curveball. He was honored as the 68^th greatest MLB player by The Sporting News in 1999.

Joe Tinker: Shortstop, Chicago Cubs:

.263 average, 773 runs scored, 1,695 hits, 31 home runs, 783 RBI, 337 stolen bases

The final piece of the famous double play trio that also included fellow 1946 inductees Frank Chance and Johnny Evers, Joe Tinker developed the reputation as a clutch performer that was aggressive and fast on the field. He led all National League shortstops in fielding while helping the Cubs become the most successful team in the early 1900s. Tinker average 28 stolen bases per year for his career and stole home twice in one game in 1910, which has been done less than a dozen times in MLB history.

Rube Waddell: Pitcher, Philadelphia Athletics:

193-143 record, 2.16 ERA, 2,962 innings pitched, 2,316 strikeouts

Another legendary lefty, Rube Waddell was a colorful player during his 13-year career; he possessed pinpoint control of his above average fastball and curveball. His manager, Connie Mack, saw the talent that Waddell had and helped mold him into the successful pitcher that he became; he topped the 20-win plateau on four different occasions (while doing so consecutively) and won the pitcher’s Triple Crown in 1905 by leading the league with 27 wins, a 1.48 ERA, and 287 strikeouts. A pitcher that was known for his ability to strike out opposing hitters, Waddell led the AL in strikeouts six years in a row.

Ed Walsh: Pitcher, Chicago White Sox:

195-126 record, 2.54 ERA, 2,962 innings pitched, 1,736 strikeouts

MLB’s all-time ERA leader enjoyed a wonderful career over his 14 seasons, with all but one being with the Chicago White Sox. His most impressive year came in 1908, when he posted a 40-15 record, 1.42 ERA, 42 complete games, and 464 innings pitched. He led the league in innings pitched four times, shutouts three times, complete games twice, and games played in five times. Walsh also has the second-best WHIP in MLB history, and enjoyed six seasons with a sub-2.00 ERA and four 20-win seasons. An interesting thing to note is that he put together the lowest ERA for a pitcher with a losing record when he posted a 1.27 ERA in 1910 while having a record of 18-20.

With two back-to-back classes loaded with players that had an ever lasting impact on the game of baseball, next week we look at the class of 1947, with only four inductees.

Safe to say without either one of them there is no Championship in 1986.

However, I feel that there is a Met who needs to have his number retired before both of these players. Someone who, like Keith and Gary, can be referred to by a single name: Tug.

I am not at all diminishing what Gary and Keith meant to this club and this organization. The acquisition of Keith turned us from losers into contenders. And then Gary put us over the top. Hell, if I could, I’d retire the number of almost the entire 86 roster.

Noted sports columnist Tom Verducci was once asked how does he decide who to vote in to the Hall of Fame. Verducci replied he considers if the game was better off after the individual in question retired. He looks not just at stats but what the player meant to Baseball.

Using this logic #45 should be retired. Tug was the heart and soul of this franchise. He taught us to “believe,” that miracles do happen in Flushing. And to never ever give up on the Mets. He displayed leadership both on and off the field. He was charismatic, funny, clever, clutch. And so damn good.

Keith wore a Mets jersey for 6 ½ seasons. Gary for just 5. Tug wore his for 9 years. Over that time he tossed 792 IP, more then any other RPer in team history. He has appeared in the 3^rd most games of any pitcher on our staff (361.) Over that time he compiled a solid 3.17 ERA . During a 5 year span he surpassed 100 IP 4 times–and was only on the DL once–for 3 weeks back in 74.

In 1965, he made a start, going up against Sandy Koufax. Koufax was 18-0 against the Mets but Tug out pitched Koufax and became the 1^st Mets pitcher to earn a win against the Dodger legend.

Whereas Seaver was the heart of this team, Tug was our soul.

In 73, as the Mets floundered at the bottom of the NLE in late August, Tug’s war cry of ’Ya Gotta Believe’ began to take form. Ironically, McGraw should have been the LAST person to talk about believing. He was having the worst year of his career. His ERA was over 5.00. But Tug held fast to his belief. Soon, his teammates started to believe. Then, fans started to believe. And shortly thereafter, the rest of the NL started to believe.

In the last month of the 73 season, Tug went 3-0 with an 0.57 ERA. The Mets as a whole went 20-8 and walked away with a pennant.

Tug tossed a total of 8 IP in the 69 and 73 LCS. He never allowed a run.

He threw in 5 games during the 73 World Series where he went 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA. He also represented the Mets in the 72 All-Star Game where he fanned 4 of the 6 batters he faced and came away with a win.

It’s about more then the stats. Over 900 players have worn a Mets jersey and we’ve only deemed one worthy of having his # retired. 41 was retired not only due to Seaver’s accomplishments but what he meant to this club. He embodied the Mets for over a decade–Just like Tug.

Case in point: In the day when the Mets were dominated by one of the most feared starting staffs in baseball, we had one constant legitimate hitter during this time. But yet I don’t ever recall any discussion about retiring # 21. For 12 years, twice as long as Keith was a Met, Cleon Jones was our first offensive hero. His 340 BA in 1969 stood as the highest single season batting average for almost 30 years-And still remains 2^nd highest in team history. It’s been over 35 years since Cleon played for the Mets. But in spite of that, he remains in the Top 10 of all hitting categories including RS, RBI’s, 2B and hits.

He was a fan favorite. But he didn’t leave the team with the legacy Tug did.

Tug displayed character, heart, He believed when no one else did.

For those of us lucky enough to see Tug pitch in his prime, it was a sight to behold. Seeing him warming up beyond the green RF wall in the 8^th inning meant the Mets were just 3 outs away from victory. There was electricity in the air as he rode in from the bullpen, walked to the mound. We cheered as he aggressively pounded his glove on his right leg after recording an out.

The Mets used to pride themselves on honoring our past, our history. We need to get back to that again and secure the fact that no other player wears #45.

(C) Diana Colapietro

At a recent golf outing benefiting the Brooklyn/Queens CYO athletic program, I was lucky enough to meet and interview the legendary Mike Piazza. Not only was he a great baseball player, but he is an even nicer person.

As Mets fans, we will always remember Piazza for his on-field achievements such as leading the team to the 2000 World Series, hitting a memorable home run after 9/11 and passing Carlton Fisk for most home runs by a catcher.

However, what some fans may not realize is that Piazza is a deeply religious individual who relied on his Catholic faith during his playing career and now as a retiree from baseball.

“It just brings me a lot of peace,” said Piazza. “It allows me to deal with the issues of my new challenges in life for being a husband and a father and having a family.”

There was a time when Piazza lived and died by his success on the field. But once he started realizing the bigger picture, he was able to let go of that mentality and nurture other more important things in his life.

Piazza always prayed during games. Though he didn’t necessarily ask God to help him hit a home run every at-bat, he instead prayed for God to allow him to do his best.

“I just prayed to God to clear my mind and allow me to execute and do the best that I can,” said Piazza. “If I got a hit or didn’t get a hit, it really was irrelevant to me. Success and failure is not necessarily measured in wins and losses or numbers.”

Throughout his career, Piazza claims he was more concerned with the little things. He enjoyed connecting with fans on a personal level and encouraging people to push past certain limitations.

His story does have an inspirational value since he was basically drafted as a favor to his father but wound up turning in a Hall of Fame worthy career.

Additionally, Piazza is flattered that fans, especially young ballplayers, were able to find joy based on his success.

“Inspiring kids to be Major Leaguers gives me a lot of pride,” said Piazza.

When Piazza was younger, he claims he was selfish ballplayer but in a way that made him a good player. However, he realized that he was given a gift and wanted others to share in that gift.

“Once we get to certain point in our lives, we need to internalize our success and really gives thanks for why we are successful,” said Piazza. “A lot of those things are a spiritual gift.”

This idea of a gift, Piazza claims, ties back to his devout faith.

“Faith is a gift,” said Piazza. “We need to get back to roots and understand the path to true peace. Ultimately, if you look inside your own heart, you’ll find peace.”

While it’s one thing to merely state one’s faith, Piazza actually put his faith to practice, and there was no greater example than September 21, 2001—the first game in New York after the 9/11 terrorists attacks.

During a time when it must have been extremely difficult to maintain his composure, Piazza affirms that he relied on prayer to help keep him focused.

He claims, “I remember specifically on the first base line when I first heard the bagpipes and I started to cry, I was saying to myself, ‘Please God, let me execute and do my job. Please help me hold it together.’”

As we all know, Piazza held it together quite well and launched the go-ahead home run in the eighth inning—later known as the “Healing Power of a Swing.”

“I truly believe that was divine intervention; that was God, or at least the Holy Spirit, working through me to calm me down, let me execute and do my job,” said Piazza.

In the end, Piazza credits both his faith and his playing ability as the reason he’ll wind up in the Hall of Fame. While he said he would always honor his Dodger past, he claims the New York Mets hold a special place in his heart.

“Coming to New York was tumultuous the way it happened, but it was meant to be,” said Piazza.

After speaking to him and realizing what a generous and spiritual person he is, there’s one other thing that’s meant to be: Piazza entering the Hall of Fame in 2013 wearing a Mets cap.

Follow me on Twitter @JMMancari.

The Baseball Writers Association of America comprised of over 700 active members of the media working for newspapers, magazines and web sites, last week elected Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar to the Hall of Fame. Along with Blyleven and Alomar, former General Manager Pat Gillick, elected by the Veterans Committee, will be representing the class of 2011 for the Hall of Fame.

Over the next few years Major League Baseball will come to a crossroads where players from the “steroid era” will become eligible for the Hall. With Mark McGwire barely skimming 20% of votes, down from 22% last year, players who ended their careers clouded with accusations, insinuations and downright admissions of steroid use are making life for Hall voters less than simple.

Jayson Stark in a recent article illustrated his concern over being what he refers to as the “morality police” , when voting for the Hall.

I can understand where Stark is coming from. With the exception of actual courtroom Judges, most of us find the act of judging others to be a difficult proposition that we would do anything to avoid, yet here we are mouthing off and judging in places like this every day; ironic I know.  Maybe that’s a good thing that most of us are wary of casting judgement on others.  The last thing I would want is for someone to have some deep, burning, life long desire to become a judge.  To me it’s a position best appointed to and not sought after.

The core of the issue is two-fold, do players who have accumulated Hall of Fame type statistics over the span of their careers have to prove themselves innocent of PED use in the minds of the BBWAA voters?  Second, to what extent do PED’s have on physically enhancing the skills of a Major League Baseball player?

In the United States we are considered innocent until proven guilty, Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, and the burden of proof is on the accuser. While it is not strictly stated in our Constitution, it is however embodied in the 5th Amendment.

Now there have been those who have admitted to PED use such as McGwire and there have been others who have not but have been targets of Federal investigations involving PED distribution and lying under oath such as Bonds and Clemens.

The best way for MLB to come up with a fair and workable approach to this issue, especially when it comes to Hall of Fame voting, would be to assemble the brightest minds in Medicine – commissioned by Bud Selig – to determine to what extent PED’s have on the already existing skills of a Major League Baseball player.

While we all have speculated that steroids makes an average player good, a good player great and so on, we really haven’t had a definitive, medically supported and dissected view of this, at least not one sanctioned by MLB. The point being, not all players who have taken steroids have become Hall of Famers and not all Hall of Famers have taken steroids.

The BBWAA writers clearly would rather not be placed in a postion to judge players on issues indirectly connected to baseball.  Taking drugs – whether they are PED’s or not being one of the issues.  If a study can give them a somewhat difinitive answer on what effects steroids and other PED’s can have on a professional baseball player’s skill level, perhaps then the writers can vote not so much with a clear conscience but at least with the facts on their side.  It’s an idea that should be explored.  Unfortunately it seems like MLB has had it’s share of PED discussion and deems the current standards of player testing to be the answer to just about every question posed to them.

Here lies the great problem with that. Over the next few years we’re going to see many players become eligible for the Hall of Fame who have the PED stigma attached to them, rightly or wrongly. And like Stark mentioned in his article unless the public and the people who run the Hall of Fame are willing to accept empty podiums (i.e. empty wallets as well) then the course of action is to do nothing.

While many of us are tired of the steroid, PED talk, the fact remains that this issue isn’t going away and to remain ignorant to it or wish it away won’t change the storm that’s clearly on the horizon.

“Rapid Robert” won 266 games in 18 seasons all with the Indians, was once “clocked” at 104 mph. At the time, it was difficult to gauge how fast pitchers threw since Radar guns had yet to be invented.

I remember seeing video of Feller in his prime throwing a fastball with a man on a motorcycle zipping along side his pitch at over a hundred miles per hour. Feller’s fastball made it to the catchers mitt faster than the bike made it past the catcher.

He was a living legend and now belongs to the ages.

For a great re-cap of his career check out Tim Kurkjian’s article on ESPN the Magazine‘s web site.

Bob “Rapid-Robert” Feller

1918-2010

Mets still having trouble winning back-to-back games as they get killed by the Arizona Diamondbacks again, losing 14-1. The Mets were finally able to beat the D-Backs yesterday but the story was different today as the pitching, offense, and defense were all missing today. Once again the Mets make a pitcher they have never seen before, look like an ace. They have been doing this all season. The Mets just can’t seem to beat the Diamondbacks as they fall to only one game over .500 on the season.

Game Summary

In a day where former Mets players and managers were shrined into the Mets Hall-of-Fame, the current Mets players couldn’t keep the joyous moments alive. Jonathon Niese had his first poor start in what seemed like ages. He has been a solid number three pitcher for the Mets this season and was unfortunately beat up by those pesky D-Backs. he cruised through the first three innings but it all fell apart in the fourth inning. Jon Niese only pitched 4.1 innings. Gave up 7 runs – 6 earned – on 7 hits, two homeruns, three walks and a  wild pitch. He was able to strikeout two though. He receives his fifth lose of the season.

The bullpen wasn’t much help either. Elmer Dessens and Oliver Perez combined for 4.2 relief innings, giving up seven runs on nine hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Dessens also gave up two homeruns.

The pitching was terrible, but did the offense at least put up a fight? No. No they did not. They combined for only five hits and one lonely run.

The five hits came from Angel Pagan, Jesus Feliciano, Ike Davis, Carlos Beltran and Alex Cora who all had one hit each. The one run came from Ike Davis, who had a sac fly RBI in the fourth inning.

Guys who are supposed to be leading this team, Wright and Reyes, and guys who are supposed to be the future of this team, Thole, all had 0-3 games.

Not only was the pitching bad and the offense terrible, the defense wasn’t helpful either. Wright and Pagan both had an error on the day and Castillo messed up a play when he dropped the ball from a throw that could have gotten an out. Nothing was working for this team today.

Turning Point

Adam LaRoche had two three-run homeruns on the night in both the fourth and fifth inning.

Game Ball

Nobody was having a good day, so the game ball goes to Dwight Gooden, Frank Cashen, Davey Johnson and Darryl Strawberry who all enter the Mets Hall-of-Fame today.

Up Next

Johan Santana looks to rebound off of his poor start in his last outing as he begins game one of the three games series against the Braves on the road. Tim Hudson will pitch for the Braves as he looks for his 12th win of the season. Game time is 7:10 PM.

In one of the closest votes in Hall of Fame history, Dawson was named on 77.9% of the 539 ballots cast by the members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.  His 420 votes were fifteen more than the 405 needed to gain election into the Hall.  Dawson was the only player voted in by the BBWAA, as Bert Blyleven and former Met Roberto Alomar fell just short of baseball immortality.

Blyleven’s name was on 74.2% of the ballots (400 votes; five short of election) and Alomar was named on 73.7% of the ballots (397 votes; eight short of election).  No player receiving at least 70% of the vote has ever failed to eventually be elected into the Hall of Fame.

Dawson played 17 of his 21 seasons in the major leagues for the Montreal Expos and the Chicago Cubs, winning the 1977 NL Rookie of The Year Award for the Expos and the 1987 NL MVP Award for the Cubs.  He was a five-tool player who combined power, speed and a cannon for an arm.  Opposing pitchers feared him as did opposing baserunners, at least those who were smart enough not to try to take an extra base on him.  For his defensive excellence, Dawson earned eight Gold Glove Awards.  Offensively, very few hitters could compare to Dawson’s power-speed combination.  Only three players in baseball history have hit 400 HR while racking up 300 SB.  Those players are Barry Bonds (762 HR, 514 SB), Willie Mays (660 HR, 338 SB) and Andre Dawson (438 HR, 314 SB).

Perhaps the most well-known story about the Hawk, as Dawson was called, was how he gave Cubs GM (and former Mets manager) Dallas Green a blank contract so that he could play for the Cubs on natural grass after the artificial turf in Montreal had played havoc with his knees.  In 1987, while playing for only $500,000, Dawson had the best season of his career, leading the league with 49 HR and 137 RBI for the Cubs.  He won the MVP Award despite the fact that the Cubs finished in last place.

Numerous former Mets were also on the Hall of Fame ballot, led by the near-miss of Roberto Alomar.  Robbie was quite possibly the best second baseman of his generation.  He won ten Gold Gloves for his defensive excellence and was a 12-time All-Star.  Alomar retired at the relatively young age of 36, preventing him from reaching the coveted 3,000 hit plateau.  (He finished with 2,724.)  Other offensive highlights include a career .300 batting average, 1,508 runs scored, 210 HR and 474 SB.  He also helped his teams make the postseason seven times, winning two World Series rings with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993.

Unfortunately for the Mets and their fans, Alomar’s last good season was as a member of the Cleveland Indians in 2001, the year BEFORE he became a Met.  In his 1½ seasons in New York, Robbie only hit .265 with 13 HR and 22 SB, far below the offensive output expected of him.  His Gold Glove streak also ended once he came to the Mets, as did his streak of appearing in a dozen consecutive All-Star Games.

Four other former Mets were on the ballot, including Robin Ventura and Todd Zeile.  The others were the mostly-forgotten Kevin Appier and David Segui.  None of the four players received the minimum 5% of the votes required to remain on the Hall of Fame ballot for future consideration.  Ventura and Zeile, both members of the 2000 National League Champion Mets received seven votes and no votes, respectively.  Appier and Segui somehow each managed to get one voter to feel sorry for them.

Next year, two former Mets will make their first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot, as John Franco and John Olerud will be eligible for enshrinement.  Other first-timers with the best chances for election include Jeff Bagwell, Rafael Palmeiro, Larry Walker and Juan Gonzalez.  It will be interesting to see how Palmeiro does with the voters, considering that he tested positive after adamantly saying before Congress that he had never taken steroids…period.  However, he is one of the few players in baseball history with 3,000 hits and 500 HR.

So how do the readers feel about this year’s Hall of Fame vote?  Were you surprised that Alomar didn’t get elected on his first try?  Did you think Edgar Martinez (.312 career average, two batting titles, over 500 doubles, over 300 HR) was slighted because he was primarily used as a DH?  What about Barry Larkin?  Should he have gotten more attention from the voters?  Would you like to give the writer who voted for David Segui a drug test?  Who do you think will be elected in 2011?  The floor is all yours.  Talk amongst yourselves!

2B Roberto Alomar - An all-around threat in a 17-season career that included World Series championship years with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and ’93. Alomar won 10 Gold Glove Awards for fielding and was a career .300 hitter with 2,724 hits, combining power (210 home runs) and speed (474 stolen bases). Alomar, part of a major-league family (father Sandy and brother Sandy Jr.), was the MVP of the American League Championship Series in 1992 and the All-Star Game in 1998.

SS Barry Larkin – The National League MVP in 1995, spent his 19-season career with the Cincinnati Reds and won a World Series ring in 1990. A .295 hitter with 2,340 hits, including 198 home runs, Larkin won three Gold Gloves and was named to 12 All-Star teams.

1B Fred McGriff – Led the AL in home runs in 1989 for Toronto and the NL in 1992 for San Diego and finished with a career total of 493, tied with Lou Gehrig for 26th place all-time. McGriff, a .284 career hitter with 2,490 hits and 1,550 RBI, was the All-Star Game MVP in 1994 and batted .303 with 37 RBI in 50 post-season games winning a ring with the Atlanta Braves in 1995.

DH Edgar Martinez – For whom the AL Designated Hitter Award is now named, won batting titles in 1992 and 1995 with the Seattle Mariners, his only club over 18 seasons. Martinez compiled a career .312 average with 2,247 hits, 309 home runs among them. He drove in 1,261 runs and scored 1,219.

Other freshmen include pitchers Pat Hentgen, Kevin Appier, Mike Jackson and Shane Reynolds, and hitters Andres Galarraga, Todd Zeile, David Segui, Robin Ventura, Ellis Burks and Ray Lankford.

Players who carried over from last year’s ballot include pitchers Bert Blyleven, Jack Morris and Lee Smith, plus hitters Andre Dawson, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Tim Raines, Don Mattingly, Mark McGwire, Alan Trammell and Harold Baines.

Candidates may remain under consideration for up to 15 years provided they are named on at least five percent of the ballots cast.

According to the rules, those eligible to cast a ballot can vote for as many as ten players on one ballot. A player who who receives a vote on 75% of all ballots cast gains election to Cooperstown.

I read an interesting column by Newsday’s Ken Davidoff, who has decided to soften his stance and vote for Mark McGwire. I always felt that eventually McGwire would get in anyway, and I wonder if it could happen in 2010?

If I were one of those lucky enough to vote, my ballot would look like this.

1. Andre Dawson
2. Roberto Alomar
3. Barry Larkin
4. Edgar Martinez
5. Tim Raines

Just Missed – Bert Blyleven, Mark McGwire, Alan Trammell and Fred McGriff

Your thoughts?

Both players are well-deserving of baseball’s highest honor.  However, they were also key players in important Mets moments and without some of their accomplishments, the Mets history books might read quite differently.

Although Rickey Henderson played the majority of his productive seasons with the Oakland Athletics, he spent the 1999 season and part of the 2000 season with the Mets.  One can argue that 1999 was his last Rickey-like season in the majors, as he hit .315 with 89 runs scored, 12 HR and 37 stolen bases in only 121 games played.  He saved his best Mets moment for one of the biggest games in franchise history, the wild card play-in game in 1999 against the Cincinnati Reds.

The Mets had forced a one-game playoff with the Cincinnati Reds by erasing a two-game deficit with three games to play.  The Mets went into Cincinnati needing to win the play-in game to make their first postseason appearance in 11 years.  They needed to get off to a quick start to set the tone for the game.  Rickey Henderson made sure that happened.  He led off the game with a single and then scored on the ensuing two-run HR by Edgardo Alfonzo, giving Al Leiter a cushion before he even threw a pitch.

Henderson came through again in the fifth inning.  With the Mets holding on to a 3-0 lead, Rickey led off with a home run against accomplished train whistle impressionist Denny Neagle to give the Mets a four-run lead.  The Mets added another run in the sixth inning and Leiter did the rest, pitching a two-hit shutout as the Mets won 5-0 to clinch the wild card and advance to the NLDS in Arizona.

He continued his clutch performances in the NLDS against the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Whereas the defining moment of that series was the Todd Pratt series-clinching home run against Matt Mantei, Rickey’s contributions put the Mets in position to win a number of those games.  In the four games of the series, Rickey hit .400 (6 for 15) with five runs scored and an astonishing six stolen bases.  The Braves were able to keep him off the bases in the NLCS, but that did not diminish his contributions to the team for helping them get as far as they did.

Jim Rice never played for the Mets, but he did play against them in the 1986 World Series.  Rice hit the Mets well in the Fall Classic, batting .333 in the seven games.  However, in the critical Game 6, Rice made two key outs that were overlooked once the ball went through Bill Buckner’s legs.

In the seventh inning, the Red Sox had already taken a 3-2 lead against Roger McDowell and had Rice on second base when catcher Rich Gedman stepped up to the plate.  Gedman was able to get a base hit to left field and Rice rounded third attempting to score an insurance run.  However, Mookie Wilson played the hero for the first time in the game by throwing out Rice at the plate, keeping the Mets down by only one run.  They were able to tie the score in the eighth inning and send the game into the memorable tenth inning, which may never have happened had Mookie not thrown out Rice at home.

In the tenth inning, the Red Sox had once again taken the lead on the Mets.  However, this time it was a two-run lead.  They had put runners on first and second when Rice came up to hit.  Once again, Rice failed to help his team when he flied out to rightfielder Lee Mazzilli, stranding both runners.  We all know what happened in the bottom of the tenth inning.  How different would that inning have played out if Rice would have come through in the top of the inning?

Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice.  The outspoken leadoff hitter and the quiet slugger.  Although they were different off the field, they now share the honor of being inducted together into the hallowed Baseball Hall of Fame.  For Mets fans, they share something else.  They were both key components in some of the most special games in franchise history.  Thanks for the memories and congratulations to both of you on your well-deserved induction into the Hall of Fame.