To Jeff Wilpon The Mets Are Just A Laughing Matter…

That charming headline appeared in a May 29th Daily News article by the rabble-rousing Filip Bondy

You may remember that Jeff Wilpon showed up at Citi Field and made a rare public appearance during a pregame ceremony for Mariano Rivera, who threw out the first pitch, and eventually the last. That was the day that the Mets COO gave up on the season and let the future HOF closer know about it.

The title caught my eye like a mangled raccoon on Interstate 94, but as I wasn’t able to read it until days later. I tried to hold my preconceptions in check, but it looked like Jeff may have put his foot in his mouth again. Or maybe not… Here is what he actually said: “Wish we could see you in the World Series,” Wilpon told Rivera. “But I’m not sure that’s going to happen.”

For Mr. Bondy, this is tantamount to throwing in the towel, giving up, abandoning hope and tucking tail, only one problem … that’s not really what the words say. “I’m not sure that’s going to happen,” doesn’t mean it won’t … or can’t, or even will not … Correct me but don’t those words mean that Jeff WIlpon isn’t certain the 2013 Mets will make it to the World Series?

On what planet is this a revelation? Is this not what any rational person might say under the circumstances? Am I actually coming to Jeff Wilpon’s defense? What kind of warped alternate reality have I just stepped into? Cue the Twilight Zone music.

For Mr. Bondy these comments were outrageous, an affront to his own lofty standards for spirited competition. He never even thought about giving up when he was on the chess team back at the University of Wisconsin (Badgers never surrender!), or maybe it brings back all those ugly memories in H.S. when the jocks would make Filip cry “uncle” between an atomic wedgie and a swirlie. You may recall, this is the same “Flip” Bondy who spent a year in 2004 with the “Bleacher Creatures” in Yankee Stadium and who wrote the following in 2010 as he was gearing up to cover the ALCS:

“Ryan’s no-hitters aside, this ALCS represents one of sports’ great historical mismatches, 40 pennants versus zero. The Yanks should win this series just by throwing their pinstriped uniforms onto the  field and reading from a few pages of The Baseball Encyclopedia. If only Bud Selig would agree to waive a few silly postseason rules, the Bombers might send their Scranton/Wilkes-Barre roster to Arlington for the first couple of games, make this a fair fight.”

Of course the impossible to beat Yankees lost that series the same way they recently lost four games to the Mets, shocker.

Now lets pan back a little ways to 2008 and look at a different quote by a different NY Journalist.

“The Yankees are absolutely down two stars this season, Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui. They still have enough big names and big contracts in their batting order and that is why it is almost bewildering that, at this point in the season, it is so difficult picking an offensive MVP for them. Right now the closest to that, the player doing the job you expect him to do, is the guy hitting between Jeter and A-Rod, Bobby Abreu.”

“But the biggest offensive disappointment in town, as much of an under-producer as any big name or big ticket or big player either New York team has, is Carlos Beltran.”

The above  was written by Mike Lupica in August of 2008. Lupica never seemed to appreciate Beltran and it is believed his attacks may have had at least something to do with Carlos’ brief media blackout after his difficult first year in NY. To read Lupica on Beltran you’d think the guy slept with his wife or stole his lunch money or failed to treat him with the customary reverence media royalty demand. I never quite understood the unceasing vitriol directed at a guy who by all accounts was a great player (the best center-fielder the Mets have ever had) and a decent human being.

Maybe Lupica was upset that Beltran didn’t end up in pinstripes? Who knows. Maybe Beltran brushed past Lupica in the clubhouse on his way to the restroom just as Mike was trying to ask a question? Hard to say, but, beyond the questionable beef stir-fry at the player’s buffet, what was clear was the one man campaign Lupica went on to try and destroy an athlete’s reputation. None of the accusations that Lupica leveled against Carlos were true, not the selfishness, or the lack of leadership, or the absence of passion, or the surly listlessness, in fact, to anyone who knew Beltran and had actually watched him play, they were categorically false.

Or how about Lupica lumping Beltran in with Castillo and Perez (two bonafide lumps) during the whole Walter Reed fiasco, even though Beltran had a more than legitimate reason than them not to attend? This didn’t prevent Lupica from throwing in a nasty little innuendo:

“All athletes worry about their next contracts when they get close to the end of their current ones. It is why Beltran wanted to get back on the field, even in his current diminished capacity, hoping he would look better than he has before his walk year, worried about what happens to him when he comes to the end of his $100 million contract a year from now.”

Lupica once called Beltran “as much of a free-agent disappointment as any big hire the Yankees or Mets have ever made.” Remember, this is a guy who had a 7.5 WAR in 2006 (only Pujols had a higher WAR a 5.1 WAR in 2007, and a 7.1 WAR in 2008 and who by almost any and all measures more than earned his salary over the course of his contract. Carlos remains one of the greatest players ever to put on a Mets uniform, and this is how he is treated? Unbelievable you say?

How about Murray Chass and Mike Piazza? One man’s tenacious obsession with another man’s back acne may very well have resulted in Piazza not entering the hall as a first ballot inductee. The personal and relentless focus on one of New York’s good guys was weird and creepy, and for what? In the end it seemed Murray’s one man witch hunt was more about Chass demonstrating the power of his pen and less about the ethics of PED use. Chass had this to say in a recent post on his blog following this last ill-fated HOF vote.

“When I worked for The New York Times, I tried more than once to write about Piazza and steroids, but the baseball editor said I couldn’t because his name hadn’t been linked to steroids. I can link his name to steroids, I countered, but I had to wait until I started this Web site to talk about Piazza’s acne-covered back, a generally accepted telltale sign of steroids use.”

Didn’t matter that the accusations were largely based on one observation of some acne which may very well have been caused by Mike’s chest protector straps. Didn’t matter that Piazza had an on and off again history of problems with acne since High School, nope, all that mattered was that Chass was certain that Piazza was a roider, judge jury and executioner.

Lets go even further back in our little insidious chronology to February 1977 when Tom Seaver blasted M. Donald Grant for not doing more to improve the team. Later that summer, with a contract agreed upon in principle on the table, Seaver called Grant and demanded a trade after an article by Dick Young came out in which Young commented:

“Nolan Ryan is getting more [salary] now than Seaver, and that galls Tom because Nancy Seaver and Ruth Ryan are very friendly and Tom Seaver long has treated Nolan Ryan like a little brother.”

For Seaver the personal nature of the comment was “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” he would not tolerate his family being dragged into the fray. Young faced numerous conflict of interest allegations in the press and was vilified by the fans who were aware of his close ties to Grant and McDonald, and the fact that his son-in-law worked for the Met front office.

The day after the trade, in a rare direct assault on a fellow member of the press, Maury Allen of the New York Post responded, “It is Young who forced the deal, who urged Grant on, who participated strongly in the unmaking of Tom Seaver as a Met.”

The wolf spider is known for a particularly peculiar practice, they will very often devour their own young.

You can’t walk into the Met clubhouse without feeling it. The tension is thick and palpable. I couldn’t help notice on the occasions when I was present that there was visible consternation among many Mets players at having to negotiate the press gauntlet, starting most prominently with Terry Collins who seemed acutely agitated and perturbed — even after a win. It was painfully obvious that this team did not like or trust the press. Their words were measured, their inflection flat, their demeanor extremely guarded.

I’m not saying the N.Y. Press should act like a bunch of obsequious homers pandering to a less than informed home crowd as you might see in some other cities. I’m not saying they shouldn’t continue to hold athletes who play in N.Y. to a higher standard. N.Y. is a tough place and New York’s news-media establishment is the one of the most prestigious in the world. If you can make it in N.Y. right? But there’s a difference between holding players to a higher standard and petty character assassinations.

When you contemplate the ubiquitous nature of the N.Y. media, the brightness of the big city spotlight, and the intensity of the fan base, playing in N.Y. is hard enough, we don’t have to make it any harder by subjecting these kids to the megalomaniac rants of self-declared kingmakers holding who knows what grudges against an organization and it’s players. Bondy has openly admitted his dislike of the Mets dating back to 1969 when they dashed his Cubs’ hopes. Seriously? He’s upset because the Cubs lost? That’s like holding a grudge against a bear for pooping in the woods.

It’s hard enough to play in the Major Leagues and it’s hard enough to do so in New York, but when the press becomes it’s own story, adding to an increasingly difficult set of hurdles that young often foreign born players have to overcome, you almost get the sense they are spiting their own just for the hell of it, because they can, and because negativity sells. Circling like sharks at the slightest inkling of controversy ready to destroy lives and careers because they believe it to be within their purview and part of the dog-eat-dog terrain. Meanness for the sake of meanness. Whatever it takes to break a story or make a mark.

I enjoyed stopping by his locker to shoot the breeze for a minute or two, talking about things other than baseball. Very smart, clever and possessing an insight on numerous issues. When there was the inevitable blow up or moment of absurdity, Ventura was always there to put it into perspective with a quip as short and hard-hitting as his swing.

Once I asked him about his fight with Nolan Ryan, and his response was he knew he had made a mistake halfway out to the mound, but couldn’t turn around. You’ll even notice in the video he slowed down.

Was it an embarrassing moment? Yes, but years later he handled it with humor. He even joined with Ryan to autograph photos of the brawl.

When I covered the Orioles and he was with the White Sox, I’d make time to go over to his clubhouse for a few moments. He was accessible to anybody who would take the time to ask a question.

I am sure there will be a lot of questions for Ventura pre-game tonight when he brings his White Sox into town. There will be rehashing about his time with the Mets and Yankees, about being in New York during September 11 and what he remembers about Mike Piazza’s homer the first game back in the city.

He’ll also get a question or four about his grand-slam single against the Braves in the 1999 playoffs.

That night is one of the greatest team displays of enthusiasm outside of winning a championship I have ever seen. That, and I suppose, the Piazza post 9-11 homer. Both were amazing to watch.

Ventura wasn’t a five-tool player, but was consistent and clutch. With a runner in scoring position you wanted him at the plate because he’d usually make contact.

Ventura was a .267 lifetime hitter and only once hit over .300, that being .301 in 1999, his first season with the Mets. Considering his 66-game hitting streak in college, I always wondered if he thought he should have hit for a higher average. He also hit 32 homers with a career-high 120 RBI in his first year with the Mets.

What the Mets wouldn’t give for a player with that production now.

Ventura had three solid years with the Mets, who, during that span had arguably one of the best defensive infields in history. Few balls got by Ventura, Rey Ordonez, Edgardo Alfonzo and John Olerud.

Both Olerud and Ventura would later play for the Yankees. When they left the Yankees, I believed I’d see both again managing in a major league dugout. I’m still waiting on Olerud.

NYC Blackout Shuts Out Shea In 1977

It had been a sweltering hot summer in NY, so hot that my dad and I had taken to sitting out in the backyard to listen to the games.  It was July 13, 1977, and the Mets were playing the Cubs. They were losing 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth in spite of  an 11-strikeout effort by Jerry Koosman. We were eating watermelon and cheese. I remember spitting watermelon seeds out towards the tomato plants occasionally bouncing a seed off the big red tomatoes hanging from the vines.

Jerry Koosman, who had always been good, had never been Tom Seaver great. If we went to a game and Koosman was pitching it was like getting almost what you wanted for Christmas, like getting a pair of Pro-Keds instead of the Converse hightops you had your eye on … I was 12, what did I know? I’d been spoiled by one of the greatest ever to pitch off a mound and I was still reeling from having lost my all-time favorite NY Met. With Seaver gone, you’d think I would have grown to appreciate Koosman’s ability, but it was just the opposite. I grew to resent Koosman even more because he wasn’t Tom Seaver. Koosman became something like a bad imitation, an imitation that offered no consolation when the real thing ended up being taken away forever.

So we listened to the game and swatted mosquitoes and ate watermelon and sharp Greek cheeses. My mom and my sister weren’t home because my sister was in class over at Queens College and my mom had taken the car to go pick her up. Normally my sister would take the bus, but lately my mom had become so worried about this .44 caliber killer the tabloids had tabbed “Son of Sam,” that she’d taken to driving her out and picking her up every night.

My sister also happened to be a long-haired brunette which apparently was a favorite target of this particular psycho. Anyway, we’re listening with Lenny Randle at the plate and Ray Burris pitching and suddenly there’s a roar in the crowd and Lindsey Nelson starts going on about the lights going out in the stadium and just as I was explaining to my Dad that the lights had gone out (he had a hard time with any English vocabulary that wasn’t specific to his remarkably complete baseball lexicon – he even knew what a balk was) the radio went dead. It didn’t hit us at first because there weren’t any lights in the backyard, so we were just kind of staring at the radio wondering what happened. Then we heard the yelling and screaming from all around us and realized the lights had gone out, all the lights, everywhere.
It was becoming a long night as we sat in the hot kitchen lit only with a few old Easter candles while my dad paced back and forth chain-smoking. We were waiting for my mom and sister to get home. We had no idea where they were or how they’d get back in the dark. Eventually they did manage to get home without getting shot or looted, well past 11:00 PM. We were just happy to be together and safe.

My sister later explained that Mom had pretty much driven the entire way never exceeding 15 miles per hour with the windows up and never coming to a full stop. We ended up laughing a little as my parents fretted about spoiled cheese and melted butter at the store (my family owned a small deli on Roosevelt Ave.), and after a while we didn’t even mind the dark so much as we drifted off to bed. The noise of the increasingly more distant and sporadic yelling continued to waft through our open windows throughout the night with my dad keeping a quiet vigil at the front of the house, guarding from whatever chaos might happen by.

My friend Andy from across the street who was three years my elder was at the game that night with his cousins. He told me all about it the following day the same way he’d retell rated R movies scene for scene, word for word. I’ll never forget listening to him recite Jaws in all it’s gory and suspenseful detail, I swear it took longer for him to retell the movie than the movie itself. It took him a week to finish the Exorcist.

Anyway he explained how they didn’t realize it was a city-wide blackout until they were filing out and heard from people who’d been in the upper decks that the entire grid was black. He described the strange scene on the field as the players drove their cars onto the outfield grass with their headlights on and mimed infield practice to entertain the fans while the organist played Christmas music. Emergency generators lit up parts of the the stands but many of the halls and corridors were pitch black. Eventually they tired of waiting and slowly made their way out. They ended up walking the entire way back to 98th street, Corona.

Thinking back to that summer I can’t imagine a more fitting metaphor to losing the Franchise, Tom Seaver, than being left dumbfounded in the dark with a dead radio in the middle of a game. They’d turned the lights out on us and herded us into the pitch-black unknown. I’ll never forget the front page of the Daily News, “Seaver to Reds; Kingman to S.D.” We couldn’t make any sense of it. I read the paper to my dad and we concluded it was all about money, but I was way too young to understand anything about free agency or renegotiating contracts or personal pride.

What precipitated the split was the new Collective Bargaining Agreement that was signed on July 12, 1976. It was the beginning of free agency. Only four months earlier, the Mets had signed Seaver to a three-year, $675,000 contract, and he was, at that time, baseball’s highest paid pitcher.

Later that winter as the first batch of free agents cashed in with players signing million dollar contracts (even Nolan Ryan ended up making more than Seaver as Gene Autry offered him a 300,000 dollar base salary in lieu of Nolan’s impending free agency), Seaver wanted to renegotiate. But the bitter pill for fans came after the realization that there was actually a renegotiated contract in place that would have kept Seaver in Queens when a story by Dick Young appeared in the Daily News describing how Nancy Seaver was jealous of the Ryans.

That was it for Tom Terrific, he wanted out and he got his way.  None of the participants, not Seaver, not Grant, not Young, not even Nancy, ever stopped to consider that their actions would leave some kid out in Queens very much … in the dark … eating cheese, and spitting watermelon seeds.

Updated 12:15 PM

David Wright on Wednesday joined New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Mets favorites in kicking off this year’s All-Star Game festivities at City Hall, with less than three months to go before the Midsummer Classic at Citi Field.

Wright was named Major League Baseball’s official spokesman for the T-Mobile All-Star FanFest, to be held at the Jacob K. Javits Center from July 12-16, while former Mets Edgardo Alfonzo, John Franco and Mookie Wilson were anointed All-Star ambassadors.

“All-Star FanFest is the world’s largest baseball fan event and is a great experience for the whole family,” Wright said in a statement. “Just like New York City, FanFest has something for everyone, and I am proud to be a part of the home team as we host this exciting event.”

As FanFest’s official spokesperson, Wright will help to generate public awareness for the event and make appearances in support of it. Alfonzo, Franco and Wilson, meanwhile, will take part in an array of All-Star events leading up to and throughout MLB All-Star Week.

Some attractions include:

• The Diamond - Located at the center of T-Mobile All-Star FanFest, this attraction features daily clinics and appearances by MLB players, managers and other experts. Past appearances have included George Brett, Tony Gwynn, Torii Hunter, Derek Jeter, Cal Ripken, Jr. and many other MLB greats
• Legends Autograph Program - Free autographs from Hall of Famers and MLB legends. Players such as Andre Dawson, Rollie Fingers, Ferguson Jenkins and Juan Marichal have previously signed for fans at T-Mobile All-Star FanFest
• National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum - Take a stroll through Baseball’s glorious past and experience the history of the national pastime with one of the largest collections of artifacts on loan from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown
• The Negro Leagues - A compelling visual journey back in time, the Negro Leagues attraction brings to life the heroic history of some of the game’s proudest and most talented players
• Hometown Heroes - Hometown Heroes showcases the New York Mets history, roots in the community and promise for the future
• World’s Largest Baseball - What better way to welcome families to the largest baseball fan event in the world than with the World’s Largest Baseball? The signature white leather, red-laced ball measures 12 feet in diameter and features the signatures of baseball greats such as Hank Aaron, Rod Carew, Derek Jeter, Nolan Ryan, Ozzie Smith and Ted Williams

The All-Star Game will return to Queens this summer for the first time since 1964, when the Mets hosted it during Shea Stadium’s inaugural season. New York City has played host to the Midsummer Classic eight times, most recently at the old Yankee Stadium in 2008.

Citi Field opened in 2009 after more than a decade of planning and construction; its completion coincided with the demolition of Shea Stadium, which the Mets called home for 45 seasons. Owner Fred Wilpon recently called the All-Star Game a chance to “show off the ballpark,” which was constructed to resemble old Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.

New York City has hosted the All-Star Game nine times, but this year’s game will be the first in Queens since 1964. New York last hosted the Midsummer Classic in 2008 at old Yankee Stadium.

Including the space in 54 luxury boxes, six clubs and restaurants, Citi Field can hold up to 41,922 fans at maximum capacity. Opened in 2009, the ballpark is within steps of the Citi Field-Willets Point stop on the New York City subway’s elevated No. 7 line.

Everytime I watch Matt Harvey pitch, those words come to mind and it’s not just me. It’s become the Mets Meme on Twitter every time Harvey pitches. It’s brought up mockingly when you’re watching the game with other fans. Who knows, maybe those words give Matt Harvey a little extra motivation to prove SNY’s Matthew Cerrone wrong when he wrote back on March 8, “My bet is Harvey never wins a Cy Young.”

I take a little added joy whenever Harvey goes out and delivers like he did last night in the Mets 7-1 victory over the Nationals. He was a warrior. It was a marquee matchup between two of baseball’s pitching elite; Matt Harvey vs Stephen Strasburg, and at least on this particular night, Harvey delivered the knockout blow. It was a roundhouse punch straight to the jaw of all those who doubted him.

Harvey is currently the best pitcher in the National League and perhaps the entire game. In just his first full season, he is 4-0 with a 0.93 ERA. He has allowed 10 hits in his four starts. The only Met pitchers with more strikeouts in their first 14 games than Harvey’s 102 Ks are Dwight Gooden and Nolan Ryan. Gooden, by the way, may just be Matt Harvey’s biggest fan. He watches every game, tweets about him before, during and after every start, and even tagged him “The Real Deal. He should know.

Gary Cohen said during the SNY broadcast, that last night at Citi Field was the best atmosphere at a Mets game he’s felt since Johan Santana‘s performance on September 27, 2008. That was the game that kept the Mets season alive for one more day, and was to me his greatest moment as a Met. Because of the significance of that game, it was greater still than his no-hitter.

Last night at Citi Field there was a vibe that I haven’t felt in many, many years. There were a ton of empty seats to be sure, but you wouldn’t know it by the fan’s noise level and the cheers that drowned out anything Gary, Keith and Ron had to say. There was some old-fashioned magic in the air and if you didn’t feel it then you may want to consider your inner Mets fandom.

Matt Harvey reminded me of those nights when Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden would electrify the crowd. Their mere presence gave us hope that the night would be magical and that we were all in store for a special treat. Those two names are iconic symbols whenever you talk about Mets pitching royalty. Those two have won their share of Cy Youngs.

As I wrote back on March 8 in response to the decree by SNY’s Blogfather, “Matt Harvey will have his Cy Youngs. One day he will be remembered along with Seaver and Gooden as the greatest pitchers ever to don a Met uniform.”

So, will Matt Harvey ever win a Cy Young? You bet your ass he will, and his first Cy Young may come as soon as this season. The first of many.

Last night’s duel over Stephen Strasburg had a very loud, clear, and convincing message attached to it. Last night, Matt Harvey put the National League and all of baseball on notice. Harvey is, as Doctor K plainly put it, The Real Deal. Put away any lingering doubts.

Hours after being named MMO Player of the Week, Mets right-hander Matt Harvey was named the National League Player of the Week this afternoon by MLB.

Harvey fashioned a 2-0 record and 1.20 ERA last week, and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Twins on Saturday. Through three starts this season, the 24-year-old has yielded only six hits in 22 innings, while striking out 25 and walking only six. He is the first pitcher since 1900 to win each of his first three starts of a season with at least that many strikeouts and that few hits allowed, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

In his first outing last week, Harvey outdueled Phillies veteran Roy Halladay, as the youngster limited Philadelphia to one run on three hits in seven innings. Five days later, Harvey held Minnesota to one run on two hits in eight frames.

Harvey is the first Mets pitcher to earn NL Player of the Week honors since Johan Santana accomplished the feat on June 3, 2012, two days after the southpaw tossed the first no-hitter in franchise history.

Original Post at 12:00 PM

MATT HARVEY, RHP

MMO PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Is anybody else beginning to think we might have something really special in Matt Harvey? I think Dwight Gooden put it best, when he said in a tweet that the hurler’s nickname should be Matt “The Real Deal” Harvey. I think that is an awesome nickname, and I hope it sticks. Gooden wasn’t the only one to praise the big righty recently. Tampa Bay Rays ace David Price recently tweeted that “Matt Harvey is my new favorite pitcher outside of current and former teammates!! He’s nasty.”

The 24-year-old made my choice for MMO POTW an easy one, as he had one of the most dominating weeks for a Mets pitcher in recent memory. Harvey fired 15 innings over his two starts, including taking a no-hit bid into the seventh inning against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. Over his 15 innings of work, he mowed down 15 batters, gave up just four hits, and had an ERA of 1.20 with a record of 2-0.

With Harvey dominating his opponents the way he has through his first three starts, here are some interesting stats.

• Harvey is the first Mets pitcher to begin a season allowing no more than one run in any of his first three starts since Al Leiter in 2004.
• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Harvey is the first pitcher in modern major league history (since 1900) to win each of his first three starts of a season, with at least 25 strikeouts and six or fewer hits allowed over those three games.
• Joe D. noted on Saturday, that he is only the third pitcher since the end of World War II to open a season with three straight starts of seven-plus innings and three or fewer hits allowed, joining Nolan Ryan and Jim Rooker as the only other pitchers to perform that feat, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Prior to Gooden’s tweet anointing Harvey “The Real Deal, I had been using the same words to describe his performances, and obviously I wasn’t alone. I even asked a couple of fellow MMO writers if they were getting goose bumps watching this kid pitch as I was. The last time I remember being this excited about a player the Mets brought up, was when Jose Reyes and David Wright made their debuts.

It’s been a long time coming for Mets fans to feast their eyes on a pitcher of Matt Harvey‘s potential and skill set. He has shown himself to be a dominating power pitcher, who is not afraid to pitch inside. The kid is a homegrown player who has all the makings of being the next Mets ace, something Mets fans have long been asking for.

Honorable Mention

The legend of John Buck continues to grow in Flushing, and if it wasn’t for the dominating performance of Harvey, would have been selected for a second consecutive MMO Player Of The Week honor. The Mets backstop has virtually carried the Mets on his back offensively for the first two weeks of the season. The pitchers love throwing to him, the hitters love getting on in front of him and the fans are getting to watch a performance of historic proportions.

Buck batted just .238/.238/.810 during his second week as a Met, but when he made contact, he crushed the ball.  The veteran hit a home run in four consecutive games (April 8-12), a feat that had not been done since David Wright did it in 2007. Richard Hidalgo holds the Mets franchise record with a home run in five consecutive games in July of 2004. Buck ended the week with four home runs, drove in 10 runs and scored five, but failed to draw a walk.

As Joe D. pointed out in his post on Saturday, Buck has entered rarefied air with his staggering RBI totals to start the season.

Buck hit six home runs through the first 10 games of the season, which is the second-most in team history behind Dave Kingman‘s seven home runs through 10 games in 1976. He did not hit his sixth home run of the season last year until June 24 (52 games) and did not drive in his 19th run of the season until June 27 (55 games). The veterans six home runs are more than all of the Mets catchers combined during the 2012 season.

Other Noteworthy Players

Daniel Murphy

David Wright

Murphy had a great week batting .500/.522/.750 with five RBI and five doubles. He seems to have settled nicely into the two hole, and should continue to see good pitches in front of David Wright. The captain had a .286/.348/.476 slash line, with six RBI, two doubles and a triple. It was a nice improvement in the run production department, as he had only had one extra base hit and three RBI during the first week. The Mets have been getting great production from Buck, but they need Wright to start to drive the ball, as he has yet to hit a home run yet this season.

Player Of The Week Scoreboard

T1. John Buck – 1

T1. Matt Harvey – 1

Last night, former Mets’ righthander Dwight Gooden tossed out the idea of coming up with a nickname for current great righthander Matt Harvey. Doctor K suggested we go with Matt “The Real Deal” Harvey.

As is usually the case when I get inspired, I immediately took to Photoshop and went straight to work and this is what I came up with.

Hey Matt… This one’s for you….

MATT-TASTIC!

Matt Harvey hurled a career-high 8.0 innings yesterday and did not allow a hit until Justin Morneau slugged a solo home run with two outs in the seventh inning. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Harvey is the first pitcher in modern major league history (since 1900) to win each of his first three starts of a season, with at least 25 strikeouts and six or fewer hits allowed over those three games.

Harvey now has 95 strikeouts through his first 13 career starts, the third-most in team history after 13 games. He trails only Nolan Ryan (103) and Dwight Gooden (96). Harvey’s 25 strikeouts this season are tied for the fourth-most in the majors.

Additionally, Harvey became only the third pitcher since the end of World War II to open a season with three straight starts of seven-plus innings and three or fewer hits allowed, joining Nolan Ryan and Jim Rooker as the only other pitchers to perform that feat, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

WOO HOO! On Saturday, MMO smashed it’s all time single day record for unique visitors and hits! Exactly 20,345 different users visited our site yesterday and we had over 1.2 million hits. Of course, our Sandy Alderson interview being on ESPN, FOX Sports, Yahoo Sports, MetsBlog and even a few mentions on WFAN, sure didn’t hurt! Whatever it takes… Thanks everyone!

What a game by Matt Harvey last night, and if you missed our interview with him on Monday, you should check it out. As we stated last night, this is exactly what aces are supposed to do.

The young right-hander went 7.0 innings and surrendered one hit last night, tied for the fewest he’s allowed in a single game in his career. He also went 7.0 innings and allowed
one hit on September 19 vs. Philadelphia.

Harvey was brilliant and it wasn’t unexpected either. Those of us who count ourselves among his steadfast supporters know fully well what he have in Harvey. If it walks like an ace, and talks like an ace, then it must be an ace.

After his stellar performance last night, Harvey joined Dwight Gooden and Nolan Ryan as the only Mets pitchers ever to have three, ten strikeout games in their first 11 appearances in the majors.

“He pitched an absolutely — under the circumstances — unbelievable game,” Terry Collins said after the game. “You walk out and you grab that baseball in that kind of weather, it feels like a cue ball. The fact that he commanded his stuff as well as he did is impressive.”

What’s more amazing about Harvey is how his incredible achievements are wowing other pitchers both past and present. He’s quickly rocketing his way to superstar status in the majors.

Matt Harvey is my new favorite pitcher outside of current and former teammates!! He’s nasty

— David Price (@DAVIDprice14) April 4, 2013

Matt Harvey…. Wow

— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) April 4, 2013

The victory last night was the first of Harvey’s career at Citi Field, and he became the fourth Mets pitcher to register at least 80 strikeouts in his first 11 starts with the team, joining Pedro Martinez, Dwight Gooden and Nolan Ryan.

“Today it was the fastball,’’ Harvey said of what was working. “I threw some good sliders when I needed and I threw my change-up in timely counts. … I said all spring training I wanted to pound the zone and I wasn’t about to let the cold affect me.’’

“Matt Harvey will never win a Cy Young”- @matthewcerrone Hey Matt I think @mattharvey33 just told you to shove it last night.

— Gary Palumbo (@SaltyGary) April 4, 2013

I’m feeling so much better about my counter piece to MetsBlog that essentially said @mattharvey33 WILL win a Cy Young in his career! LGM!

— Mets Merized Online (@MetsMerized) April 4, 2013

Noah Syndergaard knows he has all eyes on him. By June 16, Syndergaard could find himself as the crown jewel and No. 1 prospect for the Mets if Travis d’Arnaud and Zack Wheeler are called up to the show. The Mets boast a young crop of power pitching right-handers that include the likes of Rafael Montero, Luis Mateo and Domingo Tapia. Once Wheeler is promoted, at the top of that list of names will read Noah Syndergaard.

Syndergaard is a tall and imposing figure on the mound, standing in at 6’5″ and looking the part of a true presence. I had the chance to watch a bullpen session on Syndergaard and love what I see. His mechanics are effortless and the ball explodes out of his hand (High 90s fastball). His changeup is excellent, and while there have been some knocks on his curveball in the past, it looks like it is developing nicely. This kid is the goods.

Milb.com recently sat down with the former first round pick, and here are some highlights from the discussion they had with Syndergaard where they talk about how he felt when he heard he was traded, and of course, his curveball:

MiLB.com: So your first Spring Training with the Mets is just about over — how different was it as compared to your previous two with the Blue Jays?

Noah Syndergaard: It’s not that much different, some minor things here and there — the instructors and goals — but it’s still the same.

MiLB.com: How shocked were you when you heard you’d been traded — in a deal for the reigning Cy Young Award winner, no less?

Syndergaard: I was pretty shocked. I went to bed the previous night before the rumors started and I thought it would just be Anthony Gose and [Travis] d’Arnaud. And the next afternoon I saw my name was in the mix. I called my agent, he said it’s probably just a rumor. About 30 minutes later, he texted me and said, “It might go down.” A couple days after that, I got the call that they’d traded me. It was pretty exciting to be traded for a Cy Young winner.

MiLB.com: You told us a year ago that you modeled yourself after Nolan Ryan growing up. A little before your time, but was he your favorite player? Have you ever met him?

Syndergaard: Never met him. I don’t know who my favorite player is. I always followed the Rangers, and Josh Beckett would be one of them. But Ryan, I never saw him pitch.

MiLB.com: Where are your off-speed pitches at coming into Opening Day? Are you confident with your curveball and slider after working on things this Spring?

Syndergaard: Yeah, definitely, my curveball was really good today. It’s felt good in my bullpens — it’s a lot better than it was last year in the beginning of the season — so it’s a plus pitch for me right now, a strikeout pitch.

MiLB.com: What’s your mind-set on the mound? Can you hear the fans and the dugout and the hot dog vendors, or is that level of focus something you think all pitchers have to work on?

Syndergaard: I’m able to tune things out pretty well. When I was in school, my mom would ask me if I could hear yelling and I said, “I’ve never heard you once from the stands.” The other day, when I was throwing my live BP, I didn’t notice anything but the catcher.

MiLB.com: Do you feel like you’ve had any pressure being a first-round pick? Or now after being traded for R.A. Dickey?

Syndergaard: Kinda, not much as a first-round pick, but definitely being traded for a Cy Young winner. Hopefully, I can live up to the potential.

MiLB.com: When do you see yourself getting to New York? I know guys like to deflect the timetables back to the player development folks, but do you feel like you’re a year or so away?

Syndergaard: I would say I’m probably two years away, I’m guessing. But it’s whatever the organization decides. I’ve never been to New York.

You can read the interview in it’s entirety here.

You have to love that the kid recognizes that he has the spotlight on him and that he can deal with the weight of those very high expectations. Former first round pick, traded for the N.L. Cy Young Award winner, plays for an organization where the city (and media) never sleeps, and is the heir apparent to being the No 1. prospect of that same organization… Piece of cake…

A pair of Chicago Cubs centerfielders, Jimmy Qualls (1969) and Joe Wallis (1975), stole two of Tom Seaver’s early bids for a no-hitter. One year after being traded from New York to Cincinnati, Seaver threw a no-hitter for the Reds. Nolan Ryan never pitched a no-hitter – as a New York Met – but after being traded to the California Angels in 1971 he nudged Mets fans every couple years, throwing seven no-hitters.

“Every time he pitched you expected a no-hitter – or 15 strikeouts,” said Jay Horwitz, Mets VP/Public Relations, referring to Dwight Gooden.

In May 1996, Gooden tossed the only no-hitter of his career – as a member of the New York Yankees. Even Duffy Dyer had to leave the New York Mets to catch his first no-hitter (John Candelaria, Pittsburgh, 1975), 11 years before Josh Thole was born.

Four years later, in 2000, amidst a slow start and turmoil over comments Mets manager Bobby Valentine made during a speech at Penn’s Wharton School of Business, Mets ace Al Leiter attempted to lighten the mood. “I think I’m going to have to throw a no-hitter today to get the back page in New York with all the stuff going on,” he said. Starting against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the road, Leiter surrendered a second-inning lead-off home run to Wil Cordero, crushing the hopes and promise of the first-ever Mets no-hitter.

John Maine was on the brink, again, in 2007, until Florida Marlins catcher light-hitting catcher Paul Hoover reached on an infield single with two outs in the eighth inning. Maine settled for a one-hit, complete game shutout but, again, hopes of a no-hitter were dashed.

There were other close calls before, after and in between those chronicled here, but you get the idea. The New York Mets avoided no-hitters for a half-century. It was baffling at times. How could the pitching-rich Mets not have a no-hitter?

Seaver, Ryan, Gooden, Leiter, Jerry Koosman, Jon Matlack, Craig Swan, Ron Darling, Sid Fernandez, David Cone, Mike Hampton, Bret Saberhagen, Frank Viola, Bob Ojeda, Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine; over 50 years of baseball the stars never aligned, not for a single summer’s night, for Steve Trachsel, George Stone, Rick Reed, Bobby Jones, Orlando Hernandez, Dave Mlicki, Pete Harnisch, Pete Falcone or Pat Zachry? No, no and no. Game after game, season after season the Mets were denied.

To blunt the pain and frustration, Mets fans turned the no-hit quest into a punchline. On any given night during the season a Mets fan could grab their smartphone, tap the Twitter icon and wait for [insert pitcher’s name here] to give up the first hit of the game which, inevitably, led to a tweet along the lines of:

Well, not tonight #Mets fans. That’s 7,952 games without a no-hitter.

So, on June 1, 2012, when Johan Santana became the first pitcher in Mets team history to throw a no-hitter, fans celebrated. I celebrated. In fact, the New York Daily News and New York Post back pages hang on my office wall. It was a big deal. But that’s where the road forks for me and many Mets fans.

Last week, amidst controversy over Santana’s health, Mets blogger Ted Berg tweeted:

Johan Santana returned from career-threatening surgery and pitched the first Mets no-hitter. He could show up 300 lbs. and he’d still be my hero.

Thirty-five people re-tweeted the post. I am not sure if the reaction was a symbol of support or fans just wanted to share his message with the baseball world. Either way, I disagree. Yes, I was amazed by Santana’s drive to come back and perform like the two-time Cy Young Award winner he once was with the Minnesota Twins. No, Santana should not be labeled a hero for one game.

SNY’s Chris Carlin dished out a portion of these stats on Twitter, to which another Mets fan replied:

Fair, for first no-hitter in Mets history.

Fair? Really? This is a sad – and misguided – statement.

When the Mets traded six players for Santana in 2008 they also agreed to sign him to a six-year, $101.5 million contract. Since then, he’s made 109 regular season starts, winning 46 games. He’s earned over $900,000/start in New York, or, $2.2 million per win. He missed all of the 2011 season and one-half of the 2012 season (because of the wear and tear he put on his arm pitching the no-hitter).

Remember the day you heard the news that the Mets had finally acquired Santana from the Twins? I do. Expectations were high. After the crushing collapse at the end of the 2007 season, Santana symbolized a renewed hope that 2008 would be different. Of course, it wasn’t. The point is: Santana was going to help the Mets win; a division, a league championship, maybe a World Series. You did believe that, then, right?

Hypothetically, would you give back the no-hitter if the Mets could have had a healthy Johan Santana in July, August and September? I would. I am of the mindset that winning baseball games, not pitching no-hitters or breaking records, is the goal. I am most happy when the Mets are winning. It doesn’t matter how, but if the Mets win.

Let’s face it, Santana’s not coming back after the 2013 season (if he’s not traded earlier). Over five seasons in New York he’s been closer to a disappointment than hero. Call me naive, but I expected more than one no-hitter from Santana, but thanks for the memory (singular).

Read more of my thoughts on baseball at JohnStrubel.com.

It is too soon to say much definitive about Terry Collins’ 2013 Mets other than it has the makings of a long year. Twice yesterday afternoon, the frustrated Mets’ manager answered seemingly innocuous questions about his roster with a curt, “It is March 8.’’

PARNELL CLOSING IN:

One silver thread out of Friday’s 3-2 loss to Detroit was reliever Bobby Parnell, who pitched a 1-2-3 sixth as he’s settling in to the closer job with Frank Francisco destined to open the season on the disabled list with a sore right elbow.

Parnell could always throw hard – sometimes in triple digits – but had trouble with command of his secondary pitches. That wasn’t the case against the Tigers.

“My curveball is working really well,’’ said Parnell. “Last year, I was inconsistent with my curveball. Today I was able to able to throw it for strikes early in the count.’’

Parnell was aggressive and attacked the hitters, and perhaps most importantly threw his curveball in counts where the hitter would normally be expecting a fastball.

“His breaking ball has really improved,’’ Collins said. “I loved his demeanor. He’s going after hitters like he knows he’s going to get them out.’’

Parnell will face another test when he goes back-to-back tomorrow.

“You want to build up your arm strength in spring training,’’ Parnell said. “It is just a mild test to tell you where you are.’’

It isn’t as mild for 40-year-old LaTroy Hawkins, who is trying to hook on in the bullpen. Hawkins said he threw 25 pitches to the five batters he faced. He gave up two hits and struck out one.

Hawkins wouldn’t say he was happy, or even satisfied, for that matter.

“I got a lot of work in today,’’ Hawkins said. “It wasn’t bad.’’

Convincing.

GEE FEELING IT:

Dillon Gee wanted to fine-tune his mechanics and was only partially satisfied with the results, giving up a run on one hit is four innings.

Not to his liking were three walks.

“Other than the walks, I felt better than (my last start, March 3 against Miami at) Jupiter,’’ Gee said. “I feel close to clicking. Maybe it’s a sixth sense, but I feel pretty close.’’

Gee was bailed out by a double play in the second, something Collins liked because he didn’t let the moment get away from him.

“He couldn’t locate all his pitches,’’ Collins said. “But, he kept his composure.’’

VALDESPIN MAKES IMPRESSION:

Jordany Valdespin hurried out of the Mets’ clubhouse with two cheeseburgers on a paper plate. He didn’t stop to talk about his homer that gave the Mets a brief 2-1 lead in the seventh.

Valdespin, who is hitting .333 this spring, started in left and batted second. The previous game he hit leadoff.

Valdespin is nothing if not supremely confident, perhaps overly so. He left the clubhouse wearing a bright red cap backwards with the lettering JV1.

Not hard to figure out what it means.

“He likes to play. He likes to be on the stage,’’ Collins said. “He plays with some flair.’’ Then, after a pause, Collins added: “There’s nothing wrong with that.’’

SIGHTS OF SPRING:

One of my favorite things about spring training is seeing players I enjoyed watching as a kid.

Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling were at Tradition Field Thursday calling the game on television. At lunch Friday was Jim Fregosi – whom Mets remember as the player acquired for Nolan Ryan – and Hall of Famer Al Kaline.

It’s the same in every camp as the alumni visit, many as guest instructors. The Yankees and Dodgers especially like to boast their tradition.

CLASSIC LOOK:

I’ve always thought the Tigers’ home whites are one of the best uniforms in sports. White with dark navy numbering with the old English “D’’ a stunningly simple, but elegant look.

Along with the Tigers there are the home uniforms of the Dodgers, Yankees and Red Sox. I do like the Mets’ pinstripes with the team name in script.

The simpler the better when it comes to uniforms and caps. That often makes the most powerful statement.

METS NOTEBOOK:

Travis d’Arnaud was one of three Mets hit by Luke Putkonen. He had his right elbow wrapped with an ice back but said he was all right. … The Mets’ offense continued to flounder with five hits. The Mets left 11 and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. They also struck out 14 times. … Tigers manager Jim Leyland told Detroit reporters he doesn’t intend to retire. … Jeremy Hefner, Brandon Lyon and Parnell are among those scheduled to pitch Saturday against Houston. Shaun Marcum, Hawkins and Pedro Feliciano will work Sunday. The Mets are back in Lakeland Monday with Jonathan Niese starting against Justin Verlander.

COMING SOON:

Me and Joe D. will be combining our efforts beginning Monday as we decide what our Opening Day Mets roster will look like. We don’t agree on many of the decisions, but we spend a great deal of time arguing our points everyday and think it would be a great dynamic for the site. He’s talked me into doing a week by week retelling of the 1973 Mets season which we both feel gets very little playtime considering it went all the way down to Game 7 of the World Series. For those of you who weren’t around back then, get ready to relive the all the excitement of one of the most underrated great Mets seasons of all time. Joe will chime in as well as he calls that season his Mets baptism and the start of his Agony and Ecstasy. It should be fun.

There’s a twinge of anticipation this morning as Matt Harvey gets the ball today against the Miami Marlins.Stephen Strasburg is an exceptional talent in Washington, but in Harvey the Mets also have a young arm this franchise can build around.

If there’s one thing the Mets are noted for it is the development of young pitchers. Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Nolan Ryan, Dwight Gooden and now Harvey.

How long, or now successful he will become is one of baseball’s delightful mysteries because this could be the start of something special.

“I am excited about getting the chance to work and grow with him,’’ said catching prospect Travis d’Arnaud, who isn’t in the lineup today against the Marlins “It has been fun so far.’’

Harvey is coming off a start in which he and d’Arnaud were crossed up, but there was a show of poise on both parts as they met at the mound to get their signs correct.

“It’s a matter of trust,’’ d’Arnaud said. “He has to trust what I put down, and he has to trust himself that it is the right pitch.’’

It was frequently last year for Harvey, who made such an impression in ten starts that he’s already penned in to the rotation.

“I’m just working off of last year,’’ Harvey told reporters after his last start. “The last three starts I had during the season were pretty good and that’s the biggest thing now, just keeping that going and trying to remember what I did when things were good.’’

Good is a word not recently associated with the Mets or their pitching.

The always witty and original Ed Leyro, penned this fantastic piece on the Mets futility in tossing a no-hitter only three days ago. But in light of the exploits of one Philip Humber, I felt this was definitely worth a second read. Enjoy…  JD 

When R.A. Dickey gave up a second-inning double to the Braves’ Freddie Freeman during Wednesday’s rubber match with Atlanta, it marked the 7,980th consecutive game that a Mets pitcher has failed to pitch a no-hitter.  How many games have the Mets played in their half century of existence?  7,980.

Barring any rainouts or (heaven forbid) an actual no-hitter in the next 20 games, the Mets’ streak will reach 8,000 games on Friday, May 11 when the team plays the Miami Marlins in their new park for the first time.  These are the same Marlins who have only been in existence since 1993, but have registered four no-hitters of their own (tossed by Al Leiter, Kevin Brown, A.J. Burnett and Anibal Sanchez).

As of this writing, there have been 272 no-hitters in major league history, with 229 of them occurring in the modern era (since the forming of the American League in 1901).  The Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers have pitched the most no-hitters in history with 20, while the Mets and San Diego Padres have yet to pitch their first.

Of course, may of those 272 hitless games took place before the Mets came into existence in 1962.  Since the Mets played the first of their 7,980 games, there have been a total of 129 no-hitters pitched in the big leagues.  Let’s look at that list to see what random goodies we can find.

Tom Seaver came close to pitching a no-hitter for the Mets on several occasions.

When the Mets came into the league in 1962, they were one of two teams to join the National League.  The Houston Colt .45s (you know them as the Astros) were also National League neophytes in 1962, but they didn’t take very long to join the no-hit parade.  On May 17, 1963, Houston’s Don Nottebart pitched the first no-hitter in the team’s short history, holding the Philadelphia Phillies hitless (but not scoreless) in a 4-1 victory.  If you just said “Don who?” when you read the last sentence, you’re probably not alone.  It was one of only 36 wins in Nottebart’s nine-year career, a career in which he was used mostly as a reliever (Nottebart appeared in 296 games in the majors, of which only 89 were starts).

Although the Mets have never pitched a no-hitter, they have had three occasions in which a no-hitter was taken into the ninth inning, with Tom Seaver being on the mound for all three.  Of course, the one everyone remembers is the “imperfect game”.  On July 9, 1969, Seaver was two outs away from a perfect game when the Cubs’ Jimmy Qualls broke up the bid with a single.  “The Franchise” retired the next two hitters and settled for a one-hit shutout.  Seaver’s mound opponent that night, Ken Holtzman, clearly learned a thing or two from watching Tom Terrific’s performance.  On August 19, 1969, exactly 41 days after No. 41′s near-perfecto, Holtzman pitched the first of his two career no-hitters.  You just can’t make that stuff up.

Tom Seaver took two other no-hitters into the ninth inning during his tenure with the Mets.  On July 4, 1972, in the first game of an Independence Day doubleheader, Seaver once again recorded 25 outs before allowing his first hit (although this time he mixed in four walks).  But the Padres’ Leron Lee broke up Seaver’s no-hit bid in the ninth with a one-out single to center, just one batter before Nate Colbert ended the game by grounding into a double play.  Three years later, Seaver was once again on the precipice of baseball immortality, but this time he got a little closer.

On September 24, 1975, six years after his first date with no-hit destiny, Seaver held the Cubs hitless through eight innings.  After striking out Don Kessinger and Rick Monday to start the ninth inning, Seaver became the first Met to come within one out of a no-hitter.  There was only one problem.  He wasn’t winning the game at the time.  The Mets and Cubs were locked in a scoreless battle when Joe Wallis came up to the plate with two outs in the ninth.  If Seaver had retired Wallis, he’d have pitched nine hitless innings, but would technically not have pitched a no-hitter since the game would not have ended there.  Alas, Seaver did not retire Wallis, as the Cubs’ rightfielder broke up the no-hit bid with a single.  The game went into extra innings, with Seaver allowing two more hits in the tenth, before Skip Lockwood lost the game in the 11th on a single and three walks.

No other pitcher has taken a no-hitter into the ninth inning for the Mets, but Tom Glavine and John Maine came the closest to doing so, both pitching 7⅔ hitless innings in their gems in 2004 and 2007, respectively.  (Dang you, Kit Pellow and Paul Hoover, for being the no-names who broke up those no-hitters!)

Despite not having a no-hitter to their credit, the Mets have pitched 35 one-hitters, with one coming in the post-season (Bobby Jones’ NLDS-clinching victory over San Francisco in 2000).  However, a number of the pitchers who participated in these one-hitters went on to pitch no-hitters elsewhere.  The first pitcher who comes to mind is Nolan Ryan, who pitched a record seven no-hitters over his career, but never threw one for the Mets.  He did pitch one of the team’s 35 one-hitters, allowing only a first-inning single to the Phillies’ Denny Doyle on April 18, 1970.  (Ironically, Ryan’s mound opponent in the game was Jim Bunning, who pitched a perfect game against the Mets in 1964.)  Other pitchers who hurled one-hitters for the Mets and then went on to pitch a no-hitter elsewhere include Tom Seaver (June 16, 1978 for the Cincinnati Reds), Dwight Gooden (May 14, 1996 for the New York Yankees) and David Cone (July 18, 1999, also for the Yankees).

Shawn Estes (left), Tom Seaver (center) and R.A. Dickey (right) have combined to throw 20% of the Mets' 35 one-hitters. But Estes and Dickey have a long way to go if they want to catch "The Franchise" in wins.

Ryan, Seaver, Gooden and Cone are the only four pitchers to throw a one-hitter for the Mets before pitching a no-hitter elsewhere.  However, they are not the only four who played for the Mets but pitched a no-hitter elsewhere.  In fact, there have been a few former Mets who pitched no-hitters after leaving New York and even more who pitched their no-hitters before joining the Mets.

Mike Scott had a lackluster career for the Mets, to say the least, going 14-27 for New York from 1979 to 1982.  But once he became a Houston Astro and learned the split-finger fastball from original Met Roger Craig, his career took off.  Four years after throwing his final pitch for the Mets, Scott threw the last pitch of the first division-clinching no-hitter in league history.  Another former Met who threw a no-hitter after leaving New York was Hideo Nomo, who pitched for the Mets in 1998 and then pitched a no-hitter for the Boston Red Sox in 2001.  Nomo also threw a no-hitter before joining the Mets, victimizing the Colorado Rockies in 1996 while a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In addition to Nomo, nine other pitchers threw no-hitters before coming to the Mets.  Those lucky nine include:

• Don Cardwell: no-hitter in 1960 (Chicago Cubs); was a Met from 1967-1970
• Warren Spahn: no-hitters in 1960 and 1961 (Milwaukee Braves); was a Met in 1965
• Dean Chance: no-hitter in 1967 (Minnesota Twins); was a Met in 1970
• Dock Ellis: no-hitter in 1970 while tripping on acid (Pittsburgh Pirates); was a Met in 1979
• John Candelaria: no-hitter in 1976 (Pittsburgh Pirates); was a Met in 1987
• Bret Saberhagen: no-hitter in 1991 (Kansas City Royals); was a Met from 1992-1995
• Scott Erickson: no-hitter in 1994 (Minnesota Twins); was a Met in 2004
• Kenny Rogers: perfect game in 1994 (California Angels); was a Met in 1999
• Al Leiter: no-hitter in 1996 (Florida Marlins); was a Met from 1998 to 2004

Notice that of the ten total pitchers (including Nomo), only three (Cardwell, Saberhagen, Leiter) were with the Mets for more than one season.   If the Mets were hoping to get some of that no-hit magic from the other seven when they acquired them, they realized quickly that their best days were long behind them.

A no-no before coming to New York. A no-no after leaving New York. But no no-no for Nomo in New York. No fair.

Finally, not every streak that involves a no-hit drought involves the Mets.  As mentioned earlier, almost every team has pitched at least one no-hitter and several teams have pitched more than a handful.  But the Mets aren’t alone when it comes to no-hit futility.  In fact, the Mets’ 50-year streak without a no-hitter isn’t the longest a team has gone without one.  That “honor” belongs to the Philadelphia Phillies, who once went 58 years without a no-no.  After Johnny Lush kept the Brooklyn Superbas (that’s what the Dodgers called themselves back then) hitless on May 1, 1906, no Phillies pitcher was able to match Lush’s performance until Jim Bunning turned the trick with a perfect game on June 21, 1964 against the Mets.  Although Bunning’s gem was the second of six no-hitters pitched against the Mets, it remains the only perfect game tossed against New York.

So there you have it, my friends.  You’ve just read my not-so-brief discussion on the Mets and their history (or lack of) with no-hitters.  By this time next month, the Mets might have played their 8,000th consecutive game without celebrating a no-no.  But the Mets have been known to surprise us in the past, and the possibility remains, however slim, that the streak will end before it reaches the magic 8,000-game mark.

Hey, if Don Nottebart could do it, than why can’t a Met?  It’s just one of those incredible things that makes baseball (and being a Mets fan) so amazin’.

Nolan Ryan impressed Major League Baseball fans in more ways than one. Was it because he was throwing a mid- 90s fastball while he was 46 years old? Yeah. Was it because of his 324 wins, 3.19 career ERA, and MLB record 5,714 strikeouts? Hell yeah. The most impressive part of Nolan Ryan’s MLB career was his seven no-hitters, another record. How hard is it to throw a no-hitter? Let’s put it into perspective by looking at the 2000 season to the 2009 season.

During this time, 162 games were played by each team, each year, which equals approximately 48,600 games over that ten-year span. During that time period, 20 no-hitters were thrown. For all of you stat freaks out there, that means that between 2000 and 2009, only .0412% of games included a no-hitter. That’s pretty insane. Only 19 active pitchers have thrown a no-hitter, with Roy Halladay, Justin Verlander, and Mark Buehrle being the ones that have thrown two.

The pitchers who have three or more career no-hitters are as follows:

• Nolan Ryan: 7
• Sand Koufax: 4
• Larry Corcoran: 3
• Bob Feller: 3
• Cy Young: 3

This is a very exclusive club, much more so than most offensive categories. Records set for hits, home runs, RBI, walks, etc. are much different than throwing a no-hitter because hitters have more than one opportunity to build up their totals. Whereas for pitchers, they have to continue to dominate the opposition and not allow any hits for all nine innings and 27 outs. That’s really hard to do and the fact that Nolan Ryan did this seven times is a feat that I don’t think will ever be matched.

Update: According to Scott Merkin of MLB.com, if the White Sox cut payroll as expected, it’s likely that either John Danks or Mark Buehrle will not return in 2012.

Looking at the free agent market for starting pitchers can be quite depressing. As of this writing it’s not known whether C.C. Sabathia will be a free agent. The next best free agent pitcher after C.C. assuming he opts-out is C.J. Wilson of the Texas Rangers and it’s widely believed Wilson will command a hefty price. Wilson is a good pitcher, but I don’t think he’s worth the money he’s going to command on the open market. I also think his big mouth and his troubles in high pressure situations make him a pitcher the Mets need to avoid. I also think that Nolan Ryan who reportedly loves Wilson will spend the money to keep him.

So with that in mind I looked at the free agent pool and one pitcher I like that will be available is Mark Buehrle.  Now the Mets need a true ace but we’re not getting that this off season so we have to look elsewhere and Buehrle would be a nice pickup. Looking at Buehrle’s numbers they don’t set the world particularly on fire but they still do impress. Buehrle since 2000 has averaged 223 innings pitched per year. Since 2001 Buehrle has averaged 15 wins per season. Buehrle has pitched a no hitter and a perfect game in his career not to mention winning two gold gloves later in his career. Most importantly Buehrle does not have much of an injury history and I believe in the National League he can win 15-18 games.

Adding Buehrle also adds a much needed veteran arm for this rotation. We all know Santana expects only the best from himself and coming back from an injury that cost him the entire 2011 season he will be putting more pressure than usual on himself to perform like the Santana of old. I think having a veteran who is a proven winner throughout his career in the rotation can only help lessen some of the pressure that will be placed on Johan by himself. This can only help strengthen the rotation.

Buehrle will be a smart option for this team. He has big market experience as he has pitched in Chicago his entire career. Buehrle doesn’t have the greatest post season numbers but does have a World Series ring. I believe a 3 year deal would be wise to offer Buehrle. Perhaps you throw in a team option for a 4th year, though I think that is a bad idea, I rather give him some incentives to make him more money throughout the 3 years. A rotation of Santana, Niese, Buehrle, Dickey and Pelfrey and/or Gee is not the prettiest and obviously can’t compete with the Phillies, but it’s much better than what the Mets put out this past season.

I wouldn’t mind seeing the Texas Rangers win their first ever World Series, but I would more so like to see the former Mets play well.

Texas has five players/personnel with Mets ties.

ALCS MVP Nelson Cruz was actually a Met farmhand. Our old buddy Steve Phillips traded Cruz to the Oakland A’s in 2000 for back up shortstop Jorge Velandia.

As I’m sure most of you remember, Rey Ordonez went down with an injury that season, so the Mets traded for Orioles shortstop Mike Bordick. However, Phillips thought it best to bring in another shortstop in exchange for Cruz.

Granted with prospects, it’s always difficult to determine if they will pan out. But just imagine if the Mets had NELSON CRUZ batting in the middle of their order. The guy has raw power that he will hopefully keep displaying this week.

The Rangers have another outfielder with Met ties. Maybe you remember him: Endy Chavez.

Chavez was an unsung hero for the Mets during the 2006 season. How could we ever forget the incredible catch he made in Game 6 against the Cardinals that propelled the Mets into the World Series…or at least it should have.

Chavez has the difficult task of backing up Josh Hamilton in Texas, but he can be a valuable defensive replacement or pinch runner.

It’s been great to see Endy back on the field after a few injury plagued seasons.

Another key Met from the 2006 team, Darren Oliver, is firmly entrenched in the Rangers bullpen. Oliver was thought to be washed up when the Mets brought him in for 2006, but he had one of his best seasons. He was ‘Mr. Consistent’ all year.

Oliver signed with the Angels in 2007, but found himself in Texas for the past two seasons. Despite his age, he posted a 2.29 ERA this year.

While the Rangers are known for their potent offense, it’s been their bullpen, including Oliver, which has been their strength. He’s been buried being Mike Adams, Alexi Ogando and Neftali Feliz, but he may be called on in a big spot, especially to get a lefty out.

Technically, Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba was connected with Mets for a time. However, the Mets called off the deal in 2007 after getting the results of his physical. He’s Mike Napoli’s backup, so don’t expect to see much of Torrealba in the World Series, since Napoli is on fire right now.

There’s one other person involved with the Rangers who has Met ties, and that’s Nolan Ryan, the team’s owner.

I won’t spend too much time on this one, because I know it’s an issue that still pains Mets fans. The hard-throwing Ryan couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn while in a Met uniform, but his career took off after the Mets traded him.

At least Jim Fregosi worked out for the Mets…NOT!

While Texas has a few people connected to the Mets, the St. Louis Cardinals only have one.

Back in 1999, a young righty named Octavio Dotel burst onto the scene for the Mets. He was a bit inconsistent but had a ton of potential as a starting pitcher.

He even made the postseason roster and played a role in the two-game comeback against the Braves in the NLCS.

However, Dotel was included in the Mike Hampton trade. Hampton was a nice find for one year, and he helped pitch the Mets to the World Series in 2000. But he immediately signed with the Colorado Rockies the year after. I hope his kids have top-notch educations, since Hampton cited the school system in Denver as one of the reasons for the switch.

As for Dotel, he went on to pitch for 11 different teams. He was dealt from the Blue Jays to the Cardinals at this summer’s trade deadline and has pitched lights out. He is in search of his first career World Series title.

The Cardinals bullpen has rivaled that of the Rangers, so we’re in for a tight battle.

Does good pitching truly beat good hitting? We’ll find out soon.

Born on January 31, 1947 in Refugio, TX, his family moved to Alvin when he was 6 weeks old. At age 9, he joined the Alvin Little League. At age 12, he tossed a no-hitter.

He was drafted in the 12^th round by the Mets in 65 and was assigned to the Marion Mets in Marion, VA of the Appalachian League for 1966. He was a late season call up. Pitching in relief on September 11,1966, Ryan struck out opposing pitcher Pat Jarvis for his first strikeout in the majors. There would be 5,713 more to follow.

Nolan’s first full year with the Mets was 1968 but he saw action primarily out of the bullpen. Although he fanned 133 batters in 134 IP, he also walked 75. He had a blinding fastball reminiscent of recently retired Sandy Koufax and as blistering as Bob Gibson‘s. Ryan seemingly reached 100 MPH on every pitch. But his inconsistent command of the strike zone prevented him from breaking into the rotation.

In the 1969 Playoffs it was Ryan who was the winning pitcher in the decisive game 3 against Atlanta. He pitched 7 innings in relief allowing just 3 hits.

In the World Series, 22 year old Ryan only pitched 2 1/3 innings, all of them in Game 3. It was Ryan who was on the mound when Tommie Agee made his 2^nd great catch that afternoon. Ryan’s career would last 27 years. He threw 5386 innings and faced 22,575 batters. But this would be his only World Series appearance.

Ryan was itching to become a regular starter. He was growing tired of relieving and spot starting. On April 18, 1970 he put forth a good case by striking out 15 which tied a Mets record. Just 4 days later, however, Tom Seaver fanned 19. Years later Ryan would credit Seaver with teaching him ‘how to be a pitcher and not a flamethrower.’

By 1971 Ryan was growing more restless of his utility role. The Mets were led by Seaver and Koosman. In addition there was the reliable Gary Gentry and a rookie named Jon Matlack was on the horizon. His dream of becoming a starter seemed unattainable and he demanded to be traded.

It was a tough decision for the Mets. It’s not every day you have a guy with a fastball regularly clocked at 100, but there seemed to be no improvement in his control. After 510 IP, he had whiffed 493 but walked 344. On December 10, 1971, Ryan was traded to the Angels along with 3 others for Jim Fregosi. Baseball historians would call this one of the worst trades in the history of the game.

In 1972 Jim Fregosi played in 101 games for the Mets. He hit a paltry 232 with 5 HR’s and 32 RBI’s. Ryan, now starting on a regular basis for the first time in his career, would end the season with a 2.28 ERA. He struck out 329 batters, the 4^th highest to date in the 20^th century. July of the following year the Mets discarded Fregosi for cash. That same season Ryan would set the AL record with 383 strikeouts. He also tossed 2 no-hitters, striking out 17 in one of them, the most K’s ever in a no hit bid.

He became known as The Ryan Express. In a career that spanned 7 different US Presidents, Ryan would become the games’ All Time strikeout king with 5714. He retired with a 3.19 ERA. He fired a record 7 no-hitters along with 12 1-hitters and 18 2-hitters. He averaged 6.56 H/9, the lowest in history. Opponents hit only 204 against him. He struck out 7 pairs of fathers and sons over 27 years. He fanned 15 or more in a single game 26 times. He is the only pitcher to strike out the side on 9 pitches in both leagues. Ryan is also the only player in history to have his number retired by three different teams. He retired with 324 wins against 292 losses for a 526 winning percentage. Although that leaves much to be desired, one must remember that he pitched most of his career with sub-500 clubs where he received very little run support.

Reggie Jackson once said of him, “Ryan’s the only guy who puts fear in me. Not because he could get me out but because he could kill me.”

Coming into the 1993 season, The Ryan Express announced this would be his final year. In a game against the White Sox on August 4, Ryan hit Robin Ventura with a pitch. Ventura, 26, charged the mound. Ryan, 46, did not move. He grabbed Ventura in a headlock and proceeded to pummel him in the head 6 times before Ventura was pulled away. Ventura was ejected. Ryan was not. After the game Ryan stated that he used the exact same maneuver on steers back home on his ranch in Texas when he had to brand them.

Ryan was voted to The All Century team where he secured more votes then any other pitcher in history. The Sporting News ranked him as the 41^st best player to ever play the game. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999 with 98.79% of the vote. The only player who ever got a higher percentage was Ryan’s former teammate and tutor, Tom Seaver.

Ryan’s career ended prematurely. Pitching in Seattle on Sept 22 in what was supposed to be the third from last start of his career, his arm finally gave out when he partially tore a ligament. The team doctor, manager and teammates gathered around the mound. Always the competitor, Ryan was determined to stay in the game. He wanted to throw one more pitch to see if he could withstand the pain. However, with his next delivery, he tore the ligament completely. As Ryan walked off the mound alongside the manager and team physician fans in Seattle cheered his remarkable career. The end had come sooner then anyone expected.

46 years old, torn ligament and all, Ryan’s final pitch was clocked at 98 MPH.

Some pitchers rule the mound and defy you to make a move toward them — that was Bob Gibson, Tom Seaver, Pedro Martinez and Tug McGraw. Whitey Ford was a Yankee gentleman off the mound and on it – but he won, and often. Jim Palmer was a bit like Whitey.

I also try to keep track of what these men do after they leave the life of the ballpark. Many get into charities for children or stay and work with the upcoming pitchers on their team.

Others get into interesting and unusual work, like Tom Seaver who moved to Northern California and has a winery. He’s a hands-on person who treats those vines as family.

Jim Palmer moved across the stadium into the broadcast booth where he is just as smooth as he was on the mound.

And Pedro Martinez is in the Dominican Republic where his Mom still lives and he is trying to create some modern amenities for the families who live there and also provide some baseball fields and equipment for the kids.

But today I’d like to talk a bit about Nolan Ryan – who, in many ways – has never left the mound.

Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. (born January 31, 1947) is a former MLB pitcher and current president and owner of the Texas Rangers.

Ryan played in a major league record 27 seasons for the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers from 1966 to 1993. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.

Ryan, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher, threw pitches that were regularly recorded above 100 mph even past the age of 40. The media tagged him as “The Ryan Express”

While his lifetime winning percentage was a relatively pedestrian .526, Ryan was an eight-time MLB All-Star, and his 5,714 career strikeouts rank first in baseball history. He leads the runner-up, Randy Johnson by 839 strikeouts.

Ryan is the all-time leader in no-hitters with seven, three more than any other pitcher. He is tied with Bob Feller for most one-hitters, with 12. Ryan also pitched 18 two-hitters.

Now a Headline from Today’s New York Times Sports Section by Richard Sandomir:

“Ryan Group Wins Rights to Rangers at Auction”

This is in reference to the purchase of the bankrupt Texas Rangers by Nolan Ryan and his associates after lengthy legal proceedings.

Good Luck, Nolan

Not that you’ll need it – Aquarians are noted over-achievers.

Pitchers used to be the kings of the hill, but the managers with all their print-outs and pitch counters are not helping. In fact they are hindering performance by micro managing these games. I cringe when I see a pitcher come in to pitch to just one batter – don’t you? It also upsets the flow of the game.

Each pitcher also has his own routines, superstitions or quirks as we may call them and of course each pitcher has his own very individual delivery. They are not difficult players, just very careful in their work on the mound.

Some managers haven’t a clue about how to deal with a really good pitcher – particularly a successful one like Bob Gibson who would never allow anyone to approach his mound. He even pitched a complete game after a ball broke a bone in his leg on a comebacker. Ask Tim Mc Carver about Gibby – Timmy caught a lot of pitchers in a four decade career behind the plate.

There are rules about when a manager may go to the mound and talk to his pitcher – however, they may send in the pitching coach with a message at any time. Each pitcher usually has a buddy in the infield on whom he relies for information as the game moves along. Keith Hernandez played that role for the Mets in the ’80′s. David Wright and Ike Davis are doing it now.

One new item about pitch counts is that some managers are using them as a guideline as to how many innings a young pitcher may spend on the mound for a game and even for a season. Some have even taken a young pitcher out in the late innings of a game to limit that pitch count — not for a poor performance.

Yet, someone named Nolan Ryan agrees with me — yes, that Nolan Ryan. He has eliminated all pitch counts on any team with which he is involved – and I think he knows his stuff.

Nolan’s pitchers are going the distance and as proud of it as he was during his storied career. Most have already increased their time on the mound and their production too.

For those who are unfamiliar with Nolan Ryan and his records -

You could look them up.

Ok that’s a bit extreme but the Yankees always seem to get all the attention. It takes guts to be a Met fan. We EARN our attention, both in good and bad ways but we do earn it.

The first week of the season is behind us and the Mets definitely earned their record of 2-4 against those National League East , ahem, juggernauts, Florida Marlins and Washington Nationals.

Even Johan Santana took his dose of Kryptonite against the Nats with a loss on Sunday, giving up a grand slam in the first inning. At least the Mets were kind enough to allow me to enjoy the rest of the day promptly.

Some of you may already want to throw in the towel. The calls for Manuel and Minaya’s head are on the streets. I for one will abreact these dark emotions. Big word huh? It’s a coping mechanism, so says my therapist. Not that a Met fan would actually see a therapist.

Anyway, the main topic of this off-season was the pitching staff, or as I like to call it, One Man and a Little Hazy. So in keeping with my therapist’s desire to keep me rooted in the here and now, I give you my All Time Mets Pitching Staff’s…plus one.

Staff ace, the real Mr. Met, Tom “Terrific” Seaver. I can easily wow you with his stats, 311 career wins, 2.86 career ERA, 3640 strikeouts. Three time Cy Young award winner. I much rather do this. In the time Tom Seaver was a Met from 1967 to 1977, including his return in ’83, the team won 936 games. Tom Seaver won 198 of them. That’s about 21% of the time the Mets won, it was due to George Thomas Seaver. No pitcher with a team as umm, eclectic as the Mets could have done more. Semper Fi Mr. Met.

Backing up Seaver I give you Dwight Eugene Gooden. Perhaps the biggest icon the team had since Seaver himself, the Doctor racked up insanely impressive numbers. He set the rookie record for strikeouts with 276 in 1984 while winning the Rookie of the Year. His follow up season the Doctor earned the Cy Young award by way of the pitching Triple Crown, leading the NL in Wins, K’s and ERA. His off field troubles are the only thing that kept Doc out of Cooperstown. Bittersweet memories fade hard.

Rounding out the top three I have Nolan Ryan. Now some of you might not think Ryan should be considered since he’s so synonymous with Texas. I can’t hold that against you but how can the Mets not include this Hall of Famer, arguably one of the best pitchers ever, at their number three starter? 7 no hitters, including one at the ripe old age of 44. He’s tied with Bob Feller for most one hitters with 12. He’s the All Time leader in strikeouts with 5714, and yes the Mets traded him in 1972 for Jim Fregosi. Just to let you know, Omar Minaya was 14 years old. It happens.

Towing the rubber is our number four pitcher, Johan Santana. Johan is one of the best left handed pitchers in the game today. He averages about 15 wins a season, an ERA around 3+, and well over 200 K’s a year. A two time Cy Young award winner, Johan will hopefully be a cornerstone for the franchise for years to come. That’s of course until they trade him to Cincinnati for…oh wait, we’d never do that.

Rounding out the staff is tough. Usually the 5th starter on a club wears the oft overused title of “journeyman” or “quality arm”. However, this is my fantasy and I’m going with Jerry Koosman. Granted all you Coneheads are freaking out now. It’s ok have a Zoloft, yummy. Jerry Koosman along with Tom Seaver, practically saved the Mets from complete obscurity. “Cool Hand” Kooz won 140 games as a Metropolitan with an impressive ERA of 3.09. He will be remembered for his incredible 1969 season where he went 17-9 with a 2.28 ERA and 6 shutouts. Not too bad for a 26 year old.

Closing it out I give you Mr. Brooklyn himself, Johnny Franco. If there ever was a Met that was more New York than Franco, I don’t think I ever met him. He looked like the guy who could be sitting next to you in a bar in Queens but he pitched like the guy who should be in the Hall of Fame. With 424 career saves, the most by a left handed reliever, John was the brick wall, all 5 foot 10, 170 pound frame, the Mets could ever want. While Tug made us all remember that “Ya Gotta Believe” John Franco made hitters say “Fuhgettaboutit” and go home, bat dragging behind them.

Well there you have it. My All Time Mets Pitching Staff…plus one. We’re a week in and sure we’ve seen the team sputter a bit. Look at the bright side seriously; we got Jose Reyes back and Carlos Beltran is around the corner. Have some faith! Or have a good therapist that doesn’t mind prescribing good meds,  we have a long way to go.