After the New York Mets squared off against the New York Yankees for five games in the 2000 World Series, it would be six years until they made it back to the postseason.

From 2001 through the 2005 season, the Mets finished no higher than third in the National League East, while placing dead last in back-to-back seasons in 2002 and 2003.

The early-to-mid 2000 teams featured a heavy dose of veteran talent – some on the backside of their careers – with some young talent on the horizon in José Reyes and David Wright.

Those clubs also featured a bevy of role players and guys who were fun to root for, whether it was Joe McEwing, Todd Zeile, or Dae-Sung Koo. Another player who brought his own personality to a lackluster period of Mets baseball was catcher and first baseman, Jason Phillips.

Phillips, 46, was a 24th-round pick out of San Diego State University in the 1997 Draft and only had a few years of catching experience prior to signing with the Mets. As a kid, Phillips had aspirations of playing shortstop; however, his slow-footedness – which he was dubbed one of the slowest players in baseball – prevented Phillips from continuing to play up the middle.

He was signed as an organizational filler, a guy who could catch and log innings behind the dish. Phillips had two early tastes of the majors as a September call-up in both 2001 and 2002, playing in a combined 17 games and collecting eight hits in 26 at-bats (.308 batting average).

In 2003, Phillips made his first Opening Day roster and went back and forth between Queens and Triple-A Norfolk early on in the season before returning for good in mid-May.

Splitting time between catcher and first base, the right-handed hitter appeared in 119 games in ’03, posting an OPS of .815 with 11 home runs and 58 RBI. His 117 wRC+ was the fourth-highest mark on the team that season (min. 250 plate appearances), while boasting the highest OBP with runners in scoring position with a .420 mark (min. 50 plate appearances).

Aside from his inspired play in ’03, a notable feature Phillips was known for was his style selection: wearing black goggles on the field due to an astigmatism. The eyewear added to Phillips’ persona and made him a recognizable figure during those seasons.

Phillips last played in the majors with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2007, appearing in 55 games as primarily a catcher. Post-playing career, Phillips has kept involved in the game in a variety of ways. He’s worked as a major league bullpen catcher for both the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays, a bullpen coach for the New York Yankees’ Double-A affiliate, and now works as a national scouting coordinator for Perfect Game USA, an organization devoted to promoting amateur players through showcases and tournaments.

Phillips actively keeps up with the Mets – his wife grew up a Mets fan in Buffalo, New York, – and has aspirations of getting back in their organization in some capacity. Though Phillips’ ultimate dream is to manage in the majors, a lofty goal but one in which Phillips feels he can excel in.

“I’m a baseball lifer,” said Phillips. “This is what I live for.”

I had the privilege of speaking to Phillips, where he discussed balancing catching and first base in the majors, eyewear choices and his work at Perfect Game.

MMO: Who were some of your favorite players growing up?

Phillips: Darryl Strawberry was one. I always loved his play, and I wondered what it was like to be in New York at that time. To then be drafted by the Mets and come up with them was a dream come true [for me]. Coming from San Diego, I knew more Mets players than I did Padres, just because there were no local televised games.

And more than that, I knew the Braves just because of TBS and all the games that were on. My favorite player as a young kid was Dale Murphy because I saw him all the time.

The Mets are always going to be my team; they gave me my first chance. I’ve been trying to get back with them for years on the coaching side, I just can’t get a break and get back in.

My wife is from Buffalo, New York, she grew up a Mets fan. And not saying we didn’t like the Yankees, but it was always like the Evil Empire. When you get drafted by the Mets, and come up through their system, it’s just ingrained in me that we might not be that good this year at whatever level, but we can’t lose to the Yankees. [Laughs.]

MMO: You came up through the Mets’ system as a catcher, and transitioned to first base while in the majors. What was that adjustment like for you? How would you stay physically and mentally prepared for both?

Phillips: One thing I tell kids when I used to work camps is I wanted to be a shortstop. My dad would hit me ground balls in the street with a Nerf baseball that had the extra hop every night. That was our father-son time. If you remember my playing days, I think I was voted the slowest player in the big leagues three years in a row. [Laughs.] Shortstop was definitely not my future.

I tried third base, but I wasn’t physically strong. I went to college at six-foot-one, one-hundred seventy [pounds]; I didn’t mature until later in life. You look at any big leaguer, and they’re strong. If you can’t hit a ball, even pitchers, throwing BP to pitchers, everybody on a big league team can hit a ball out of the park to the pull-side. You have to be physically strong to compete.

You’re going to break down throughout the year; you’re talking eight months out of a calendar year. At the end of the season, you need some downtime, and then you’re right back in it. It’s a daily grind, even for the superstars.

I only caught my senior year in high school and two years in college. I basically caught three years before I got to the Mets. When I got drafted as a 24th round pick [in 1997], I’m just a roster filler, an organizational guy. The thought process was he can catch and throw, and if he hits whatever, we’ll give him a few years in the minors and we’ll go get somebody else. I had nothing to lose.

When I got drafted, they said, “You are no longer an infielder. You don’t take any grounders, you won’t play in the field. You’re strictly a catcher.” In 2003, I was hitting good in Triple-A and Mo Vaughn went on the disabled list and Tony Clark was playing first base. They said, “Hey, can he (Phillips) play first?” I said, ‘Give me a glove.’

I literally had three games at first base in Triple-A. [Mike] Piazza had the injury, and I got called up. Matt Galante taught me how to play first base; we were out there every game.

I learned how to play first base in the big leagues, and that’s where I got the appreciation that it’s one of the more difficult positions on the field to play because every ball that’s hit you have to go somewhere. I don’t think a lot of people teach that. Every ball that’s hit you’re either covering first, making a cut, going here, going there. Even Robin Ventura was like, “Yeah, I like when the ball’s hit over there because I just stand here. You have to go somewhere every time!” I told him I was learning that real fast! [Laughs.]

When you’re playing behind a runner with first and second and there’s a ball hit to center, that’s a long run for me to get to that cut guy behind the mound. When you’re on defense, the third baseman is talking to the shortstop about if a ball’s hit here, where am I going with it? Roberto Alomar helped me out tremendously being at second. He was like, “If this guy push bunts here, I’m going for it. You just go to the bag.”

All that stuff is sped up now, so you really have to think two-to-three pitches ahead, and two-to-three hitters ahead. It’s a chess game that’s going on where nobody knows what the other guys are thinking and all nine guys have to be on the same page. Those are the teams that win.

MMO: Prior to the ’97 Draft, you got the chance to play in the Alaska Baseball League. What was your experience like in that collegiate summer league?

Phillips: Fortunately, the host family I was staying with was right near the stadium, so we just walked to and from the field. I could go over there any time to get extra work in. I lived in the basement, and the sun really doesn’t go down ever in the summer, so I had to put foil on the windows. [Laughs.]

I was playing for Fairbanks, which is the northernmost city that you play in. We had a Midnight Sun Game that started at 10 p.m., and they never turned on the lights. The game finished at 1:00 a.m., and you just played through it; it’s an annual thing. It gets dusk, and then by one the sun is rising from behind the hills, so it really never gets dark. People have some trouble sleeping and losing track of time.

The first place we went to was Kenai, and we were staying in a bingo hall right on the mouth of the Kenai River. And a moose came up right by the bingo hall. We’ve got ten to twelve guys out there with a moose and two calves twenty feet away! You’re like, ‘Okay, this is a little different.’

The wildlife and scenery are amazing. Playing in the Cape or any summer league, you’re going to play with guys from all over the country and get an appreciation for the talent.

MMO: You mentioned your 2003 season before, which was your best season in the majors. You hit .298 with 25 doubles, 11 home runs and an .815 OPS in 453 plate appearances. Was there anything in particular that you remember working well for you that season?

Phillips: I tried not to strike out. [Laughs.] I hit into a lot of double plays; I couldn’t run, so I just tried to shorten my swing and go out there and play hard.

Catchers in the minor leagues play, for the most part, if you’re the starting catcher, two, maybe three days in a row, and then you get an off day. Your off day is usually the day game. So you know every night game I’m going to play and every day game I’ll have off. When I got to the big leagues, I was playing every night game at first base and I was catching every day game. So the body physically flip flopped.

Catching is a more strenuous position, and it was during day games when I was used to having an off day body-wise for four or five years as I was coming up. I think I was hitting around .330 going into September, and in September you’re playing against division teams more. They’re going to know more of your strengths and weaknesses just because they have more data and scouting reports on you, and I got tired.

I don’t know how many at-bats I had in the minor leagues, but when you get to the big leagues, now you’re talking about 500 when you’re used to getting 350. It’s a big step.

I learned how to stay hydrated, have better nutrition, when to take some time off from extra work and how to lift without being sore.

MMO: What was it like working with and having Mike Piazza as a teammate?

Phillips: Coming up with Piazza, it was, ‘Hey, Mike, what do you need? What can I do for you because I’m just happy to be in the same clubhouse as you.’

In ’03, I believe it was just Ty Wigginton and I that had less than seven or eight years in the big leagues. You’re talking Al Leiter, Johnny Franco, [Mike] Piazza, [Steve] Trachsel, Roberto Alomar, [Robin] Ventura. You’re looking at the guys and thinking these guys are my idols, and now I have to try and do what I can to try and fit in. [Laughs.]

If you’re a rookie or have less than three years, you want to be one of the first to show up. Everyday it would be Jeromy Burnitz, Tony Clark,  Joe McEwing, myself and Wigginton, and the five of us would go down to the cage. And you’re just learning and talking. You’re letting them talk and trying to soak up everything they do, and it makes you feel part of something. That’s where team and the camaraderie between players is built.

MMO: Your selection of eyewear on the field will always be something Mets fan attribute you with. I read you wore those goggles due to an astigmatism, is that right?

Phillips:  Yes, I had astigmatism. As a right-eyed dominant, right-handed hitter, I really had to make sure that I could see more from the backside. I had to have both eyes on the ball with glasses. And you’re always pressing them to try and get them as close to your face as you can.

In the minor leagues, the Mets had a contract with Rex Specs, the Chris Sabo big goggles with the band, and all of that. It was hard trying to get them not to fog.

When guys start struggling offensively, they think, how’s my swing? How’s my timing? It’s like, wait a minute, let’s check your eyesight first. Let’s do some things. How’s your peripheral? Are you seeing this over there? You don’t see the ball the last eight to ten feet because of velocity, so that’s where your hand-eye coordination comes in. If your eyesight is good, then okay, let’s get into the mechanics.

MMO: There’s a YouTube video of an interview you gave with Dr. Rolando Toyos, an ophthalmologist who worked with many sports organizations, on a DVD you two put together called “Vision & Baseball.” How did you first meet Dr. Toyos?

Phillips: I was too hesitant and scared when LASIK first came about in the early years. If I can’t see, my career is over. I was hesitant to go, even though it would help me. But I didn’t want something to go wrong.

I was hesitant until I got to Toronto. In ’07, I signed my only one-year guaranteed contract. I was like, ‘Okay, I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m going to take a leap of faith and get the surgery.’ He (Dr. Toyos) corrected me to what a normal person who has a 9 to 5 job has, where you saw 20/20. I saw great! But in baseball, you need to see the ball even better. If I can put any sort of lens or glass in front of my eye to see better, correct me to that!

I had my first surgery before the start of the ’07 season. I went to spring training, and I wasn’t hitting the ball all that well. I was kind of losing the ball when I was hitting because I was more right-eyed dominant. So in ’07, I still wore glasses, but they were really not a very strong prescription.

At the end of ’07, I had another one (surgery) to go correct it a little bit more where I couldn’t put another frame in front of my eye and see better.

I always bring up Ted Williams. The guy was a WWII fighter pilot; his vision was off the charts! He saw every spin, every rotation, every seam. Besides him being the best hitter generationally, his eyesight was better than 99 percent of the human race.

MMO: Post playing career, you worked as a bullpen catcher for both the Mariners and Blue Jays. What are some of the responsibilities that you had?

Phillips: You’re kind of on call for anything. You have your pitchers who are going to throw their sides, but you’re also out there every day with the pitching staff, and that’s where you’re building rapport with guys. They’ll tell you things that they wouldn’t necessarily tell the coach, manager or trainer. So you have a reference, and you get some insider trading tips. And that’s what it is: it’s information.

Jack Wilson, when he was with Seattle, he’d come off the field after a game and go, “J.P., can we go down to the cage?” He’d want to hit right after the game if he wasn’t feeling good. So you’re just kind of on call, basically. Whatever I can do to help because I’m not playing anymore, I need you to play the best you can and feel the best you can.

MMO: Your Twitter profile states that you’re working for Perfect Game as a national scouting coordinator in Atlanta. Can you talk about how that came about?

Phillips: I was down in Tampa when Covid hit. I’m a Covid causality for three years now, out of the coaching ranks and coming to Perfect Game. I was living in Tampa with the Yankees there, and they (Perfect Game) asked me to move out to Atlanta because it’s the hotbed for high school baseball. All the big tournaments come through, and four of the top eighteen picks last year were within a 20-mile radius of Atlanta. The talent level is here, and the talent level from California, Texas, Florida, the Northeast and Midwest all come to Atlanta for our big events.

You get to see the amateur players that are going to be drafted high this year or go onto major college schools. We have to scout everybody, and we’re just trying to give exposure. When you have a guy like Max Clark or Walker Jenkins or Dylan Lesko from last year or Termarr Johnson, everybody knows who they are. You don’t even have to be a scout to watch a game and go, wow, that guy’s really good! It’s the other guys you’re projecting; this guy has a projectable frame, he throws strikes, he can put on a little size as he matures.

You try and give these guys some exposure so they can get scholarship money and play after high school. Not everybody that you’re watching here at Perfect Game is going to play in the big leagues; they’re not all going to play in Division I-level power schools. It’s a tough game. You try to tell them that only seven percent of high school kids go on at any level past high school. So what can we do to try and promote them so that they can hopefully get an opportunity to play at the next level and get some money?

MMO: Thanks so much for taking some time to speak with me today, Jason.

Phillips: No problem. Good to talk with you.

Follow Jason Phillips on Twitter, @JPrecspecs

The post MMO Exclusive: Former C/1B, Jason Phillips appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good Morning, Mets fans!

Latest Mets News

Brodie Van Wagenen spoke to the media on Friday and addressed the how Robinson Cano has not been at Citi Field the past two days, “There’s a variety of reasons why players are here or no here on a given day, and we’re going to protect those players’ rights.” Anthony DiComo of MLB reported the comments made by Van Wagenen. The Mets GM also mentioned that the Mets will not reveal whether any members of the team have tested positive during the intake testing process citing that they intend to protect the privacy of the players.

According to DiComo, the Mets alternate training facility in Brooklyn at MCU Park will be opening soon and the organization plans to add more players to their 60-man plays pool at that time. Currently, there are only 51 players in their player pool, leaving nine open spots for any additions they intend to make.

Dominican sports journalist, Tenchy Rodriguez has revealed that former Met Jose Reyes has announced his retirement from baseball, this news was translated and reported by Hector Gomez of MLB Insider.

Latest MLB News

The MLB PR team announced that they have completed their intake screenings and determined that there were 66 people who tested positive for COVID-19 out of the 3,748 total samples that were tested (1.8% of those tested): 58 of the 66 were players, while the remaining eight were staff members. 27 different clubs had an individual test positive during the intake screening.

Additionally, the MLB continued to the monitoring testing stage. This process will test “Tier 1” individuals every other day while “Tier 2” individuals will be tested multiple times per week. At the moment, the monitor testing results include 7,401 performed tests, where 17 new positive tests have been confirmed. Out of the 17 new positive tests, 13 were players and the remaining four were  staff members. 10 different clubs had a positive test during this stage.

After combining the results from the Intake Screening and Monitor Testing, 11,149 tests were sampled and a total of 83 positive tests, 71 players 12 staff members, were found since June 27. 28 out of 30 clubs have had at least one individual test positive across both testing stages.

Andrew Baggarly of the Athletic reported that Buster Posey has opted out of the 2020 MLB season. Posey has opted out because he, and his wife, are adopting identical twin girls who were recently born prematurely and are currently in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and will be there for a while and he doesn’t want to risk infecting them.

Former Mets beat reporter and now, writer for The Athletic, Marc Carig reflects on his favorite ballpark to visit out of the 38 MLB parks he has been too.

Ben Nicholson-Smith of SportsNet reported that according to the Blue Jays Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will now be focusing on first base and DH duties. His original position was third base, which will remain an option but will no longer be his primary position.

Scott Mitchell of TSNSports reported that the Toronto Blue Jays players have been informed that were will be a penalty if they are seen outside the ballpark. The penalty includes a $750,000 fine and possible jail time.

The White Sox announced that Michael Kopech will not be participating in the 2020 season as stated by Scott Merkin of MLB.

Puerto Rico’s winter league has added an expansion team named RA12 which is owned by former Mets Roberto Alomar, as reported by Nathalie Alonso of MLB. The Astros’ hitting coach Alex Cintrón will manage the team, and the Mets’ bullpen coach Rickey Bones will be the pitching coach. The GM will be Alomar’s dad, Sandy Alomar Sr.

Latest NL East News

Todd Zolecki of MLB wrote an article explaining that J.T. Realmuto has not had contract extension talks since before the league shutdown. Realmuto asked if reporters could avoid the topic altogether, “I’d appreciate if we can keep the questions away from the contract situation,” he said, “…if we could focus on the team here and speak a little bit less about myself that would be greatly appreciated.”

Latest on MMO

Tim Ryder‘s Simply Amazin’ podcast was posted on Friday and he was joined by special guest Andrew Battifarano of MiLB.com

Marshall Field wrote about the Epic Mets Moments Bracket from the MetsMerized twitter account. Field recapped the remaining top eight moments in the polling.

Mike Mayer reported the breaking news of Buster Posey not playing in the 2020 season.

Jacob Resnick recapped Brodie Van Wagenen’s presser with the media on Friday.

On This Day in Mets History

Happy Birthday to Dick Rusteck (79)!

1985: Nolan Ryan, then Astros pitcher, struck out Mets left-fielder Danny Heep in the sixth inning of a 4-3 win for Houston, to become the first major leaguer to record 4,000 career strikeouts. He ended his 27-year career with 5,714 Ks.

Stay happy, healthy, and safe!

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Photo: NY Times

Good morning, Mets fans!

Tuesday was a very busy day in Major League Baseball, with Mookie Betts, David Price, and Steve Cohen leading the headlines.

Latest Mets News

Mark Fischer of the New York Post reports that Steve Cohen’s deal to buy the Mets franchise is in jeopardy.

Reliever Dellin Betances wrote a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the Yankees organization on his Instagram.

Latest MLB News

The Dodgers are reported to have made a flurry of moves, namely acquiring Mookie Betts and David Price from the Red Sox and sending Alex Verdugo in exchange.

The Twins reportedly acquired Kenta Maeda while the Angels reportedly acquired Joc Pederson, both from the Dodgers.

Former Met Wilmer Flores signed a two-year contract plus an option with the Giants.

MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark issued a statement on cubs infielder Kris Bryant‘sservice-time grievance.

Former Yankee Greg Bird signed a minor league contract with the Rangers.

New Era has released the designs for the 2020 Spring Training caps.

Pitcher Donnie Hart signed a minor league deal with the Athletics.

Former Mets outfielder Chris Young admits to being at fault for the Red Sox Apple Watch troubles.

Latest NL East News

Anthony Swarzak signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

First baseman Yonder Alonso signed a minor league contract with the Braves.

Latest on MMO

John Sheridan shares data against the idea of a universal designated hitter.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Roberto Alomar (52), Eric O’Flaherty (35)

2014: The Dodgers signed former Met Justin Turner

Let’s go Mets!

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Robinson Cano has certainly not gotten off to the start at the plate the Mets were hoping for and with the season now 41 games old, the overriding question is should the Mets be concerned. In my opinion, a player the caliber of Robinson Cano has proven over his career that his numbers will be there.

The concern I have is some of the swings he takes against southpaws look defenseless and I am not used to seeing that from him. The other thing I noticed in his overall at bats is that the overall extension of his swing seems to cut off at times which to me is very concerning. His bat was supposed to be one of the core sticks in this lineup and we just have not seen that on a consistent so far in the 2019 season.

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I have watched Cano prepare for games and I will say he works as hard as any player I watch especially in his batting practice sessions focusing on line drives by steadying the barrel of the bat on just about every pitch he sees. But hitting is such a precise science and even being off with your swing by a millimeter of an inch could be the difference between a frozen rope and a weak grounder to the second basemen.

While he has struggled to a .245/.297/.374 slash line this year, his expected stats from Baseball Savant look a little better at .277/.342/.458. That line would more closely mirror his career .303/.354/.491 batting.

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But I believe in Robinson Cano and the back of his baseball card and I can tell you he has a positive approach that will help him through the batting slump he is experiencing right now. May 15th is far too early to write off a player with his credentials but he has to come to the table in the next few weeks and perform at the offensive level we are accustomed to seeing from him.

Otherwise, it will start to give Met fans visions of a second basemen named Roberto Alomar and that could make those fans absolutely sick to their stomach.

The post Should Mets Be Concerned With Robinson Cano? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mets catcher Gary “Kid” Carter was a fan favorite when he played with the Mets from 1985 to 1989.  An 11-time All-Star, Gary Carter was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2003 on the basis of his 324 home runs and 1,225 RBIs.

The card above, card number 231 from the 1989 Topps set, shows Gary Carter and future Met (in 1988 a rookie) Roberto Alomar in a play at the plate.  Questions arise such as was Alomar safe or out, and who won the game?

Let’s see if we can put our Sherlock Holmes hat on and determine when and where the action shown was taken, and once that is established, what happened on the play shown on the card:

1. Note that the picture shows the Mets road uniform from 1988, and the level dugout in the background confirms that this was definitely not taken at Shea Stadium.
2. Referencing the Mets schedule from 1988 on baseballreference.com reflects that the Mets played six road games against the Padres in 1988, on May 16 – 19, as well as on August 19 and August 21.
3. The picture shown is from a day game, so the three-night games from May 16 – 18 can be eliminated.
4. A check of the box score from May 19, a day game, shows that Roberto Alomar did not play in that game.
5. The August 19 game was a night game leaving, by process of elimination, the game played in San Diego on August 21.
6. A quick review of the August 21 box score shows that the Padres beat the Mets that day 1 – 0 and Roberto Alomar scored the only run of the game in the fourth inning.
7. However, a careful review of the play by play reflects that the play is not from the fourth inning, as there was no throw home when Alomar scored his run.  In the bottom of the first inning however, after Alomar stole second, Tony Gwynn hit a single to left and Alomar was thrown out at the plate on a relay from Kevin McReynolds to Howard Johnson to Carter.

Conclusion: The 1989 Padres Team Leaders card, which shows two future Hall of Famers, reflects a play in which the Padres runner was thrown out on a play at the plate.

Case closed.

The post Shoebox Memories – Two Cooperstown Bound Mets, One Very Cool Card appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Roberto Alomar trade stands out as one of the worst in Mets history for a litany of reasons.

A classic “He was good until he went to the Mets” player, Alomar had made 11-straight All-Star teams at the time of his trade before the 2002 season. He was the Hall of Fame headliner of a group of big-ticket acquisitions that included David Justice (for about a week) and Jeromy Burnitz. This trio was supposed to bring the Mets back to the World Series after a disappointing 2001 season.

Those three names contributing to a pennant sound absolutely ridiculous now, but it sure didn’t 15 years ago. Maybe it should have, though, because none of them lasted with the Mets, and the team went 75-86 in 2002. Alomar was the poster boy for this group; he was gone from the team by 2003 and out of baseball altogether by 2004.

Despite the Alomar trade’s failings, the Mets really lucked out in that they didn’t give up anyone substantial to get Alomar. They traded Alex Escobar (Their top prospect at the time, who never materialized), Matt Lawton, Jerrod Riggan, Earl Snyder and Billy Traber. The only player from that bunch that ever did anything big was Lawton, who made one All-Star team but never did much else.

Thus, this trade isn’t usually put into the same category of atrocity as the ones that sent Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver or Scott Kazmir away.

But this trade did almost fall into that category. General manager at the time Steve Phillips offered the Indians an 18-year-old minor league shortstop by the name of Jose Reyes in the trade. Yes, that Jose Reyes. So if you thought the Alomar trade couldn’t have gone worse for the Mets, you are sadly mistaken.

According to a 2007 New York Post article, Phillips gave Cleveland the option of taking Reyes instead of Escobar. The Indians opted to take the highly-touted Escobar instead of a largely unproven teenager who had just two minor league seasons and had never been past Single-A.

Former Indians GM Mark Shapiro probably wishes he could have that one back. Escobar played just 74 games for the Indians, and Reyes played, well, a lot more games than that for the Mets. Imagine how much more hated Alomar would be among Mets fans had they ended up trading Reyes for the big-time bust at second base.

They should consider themselves even luckier that they held on to their No. 7 prospect that year, per Baseball America. He turned out to be a guy named David Wright. Maybe the Roberto Alomar trade wasn’t as bad as you thought it might have been, if you consider the alternatives.

The post That Time Jose Reyes Was Almost Traded For Roberto Alomar appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

“He was good. Until he went to the Mets.”

If you’re a Mets fan, there’s a solid chance you say or hear that sentence at least ten times per year. The Mets have had several notable occurrences of “He Was Good Until He Went To The Mets” syndrome over their five decades of play, and countless players have fallen prey to it.

When the Mets turned 50, they released an “All-Time Team” to remember the greats who wore the orange and blue. But if you’re a die-hard Mets fan, you know that the greats are only half of the story. For every Keith Hernandez, there’s a Mo Vaughn. For every Mike Piazza, there’s a Jim Fregosi. For every… you get it.

So now we have an all-time “He Was Good Until He Went To The Mets Team.” This team was built with the players at each position who had the best careers prior to a lackluster stay with the Mets:

Catcher – Yogi Berra

After Berra was fired as Yankees manager in 1964, the Mets immediately scooped him up as a player/coach. Many people don’t even realize that Berra played for the Mets– albeit for four games in 1965. He went 2-for-9, and retired after striking out three times in a game for the second time ever on May 9. The American icon went on to coach and manage with the Mets for the next decade, including in a memorable run to the World Series in 1973.

First Baseman – Mo Vaughn

Vaughn looked like a potential Hall of Famer when he played for the Red Sox and Angels. From 1993-2000, an average season for Vaughn was .305/.394/.552 with 35 home runs and 111 RBI. But it was all downhill after the 2000 season. He missed all of 2001 with a torn bicep and was traded to the Mets for Kevin Appier prior to the 2002 season.
While Appier won 14 games and helped the Angels win the 2002 World Series,

Vaughn did little for the Mets. His first year with the team was far below his pre-injury averages– albeit not awful. He batted .259/.349/.456 with 26 home runs and 72 RBI. However, he played in just 27 games in 2003 and missed all of 2004 with a career-ending knee injury. The Mets paid him $46 million dollars over these three seasons to play in just 158 games.

Vaughn is perhaps best remembered by Mets fans for his weight issues; despite once weighing 225 pounds, Vaughn had skyrocketed to 275 pounds when he was with the Mets. This led to many an angry call into “Mike and the Mad Dog.”

Second Baseman – Roberto Alomar

Alomar has a plaque in Cooperstown today, but it’s safe to say this has little to do with his time on the Mets.
Much like Vaughn, Alomar was acquired from the Indians during the 2002 offseason to revitalize the team. The Mets would be acquiring a 32-year-old player who had made 12 consecutive All-Star teams and won 11 consecutive Gold Gloves.

Both of these streaks ended once he came to the Mets. Alomar batted just .266/.331/.376 in 2002, and after putting up similar numbers the following season, was traded to the White Sox in July of 2003. Alomar played just one more season before calling it a career.
The trades for Vaughn and Alomar helped end Steve Phillips’ time as GM of the Mets, who was fired in 2003.

(Dis)Honorable mention #1 – Carlos Baerga

Baerga was the first second baseman since Rogers Hornsby to record consecutive seasons of 200+ hits, 20 home runs and 100 RBI when he did so in 1992 and 1993. After he was traded to the Mets in 1996, he never reached any of these plateaus again.

(Dis)Honorable mention #2 – Luis Castillo

Castillo won three Gold Gloves with the Marlins, yet is best remembered as a Met for failing to catch a pop-up. Enough said.

Shortstop: Kaz Matsui

Matsui is a legend in Japan, where he batted .309/.362/.486 with 150 home runs and 306 steals from from 1995-2003. This 2003 scouting report on ESPN.com called him “More talented than Hideki Matsui,” and the “Best all-around player [in Japan] since Ichiro left.”

So when Matsui decided to take his talents to America, the Mets signed him to a three-year, $20 million contract prior to the 2004 season. The team was so confident in his abilities that it moved highly-touted shortstop prospect Jose Reyes to second base to make room for Matsui.

Unlike the other Matsui in New York at the time, Kaz failed to meet expectations. He batted just .256/.308/.363 in three injury-plagued seasons with the Mets. He was traded to the Rockies in June of 2006. He spent the next four seasons with the Rockies and Astros before heading back to Japan in 2011.

In case you’re wondering, Matsui still plays in Japan for the Rakuten Golden Eagles, where he batted .256/.324/.366 with ten home runs and 48 RBI in 126 games last season.

Third Base – Jim Fregosi

Before the days of David Wright, the Mets struggled to find an everyday third baseman throughout much of their early history. In fact, they had eight different starting third basemen from 1962-1971.

The Mets hoped to put an end to these woes when they acquired Jim Fregosi from the Angels in December of 1971. Fregosi was a six-time All-Star with a bWAR of 44.8 and an OPS+ of 119 from 1963-1970. But a down season in 1971 made him expendable for the Angels, who traded him to the Mets for some young pitcher named Nolan Ryan.

Unfortunately for the Mets, the man bought in to be the third baseman of the future had a short and forgettable stay in Flushing. He batted an abysmal .233/.319/.328 with five home runs and 43 RBI in 146 games in 1972 and 1973. The Mets’ search for a star third baseman would continue until Howard Johnson made his debut with the team in 1985. Meanwhile, Nolan Ryan went on to throw over 5,000 strikeouts and seven no-hitters en route to the Hall of Fame.

Outfield – Jason Bay

After a season in which Daniel Murphy led the Mets with just 12 home runs, the Mets were in desperate need of a power hitter. So they signed Bay to a four-year, $66 million contract. Bay came to the Mets with seven consecutive seasons of at least 20 home runs and 80 RBI, and was coming off a season in which he hit 36 home runs and 119 RBI with the Red Sox.

In three years with the Mets, Bay hit just 26 home runs and 124 RBI. He batted just .234/.318/.369, and had his contract terminated prior to the 2013 season.

Outfield – Vince Coleman 

Coleman stole 549 bases during the first six seasons of his career with the Cardinals. He is one of just four players in the modern era to steal over 100 bases in a season, which he did three times from 1985-1987.

It looked like the Mets were signing the next Lou Brock when they signed him in 1990. What they got was one of the biggest embarrassments in team history. Coleman, who played with the Mets from 1991-1993, never played more than 100 games in a season.

Aside from the disappointing on-field performance, his off-field behavior was even worse. He was gone for good after he was charged with felony a firecracker at a group of fans at Dodger Stadium, which injured three people– including a two-year-old girl. Prior to this dubious incident, he injured Dwight Gooden by swinging a golf club in the clubhouse and had been suspended for feuding with manager Jeff Torborg.

Outfield – Willie Mays:

The “Say Hey Kid” was traded to the Mets in the middle of the 1972 season. Mays was 41 at the time, and was hardly the player he used to be. He hit just .238/.352/.294 in 135 games with the Mets from 1972-1973 to finish out his career.

Unlike many of the players on the “He Was Good Until He Went to the Mets” team, Mays is still looked at with reverence by the organization and fans, so much so that his No. 24 jersey has remained mostly out of circulation since he retired.

(Dis)Honorable Mention #1 – Bobby Bonilla

Many Mets fans would probably put Bonilla over Mays on this list, but from a purely numerical standpoint, Bonilla was actually not awful. He made two All-Star teams in four seasons while he recorded an OPS+ over 120 in each of his first four years with the team.

(Dis)Honorable Mention #2 – George Foster

Much like Bonilla, Foster didn’t live up to the hype of his five-year, $10 million contract, the second-largest in baseball history in 1982, but still put up decent numbers. Foster had at least 20 home runs in three of his five years with the Mets and had two years with a WAR over 1.5.

(Dis)Honorable Mention #3 – Duke Snider

Snider was a Hall of Famer and fan-favorite in New York as a Brooklyn Dodger before the team relocated to Los Angeles in 1958. He came back to New York in 1963 when he was sold to the Mets, where he batted .243/.345/.401 with 14 homers and 45 RBI in his only season with the team.

Starting Pitcher – Pedro Martinez

Pedro signed a four-year, $53 million dollar contract with the Mets in December of 2004. This represented a new era in Mets history, and was a major factor in persuading Carlos Beltran to sign. However, he contributed little on the field after the first year of his deal.

Martinez’s first season with the Mets was electrifying, as he went 15-8 with a 2.82 ERA and a league-leading 0.949 WHIP and 4.43 strikeout-to-walk ratio. After this season,Pedro would never make more than 24 starts in a season again, and recorded a 4.74 ERA throughout his remaining time with the Mets. A healthy Pedro could have made all the difference in 2007 and 2008, when the Mets were eliminated on the last day of the season.

Starting Pitcher – Tom Glavine

Glavine was one of the best pitchers of his era with the Braves, and was pretty solid with the Mets as well. He went 61-56 with a 3.97 ERA during his five seasons in New York. But he will always be remembered for his performance on the final day of the 2007 season, when he allowed seven runs in one-third of an inning to the last-place Marlins. Not a good time to have the worst start of your career.

Starting Pitcher – Warren Spahn

As a Brave, Spahn averaged 20 wins from 1947-1963. But after going 6-13 with a 5.29 ERA in 1964, he was sold to the Mets.
Much like Berra, Spahn had an oft-forgotten abbreviated cameo with the Mets in 1965. He was purchased and given both a spot in the rotation and the title of pitching coach.

Spahn had won 356 games prior to joining the Mets, and still believed that he could get to 400 wins when he joined the team. This proved to be a fruitless endeavor, however, as the 44-year-old went just 4-12 with a 4.36 ERA before being released midseason.

While on the Mets, Spahn was reunited with Casey Stengel, who he had played under with the Boston Braves in 1942. Reminiscing on his time with the Mets, Spahn once said: “I’m probably the only guy who worked with Stengel before and after he was a genius.”

Relief Pitcher: Francisco Rodriguez

The 2008 Mets’ bullpen was so bad that had their games ended in the eighth inning, they would have won the NL East by 12 games rather than losing it by three games. So that offseason, they signed Francisco Rodriguez, who was fresh off setting a single-season record with 62 saves, to a three-year, $37 million contract.

Rodriguez failed as a member of the Mets. His ERA ballooned to 3.71 in 2009– more than a run higher than it had been in 2008. He suffered a season-ending thumb injury in August of 2010 by assaulting his girlfriend’s father following a loss. “K-Rod” was traded to the Brewers in a salary-dump trade in 2011, where he has since made two All-Star teams.

Relief Pitcher – J.J. Putz

Putz recorded a 5.22 ERA as the setup man in 2009 before suffering a season-ending elbow injury that June. Putz was a stellar closer for the Mariners prior to 2009, as he had a 3.07 ERA and 101 saves in his six-year tenure with the team. After his time with the Mets, he recorded two 30-plus save seasons with the Diamondbacks in 2011 and 2012.
Putz later said that the Mets never gave him a physical upon acquisition. As Mets fans found out last year, medicals are rather important.

Manager – Art Howe

Howe was bought in in 2003 to be the Mets’ manager following Bobby Valentine‘s firing. Howe was the hottest managerial name on the market, as he had just led the Athletics to three consecutive playoff appearances. If he could lead the $40 million payroll Oakland A’s to three straight playoff appearances. Imagine what he could do with more than double that budget?

Not much. Howe went 137-186 in his two years on the job. He was fired following the 2004 season, and never managed again after leaving the Mets.

The post All-Time “He Was Good Until He Went to the Mets” Team appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Second base, interestingly enough, often seems to be a position in professional ball that is the repository for players who possess those shortcomings, either defensively, as with suspect range or a “fringy” arm, or if their bat won’t play at a more offensively oriented position such as corner infield or outfield. Naturally, there are many examples of second sackers who play brilliantly on both sides of the ball such as Chase Utley, but for every one of these there are a passel of “good glove-no stick” utility types or error-prone keystoners whose power (it is hoped) can offset their deficiencies in the field, a la Dan Uggla. Factors such as the tendencies of the pitching staff (flyball vs. groundball), the team’s home park (bandbox vs. pitcher’s haven), and the makeup of the rest of a team’s active roster can influence what type of players draw the 4 position assignment as well.

Second base has not been a storied position in Met team history. Clearly, Edgardo Alfonzo ranks as the best all-around player on the list, and some past-their-prime luminaries have filled the slot for a time as well (Carlos Baerga, Roberto Alomar), but generally, the Mets have run out a group of players there who could do something offensively and provide enough in the way of defense to keep the word “liability” from being mentioned in the same sentence with their name on a too-regular basis. Of course, the greatest offensive powerhouse to have played second in a Met uniform was Jeff Kent, but he saved his MVP-level performances for his future employers.

Interestingly, now that Daniel Murphy has established himself as one of the better offensive options in the league at the position, many are looking for him to be traded. While the merits of this idea can and have been debated, I thought it would prove insightful to look at the backlog of candidates to replace him that the team appears to be accumulating throughout its farm system.

Triple-A Las Vegas

Wilmer Flores continues to make it known that his time has arrived. Yes, his prodigious recent power display has come in the hitter-friendly parks of the PCL, but at age 22 (turning 23 next month), his apprenticeship looks to be overlong. He needs a spot in the big club’s lineup. Murphy’s bat has necessitated his reclassification as a shortstop, but his future appears to be elsewhere in the infield. His minor league numbers may be enhanced by the rarified air of Las Vegas, but he still profiles as at least a .270+ hitter with 15+ HR potential. If that type of production comes with passable defense, most clubs would be thrilled.

Matt Reynolds, while not a name that has been listed among the team’s top prospects, has nonetheless hit his way into consideration over the past season and a half. Another ostensible shortstop, no scouting report projects him there as a regular. He lacks power or elite speed, but having hit above the .350 mark across two levels over half a season and posted a combined OBP of .424, he at least merits some consideration as at least a candidate for a spring training tryout in the leadoff spot.

Double-A Binghamton 

Dilson Herrera, who arrived last season from the Pittsburgh organization as part of the Marlon Byrd/John Buck deal that also netted current bullpen component Vic Black, may be relatively small in stature at 5’10” and 150 lb, but has also hit at every level, tallying a .312 career mark across rookie, low A, high A, and now AA levels. At only 20 years of age, his stroke is precocious enough (along with a hint of occasional pop) to intrigue.

T.J. Rivera, another “non-prospect” who went undrafted and signed as a free agent out of college, has done nothing but hit since joining the organization in 2011. In stints at Kingsport, Brooklyn, Savanna, St. Lucie, and now Binghamton, he has batted a composite .346 with an OBP of .392. Like Reynolds, he lacks the added dimension of plus power or speed, and at age 25 is older than is typical for his level, but his numbers demand consideration as a utility player if nothing else. Anyway, even Mike Piazza was only drafted as a “courtesy.”

Advanced-A St. Lucie 

L.J. Mazzilli, he of the pedigree, has shown a bit of his Dad’s hard-nosed style and a tad more power than the typical middle infielder in the Met organization. The 23-year old is in his second year of pro ball, now manning second for St. Lucie after a mid-season promotion from low A Savannah. Drafted in the fourth round last year out of the University of Connecticut, he had a respectable showing with short-season Brooklyn last year and has improved across the board this year with better numbers in average, slugging, and OBP. Definitely one to watch.

Single-A Savannah

Jeff McNeil, taken 8 rounds after Mazzilli out of Long Beach State, was assigned to Kingsport of the Appalachian League and hit .329 over the course of 164 AB while showing some base-stealing ability with 11 bags in 13 attempts. After showing similar numbers at Savannah this year (.332 with 15 steals in 18 tries over 232 AB) and making the Sally league All-Star team, he was promoted to St. Lucie where so far, he is demonstrating a need to adjust to elevated level of play.

While we all may find ourselves waiting a bit for Messrs. Evans, Cecchini, or Rosario to lay a claim to the shortstop position in Citifield, it appears that at least with the other half of the middle infield combo, a plethora of candidates may thrust themselves into the picture relatively soon. Competition at positions is said to be a good thing. In any event, it appears that the Mets should have no lack of supply of it at second base for years to come.

The post Mets’ Farm System Has A Bumper Crop At Second Base appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

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This Kindle Fire giveaway has been so exciting and also a big revelation to me. I never expected such a heartfelt outpouring of Amazin’ entries. Every single entry was a true telling of why that person loved the Mets. We heard from 109 different Mets fans, male and female, young and old, east coast and west coast. Honestly, I was overwhelmed and never thought we’d get a response like this. It’s true what I always say and that’s that Met fans are the best fans in baseball. But sadly, there can be only one winner. However, I do want to highlight our three Finalists  and two Honorable Mentions. Please Enjoy…

Honorable Mention No. 2

By Daniel Brennan

My grandmother was an original New York Mets fan. She was a die hard Brooklyn Dodgers fan until they moved out West. Luckily, the Mets came into existence soon after and her life would never be the same. Neither would mine.

My grandmother has since passed, but from the time I was born until she died in 2006, she ingrained being a Mets fan in my blood. My parents are big Mets fans too (my mom was at more than half of the 1986 playoff games, including the Game 7 World Series clincher), but it was my close relationship with my grandmother that facilitated my eventual love for the Mets.

I would go to my grandmother’s house every Saturday. If it happened to be during the baseball season, we would watch the games together. She was remarkably sharp for an 80 year old women, and she helped teach me most of what I eventually learned about the Mets and baseball in general. She had a strong opinion on every player, and her opinions often shaped mine (even though she never saw him play, I KNOW she would have LOVED Daniel Murphy, as do I). Even when I was not at her house, I would call her after the conclusion of every game to talk about what had happened. There was rarely a phone conversation between my grandmother and I that did not include dialogue about the Mets.

When my grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005, it was not simply devastating because she was my grandmother. It was devastating because she was my best friend and the main person I could share my love for the Mets with. The thought of watching the Mets without her insight was saddening and terrifying.

During the playoffs in 2006, my grandmother had gotten significantly worse. Even though she had just led her bowling team to a championship earlier that summer, her body had slowly disintegrated to the point where she could not even stay awake during Mets game. This was the clearest indication that cancer was sucking the life out of my grandmother.

After the Mets lost to the Cardinals in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS, I remember crying, sitting on the stairs that lead to my basement. I was crying not only because the Mets had just been eliminated, but also because I had thought it was the Mets’ destiny to win the World Series for my grandmother. Sadly, that did not happen and my grandmother died in December 2006.

My love for the Mets has only grown since my grandmother passed, even as the team has gotten considerably worse over that period. Considering that I was born in 1994, I have not been alive for much success. I did not begin following the Mets until the summer of 2001, with my first memories being of Brian Jordan destroying the Mets as an Atlanta Brave. Still, the love of the Mets my grandmother instilled in me has left me unaffected by the Mets downturn.

I watch the games whether it is April and the Mets are alive and full of hope, or it is September and the Mets’ season has long since died. I watch the games if they are up by 10 or down by 10. I even stay up for the games if they are on the West Coast and I should be in bed.

My grandmother made sure that I was a true Mets fan, someone who was not going to leave the team even in the darkest of times. My grandmother taught me to root for a team that depended on the aging Mo Vaughn and Roberto Alomar; I can certainly root for any Mets team now. Without my grandmother, I am sure I would not be writing this email right now.

Heading into the 2014 season, I can only hope that the Mets return to their winning ways, not only for me and all of the other die hard Mets fan who are sending in their responses right now, but also for my grandmother. 2006 was their year, but they are bound to have another (and hopefully many more after).

Let’s Go Mets and thank you for reading,

We’re all with you Daniel. Thanks for your poignant essay, and like you, we’re all waiting for the Mets to get back to their winning ways.

The post Why I Love The Mets: Honorable Mention #2 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.