He had been part of the Mets organization since 1991, began with the major league club in 1993, was an Opening Day starter in the mid-90s, and an All-Star in 1997. By the time they reached the postseason in 1999, Jones was one of the longest-tenured players.

But when it came time to make up the playoff roster, Jones — who had a 5.61 ERA in just 12 appearances — was left off. Getting the chance to appear in the postseason is a once-in-a-career opportunity for some. And while the Mets were on track for a second straight October trip in 2000, Jones’ effectiveness was continuing a serious downturn. He was sent to the minors at mid-season, only to work his way back into the big league rotation by the time the Division Series arrived.

Following two thrilling wins against the Giants that put the Mets one victory from the League Championship Series, little did anyone believe Bobby Jones was on the verge of an all-time performance. But his wife had a premonition.

“You won’t be sorry,” she supposedly told manager Bobby Valentine. “He’ll pitch the game of his life.”

Jones had steadily improved since returning from that demotion — going 8-2 with a 3.98 ERA during the second half after a 1-3 record over his first eight starts and a dreadful 10.19 ERA in 32⅔ innings.

Still, there was no earthly reason to believe what was ahead. Forget past personal history, he was facing a lineup no pitcher would envy: with MVPs Jeff Kent and Barry Bonds smack in the middle of it.

Jones, though, set them down in order over four innings. But in the fifth, Kent led off with a tracer just above the outstretched reach of third baseman Robin Ventura, who had provided the early offense with a first-inning two-run homer.

Kent’s double was followed by two walks and two outs. With Jones’ opposite number, Mark Gardner, due up, Giants manager Dusty Baker chose to have his pitcher bat for himself instead of sending up a pinch-hitter.

Gardner was retired and promptly allowed New York to add to its lead in the bottom of the fifth. Jones then asserted his dominance even more.

With pinpoint control and changing speeds, San Francisco batters were methodically retired — rendered helpless by a pitcher who just four months ago didn’t know if he’d be a major leaguer again, let alone a postseason pitcher.

The finishing touch on this masterpiece came against Barry Bonds, a meager 3-for-17 in the series, who lifted the first pitch he saw into center field. Jay Payton raced over to his right and made the catch.

Jubilant teammates mobbed the pitcher with the common name who had achieved an uncommon feat — what was then just the sixth one-hitter in playoff history.

It was a performance nobody saw coming. Nobody, except for Kristi Jones.

The post OTD 2000: Bobby Jones Tosses One-Hitter in NLDS Clincher appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and attending St. John’s University in Queens, John Franco embodied a New Yorker. It was only apt that Franco would ultimately pitch for his beloved childhood team, the New York Mets.

Franco, 64, was a four-time All-Star and a reliable arm in the backend of the bullpen. During his 21-year Major League career, Franco made at least 50 appearances 14 times, recorded 30+ saves eight times, and rose to the occasion in the postseason, posting a 1.88 ERA with a 0.977 WHIP over 15 career games.

The left-hander was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth round of the 1981 Draft. It was with the Dodgers organization that Franco started to develop his bread-and-butter pitch: the changeup.

Two years later, Franco was on the move to Cincinnati, where the Reds fully transitioned Franco from the starting rotation to the bullpen.

Over his first six big league seasons (all with the Reds), Franco appeared in 393 games and posted a 2.49 ERA with 148 saves. Only two pitchers recorded more appearances during that span (Craig Lefferts, 416; Kent Tekulve, 403). Since the earned run became an official stat in both leagues in 1913, only four pitchers have appeared in 350+ games while posting a sub-2.50 ERA in their first six seasons: Tim Burke, Brad Ziegler, Craig Kimbrel and Franco.

During the 1989 Winter Meetings, the Reds matched up with the New York Mets in a trade that sent Kip Gross and Randy Myers to the Reds, with minor league outfielder Don Brown and Franco heading to the Mets.

Franco was coming home.

In his fourteen seasons with the Mets, Franco appeared in 695 regular season games and saved 276 games (both franchise records). In 2001, Franco became the third captain in team history, joining Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter.

Franco provided the Mets with many memorable moments, from striking out Barry Bonds with a 3-2 changeup in Game 2 of the 2000 National League Division Series to being the winning pitcher in the first game back after the September 11 terrorist attacks to a memorable commercial appearance for the defunct retailer The Wiz.

Among all-time pitchers, Franco ranks third in games pitched (1,119), seventh in saves (424) and in a three-way tie for 22nd in ERA+ (138). Franco and Billy Wagner are the only left-handed pitchers with more than 400 saves.

I had the privilege of speaking to Franco, where he discussed developing his signature changeup, striking out Barry Bonds in Game 2 of the 2000 National League Division Series, and the role Franco’s father played in his development.

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

Franco: My favorite players were Tom Seaver, Tug McGraw, Tommie Agee and that whole ’69 Mets team.

I loved Ron Guidry because he was a little left-handed pitcher like me.

MMO: At what point during your development did you start focusing on pitching?

Franco: I played shortstop up until 13, and then played center field and first base. Mostly around 13-14 [is when] I started pitching a lot.

MMO: What do you remember from your summer playing in the Cape Cod League?

Franco: That Ron Darling was my roommate and Dan Marino was our shortstop, but he left right before I got there. I think he made a good choice to go play football.

Playing in the Cape was a great experience. Not every college player gets the opportunity, and back then it was the highest level of college baseball.

MMO: What are your memories from the 1981 MLB Draft? Were the Los Angeles Dodgers on your radar?

Franco: I can tell you that the Dodgers were always a team that invited me to their tryouts. They always had their local tryouts at Poly Prep High School; that’s where my two older children went to school. The Dodgers were always there and they would invite me, along with the Baltimore Orioles’ scout named Al Goldis. The Dodgers’ scouts were Steve Lembo and Gil Bassetti. Those were the guys who gave me an opportunity and invited me to the tryouts.

I didn’t know I was going to get drafted by them, but I was happy that I did.

MMO: At what point did you start tinkering with your changeup? And is it true that Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax played a role?

Franco: Absolutely. When I was in the Instructional League with the Dodgers, Sandy Koufax, Dave Wallace – who’s my favorite pitching coach of all time – and Larry Sherry, our minor league coordinator, helped me develop that changeup.

When I got traded to Cincinnati, there was a left-handed relief pitcher named Freddy Norman, who had a circle change. I picked his brain a little bit. And then I picked the brain of Mario Soto, who had probably the best changeup in baseball back in the eighties.

One of the guys I sat and learned so much about pitching and how to act was Tom Hume. He was one of my favorite teammates in Cincinnati. He was one of the veterans who took me under his wing. I still keep in contact with him to this day.

MMO: You mentioned Dave Wallace. In previous interviews, you’ve heaped a ton of praise on him for your development. What specifically did Wallace do to help you?

Franco: I can tell you when I was pitching with the Dodgers in a couple of minor league games, and in one particular game, I was getting ahead in the count but wasn’t striking guys out. Dave called time, came to the mound, and had a lot of choice words for me which I can’t say. [Laughs.] That kind of put a lightbulb on, and I thought, you know, this isn’t college anymore. He kind of straightened me out and made me realize to stop acting like a fool and just concentrate on pitching.

I owe him a lot of credit for my maturity and development. Fast forward, and he became the pitching coach with the Mets, so it was great coming full circle.

MMO: At what point did they ask you to transition to the pen?

Franco: I was a starter in the minor leagues with the Dodgers. In ’81, I got drafted, and then in ’82 I went from A-ball to Triple-A because one of their pitchers got hurt. I later went down to Double-A and then the following year I went to Triple-A Albuquerque, and they moved me to the bullpen there.

I got traded to Cincinnati and I went back to starting. They had a number one draft pick named Ron Robinson, who eventually became one of my best friends and roommate with Cincinnati. He was a starter and and they moved me to the bullpen.

My initial thoughts were it sucked because I always thought I’d make it as a starter, but [relieving] was the quickest way to get to the big leagues. I had the type of arm that could throw almost every day. As a starter, I wasn’t a big guy, but I was a full-energy guy, and by the sixth I used to get tired. Career-wise, I think it was probably the best move. Whoever thought of that in the Reds organization, I owe them a lot of credit!

MMO: What were your initial reactions when you heard you were being traded to the Mets in December 1989?

Franco: I was kind of shocked. That winter, the Cincinnati general manager called me because they wanted to give me a three year extension, and asked what I’d be looking for. I said, ‘I haven’t talked to my agent.’ I saw some stuff in the papers back home saying the Yankees were really interested in me.

A week later, the GM for the Reds called me again and said Lou Piniella, who became the new manager, wanted to meet and have lunch. That was about a week before the winter meetings.

The winter meetings came, and I got a phone call saying I was traded to New York. I just assumed it was the Yankees. About ten minutes later, I got a call from Joe McIlvaine, who was the GM of the Mets, so I knew it was them.

I was very, very happy. I mean, I would’ve been happy for the Yankees, too, because it would still mean pitching back home. But the Mets were the team I grew up rooting for.

MMO: I’m sure you received a ton of ticket requests once you came back home to pitch.

Franco: I had a lot of cousins that I didn’t know I had! [Laughs.]

I had two phone lines at my house: one for family and one for friends. My wife, Rose, did a great job in handling the ticket situation. I always told everyone we’re home for 81 games, everybody can’t come to the same games, but pick and choose the ones you want to go to.

MMO: Can you share the reason why you wore the orange undershirt underneath your jersey?

Franco: I wore the shirt in honor of my father, who was a sanitation worker. My dad was my buddy, my best friend.

My dad didn’t like to fly. When I was attending St. John’s, we went to the World Series in Omaha. My brother, Jerry, and my dad were driving and the car broke down in Pennsylvania, so they had to turn back and miss it. But all through the minor leagues, he drove to Florida, Texas, etc.

When I had bad games, I’d call him up, and he would just make me feel good. He would tell me to put things in perspective, that I still have an opportunity, and turn the page on this one and focus on the next game. He never got mad, never yelled. Even when I was playing in high school and college, he was always away from the other parents. He stayed down the line and kept to himself. People would ask him, “Don’t you talk about your son?” He’d say, “No, I let my son do the talking between the lines.” That’s how he was.

He always demanded respect for the game; don’t disrespect baseball. He didn’t believe in booing players. My brother and I would go to games with him and even if the team was playing badly, you didn’t boo the guys. He loved baseball and he was a very important part of my life and development.

MMO: I assume your father was the person who introduced you to baseball.

Franco: He was. I also had an older brother; he passed away about a year and a half ago, and he was five years older than me. I owe him a lot of credit because we used to play games against each other and he’d beat my butt! But it made me more of a competitor, and as I got bigger and stronger, I started beating him. I owe him a lot of credit for my competitiveness, that’s for sure.

MMO: As a reliever, you need to have a short memory and be able to bounce-back after a tough game. How would you specifically handle those situations? Were you someone who utilized any visualization techniques?

Franco: There were a couple of visualization techniques that I used. Mentally, you had to be tough; you had to have a short-term memory. I used to compare a closer to a field goal kicker; if you save 15 in a row, everyone knows you. But the one you blow is the one they remember. A field goal kicker can make ten in a row, and when he misses, that’s the one they’ll remember.

It used to bother me more because I blew the saves of guys like Al Leiter, Tom Glavine, Mike Hampton or Bobby Jones, and they pitched their tails off and I come in for one inning and blow it for them. Those guys worked their tails off for seven-eight innings. That’s what bothered me most about blowing a save.

It would stick with me for a night. I used to watch the replays on ESPN and look to see where the pitch location was. I would try to visualize and do better next time. The good thing about being a relief pitcher was you could get in there the next day and save a game instead of blowing it.

MMO: You pitched both out of the windup and from the stretch at various points throughout your career. Was that more of a feel-thing for you, or were the specific reasons behind those choices?

Franco: When I first came up, it was mostly out of the windup because I was a middle relief/setup man with Cincinnati until I took over [the closer role]. And then my first year or two with the Mets, I was out of the windup. I realized coming into the game there’s less margin of error, and it’s more compact for me being in the stretch rather than the windup.

MMO: One of the lasting memories Mets fans have of you is when you struck out Barry Bonds looking on a 3-2 changeup in the bottom of the tenth in Game 2 of the 2000 N.L.D.S. For your career, you held Bonds to a .229 batting average and a .568 OPS over 39 regular-season plate appearances (and 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in the postseason). Did you have a specific game plan and pitch selection when facing Bonds?

Franco: Barry and I had the same agent, so I knew Barry for a while. I used to tell him, ‘You’re the greatest hitter, I don’t know how I get you out.’ He would always tell me that if he hit a home run against me he’d run around the bases backwards. [Laughs.]

We had some friendly competition, and he came close one time; he hit one off the wall. I really liked the challenge, and Barry was very challenging. You’d throw him fastballs and sliders; I never threw him a changeup until that playoff game.

I talked to John Olerud, who was our first baseman and a great left-handed hitter, and I asked him what the toughest pitch to hit off a lefty was. He said a changeup, so I put that in the back of my mind.

In that particular game against the Giants, I threw a 3-1 fastball that Barry fouled straight back. If he would’ve hit it, that would’ve landed in Oakland. [Mike] Piazza kept putting the fastball sign down, and I kept shaking him off. I had a base open and I decided if I walk him, fine; if not, I’ll take a chance with it. Just so happens, I threw a 3-2 changeup for a strike and got him out.

I think the next time I faced him in that series, he was looking for it (changeup), but I got him with a high fastball. We had some good battles.

MMO: Who are some hitters who gave you the most trouble during your career?

Franco: At the top of the list, and I think he gave everyone trouble, was Tony Gwynn. Then there were hitters like Mariano Duncan and Bob Dernier, who were more contact hitters.

I really didn’t have too much of an issue with the big home run hitters, it was the contact guys. Gwynn was just amazing, no matter what you threw him he hit it. I got to the point where I’d just throw it down the middle and hope he hit a line drive at somebody.

MMO: What did it mean to be named the third captain in Mets history? Were there any additional responsibilities you took on?

Franco: Not really. It was a great honor to be shown the respect from my teammates and the organization.

As a captain, if guys had a bad day, you’d go up to them and talk. Some might’ve had off-the-field problems that you might be able to help them with. When the team was going bad, you’d call team meetings. If we needed guys to relax and there was too much media in the locker room, I’d say, ‘We’re having a meeting,’ and Jay [Horwitz] would clear them out.

Jay would ask me, “What time’s the meeting?” I’d say, ‘There’s no meeting. I just want guys to relax.’ I tried to be a leader and lead by example on and off the field.

MMO: You’re third all-time in regular season pitching appearances with 1,119 games. Do you take pride in your place on that leaderboard?

Franco: It means a lot. I love the game and I love to play. Being a reliever is almost like being an everyday player. I had a great opportunity to do what I did for a long time.

MMO: Playing 21 years in the majors, and racking up the number of games that you did surely took a toll on your body. What would you do stay in shape?

Franco: The difference, I think, between players now and when I played is once the season’s over, guys today seem to take a week off and then they go right into throwing. I think that puts strain on their arms. I did a lot of weight training, and when I got closer to spring training, I cut my training in half in terms of weight and always did cardio and core. I ate well and my wife is in great shape too, and she made sure I ate well. I think there are too many gadgets now and gurus with these instructions and workouts. I think that adds a lot to these injuries.

I used to play basketball and throw the football around, and that was part of my workout. I’ll tell you a funny story: When I played for Cincinnati, I used to play in a touch football league in the offseason. I was a quarterback with the YMCA league. I used to have to sneak out because my dad would say I was crazy for playing, but that kept my arm in shape all winter. Once I got traded to the Mets, that was it. My career in touch football was over.

MMO: What have you been up to post playing career?

Franco: I’ve been retired since 2005 and still work with the organization periodically. I’ll go to spring training when I’m invited down. I’ve been one of the ambassadors and I do alumni work with Jay and the organization. I represent the team in various functions if they need me to do certain things.

I would love to get back into the game in some capacity. We’ll see what happens but I’m enjoying life. I took up golf a bit more seriously; I’m still not good at it, but I enjoy it. Hopefully one day, with the Era Committee, I get elected to the Hall of Fame.

MMO: Your candidacy is certainly an interesting one. Relievers haven’t been given the same attention as other positions for the Hall. If Billy Wagner makes it in his last year of eligibility, perhaps that will help your case.

Franco: My numbers are just as good as most of the guys in there, except for probably Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman. If Billy gets in, that might open the door for me. I still think I belong in there, but things don’t always work out that way. Maybe the Era Committee and the former players and executives who are around the game will realize that.

MMO: When you look back on your career, John, what are you most proud of?

Franco: I’m most proud of being able to take the ball every day, being a good leader and respected on and off the field.

The post MMO Exclusive: Franchise Saves Leader, John Franco appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets placed RHP Drew Smith on the 15-day IL, retroactive to June 24, with a right elbow sprain before Wednesday’s game. Smith left Sunday’s game against the Cubs after coming in for Edwin Díaz ,who was ejected and suspended 10 games for having a foreign substance on his hand. Smith would go on to get two outs prior to leaving the game after being checked by the trainer and showing some discomfort in his throwing arm.

His IL designation came a couple of hours after Carlos Mendoza told the media that he would be getting an MRI after experiencing forearm tightness, per Tim Healey of Newsday. RHP Ty Adcock was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to take his spot in the bullpen. 

Drew Smith, Photo by Ed Delany of Metmerized

The Mets finished off a sweep of the Subway Series on Wednesday night as the Amazin’ offense exploded yet again. Despite an hour and a half rain delay, the Mets added to their 4-0 lead and didn’t stop. They poured  on against the Yankees’ bullpen, leading to a 12-2 final score.

The Mets have off on Thursday before they host the Houston Astros for a weekend series. The Mets are expected to have José Quintana on the mound (3-5, 4.58 ERA) against Ronel Blanco (8-2, 2.34 ERA) of the Astros for the Friday matchup.

Latest Mets News

Mets catcher Joe Hudson cleared waivers, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The club outrighted him back to Triple-A Syracuse.

Ryan Clifford was named the Mets’ hottest-hitting prospect by MLB.com. Despite having a .211 batting average in June, 11 of his 12 hits have been for extra bases and he boasts a 1.081 OPS this month.

José Iglesias has been pressured by J.D. Martinez and the Mets’ clubhouse to push up the official release of “OMG,” and it will now be available on Friday, per Steve Gelbs of SNY.

Brett Baty continues to tear up Triple-A, hitting two more home runs and raising his OPS to 1.188. He has now homered eight times in 65 at-bats since being sent down.

Jonah Tong threw a gem for High-A Brooklyn on Wednesday: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 SO. He now has a 3.38 ERA on the season.

Luisangel Acuña had his 9th multi-hit game of his last 15 games. He has 26 hits, 12 RBIs and six stolen bases during that span for Triple-A Syracuse.

Latest MLB News

The Houston Astros signed former Mets catcher Omar Narváez to a minor league deal, per Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston. The Mets released Narváez on June 5.

Shohei Ohtani set a Dodgers franchise record by becoming the first player to record an RBI in 10 straight games.

The Astros lose yet another pitcher as J.P. France will be undergoing surgery on his shoulder and will miss the remainder of thr 2024, per his agent Nate Heisler of Klutch Sports. José Urquidy and Cristian Javier are also going to miss the rest of the season due to Tommy John surgery, Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers have missed the first half of the 2024 season, and Justin Verlander has also missed time this season.

MLB announced the participants in the 2024 All-Star Celebrity Softball game, including Pedro Martínez, Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers and former NFL star Terrell Owens. 

Alden Gonzalez of ESPN dives into Trajekt Arc, which is a machine that can replicate every pitch thrown in MLB, down to the mph and RPM. Hitters can use the machine during games and is the latest advancement for batters to use in attempt to keep up with continuous pitch development.

Justin Verlander, who is eligible to come off the IL on Monday, will not accompany the Astros to New York, according to Houston’s manager Joe Espada, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. He also noted that Verlander is getting better, but still has not played catch yet.

Michael Kay complained about SNY saying the Mets had the best booth in baseball.

Latest on MMO

Brett Baty keeps raking in Triple-A. 

Mark Vientos had his signature Subway Series moment on Tuesday.

Harrison Bader gets revenge against his old squad.

On This Date in Mets History

2008: Carlos Delgado sets a Mets franchise record by driving in nine runs in one game. Delgado hit a two-run double, three-run home run, and a grand slam in a Mets big win over the Yankees.

1962: The Mets sign a 17-year-old first baseman, Ed Kranepool. The original Met would go on to play 18 seasons with the club.

Birthdays: Abraham Almonte (35), Chris Woodward (48), Ricardo Jordan (54), Jeff Conine (58)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Place Drew Smith On IL appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning, Mets fans!

Wednesday brought another slate of four Wild Card matchups and made sure there would be no games left to play on Thursday, as all four series ended in two-game sweeps. The Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Philadelphia Phillies all advanced last night, giving themselves off until Saturday by closing out the series early. While it was a day of exciting matchups including an NL East battle, the Mets front office had their eye on one game in particular, Diamondbacks vs. Brewers.

With Arizona going into Milwaukee and taking two straight, not only is the Brewers’ season finished, but manager Craig Counsell‘s time with the Milwaukee team might be over too. Counsell, who has been at the helm since 2015, is now officially a free agent, and the Mets are allowed to talk to him regarding their open manager position.

After announcing David Stearns as the new president of baseball operations, Buck Showalter‘s job security was immediately in question, and a day before Stearns’ introduction, he was gone. Now that Stearns is in charge, the obvious choice for Mets manager would be Counsell, who was the manager during Stearns’ entire duration in Milwaukee. When asked about his future after last night’s game, Craig wouldn’t comment saying “That ain’t for tonight, man.” However, the Mets will certainly look at Counsell for their opening, and Stearns being in New York makes it a significant possibility. 

Latest Mets News

MLB finally came to a decision yesterday, as they awarded the Mets a win in their suspended game against the Miami Marlins on September 28th. All stats from the unfinished 9th inning, in which the Marlins scored two runs to take a 2-1 lead, will be erased from the record. The Mets will officially end the 2023 season with a 75-87 record.

An article by Mike Puma of the New York Post detailed how Mets GM Billy Eppler and former manager Buck Showalter “butted heads” on Daniel Vogelbach‘s playing time. A source told Puma that Eppler forced Showalter to play the struggling DH and that the manager had an issue with his limited skill set to begin with.

The voice of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Jacob Wilkins, will be the play-by-play announcer for a series in each round of this year’s postseason. Wilkins began on Tuesday as he was on the call for the Blue Jays vs. Twins matchup and called the series finale Wednesday.

Latest MLB News

San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller addressed the media yesterday in a post-season presser following a disappointing season for his club. Preller answered questions on current manager Bob Melvin‘s job security, to which he responded saying, “Bob is our manager, and he’s going to be our manager going forward.” per Dennis Lin of The Athletic.

The other major questions was regarding the team’s plans with Juan Soto, who will be a free agent next off-season, to which Preller replied that the club’s “first path” is to try and work out an extension. However, he noted, “We’ve never been a group that says no to anything. I wouldn’t read into that. That’s just kind of the way we operate.” when asked about a trade possibility, per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. 

More news also came out of San Diego as it was announced that star third baseman Manny Machado underwent elbow surgery on Tuesday. The Padres said that Machado had a successful right elbow extensor tendon repair surgery. The timeline for his recovery is approximately four to six months, as they hope he’ll be ready for opening day in 2024.

Before clinching a spot in the NLDS, the Diamondbacks extended the constructor of the playoff team through 2028. D-Backs general manager Mike Hazen, who was originally under contract through 2025, gets a new five-year deal and keeps him in Arizona, where he has been since 2016. Along with Hazen, Arizona also extended assistant GM’s Amiel Sawdeye and Mike Fitzgerald’s contracts, per Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. 

Latest on MMO

Matt Mancuso did a season recap for the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies as their title bid fell just short.

Mike Mayer and Sal Manzo talked about David Stearns introduction as a Met on the MMO weekly podcast.

Who will David Stearns pick as his new manager? Ross Bentley looked at the Mets possible options. 

On This Day in Mets History

1999: The Mets take the first game of the NLDS against Randy Johnson and the Diamondbacks behind a two-home run performance from Edgardo Alfonzo. The two homers, one coming in the first and one in the ninth, contributed to the seven earned runs the Mets put up against the Hall of Fame lefty in his 8 1/3 innings pitched. 

2000: Jay Payton sends a go-ahead base hit into centerfield in the tenth inning, giving the Mets a 5-4 lead. With two outs in the bottom of the inning, Barry Bonds came to the plate as the winning run, but John Franco would freeze Bonds with a called strike three and even the NLDS up at a game a piece.

Birthdays: Rey Sánchez (56), Brent Gaff (65)

The post Morning Briefing: Craig Counsell a Free Agent After Brewers Elimination appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Photo Credits: Reinhold Matay, USA Today

There is only one new entrant into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The man who is receiving that distinct honor is Fred McGriff. He was selected by the Contemporary Era committee, this committee was comprised of 16 individuals, all of which voted for him. To gain entry, nominees needed at least 12 votes from the 16 electors.

McGriff, who endured a 19-year career, played from 1986 to 2004. The teams he played the longest for were the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (five years) and Atlanta Braves (five years). McGriff registered 2490 hits over his career, as well as 493 home runs and 1550 runs batted in. The left-handed first baseman owns a career slash line of .284/.377/.509, which is good for a .886 OPS.

Overall, an immensely successful career ending in well-deserved enshrinement to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Notable individuals that were not elected are Don Mattingly, Curt Schilling, Dale Murphy, Barry Bonds, and Roger Clemens. Mattingly was the closest as he received eight votes, while Schilling and Murphy registered seven and six, respectively. Bonds and Clemens each received fewer than four.

The post Fred McGriff Lone Electee Into National Baseball Hall of Fame appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

David Ortiz is the lone player elected to the Hall of Fame. Ortiz received 77.9% of the votes to be elected first-ballot.

Ortiz played 20 years in the major leagues. He started his career in Minnesota in 1997 where he’d play six years then finish it as a star in Boston for 14 seasons. In his career, the first baseman and designated hitter was a ten-time All-Star, three-time World Series Champion, seven-time silver slugger, World Series MVP, and ALCS MVP. Ortiz finished his career with 541 home runs and 1,768 runs batted in.

Ortiz will be honored alongside Bud Fowler, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, and Buck O’Neil in Coopertown this July.

Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, and Sammy Sosa failed to earn the votes needed in their 10th and final year of eligibility. Bonds finished with 66.0% of votes, Clemens with 65.2%, Schilling with 58.6%, and Sosa 18.5%. Schilling lost 54 votes from 2021.

Players need 75% of the votes to enter the hall.

Their next chance to enter will be in December on the Today’s Game Committee ballot. Ten names will be presented before the 16-person voting committee.

Multiple players saw increases. Scott Rolen is trending toward induction in the next year or two with 63.2% of votes. Todd Helton received 52.0% of votes and Billy Wagner received 51.0%. Only seven of the 30 players on the ballot received over 50% of the votes.

Wagner has seen a steady increase since joining the ballot in 2016.

Billy Wagner continues to make progress in getting voted to the Hall of Fame:

2022 – 51%
2021 – 46.4%
2020 – 31.7%
2019 – 16.7%
2018 – 11.1%
2017 – 10.2%
2016 – 10.5%

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) January 25, 2022

Eleven players fell off the ballot with less than 5% of the votes. Those players are Joe Nathan, Tim Hudson, Tim Lincecum, Ryan Howard, Mark Teixeira, Justin Morneau, Jonathan Papelbon, Prince Fielder, A.J. Pierzynski, Carl Crawford, and Jake Peavy. Crawford and Peavy did not receive a vote.

Alex Rodriguez led all first-year candidates with 34.3% of voters putting him in. Jimmy Rollins was second with 9.4%.

Next season will be the final year for Jeff Kent. He will be a long shot to make it after garnering only 32.7% of votes.

Expected to be on next year’s ballot are Carlos Beltran, John Lackey, Matt Cain, and Jayson Werth. Beltran is by far the most compelling candidate to make the Hall of Fame his first chance. He accumulated 70.1 career WAR which ranks only behind Rodriguez and Rolen on the current ballot.

The post David Ortiz Elected to Hall of Fame appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

According to Ryan Thibodaux (aka @NotMrTibbs on Twitter) currently, three players are on track to make the Hall of Fame with 79 ballots revealed or about 20%.

With 79 ballots revealed/~20.2% known:

Ortiz – 82.3%
Bonds – 78.5%
Clemens – 78.5%
—
Rolen – 72.2%
Schilling – 70.9%
Helton – 58.2%
Wagner – 51.9%
Jones – 50.6%
A-Rod – 49.4%
Sheffield – 45.6%
Ramirez – 43.0%
Kent – 24.1%
Sosa – 21.5%
Abreu/Pettitte – 12.7%
Vizquel – 10.1%

— Ryan Thibodaux (@NotMrTibbs) December 28, 2021

The three in are the two most heavily debated candidates and the one player that seems to skirt his steroid allegations.

David Ortiz leads with 82.3% of voters putting him in, while Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are each at 78.5%.

In order to get inducted, players need 75% of voters to put them on the ballot. Voters are allowed to vote for up to 10 players on the ballot although some choose not to vote for anyone.

Scott Rolen and Curt Schilling are both on the bubble of entry. Both likely deserve to be in Cooperstown based on accolades but Schilling seems to not want to enter after requesting to have his name removed from the 2022 ballot. Obviously, the BBWAA did not accept Schilling’s request.

Billy Wagner‘s case is trending upwards. The former Met closer received 31.7% of the vote in 2020 and now sits at 51.9% of reported ballots. He finished with 46.4% of the votes in 2021. MMO details the case for why we think he should be in the Hall of Fame here.

The writers who revealed ballots that might be more friendly than others who choose not to make their ballots public, which could explain the drastic rise for candidates like Bonds, Clemens, and Rolen.

But in the case of Bonds and Clemens voters could be motivated to get them in since this is their 10th and final year on the ballot. This is also Schilling’s final year. He had the highest amount of votes in 2021 with 71.1%.

It’s the final season for Sammy Sosa as well. With only 21.5% with a fifth of votes in, it would appear he’d have to look for admission by the veteran’s committee in the future.

Some first-timers are making a splash. Ortiz is in his first year as well as Alex Rodriguez. The argument that’s been made for Ortiz over A-Rod is Ortiz was never actually suspended for PEDs like the former Bronx slugger.

The only candidate to lose votes as of now is Omar Vizquel. He finished with 49.1% of the vote in 2021.

Six people have already been selected to enter the Hall of Fame. Bud Fowler and Buck O’Neil were voted in as pioneers/executives on the early baseball era committee. The golden days era committee voted in Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, and of course Gil Hodges.

Wagner is the only former Met worth paying attention to this season and if he doesn’t make it this year then there’s always next year when he’ll be joined by Carlos Beltran on the ballot.

The post David Ortiz, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens On Track for Hall of Fame Election appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

As you gather around the dinner table for Thanksgiving with friends and family later this week, you’ll have something good to debate, like who should be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame for the Class of 2022 and who shouldn’t.

Here’s a look at who is on the ballot for this year, courtesy of Hall of Fame vote tracker, Ryan Thibodaux:

As just announced by @baseballhall, here's the 2022 @officialBBWAA Hall of Fame ballot: pic.twitter.com/tesaStndwI

— Ryan Thibodaux (@NotMrTibbs) November 22, 2021

Some notable things to keep in mind, which are illustrated in the above picture, are the players appearing for the first time and those appearing for the final time. Hall of Fame ballot rookies includes the likes of Carl Crawford, Prince Fielder, Ryan Howard, Tim Lincecum, Justin Morneau, Joe Nathan, David Ortiz, Jonathan Papelbon, Jake Peavy, A.J. Pierzynski, Alex Rodriguez, Jimmy Rollins, and Mark Teixeira.

Players appearing on the ballot for the 10th and final time are all of our favorite controversial dudes, which include Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, and Sammy Sosa.

While there was a ceremony in Cooperstown this past September for the latest inductees, it was for the 2020 class of Derek Jeter and Larry Walker. No player received the necessary 75% of the vote in 2021 to enter baseball immortality.

The results of this year’s vote will be revealed by the BBWAA via MLB Network on January 25th, with the potential induction ceremony slated for July 24th at 1:30 pm ET.

The post Official 2022 Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot Released appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mets slugger Dominic Smith did a live Q&A with Barry Bonds on Major League Baseball’s Instagram account as part of their continued focus on Black History Month.

Question (Dominic Smith)

Did you face the same prejudices when you played that we face today?

Answer (Barry Bonds)

“We all go through the same experiences.” He explained that his father and grandfather grew up dealing with prejudice and that every generation of African Americans have gone through it, but that today’s generation is able to dictate it in a positive way by standing together as a unit and standing up for themselves.

He went on to say that today’s generation of players (and people) have the opportunity as a whole to make a change, to take a stand and say that enough is enough. The younger generation is dictating what is going on, explained Bonds, who explained that even the white society is stepping up to the plate and dictating the experiences of racial prejudice and how it’s handled today.

Question (Smith)

How can we get the youth to get back into baseball and back into the game?

Answer (Bonds)

“It has to be a whole unit, and Major League baseball has to be a part of it. Bats and gloves are not cheap. It’s difficult to accumulate the things you need to participate. It takes a unit to be able to do it.” He explained that baseball needs than just the players to create the avenue and open up that door in a broader and wider perspective.

Smith agreed with Bonds, stating that it is going to take help from different avenues and a unit to help get the younger generations back in the game.

Question (Smith)

How did you stay so locked in at the plate?

Answer (Bonds)

“My biggest mentor was Tony Gwynn. I learned from him and created my own person.” Bonds also explained how he mastered batting practice and took batting practice very seriously. A big key he learned from Gwynn was just that, taking practice seriously and understanding the concept of hitting. Bonds stated that he worked with the hitting and pitching coaches to take batting practice to another level, making it situational and always working on weakness and the game part of hitting to improve his overall game and approaches at the plate.

From @MLB’s Instagram, but I never realized how similar Dom’s swing is to Bonds. pic.twitter.com/M6mfdDGasL

— John Flanigan (@JohnFlanigan_) February 22, 2021

Bonds also used this portion of the show to explain that he did research on the Mets’ Dominic Smith, saying that he’s a four plus hitter and that even since he started playing, Smith has improved and gotten more patient at the plate. Bonds advised Smith to focus on putting the ball in the play and not swinging for the fences, stating that if you were to ever come off of the bench, a coach is going to go with the guy who they know can put the ball in play.

Question (Smith)

As one of the best players ever, whenever you walked into an opposing stadium, did you ever put any extra pressure on yourself? How did you drown out the “noise?”

Answer (Bonds)

“You always have a little bit of pressure and put pressure on yourself. You want to be that guy.” Bonds explained that through the years players mature and as time goes on, you start wondering why opposing teams are cheering for you (the player) anyway.

“As you get older and mature and mature, the game becomes more important when your concentration level gets deeper and the noise becomes white noise and you understand who you are as a ballplayer.”

Question (Smith)

 What was your relationship with Hank Aaron and what did he mean to you?

Answer (Bonds)

“We had a great relationship, 0ur history goes so far back, it was devastating to lose him” Bonds explained that Aaron was a pioneer for the game and for African American players. He stated that without the negro league, there is no league for African American players today.

“I’m thankful for the negro league, because they pioneered the way for the rest of us and for Jackie Robinson to break the color barrier,” stated Bonds.

When talking about today’s younger generation, Bonds told Smith that players need to stick together. “You guys sometimes make these things based on followers. We didn’t have that,” stated Bonds. “We had clubhouse walls. We stuck together in my generation. This generation is more independent. As long as you guys can keep unity in the dugout and not take it out to the social media world, it will grow from there. That unity will create you guys doing things together.”

Smith replied to Bonds, “Social media is insane. To see how much Instagram and Social media has evolved is insane,” stated Smith who described that social media is what kids are following and falling into. Smith said that players need to really connect with the youth and get the kids outside playing the game.

Question (Smith)

Do you have any cool stories of being around the legends of the game?

Answer (Bonds)

Bonds told a story of being five years old with Willie Mays. Bonds stated that Mays always had a great style of catching. “Willie used to take me (to the ballpark); I watched him walk, hit, go down to right field when came out of the game and would help the outfielders,” stated Bonds. “Willie was everything to me.” Bonds explained that he used to use Mays’ glove on the wrong hand and go out and catch with his glove.

Question (Smith)

Were there any pitchers you didn’t have any luck against?

Answer (Bonds)

• Jesse Orosco
• Sid Fernandez
• Nolan Ryan
• Mike Scott
• Atlanta Braves pitchers – Glavine, Maddox, Smoltz
• Randy Johnson – “Randy was one of the most intimidating pitchers,” stated Bonds who said that he also faced Johnson in college. Bonds explained that when Johnson became pin point accurate, plus intimidating, he was scary to face.
• Mets pitchers – David Cone and Pedro Martinez

Question (Smith)

 Are there any pitchers today that you would want to face?

 Answer (Bonds)

 Bonds began answering this question by stating that his adjustments wouldn’t have to change as much as when he played because most guys are throwing the same speed. Bonds stated it would be small adjustments, but that at the same time if he missed the first at bat, he may not face that pitcher a second time because of how quick pitchers are now coming out of the game.

Bonds said that if he had to pick one, however, that it would be Clayton Kershaw because he liked facing lefties as a left-handed hitter. Bonds stated that he would want to go against the best, hardest pitcher.

“I like to work on my weak spots. Lefty versus lefty was always more difficult. Kershaw has a good fastball on lefties.”

Question (Smith)

Who would you say was the best player in your era? 

Answer (Bonds)

• Ken Griffey Jr.
• Vladimir Guerrero
• Willie Mays
• “There were many players I respected,” stated Bonds. “The list goes on.”

Photo from the Mets

Segment on Black History Month

Bonds stated that if you want to get to know someone that you need to spend a day in their “hood” and come hangout with them there. Bonds stated that when he came up in baseball, there were two or three African Americans on a team, it could be a two-to-twenty two ratio.

Bonds said that with the younger generation, everyone likes everyone’s music. “I’m glad times are changing,” stated Bonds.” “I want to thank you, young people for driving this force. I’m grateful for you young white kids, African American kids, Hispanic kids, for all fighting together. You’re forcing that hand to say we better jump on board.”

Bonds explained that players (current and former) have a platform here to express themselves and understand each other’s hurts. He reiterated that they all have the same experiences, just different generations. “You guys can express what we couldn’t express.”

“We’re all fighting for equality. It’s good to have a platform and that everyone respects it. Thank you for getting me a job, and not suppressing my people. You all don’t see color.”

Bonds on Smith

Bonds took a few minutes to talk to Smith about his performance at the plate, saying that just watching him, he has great drive, but that if his hands drop two inches lower, he’s going to make a mistake. Smith replied to Bonds stating that the Mets have helped him with his back swing and hitting inside pitches.

Bonds went on to explain that there’s a philosophy on hitting: “There is a specific technique. Once you learn the technique, it’s hard for you to fail and you’ll never miss the one you want,” stated Bonds who said that Smith’s swing compares to his.

Smith closed the segment saying he’s always looking for ways to improve and get better. He and Bonds agreed that one big aspect of hitting as well is to never underestimate your opponent.

The post Dominic Smith Interviews Barry Bonds appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

For the first time since 2013 and for the ninth time in its 85-year history, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America did not elect any candidates to the National Baseball Hall of Fame this year (full voting results).

Right-handers Curt Schilling and Roger Clemens and outfielder Barry Bonds came closest to the necessary 75-percent voting threshold, with Schilling receiving 71.1 percent (16 votes shy of election) and Bonds and Clemens sitting pat at 61.8 percent and 61.6 percent, respectively (60.7 for Bonds and 61.0 percent for Clemens last year).

All three top vote-getters have controversy attached to their candidacies — steroid implications for Bonds and Clemens, character issues for Schilling. Whether future voting sessions open the doors for these three is to be determined, but — moral inadequacies aside — they do have history on their side.

Former Brooklyn Dodgers great and Mets skipper Gil Hodges is the only player in MLB history to receive over 50 percent of BBWAA votes in a single year and pass through the 15-or-10 year voting window without gaining induction.

The rest of this year’s ballot saw considerable gains made among the next wave of Hall hopefuls, as well as a shade of stagnancy for others.

Rockies standout Todd Helton (29.2 percent in 2020), former Mets closer Billy Wagner (31.7 percent), and third baseman Scott Rolen (35.3 percent) all saw their candidacies receive jolts in the arm, with Helton picking up 44.9 percent of the vote, Wagner jumping to 46.4 percent, and Rolen breaking 50 percent (52.9) for the first time.

Two more former Mets — Jeff Kent and Gary Sheffield — saw their induction hopes raised this year, as did former Mets killer Andruw Jones. Kent’s vote percentage increased from 27.5 percent to 32.4 and Sheffield’s total jumped from 30.5 to 40.6 percent. Jones saw a substantial gain, going from 19.4 percent last year to 33.9 percent in 2021.

Omar Vizquel‘s support dropped from 52.6 percent in 2020 to 49.1 percent this year, and Manny Ramirez stuck exactly where he finished last year’s tally — at 28.2 percent.

Players who didn’t receive the necessary five percent of votes to remain on the ballot are as follows: Aramis Ramirez, LaTroy Hawkins, Barry Zito, A.J. Burnett, Michael Cuddyer, Dan Haren, Nick Swisher, and Shane Victorino.

Despite no players being elected from the 2021 class, last year’s inductees — Derek Jeter, Larry Walker, Ted Simmons, and Marvin Miller — will be celebrated this July in Cooperstown, along with the litany of baseball legends lost over the past 10 months.

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