Bubby Rossman had dreams of reaching the majors someday. He just never anticipated it would come as a pitcher.

The California native was an outfielder while playing at California State University, Dominguez Hills, where he displayed a strong arm. He recorded seven assists in right field his senior year, which culminated in winning a Division II Rawlings West Region Gold Glove Award.

Rossman, 30, got the chance to pitch a few innings in college. His strong arm in right translated to sitting in the low-90s on the mound, enticing major league clubs.

The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Rossman in the 22nd round of the 2014 MLB Draft. While some clubs were interested in drafting Rossman as a position player with the idea of transitioning him to the mound if his offense didn’t translate, the Dodgers only wanted Rossman to pitch.

In his first full season with the organization in 2015, the right-hander made 29 appearances out of the pen for their Single-A affiliate, posting a 2.26 ERA with a strikeout rate of 24.1% and inducing ground balls at a 51.1% clip.

Following a triceps injury in which Rossman’s velocity was slow to return, the Dodgers released Rossman near the end of the 2016 season.

Thus began a five-year journey of keeping his dreams of making the majors alive by playing in several independent leagues, including in Canada and Mexico.

Rossman sought out the tutelage of renowned tech-driven baseball outlets such as Driveline, Tread Athletics and Beimel Elite Athletics (co-founded by former major league reliever Joe Beimel). It was at these facilities that Rossman fine-tuned his pitch design, pitch usage and offspeed stuff.

He got his second opportunity in affiliated ball in 2022, when the Philadelphia Phillies signed Rossman to a minor league deal. In a combined 44 games between their Double-A and Triple-A affiliates, Rosman posted a 4.11 ERA, 27.4 strikeout percentage and 14.1 swinging strike percentage over 70 innings pitched.

On July 13, 2022, a 30-year-old Rossman finally made his major league debut, appearing in the eighth for the Phillies against the Toronto Blue Jays on the road. Rossman replaced Kyle Gibson on the roster, one of four Phillies who were placed on the restricted list who did not meet Canada’s Covid-19 vaccination requirements for international travelers.

Rossman allowed a leadoff walk to Alejandro Kirk, followed by a two-run home run off the bat of Teoscar Hernández. Rossman regained his composure and retired the next three batters on nine pitches, including recording his first career strikeout against Matt Chapman on a 99-miles per hour fastball.

Following the 2022 season, Rossman was a free agent and looking for his next chance in affiliated ball. He committed to play on Team Israel for the 2023 World Baseball Classic, a chance to represent his Jewish heritage while also using the tournament as a potential showcase for interested teams.

The hard-throwing righty made two appearances in the tournament, facing tough lineups in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. In total, Rossman tossed two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and no walks while striking out three. He averaged 96.9 miles per hour on his four-seam fastball in the tournament, and touched 99.

Rossman parlayed his impressive performance for Team Israel into a minor league contract with the New York Mets. Afforded another opportunity in affiliated ball, Rossman is appreciative and eager to continue living out his childhood dreams.

Resiliency at its finest.

I had the privilege of speaking to Rossman after signing with the Mets, where he discussed playing multiple sports as a kid, working with Driveline and Tread Athletics and getting to pitch in the World Baseball Classic.

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

Rossman: I was never a pitcher growing up. I grew up playing third base, so my favorite player was Chipper Jones because I was a switch hitter. My favorite outfielders, once I converted, were Ryan Braun and Bryce Harper.

MMO: Your father, Charley Rossman, is an actor. What was it like growing up with an actor as a dad?

Rossman: His biggest movie was “Superbad,” and that came out my freshman year of high school. Everyone came up to me and was asking me questions and stuff like that. I think that’s when it kind of blew up.

I’ve been in two baseball commercials in the past few years too. I was in a StubHub commercial in 2017 and Bank of America in 2020, just a small baseball commercial. His agent knows I play baseball and would say, “Audition for this baseball commercial.” They would find out that I actually play baseball, and it became an easy hire.

Everyone always asks about him, so it’s a good conversation starter. He’s met a lot of A-list celebrities. It’s obviously cool, but I’ve never met any. [Laughs.] He always tells me stories, though.

MMO: Your birth name is Charles Rossman III. Where did “Bubby” come from?

Rossman: It originated from Bubby Brister, an NFL quarterback in the nineties for the Steelers and Broncos. Because I’m the third, my dad’s nickname growing up was Buddy and my grandpa’s was Bud, so it was always Big Bud, Little Bud.

My parents were watching football and saw Brister, and my mom’s like, “That’s a close name to yours. Why don’t we just call him that?” That stuck since I was a baby.

I don’t think my parents thought it was going to last this long. Having Jewish heritage and bubbe meaning grandma in Yiddish is a play on words, I guess.

I can’t complain about that, but it’s obviously super weird that I introduce myself as Bubby to new people. Some don’t even know my real name is Charles that I’ve known for years working out in the offseason. They think my real name is Bubby. It’s funny when they’re like, “Who’s Charles?” [Laughs.]

MMO: You were a multi-sport athlete growing up. Did you have a favorite to play?

Rossman: My parents threw me in every sport possible growing up. I think the only sport I never played was lacrosse. I did swimming, football, soccer, basketball and ice hockey.

I’d say my best sport growing up was definitely ice hockey and then baseball. Once the physical aspect of it started adding up when I got older, I had a late growth spurt, so I literally went from the first line to the fourth line. It sort of killed my drive for ice hockey by just not playing as much.

I didn’t know I was going to be this big or I probably would’ve stuck with ice hockey honestly; just the physical aspect of it would’ve been a lot easier for me. But you can’t go wrong. To make the big leagues playing baseball, [I] can’t complain anymore.

MMO: You mentioned that you were an outfielder, and that’s where you primarily played while in college. Did you ever envision that you’d make pro ball as a pitcher instead of position player?

Rossman: If you would’ve told me when I was in college or high school that I would’ve been a pitcher in pro ball, I would’ve been like, ‘I’m going to find a new sport.’ [Laughs.] I’ve pitched before, and my arm was sore for a week, so it was not fun.

I would throw guys out from the outfield my sophomore/junior years, and I won a Gold Glove my senior year just from my outfield assists. They (coaches) were like, “Let’s throw you on the mound, we have a couple pitchers redshirting.” I was like, ‘I might as well if I only have to throw one inning every now and then.’

I hit 90 my first time on the mound, and then I think I was low-90s in the six or seven innings that I pitched in. I had no idea how to throw an offspeed pitch or anything like that, but scouts were interested, and I got drafted by the Dodgers.

There were a couple of teams that wanted to draft me as a hitter and were going to give me a couple of years, and if it didn’t work out then I can switch to pitching. I was all about that, but I got drafted by the Dodgers, and they wanted me to pitch right away. I was like, ‘Okay, great. Let’s see how this goes.’

I had an up-and-down first year, and then once I focused on it and had my first offseason, I put up pretty good numbers in my first full season. I was like, ‘This is something that I can actually do.’

Obviously, the last five or six years learning a whole bunch of stuff, just how to prepare and what works for me, and getting better every season. I just got my third [professional] contract with the Mets, so can’t complain about that.

MMO: You brought up the difficulties of throwing offspeed pitches. Would you say that was the toughest transition going from a position player to pitcher?

Rossman: There was a lot going on. I remember the first outing I had I did really good where I went 1-2-3. Then that second outing I gave up a couple of hits, and I was just like, ‘I have no idea how to hold guys.’

I was playing my first night game under the lights, and my heart sped up ten times. I gave up a couple of runs and got out of it eventually. That was not fun for that first actual stressful pitching situation.

In terms of the offspeed pitches, this is my ninth year pitching, and I’d say the last couple of years were the first time I was comfortable throwing my offspeed pitches. It was usually a struggle of what kind of pitch I need to throw, if I should throw a slider, curveball, changeup, split and always messing around with those.

The last year or two was the first time where I was confident in locating my offspeed [stuff] and throwing it way more. I think my first couple of years with the Dodgers I was throwing 90 percent fastballs. It’s definitely gone down to an average of 60-to-70 percent where I know I can throw that slider or changeup five or six times; double, triple, quadruple up on it if I have to.

MMO: Were the offspeed pitches something you worked on when you were with Driveline and Tread Athletics?

Rossman: Yeah. I was throwing a curveball for three years, and right before I went to spring training with the Phillies, I went to Tread for a week and they were like, “Your curveball’s good but you’re not throwing it hard enough. Try this slider.”

They gave me a grip and I tossed a few and they were in the low-to-mid eighties. They said, “This is going to play way better.” I trusted them, and the whole spring training I threw it.

In the first outing, I struck out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with it, and I’m like, ‘Okay, this is a pitch that can definitely play once I get more comfortable with it and can throw it where I want to.’

This was the first offseason throwing with it. In the World Baseball Classic, I threw it a lot and did pretty good with it; got a strikeout and a lot of weak contact with it. It’s definitely a pitch that’s been improved in the last year where I kind of was never really confident in throwing a curveball or slider in my first seven or eight years playing pro ball.

MMO: At what point did you work with Driveline?

Rossman: I was with them in 2018. It’s pretty funny because Kyle Rogers and Eric Jagers are coaches [with the Mets], and they were my two coaches when I was there in 2018.

Today (Sunday, March 19) was my first official practice, and I got to see them and give them a hug. It was a little five-year homecoming. It’s pretty awesome how it came around full circle.

MMO: Can you talk about some specific work you did while with Driveline?

Rossman: I actually did pitch design a couple of times with Eric when I was there. I don’t think I ever threw on a Rapsodo before that offseason, and learning about what my pitches did was super interesting. It’s pretty common now, but when I was with the Dodgers, I don’t think we did it one time. And now, with some teams, you can’t throw if you’re not on Rapsodo.

I always knew I had a good fastball, and the numbers showed, so I didn’t really have to mess around with it. But definitely messed around with a lot of those offspeed pitches when I was there and some mechanical issues and stuff I needed to improve on.

Every pitcher has some mechanical deficiencies, so I’m just trying to be more consistent where I don’t actually have to think about it when I’m on the mound. Just be confident in my stuff.

MMO: I read that you also sought out tutelage from both Tom House and former reliever Joe Beimel.

Rossman: I’ve been with Joe Beimel’s place in L.A., that’s where I usually train in the offseason when I’m in L.A. I did work with Tom House for a couple of years in San Diego, too. I’m still using some Driveline techniques, Tom House techniques and all of the stuff I like and do it in my pre-routine every day.

MMO: The number of tech-driven outlets you’ve utilized in your development is pretty impressive.

Rossman: Yeah. I’ve been with Tread for the last couple of years and I like them just because they’re kind of a more customized program for me. That’s why I stuck with them the last couple of years.

It’s awesome just to get to work with some of the best and biggest names out there. A lot of guys can’t say they’ve done that.

MMO: After your release from the Dodgers, you went on to play for five seasons both nationally and internationally. What kept you motivated to continue chasing your baseball dream?

Rossman: Seeing some teammates get that second chance in affiliate ball, I knew that I always was good enough to get a second opportunity. That’s kind of what I wanted to do, to just get another chance with an affiliate and prove that I belong there. That’s pretty much my biggest goal.

It was a grind; it wasn’t fun playing indy ball for all those years. [Laughs.] I’m sure everyone has a story of, not how bad you’re treated, but it’s not a billion-dollar company that you’re working for. There’s a lot of pizza and hot dogs for food every day. There’s no such thing as nutrition in indy ball, it’s go on the dollar menu and save up your money from the offseason.

It was obviously fun just traveling and meeting a bunch of new guys and playing baseball all over the U.S. and Canada and Mexico.

MMO: During that period, were you only pitching? Or did you also play the field?

Rossman: There was a couple of times where I played the field just because of an injury or they didn’t have enough guys. But for the most part, it was just pitching.

MMO: You have your own website, where you list your stats, career bio and scouting videos. When did you create that site?

Rossman: I’m pretty sure it was during Covid. I was just trying to get my name out there, and have a website where I could send scouts to where I don’t actually have to email them. I could just give them my website and just click on it and view.

MMO: I read that you put together a highlights video and that your agent sent that out to teams, and that’s how the Phillies came to sign you to a minor league deal for the 2022 season. Is that right?

Rossman: Yeah, my agent actually sent it to their front office because he was friends with someone there. They sent it to their scouts, and they decided to bring me in for a spring invite but said there was no guarantee.

I pitched well in spring training, and then they sent me to Double-A.

MMO: What are your memories from your major league debut on July 13, 2022?

Rossman: It was very surprising just because I got called on an off day. The first day was not fun going to Toronto because there were five-to-six hours of flight delays and a flight canceled. That first day, I didn’t even get there until game time. I just met everyone and watched the game.

I hadn’t thrown for a couple of days because we had an off day and I pitched three innings on Friday, so I took it light those next couple of days.

I threw after the game in Toronto. They kept the lights on for me, and I talked to Rob Thomson and he said they were going to activate me and hopefully get me in the game tomorrow. I was like, ‘Zack Wheeler’s pitching, there’s no chance.’ [Laughs.]

He didn’t have his A-game that day, and I got to pitch in that last inning. It was a great time! My dad and brother were able to come out and watch me.

It wasn’t a typical flight and all that stuff, it wasn’t perfect. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world. That’s what you grow up wanting to be is a professional baseball player in MLB. It’s awesome that I can say that for the rest of my life.

MMO: Finally getting the call that you were going to the majors must have been so surreal, especially given all you went through to get to that moment.

Rossman: It was awesome! When I got the call, I thought I had an asthma attack even though I don’t have asthma. I literally could not breathe and was breathing through my mouth. It was pretty funny. Then I got to call all my friends and family. It was an awesome experience.

MMO: Talk to me about your recent play with Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. What was that overall experience and atmosphere like?

Rossman: We flew into Miami and then went to Jupiter and met everyone. There were a few guys that I played with in Italy for the European Championships a couple of years ago, so it wasn’t like I was going in there not knowing anyone. It was pretty awesome to see Joc [Pederson], who I worked out with in the offseason when I was with the Dodgers, and Garrett Stubbs, who caught me in my debut, and being teammates with them and a few other guys that I played with.

It’s kind of funny, the first day walking into loanDepot park and meeting everyone and scrimmaging them the next day, and did pretty good in that scrimmage. Went to Miami and it was the loudest stadium I think I ever heard in my life! It was a ninety percent Latin crowd and ten percent Jewish crowd, which was obviously not what you wanted to see, but playing in Miami, that’s what you’d expect.

I did not think it was going to be that loud, which was probably the most awesome baseball scene that I could have imagined in my lifetime. It was literally like pitching in the World Series, which is what you could compare it to.

It was awesome getting to face some of the biggest stars for Dominican and Venezuela and getting them out. That was able to give me a contract. The Mets called the next day, my agent negotiated with them and got the deal done in 24 hours, and the next morning I flew out to Port St. Lucie. It was a quick 48 hours after we got eliminated, but [I’m] glad to be here.

MMO: It’s awesome that players get to represent their countries for the WBC, but another big draw has to be for free agents to get the opportunity to showcase their stuff on a big stage. Duque Hebbert, a pitcher for Nicaragua, also got signed to a minor league deal with a major league club (Detroit Tigers).

Rossman: I think I did pretty good with the Phillies last year, and I thought they were going to re-sign me, or another team would. There were a few that were interested and never pulled the trigger, which was disappointing.

In terms of the World Baseball Classic, every player wants to play in the World Series, but every team won’t get there. I heard Mike Trout compare it to the best he’s ever played under.

Mike Trout. Photo via MLB/Team USA

It was an awesome experience to say that you got to play with some superstars and future Hall of Famers and compete against the very best. That’s what you want to do as a pro athlete is prove that you can hang with those kind of guys who are making millions of dollars.

MMO: Is it true that you met Cody Decker and Ty Kelly in 2019, and they gave you some guidance in terms of playing for Team Israel?

Rossman: Yeah. I’m pretty sure Cody Decker is a part owner of Beimel Athletics. Decker, Kelly and Zack Weiss, I met all of them at Beimel’s facility.

Cody Decker was trying to help me get on Team Israel a few years ago, and was vouching for me. I was trying to get on the Olympic team for 2020, but they said the roster was full. A lot of the guys retired after that, which is how I was able to get on the team like a month later.

I know they’re playing in Prague for the European Championships at the end of September this year, but I don’t know the conflict being with the Mets. Obviously, the goal is to be in the big leagues. The goal is to not be playing in Prague at that time. [Laughs.] It’s to be helping the Mets make a playoff push.

MMO: Thanks so much for some time, Bubby. Best of luck this season.

Rossman: I appreciate it.

The post MMO Exclusive: Reliever, Bubby Rossman appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

It’s not very often that these two teams are (at least) good at the same time. Taking out the late 1990s and early 2000s, it’s even rarer. But when the quality of the clubs is near equal, the intensity between the Mets and Braves is red-hot. That doesn’t necessarily equate to balance, as when Atlanta reigned as perennial NL East champs, New York was often nothing more than a slight inconvenience. But lately, as in the last couple weeks, the Mets have superiority.

1969 NLCS

What was supposed to be Mets pitching against Braves hitting turned into a one-sided slugfest. New York, adding to a year’s worth of surprises, showed more muscle—outscoring the Braves 27–15 in the inaugural NLCS and swept the best-of-five series. At Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, the Mets got five eighth-inning runs to give Tom Seaver the win in the opener and followed that with 11 runs on 13 hits in Game 2 in spite of a poor start by Jerry Koosman to leave Georgia with a commanding 2-0 lead. Nolan Ryan tempered Atlanta bats for seven innings in Game 3, a 7–4 victory at Shea that set up a World Series date in Baltimore and a miracle seemed even more real.

July 4 (and 5), 1985

Keith Hernandez hit for the cycle and it registered as ordinary on the scale of events at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. What began on the evening of Independence Day lasted until 3:55 a.m. on July 5 became a regular-season saga unlike any other. There were 29 runs, 46 hits, 37 left on base, 43 players, 14 pitchers, three blown saves, two rain delays, two ejections, the aforementioned cycle, a formal protest, and a game-tying home run in the 18th by relief pitcher (Rick Camp). It finally ended 19 innings after a total elapsed time of 8 hours and 15 minutes. A Ron Darling strikeout put a period on perhaps the wackiest baseball chapter ever, but the festivities weren’t over. The stadium proceeded with the scheduled postgame fireworks. Nearby Residents reportedly made panicked calls to police—some fearing the onset of nuclear war with the Soviet Union.

September 25-27, 1998

They went into Turner Field needing to win one of three to keep their season going. They ended up with none. After failing to secure a victory at home versus the Montreal Expos, the Mets put themselves in an uncompromising spot facing a club that had won six of nine against them during the year. Their best chance came in the opener, which ended up a 6-5 loss. Tom Glavine and a series of relievers completely shut New York down the next day. The pitching match-up in the regular season finale? Greg Maddux for Atlanta and Armando Reynoso for the Mets. You can figure out how that went. The ’98 Mets, with a final record of 88-74, overachieved—even after Mike Piazza joined the lineup. But the five-game losing streak to end the year undid most good feelings.

1999 NLCS

In the end, it was always going to be the Braves. Even a lead in the late innings of Game 2 wasn’t going to hold up. Even a superb pitching performance by Al Leiter in Game 3 was for naught in a 1-0 loss, the third straight defeat of two runs or fewer. Even a 15-inning, 5-hour and 46-minute thriller in the rain in Game 5 wasn’t enough to swing the momentum. Even a comeback from five runs down and taking the lead twice couldn’t extinguish the Braves in Game 6. Atlanta showed why it’s better. Regardless, the “Grand Slam Single” remains an iconic moment in franchise history as part of one of the most dramatic games ever played in the postseason.

July 30, 2000

Just when it looked like the end result between the Braves and Mets would be all-too-familiar, New York managed to get the Atlanta’s number. Ten, to be specific…as in the number of runs scored during a ridiculous eighth inning. With a succession of productive at-bats, New York rallied from a seven-run deficit—punctuated by Mike Piazza’s laser beam home run just over the left-field wall. What took place on that Friday night certainly didn’t have the same significance as Game 6 of the 1986 World Series and not quite the depth of recovery from September 1972 at the Astrodome, but the sensational 11-8 victory is arguably the memorable regular-season comeback. The tie-breaking three-run bottom-of-the-eighth blast, the across-the-body right fist pump from Piazza as the ball cleared the fence, and the roar generated by 52,831 drowning out the airplanes departing LaGuardia.

September 21, 2001

Any feelings of contempt were put aside. On this night, the first major sporting event in New York since the September 11th attacks, Mike Piazza lifted the spirits of a broken city with his unforgettable go-ahead home run that gave his team 3-2 win. To Mets fans, baseball fans, and those seeking normalcy in unstable times, it provided a temporary sense of order. The 41,000-plus in attendance, understandably, were more solemn than celebratory. Atlanta held a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth. With one out and none on, Edgardo Alfonzo took a borderline pitch for ball four. Piazza was up, and it was central casting for him to provide a storybook script. On 1-1, Piazza hammered the Steve Karsay pitch to deep center, well over the 410′ mark and into the camera well. Those who hadn’t known when the right time was to express happiness over a simple baseball game found something to cheer about.

September 9, 2012

He played his first game at Shea Stadium, hit his first home run at Shea Stadium, and named his daughter after Shea Stadium. He made a habit out of torturing the Mets, most especially in 1999 when he captured the National League MVP Award. Many in New York affectionally call him Larry, most known him as Chipper Jones. But after 19 stellar seasons and a resume minted for Cooperstown, the career-long Atlanta Brave made his final appearance in Queens. He faced the Mets 245 times in the regular season with a .949 OPS and 49 home runs. Jones received a standing ovation from the Citi Field crowd after coming out for a pinch-runner.

September 13, 2015

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Robin Ventura finished his major league career with 18 grand slams. But it’s a hit that was a grand slam in theory which remains his signature Mets moment — a unique finish to a 15-inning, five-hour and 46-minute postseason classic.

For a team that spent three weeks walking a tightrope, Game 5 of the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves served as a pinnacle for the Mets’ late-season ability to avoid elimination.

New York staved off a sweep in Game 4 with a bottom-of-the-eighth-inning rally, highlighted by a John Olerud single. Olerud opened the scoring the next afternoon with a two-run first-inning homer off Greg Maddux. Atlanta countered with a pair in the top of the fourth, but bats went silent from there. The 2-2 deadlock persisted into extra innings. As darkness fell over Shea Stadium, so did the rain. Stranded runners (both sides totaled 31) piled up. Run-scoring opportunities went by the wayside.

Mets manager Bobby Valentine used eight relievers to keep Atlanta at bay. That was until the top of the 15th, when Keith Lockhart tripled home Walt Weiss. The three-week-long tightrope frayed to its last threads. The Braves thought they put the Mets away after pummeling them in late September, after taking a one-run lead in the eighth inning of Game 4 and again on this night.

Untested Kevin McGlinchy was in to try and close it out in the bottom of the 15th. The 22-year-old right-hander battled leadoff hitter Shawon Dunston for over nine minutes with six foul balls before he singled to center. Matt Franco worked a walk, Edgardo Alfonzo sacrificed both runners 90 feet further, and Olerud got an intentional pass. Todd Pratt, who entered the game when Mike Piazza’s strained left forearm wouldn’t allow him to continue past the 14th, also walked. Game tied.

Ventura, playing though injuries, could send everyone home and both teams south. On a 2-1 count, he drove one to right-center field. Deep enough to certainly score the winning run. And deep enough to clear the right-center-field fence.

The longest game (at the time) in postseason history reached a spectacular conclusion. But then came an unusual postscript.

After Ventura touched and rounded first base, he incessantly waved overly-enthusiastic teammates away so he could round the bases. But their exuberance was too much to allow their hero to savor a home-run trot. Instead, they mobbed Ventura before he reached second. Instead of a 7-3 final, it was (and remains) 4-3. “As long as I got to first base, I don’t care,” Ventura said. “It means we won.”

“I’ve been in long games,” said a mentally drained Valentine afterwards. “But not games where every pitch meant so much.”

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For the first part of September, the Mets were given an opportunity to cruise into the playoffs with a seemingly easy schedule.

But New York played down to its competition and thus played below .500 over a two-week stretch. 

The schedule was less forgiving come September 18.

They went to Atlanta with a tremendous challenge, but also a tremendous opportunity — a chance to catch the Braves in the NL East standings and simultaneously exorcise demons. 

Turner Field has been a chop shop of horrors for the New Yorkers since it opened in 1997.

And in 1999, the Mets arrived in Georgia’s capital a confident club.

After being torched in three straight games, they left wondering about their postseason prospects. 

In this latest version of the hammer-nail rivalry, the Mets were not set up for success as far as the starting pitching was concerned.

Bobby Valentine‘s rotation for the series was Mike Hampton, Glendon Rusch, and Al Leiter — a trio of southpaws against a team that had feasted on left-handers.

But of equal concern was the possibility of a psychological effect.

Were the Braves still in the Mets’ heads? The opening game indicated that they might be.

The affliction even made its way to Hampton, despite not being a Met before this season.

On September 18, his throwing error allowed the Braves to get on the board first. Then, a pair of RBI singles — one by the notorious Chipper Jones and the other by Brian Jordan — stretched the Atlanta lead in the third.

Walt Weiss’ groundout brought Jones home and Hampton had dug his team a 4-0 hole.

That ditch would sink deeper, as New York fell behind 6-0 against the mastery of Greg Maddux.

Typical of his Hall of Fame qualities, Maddux set the Mets down with minimal trouble and maximum efficiency.

In seven innings, he had allowed five hits — all in a matter of 83 pitches. 

New York attempted a comeback, but it was only a tease.

A Derek Bell homer, a Robin Ventura two-RBI hit, and an eighth-inning threat in which the tying run came to the plate merely set the stage for a frustrating 6-3 defeat. 

The frustration mounted a night later. Glendon Rusch found a world of difficulty in the second inning.

It was so bad, in fact, that the only way out of it was his removal from the game.

By the time he headed to the clubhouse, Rusch had allowed five hits and four runs.

A rare Robin Ventura error certainly didn’t help matters, either. 

Pat Mahomes did little to stop the cascade of Braves offense.

By the time the inning was through, Atlanta had pushed seven across. The Mets were in disarray. 

After what would become a 12-4 thrashing, Bobby Valentine called a players-only meeting — which led to a tirade suitable only for mature audiences.

He still saved some venom for the press, then made a declaration similar to this time last year: if the Mets missed the playoffs, he should be the casualty. 

Steve Phillips avoided comment on the situation, but Fred Wilpon offered a vote of confidence to his GM and his manager. 

The Mets players were more preoccupied with salvaging some confidence on the field.

In a series finale which featured a match-up of southpaws, Al Leiter out pitched Tom Glavine over 6.2 innings.

Behind a home run and a double from Edgardo Alfonzo, a homer by Mike Piazza, and two hits from Todd Zeile, New York made Leiter’s strong work hold up in a 6-3 win. 

Despite the victory, hopes for a division title had pretty much vanished — four games back with 10 games remaining on the schedule.

But their chances for the Wild Card were becoming more and more realistic.

For while the Mets were staggering to the finish line, the Arizona Diamondbacks saw the wheels completely come off — having lost six straight. 

With the weight of New York City off their respective shoulders but plenty of New Yorkers in attendance at Veteran’s Stadium, the Mets aimed to enact a bit of revenge on a Phillies team that stunned them weeks earlier.

Yet only a walk off on September 21, in which they scratched back from a 4-1 deficit, prevented the Mets from a four-game sweep.

Aside from the victories, perhaps most pleasing to see was Piazza continuing to distance himself from the personal doldrums that had lingered for much of the month.

The Norristown, PA native blasted two home runs in Philly. Meanwhile, there was an emerging leadoff hitter in Timo Perez.

A recent call-up from Triple-A, Perez started the final two games of the series — going 2-for-4 in one contest and homering in the other. 

More positivity came from Glendon Rusch, who bounced back from some lackluster outings to toss eight innings and allow just one run on September 24.

The Mets held a six-game lead in the Wild Card over the Dodgers, who surpassed the free-falling D-Backs, with six to play.

Simple math dictates that either a New York victory or a Los Angeles defeat ensures the Amazin’s return to postseason play.

Not even another meeting with the Braves at Shea Stadium could spoil those plans. 

The post Reliving The 2000 Mets: More Missteps In Atlanta, Playoffs Nearing appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning Mets fans! The New York Mets (27-29) lost their four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers (38-19) after falling 2-0 to the Dodgers on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium. The Mets will continue their West Coast road trip as they open up a three-game set with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday at 9:40 p.m. EDT.

Latest Mets News

Zack Wheeler (4-3, 4.63 ERA) will get the nod for the first game of the series. Jon Duplantier (1-0, 2.25 ERA) will serve as opposition to Wheeler. Game coverage will be on SNY, WCBS 880 and ESPN 1050.

The Athletic’s Twitter account, @TheAthleticNYC, tweeted out a video from 2016 that showed Pete Alonso‘s reaction to being drafted by the Mets.

Jason Vargas lowered his ERA to 4.46 after Thursday’s game, which is better than Syndergaard’s 4.90 ERA and Wheeler’s 4.63 ERA to date.

Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News suggested that the Mets should consider ditching Jeurys Familia as the team’s setup man.

Buster Olney of ESPN wrote that the Mets must be ready to become sellers before the 2019 trade deadline.

Latest MLB News

Jeff Passan of ESPN wrote a column about the need for full protective netting at ballparks in light of the little girl who was struck by a foul ball on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park.

Former Pittsburgh Pirate Jared Hughes agreed with Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell‘s statement that Pirates are throwing at Reds intentionally, per Jay Morrison of The Athletic.

Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times highlighted Hyun-Jin Ryu‘s unorthodox routine between starts which excludes having bullpen sessions. After his start against the Mets on Thursday, he lowered his MLB-best 1.65 ERA to an even lower 1.48 ERA.

The Chicago Cubs agreed to a minor league deal with Carlos Gonzalez, as reported by Jesse Rogers of ESPN.

Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel of FanGraphs released pre-draft rankings of teams’ farm systems.

Latest NL East News

The Philadelphia Phillies (33-23) continue their reign atop the NL East standings. They are followed by the Atlanta Braves (30-26; 3.0 games behind), Mets (27-29; 6.0 games behind), Washington Nationals (24-32; 9.0 games behind) and Miami Marlins (19-35; 13.0 games behind).

In addition to the Mets’ loss, the Phillies lost 5-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals and the Marlins lost 3-1 to the San Francisco Giants. The Braves and Nationals had a day off following the conclusion of their two-game series on Wednesday.

David O’Brien of The Athletic wrote a piece on the Braves’ selection of Chipper Jones first overall in the 1990 MLB Draft.

Latest on MMO/MMN

Mathew Brownstein interviewed both David Cone and Jack Curry.

Matt Musico took a deeper look at some of the reasons why Jacob deGrom has not consistently produced his typical top quality pitching this season.

Brian Greenzang analyzed Noah Syndergaard‘s start from Wednesday.

Michael Mayer wrote about Edwin Diaz‘s meltdown in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s game.

Mayer also wrote about the offensive performance during Wednesday’s game from the youthful top of the lineup.

Logan Barer wrote about Alonso’s record-breaking season so far and the record-breaking pace he is on for home runs by a Mets rookie.

Roberto Correa wrote about FanGraphs’ latest mock draft which had the Mets selecting Bryson Stott, a shortstop out of the University of Nevada Las Vegas, with the 12th overall pick.

This Day in Mets History

1964: The Mets were swept by the Giants in a doubleheader which went a total of 32 innings and lasted nine hours and 52 minutes combined. While the first game of the doubleheader was only nine innings, the second was the longest game played in MLB history at the time. It went 23 innings and lasted seven hours and 23 minutes. Roy McMillan and Ed Kranepool also turned a rare 6-6-3 triple play in the 14th inning for the second triple play in franchise history.

1991: The Mets traded Tim Teufel to the San Diego Padres for Garry Templeton.

Birthdays: Gerson Bautista turns 24, Joe Orsulak turns 57 and Dwight Bernard turns 67.

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Continue West Coast Road Trip In Arizona appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman

Jacob Rhame‘s tenure at the University of Oklahoma was a learning experience.

At 19-years-old and gifted with a low-to-mid 90s fastball, the right-hander struggled in his freshman year with the Sooners.

Appearing in just 10 innings, Rhame posted lopsided numbers to the tune of a 7.20 ERA and 1.70 WHIP. The velocity that had attracted the attention of the Sooners vanished, topping out at just 89 mph.

Struggling on the mound and with significant weight gain, Rhame was cut from the team. Instead of moping, Rhame decided to take action and not let this disappointment be the lasting memory of his baseball career.

Rhame went on to pitch for the Alaskan Baseball League during the summer before attending Grayson County College. He credits his time at both stops for getting his head back into the right frame of mind, which included eating better and training correctly. His diminished velocity soon returned to form, as he went on to post a 7-3 record with Grayson in 2013, with a 1.85 ERA over a team-high 87.1 innings pitched.

The learning experience was vital for Rhame, as he used the lesson of being cut from the Sooners as a wake-up call for his career. After rebounding with a solid season at Grayson, the hard-throwing right-hander was selected in the sixth round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Upon signing, the Dodgers transitioned Rhame to the bullpen, where he converted eight out of 10 saves and posted a 4.58 ERA over his first professional season with the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League.

In 2014, Rhame had a standout season, posting a strikeout rate of 34.4 percent and a 0.92 WHIP over 67.1 innings pitched with the Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League.

By 2016, Rhame was pitching in Triple-A for the Oklahoma City Dodgers, just a short drive away from the team Rhame was once cut from. By now, Rhame was considered a top-20 prospect in the Dodgers organization, and just one level away from reaching his dream.

When the New York Mets decided to deal their impending free-agent veterans in 2017, they looked to restock their minor league system with intriguing arms. In August, the Dodgers were looking to add a veteran outfielder who had postseason experience.

Curtis Granderson was entering his fourth and final season of the contract he had signed with the Mets back in the winter of 2013. The two teams agreed to a deal on August 19, with the Mets set to acquire a player-to-be-named-later or cash considerations. One day later, the Dodgers sent Rhame as the PTBNL to complete the trade.

Armed with a fastball that sits in the mid-to-upper 90s along with an improving changeup and slider, Rhame credits his longtime pitching coach back home in Georgia for helping him develop a new slider grip this off-season. The prospect of utilizing the newfound slider excites Rhame, who notes that it’s the best slider he’s had in the last several years.

Over the last few seasons, Rhame has posted solid reverse splits against left-handed hitters, where he credits his changeup for fading away from the barrel of the bat. With the Oklahoma City Dodgers last year, Rhame posted a 2.79 ERA with 21 strikeouts to five walks in 19.1 innings pitched against left-handed hitters. One year prior, Rhame held lefty hitters to a .205 average, sporting a 2.22 ERA. Coupled with his success against left-handed hitters and his experience closing out games, Rhame has the chance to be utilized in the back end of the pen.

Rhame’s impressed Mets’ brass in his first spring training with the club, so much so that there’s a chance he earns a spot on the Opening Day roster.

For the 25-year-old, not letting the early disappointment he encountered while at the University of Oklahoma bring him down now has him on the verge of contributing out of the pen for a team that has postseason aspirations.

I had the privilege of speaking with Rhame in mid-March, where we discussed his early love of the game, struggles in college, and learning of the trade that sent him to the Mets last season.

MMO: Growing up, who were some of your favorite players?

Rhame: Chipper Jones, no doubt. Greg Maddux, John Smoltz; I was a huge Braves fan as you can see. I was born out in Atlanta, but they were always on TBS, so you could watch them all the time.

I loved that whole team: Marcus Giles, Rafael Furcal, Andruw Jones. That was who I grew up really liking and watching.

MMO: Who introduced you to the game at a young age?

Rhame: My dad took me to a game when I was younger, and it kind of just stuck. It was one of those things as a kid you find something you like and kind of get obsessed with it.

MMO: At what age did you start primarily pitching?

Rhame: I’d say 16 [was when] I realized I was going to be a pitcher later in my career. I was still hitting in high school, but on my summer team I was only pitching.

MMO:  I read that you attended the University of Oklahoma, and that after your first season you were cut from the baseball team after you displayed diminished velocity and having gained a significant amount of weight. Can you talk about that time, and some of the struggles you were going through?

Rhame: I was 18-years-old, just getting onto a big Div. I campus. [During] football season, I was having a lot of fun, probably more than I should have. Baseball kind of took a backseat for a little while, and then I had that reality check and got me kicked back into gear, which is probably a good thing.

MMO: How much weight did you gain, if you don’t mind my asking?

Rhame: I think I got up to around 240. I’m at 210 right now. But none of it was muscle; I never really worked out much. I was just lucky enough to have a good arm, but that only takes you so far.

MMO: How much velocity did you lose your freshman year at Oklahoma?

Rhame: In high school, I bumped it up to 93. I think that freshman year I wasn’t getting over 88-89, I believe. I only had 10 innings though, so that might’ve been a big part of it as well; not getting to throw much.

MMO: What would you attest your improved velocity and healthier lifestyle to?

Rhame: I went to Alaska (the Alaskan Baseball League) after I got cut because they had scheduled me to go out there, so I still went. I decided I needed to get back into shape if I wanted to go anywhere. I knew I was going to go to Grayson [County College], and I didn’t want my career to end there. So I wanted to get back into shape and see if I could go somewhere after that.

When I was in Alaska, I really got after it. There was a great group of guys while I was at Grayson, and we all worked out together. I really got into fitness; eating right and taking care of my body. I found that part of the game, and I didn’t know that was even part of it. I thought it was just going out there and playing, but you get older and you learn.

MMO: Prior to the 2013 MLB Draft, did you have any notion that the Dodgers were looking to take you in the sixth-round (184th overall)?

Rhame: Prior to that, no. They were one of the teams I hadn’t talked to. I believe they saw me in a pre-draft workout out in Oklahoma City.

Calvin Jones – the guy who drafted me – I still talk to him, he gave me a call. I got another invite to one of their private workouts the day after; it was only the Dodgers. I got to go to that, and he told me, “Hey, I’m going to try and draft you.” After that, he did! It was the one guy that actually tells you, hey, I’m going to do something, and Calvin actually did it.

MMO: Was there a big transition for you going from starting pitcher to reliever your first season with the Dodgers?

Rhame: I think I was talking about this the other day. My first time coming out of the bullpen was my first professional appearance. I think I threw 50 something pitches in the bullpen, just one after the other. I was used to getting a half hour to warm up and have a routine. I didn’t realize that you didn’t need a half-hour to get ready. I remember that, and I was throwing rapid-fire, back and forth, but I got to learn and got used to it. Now it’s your 15-20 pitches and you’re good.

MMO: What were your initial reactions to hearing you were the player to be named later in the trade that sent Curtis Granderson to the Dodgers?

Rhame: Man, honestly, I had no idea I’d be the guy. I’ve just been with the one organization my whole career, and a lot of guys have been that way. When you get to go somewhere else, you’re kind of shocked. But I was excited to hear that my name was involved, which was nice. I was ready to go and see when I could get going.

MMO: What memories stick out for you from your major league debut on Sept. 2, 2017, against the Houston Astros?

Rhame: That I got out of it. [Laughs.] It was one of those things, it’s your MLB debut, and you’re thinking, All right, let’s get through it clean, and let’s have a nice good inning so I can go to dinner with my family tonight and not be awkward. [Laughs.]

I got in there and I felt good. I threw 1.1 innings, and it was nice coming in and having to only get one out in your first inning. To have two outs and only have to get one to get the feet wet was nice. It gave me the confidence to go out there and finish that second inning. It was fun, man. That’s what you play for your whole life.

MMO: There must’ve been some nerves involved though.

Rhame: Oh, absolutely. But me and Jamie Callahan were stoked. That was when the hurricane was going on, so we actually didn’t get to fly to Houston. I think we flew into Dallas, and then we had to take a car from Dallas to Houston that day.

MMO: One thing I’ve noticed when looking at your minor league numbers is you have great reverse splits, with tremendous numbers against left-handed hitters. Are you conscientious of that, and do you have a specific game plan when attacking lefties?

Rhame: To be honest, I didn’t know I had good numbers until someone told me. I just attack lefties as I do righties; just pound them with fastballs, and try to throw a changeup here and there. I think the changeup is better to lefties throughout my career, just because it fades away from the barrel. And the changeup is probably my better pitch compared to my slider.

I’m starting to throw more to righties now, but I think that’s why it played so well against lefties. I actually enjoyed when lefties would come up because I could use my changeup more.

MMO: You’ve impressed this spring, and in particular, your changeup has shown a lot of improvements. Is that a pitch you’ve been consistently working on?

Rhame: I’ve thrown the same changeup I think since I was fifteen, so that’s always been a good one for me. The slider is what’s always given me trouble.

I worked with my pitching coach that I’ve used since I was fourteen-fifteen years old this off-season. He got me back right with it. Just one of those guy’s that known you your whole pitching career, so it’s easy for him to see something and say, “Hey, that doesn’t look normal. Why are you doing that?” But that helped a lot.

My slider from last season to this season, even I think is completely different. I mean, it’s a whole new grip. It’s way more comfortable, and I can throw it for a strike and throw it for a ball. I haven’t had that in three or four years, maybe, so it’s nice.

MMO: What have been your impressions of Mickey Callaway and Dave Eiland in camp?

Rhame: They’re awesome. They’ve been really good, they’ve got a great feel going into the clubhouse. Everybody’s chipper, alive and fun. It’s really a relaxed feel. You can really be yourself in there, it’s nice.

MMO: What does it mean to you that your name has come up in regards to making it on the 25-man Opening Day roster?

Rhame: I mean, that would be awesome, of course! What else would it be, you know? But it’s exciting. I mean, I’m just glad I’m throwing the ball well enough to be mentioned in the names of that. You really don’t think about that stuff, you just think about pitching. But yeah, it’s cool to be mentioned as a guy that has a chance.

MMO: Are they any particular relievers you look to emulate when on the mound?

Rhame: To be honest, no. I just kind of try to throw it hard in the zone and see what happens, you know what I mean? I hate throwing balls; I don’t want to walk anybody, that’s the worst thing in the world. Just attack them and get beat with your best stuff and not falling behind in the count.

MMO: Have any veterans taken you under their wing this spring?

Rhame: Everyone does. All of those veterans: Jerry Blevins, Jeurys Familia, AJ Ramos, everybody helps everybody. It’s pretty nice. It’s not like you have anybody that doesn’t want to tell you anything. The clubhouse feel right now is one of the better ones I’ve ever seen, for sure.

MMO: Between the Dodgers and the Mets, have you noticed any difference in pitching philosophies between the two organizations?

Rhame: No, I don’t think so. I feel like the more you’re attacking and the more you’re ahead of guys, the easier it is to get them out. You fall behind to these hitters, and they’re sitting on a fastball or they’re sitting on something they’re going to get you. They can look up stats and see your percentages of what does this guy throw 0-0, 0-1, 1-2.

Okay, 80 percent this, I’m going to sit on it. And they memorize it, every pitch, and once you fall into the trap, I feel like it’s a hard way to get out, man. So, once you’re ahead, you can flip something in there they didn’t see in the scouting reports, then they’re all screwed. But you’ve got to get ahead to do it, and it’s hard to get ahead when they hit so well, too.

MMO: I appreciate your time today, Jacob. I wish you all the best this coming season.

Rhame: I appreciate it, man. Thanks.

Follow Jacob Rhame on Twitter, @JRhame16

The post MMO Exclusive: Right-Handed Reliever, Jacob Rhame appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Chipper Jones has been the gold standard for “Mets Killers” for almost 20 years. But now, Daniel Murphy is giving him a run for his money.

“Murph” got a hit in all 19 games he played against the Mets this season, as he batted .413/.444/.773 with seven homers and 21 RBI for the Nats this season.

These numbers put many of Chipper’s seasons against the Mets to shame. Jones batted .309/.406/.543 with 49 homers and 159 RBI in 245 career games against the Amazins’. And few of his season stats match what Murphy did this year.

Jones’ career high batting average against the Mets was .408, which he did over 13 games in 1996. Murphy wins in that department– and even more handily when you consider his .413 average came against a far superior Mets team. The 1996 Mets lost 91 games.

Murphy’s seven home runs against the Mets this season actually ties Chipper’s career high. Jones hit seven homers in 12 games against the Mets in 1999 while he batted .400/.510/1.000(!). There’s a reason why Jones named his son Shea. (For the record, Murphy’s seven homers against the Mets in 2016 are more than he had total in 2011 and 2012.)

The 2016 NL MVP frontrunner also has the RBI advantage. Jones’s career high came in 1999, when he had 16 RBI in 12 games in 1999. If Jones had more divisional matchups, he probably would have shattered this mark. And maybe every other baseball record, given how he always stayed the Mets. Jones also had 16 RBI in 16 games in 2011.

Chipper will always be known as the greatest Met killer in history, and for good reason: He batted over .350 against the team in seven seasons, and 32 homers and 105 RBI career 162 game average against the team. But if Daniel Murphy stays in the division for the foreseeable future, he might have something to say about it. Maybe Murph will end up naming his next child Citi Murphy.

If only he accepted that qualifying offer…

The post Murph’s 2016 vs. Mets Better Than Any of Chipper’s Years appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

A good friend of mine recently sent her only child, a son, off to college. I remember those times as heart wrenching moments when each of my three children left the nest. To occupy my mind, I would usually wrap myself around some kind of project. That may have been my friend’s strategy, too.

Knowing that I love reading about baseball, especially autobiographies, she appeared with a stack of sports books that she and her son had read over the years. Cleaning out the house is sometimes a good mind occupying project.

I got the chance to read “The Life You Imagine, Life Lessons For Achieving Your Dreams.” That’s a tome from the pen of Derek Jeter written in 2000 during the earlier years of his career.

As a Met fan and a contributor to Metsmerized and MetsMinors.net, I have read several threads over the last two years on many a Mets site, where people almost bayonet the Met front office for their first round draft selections of Brandon Nimmo and Gavin Cecchini. When both logged rather modest statistics during their first full season of baseball with identical .248 batting averages the howls were harsh and loud.

Imagine what the reaction may have been had either Met prospect brought home Derek Jeter’s stats during his first professional year. Moving directly from high school in Kalamazoo, Michigan, as a 17-year old kid, Jeter was overwhelmed by his start in professional baseball. Jeter laughs at his naivety when he remembers his request to the Yankees to delay his professional baseball start for a week so he could spend July 4th at home with his parents and girlfriend, a request the Yankees politely nixed.

Jeter was miserable that first summer. USA’s top high school baseball player in the country and the Yankees number one draft pick had batted .557 in his senior year at Kalamazoo High with 7 HR’s and had struck out only 1 time the entire season. Jeter’s professional baseball debut came during a doubleheader where he went 0-7 and struck out 5 times. It took Jeter 15- at bats before he would register his first professional hit. The future Yankee great hit .202 that first year in Class-A for Tampa in the Rookie League.

Jeter was overmatched and depressed. He talks about doubting his lifetime dream of becoming a Yankee for the first time, of crying himself to sleep at night, and running up telephone bills back home to his Mom, Dad and girlfriend, of between $300 and $400 dollars a month. That was tough to do in those days.

Luckily, Jeter had a strong support network. His Dad reminded him over and over again that Chipper Jones had only hit .229 during his first year in the minor leagues. The Yankees didn’t dwell on his statistics, identifying characteristics of his batting approach that they liked and emphasizing those instead.

Jeter’s batting stabilized some during his second minor league season when he batted .295 with 5 HR’s and 71 RBI’s, not quite the mark of Kevin Plawecki, but a huge upgrade indeed. But, during his second campaign, Jeter’s defense was a mess. The future Yankee Hall of Famer made 56 errors for Class-A Greensboro.

Could you imagine the ruckus if Cecchini (who has committed 13 errors in his first two seasons) had comparable shortstop fielding stats. My ears would still be ringing.

Once again, Derek’s Dad was supportive reminding his son that Mickey Mantle totaled over 50 errors as a shortstop during his second minor league year. The Yankees rushed Gene Michael, the “Stick.” to Greensboro to counsel and work with Jeter and signed him up for the summer Instructional League to focus only on defense. Jeter was a designated shortstop who only played defense in games after 3 hours of morning skill drill work, 24/7. The young shortstop received one-to-one tutelage from Brian Butterfield the only student for Butterfield that summer.

Let’s make this perfectly clear. In no way am I suggesting or even hinting that I think Brandon Nimmo or Gavin Cecchini is going to become a Derek Jeter. I’m only pointing out that like it was for Jeter, two years in the minor leagues is not sufficient to determine the value of a baseball prospect.

Like Jeter, as a professional baseball team’s number one draft pick, both Nimmo and Cecchini have played the game at the highest plateaus at the amateur level. That’s still no guarantee of major league baseball success. Only with time and patience will the answer of whether or not the two Met prospects contribute as major leaguers will become more clear.

That said, it often leaves me shaking my head when I read some comments here and elsewhere that almost sound like some Met fans are hoping Nimmo and Cecchini fail just so they can hammer the front office some more. Whether you are happy with a front office draft selection or not, it makes sense that every Met fan should hope these entry level prospects do well. God knows we could use the help.

The post A Yankee Lesson For Nimmo, Cecchini and Some Mets Fans appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Knowing I host a weekly radio show, she appeared with a stack of sports books that she and her son had read over the years. Hoeing out the house is sometimes a mind occupying project. Last weekend, I plowed through “Ya Gotta Believe,” the book penned by Tug McGraw as he was dying of cancer. It was a fascinating read and the primary focus of Friday’s radio show.

This weekend saw me busy at work reading “The Life You Imagine, Life Lessons For Achieving Your Dreams.” That’s a tome from the pen of Derek Jeter written in 2000 during the earlier years of his career, a topic the Dawg and I hope to cover on a future show.

As a Met fan and a contributor to Metsmerized and MetsMinors. Net, I have read several threads over the last two years where people almost bayonet the Met front office for their first round draft selections of Brandon Nimmo and Gavin Cecchini. When both logged rather modest statistics during their first full season of baseball with identical .248 batting averages the howls were harsh and loud.

Imagine what the reaction may have been had either Met prospect brought home Derek Jeter’s stats during his first professional year. Moving directly from high school in Kalamazoo, Michigan, as a 17-year old kid, Jeter was overwhelmed by his start in professional baseball. Jeter laughs at his naivety when he remembers his request to the Yankees to delay his professional baseball start for a week so he could spend July 4th at home with his parents and girlfriend, a request the Yankees politely nixed.

Jeter was miserable that first summer. USA’s top high school baseball player in the country and the Yankees number one draft pick had batted .557 in his senior year at Kalamazoo High with 7 HR’s and had struck out only 1 time the entire season. Jeter’s professional baseball debut came during a doubleheader where he went 0-7 and struck out 5 times. It took Jeter 15- at bats before he would register his first professional hit. The future Yankee great hit .202 that first year in Class-A for Tampa in the Rookie League.

Jeter was overmatched and depressed. He talks about doubting his lifetime dream of becoming a Yankee for the first time, of crying himself to sleep at night, and running up telephone bills back home to his Mom, Dad and girlfriend, of between $300 and $400 dollars a month. That was tough to do in those days.

Luckily, Jeter had a strong support network. His Dad reminded him over and over again that Chipper Jones had only hit .229 during his first year in the minor leagues. The Yankees didn’t dwell on his statistics, identifying characteristics of his batting approach that they liked and emphasizing those instead.

Jeter’s batting stabilized some during his second minor league season when he batted .295 with 5 HR’s and 71 RBI’s, not quite the mark of Kevin Plawecki, but a huge upgrade indeed. But, during his second campaign, Jeter’s defense was a mess. The future Yankee Hall of Famer made 56 errors for Class-A Greensboro.

Could you imagine the ruckus if Cecchini (who has committed 13 errors in his first two seasons) had comparable shortstop fielding stats. My ears would still be ringing.

Once again, Derek’s Dad was supportive reminding his son that Mickey Mantle totaled over 50 errors as a shortstop during his second minor league year. And, the Yankees rushed Gene Michael, the “Stick.” to Greensboro to counsel and work with Jeter and signed him up for the summer Instructional League to focus only on defense. Jeter was a designated shortstop who only played defense in games after 3 hours of morning skill drill work, 24/7. The young shortstop received one-to-one tutelage from Brian Butterfield the only student for Butterfield that summer.

Let’s make this perfectly clear. In no way am I suggesting or even hinting that I think Brandon Nimmo or Gavin Cecchini is going to become a Derek Jeter. I’m only pointing out that like it was for Jeter, two years in the minor leagues is not sufficient to determine the value of a baseball prospect. Like Jeter, as a professional baseball team’s number 1 draft pick, both Nimmo and Cecchini have played the game at the highest plateaus at the amateur level. That’s still no guarantee of major league baseball success. Only with time and patience will the answer of whether or not the two Met prospects contribute as major leaguers will become more clear.

It often leaves me shaking my head when I read threads that almost sound like some Met fans are hoping Nimmo and Cecchini fail. Whether you’re happy with a front office draft selection or not, it makes sense that every Met fan should hope these entry level prospects do well. God knows we could use the help.

The post Brandon Nimmo, Gavin Cecchini, and a Yankee Lesson appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After a season in which Allan Dykstra put together a .274/.436/.503 line with a career-high 21 home runs and 82 RBIs for the Binghamton Mets, the first baseman/designated hitter is eligible to be a minor league free agent this winter. In his third year of Eastern League action since the Mets acquired him from the San Diego Padres in exchange for Eddie Kunz, he earned League MVP honors. However, the former first rounder is now 26-years-old, and it sounds as if some are down on his potential to have any impact in the big leagues.

Except for Sandy Alderson.

Here’s what the Mets GM had to say about Dykstra, reported by Lynn Worthy of the Press & Sun-Bulletin:

He is a little bit older, but he’s a former first-round draft pick. In fact I was in San Diego when he was drafted. A couple of us — Paul DePodesta being the other — were involved in trading for him from San Diego (to bring him) here. He has had a great season, and he has approached the game, offensively, the way the organization hopes to approach the game at the major-league level. I’m hopeful that he can be rewarded for that.

With regard to any potential contributions from the tall left-handed hitter in the big leagues, Alderson still sounds optimistic:

I think that remains to be seen, but I think it’s entirely possible. This is his second year in this league, but only because we were full basically at Las Vegas at his position. So he’s done a great job this year. He’s been a key part of the team, and we still think he’s got a future. Absolutely.

Dykstra has been with the B-Mets for three seasons, but I’m assuming Alderson meant that the first baseman has played two full seasons with Binghamton; his 2012 season was cut short by injury (62 games played in AA). Or, maybe I’m just making an excuse for him.

While it’s possible Alderson was skirting the question and choosing to stay optimistic, what he said is not surprising. Dykstra has built a reputation for drawing a lot of walks and having an insane on-base percentage, which are two things we know the front office cares about.

The first base position at the big league level currently has a lot of uncertainty moving toward 2014; we all know the trials and tribulations between both Ike Davis and Lucas Duda. It remains to be seen what New York’s plan is for the position heading into this winter; if they decide to stick with one of these two internal options, it would be nice to have a potential internal backup plan in case it all goes haywire.

I’m hoping (and anticipating) for Dykstra to remain in the Mets organization beyond this season, and to report to Triple-A Las Vegas at the start of 2014. He’ll essentially act as an insurance policy for the position in the big leagues should something go wrong in Flushing.

Thoughts from Joe D.

When we first acquired Dykstra for Eddie Kunz, I thought very little of the trade. Two first round busts being swapped, big deal. But thanks to the Mets, we are privileged to get access to these players and after watching them play, hearing them talk after a good or bad game, and even speaking to them one on one as I did with Allan last month, a certain bond develops.

I’ve been touting Dykstra all season long on MMO, I didn’t realize until Matt mentioned it that he becomes a minor league free agent now that the season has ended. I do hope we make every attempt to keep him. It has always been my contention that a platoon of Dykstra and Josh Satin at first base would be more productive than any of the seasons we ever got from Keith Hernandez offensively.

Here are some questions and answers from my interview with Allan:

I asked Dykstra, no relation to Lenny by the way, if he knew the Padres were going to select him in the first round in 2008.

“Actually, the Padres were one of the only teams that did not meet with me. Being a San Diego native and growing up in their backyard, they were the team I grew up rooting for. On the day of the draft when I received that call, I was so happy to be drafted by them and knowing I was playing for my hometown team. But obviously I learned quickly that baseball is a business and they traded me to the Mets.”

“That had to be a killer”, I said. “How did you find out… What was going through your head at the time?”

“It was unexpected. We were breaking spring training camp in 2011 on a Sunday, and at about 9:30 in the morning, the Farm Director told me, ‘We traded you. Best of luck. We thought it was a batter fit for the players involved. Tomorrow you’ll be with the Mets”’

“That was it. I was shocked and didn’t know what was happening. I din’t know how to go about it, there’s no instruction guide or handbook for when something like this happens to you. You get plane ticket for a flight in the morning and it’s goodbye and good luck.”

“I don’t mean to laugh,” I told him. “But damn… That sounds so freaking cold.”

He laughed along with me and recalled how little time he had to get to know his new teammates because it was toward the end of spring training for the Mets, and basically he got the tour of the complex and it took a few days to get his bearings straight and learn the lay of the land. “But believe me, it’s a big shock to get traded.”

“There’s a feeling of rejection, but you have to tell yourself that it’s a fresh start and make the best of the situation.”

JD – I know you’ve been blocked at first base at Triple-A, but are you ready for a new challenge?

AD – Definitely. You always want to move up and last year was a disappointment with me getting hurt. I was hoping to start there (Triple-A) this year, but I realize that’s not my decision to make. It’s like you said, there’s just so many players in the organization that all play the same position. That said, it’s something that I can’t let it bother me and I still have a job to do. I love this game, and whether it’s at Las Vegas or Binghamton, I’m still playing baseball and I’m grateful always for that.

JD – Is there a former player you’ve looked up to or even modeled your game after?

AD – When I was younger I was a big Tony Gwynn fan, but as I got older I became a big fan of Chipper Jones. Yes, I know most Met fans probably don’t want to know that, but I initially was a third baseman and a shortstop when I started playing ball and to me Chipper was the best in the game. I also loved Cal Ripken too. Those three players represented the kind of baseball player I wanted to be and were big inspirations. As far as modeling my game, it was Chipper even down to his toe-tap at the plate.

JD – You probably envisioned yourself being in the majors by now?

AD – I envisioned myself there a long time ago, but no seriously, I realize that during my first two pro seasons I didn’t meet a lot of those expectations baseball people had for me. Then I got sidetracked by injuries on top of that, but last year I really started to put up the kind of numbers I knew I was capable of. I continued to work hard and I am proud of the season I’m having now.

JD – Who is the biggest influence for you right now?

AD – Right now and for the last three seasons it’s definitely my hitting coach Luis Natera. He discussed my ups and downs with me when we first met and he really helped me understand things in a way that connected and clicked for me. He’s been a huge influence in my baseball career. I talk to him everyday and not even about baseball stuff, but my personal life too. He’s really been there for me through good times and bad. He’s not only a great coach, but he’s a great person and a great friend.

JD – Do players and coaches normally form this kind of bond at the minor league levels?

AD – I don’t really know, other than my own experience. It’s my third year with Luis Natera and when I first arrived I knew nobody and was looking to make a fresh start and he introduced himself to me and has helped and guided me ever since. He listened to me. When I was down he genuinely listened and cared and said he was going to do whatever he could to help me improve my game and my focus. And that’s exactly what he did.

(photo credit: Gordon Donovan)

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