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Morning Briefing: Hall of Fame Results to be Revealed Today

Mathias Altman-Kurosaki — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 12:00:41 +0000

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Baseball Hall of Fame voting results are set to be revealed today on MLB Network at 6 p.m. ET. Currently, 200 ballots have been cast and five players are at or above the 75% threshold. Adrian Beltre (99%) seems like a surefire bet for enshrinement, while Joe Mauer (83.5%) and Todd Helton (82%) are in a strong position. Former Mets Billy Wagner (78%) and Gary Sheffield (75%) could receive their call today too. David Wright still needs seven votes to stay on the ballot for 2025.

Latest Mets News

In his appearance on Foul Territory, Adam Ottavino said he enjoyed his time with the Mets, but cited the uncertain direction of the team as the reason why he opted out of the second year of his contract. Andy Martino of SNY reported Monday that Ottavino could still return to the Mets and that the team has been in contact with almost every reliever still on the market.

Paul Lukas (@UniWatch on Twitter) broke down the new black jersey that the Mets will wear beginning in 2024. The jersey no longer has a white outlining around the lettering, which has so far drawn a mixed reaction from fans.

Mike Vasil and Christian Scott threw bullpen sessions in Port St. Lucie on Monday as part of a training camp with the FCL Mets. Vasil is expected to begin the season with Triple-A Syracuse, while Scott will likely begin with Double-A Binghamton.

Latest MLB News

The Pirates have agreed to a one-year contract worth $10.5 million with fireballing lefty Aroldis Chapman. The seven-time All-Star enjoyed a bounce-back season with the Royals and Rangers, pitching to a 3.09 ERA/2.52 FIP with a 41.4% strikeout rate in 58 1/3 innings. Chapman was strong in the postseason too, allowing just two earned runs in eight innings, helping the Rangers win the World Series.

Former Met Collin McHugh announced his retirement from baseball on his Instagram page on Monday. An 18th-round pick in 2006, McHugh finishes his career with a 3.72 ERA in 992 2/3 innings over 11 big league seasons. He won a World Series ring with the Astros in 2017 and received Rookie of the Year and Cy Young votes during his career.

Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg revealed Monday that is battling metastatic prostate cancer. We extend Sandberg and his family best wishes in his battle.

The Dodgers are looking to sign left-hander James Paxton to bolster their starting rotation. The deal is not yet final. Paxton made his return from Tommy John surgery in 2023, posting a 4.50 ERA/4.68 FIP with 101 strikeouts over 96 innings for the Red Sox.

The Cardinals have agreed to a two-year contract with Tommy Edman to avoid arbitration. Edman is coming off a bit of a down year, batting .248/.307/.399 (91 OPS+) with 2.1 rWAR over 528 plate appearances.

The Orioles have re-acquired Tyler Nevin from the Tigers in exchange for cash considerations. Nevin posted a .622 OPS in 111 plate appearances for Detroit in 2023.

Latest on MMO

Allison Waxman examines how the Mets should address their designated hitter situation.

Allison Waxman breaks down whether the Mets have done enough to compete in 2024.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Charlie Greene (53), Robert Carson (35)

The post Morning Briefing: Hall of Fame Results to be Revealed Today appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Hall of Fame Case: Gary Sheffield

Brian Wright — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 14:30:51 +0000

There are 10 players eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame who have the Mets on some portion of their resume. Next is one of the most feared hitters of the 1990s and early 2000s whose short stint in New York to conclude his career was highlighted by a personal milestone.

The way Gary Sheffield prepared to swing and swung was much like the way he carried himself. He was a presence that could not be ignored. His ties to the Mets go back to before he made it to the majors thanks to his uncle — Dwight Gooden.

Sheffield is entering his 10th and final chance to be voted into the Hall of Fame by the writers. Last January, he received 55 percent of the vote. That was a nearly 15 percent jump from the previous year, but still 20 percent shy of what he needs for induction. In 2007, Sheffield’s name was included in the Mitchell Report for his ties to performance-enhancing drugs. It’s safe to say that, as murky as it is, has been what’s kept him out to this point.

Over 22 big league seasons, Sheffield played for eight teams, made nine All-Star appearances, collected 2,689 hits, hit 509 homers, drove in 1,676 runs, and stole 253 bases. He was a key member of the 1997 World Series champion Florida Marlins. Five years before that, as a member of the Padres, he made a run at the Triple Crown, ultimately winning the batting title with a .330 average and finishing in the top five in homers (33) and RBIs (100).

He was an All-Star for San Diego, Florida, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and the Yankees. He finished in the top 10 of the MVP voting six times and was a Silver Slugger winner five times — the first coming at age 23 and the last coming at age 36.

But a shoulder injury and an oblique strain hampered Sheffield in 2008. He signed on with the Mets one home run shy of 500. On April 17, 2009, as a pinch-hitter facing Milwaukee Brewers reliever Mitch Stetter, Sheffield reached the milestone. He played the duration of the regular season, ultimately hitting nine more homers before calling it a career.

Gary Sheffield.

The Case For

Take away the connections to PEDs, and the case is strong. Sheffield (60.5) has a higher WAR than Hall of Famers Vladimir Guerrero (59.5), Harmon Killebrew (60.4), David Ortiz (55.3), and Willie Stargell (57.6).

Sheffield was a rarity in the fact that he was a power hitter with plate discipline. He never had a 100-strikeout season. In fact, he never struck out more than 83 times in a season and walked at a 13.5% clip. Among the members of the 500 home run club, only Ted Williams and Mel Ott struck out fewer times than Sheffield. When all was said and done, Sheffield ended up with more walks (1,475) than strikeouts (1,171).

Sheffield was a legitimate middle-of-the order threat for 13 seasons — starting in San Diego, through his seasons with the Marlins, Dodgers, Braves, and Yanks. Although he never won an MVP, the spread of those top-10 finishes is a credit to longevity. Even into his mid-30s, from 2003-05, Sheffield averaged 36 home runs and 125 RBIs per season.

The Case Against

Although he never tested positive for illegal substances, his being in the Mitchell Report is a scarlet letter that he’s yet to overcome. Sheffield’s name came up after authorities found a 2003 FedEx receipt from Sheffield to BALCO in the home of Greg Anderson, a former trainer to Barry Bonds. In his autobiography, Sheffield said he took a cream given to him by Anderson to help heal a knee injury but didn’t know whether it contained illegal substances.

Beyond that, Sheffield has been a bit of a lightning rod. He’s never afraid to speak his mind going back to his days in Milwaukee and even after his career. That might turn off some voters even if there was validity to his statements.

As far as on-field demerits go, his defense is the easiest thing to highlight. His “total zone” and “defensive runs saved” figures aren’t just bad — they are some of the worst in history. His -195 fielding runs rank as the second-lowest total of all time. That brings down Sheffield’s career and peak WARs, as well as his JAWS rating. His 60.5 career WAR ranks 19th among right fielders, which is 10.6 wins below the average Hall of Famer. His 49.3 JAWS is 24th, 7.4 points shy of the average Cooperstown inductee.

As much as defense has helped bolster the profile of players who previously wouldn’t have had as good a case, they can just as well hamper it. This might be a prime example.

Gary Sheffield.

Final Thoughts

Sheffield’s improving percentage gives him some hope, but the trend doesn’t look good enough to get in through the writers. The relaxation on performance-enhancing drug users that should continue in future years will bode well for him. Sheffield has the career totals that merit inclusion in the Hall of Fame, he’ll just have to wait a bit.

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Morning Briefing: Several Former Mets Fall Short of Hall of Fame

Anthony Gabbianelli — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 17:00:36 +0000

Good morning, Mets fans!

Former St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen has entered baseball infamy as he has accumulated enough votes to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame. Rolen enters as the lone ballot Hall of Famer this year and will join Fred McGriff, who was inducted by the Contemporary Baseball Era committee in December.

Several players with Mets connections have missed the 75% cut-off this year, including Jeff Kent, who was in his last year of eligibility. Carlos Beltran, Gary Sheffield and Francisco Rodriguez are among the other notable players with Mets connections to miss the cut. Beltrán and Rodríguez were on the HOF ballots for the first time this year.

Former Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey only received 0.3% of the HOF votes and has been kicked off the ballot for not receiving at least 5%.

Latest Mets News

The Mets have officially announced the signing of outfielder Tommy Pham to a one-year deal. Formerly with the Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds this past season, Pham will facilitate a role as the team’s fourth outfielder and may even see time in the designated hitter spot if needed. To make room for Pham on the 40-man roster, the team designated left-handed Tayler Saucedo for assignment.

We’ve signed Tommy Pham to a one-year deal.

Welcome to the squad, @TphamLV! pic.twitter.com/oNvsL8jzLZ

— New York Mets (@Mets) January 24, 2023

The New York Post‘s Andrew Marchand is reporting the Mets may have found the next sidekick to legendary radio announcer Howie Rose. Long Island native and voice for the Single-A Brooklyn Cyclones Keith Raad has emerged as the favorite to be hired for the position as he apparently “wowed” his interview with Audacy, the parent company of WCBS Radio, and Rose himself. The role could one day lead to being the main radio voice of the Mets with Rose cutting down on radio time this past season.

Latest MLB News

Chicago White Sox pitcher Mike Clevinger is under investigation by MLB following allegations of domestic violence involving the mother of his 10-month-old daughter and child abuse, according to The Athletic‘s Britt Ghiroli and Katie Strang. The report says the mother of Clevinger’s child had been in contact with MLB officials since June about physical, verbal and emotional abuse towards her and their 10-month-old child.

After the Los Angeles Angels’ ownership decided to take the team off the market, the Miami Marlins ownership has reiterated the team is not for sale. In a statement to the LA Times, Bruce Sherman said, “The Miami Marlins are not for sale, have not been for sale under my ownership, and will not be for sale in my lifetime. It is irresponsible to report otherwise. It is and will continue to be a privilege to own this great organization. I look forward to seeing our loyal fans at Opening Day on March 30th.”

Kansas City Royals infielder Adalberto Mondesi is being traded to the Red Sox, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The Royals will receive Josh Taylor in exchange, while Boston will also receive a player to be named later. The move comes with Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story having elbow surgery that will sideline him for most of the 2023 season.

Former Marlins and Baltimore Orioles first baseman Jesus Aguilar and the Oakland Athletics are in agreement on a contract, pending physical, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle and Robert Murray of Fansided. The deal will give Aguilar an average of about $3 million.

The New York Yankees and catching coach Tanner Swanson agreed to a new deal to keep the coach in the Bronx, according to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. The deal is for three years with a team option for a fourth year. Yankees catchers ranked as some of the best defensively in MLB last season and much of that is attributed to Swanson’s coaching.

Pitcher Jordan Yamamoto has signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers, according to MMO‘s Michael Mayer. Yamamoto had a 6.00 ERA across three different levels in the Mets minor league system in 2022.

Latest on MMO

Rich Sparago talks about possible locations for MLB expansion teams.

On This Date in Mets History

2006: Angel Pagan is purchased by the Chicago Cubs from the New York Mets.

2010: “Melody Queen of Shea Stadium” organist Jane Jarvis passes away at 94.

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OTD 2009: David Wright Homers in Citi Field Opener

Rich Sparago — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:00:39 +0000

On April 13, 2009, the New York Mets played their first regular season game at Citi Field. The Mets’ new home was built in the parking lot of their former home, Shea Stadium. While Shea Stadium had its great moments, including being the venue for both of the Mets’ World Series wins and serving as the home stadium for the Mets, Yankees, Giants, and Jets in 1975, it was time for new ballpark.

Mets fans eagerly awaited the beginning of the 2009 season, and why not? The team fell just short of the 2008 postseason, due in large part to bullpen issues late in the year. Closer Billy Wagner had gone down late in the season, and the Mets would be without him for the lion’s share of 2009. So, they went out and obtained Francisco Rodriguez, who had saved 69 games in 2008 for the Los Angels Angels of Anaheim. K-Rod joined a team with Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, Johan Santana, Carlos Beltran, and David Wright. The Mets were set up, correct?

As we know, things did not work out well for the 2009 Mets. They were injury-plagued and finished 70-92, a far cry from their projected status as National League champions by Sports Illustrated. Even the inaugural game at Citi Field ended up being a disappointment, though Wright gave the 41,000 fans in attendance a great memory.

The Mets had opened 2009 on the road, going a combined 3-3 in Cincinnati and Miami (then the Florida Marlins). On Monday, April 13th, Mike Pelfry took the mound for the Mets, after the park had been ceremoniously opened by Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza. The San Diego Padres were the unlikely opponent so early in the season. Pelfry faced outfielder Jody Gerut leading off the game. Gerut smacked Pelfry’s third pitch over the right field fence, and the Mets were down 1-0 while the fans were still trying to find their seats.

The Padres expanded their lead to 4-0 in the second inning, on RBIs by David Eckstein (two) and Brian Giles. The Mets got one back in the bottom of the second, when Luis Castillo doubled off Walter Silva, driving in Brian Schneider. The score remained 4-1 until the top of the fifth inning, when Adrian Gonzalez took Pelfry deep. The Padres led 5-1.

Schneider led off the Mets’ fifth with a walk. After two outs and a walk by Reyes, Daniel Murphy drove in Gary Sheffield, who had pinch hit for Pelfry and hit into a force out, taking Schneider off the base paths. That made the score 5-2, and up stepped the future captain, David Wright. Wright hit a 3-2 pitch over the Great Wall of Flushing to tie the game, sending the Opening Night crowd into a frenzy (I was there, and it was a stirring moment). You can enjoy it one more time in the video below.

The Padres would score in the top of the sixth inning on a balk by Pedro Feliciano, and that run would prove to be the game-winner. The Mets loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but would go quietly in their final three at-bats.

The Padres had a 6-5 victory, spoiling the first game at Citi Field for the Mets. However, the fans saw their favorite son provide a thrill, and there was plenty of season left to go. Unfortunately, the season ended being underwhelming at best, but at least we had a sparkling, new home with outstanding food options. Who cared that it was a homage to the Dodgers? Well, in fact many did. The Mets eventually fixed that, adding Mets’ history and team colors.

Citi Field is now in its 14th season. It has hosted an All Star Game and a World Series. There’s one missing piece, a World Series victory on home turf. Maybe 2022 will be the year that gets addressed.

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Pedro Martinez and Gary Sheffield Hit Milestones

Michael Mayer — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 19:00:34 +0000

Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez hit an important personal milestone on this date in 2006 during his second season with the Mets.

The Mets were taking on the Braves at Shea Stadium with right-hander Jorge Sosa starting for Atlanta. Mets right fielder Xavier Nady tied the game at 1-1 with a solo homer in the bottom of the second inning. First baseman Carlos Delgado hit a two-run shot in the third inning to give the Mets a 3-2 lead. Nady was back at in the fourth when his RBI single stretched the lead to 4-2, and that’s all Pedro would need.

Pedro went 6 2/3 innings in the game, allowing three runs on six hits, two walks, and eight strikeouts. Right-handed reliever Duaner Sanchez followed with 1 1/3 scoreless innings and closer Billy Wagner locked down the win with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth.

Pedro received a standing ovation when he came off the mound in what turned out to be his 200th career victory in the Major Leagues.

Martinez had a strong first half in 2006, posting a 3.45 ERA and 111 strikeouts over 101 2/3 innings. Unfortunately for the Mets, Pedro was plagued by injuries over the final months of the season and missed the playoffs.

Though Pedro was terrific in 2005 with the Mets (7.0 WAR) and the start of the 2006 season, he was never the same after the injuries (of course being told to pitch through injuries by Jeff Wilpon didn’t help). A torn rotator cuff limited him to just 28 innings in 2007 and then had a career-worst 5.61 ERA in 2008.

Pedro did hit another milestone in his time with the Mets, when he struck out his 3,000th batter in September of 2007.

On April 17, 2009, another milestone was hit by a Mets player. Outfielder Gary Sheffield had been released by the Tigers at the end of March and the Mets scooped him up within a week. Sheffield entered as a pinch hitter against the Brewers with the Mets down 4-3 in the seventh inning, he hit a laser blast to left field to become the 25th player in Major League Baseball history to hit the 500th home run milestone.

Sheffield, 40 years old at the time, had a solid season at this dish for the Mets. He hit .276/.372/.451 with 13 doubles, 10 home runs, and 34 RBIs in 312 plate appearances during the 2009 season.

That would be the final season for Sheffield and he finished his career with 509 home runs, currently ranking 26th in baseball history.

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Morning Briefing: Mets Host Phillies Take Two!

Matt Mancuso — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 15:00:38 +0000

Good Morning Mets fans!

Matt Harvey‘s got a chip on his shoulder after a disastrous 2017 where he was beset by injuries and posted a 6.70 ERA (worst in Mets history). Today, he’ll look to begin 2018 in a good way as he’ll face Ben Lively and the Phillies.

Latest Mets News

Everyone’s favorite reliever is back! MMO’s own Jacob Resnick pointed out that the Mets will place Anthony Swarzak on the DL with a strained left oblique and will recall Hansel Robles from Triple-A Las Vegas.

Keith Hernandez opened up his own online clothing store, which he promoted on his new Twitter account

According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Michael Conforto took swings against Jason Vargas in a simulated game. The Mets later tweeted a video showing Conforto swinging. It’s possible that he could return this week.

Seth Lugo will be skipped in this rotation turn, which could make him available out of the bullpen during the next two series.

According to a recent Quinnipiac University poll, only 34 percent of New Yorkers’s consider themselves Mets fans.

Latest MLB news

Despite both of New York’s teams being snowed out, there was a flurry of activity in the MLB yesterday.

The Diamondbacks outrighted Yasmany Tomas to Triple-A in order to clear a spot on their roster for Stefan Crichton, who they acquired in a trade with the Orioles.

The Rangers have selected the contract of fan-favorite Bartolo Colon. Colon should follow the footsteps of Shohei Othani and be able to slide into the DH spot the days he is not pitching.

Fangraphs reported that baseball’s payrolls are decreasing.

Pitchers Who Rake is back! The Cardinals’s Miles Mikolas became the first pitcher to homer this year, taking Zach Davies deep.

Bob Nightengale tweeted that Daniel Hudson inked a minor-league contract with the Dodgers.

The Brewers signed former-Phillie Andres Blanco.

In a touching moment, Rich Dauer threw out the first pitch in the Astros-Orioles game last night. Dauer was the first-base coach for the World Champions, but collapsed during their World Series parade due to blood clots.

The New York Times discussed Giancarlo Stanton‘s name change.

Latest NL East news

Dusty Baker talked about his post-baseball career to Dave Sheinin of The Washington Post.

The Braves selected the contract of veteran Anibal Sanchez.

The Marlins DFA’ed Severino Gonzalez.

Latest on MMO

Mojo Hill interviewed Mets minor-leaguer, Matt Pobereyko

Rob Piersall goes over some players that should be able to rebound from disappointing 2017 seasons.

Mathew Brownstein published his interview with Fred Lynn

Mike Silva has former Met Skip Lockwood on as a special guest on the most recent episode of Talkin’ Mets.

Mets Minors writes about right-handed relief prospect Ryder Ryan and his great finish to the 2017 season.

On This Date in Mets history

After the Tigers cut Gary Sheffield, the Mets signed the 40-year-old to a minor league deal. Sheffield famously hit his 500th home run in a Mets uniform.

Last year, the Mets took down the Braves on Opening Day.

Birthdays: Jay Bruce (30),Rod Gaspar (72).

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The Most Criminally Underrated Players on Hall-of-Fame Ballot

Chris Gaine — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 02:00:33 +0000

Thanks to the irreplaceable @NotMrTibbs on Twitter, baseball fans are able to evaluate and discuss support for Hall-of-Fame players ahead of the election.

The public-ballot collection has become an important part of the conversation surrounding Cooperstown. Almost 40 percent of the vote has been made public (which you can see here) and so it greatly mitigates the possibility of surprises on the ballot.

By now, we know the Class of 2018 will almost definitely consist of Chipper Jones, Jim Thome and Vladimir Guerrero.We can also see that other players seem to be moving towards enshrinement in the future; this would include Mike Mussina, Curt Schilling, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.

However, this ballot is indeed a crowded one, so there are a lot of guys on the margins who have otherwise solid credentials. These guys stand little chance at making it to Cooperstown, but each has a very solid case to be made. Let’s take a look at six of those guys right here, in no particular order.

Andruw Jones

The sorry second act of Jones’s career makes many forget how dominant he was during the first half. From 1998-2007, Andruw Jones averaged 34 home runs, 103 RBI and a 115 OPS+ per season. Oh, and he was the best defensive center fielder in baseball, winning 10 consecutive Gold Gloves.

Jones’ seven-year peak WAR is 46.4, which is higher than the average 7 WAR of the 19 Hall-of-Fame center fielders. He also has the ninth-highest fWAR of any center fielder. Ever. He beats out guys like Robin Yount, Duke Snider, Andre Dawson and Larry Doby. And, to top it all off, he has a higher defensive runs above average than any center fielder ever.

Jones is currently on just 5.4 percent of all public ballots. It would be an absolute travesty for him to be five-percented in year one, considering many of his stats would indicate he deserves to be enshrined.

Jeff Kent

The former Met Jeff Kent obviously won’t be remembered for his time in Flushing, but he should be remembered by voters for his elite offensive output. His 377 career home runs are 76 more than any other second baseman, which alone should give him consideration. He also had a nine-year stretch where he was bar-none the best hitter at his position: He batted .296/.365/.529 while averaging 28 home runs and a 132 OPS+ from 1997-2005.

Kent is in his fifth season on the ballot, and he is currently on just 10.7 percent of public ballots. He has routinely gotten anywhere between 14 and 17 percent on his first four seasons on the ballot, so it looks like he’s losing support here.

Fred McGriff

Fred McGriff has the same number of homers as Lou Gehrig, no PED suspicions, and virtually no support from Hall-of-Fame voters. He currently has just 17.3 percent of the vote in his seventh year on the ballot, meaning it will be an uphill battle for the “Crime Dog” to be enshrined in Cooperstown.

But it shouldn’t be. McGriff was one of the most consistent hitters of the ’80s and ’90s. He hit at least 20 home runs in 15 of 16 seasons from 1987-2002 (he hit 19 in the only year he didn’t get to 20) and hit over 30 home runs 10 times in that stretch. That kind of longevity, along with a solid .284/.377/.509 lifetime slash, makes McGriff worthy of a plaque in Cooperstown.

And if it weren’t for the baseball strike from 1994-95, he easily would have gotten well over 500 home runs. He hit 34 home runs in 113 games in 1994, which would have put him on pace for 48 in a 162-game season, and he hit 27 in 144 games in 1995, which would put him on pace for 30. Had McGriff hit another 17 home runs from 1994-95, and brought his career total over 500, would he have more support than he does now? Perhaps.

Johan Santana

I’ve written about this ad nauseam here, here and here, so I’ll keep this short to avoid sounding redundant. But just a couple of things to consider with Johan Santana. Let’s start with how he ranks among all ’00s pitchers:

– Second in ERA (3.03). Pedro Martinez was first with a 3.01 ERA.
– Second in WHIP (1.07). Again, Pedro is No. 1 by just a hair (1.04)
– Fifteenth in wins with 118, despite not becoming a full-time starter until 2003.
– Fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (9.13).
– Sixth in FIP (3.37)
– Eleventh in fWAR (37.6). Again, Santana wasn’t a full-time starter until midway through 2003.
– Third-highest strikeout rate (25.2 percent)
– Second-best batting average against (.219)
– Second-best ERA- (69). Fangraphs considers anything below 70 to be “excellent.”

And from 2004-08, Santana led all pitchers with at least 700 innings in just about every statistical category. His short career will probably keep him from getting in; he has appeared on just three public ballots so far.

Gary Sheffield

The former Mets legend has 509 career home runs. Call me old school, but that alone should get you in the Hall. Couple that with a .292/.393/.514 slash, and a 140 career OPS+, Sheffield belongs in Cooperstown.

During his peak 14-year stretch from 1992-2005, Sheffield fared even better: Batting .304/.411/.551 with a 151 OPS+, and averaged 31 homers and 96 RBI per season. Sheffield was named in the Mitchell Report, which is likely the reason he has appeared on just 9.5 percent of public ballots — and has never received more than 13 percent of the vote in his three prior years of eligibility. Hopefully Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens‘ inevitable enshrinements will open up the floodgates for guys like Sheffield. Which brings us to our next list item:

Dilip Vishwanat/Sporting News/Icon SMI

Sammy Sosa

PED’s or not, what Sammy Sosa did at the height of his career was one of the most impressive onslaughts of power in baseball history. From 1998-2001, Sosa hit 243 home runs — that’s one more than David Wright has in his entire career.

Sosa’s 609 home runs are the ninth-most all-time. He’s the only player in MLB history to have three 60-homer seasons. He had 10 consecutive seasons of at least 35 homers, the second-longest streak in baseball history. I could go on and on with more impressive home run stats by Sosa, but ultimately PED suspicions will keep him out of the Hall-of-Fame.

Thankfully, attitudes towards PED use seem to be changing among baseball writers, as evidenced by increased levels of support for Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, like I mentioned above. Hopefully, this means guys like Sosa, Sheffield, and even Rafael Palmeiro will someday enter the Hall too. PED users should be remembered within the context of the times that they played.

Who do you think is criminally underrated that belongs in the Hall?

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Who Will the Next Mets Hall of Famer Be?

Chris Gaine — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 19:50:36 +0000

When Mike Piazza was inducted into the Hall of Fame yesterday, he became the 14th ex-Met to gain enshrinement into Cooperstown– and only the second player to go in orange and blue.

The Mets have seen an alumnus inducted in each of the last three seasons; first with Tom Glavine in 2014 and then with Pedro Martinez last season. This is by far the most significant for the team, since Piazza is best remembered for his years with the Mets. But these Hall of Fame fortunes will likely diminish over the next couple of years; there is no imminent Met on the ballot for another couple of seasons– and definitely nobody who will be inducted as a Met for a while.

Here’s a rundown of former Mets who could become Hall of Famers. And most of these players are remembered for their times away from New York.

Jeff Kent: A lot of younger fans might not even realize that Kent was a Met; he played with the team from 1992-1996 and lacked the star power he showed in his later career. Kent has 76 more home runs than any other second baseman in baseball history, and deserves a lot more Cooperstown consideration than he has received. He only got 16.6 percent of the vote in his second year on the ballot.

Kent could eventually receive a higher percentage on a less-crowded ballot. It’s definitely possible that he could become a Hall of Famer one day, but it won’t be with a Mets cap on his plaque.

Gary Sheffield: Sheffield played his last MLB season with the Mets in 2009. 500 homers used to mean a guaranteed ticket to Cooperstown– Sheffield can check off that box– but his PED ties have all but nullified that guarantee. He only received 11.6 percent of the vote in his second year of eligibility, which probably has something to do with PED’s. He probably won’t make the Hall of Fame, and if he does it definitely won’t be as a Met.

Billy Wagner: Wagner surprised some observers by getting double-digit support on his first year of eligibility– on a crowded ballot, no less. He posted an ERA+ below 140 just once in his 16 MLB seasons, and his career mark of 187 isn’t too far behind Mariano Rivera’s record-setting 205. Should he go in, which isn’t all that impossible, Wagner will probably be wearing an Astros (or maybe a Patriots) cap– but he would owe the Mets a nod during his induction speech.

Johan Santana: Santana hasn’t officially retired, but he hasn’t thrown an MLB pitch since 2012, and will be eligible in 2018 in the likely event he never pitches again. He is arguably the best pitcher of the 2000s, and had a five-year stretch where he was without question the best pitcher in baseball. From 2004-2008, he was 86-39 with a 2.82 ERA and 1,189 strikeouts in 1,146.2 innings. He won two Cy Youngs during that stretch, and finished in the top five every year.

His dominance was cut short due to shoulder injuries. Had Santana had another two years in his prime, he would be a lock for the Hall– his career ERA+ of 136 is higher than Randy Johnson, Whitey Ford or Greg Maddux. He will definitely receive consideration, and would presumably go in with the Twins. But who knows? Maybe Santana throwing the Mets’ first and only no-hitter is impressive enough to override that.

Carlos Beltran: If any of these candidates are to be inducted as Mets, it’s Beltran. He played more games with the Mets than he did with any team, and put up some of his best numbers there as well.

Beltran hasn’t received the glitz and glamor a lot of other stars of his day have, but his stats are as good as anyone’s. His career bWAR of 70 is higher than Hall of Famers Gary Carter, Tony Gwynn, Eddie Murray and Carlton Fisk to name a few. He is one of just five players ever to record 500 doubles, 400 homers and 300 steals; the others are Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Eddie Murray and Andre Dawson. Oh, and he also won three Gold Gloves.

Beltran is having one of the best years of his career this season. Although he won’t be eligible for a number of years, it will be hard to deny his credentials once he appears on the ballot.

David Wright: If David Wright’s career is over (which it may very well be), than he is probably not a Hall of Famer. But another two or three seasons of classic David Wright could put him into the conversation. From 2005-2013, Wright’s average season was a .302/.384/.505 slash with 23 home runs, 93 RBI and 20 steals. He’s a longshot for Cooperstown at this point, but Wright is a lock for the Mets’ Hall of Fame.

Francisco Rodriguez: “K-Rod” is sixth on the all-time saves list with 413 saves, and he’s still only 34. “K-Rod” could become baseball’s all-time saves leader by the time he hangs ’em up. This, along with a 2.70 career ERA, 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings ratio and a 156 ERA+, will guarantee him some consideration. As every Mets fan who watched him pitch knows, he will not be going into Cooperstown as a Met. This distinction will likely come with the Angels, where he set the single-season saves record back in 2008.

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MLB Players React To Chase Utley Breaking Ruben Tejada’s Leg

Joe D — Sun, 11 Oct 2015 11:27:27 +0000

There are no shortage of reactions from around baseball on the dirty take-out slide by Chase Utley that resulted in a broken leg for Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada.

Terry Collins – “Broke my shortstop’s leg, that’s all I know. I’m not going to get into it. It’s over. It’s done. Not much we can do about it except come out in a couple days and get after it.”

Justin Turner – “I think everyone knows how hard Chase plays the game and did what everyone would do going hard to break up the double-play. Unfortunately the ball put Ruben in kind of a bad position to be there. We don’t want to see anyone get hurt, but hopefully, I know it’s a fracture, but he’s a good friend of mine. I hope it’s not too bad and doesn’t effect anything with his career.”

Kelly Johnson – “The issue is, he hit our shortstop first, before hitting the dirt. At what point is that illegal? At what point do we say, ‘Hey, we missed something here?’ We have rules at home plate to protect our guys, what’s the difference. Ruben stuck his next out there and before he could get the ball out of his glove he’s getting tackled. I don’t get it. It’s sad.”

Joe Torre – “After viewing all relevant angles, the Replay Official definitively determined that the fielder’s foot was not in contact with second base at any time when he had possession of the ball. The fact he was called out means he was not required to touch second base. When the play is overturned he’s awarded second base. If they had tagged Utley before he went off the field he would have been out.”

Adrian Gonzalez – “Chase is trying to break up the double play. At the end of the day, the replay confirmed it all, it was as big play for us. The slide saved a victory. We get another win and then we have our two big guys going for us again.”

Jose Reyes – That was a really weak attempt at a slide by Chase Utley.

David Wright – “Only Chase knows what his intent was. There is the way to play the game hard. I have a problem with the play on a number of different levels. He’s a second baseman. If he wants guys sliding like that into him, then it’s perfectly fine. He knows how to play the game. If he doesn’t mind guys coming in like that when he’s turning a double play, then we don’t have any problem with it. It’s a legal slide. It’s within the rules. But somebody is going to get hurt.”

Michael Cuddyer – “That’s not a slide. That’s a tackle. That’s for you to decide if tackling is legal in baseball.”

Shane Victorino – “Always called him one of my toughest teammates. Utley showing why I always called him a winner. Never wanna see anyone get hurt but I have seen worse but the magnitude of this one will bring up a lot of debate for sure.”

Pedro Martinez – “A lot of people are fuming in New York. I have a hard time watching this play, not because of what happened to Tejada. But just watching Utley up close, it seemed to me like he never had the intention of sliding and breaking up the double play. He went straight after Tejada. And that is something that is mind-boggling coming from a second baseman. It kind of bothers me to see that.”

Gary Sheffield – “This is baseball. It’s the shortstop’s job to know where the runner is. Any time a runner can take him out, he’s going to take him out. He’s coming in there like a bulldog, and you never turn your back on a runner like that. He should’ve just gotten the out and not tried for the double play.”

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The 2009 Mets: Where Are They Now?

Jacob Resnick — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 08:23:30 +0000

Welcome to the second installment of Where Are They Now?, where we take a Mets roster and check in on what the players have done since last playing in Queens. Last week, we looked at the 2010 Mets, so this week we go back a year and look at the 2009 team, the first year the Mets played their home games at Citi Field. That season, Jerry Manuel led his squad to a 70-92 record, good for a fourth place NL East finish. Let’s look at the players.

Right off the bat, 21 players also played for the Mets in 2010, who I covered covered in my previous article. If you wish to learn about what happened to Luis Castillo, Alex Cora, David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Jeff Francoeur, Fernando Tatis, Angel Pagan, Jose Reyes, Nick Evans, Josh Thole, Mike Pelfrey, John Maine, Oliver Perez, Francisco Rodriguez, Bobby Parnell, Pedro Feliciano, Sean Green, Fernando Nieve, Elmer Dessens, Jon Niese, and Tobi Stoner, check out The 2010 Mets: Where Are They Now?

Only one player (who hasn’t already been covered) that played for the Mets in 2009 is still playing for the Mets, Daniel Murphy who is now one of the top hitters in the Mets lineup. Murphy currently ranks second on the team in batting average and third highest with a 2.7 WAR. Not only does Murphy provide a presence in the top of the lineup, but he may give the Mets strong trade bait going forward.

Only two other players from the 2009 are still in the majors albeit with another franchise: J.J. Putz and Darren O’Day.

Putz, who amazingly only played in 29 games with the Mets, played with the Chicago White Sox in 2010, before heading to Arizona where he played for the Diamondbacks in 2011. He still plays for them now. Side-armer Darren O’Day was claimed off waivers by the Rangers in April of 2009 and played in Arlington until 2011. After that season, the Baltimore Orioles claimed him off waivers. He is currently in his second year with them.

Five players from that team are currently in the Minor Leagues with other organizations and include Omir Santos, Jeremy Reed, Fernando Martinez, Argenis Reyes, and Nelson Figueroa.

Omir Santos did the bulk of the catching for the 2009 Mets, and he now sits behind the plate for the Rockies’ Triple A affiliate in Colorado Springs. He also played for the Toledo Mud Hens in the Detroit Tigers system in 2011, before spending some time with the big league team for the Tigers in 2010. He’s also played with the Indians Triple-A team this season.

Jeremy Reed signed with the Blue Jays in January of 2010 and was called up on April 12th. On July 12th he was sent down, released, and signed with the White Sox. He played the rest of the season with their Triple A team, the Charlotte Knights. The Brewers signed him in 2011 and he made the opening day roster. He was sent down to make room for Jonathan Lucroy, which led to him being traded to the Twins, where he finished the year. He is now in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, but is not currently assigned to a team.

Fernando Martinez was claimed off waivers by the Astros in January of 2012 and played in Houston until he was traded to the Yankees this past June, knowing there was a chance that he could be suspended for steroids. He was among those named in the Biogenesis scandal and is currently serving a 50-game suspension.

Argenis Reyes played in the Red Sox system in 2010 and was then traded to the Cleveland Indians where he played the rest of the season. He spent time with the New Jersey Jackals of the Independent Leagues in 2011 before returning to the Indians system. He is currently not playing with an Indians team although he unassigned.

Nelson Figueroa saw time in the Phillies and Astros systems in 2010, and played in the majors with the Astros in 2011. He also played in the Pirates system that year. 2012 saw him spend time with the Yankees and Red Sox minor league systems, and now plays for the Diamondbacks Triple-A affiliate.

One 2009 Met is officially a free agent and that is Casey Fossum who played all of three games for the Amazins that season. Fossum was released at the end of April in 2009 and soon after signed with the Yankees. He played the rest of the year with their Triple A affiliate and then moved onto the Chicago Cubs system. His 2010 season was spent with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan, where he went 2-5 with a 5.72 ERA. Fossum signed with the Mets again in January of 2011 and played nine games, before being released a year later. He eventually signed with the Orioles but was soon released and has not resurfaced ever since.

13 players have retired. They are Gary Sheffield, Ryan Church, Brian Schneider, Cory Sullivan, Carlos Delgado, Ramon Martinez, Emil Brown, Marlon Anderson, Brian Stokes, Ken Takahashi, Lance Broadway, Jon Switzer, and Billy Wagner.

Gary Sheffield couldn’t find a team to play with in 2010, so he retired in the spring of 2011. Ryan Church was traded to the Braves for Jeff Francoeur and finished the year in Atlanta. 2010 was spent in Pittsburgh until the Pirates traded him to the Diamondbacks along with future Met D.J. Carrasco. He was non-tendered after the year and retired.

Brian Schneider played with the Phillies from 2010 to 2012 and retired officially on January 29th this year. Cory Sullivan, who is most remembered for being the last player to hit two triples in one inning, played with the Houston Astros for half of 2010. He played with the Phillies for half of 2011, and retired after failing to make the Dodgers opening day roster in 2012.

After being injured for most of the 2009 season, the Mets released Carlos Delgado when the season was over. The Boston Red Sox signed the future Hall of Famer to a Minor League contract. He went 3-for-13, was released and retired on April 13th 2011. He was most recently the hitting coach for the 2013 Puerto Rican team in the World Baseball Classic. Current Mets pitching coach Ricky Bones was the pitching coach for that team (and if you ask me, Delgado and Bones look extremely like each other).

Not much to say about Ramon Martinez here. The infielder who played only 12 games with the 2009 Mets was released after the season and immediately retired. Emil Brown retired after being released on June 22, 2009.

Super utility man Marlon Anderson was released in April and signed with the Newark Bears of the Independent Leagues. He played the rest of the season there and retired when the season was done. He was last seen in professional baseball as the hitting coach for the Potomac Nationals in 2012.

Brian Stokes was traded to the Angels for Gary Matthews Jr. prior to the the 2010 season and made 16 appearances for the Halos that year. In 2011 he played in the Arizona D-Back’s system, and then moved onto the Camden RIversharks of the Independent League. Ken Takahashi became the third oldest player to make his Major League debut at the age of 40 on May 2nd 2009. He was released by the Mets in October of that year and went back to his homeland of Japan and played with the Hiroshima Carp in 2010. He retired after that year.

Lance “Best Name in Baseball” Broadway has not played in the Majors since his time with the Mets. He spent time with the Blue Jays organization in 2010 and played with their Triple A team, the Las Vegas 51’s. He has since retired and done what I believe no other Met has done in their lifetime. Lance played Agent O’Neil in the 2013 movie, Olympus Has Fallen. We should keep an eye out for other movies that feature Mr. Broadway.

Jon Switzer only got into four games as a New York Met, which led to a 8.10 ERA. He signed with the Astros and played in their Minor League system in 2010. He retired after 2010 and went back to school. He is now a business manager.

Billy Wagner, who is probably the greatest Mets closer of the last 10 years, was traded at the end of the year to the Red Sox for Chris Carter and minor leaguer Eddie Lora. Wagner played two games for Boston and then signed with the Atlanta Braves for the 2010 season. He was injured in the NLDS, but instead of going on the disabled list, he retired. Billy is currently the Head Coach for Miller High School in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Two players are currently in the Independent Leagues. Wilson Valdez played for the Phillies in 2010 and 2011 and was then traded to the Cincinnati Reds before the 2012 season. The Reds traded Valdez to the Giants in December of 2012 but he was released this past March. He signed with the Miami Marlins the next day and was released on May 19th. He is now with the Camden River Sharks. Longtime Mets backup catcher Ramon Castro was traded to the White Sox for Lance Broadway in 2009, but I don’t think it mattered to Ramon, because later in the season he was behind the plate when Mark Buehrle tossed a perfect game. He was released by Chicago after 2011, and did not play baseball in 2012. He signed a Minor League contract with the Dodgers this March but was released after failing to make the roster. He now plays for the Long Island Ducks.

Three players are playing in foreign countries, and they all play in Mexico. They are Anderson Hernandez, Angel Berroa, and Robinson Cancel. Hernandez, who was traded from the Tigers to the Mets back in 2004 for Vance Wilson, was claimed off waivers by the Indians in 2010 but was claimed by the Astros in July. 2011 was spent in Triple A with the Astros franchise. In 2012, Hernandez played with the Pirates Triple A team. This year he has been playing with the Piratas de Campeche, where he is hitting five points south of .300 with 11 home runs.

The 2003 American League Rookie of the Year (I still think Rocco Baldelli should have won) Angel Berroa, who before LaTroy Hawkins and David Aardsma was the last player to play for both the Mets and Yankees, played in the San Francisco Giants organization in 2010. In 2011 he played with the Arizona Diamondbacks Triple A team and the Bridgeport BlueFish of the Independent Leagues. 2012 saw Berroa play with the New Jersey Jackals. He now plays for Leones de Yucantan in Mexico. He is hitting .293 with 12 homers.

Robinson Cancel made his first big league appearance since 1999 in 2008 with the Mets. He spent 2010 with the Long Island Ducks, 2011 with the Astros Triple A team (and a few games in the Majors), 2012 with Monterrey in Mexico, and is still playing in Mexico with Minatilan.

One player is coaching. Andy Green went 1-4 with the Mets in 2009. He spent 2010 in Buffalo playing for the Bisons at the Mets Triple A level. He is now managing the Diamondbacks Double A team, the Mobile Bay Bears. He is managing former Met Nick Evans.

So there are your 2009 New York Mets. What were some of your best and worst memories of that season? Next week we’ll take a look at the 2008 team and the last year of Mets baseball at Shea Stadium.

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