On Wednesday, one of the great first basemen of the 21st century officially hung up his cleats. In an Instagram post where he gave thanks to all those that helped him during his career, longtime Red Joey Votto called it a career. Votto played all 17 of his major league seasons in Cincinnati since being called up in 2007, racking up six All-Star appearances, one Gold Glove Award and an MVP.

Votto was a wizard at the plate, always finding a way to get on base. During his prime, it was a virtual guarantee that he would hold a batting average north of .300 by the end of the season and was a walk machine, leading the NL in OBP seven times. Despite signing a minor league deal with the Blue Jays prior to the 2024 season, he never made it to the majors this year and will end as a career-long Red.

It was also another exciting day in Flushing on Wednesday. If Monday’s finish wasn’t enthralling enough, the Mets had more in store on Wednesday. Despite giving seven solid innings, Sean Manaea left the game with the eventual tying run on base. However, Jesse Winker was there to save the day; Winker sent his first home run as a Met over the left field wall in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Mets a 4-3 win over the Orioles, securing a series win over the O’s. For more on the Mets’ late-inning theatrics, click here.

After going 5-4 during their homestand, the Mets will now swing back out to the West Coast to take on the Padres and Diamondbacks. Luis Severino (8-6, 3.91 ERA) will be on the mound for Thursday night’s 9:40 p.m. start against Padres ace Dylan Cease (12-9, 3.46 ERA) to kick off the four-game weekend series in San Diego. The Mets currently stand 1.5 games behind the Braves for the third Wild Card spot.

Latest Mets News

Jett Williams went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in his first rehab appearance for the St. Lucie Mets. He played seven solid innings at shortstop, including this sparkling play.

Jett Williams in his first rehab game for the St. Lucie Mets:

1-for-3, SB, played 7 innings at SS including this great play.

pic.twitter.com/FbtmTiSjU4

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) August 21, 2024

Former Mets manager Terry Collins is hosting a Mets pre-game party on Saturday before their game against the Padres. The event, which starts at 4 p.m., will be on 42nd Street by Grand Central and fans will be able to meet and watch the game with Collins.

Katie Honan of The City NY gave Mets fans insight into Citi Field’s SVP of ballpark operations, who makes game days run smoothly.

Comedian and writer Eitan Levine set the world record for the most first pitches in a season on Wednesday. With his first pitch at Citi Field, he threw out his 40th and record-breaking first pitch. 

Mets top pitching prospect Brandon Sproat struggled in his third start for Triple-A Syracuse: 5 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 0 K.

Latest MLB News

The St. Louis Cardinals optioned INF Nolan Gorman to Triple-A Memphis and recalled INF José Fermín from Triple-A. The once top prospect Gorman has struggled this season, with a slash line of .203/.271/.400.

Atlanta Braves left-handed reliever A.J. Minter underwent left hip surgery on Wednesday and will be out for the remainder of the 2024 season. 

Johnny Cueto made his 2024 debut on Wednesday and was given a standing ovation by the Kansas City crowd after giving up three runs in 6 1/3 innings. While Cueto was pitching for the Angels, Mets fans know all too well how important he was for the Royals in their 2015 World Series season. 

Royals fans don't forget Johnny Cueto's contributions to the 2015 team 👏 pic.twitter.com/diuKWtUGKN

— MLB (@MLB) August 22, 2024

The World Baseball Classic announced the pools and schedule for the 2026 WBC, which will start on March 5 of that year. The United States will be in Pool B with Mexico, Great Britain, Italy and another qualifier.

In his first start since June 9, Justin Verlander went 5 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, and 6 K in the Astros’ 4-1 loss to the Red Sox.

Yankees starting RHP Luis Gil was placed on the 15-day IL on Wednesday with a lower back strain. 

Latest on MMO

Jose Quintana’s August troubles continue to roll on. 

Mets propsect Nolan McLean dazzled in the Rumble Ponies Tuesday win.

Jesse Winker walk-off homer gives Mets the series win in electric fashion.

On This Date in Mets History

2006: Carlos Delgado blasts a grand slam into deep right field at Shea Stadium for his 400th career home run. Carlos Beltran finished that game by hitting a two-run walk-off home run off of Jason Isringhausen to beat the Cardinals, 8-7.

Birthdays: Darrin Jackson (61), Ike Hampton (73), Ray Burris (74)

The post Morning Briefing: Joey Votto Retires From Baseball appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Former Met and future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander is reportedly a couple of weeks behind schedule and his timetable is TBA at the moment, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Verlander also had a delayed start to his 2023 season due to an upper back/shoulder issue, which seems to be ailing him this year as well. 

The three-time Cy Young award winner said he was going about his regular routine before shutting down. “When I first started playing catch I usually shut it down for a while, and this time when I shut it down and picked a ball back up, my shoulder didn’t feel so great so I kind of had to take a step back,” he said.

While it does not seem like a major injury, any time that Verlander misses for the Astros could play in the Mets’ favor. The Mets could be on the hook for $17.5 million if the 40-year old reaches the 140 innings pitched threshold, which would kick in his vesting option for the 2025 season.

Justin Verlander. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News 

The New York Mets officially announced the signing of flame-throwing reliever Shintaro Fujinami to a one-year deal. In a corresponding move, Ronny Mauricio will be moved to the 60-day IL after tearing his ACL in the offseason.

ESPN has picked up two of the Mets’ spring training games, both against the Yankees, on March 5 at 1 P.M. and March 22 at 5 p.m., per Mike Mayer of Metsmerized Online. 

Kodai Senga hinted at the potential of debuting a new pitch this upcoming season. Hear what Senga had to say as he addressed the media on Wednesday. 

MLB Network released their next batch of players for their top 100 players right now list; Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor found themselves on the list. Click here to see where they landed!

Latest MLB News

The Cincinnati Reds announced the passing of Reds Hall of Fame pitcher Don Gullet. Gullet spent 24 years with the Reds as a player, coach, and minor league instructor.

Former Mets star pitcher Jacob deGrom said that he started to throw on Monday and threw again on Wednesday as he starts to ramp up, per Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today. 

The New York Yankees acquired LHP Clayton Andrews from the Brewers, and in return sent RHP Joshua Quezada, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

The Oakland Athletics announced that they have signed LHP Scott Alexander to a one-year contract for the 2024 season. 

The Philadelphia Phillies officially announced their signing of RHP Spencer Turnbull, to make room for him they DFA’d RHP McKinley Moore. 

Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that free agent relief pitcher Liam Hendriks is setting a deadline of Thursday (today) to sign with a team. If he does not sign by then, he will take time to rehab from Tommy John surgery on his own and throw for teams in late July before signing for the stretch run. 

The Yankees agreed to a deal with relief pitcher Lou Trivino, per Andy Martino of SNY. Joel Sherman of the NY Post reported that it is for $1.5 million with a club option of $5 million for 2025. 

Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies have started negotiations on a potential contract extension, per Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Wheeler says that he hopes it’s done before the end of Spring, mentioning how he loves it in Philly. 

The Chicago White Sox signed 35-year-old Mike Moustakas to a minor league deal, the team announced.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced that reliever Scott Effross will be out until the summer after undergoing back surgery in December. 

Left-handed relief pitcher Josh Fleming agreed to a one-year, major league split contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, per Robert Murray of FanSided. If he is in the majors, Fleming would receive $850,000.

The San Francisco Giants signed RHP Austin Warren to a one-year major league contract and placed LHP Robbie Ray on the 60-day IL as he recovers from left elbow UCL surgery. 

Latest on MMO

Take a look at the new faces at Mets spring training. 

Check out MMO’s non-roster invitee preview of RHP Christian Scott.

Could Thor be coming back to Queens? Christian De Block did a Free Agent Profile looking into the possibility of the Mets brining back Noah Syndergaard.

On This Date in Mets History

2011: The New York Mets sign relief pitcher Jason Isringhausen to a minor league contract. Isringhausen was a part of the infamous “Generation K” and was with the club up until 1999 after being drafted by the Mets in 1991. He made 53 appearances and saved his 300th game for his original club in 2011.

Birthdays: Mark Canha (35), Barry Jones (61), Chuck Estrada (86)

The post Morning Briefing: Verlander ‘Behind Schedule,’ Dealing with Shoulder Issue appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

In “For Love of the Game,” the 1999 sports drama starring Kevin Costner as an aging former ace, a line from Vin Scully (who appears in the film as a broadcaster) sums up what many pitchers often feel on the bump.

“He (Billy Chapel) will make the fateful walk to the loneliest spot in the world: the pitching mound.”

Standing on the mound can be an isolating feeling, especially when pitchers are struggling. For many, visualization and mental training cues can aid in trying to re-center and calm the nerves in front of tens of thousands of screaming fans. The mental side of the game is a crucial element that aids in the success of the individual player and organization overall.

However, the destigmatization of mental health in Major League Baseball is more of a modern approach, with organizations offering at least one Employee Assistance Professional (EAP), adding the option for mental health IL stints, many employing mental skills coaches, and offering direct access to mental health resources through MLB’s wellness program.

Bill Pulsipher, the former left-handed pitching prospect for the Mets who was part of the highly touted trio of Jason Isringhausen and Paul Wilson, dubbed “Generation K,” can be viewed as one of the pioneers in addressing the importance of mental health.

Pulsipher was selected by the Mets in the second round of the 1991 Draft (the 66th overall pick) as a seventeen-year-old out of Fairfax High School in Virginia. Over his first three minor league seasons from 1992 through 1994, Pulsipher tossed 435.2 innings with a 2.81 ERA. In 1995, Pulsipher split time between Triple-A and the majors, throwing a combined 218.1 innings in his age-21 season.

Making 17 starts in the majors in 1995, posting a 3.98 ERA and 1.6 fWAR, Pulsipher thought this was the start of his ascension towards the career he had always envisioned.

Unfortunately, Pulsipher’s professional and personal career took a turn in 1996, as the imposing lefty underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entire season.

While working his way back to the mound, Pulsipher knew something was awry. Instead of the normal butterflies he’d regularly experience at the start of a game, Pulsipher was now dealing with extreme anxiety, which turned into bouts of depression.

The game, which Pulsipher adored and reveled in the competition, had become a hardship.

“In a place where you feel like you shine and love being out there and putting on a show where you’re a showman as much as you are an athlete and competitor, I relished in that,” Pulsipher said while speaking over the phone. “To become the most uncomfortable place was very difficult.”

To his credit, Pulsipher continued to work through his struggles and played professionally for 19 years across the globe, including stints in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Taiwan. He’s been an outspoken advocate about the importance of mental health and having the right outlets and resources to aid in treatment.

On May 6 of this year, Pulsipher threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Citi Field prior to the contest between the Colorado Rockies and Mets, as the club held a Mental Health Awareness Day.

Pulsipher’s appearance that day — during Mental Health Awareness Month — is a reminder that help is available and that the old stigmas regarding mental health should be kept long in the past.

I had the privilege of speaking to Pulsipher in June, where he discussed his early success in the minors, Generation K and how he dealt with anxiety and depression throughout his career.

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

Pulsipher: I grew up a Mets fan. Doc Gooden and Darryl Strawberry were some of my favorite players with the ’86 Mets being my favorite team of all time.

I was a big baseball fan and I had TBS, so obviously Dale Murphy and Bob Horner  [were others].

MMO: I read that your father was in the military, and that growing up you lived all over the United States and in Germany. What was it like to relocate so often?

Pulsipher: I was a kid, so I didn’t really think it was anything abnormal. It was one of those things where it was just what life was.

I think it actually helped me out because you get to see different places, meet different people, be around different areas of the world and have to integrate yourself. I think it was something that helped me in my maturation.

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

Pulsipher: Not until I signed professionally. I didn’t grow up in the days of pitcher only. I gravitated towards basketball and baseball at an early age, and I was a successful baseball player growing up; I would play first base, centerfield and pitched.

It wasn’t until I got drafted out of high school that I focused solely on pitching. I grew up playing all over the field but I was left-handed, so obviously the positions were limited.

MMO: What memories do you have from the 1991 Draft?

Pulsipher: Being called out of history class to be told I was drafted. They didn’t have a television show or anything like that, and it happened in the middle of the day at the time.

Every outing in high school that year in the spring was full of scouts behind home plate with their radar guns and in the bullpen prior to the game. So it was obviously very exciting.

We had a good team, we had a very good team, that kind of fell short of expectations. As a senior, I had quite a few friends that were seniors that year too, so it was an exciting time for all of us to be getting closer to graduating high school and finishing our journey as high school baseball players. To have the Major League scouts around made for a very exciting time.

MMO: You got off to a phenomenal start to your professional career, and at a very young age. What were those early minor league seasons like for you, and how did you deal with that early success?

Pulsipher: It was a lot of fun and was everything I expected out of life. It was kind of what I planned for myself to be doing, and I thought that I would always be that way.

We won a lot except for my first year in Pittsfield (the Mets’ former Short-Season A club), where we went .500. It was strange for me to play on a team that felt like we were losing all the time because I’d always been on teams where we were relatively successful coming through high school and Babe Ruth and American Legion Baseball. That was a little different to see what playing .500 [baseball] was like.

Following that, I went to the South Atlantic League for a brief stint in my second year in pro ball before I got called up to the Florida State League, which at the time was High-A ball. We lost in the League Championship to the Clearwater Phillies; we were right on the doorstep of winning a championship.

The following year, we won the Eastern League in Double-A, and then in Triple-A it was kind of the same group coming up.

A lot of winning, a lot of fun, a lot of success, and some of the greatest times in my life.

MMO: Times have changed and organizations have altered how they build up young pitchers’ workloads. You threw over 200 innings in back-to-back years in 1994 and 1995 (age 20 and 21 seasons). Can you talk about the development plan the Mets set out for you, and your overall workload?

Pulsipher: I think you look back during that time when I was growing up, and it was kind of the end of an older school and beginning of a new school era.

They always said that the number they used for pitchers to be Major League ready was 500 innings pitched in the minor leagues. I think that between the Mets having some struggles at the big league level, and having some young pitching prospects, they probably wanted to get to that 500 inning mark as soon as possible to try and show that you were ready to go to the big leagues.

Looking back, a bad outing would still be seven innings giving up four runs, so you still threw 105-115 pitches. There weren’t many times you got knocked out in the second or third inning coming through the minors.

I think we all look back on it and my career wasn’t what I would’ve wanted or probably a lot of people wanted. I think that the way baseball and pitchers are used nowadays has a lot to do with me.

MMO: Since pitch count data started being tracked in 1988, only three pitchers threw 130 or more pitches in their major league debuts: Tim Wakefield (1992), John Dettmer (1994) and yourself (1995). I have a feeling we’ll never see those kinds of pitch counts again in a game, let alone a major league debut!

Pulsipher: No, and you’ll never see 200 innings in a minor league season ever again either.

MMO: Do you remember when you first heard of the ‘Generation K’ moniker?

Pulsipher: I don’t remember exactly. It was just one of those things, I guess. I don’t even know where it came from. It was a play off Gen X; we were Gen X kids, but I don’t know where it came from.

Generation K 1.0 – Jason Isringhausen, Paul Wilson, Bill Pulsipher

It was more of a media thing I would say. We wouldn’t go around telling people we were Gen K or anything. I think we were all focused on becoming Major League Baseball players and being successful.

MMO: You missed the entire 1996 season with Tommy John surgery. When did you first notice that something was not right with your elbow? During an interview you gave with Sweeny Murti, you said you were never the same after the surgery. Can you elaborate?

Pulsipher: I did have a little bit of shoulder inflammation in 1994. I don’t think I even missed a start; they might’ve just pushed me back a couple of days and I took some anti-inflammatories.

The first time I really noticed something was wrong was when I had a start in Montreal against Pedro Martínez [near the end of the 1995 season]. He threw a shutout that night, I believe. Two days later was my bullpen day, and I was doing my pen in Montreal, and something just didn’t feel right in my elbow. I never felt anything like that before. That’s when they sent me back to New York to get an MRI, and I was told I had a sprained ligament.

At the time I was like, I’ve sprained my ankle numerous times; I’m all right. What’s the big deal? I was prescribed rehab and told that I’d be all right. I rehabbed in Port St. Lucie, and I was there six days a week. I came into spring training and went to see the doctor again, and they told me I was fine, and it’s like nothing ever happened.

I didn’t make it out of spring, and I needed to have Tommy John. I remember pitching against the Expos again, believe it or not, on a televised game in spring training, and I remember warming up in the pen thinking I had never felt so good in my life. In the second inning, I threw a curveball, and I felt something. It was actually a very good curveball for strike three to end an inning. Walking off, I just remember giving the throat cut sign that that’s it, and I know something is wrong.

Lo and behold, you get an MRI, and they tell you that there’s too much inflammation and they can’t determine what’s going on. Then the Mets traded for Mark Clark, and a week later I’m told that I need to have Tommy John. I don’t believe that they didn’t know what was going on the week that the first MRI happened.

I had a curveball coming up that was never the same. I was also told that the way I threw was the reason I got hurt. I kind of threw the ball like Andy Pettitte. I threw hard; I threw 92-94 miles-per-hour and I had a really, really good curveball. When I came back, my curveball was just not quite the same.

Because they decided that the way I threw was the reason I got injured, they wanted to turn me into a sinkerball pitcher, and try to start moving the ball less. That just wasn’t the way I naturally wanted to throw the ball.

That confused everything and I think it was a terrible decision by everybody as a whole to try and do that. My idea was I had pitched that way from the time I was eight to twenty-one, so if I can pitch that way for another ten years, and then the elbow blows out again, who gives a shit?

I think that changed everything to try and learn to be a two-seam/sinkerball guy. That just wasn’t my thing.

MMO: Was that when the anxiety and depression started?

Pulsipher: No, it wasn’t until after. I was starting to come back and be right where I was, and I totally believed in myself. I lived in Port St. Lucie and worked out with the pitching coach who lived there. I worked out six days a week, and there was no talk of anything other than getting healthy and have a good spring.

I pick up the newspaper one day, and it said I was going to go on a rehab assignment to start the season. I’m like, Wait a minute, why haven’t we discussed any of this at all? I guess when you’re 22 in that day and age they don’t feel like they have to tell you anything.

I had a good spring training, but I just wasn’t throwing quite as hard. But zeroes are zeroes and outs are outs. I went on the rehab assignment, and the first outing up in Syracuse was really cold, and something wasn’t right. I’ve always had some butterflies with the first batter of the game or first inning until you get into it.

It was one of those things where it was there and it was constant, and it was impossible to play and be successful when you’re dealing with extreme anxiety.

MMO: And then from there it got progressively worse?

Pulsipher: Yeah. You’re going out there every five days trying to get outs, and nobody understands what’s going on because they didn’t want to understand what was going on back then. You don’t understand what’s going on and thinking why in the world am I feeling like this.

I was a few starts into my rehab assignment when I told them, ‘I have no business being on the mound right now. Something’s not right.’ Their idea was to take me off the rehab assignment and send me down to A-ball, where I was still playing with guys that were either my age or some even older. For them it was, let’s put him down at a lower level, and he’ll be all right.

There was no rhyme or reason for me to be out competing on the field. We needed to figure out what was going on.

MMO: Was that when you started to work with the team psychiatrist, Dr. Alan Lans?

Pulsipher: We had contact while I was coming up through the minor leagues. I was a bit of a wild child, and he was the guy who tried and talk to the guys that might have been a little different than the others. So, me and him had a relationship prior to that.

That was when we first started trying to figure out the anxiety. At first it was like, I’m obsessive compulsive. I just think it boiled down to social anxiety disorder and some anxiety, which, obviously leads to depression when things aren’t going your way.

MMO: Did you ever work with Harvey Dorfman (renowned mental training consultant)?

Pulsipher: No. I know of his books and of his work, but I never worked with him personally.

MMO: How did you manage the anxiety and depression?

Pulsipher: I had to take some medication. That changed over the years and doses changed over time. I was never one-hundred percent good at sticking to things, so there would be highs and lows.

You’d be going well and then go back and forth and self-medicate. I think you’d be surprised how many guys are probably using some form of medication one way or another in this day and age in the game.

MMO: Outside of the United States, did you have a favorite country that you played baseball in?

Pulsipher: It’s tough to say. I made the most of wherever I went. Taiwan was great, and I loved playing in Puerto Rico. I played there about nine times during winter ball. Not to toot my horn, but I think I became a bit of a living legend down there because I played there so much and had some success.

MMO: Have you ever thought about getting back into the game in some capacity?

Pulsipher: I would love to but financially it wouldn’t pay off. They’re not looking to pay enough money for me to be able to make a living being a low-level person.

I had a reputation as a younger player that I’ve had to try and outlive. I was a little bit of a wild child, or back then, they’d say crazy. I was just way ahead of my time. If you look at the way players are allowed to act and things that go on nowadays, I’m sitting at home as a 49-year-old yelling at the TV about what goes on. [Laughs.] I was just way ahead of my time.

MMO: What are your thoughts on the way Major League Baseball has evolved in the sense of providing outlets and changing some of the stigmas on mental health?

Pulsipher: I think they’re doing a good job. You look at the Colorado Rockies, they had a couple of guys and in the beginning of the year there were several guys who were on the IL and they weren’t trying to make up a reason for an injury. It was basically for mental health issues.

The game is hard, man. The game is super duper hard. When you watch it on TV, everybody makes it look really easy. Everybody has played baseball at some point in their life, and the further away you get from your playing days, and this goes for everybody, including former major league players, you remember yourself being better than you really were a lot of times. And that goes for the average fan who thinks baseball is easy.

Baseball has come a long way. I think they’re realizing the difficulties that the players go through and pressure they put on themselves by the organization and fans is: we are human beings. There are human being things that happen to the guys you watch on television. I think MLB is doing a better job.

I think if you were to go off and say that you were going to take a nap in the clubhouse 25 years ago, they would think you were out of your freaking mind. Now, they have sleep-deprivation rooms, so obviously the game has changed.

MMO: What did it mean for you to throw out the first pitch at Citi Field on Mental Health Awareness Day this year?

Pulsipher: It was really cool. I was a little apprehensive about doing it because I wasn’t sure how I’d be perceived relative to some of the things we just talked about. I’ve always been pretty well received by Mets fans, regardless of outcomes of my career or anything like that.

I was one of the first guys that really said something, so it kind of made sense to have me involved, and it was an honor to go back out there. It wasn’t walking back onto the Shea Stadium mound, but it was my first time being on that field for quite a long time.

It was such a special moment for me, and hopefully people who saw it enjoyed it as well.

MMO: What have you been up to since you retired from playing?

Pulsipher: I work road construction (on Long Island), and I give pitching lessons at 365 Athletics in Bellport. I’m just a regular, old dude.

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

Pulsipher: That I will always be less than a one-percenter and nobody can ever take that away from me. I did it, I made it, I stuck it out and I never quit.

I got to play for twenty years and at the highest level on the planet. Nobody can ever take that away from me.

The post MMO Exclusive: Pitcher, Bill Pulsipher appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

In this series leading up to the MLB Draft on July 17, we’ll look back at the backgrounds of some notable Mets picks prior to their arrival in the big leagues. We’ve covered three of the best players in franchise history, including 1980 top pick Darryl Strawberry. The next one featured went first overall to the Mets as well, but didn’t enjoy quite the same success in Queens. 

The Mets have held the No. 1 overall selection five times. The most recent, now nearly 30 years ago, had a major league career most aspiring ballplayers would take. But for a top pick, especially with the team that had him initially, it was unfulfilled.

Wilson could’ve been part of the Pittsburgh Pirate organization when he was taken in the 57th round of the 1991 Draft, but the Boone High School star opted to stay closer to his Orlando, Fla. home—choosing Florida State University instead.

“It wasn’t the right time,” Paul Wilson said, according to a Washington Post article. “If they drafted me sooner, I might have gone. I wanted to play ball.”

He played ball with the Seminoles and his stock improved tremendously. Over three seasons in Tallahassee, Wilson won 27 of 38 decisions and posted a 2.77 ERA. He struck out 299 in 304.2 innings.

By his junior year, he had a fastball that hit 95 miles per hour and a command that made him college baseball’s best pitcher.

Wilson led FSU to the College World Series with a 2.08 ERA over 143 innings, striking out 161 hitters while walking just 32. He was selected to the All-ACC, Baseball America, and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-American teams for 1994. Wilson was one of nine finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, presented annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country.

The Mets, in the midst of a significant rebuild, didn’t pin their hopes on one young pitcher to bolster their future rotation. They had three.

Wilson was certainly at the forefront of a trio of promising arms. He, Bill Pulsipher, and Jason Isringhausen arrived with lofty ambitions and a catchy nickname of “Generation K.”

The post And the Mets Select…Paul Wilson appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The sights and sounds of baseball are back, though what usually happens in March is happening in July.

The 2020 baseball season is set to begin on July 23rd, almost four months to the day after it was originally was planned to start. It’s not unprecedented for a baseball season to experience a late opening, though nothing of this magnitude has happened in history.  Let’s take a look at past seasons that have not gone off as planned, and where applicable, see how the Mets fared in them.

In 1919, the season began late (April 23rd-25th) and was shortened to 140 games. This was due to the ending of World War I, and many players who had been in the military needed time to return home and settle back into their normal lives. The Mets, of course were not a thing then. The Cincinnati Reds won the World Series in 1919, defeating the Chicago White Sox five games to three.

The next delayed opening was in 1972, when the start of the season was pushed back two weeks due to the first ever players’ strike. MLB attempted to play as many of the affected games as possible, but the season ended with teams having played slightly different numbers of games.

For the Mets, 1972 was especially difficult. Not only was there a strike, but manager Gil Hodges died suddenly during spring training on April 2nd, and coach Yogi Berra assumed the managerial duties. The Mets finished a respectable 83-73, in third place behind the division-winning Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 1990 season saw a lockout during spring training, which postponed Opening Day for a week. All of the impacted games were made up during the season. The 1990 season was a decent one for the Mets, who finished 91-71, in second place behind the Pirates. That year, the Mets changed managers after 42 games, replacing Davey Johnson with Bud Harrelson.

The most recent incidence of a delayed opening to the season was 1995. You remember that one, right?

The 1994 season was halted in August due to a players’ strike, and the remainder of the season and the post season were cancelled. The strike was so filled with acrimony that it spilled into spring training of 1995. A settlement was reached in early April, and the season began on April 25th.

The Mets began that season in Colorado, on a frigid night (the game time temperature was 42 degrees, and when the game ended almost five hours later, the temperature was in the 20s). The Mets and Rockies battled for 14 innings, with a Todd Hundley grand slam being the key hit for the Mets. The Mets took the lead in the top of the 14th, and it seemed all would end well. But then Dante Bichette happened, and if you’re not faint of heart, you can watch his game-ending demolition of a Mike Remlinger pitch at the 6:55 mark of the video below.

The Mets went on to finish the 1995 season with a 69-75 record, in second place in the NL East. The second half of the season created much excitement for Mets fans, as the team played solid baseball, and saw the emergence of Jason Isringhausen, Bill Pulsipher. With a well-hyped Paul Wilson waiting in the wings, there was reason for optimism. That optimism faded quickly in 1996, as “Generation K” did not live up to expectations.

COVID-19 permitting, we are less than three weeks away from a significantly abbreviated 2020 season. The Mets have never qualified for the post season in seasons with delayed openings. In 2020, where everything is going to be significantly different, the Mets will strive for a welcomed, and different outcome.

The post Mets Performance in Delayed Seasons appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On January 11, 2005, 13 years ago today, the New York Mets signed free agent  Carlos Beltran to a seven-year, $119 million dollar contract.

I can’t recall a greater Mets player who was as under-appreciated as Beltran was when he was with the Mets, despite always giving it everything he had and delivering countless big hits and big plays.

“He had a couple of monster seasons for us, and was a huge reason why we made it as far as we did in 2006,” Wright said of his former teammate. “We came a couple runs from making the World Series, and we don’t get close to that without Carlos.”

The following is where Carlos Beltran ranks in Mets franchise history

Batting average: .280 (20th)
On-base percentage: .369 (7th)
Slugging percentage: .500 (5th)
OPS: .869 (5th)
Runs scored: 551 (8th)
Hits: 878 (14th)
Doubles: 208 (7th)
Triples: 17 (19th)
Home Runs: 149 (6th)
RBI: 557 (6th)
Bases on Balls: 446 (9th)
Stolen Bases: 100 (11th)
Stolen Base %: 86.2 (1st)
Extra-Base Hits: 374 (6th)
Sacrifice Flies: 38 (7th)
WAR (Position Players): 31.3 (3rd)
Offensive WAR: 27.6 (6th)
Defensive WAR: 4.4 (7th)

He also was an All-Star five times with the Mets, won three Gold Gloves and two Silver Slugger awards.

Here are our Top 5 Beltran Moments…

5. The First Win As A Met – April 10, 2005

Setting the scene: For the first moment on this list, we head all the way back to Beltran’s first win as a Met. The Mets started the Pedro Martinez-Carlos Beltran era 0-5 under rookie manager Willie Randolph, and were on the verge of being swept out of Atlanta. Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz were locked in a pitcher’s duel, with Smoltz striking out 15 Mets.

What Happened: Up came Mr. Beltran in the 8th Inning with the Mets down 1-0, and Jose Reyes on base. Beltran took Smoltz deep for a 2-Run HR that not only put the Mets ahead for good, but knocked Smoltz out of the game. With Smoltz out, the Mets were able to get to the Braves bullpen for 4 more runs, including another Beltran RBI in the 9th. Pedro Martinez picked up the complete game win.

4. Tie-Breaking 2-Run HR, 2006 NLCS Game 1 – October 12, 2006

Setting the Scene: Tom Glavine and Jeff Weaver of the St. Louis Cardinals were locked in a 0-0 pitching duel in the first game of the 2006 NLCS. In the 6th Inning, Paul Lo Duca singles with two out to keep the inning alive for Beltran.

What Happened: Beltran drilled a 2-2 offering from Weaver to right-center, giving the Shea Apple a reason to come out and shine. It would be the only runs the Mets score that night, as the Mets took Game 1 from the Cardinals 2-0.

Beltran would hit two more HR’s in Game 4, tying Babe Ruth for most post-season HR’s against the Cardinals. The series would end on a sour note for the Mets and especially Beltran in Game 7. However, the Mets would never have gotten to Game 7 without the magnificent 2006 season that Beltran put up.

3. “We’re Going Home” – May 23, 2006

Setting the Scene: The Philadelphia Phillies took an early lead, and despite the best attempts of the New York Mets, the Phillies continued to hold on to their lead. Jose Reyes tied the game with a 2-Run HR in the 8th, and the Mets and Phillies carried an 8-8 score into extras. Ryan Madson pitched 7 Innings in relief to take the game to the 16th Inning.

What Happened: Carlos Beltran led off the bottom of the 16th with a solo, walk-off HR. That’s it. Game over. The SNY call of the game is memorable for Gary Cohen proclaiming “We’re going home” after the game ended after midnight.

2. The Catch Up Tal’s Hill – July 7, 2007

Setting the Scene: On the Saturday before the All-Star Break (and the luckiest day to play the slots), the Mets and the Houston Astros played a 3-3 tie deep into extras. The Astros and the Mets frequently threatened to score, putting men on base in every inning except the 13th.

What Happened: The Astros put men on at the corners with two out. The runner on third is the only one that matters. Luke Scott steps in to pinch hit and drills the Joe Smith pitch 420 ft…to straightaway center. Carlos Beltran got an excellent jump on the ball, ran over 50 feet, and made a stunning, over the shoulder grab, while running up the hill and falling down, to save the game. Beltran, who was the top defensive center fielder in the National League for a stretch, had the defensive play of his career here.

Three innings later, in the 17th, Beltran drove in Jose Reyes to score the go-ahead run amidst all the usual boos from the Houston fans. David Wright would follow with an insurance run, and the Mets won 5-3 after 5 hours and the most thrilling game of the 2007 season.

1. Home Run Derby At Shea Stadium – August 22, 2006

Setting the Scene: The Mets open up a 1-0 lead on the St. Louis Cardinals with a solo HR from Carlos Delgado, before Albert Pujols smacks a three-run HR and a Grand Slam in back-to-back innings to give the Cardinals a 7-1 lead. Carlos Delgado answered Pujols’s Grand Slam with one of his own (his 400th career HR) in the bottom of the fifth. Jose Reyes scored in the sixth to pull the Mets to 7-6.

What Happened: Jason Isringhausen came in to close the game. After retiring Reyes, he gave up a single to Paul Lo Duca. Up stepped Carlos Beltran with the power to end the game with one swing…which is just what he did. Beltran turned one over the right-field wall to walk the Mets off the field with an 8-7 win in maybe the most thrilling game of the 2006 season.

Carlos Beltran will go down as one of the best position players in Mets franchise history and the next stop for him is Cooperstown.

The post This Date in History: Mets Introduce Carlos Beltran appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

There was a long 23 year wait between the induction of Tom Seaver and the induction of Mike Piazza to the Hall of Fame.  While I’m still overjoyed at Piazza entering the Hall of Fame as a Met, I’m curious if the Mets will have to wait another 23 years for another one of their players to go in as a Met.

Looking over the future years’ ballots, there are some former Met players like Jason Isringhausen who are eligible. However, it’s not likely any of them will be elected. Furthermore, if they are elected, they will most likely not be inducted as a Met. Therefore, if we don’t want to wait another 23 years, we’re going to have to look at active players; preferably those towards the end of their careers.

As it so happens, it has been reported that Carlos Beltran may retire at the end of the 2016 season. That would mean he could be inducted anywhere between 2022 – 2032. Could Beltran be the next Mets Hall of Famer within the next six to 16 years?

I’m getting ahead of myself here, first let’s determine whether or not Beltran has a legitimate case for being a Hall of Famer. I’d argue he is.

For his career, Beltran has hit .280/.355/.490 with 392 homers and 311 stolen bases while playing the majority of his career at a premium defensive position. In an average season, he hits 28 homers and 101 RBI. He’s part of the 300/300 club. He’s won the Rookie of the Year, been an eight time All Star, and won three Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers. He’ should surpass 1,500 RBI and 1,500 runs scored this season. All of this is indicative of a Hall of Fame career.

The advanced stats also suggest he has a good case. On average, a Hall of Fame Center Fielder has a 70.4 WAR, 44.0 WAR7 (best seven seasons WAR combined), and a 57.2 JAWS score.

Beltran right now is at a 68.4 WAR, 44.3 WAR7, and a 56.4. JAWS. Essentially, his peak years were Hall of Fame worthy, and he’s right on the cusp of playing his entire career at a Hall of Fame level.

Even if he falls short in a few areas, he’s bound to get credit for being an incredible postseason player. He has hit .332/.441/.674 in the postseason with 16 home runs, 45 RBI, 11 stolen bases and 41 runs scored. Strikeout or not, he’s amongst the greatest postseason performers in major league history. If he retires without playing a game this season, he’s a Hall of Famer.

The next question is what hat will he wear. That’s not as clear cut. Essentially, Beltran will have three options: (1) Royals; (2) Mets; or (3) no affiliation. It’s a tough decision. He played seven years for the Royals and seven with the Mets, playing only 44 games more with the Mets. Overall, he was a better player with the Mets.

He hit .280/.369/.500 with 149 homers as a Met as opposed to .287/.352/.483 with 123 homers as a Royal. He won all of his Gold Gloves as a Met, and he appeared in five of his eight All Star Games as a Met. He accumulated 31.3 WAR with the Mets and 24.7 WAR with the Royals. However, you can’t discount the potential emotional tug he may feel towards the team that drafted him. A place he won his Rookie of the Year Award.

It all got me thinking. Piazza chose the Mets, in part, due to his relationship with the fans. Like Piazza, Beltran initially had a rocky relationship with Mets fans getting booed in 2005. However, even with the strikeout, I believe things got better. He received cheers and standing ovations in his last home game as a Met. He noticed them too. He was cheered loudly at the 2013 All Star Game during introductions, and that was while wearing a Cardinals uniform. Lastly, but more importantly, Beltran said he could see himself entering the Hall of Fame as a Met.

Like Piazza, Beltran was a great Met. A very under-appreciated Met. Like Piazza, Beltran deserves induction into the Hall of Fame. When that day comes, my hope is that Beltran, like Piazza, enters the Hall of Fame as a New York Met.

The post Who Will Be The Next Mets Hall of Famer appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

I’ve gotta hand it to Bobby Parnell, boy what a job he’s done since coming back from Tommy John surgery.

Understanding he was no longer the power pitcher he once was, Parnell has transformed himself into a very crafty reliever for the Mets and has quickly reestablished himself as a very effective arm out of the pen.

That knuckle-curve he picked up from Jason Isringhausen has become his primary weapon of choice, and he uses it to such great effect, changing speeds, working both sides of the plate, and getting a lot of swings and misses or weak contact.

Since his return, the veteran righty has allowed just one run in 11 appearances spanning 10.0 innings for a 0.90 ERA and 1.011 WHIP.

Parnell, 30, has earned four holds and a save while stranding 6 of 8 inherited runners, one of which was on an error.

I have to admit I had a problem with him taking Syndergaard’s lunch and tossing it in the trash during Spring Training. I thought the talk with Wright was enough. But it’s all water under the bridge now, Bobby. Just keep pitching the way you are. 🙂

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The post Bobby Parnell Keeps Shining In Setup Role appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

I can’t recall a greater Mets player who was as under-appreciated as Beltran was when he was with the Mets, despite always giving it everything he had and delivering countless big hits and big plays.

“He had a couple of monster seasons for us, and was a huge reason why we made it as far as we did in 2006,” Wright said of his former teammate. “We came a couple runs from making the World Series, and we don’t get close to that without Carlos.”

The following is where Carlos Beltran ranked in Mets franchise history after he was traded

Batting average: .280 (12th)
On-base percentage: .369 (6th)
Slugging percentage: .501 (5th)
OPS (on-base plus slugging): .870 (5th)
Runs scored: 548 (8th)
Hits: 877 (13th)
Total bases: 1,566 (10th)
Doubles: 208 (6th)
Triples: 17 (17th)
Home Runs: 149 (6th)
RBI: 557 (6th)
Bases on Balls: 446 (9th)
Stolen Bases: 100 (11th)
Extra-Base Hits: 374 (6th)
Sacrifice Flies: 37 (7th)
WAR (Position Players): 32.2 (2nd)
Offensive WAR: 27.8 (5th)
Defensive WAR: 4.4 (3rd)

Here are our Top 5 Beltran Moments…

5. The First Win As A Met – April 10, 2005

Setting the scene: For the first moment on this list, we head all the way back to Beltran’s first win as a Met. The Mets started the Pedro Martinez-Carlos Beltran era 0-5 under rookie manager Willie Randolph, and were on the verge of being swept out of Atlanta. Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz were locked in a pitcher’s duel, with Smoltz striking out 15 Mets.

What Happened: Up came Mr. Beltran in the 8th Inning with the Mets down 1-0, and Jose Reyes on base. Beltran took Smoltz deep for a 2-Run HR that not only put the Mets ahead for good, but knocked Smoltz out of the game. With Smoltz out, the Mets were able to get to the Braves bullpen for 4 more runs, including another Beltran RBI in the 9th. Pedro Martinez picked up the complete game win.

4. Tie-Breaking 2-Run HR, 2006 NLCS Game 1 – October 12, 2006

Setting the Scene: Tom Glavine and Jeff Weaver of the St. Louis Cardinals were locked in a 0-0 pitching duel in the first game of the 2006 NLCS. In the 6th Inning, Paul Lo Duca singles with two out to keep the inning alive for Beltran.

What Happened: Beltran drilled a 2-2 offering from Weaver to right-center, giving the Shea Apple a reason to come out and shine. It would be the only runs the Mets score that night, as the Mets took Game 1 from the Cardinals 2-0.

Beltran would hit two more HR’s in Game 4, tying Babe Ruth for most post-season HR’s against the Cardinals. The series would end on a sour note for the Mets and especially Beltran in Game 7. However, the Mets would never have gotten to Game 7 without the magnificent 2006 season that Beltran put up.

3. “We’re Going Home” – May 23, 2006

Setting the Scene: The Philadelphia Phillies took an early lead, and despite the best attempts of the New York Mets, the Phillies continued to hold on to their lead. Jose Reyes tied the game with a 2-Run HR in the 8th, and the Mets and Phillies carried an 8-8 score into extras. Ryan Madson pitched 7 Innings in relief to take the game to the 16th Inning.

What Happened: Carlos Beltran led off the bottom of the 16th with a solo, walk-off HR. That’s it. Game over. The SNY call of the game is memorable for Gary Cohen proclaiming “We’re going home” after the game ended after midnight.

2. The Catch Up Tal’s Hill – July 7, 2007

Setting the Scene: On the Saturday before the All-Star Break (and the luckiest day to play the slots), the Mets and the Houston Astros played a 3-3 tie deep into extras. The Astros and the Mets frequently threatened to score, putting men on base in every inning except the 13th.

What Happened: The Astros put men on at the corners with two out. The runner on third is the only one that matters. Luke Scott steps in to pinch hit and drills the Joe Smith pitch 420 ft…to straightaway center. Carlos Beltran got an excellent jump on the ball, ran over 50 feet, and made a stunning, over the shoulder grab, while running up the hill and falling down, to save the game. Beltran, who was the top defensive CF in the National League for a stretch, had the defensive play of his career here.

Three innings later, in the 17th, Beltran drove in Jose Reyes to score the go-ahead run amidst all the usual boos from the Houston fans. David Wright would follow with an insurance run, and the Mets won 5-3 after 5 hours and the most thrilling game of the 2007 season.

1. Home Run Derby At Shea Stadium – August 22, 2006

Setting the Scene: The Mets open up a 1-0 lead on the St. Louis Cardinals with a solo HR from Carlos Delgado, before Albert Pujols smacks a 3-Run HR and a Grand Slam in back-to-back innings to give the Cardinals a 7-1 lead. Carlos Delgado answered Pujols’s Grand Slam with one of his own(his 400th career HR) in the bottom of the 5th. Jose Reyes scored in the 6th to pull the Mets to 7-6.

What Happened: Jason Isringhausen came in to close the game. After retiring Reyes, he gave up a single to Paul Lo Duca. Up stepped Carlos Beltran with the power to end the game with one swing…which is just what he did. Beltran turned one over the right-field wall to walk the Mets off the field with an 8-7 win in maybe the most thrilling game of the 2006 season.

The post Carlos Beltran Signed With Mets 10 Years Ago Today appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Here are three names that Mets fans know all too well. Bill Pulsipher, Jason Isringhausen and Paul Wilson. Better known as Generation K, these three pitchers were supposed to usher in a new era of Mets baseball in the mid ’90s. The three pitchers would turn out to be busts of the highest caliber and outside of Isringhausen who developed into a solid closer, none would have a lengthy major league career. Pulsipher, Isringhausen and Wilson combined to win 31 games in New York and the lowest earned run average was by Isringhausen at 4.59.

Fast forward 20 years to Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard. Like Generation K, a name we dare not bestow upon them, these are three high profile arms with proven minor league track records. The comparisons are eerily similar.  All of these up and comers had stellar seasons in the minors before being promoted to the majors, posting 100+ strikeouts to go along with 9+ wins and ERA’s in the 3’s. In fact, Matt Harvey had the highest ERA before being promoted at 3.32 (Isringhausen had the lowest with a 1.97 ERA in 1995).

The lesson to be learned is in trusting minor league pitching. Prospects pan out at an alarmingly low rate. On the rare occasion that a young team grows up together, dynasties are born.

The Mets are in a slightly different position now. Unlike in 1995, Harvey has already distinguished himself as a front of the line starter and Wheeler is in the process of doing the same. While neither is a fortified ace yet, you can see the road laid out in front of both pitchers.

So that leaves Syndergaard. If you buy into the idea that Wheeler is developing into a co-ace or even a #2 or #3 starter, then the odds that Syndergaard develops at that same level seems low. What are the odds that the Mets hit with all three guys? Just like flipping a coin, the odds of any single pitching prospect panning out has nothing to do with the pitcher that came before. Still, you can see the risk involved with holding onto Syndergaard, instead of trading him for a high caliber offensive player.

If you believe the rumors, Syndergaard might already be the one that is on his way out the door. Sandy Alderson seemed to be ready to offer him up in a trade for the Rockies Troy Tulowitzki according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.  If you ask me, there are dozens of reasons to trade Syndergaard and they begin with how good Wheeler has looked this year and the anticipation of Harvey’s return in 2015. Throw in the recent emergence of Jacob deGrom as a force in the rotation and another top arm in Steven Matz along the way, Thor’s value to the Mets may be more in what he could bring us in a trade than what he can do in the rotation.

A Message For Our Readers

I wanted to take a brief moment to introduce myself to the MMO community. My name is Harris Decker and I have joined the team as the Managing Editor to assist Joe in bringing the best content to our amazing readers. Before joining MMO, I served as the Head Writer for The Knicks Blog and remain a contributor on that site in addition to running The Truth About Music, a pop culture blog that I launched when I was in college.

As with every single person at MMO, my goal is to bring the highest quality content to Mets fans all over the world. I have been a Mets fan since I was a little kid and witnessed some amazing moments both at Shea Stadium and to a lesser extent Citi Field. As we see better days ahead for the Mets I look forward to being a part of the team that shares in the glory, triumph and great joys of winning in New York, the greatest city in the world.

The post Opinion: Syndergaard Should Be The One We Ultimately Deal appeared first on Metsmerized Online.