A solid outing from Senga was spoiled by the bullpen in a bizarre seventh inning, and it was the second straight game in which the bullpen blew a late lead following a productive outing from the starter. The inning began in a 2-2 tie, but that of course quickly got away from the Mets.

Sean Reid-Foley was the first man out of the Mets’ bullpen and he immediately found himself in trouble with two runners on and nobody out. The Twins then called a double steal on a pitch that got away from Francisco Álvarez, setting in motion a very peculiar sequence.

Álvarez gathered the ball and attempted to back-pick the runner at third base but he threw it into left field, prompting the runner to take off for home again. This time, he made it safely to give the Twins the lead. Back-to-back hits with two outs in the inning extended the Twins’ lead to 5-2 before the inning could finally be put to rest.

Although Senga left the game with only two runs allowed, it was clear from the beginning of the game that he wasn’t as sharp as he has been recently. He threw 27 pitches in the first inning alone in addition to allowing two walks. Royce Lewis took advantage of Senga’s shakiness by hitting an RBI double that scored Jorge Polanco, who reached via a walk, from first base to put the Twins ahead 1-0 early.

Senga settled down to pitch less eventful innings in the second and third, but he found himself in trouble again in the fourth inning. Carlos Correa, in his first game against the team that almost signed him this past offseason, led off the inning by hitting a rocket into left field that sailed into the seats for a home run.

Further damage in the inning was thwarted by Tim Locastro, who, with a runner on first and nobody out, made a fantastic diving catch in left field to rob Christian Vázquez of extra bases and potentially an RBI. Senga again worked in and out of trouble in the fifth inning, ending a two-on, nobody out threat by getting a double play and another ground ball out to escape the inning.

Senga stayed on for one more solid inning, finishing his outing with just the two earned runs given up over six innings, a really impressive outcome considering he wasn’t at the top of his game. He allowed four hits and four walks while striking out five as he lowered his already third-best National League ERA to 3.07 on the year.

Offensively, the Mets struggled early on, with Keuchel easing his way through the lineup. It wasn’t until two outs in the third inning that the Mets recorded their first baserunner, and the offense finally made some noise the following inning. After a leadoff walk and a double put runners at second and third with nobody out, Francisco Lindor went the other way for a two-run double.

That was all the Mets could muster for the rest of the game, though, as Keuchel threw one more scoreless inning before giving way to the bullpen which threw four scoreless innings. The Mets drop what was a lackluster game all around, falling to 64-76 on the year with just 32 games left to play on the season.

Senga’s Streak Continues

There aren’t many positives that can be taken away from this game, but one of them is that Kodai Senga’s streak of starts allowing three or fewer runs was extended to 13. Even on a day where he clearly wasn’t at his best, he held the Twins to two runs over six innings. His stellar pitching down the stretch has put him firmly in the National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award conversations.

On Deck

The series between the Mets and Twins will continue Saturday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET. David Peterson (3-7, 5.40 ERA) will take the mound for the Mets coming off a short outing against the Mariners, while Kenta Maeda, who has also been unable to go deep into games lately, (3-7, 4.73 ERA) will be the starter for Minnesota. The game will be broadcast on SNY.

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Good morning, Mets fans!

The Atlanta Braves and catcher Sean Murphy, who they acquired in a trade with the Oakland A’s, agreed to a six-year, $73 million contract through the 2028 season. It was yet another longterm extension made by the Braves. In a press release posted on their social media pages, the deal includes a $15 million club option in 2029.

Meanwhile in Mets land, it’s been one week since New York and Carlos Correa stunned the baseball world and reportedly agreed to a massive 13-year contract. The Mets and Correa’s team, including agent Scott Boras, have continued to talk even after the Mets were seemingly displeased with Correa’s medical reports just as the San Francisco Giants were when Correa signed there first.

At least three other teams have been in talks with Correa even with the deal with the Mets still on the table. Teams can still discuss contracts with unsigned free agents, as Correa is technically one since he has yet to agree to his deal with the Mets. Still, both sides remain optimistic that they will get a deal done.

Latest Mets News

MMO‘s Michael Mayer reports that the Mets officially announced the resigning of reliever Adam Ottavino. The Mets reportedly made the deal last week before the Correa news broke. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander William Woods has been designated for assignment.

Latest MLB News

Jeff Passan of ESPN reports starter Rich Hill and the Pittsburgh Pirates are in agreement on a one-year, $8 million contract, pending physical. Hill, a former Met, will turn 43 in March and is entering his 19th season in MLB. The left-hander made 26 starts and throwing 124.1 innings for Boston this year.

FanSided’s Robert Murray reports the Texas Rangers are adding another arm to their starting rotation in Nathan Eovaldi. Eovaldi started 20 games for the Red Sox last season and had a 6-3 record with a 3.87 ERA.

Latest on MMO

Chris Bello looks at the top six free agents the Mets could look to sign.

Patrick Glynn ranks the top five best Mets offensive performances of the 2022 season.

On This Date in Mets History

1967: Johnny Murphy became the Mets’ third ever general manager.

Birthdays: Benny Agbayani (51), Ray Knight (70), John Milner (73)

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Good morning, Mets fans!

The Braves acquired catcher Sean Murphy in a three-team blockbuster trade with the Brewers and the A’s. Atlanta sent All-Star backstop William Contreras and right-handed pitching prospect Justin Yeager to Milwaukee and sent catcher Manny Piña, right-handers Freddy Tarnock and Royber Salinas, and the organization’s top-ranked prospect, southpaw Kyle Muller to Oakland. The A’s meanwhile acquired utility man Esteury Ruiz from the Brewers and sent righty reliever Joel Payamps to Milwaukee.

A Gold Glover in 2021, Murphy put together another solid season in Oakland in 2022, hitting .250/.332/.426 (120 OPS+) with 18 homers, 37 doubles, and 5.1 fWAR. Murphy also cut his strikeout rate down to 20.3% and finished 22nd in MVP voting.

Latest Mets News

The Mets are set to hold press conferences for their newly signed players throughout this week. David Robertson, José Quintana, and Brooks Raley will be introduced via Zoom on Wednesday at 11:30 am, while Brandon Nimmo‘s conference will be at Citi Field on Thursday at 10 am.

Chris Bassitt has agreed to a three-year contract worth $63 million with the Blue Jays. The deal is pending a physical. Bassitt pitched in a career-high 181 2/3 innings for the Mets in 2022, turning in a 3.42 ERA/3.66 FIP and 1.145 WHIP, though he struggled in his lone postseason start.

Latest MLB News

The Twins have agreed to a three-year contract with catcher Christian Vázquez. The 32-year-old split time between the Red Sox and the Astros, hitting .274/.315/.399 (99 OPS+) with nine homers and 1.6 fWAR in 426 plate appearances. He also went 4-for-17 in Houston’s run to the World Series title.

Many fans around the sport have had their thoughts on teams spending like Steve Cohen’s Mets. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic writes that the league needs more owners who are willing to spend to better the team.

The Astros have engaged in trade talks with the Diamondbacks surrounding outfielder Daulton Varsho. The versatile Varsho had somewhat of a breakout year, hitting .235/.302/.443 (109 OPS+) with 27 homers, 23 doubles, 16 steals, 74 RBIs, and 4.9 rWAR. Varsho registered 19 DRS in the outfield and started 18 games behind the plate.

Latest on MMO

Nate Mendelson looks back at how former NPB pitchers have faired in MLB. He also examines some free agents who could serve as the Mets’ fourth outfielder.

Tyler Antonelle profiles free agent southpaw Matt Moore as a potential bullpen target.

On This Date in Mets History

1998: The Mets sign free agent outfielder Rickey Henderson. The 39-year-old has experienced a dip in production over the past few seasons but still stole an MLB-leading 66 bases and drew an AL-best 118 walks against 114 strikeouts in 670 plate appearances in the 1998 season.

2001: The Mets bring back speedy outfielder Roger Cedeño on a four-year contract worth $18 million. Originally traded to Houston as part of the Mike Hampton deal, Cedeño spent 2000 with the Tigers, where he stole 55 bases and hit 11 triples. The team also signs righty David Weathers to a three-year deal with $9.4 million. Weathers is coming off the best year of his career, appearing in 80 games and recording a 2.41 ERA and a 1.151 WHIP in 86 innings between the Cubs and Brewers.

2020: The Mets hire Jared Porter to replace Brodie Van Wagenen as the team’s general manager. Porter was most recently the assistant GM for the Diamondbacks.

Birthdays: Joe Christopher (87), J.C. Martin (86), Ron Taylor (85), Doug Saunders (53)

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Photo by Ed Delany of MMO

The Mets have re-signed relievers Tommy Hunter and Sean-Reid Foley to minor league contracts, according to Jacob Resnick.

The pair were members of the Mets in 2021 and 2022, though they’ve both spent large amounts of time in the minors or the injured list over the last two seasons. They add needed depth to the Mets’ bullpen prospects, which took a large hit after the majority of the team’s bullpen became free agents after the 2022 season.

Hunter was with the Mets for a fun eight innings in 2021 before spending the rest of the year on the injured list. He was traded to the Rays that year for Rich Hill, then he returned to the Mets in 2022 while he built strength back up. He pitched 22.1 innings last year to a 2.42 ERA.

Reid-Foley, on the other hand, was non-tendered last month after he was due over $1 million. Instead, the Mets saved some money and brought him back on a minor-league deal. It makes sense for both sides as Reid-Foley is rehabbing after Tommy John surgery in May. The 27-year-old gets to rehab within an organization he knows, and he could provide late-season help to what the team hopes is a contender.

Outside of Edwin Diaz and Drew Smith, the Mets have patched together potential bullpen replacements by re-signing, trading for, or picking up options on players. That patchwork of players include: John Curtiss, Elieser Hernández, Jeff Brigham, Stephen Ridings, William Woods, Tayler Saucedo and Yoan Lopez. There will still be work to do at the top of the reliever market to add more sure things.

They will not take up places on the team’s 40-man roster, which currently sits at 34 after the Justin Verlander signing.

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Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

The A’s are close to trading catcher Sean Murphy, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Feinsand initially reported that the Braves were seen as the favorites to acquire Murphy, but Atlanta GM Alex Anthopolous said there is no trade in the works. The Red Sox, Cardinals, Rays and Guardians are among the teams that have been connected to Murphy recently. Murphy won a Gold Glove in 2021 and was one of the few bright spots for Oakland in 2022, hitting .250/.332/.426 (120 OPS+) with 18 homers, 37 doubles, and 5.1 fWAR in 612 plate appearances, receiving an MVP vote as well. Murphy also ranks in the 86th percentile in pitch framing.

Latest MLB News

Fred McGriff was the only member elected by the Contemporary Era committee to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Needing 12 votes to get in, “Crime Dog” received votes from all 16 members of the committee, while Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Rafael Palmeiro all received fewer than four votes. Don Mattingly received eight votes, Curt Schilling received seven, and Dale Murphy got six.

The Marlins said they won’t be entertaining offers for reigning Cy Young award winner Sandy Alcantara, but they will be listening on almost everyone else. Miami has a number of intriguing arms, headlined by Pablo López, Edward Cabrera, and Jesús Luzardo.

The Yankees are showing interest in Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds, with one source saying New York is “very much in” on the 27-year-old. The former All-Star requested a trade out of Pittsburgh on Saturday and has three more years of team control.

Latest on MMO

James Villani previews the Winter Meetings from the Mets’ perspective.

Andrew Steele-Davis looks at the debate between signing Justin Verlander and Carlos Rodón.

Chris Bello profiles free agent southpaw Andrew Heaney.

Sam Neumann grades Luis Guillorme‘s performance during the 2022 season.

On This Date in Mets History

1990: The Mets sign speedy outfielder Vince Coleman to a four-year contract. The two-time All-Star had led the NL in steals in each of the first six years of his career, stealing over 100 bases three times.

2001: New York mayor Rudy Giuliani says he wants the Mets and Yankees to complete new stadium deals before he leaves office. A deal will later be agreed upon to have two new stadiums open in 2009.

Birthdays: Al Moran (84), Cliff Floyd (50)

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Sean Manaea

Age: 30 (2/1/1992)
B/T: R/L

2022 Traditional Stats: 28 GS, 8-9 W-L, 158.0 IP, 4.96 ERA, 1.297 WHIP, 156 SO, 50 BB
2022 Advanced Stats: 75 ERA+, 4.53 FIP, 23.2 SO%, 7.5 BB%, -0.9 bWAR

Rundown

Had it not been for a poor 2022 season, Sean Manaea might have been considered one of the standout free-agent targets of this class. Unfortunately for him, this poor season has caused him to blend in with the rest of the pitchers below the elites such as Jacob deGrom and Carlos Rodón. Despite this, Manaea’s track record is good enough to warrant interest from plenty of MLB teams this offseason.

Manaea was drafted with the 34th pick in the 2013 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals after great performances in the Cape Cod Baseball League and at his alma mater, Indiana State. After a productive yet injury-plagued stint in the Royals’ farm system, Manaea was sent as part of a trade for Ben Zobrist to the Oakland Athletics. He continued to rise through the minor league ranks until he was promoted to the Major League team at the age of 24.

In his rookie season in 2016, Manaea proved to be a rare bright spot on a 69-93 Oakland team, putting up a 3.86 ERA in 144 2/3 innings pitched. He remained a consistent presence in the Oakland rotation for five more years, displaying pitching ability and durability that, especially for a left-handed pitcher, would be welcome in any team’s rotation. Through the 2021 season, Manaea had put up a 3.86 ERA in 727 innings pitched for his career in Oakland.

But with the Oakland A’s looking to tear the team down and rebuild, Manaea became expendable. It was clear that he was likely to be traded prior to the 2022 season. His teammate Chris Bassitt had already been traded to the Mets. Then, just before Opening Day, Manaea was traded to the San Diego Padres in exchange for prospects. He was set to join arguably the league’s deepest and best rotation and show his worth on a team expecting to make a deep playoff run.

Manaea’s 2022 season was disappointing, however. Although he started almost every game he appeared in, this season marked the first time since his rookie year he appeared in any game as a reliever. He was still able to pitch 158.0 innings. but he put up a staggering 4.96 ERA which looks like an outlier when compared to his other stats across full seasons. Manaea struggled even more in the postseason. Though he only threw 1 1/3 innings, he surrendered five earned runs in an NLCS loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Contract

Sean Manaea is going to be 31 at the start of the 2023 season. Whether his 2022 season was a product of aging or just a fluke will have to be determined by teams this offseason. Spotrac.com estimates Manaea will warrant a four-year contract for $11.9 million a year, or a total of $47.9 million across that time period. This contract would make Manaea a top-40 pitcher in terms of salary, right between Seattle’s Luis Castillo and San Francisco’s Anthony DeSclafani.

If he had become a free agent after the 2021 season, Manaea would definitely be a more attractive free agent option and potentially make much more than this projection. Unfortunately for him, he may have to settle for a lower salary because of his poor 2022 performance and the crowded pitching free agent class he finds himself in.

Recommendation

As the Mets suddenly have a porous rotation with only two of last year’s starters set to return for now, Manaea should absolutely be on the Mets’ radar. The Mets’ rotation in recent years has been plagued by injury, and Manaea has proven to be a durable and reliable pitching option throughout his career. And for approximately $12 million per year, he is absolutely in the price range of a team willing to spend big.

The Mets could also use Manaea’s lefty arm. David Peterson stepped up in a big way last year but has still been inconsistent in his career. Manaea would be a lefty presence who excels at limiting lefty batters, who have hit .210/.264/.337/.601 against him in his career. Perhaps this could allow Peterson to transition to the bullpen full-time, where his career ERA as a reliever (2.89) is far better than his career ERA as a starter (4.38).

With Max Scherzer and Carlos Carrasco confirmed back for the 2023 season and the Mets still in the market for more starting pitching, Manaea would likely serve as a middle or back-end of the rotation starter if he signs with the Mets for the 2023 season. Knowing that money won’t limit the Mets this offseason, the Mets should absolutely pursue Sean Manaea and hope he can return to pre-2022 form.

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Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets announced on Friday night that they’ve non-tendered first baseman Dominic Smith and Sean Reid-Foley. Both players become free agents putting the Mets 40-man roster at 33 players.

The six other remaining arbitration-eligible Mets players–Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Drew Smith, Tomás Nido, Luis Guillorme and Joey Lucchesi–will be tendered contracts.

Smith, 27, was projected to make $4 million for the 2023 season through arbitration. The California native had a rough 2022 season in which he hit just .194/.276/.284 with zero home runs in 58 games at the major league level before the Mets in July. Smith would finish the season in Triple-A Syracuse where he posted a .839 OPS with 10 home runs over 54 games.

Smith’s role within the organization at the big league level became murky when the Mets traded for first baseman/DH Daniel Vogelbach in July. The Mets picked up Vogelbach’s option for the 2023 earlier this offseason putting the writing on the wall for Smith.

Smith made his major league debut in 2017 with the Mets at 22 years old, but didn’t become a productive hitter for the Mets until 2019 when he posted a 132 OPS+ across 89 games. The left-handed hitter followed that up with his best year as a pro with .316/.377/.616 slash line with 21 doubles and 10 home runs during the Covid-shortened 2022 season.

Overall, in 447 major league games spanning six years with the Mets, Smith hit .246/.308/.424 with 46 home runs and 179 RBIs.

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Throughout his professional baseball career, first baseman Sean Casey was always known for his big personality and benevolent charm.

If an opposing batter reached first base against one of the five teams Casey played for, a rousing conversation was likely to ensue.

Casey, 44, was a three-time All-Star who posted a career .302 batting average with 1,531 hits.

Originally drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the second round of the 1995 MLB Draft, Casey was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds for Dave Burba in 1998, one day prior to Opening Day.

His ’98 season got off to an inauspicious start, as he was struck in the right eye by a Damian Jackson throw during fielding practice. Casey needed 20 stitches to close the gashes around his eye and suffered a broken bone below the eye that required a plate and five screws to stabilize.

After a rehab assignment, Casey struggled in the majors and was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis.

After posting a first-half OPS of .500 in 31 major league games, Casey rebounded in the second half of the season, posting a slash of .300/.394/.498.

Overall, Casey posted an overall line of .272/.365/.417 in 96 games in ’98 and posted the fifth-best wRC+ among National League rookies (106).

The ’99 season was Casey’s breakout year, as he made his first All-Star team and was second among qualified National League hitters in batting average in the first half of the season (.371). Casey would finish the ’99 season with a slash of .332/.399/.539, with 25 home runs and 99 RBIs in 151 games. His 197 hits were fourth-most among NL hitters, while his .938 OPS was 14th-best.

After finishing fourth in the NL Central with 77 wins in ’98, the ’99 Reds added 19 wins to finish the season with 96 victories. With the Houston Astros winning 97 games and the NL Central, the Reds and Mets were set to play a one-game play-in to decide the NL wild card.

Casey and the Reds hosted the Mets at Cinergy Field in front of a packed and vocal Reds’ fan base. Unfortunately for Casey, he’d have to wait seven more years to play in the postseason as Al Leiter tossed a complete game, two-hit shutout in the Mets’ 5-0 win.

In 2006, Casey finally got to experience the postseason, as he was dealt to the Detroit Tigers (who won 95 regular-season games) from the Pittsburgh Pirates at the non-waiver trade deadline.

After partially tearing his left calf muscle in Game One of the ALCS against the Oakland Athletics, Casey wouldn’t return to action until the first game of the Fall Classic.

In the five-game series, Casey slashed .529/.556/1.000 with nine hits, two homers, and five RBIs. He led both the Tigers and Cardinals hitters in hits, RBI, average, on-base percentage, and slugging.

Casey credits a drill that Tigers hitting coach Don Slaught instilled, in which first base coach Andy Van Slyke would throw Casey batting practice as hard as he could, helping Casey get locked in for game-like speeds.

Throughout his twelve-year career, which spanned from 1997 to 2008, Casey was regarded as one of the most affable players in the game, which included being voted the “Friendliest Player in Baseball” by his peers in a 2007 Sports Illustrated poll.

Affectionately known as “The Mayor” for his approachable and gregarious nature, Casey transitioned from the diamond to broadcasting following his final season in the majors with the Boston Red Sox in ’08. Casey blends his genial demeanor with analysis and personal anecdotes in his broadcasting style, making him a continued fan favorite beyond his playing days.

Besides his duties with MLB Network, Casey remains busy as the president of the Miracle League of the South Hills, an organization that provides every child and adult the opportunity to play baseball. It serves the special needs community and affords them a safe place where they too can experience the great game of baseball. The Miracle League Field at Boyce Mayview Park features a rubberized surface to help prevent injuries and wheelchair-accessible dugouts.

I had the privilege of speaking with Casey in early January, where we discussed the play-in game between Casey’s Reds and the Mets in ’99, working at MLB Network, and his wonderful foundation, the Miracle League of the South Hills.

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

Casey: My favorite player was Will Clark. I just loved the way he played the game, and loved the way he hit as a left-handed hitting first baseman.

Mark Grace was another one of my favorite players, and [Don] Mattingly; those are kind of like my three guys.

I also liked Andy Van Slyke a lot, too. I got a chance to have him be my coach when I was in Detroit. But a lot of those left-handed-hitting first basemen were guys I idolized.

MMO: At what point did you primarily start playing first base?

Casey: Travel all-stars and I was about 12-years-old. I was a little heavier, [I was] a bigger kid back then and they’re like, Okay, you play first. [Laughs.] So I did, and I just never left. It’s kind of funny looking back.

MMO: Prior to the 1995 Draft, did you have any idea that the Cleveland Indians were looking to take you in the second round?

Casey: I literally had no idea! I remember a Cubs’ scout telling me, “Hey, if you’re there in the third round we’re going to take you.” I remember thinking, Oh cool, third round! That’s big time! I was saying to myself, This is going to be awesome!

I remember I got the call that day, but it’s funny; the Draft had started, and back then it was obviously on the phone. I got a call that day and I answered it right away. It must’ve been like five minutes into the Draft, so I’m thinking, There’s no way I’m the fourth pick in the draft!

It turned out to be my neighbor asking, “Hey, you want to go to McDonald’s and grab some lunch?”

I’m like, ‘Eric, it’s the Draft! Don’t call me. I have to get off the phone, I’m waiting for a call.’

Then about an hour later, the Indians called me and said they selected me in the second round. So it was really, really cool. You look back on your life and your career and that was probably one of the coolest moments, and probably the greatest phone call I ever got.

MMO: Do you remember who first gave you the nickname “The Mayor”?

Casey: Oh yeah, there were two guys who really got it going. The guy’s an assistant head coach for T.C.U.; his name is Bill Mosiello. He was my Cape Cod League coach when I was in the Cape in Brewster in 1994. It was two guys: Bill Mosiello and this other guy, Mike Kirby; he was a coach at Cal State Fullerton.

They were always busting my chops because I talked to everybody walking in, like the broadcast and concession guys. I always talked to people at first, and to the fans coming out and all of that.

They were always like, “Man, it looks like you’re always lobbying for votes. Just talking to everybody all the time; you’re like the mayor. You’re lobbying for votes all the time!”

And it just kind of stuck. A guy named Jim Betzsold – who played for Cal State Fullerton – I played with him two years later in Double-A because we both got drafted by the Indians. And he goes, “Hey, what’s up, Mayor? I heard you’re the Mayor!”

I don’t know how it caught on, but it just originated when I was in the Cape Cod League in 1994 and it just kind of caught on.

I remember I was watching Baseball Tonight one time, and Karl Ravech goes, “Sean Casey, ‘The Mayor’ hits one!”

I’m like, Oh my God, they said it on ESPN!

It went from the Cape Cod League to the Major Leagues; it’s unbelievable!

MMO: In a 2007 Sports Illustrated poll, you were voted as the “Friendliest Player in Baseball” by your peers. You were always acknowledged as one of the nicest players in the game. Is that something you took pride in?

Casey: I do take pride in that. I just think growing up my dad was like, “Treat people the way you want to be treated. Be nice to everybody, and never think you’re better than anybody else.”

That kind of stuck with me, you know?

It’s funny; looking back on my career, I kind of felt like a fan. I was just scared they were going to tell me that I wasn’t good enough anymore and just send me down. I was such a big card collector growing up, too, and I just loved baseball and autographs and stuff. I remember being in the big leagues, and I just enjoyed talking to people at first base and enjoyed every part of the game because, like I said, I just always felt like a fan.

I always felt very grateful and thankful for being in the big leagues.

MMO: I remember in a Dan Patrick radio interview you discussed your memorabilia collection. From what I remember, it’s a pretty massive collection, is that right?

Casey: Oh yeah, it’s unbelievable! One of the coolest bats I have is a Tony Gwynn one. I remember holding him on at first and he was getting his lead, and I was like, ‘Hey, do you think you could send me over a bat?’

I think he kind of looked at me like, dude, we’ve got a ballgame going on here. [Laughs.] It’s the coolest thing I have. You know the guy’s using the grips now? Well, the bat I have from Gwynn, there is like a tennis racket handle grip on it; it’s so cool. It’s a 32-inch bat, real small.

I have 180 bats that I collected over the years, and about 140 of them are probably from holding guys on and talking to guys at first. Just really, really cool.

MMO: Speaking of holding runners on at first, considering you were such a personable guy, is there a player or two that stands out conversation-wise from your career?

Casey: Lance Berkman was my favorite; he and I were buddies. I don’t know if it was because we were first basemen and we’re not stealing and we know how to talk, but Lance will be over there and I’d beg for a long at-bat. Give me 3-2 so we can talk. ‘How are the kids doing? How’s the wife? What are you doing after the game? You want to come over? How’s everything going? How’s [Jeff] Bagwell doing? What about [Craig] Biggio?’

We just had all these conversations all the time, and he was great to talk to.

Mark Grace was awesome. I mean, he was super funny, man. He was one of my idols growing up, so I always enjoyed talking to him.

There are a lot of great conversations. I remember my rookie year, when Mark McGwire and [Sammy] Sosa were doing their thing, and I remember talking to McGwire at first base and just being really excited. I think they [Cardinals] came the day after he hit number sixty-two, and played that night. I think we intentionally walked him or something, but there were just a ton of great conversations I’ve had at first base.

At some point, I wrote a bunch of conversations down because one day I was thinking about writing a book called Conversations in the Corner. And I can’t find them! I did it into a cassette tape, and I can’t find it. [Laughs.] After every game, I would say something into it, and I don’t know, I just lost it.

MMO: Your ’99 season was the first year you were selected as an All-Star, and it was a breakout year for you, as you posted the fourth-best batting average among N.L. hitters (.332). Were there any physical or mechanical adjustments you made prior to that season?

Casey: It’s funny; I look back on the mentality thing, and I think I remember in the offseason hitting and really having the approach of driving the ball; I’m going to be aggressive to that fastball, and I’m really going to hunt the fastball, and I’ll be ready to go and drive it.

I think Opening Day I was 3-for-5; I hit a homer to put us ahead in the sixth against the Giants. It was just a cool day. Opening Day in Cincinnati is like a holiday, and I remember I just kept that going all year long. I think I was hitting like .371 at the break, and I was just really focused on being able to see the ball and on being aggressive to it.

I remember keeping my approach really simple and not getting so caught up in my mechanics and everything but just getting my hands ready to go and get ready to just barrel up the baseball wherever it was.

MMO: Considering we are a Mets website, I’d be remiss not to ask you about Game 163, which had you and the Reds facing the Mets for a one-game play-in to decide the N.L. wild card. What are your memories from that game?

Casey: [Laughs.] Oh, jeez, I knew you would do it! I hate Al Leiter still. I work with the guy, and I want to kill him. [Laughs.]

The first memory I have, and I still replay, is everything happens for a reason. But knowing we just needed to win two out three against Milwaukee to win the division, and just so many things had to happen to go wrong for us.

The Mets had to sweep the Pirates, the Astros had to sweep, and we had to lose two out of three for the one-game playoff. And then here we go, we lose the first two, the Mets end up sweeping the Pirates, and Brian Giles had just gotten hurt for the Pirates.

We’re in an eight-hour rain delay in Milwaukee watching all the NFL games and those games. Houston wins, and they win the division, and here we are at nine o’clock at night having to play the Brewers just to get into that one-game play-in game the next day, when it was all in our hands. We win two of three in Milwaukee, we’d win the division. So to have to play that game was crazy.

I remember getting home really late, and I remember going to Jersey Mike’s Subs with my bags packed because, as you know, if we won, we were going somewhere. I remember the fans at Jersey Mike’s saying, “Oh man, we’re so excited for the game tonight!”

There was such a buzz in the city because it was a home game, and I just remember going out for batting practice that day and seeing 55,000 walk-up tickets in Cincinnati, just a packed house. It was the first time I ever felt that playoff atmosphere, like this is going to be unbelievable.

Then Edgardo Alfonzo comes up and hits that bomb and it kind of kills the crowd and then after facing Leiter in the first at-bat I was like, uh oh. He’s got that cutter working; we’re going to be in trouble. [Laughs.] We all knew we kind of had to buckle up and it just wasn’t our day. Leiter was typical Al; he was flat-out nasty, and he did what he had to do.

And [Game] 163 is still a bummer because we won 96 games and we weren’t expected to do anything that year; we were supposed to be last. It was one of the coolest teams I had ever been on. Aaron Boone at third, Pokey Reese at second, Dmitri Young, myself, and even the veterans like [Pete] Harnisch, Denny Neagle, and Greg Vaughn were just such great guys. Mike Cameron playing center field, Jeffrey Hammonds, Michael Tucker in right in the platoon. Brian Johnson backed up Eddie Taubensee behind the dish. Those guys, of my whole career, going back to that ’99 team was my favorite team ever, like not even close.

MMO: I spoke with Mike Cameron a few years ago, and he also mentioned that ’99 team as one of the closest clubhouses he had ever been in.

Casey: Is that what he said? Me too! I felt that exact same way. Mike Cameron used to play DMX in the locker room, and I’ll still play DMX – and I don’t listen to rap at all – but I’ll still play DMX to bring me back to that year. It was unbelievable.

It was such a close-knit group, and it made even more of a bummer because we knew how special that team was. Like I said, to win 96 games back then, and not get in, was a tough one to swallow.

MMO: So working with Leiter at MLB Network, do you guys still talk about that game and give each other playful ribbing?

Casey: Oh, yeah! He still gets the best of me every once and a while. He’ll bring the clip out every once in a while.

What made it even worse was, I think it was the ninth inning, and we’re losing 5-0. Pokey Reese doubles to start the ninth, and I know Leiter’s dominating and we’re probably going to lose this game. I have 99 RBIs, and Pokey’s on third [after a groundout by Barry Larkin] so I’m like, Alright, I just need to ground out here, put the ball in play, and get my 100^th RBI.

Leiter ends up punching me out. [Laughs.] Not only do we lose the game, but my 100^th RBI is sitting 90 feet away because freaking Leiter’s throwing me a sinker, and I don’t think he even threw sinkers and he punched me out.

MMO: That’s right, you had two 99 RBI seasons.

Casey: That’s right. My second one in ’04 – and I thought my ’04 season might’ve been better than my ’99 season – but I went on the DL and I had 99 RBIs with eleven games to go. So I’m like, I’m going to get it.

Ryan Freel got hurt, who was like our leadoff guy, and I think in those last 11 games I had two RBI opportunities, and I could remember trying to hit home runs, and when that happens, your swing goes to crap. It’s just the perfect storm of crap, and in those 11 games I couldn’t get one RBI, and it was so frustrating.

MMO: You finally got to play in the postseason with the Detroit Tigers in 2006. And in the World Series against the Cardinals, you were on a whole other level.

You led both the Cardinals and Tigers hitters in hits (9), RBI (5), average (.529), on-base percentage (.556), and slugging (1.000). What clicked for you during that Fall Classic?

Casey: You know what’s amazing? It’s a great question because Don Slaught was a great hitting coach at that time, and it was funny because when I got traded to the Tigers, the Pirates were my team growing up. And here I was I got [Jim] Leyland managing, Gene Lamont at third, Llyod McClendon is the bullpen coach, Don Slaught – Sluggo – is the hitting coach, Andy Van Slyke – who was one of my idols is the first base coach and Rafael Belliard. I’m like, these guys have no idea I just got traded to Bucco Heaven; they have no idea!

Don Slaught and Andy Van Slyke I really enjoyed as hitting coaches; Van Slyke wasn’t the hitting coach, but he knew hitting. Sluggo had this drill; he’d have Van Slyke – and he was jacked and still had a cannon of an arm – get in the cages down underneath, and he would throw it as hard as he could from batting practice distance. It must’ve been 100 mph. And the thought process was when you get in the box, you’re going. Your thought process is yes, yes, yes, hunt the fastball. If it’s there, you’re swinging.

This drill was Andy throwing as hard as he could from BP distance, and I was like yes, yes, yes. And if it was in the area… boom, I would go, and I started getting so locked in. I hit early every day with Andy and Sluggo, and that drill right there with two weeks to go got me so locked in it was unbelievable.

When I got to the playoffs and the World Series – even though I was out for 11 days – I ended up keeping my eyes fresh doing that drill with Andy when I was able to start hitting again. I give them a lot of credit for getting me locked in. When I was in the World Series, I felt like if you threw a BB up there, I could hit it in the gap somewhere. It was crazy.

MMO: It’s interesting that you brought that anecdote up. Jason Ochart – who is the new minor league hitting coordinator for the Phillies and director of hitting at Driveline – thinks teams should utilize high-velocity pitching machines rather than traditional batting practice. What are your thoughts on that?

Casey: There are a few thoughts on that. I think batting practice is a lot about routine; it’s about getting loose. There’s something to be said about a ball that you can just throw me where I can really lock in and do what I want to do and get myself loose. I think that’s more of a cage work thing, where you can do it underneath. I don’t know if the batting practice guy could do it all year, in terms of throwing it that hard. There are so many games, and not every guy has a cannon where they can throw it like that, you know?

MMO: During your twelve-year career, who would you say was the toughest pitcher you faced? And conversely, who did you fare best against?

Casey: The toughest pitcher I faced, it’s kind of funny when you look at it, but the guy I struggled most against was a guy named Steve Kline. Little lefty from the Cardinals, and he used to frustrate me.

Every time we played the Cardinals, if it was 2-1 in the eighth, Tony La Russa would bring in Kline. If it was 9-0 in the eighth, he’d bring in Kline, and I’m like, alright, this guy’s messing with me now! It’s 9-0, and here comes Steve Kline with freaking two outs in the eighth just to face me, knowing that I’m going to roll over or strike out! It was unbelievable. For some reason, Kline was so nasty to me because he was a sinker/slider guy, and we both came up in the minors together with the Indians, so we were buddies too. He had my number.

I hit well against A.J. Burnett for some reason; I kind of had his number. I think I hit close to .500 off of him, and when he was throwing close to 100 mph in Florida, it was crazy! Jose Lima, Jon Lieber, and Andy Benes I hit well against. But Lima, yeah, I had his number for some reason; God rest his soul.

MMO: Can you talk about how you secured your job with MLB Network?

Casey: It was kind of a fluky thing. I was with the Red Sox in ’08. It was Game 5, and I was hitting batting practice, and Harold Reynolds was doing the game for TBS because MLB Network didn’t exist yet. He’s doing the game for TBS, and then he came down to the field. I was talking to him, and I knew I was retiring; no one knew but me, and I’m like, ‘Hey man, how do you like broadcasting?’

And he goes, “I like it a lot; it’s awesome! It’s been a great gig for me after I was done playing.”

He asked why I was asking, and I told him I was going to retire soon. And he goes, “Really? You’re hitting .322!”

And I was like, ‘Yeah, but I’m ready. I’m ready to kind of just be home and move on.’

He told me, “Listen, I’m going to have Tony Petitti call you. This guy just started MLB Network, and I just got hired there, and it launches in January. You’d be great for it!”

Sure enough, Tony calls me, and I go up and audition, and I decided to do, I think, 50 days my first year just because I didn’t really want to do a lot of travel. Fifty days and it worked out great, man. I remember Al Leiter calling me because he was supposed to be one of the main guys, and it was kind of funny talking to Al. But they hired me that year, and this is my eleventh year, and it’s just been crazy. That’s gone by so quickly too!

MMO: What’s the prep work like for you? Are there morning meetings where you discuss what you’d like to talk about on that night’s broadcast?

Casey: Yeah, about three or four hours before the show [we have meetings]. And the big thing is to think about breakdowns. Who’s hitting well? Why are they hitting well? What can we break down in the studio that would appeal to the masses, especially the kids out there and the coaches that could understand what these guys are doing? Why they’re doing it, what they do well.

The Diamond Demos that we do with hitting, that stuff is right in my wheelhouse, and I love doing that. Billy Ripken does a great job of getting out there when we talk hitting and having Jim Thome there now to talk hitting with is pretty cool. They’ve done a great job of hiring. It’s almost like your new team when you’re with those guys out there, and I just really enjoy it.

MMO: Talk to me about your organization, the Miracle League of the South Hills. How did that get started and what’s its core mission?

Casey: The Miracle League has really just been a blessing for myself, our community, and the kids that we have. A friend of mine started one up in Dayton in, I think, 2005. I threw out the first pitch, and I remember thinking, Man, this is really cool. What is this? It’s the Miracle League; it’s for special needs kids, it’s a rubberized surface.

My wife’s youngest sister has special needs and when I was in college after I got drafted and came back my senior year, I worked at a school that had kids with cerebral palsy, so my eyes were open to the special needs community. We decided to build this Miracle League in the South Hills and give all kids a chance to play the game of baseball, and it’s just a great combination. We’ve built a one-of-a-kind playground, too; an all-inclusive playground so we raised almost $2 million dollars to build this wonderful facility.

We’ve been going for a while, and we have over 300 kids, and Tim Gebhart has been an amazing director for us these last couple of years and has kind of taken us to another level. But we feel like we’re more than just a baseball league; we have a Halloween thing for the kids, a couple of dances during the year that we do. We have a program that we just started called Muscles for Miracles with a buddy of mine, John Dennis, who has a really nice facility, and we have a lot of the higher-functioning special needs kids come over there to lift weights and do all the things that all the other kids do.

We feel like we’re pretty much going twelve months a year just trying to make an impact in the community with the kids. The great thing about the Miracle League is all the kids need a buddy, so a lot of the buddies that help volunteer make it really inclusive for everyone to be impacted.

MMO: And if readers want to donate or volunteer, how would they go about doing so?

Casey: You can go to miracleleaguesouthhills.org. You can go on there, and if you’re in the Pittsburgh area, you can come volunteer for us. We always need donations, and we’re always looking for that. So anything anyone can ever give us is wonderful.

MMO: I can’t thank you enough for some time today, Sean. You were one of my favorite players growing up, and it was a pleasure to speak with you today.

Casey: Mathew, I really appreciate that. It was great to talk with you.

Follow Sean Casey on Twitter, @TheMayorsOffice

Check out the Miracle League of the South Hills’ website here.

And check out the Miracle League of the South Hills’ largest fundraiser of the year here. The silent auction features amazing items, such as autographed memorabilia, trip and experience packages, and a lunch for four with Sean Casey and Hall of Famer Jim Thome. The auction ends on February 22nd.

The post MMO Exclusive: Three-Time All-Star First Baseman, Sean Casey appeared first on Metsmerized Online.