On Wednesday night, the MLB season officially ended as the Texas Rangers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2023 World Series, four games to one. Winning Game 5 of the series by a score of 5-0, the 2023 Rangers gave the franchise their first-ever World Series trophy since its inception in 1961.

Game 5 was the definition of a pitcher’s duel, even though each side’s pitcher did it in their own way. Nathan Eovaldi did a masterful job of wiggling in and out of trouble throughout his six innings of work, as the Diamondbacks were getting runners into scoring position consistently. While the D-backs couldn’t cash in on any of their early chances, their ace Zac Gallen did more than keep them in the game as he started his outing with six no-hit innings. However, Mitch Garver helped the Rangers scratch across a run as he was the third of three consecutive hits off of Gallen in the seventh inning. But the final blow came in the ninth inning; Jonah Heim scorched a two-RBI single, which was followed by a Marcus Semien two-run home run, as the Rangers solidified their championship win.

Corey Seager won his second Willie Mays World Series MVP as he tallied three home runs, six RBIs, and hit for a 1.137 OPS during the five-game series. Additionally, three former Mets — Max Scherzer, Travis Jankowski, and Jacob deGrom — became World Series champions, Scherzer winning his second. Rangers GM Chris Young also played for the Mets, and interviewed for their GM opening in 2020. 

Just over a decade after losing back-to-back World Series, even being an out away from accomplishing the feat, Texas overcame all of the odds to win this year’s commissioner’s trophy. They became the third team in MLB history, including the 1969 New York Mets, to win the World Series just two seasons after losing 100 games. 

Latest Mets News

Andy Martino of SNY reported that Mets third base coach Joey Cora has heard from several teams regarding open coaching positions. Cora is not under contract with the Mets any longer, and his future with the team is uncertain as the Mets continue to make changes after the hiring of David Stearns. 

Joel Sherman of the New York Post gave two significant updates to the Mets managerial search on Wednesday, as he reported that the Mets have interviewed Carlos Mendoza and Andy Green for the position. Mendoza, who has been with the Yankees organization for 15 seasons and has spent the past four as their bench coach, is reportedly also in a second-round callback interview with the Mets per Andy Martino of SNY. Green is a former major leaguer, playing four games for the Mets, and has managing experience as he formerly managed the San Diego Padres. 

Latest MLB News

Evan Drellich of The Athletic reported that Major League Baseball will no longer use uniform employee contracts, the agreements with standardized language that MLB long required managers, coaches, trainers, and salaried scouts to agree to across the 30 teams. Clubs are now to draft their own contracts, allowing terms to vary as the MLB makes this move to protect the league office against liability. However, Drellich reports that many are worried that clubs will now attempt to include language that works against employees in new ways. 

MLB’s Arizona Fall League announced the participants for their 2023 Home Run Derby, which will take place on Saturday, November 4. The field has several top prospects: Kevin Alcántara, Kyle Manzardo, Aaron Sabato, Ivan Melendez, Wes Clarke, Damiano Palmegiani, Gabriel Rincones Jr., and Kala’i Rosario.

The San Diego Padres recently took out a $50 million loan to help cover payroll, per a report from Dennis Lin, Evan Drellich, and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Despite being in a bottom-third media market in the league, San Diego had one of the highest payrolls in baseball, as they are obligated to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr., and others. According to the article, the loan was taken out to “address short-term cash flow issues and meet their obligations, including payroll.”

Latest on MMO

Allison Waxman looked back at the infamous Matt Harvey ninth inning in Game 5 of the 2015 World Series and asked the readers, should he have gone back out?

Jett Williams‘ plan to make his major league debut in 2024 was highlighted by Alexis Farinacci. 

Evan Mazza looked into the Mets’ recent interviews for their open manager position. 

On This Date in Mets History

2015: After a historic postseason run in which he led the Mets to an unexpected World Series appearance, Daniel Murphy graces the cover of Sports Illustrated, titled “The Amazin’ Murphy.”

1972: The Mets traded Gary Gentry and Danny Frisella and, in return, acquired Félix Millán and George Stone from the Atlanta Braves. Both players the Mets received played crucial roles in their 1973 pennant-winning season; Millán hit .290 and received MVP votes, while Stone went 12-3 with a 2.80 ERA.

Birthdays: Denyi Reyes (27), Tom Paciorek (77)

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We all have Aunts down in Florida.  Okay, maybe not everyone, but I do.  And recently she sent some “vintage” mid-80s Mets cards up to me in NY from a neighbor who wanted to get rid of them after her spouse passed on.  In looking through them, I came across the 1986 Mets card shown below:

Several things about this card. Firstly 1986 is not “vintage”.  In 1986 I was in high school, had a full head of hair, and weighed about 150 pounds.  The Mets had a young Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, and Lenny Dykstra and would win their second World Series. Truly just a few short years ago.

Secondly, while I remember Tom Paciorek, I don’t remember him ever being a Met. Paciorek had come up to the Dodgers in 1970 as a corner outfielder and had become an All-Star with Seattle in 1981 when he was second in the American League with a .326 batting average.  In 1985 he was a 38-year old fourth outfielder, and back-up first baseman with the White Sox when the Mets acquired him for good glove but no-hit shortstop project Dave Cochrane, who was batting .223 in AA when traded on July 16. That was at the All-Star break in 1985 and the Mets were in second place, 2.5 games behind St. Louis.

It was a trade to shore up the bench as young outfielder John Christensen was hitting .190. Paciorek could also serve as a defensive placement for an aging George Foster in left, provide Strawberry a day off in right, spell Keith Hernandez at first or serve as a right-handed pitch hitter while Rusty Staub was the left-handed pitch hitter.

Paciorek did exactly that in 1985 with the Mets, hitting a solid .284 while playing 8 games at first, 29 in the outfield and pinch hitting 17 times as well.

The picture on the card is easy to determine where and when it was taken.  Shown in the home uniform and high-fiving after a home run, Paciorek only hit one home run for the Mets.  A check of BaseballReference.com shows that occurred on August 15, against the Phillies in the bottom of the first off of Jerry Koosman, who was pitching in his final year of baseball.  Wally Backman, who had walked, scored ahead of him, so that’s likely Wally on the left side of the card shown.

Alas, the 1985 Mets remained where they were at the All-Star break, as despite winning 98 games, the second-best record in the National League and the third-best in baseball, the Cardinals won 101 games, finishing 3 games ahead of the Mets. St. Louis won the pennant that year but fell to the Royals in the World Series.  At least the way Don Denkinger saw it.

After the season, with a young Kevin Mitchell on the way, Paciorek was released.  He signed with Texas and played two seasons with the Rangers, finishing his career with a .282/.325/.415 slash line, and at least one card showing his 1/2 season with the Mets so “vintage” fans can be prompted that Tom Paciorek was once a New York Met.

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