9/3/20

Tom Brennan - MY MEMORIES OF THE GREAT TOM SEAVER


The great Tom Seaver:


Gone too soon at the age of 75.  Legends should never die.


This one really hurts.


Great, great man, beloved by Mets fans.  Including this writer.


Flashing back, I was a kid, grasping for straws, any slivers of hope, however slight, as the Mets lost over 100 games in 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, and 1966.


Then a kid named Seaver came along in 1967.  18 complete games, 2.76 ERA, 16-13 for a team whose previous career wins leader had 11.  Rookie of the year.  A thrill to watch.


Watching him even then was to watch greatness.  Watching him was watching hopes for a better day. 


It wasn't an immediate miracle - that Mets team was still atrocious, finishing 40.5 games out of 1st place.  They still lost 101.


The next year, though, a terrific talent named Jerry Koosman showed up and won 19, while Seaver won 16 again, the two of them accounting for 35 of the Mets' 73 wins.  As a kid, I knew that if you removed the Tommie Agee beaning, this was a .500 ballclub.


Seaver then, with an improved team and plenty of fairy dust in the air, went 25-7 in 1969 and combined with Kooz for 42 wins out of the Mets' 100.  Then a World Series victory.


It felt like it would go on forever, that there would be many such World Series triumphs, but the Mets annually failed to hit, hampering the team's performance, and making it almost as hard for Seaver to win as it is for Jake deGrom now.


In one of those ghastly moves that should have forever caused Mets fans to jump ship, the Mets actually traded the Franchise in the mid 70s while quibbling over very modest bucks.  One Daily News writer liked to excoriate Seaver, but we all knew better.  Fake news.


Seaver got traded to a team that could hit, the Reds, and went 75-46 in 158 starts with them - starts that should have been with the Mets.  


ALL Seaver career starts in a sane world should have been with the NY Mets.  But the Mets were guilty of defrauding its fans by trading Tom Terrific.


Sixty one career shutouts.  Worth repeating: 61 shutouts, the equivalent of 2 full seasons of starts.


The Mets got him back in 1983, and despite a commendable 3.55 ERA, the team that couldn't hit straight was 9-14, but he did get to play with Keith and Darryl that season, a wonderful intersection of great talents.


Then Seaver, the man who should never have left, pitched his last 3 seasons with the White Sox and Red Sox.  The first two of those seasons, the awesome one went 31-22.


My fondest memory was coming home one day and flipping on the TV just in time to watch Seaver fan 10 straight.  He was throwing raw heat like I'd never seen from him.  It was mind-blowing to watch.


The man was always First Class, Ambassador Class, the best.


Incredibly missed by those especially who were blessed enough to get to see the Legend in action.


Condolences to his family over this huge loss.


THE GREAT TOM SEAVER.










Posted by on 5 comments:

John From Albany – Mets News and Breakfast Links 9/3/2020


Good Morning. Happy Birthday David Peterson and Corey Oswalt, Mets 9 Orioles 4, and Tom Seaver passes away at 75. 



Section Links: Mets Links, MLB Links, and This Day in Mets History.

NY Post: Tom Seaver, greatest Met ever, dead at 75.






Greg Prince Faith and Fear in Flushing “No. 41 in Our Hearts”: “Terrific only began to say it. Tom Seaver was everything to the New York Mets. Everything. He was everything to me. Everything. And I know I’m not alone in that assessment.”

Metstradamus: The Mound Is His Home.

Steve Serby NY Post: Tom Seaver was everything to Howie Rose.

NY Post: Photos: Remembering Mets legend Tom Seaver.

NY Post: Mets and the baseball world mourn the death of Tom Seaver.

John Harper SNY.TV: Remembering Tom Seaver, the Mets' first true icon.

We posted more comments on Tom Seaver passing yesterday on Mack’s Mets.

Mets Links:

Mets 9 Orioles 4 Michael Wacha 3 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned runs, 1 walk, 2 Ks, 69 pitches – 41 strikes;; David Peterson (W, 4-1) 4 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, 1 K, 59 pitches – 36 strikes; Miguel Castro 1 inning, 1 hit, 0 runs; Justin Wilson, 1 inning, 3 hits, 2 runs, 0 ER, 3 Ks; Michael Conforto 4 for 5 (HR #6), 5 RBIs, 1 run scored; Jeff McNeil 1 for 5, 1 run scored, 1 RBI; Pete Alonso 1 for 4 (HR #7), 1 RBI, 2 runs scored; J.D. Davis 2 for 3, 1 run scored, 1 walk; Robinson Cano 1 for 4; Wilson Ramos 2 for 5; Amed Rosario 1 for 3, 2 runs scored, 1 WALK; Jake Marisnick  2 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 run scored. (Box Score).

SNY.TV: What’s next. The Mets and Yankees will play one make-up game on Thursday at 4:10 p.m. at Citi Field, as Robert Gsellman faces J.A. Happ.


213 Miles from Shea: Game Preview: Yankees vs Mets.
You Tube: Mets-Orioles Game Highlights 9/2/20.


SNY.TV: Mets Takeaways from Wednesday's 9-4 win over Orioles, including Michael Conforto's monster day. Pete Alonso also hit a moonshot in the victory.




NY Post: Todd Frazier considers Mets return a ‘good surprise’.

Mike’s Mets: “I Won't Be Ignored, Dan!”

MLB Links:

MLB.com: Wheeler follows Nola's lead, dominates Nats. Phillies 3 Nationals 0 (Box Score).

MLB.com: 'That's what aces do': Ryu picks up Blue Jays. Blue Jays 2 Marlins 1 (Box Score).

MLB.com: Braves make 3-homer game history. Adam Duvall hits 3 home runs night after Ozuna completes the feat. Braves 7 Red Sox 5 (Box Score).


Padres 11 Angels 4 (Box Score).

Here is the full MLB Scoreboard from yesterday. 

Today in Mets History Per Ultimatemets.com:

Born on this date:

1962
The expansion Mets are blanked for the 30th time this year, bowing to the Bucs at Forbes Field, 2-0. The Amazins' tie the 1906 Senators for the second-most times a team has been held scoreless, but the 1908 Cardinals' mark of being whitewashed in 33 contests during the season will remain as the major league mark.
1978
At Dodger Stadium, Lee Mazzilli becomes the first Mets player to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in a game. The center fielder's first and seventh inning blasts respectively hit off southpaw Tommy John and right-hander Charlie Hough, pace the last-place club to an 8-5 victory.

2002
By losing their 15th straight game at Shea Stadium, the Mets pass the dubious mark set by the 1911 Braves to establish a new National League record for consecutive losses at home. The Amazins' did not win one home game in August, finishing the month 0-13 in New York.
2007
Mets right-hander Pedro Martinez, making his first start of the season, whiffs Reds hurler Aaron Harang to become the 15th major league pitcher to record 3,000 career strikeouts. The three-time Cy Young winner has missed most of the season recovering from rotator cuff surgery.

2009
After starting 13 games with two different clubs, Pat Misch's team finally wins a game he starts when the Mets beat the Rockies, 8-3. The former Giants' starter, who earned the Coors Field victory for New York, had tied a dubious mark established over the 1993-94 seasons by Seattle's John Cummings for the longest winless streak endured by a team with the same starter of the mound.


1965: The Mets top the Cards, 6 - 3, behind the slugging of Jim Hickman, who cranks three home runs off Birds pitcher Ray Sadecki. Hickman is the first Mets player to hit three home runs in a game.

1986: Pitching in the 3rd inning against the Mets, Giants rookie Terry Mulholland snags a hard grounder off Keith Hernandez but can't retrieve the ball from the webbing of his glove. Thinking fast, Mulholland runs towards first and tosses his mitt to 1B Bob Brenly for the out. The Giants come up short, losing, 4 - 2.

1995: The Mets outslug the Giants, 11 - 6, despite Barry Bonds hitting the Giants' 11,000th franchise homer. Barry's father, Bobby Bonds, hit the 8,000th franchise homer exactly 24 years ago, on this day in 1971.

2019 - Down by 6 runs against the Mets in the 9th inning, the Nationals mount the biggest comeback in team history as they score 7 times to pull off an improbable an 11 - 10 win. Leading 10 - 4 after scoring five times in the top of the 9th, the Mets decide to rest closer Edwin Diaz and instead send in Paul Sewald to close the books. He allows two runs while getting just one out before being replaced by Luis Avilan, who loads up the bases with a single. That's when manager Mickey Callaway calls upon Diaz to face pinch-hitter Ryan Zimmerman. Zimmerman hits a two-run double, then after drawing a full count, Kurt Suzuki parks a pitch in the left field seats for a walk-off three-run homer. Now five games back in the wild card standings, the Mets may well be effectively eliminated from postseason contention as a result of this heartbreaking loss.

Mack’s Mets – One Year Ago Today - Syracuse loses 14-13, season over.





Want more?  Check out https://sportspyder.com/mlb/new-york-mets/news. 

Want something else tracked here each day?  Please leave a comment below.
Posted by on 7 comments:

One Year Ago Today - Syracuse loses 14-13, season over.

Mets fans know all about tough losses.  I could start the litany but if you come to this site you know them.

This was a tough one (box).  After taking a 5-0 lead in the first, stretching it to 7-1 in the top of the seventh, it sure looked like Syracuse would be on their way to the playoffs and a divisional title. 

Then it started, Ervin Santana, who had been tremendous all day with six innings allowing just one hit, a walk and one run, gave up a home run to start the 7th and three consecutive singles loading the bases.  7-2 now the score, no outs, and Nick Rumbelow now coming in.  

After a single, single, walk, it was 7-5 and Stephen Nogosek was in.

Nogosek has been tremendous for Syracuse all year, with no runs allowed in 30.1 innings and 23 previous games for Syracuse.  On his first pitch, Nogosek secured a huge double play.  One run scored making it 7-6 but he retired the next batter with a fly ball and the threat was extinguished and Syracuse still had the lead. 

The top of the eighth Syracuse responded with six runs to take a 13-6 lead.  Mack’s Met’s own Tom Brennan stated at that point “looks like they are going to win”.  Your lips to God’s ears, Tom. 

Maybe it was the long inning.  Maybe it was the long season.  Maybe it was the long odds of being ten games back on August seventh to play the best ball in the International League and force a one game playoff against the team that had been torturing you all year.  For whatever reason, Stephen Nogosek, perfect all year, was not himself in the eighth for Syracuse.

Homer, hit by pitch, walk, passed ball, walk and Nogosek gave way to Brooks Pounders with Syracuse still up 13-8.

Sacrifice fly, single, wild pitch, walk, single, sacrifice fly, 2 out, Syracuse still up 11-8, Eric Hanhold on to pitch.

Wild pitch, wild pitch, walk, stolen base, double.  Scranton Wilkes/Barre 14 – Syracuse 13

Put a candle in the window

'Cause I feel I've gotta move
Though I'm goin', goin'
I'll be comin' home soon
Long as I can see the light

Pack my bag and let's get moving
'Cause I'm bound to drift awhile
Though I'm gone, gone
You don't have to worry
Long as I can see the light

-Creedence Clearwater Revival


There is a light.  It is coming from Brooklyn.  The Cyclones enter the New York Penn League as the number one seed playing an exciting brand of baseball.  The pain of this Syracuse loss hurts real bad but you don’t have to worry, long as we can see the light. 
Posted by on 1 comment:

9/2/20

Breaking News - Tom Seaver Passes away

















Posted by on 5 comments:

Today's Lineup and Notes - Roster Moves Mets at Orioles 4:05 p.m











Posted by on 1 comment:

Metstradamus - It Takes Effort To Make Something Look Effortless


By  | 
Tuesday’s game in Baltimore was the perfect juxtaposition of the Mets inability to craft a cohesive plan when it comes to baseball.
“We’ve acquired Todd Frazier, Robinson Chirinos, and Miguel Castro because we’re making a run at this thing this year. Oh, and Ariel Jurado is the starting pitcher tonight.” -Not an actual quote but you get it.
How do you justify to your fan base that you have a chance for this thing and you’re willing to throw away a decent prospect along with the money it’s going to cost in buyouts for next season for Frazier and Chirinos at the very least, while also not being able to find a pitcher better than Ariel Jurado?

Jurado’s appearance alone is hysterical because you had Walker Lockett on the team, and yeah we’re not going to pretend that Lockett is Max Scherzer here. But somehow a team that is so desperate for starting pitching that they’re stretching out one really good reliever and one reliever who hasn’t started regularly since his rookie season not only loses Walker Lockett, but somehow puts in his place somebody who is worse. And what’s scary about it is that it took a lot of work to do this!
Posted by on 2 comments:

Tom Brennan - HEFTY JURADO



I have to confess that as a myopic Mets fan, I had never seen Ariel Jurado pitch.


Frankly, before this year, I'd never heard of him.  Myopia Man, that's me.


So, I get home, and it's pre-game, and I see this guy with goggles in the pen loosening up - and I think, "uh oh, this guy is our starter tonight?"


I see a young guy with a pot belly and I think, "you're a young athlete, dude, what's with the pouch?"


I think immediately, "I wonder if there is a correlation between carrying excess weight and a lack of intensity towards his pitching craft?"


Then I watch the first inning - missing the plate, getting rocked - and I think, hmm, may be something to that theory.  Remarkably, he walked no one - but those 9 hits in 4 innings ain't too spiffy.  Bringing his career totals to 223 hits in 181 innings.  

Is it just me, or are the Mets starting to collect "a HR allowed every six innings, career" sorts of "pitchers"?


If I had to guess, he looks like a guy with a 5.97 ERA - wow, I guessed right.

He ain't "Bartolo Colon Hefty," that much is clear.


Would have liked seeing Kevin Smith take that start instead.




Then, Franklyn Kilome comes in, and he seems like the type of pitcher who is almost very good, but his Italian chef tendencies are too strong - he just serves up too many meatballs.


His ability to stop serving up meatballs will determine if he has a long, successful career, or a short unsuccessful one.


Meanwhile, looks like the McNeil swoon is over, but Pete Alonso's miserable summer continues.  The big guy is coming up mighty small in 2020.  Maybe when Todd comes back, he can DH for a week, and Luis Guillorme (hitting 200 points higher than Pete) can be in the line up instead.  

Just a thought.  You may say to me, "you can't be serious."  I will say to you, "yes, I am serious."


This team finds losing games all too easy, if you ask me.
Posted by on 6 comments:
Labels:

Reese Kaplan -- With the Mets Season Already Over...


Two important deadlines hit at the same time and neither one fills the fans with a ton of confidence.  On the team sale front, it appears that hedge fund magnet (with some questionable behavior in his past) is going to take over from the Wilpon family.  The fact that a sale seems to be taking place still hasn't completely registered with a lot of folks who thought the Wilpons would back out at the eleventh hour.  It's not a done deal until the contracts are signed, the money changes hands and Mr. Cohen faces the moral compass that is Major League Baseball.  Apparently as long as the checks don't bounce then you're welcomed with open arms.  

The second issue facing the Mets is their continual disintegration into a division-worst type of team.  The weekend double header victory was a short-lived pleasure as reality hit the team and its fans with an uppercut, a right cross, a roundhouse left and put the team on the mat, gasping for breath.
  


Fortunately, the impeccable judge of talent, Brodie Van Wagenen, was sure to correct this grounded yet sinking ship.  And sure enough, he did...he added a .119 hitter, a former Met who was unable to remain with the club and a hard throwing pitcher who could strike out whomever he didn't walk.  Reunions seldom work out as expected.  Witness the recently deposed (or disposed) Juan Lagares.  Anyone who thinks Todd Frazier is the answer had better not apply to appear on a quiz show.  The strangest one of all would seem to be Robinson Chirinos.  The last three seasons Chirinos has hit 17, 18 and 17 HRs but only once crossed the mediocre batting average of .250.  At age 36 he's not likely going to improve (as evidenced by his .119 average for the 2020 season).  


 It's very difficult being a Mets fan anytime, but between now and the September conclusion to this hot mess the folks who rally behind the Mets are already going to be thinking football, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Post-season baseball is still a long term fantasy that's not going to be solved by an early influx of Cohen's money or a repeated ill-fated attempt by the GM to fortify his moribund team.  In some ways it may have been more prudent for the trades now to be established parts for highly regarded youth.  Instead we peddle away the few remaining youngsters from our own system under the PTBNL banner as well as a live arm in Kevin Smith.  

The fall and winter will hopefully open up a great many new things to discuss regarding the Mets, but the wheel spinning actions taken now to add warm bodies to the roster will not generate the good vibes the club would hope fans would share with one another.  The saving grace is the narly finished sale to Cohen who, hopefully, wants to win as much as fans do and who understands that money spent in establishing a competitive ballclub pays for itself in increased gate sales, ad revenue and ancillary profits on food and souvenirs.  However, unless he empties his bank account in his first off-season, don't think the departure of the Wilpons and Van Wagenen will be fixed overnight.  It took a long time to destroy the franchise.  It's going to take a long time to rebuild it.  
Posted by on 7 comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)