April 2008

A catcher, but not related to the catching family. Called up for the first time after Brian Schneider injured his thumb to be Raul Casanova's backup.

First of four men to wear No. 6 in 2008, Molina was recalled in September and became the fifth man issued No. 29 that year but did not make an appearance and departed to get an early start for winter ball.

Aging pinch-hitter Marlon Anderson is expected to get his first start of the year Tuesday afternoon as the Mets wrap up a quick visit to Wrigley, and hopefully, jump-start a bat that's been slumbering for much of the early going.

The start would also be Anderson's first while wearing No. 9 -- he changed into it this offseason after the Mets acquired Brian Schneider, who received 23. Anderson wore 18 in his go-round with the Mets in 2005 but that number now belongs to Moises Alou.

Anderson is the 23rd player to wear at least 3 different Met uniform numbers and if 9 turns out to be the worst of the three he won't be alone: David Cone (16); Ron Darling (15) and Kevin Elster (15) are right there with him among players whose third uniform was their worst. And though .067 is a tiny sample, Anderson at the moment looks a lot like the guy released by the Dodgers a year ago.

On the other hand, for Hubie Brooks (7), Cleon Jones (21) and even the patron saint of multple jersey wearers, Jeff McKnight (7) the third time was a charm.

See the complete list here...

Had a good time last night in New Jersey, where Mets by the Numbers was sucked into the awesome gravitational pull of Gary Carter, whose new book pictured here was the featured attraction at Bookends book store.

In addition to us, Dan Reilly, the original Mr. Met, was selling/signing his book as was George “Shotgun” Shuba, the ex-Brooklyn Dodger and Montreal teammate of Jackie Robinson. Both Dan — who was a Shea ticket salesman picked to become the first live-action costumed mascot and knows that Ed Kranepool was originally assigned No. 21 — and George were great, and we all owe one to Gary Carter for being Macy's to our Spencer's Gifts. I also got to meet longtime MBTN contributor Gordon for the first time after years of exchanged scorecards and emails.

After the crowd thinned out some we had a chance to make a gift of our book to Gary, who just as you might expect, was polite and charming and promised to read it. You can catch up to Gary at 12:30pm today at the Barnes & Noble at 46th & 5th Ave.

Tonight, the MBTN World Tour continues with a stop in my backyard, Word Books in Greenpoint, Brooklyn at 7:30 pm. The event includes Spike Vrusho, author of Benchclearing: Baseball’s Greatest Fights & Riots and is moderated by Caryn Rose of Metsgrrl. Word is located on Franklin Street at Milton, a short walk form the Greenpoint Ave. stop on the G.

I was at Shea last night for the first time this year thanks to my co-writer, and now co-star in a potential future episode of Mets Weekly. We were joined by two other swell guys, and we had a great time, the Mets looked resplendent, especially with the blue hats, matching 42 jerseys (anyone other than me remember Chuck Taylor?) and no names on the back. Sweet.

Worth noting was that the scoreboard identified the players by their assigned numbers but the Shea PA announcer introduced them all as No. 42. I'll address how to integrate this event into the database when I've had some time to think about it.

I missed the announcement pre-game so I was delighted to see Duaner Sanchez trot in from the bullpen for the the 9th inning. The quietly effective Carlos Muniz was shipped back to the minors to make room. Just an all-around terrific night.

6 p.m. Tonight, we're opening for Gary Carter at Bookends in Ridewood, N.J. Thursday at 7:30, I'll discuss the Mets and baseball with Metsgrrl and Spike Vrusho (author of Benchclearing) at Word Books in Greenpoint (beer and snacks to be served)!

The Mets on Tuesday will celebrate the pioneering efforts of Ron Hodges, who broke the Scrubeenie Barrier by lasting 12 seasons in a Mets uniform, the first 11 without even being considered a regular starting option.

To mark the historic occasion, every player on the Mets will be outfitted in the No. 42 jersey Ron made famous while rotting on the bench behind Grote and Dyer; then Grote and Stearns; and then Stearns and Grote; and then Stearns and Trevino; and then Trevino and Stearns; and then Stearns and Trevino again; and then Mike Fitzgerald. Relievers from Harry Parker to Wes Gardner found Hodges' target while warming up in the bullpen; and managers from Berra to Frazier to Torre to Johnson called on his left-handed bat to pinch hit in crucial situations, provided they had already used Kranepool, Staub or Jorgensen.

"Waiting around to be useful and occasionally contributing something worthwhile are attributes I want my guys to inhabit," explained manager Willie Randolph, who donned the 42 jersey at last year's event. "We need to go out there and show our fans that in each of us beats the heart of a lefthanded hitting reserve catcher, preferably a veteran."

For Hodges, 11 seasons of waiting around for a shot came to delicious fruition in 1983, when as a 34-year-old, he was the starting catcher in Tom Seaver's glorious, opening-day return to Shea Stadium. Hodges set career highs with 110 games played and 250 at-bats.

"As a lefthanded-hitting catcher with a reputation for strong defense, I understand that Ron Hodges was every bit the player I am," added the Mets' current starter behind the dish, Brian Schneider. "Ron's career reminds me of how blessed I am."

* * *

* Actually, all Mets are to wear 42 Tuesday to honor Jackie Robinson. The above wasn't meant to disparage his contributions, or Ron Hodges's, for that matter.

* Cultural omniblogger/librarian Mike Tubridy's "Boat Against the Current" blog has nice words on Mets by the Numbers and its launch party last week.

Thanks as usual to a great readership we destroyed the Kingman Kontroversy in a matter of hours and moved on to still more mystery.

First up, on the right is a 1981 program showing a spring training photo of Dave Kingman (wearing No. 5, obscured by his bat) along with Rusty Staub. Both TommieCleon and SJR provided me with this image -- apparently published at least twice that season (once pre-strike, once post-strike).

On the left is a weird All-Star insert card provided by TommieCleon, also showing Kong with the partially obscured No. 5.

As detailed in the comments in the post below this, this controversy reminded me of another "false positive" Kingman spring. This one was 1975. Tonight I cracked open the '75 yearbook to find the below photo, showing the newly acquired Kingman in a St. Petersburg batting cage wearing No. 4 but with a roster, dated March 27, noting Kingman would wear 26 once the season began. Adding to this confusion were photos of Rusty Staub also wearing 4 -- but they dated to 1974. Staub that spring was wearing 10 for the first time -- he'd ditched 4 after Duffy Dyer was traded that winter.

Now things get really weird. When that 1975 season finally began, it was April 8, a Tuesday day game against the Phillies -- 33 years ago today. I was at Shea with my Dad, and Kingman hit a home run. We won 2-1 that day as Seaver outdueled Carlton.

Tonight I learned that today's disappointing home opener against the Phillies was attended by Dave Kingman.

I don't know what it means either. 

 * Before today's game, Matt Wise was placed on the disabled list with a stiff forearm. The surprise recallee, Carlos Muniz, pitched this after noon wearing No. 32. Muniz wore 38 last year before Wise arrived this winter.

Leave it Yankee fans to find a way to interrupt my schafenfreude. After the Mets were rained out last night, I listened in with sick delight as the Rays dismantled the Yankees, 13-4. The beatdown was highlighted by a 6-run outburst against LaTroy Hawkins, the newly acquired veteran reliever off to a rotten start with the Yankees.

There's not a true Met fan out there who didn't chuckle to themselves when the Yanks made that acquisition, by the way. Hawkins was the pitcher who surrendered a 3-run, 9th-inning, game-tying bomb to Victor Diaz in the final week of the 2004 season, in a game that ultimately obliterated the Cubs' run for the playoffs and provided about the only Mets' highlight of that entire miserable year.

But back to last night. Yankee fans being Yankee fans, it's not enough for them to be disgusted with, and unsupportive of, their players while they struggle. No, they have to hate Hawkins on a level beyond that for having the temerity to struggle while wearing (hush now) Paul O'Neill's venerated No. 21. So while Hawkins was out there scuffling last night, he did so to a chorus of unsportsmanlike "Paul O'Neill!" chants.

Mets fans, don't act like that.

Never mind the fact that Hawkins explained he's wearing the number in honor of Roberto Clemente. That in itself ought to be reason enough to leave his choice alone. But somehow the Yankees and their fans have allowed the whole idea of re-issuing popular players' numbers to become an affront to the former player's dignity and an invitation to their fans to act disgracefully. The Yankees' organizational habit of dubiously retiring numbers (Howard, Maris, and Jackson to name three) no doubt has conditioned fans to sniff out disrepect behind innocunous or even well-intentioned re-issues, while demanding they honor any or every pretty good but not great player who came through the organization and was fortunate enough to be a part of a championship team.

DISCLAIMER: Not all Yankee fans are like the guy above. Many don't smoke. 

* The Mets' rain-out last night sets up a delicious Santana-Glavine matchup for Sunday's game, which we'll be watching at Stout NYC (133 W. 33rd St.) for the Mets by the Numbers launch/viewing party. I'm told SNY's Mets Weekly crew may be on hand. Hope to see you there too!

* I'll be warming up for that event with a talk and book signing today (Saturday) at Barnes & Noble in Bayside, 3 p.m.

Just as expected, Pedro Martinez's strained hammy landed him on the disabled list today. He's expected to return in 4-to-6 weeks, or months, or whatever, and Nelson Figueroa was recalled from New Orleans to take his spot on the roster.

What was unexpected was seeing Figueroa try out the No. 27 jersey so soon by throwing a pressure-free scoreless seventh inning in a 13-0 laugher over the hapless Marlins: A game providing much needed relief from the black mood I walked around in all day considering Tuesday's debacle. The Mets emptied the bench of all but Raul Casanova, including the season debuts of Damian Easley and Brady Clark, and pitchers Pedro Feliciano and Billy Wagner.

The first shots of Figueroa in the bullpen also confirmed Mean Gene's remark in the comments section the other day that catching instructor Sandy Alomar Jr. had switched from the 90 he wore in spring training to 58. This was despite the opening ceremonies annoucing him in 90.

Don't forget the Mets by the Numbers book talk and signing at Barnes & Noble in Bayside 3 p.m. Saturday and the launch party at STOUT NYC this Sunday at 1 p.m. Hope to meet you there.