Tag Archive for Endy Chavez

Fernandomania

June 5, 2009 Uncategorized 2 comments

Today the Mets recalled Fernando Nieve from AAA Buffalo to take the place of JJ Putz who finally stopped pretending there wasn’t something wrong with his arm. Nieve has reportedly been assigned No. 38. Nieve wore No. 50 in spring training, but that number went to Sean Green once Green decided he was unworthy of comparisons to Aaron Heilman(how right he was) and swapped in No. 48.

Not to say I told you so but we smelled trouble long before this Putz-Green-Heilman deal ever got done inasmuch as “addition by subtraction” is a concept that works great in opinion columns and talk radio but rarely on the baseball field. I’m not saying that time hadn’t come to swap away Heilman (not to mention Endy Chavez, Joe Smith, Jason Vargas, Makiel Cleto,and Mike Carp) but seeing as we’re looking at a $9 million fat guy having elbow surgery, a righty specialist who’s already lost his job, and a reserve outfielder, this whole deal is looking pretty much like “subtraction by subtraction” so far.

Nieve by the way will be the third Fernando in uniform for the Mets, which has to be some kind of record.

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What in the Name of Ross Gload…

December 10, 2008 Uncategorized One comment

The Mets are expected within the hour to announce their part in a three-team, multiplayer swap meet that will make former Mariners JJ Putz, Sean Green and Jeremy Reed Mets.

If I have this scored right, Aaron Heilman, Endy Chavez and prospect Mike Carp are en route to Seattle and Joe Smith is off to Cleveland, which is collecting various other jetsam from Emerald City. The prize in this deal is Putz, who presumably takes over Heilman’s role in the 8th inning and hopefully doesn’t inherit his demeanor: You know he’s every bit the closer Francisco Rodriguez is. Green is tall right-handed reliever, who’s death on righties, clobbered by lefties and a ground-ball machine a la the departed Bazooka Joe; and Reed, like Chavez when he arrived back in New York, is a faltering one-time leadoff prospect with a noodle bat but good defensive skills.

So with the roles aligned, seems it’s only a matter of having parted with Carp. ( Edited to add, also Jason Vargas and about 50 more low-level prospects too I see now, not sure where they’re off to).

As for the impact on jersey numbers, 48, 35 and 10 are set free. Putz wears No. 20, which is available if coach Howard Johnson gives the OK (he will); Green wore54 (he’ll be dressed in something lower, let’s say 35) and Reed wore 8(uncomfortably unissued now for 8 years). Put Reed in 10, Johnson in 54 and we’ll have ourselves a multiplayer uni-swap as well.

Thanks to all the contributors who kept up to date round the clock on the Rodriguez Jersey Watch — he’s apparently gone with 75 as suspected. A Met first.

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Mets Make History

July 18, 2008 Uncategorized One comment

No they didn’t make it to 11 straight wins but as first pointed out in the comments section below the Mets on Friday ran out an all-odd starting lineup for what we believe to be the first time in their 46-year history.

7 Reyes SS

9 Anderson LF

5 Wright 3B

15 Beltran CF

3 Easley 2B

21 Delgado 1B

17 Tatis RF

23 Schneider C

33 Maine P

They’d been toying with this accomplishment frequently this season, particularly with Alou unavailable, and were heretofore held back mainly by the presence of Endy Chavez in the starting 9 (or starts by Pelfrey or Perez).
Fittingly, this milestone — rarer even than an extra-base hit by Brian Schneider — was achieved only after replacing even manager Willie Randolph with an odd successor in Jerry Manuel.

And with that taken care of, we can focus on regaining first place.

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Oddfellows Local

July 9, 2008 Uncategorized One comment

Sure to be buried in discussion of their second straight shutout, destined to get less attention than two ridiculousy unnecessary and counterproductive sacrifice bunts, and with the Yankees all the way to third place, tough to crack the papers at all, so thought it’d be worth pointing out the fact that tonight’s starting Mets lineup was 8/9ths odd:

7 Jose Reyes, SS
10 Endy Chavez, RF
5 David Wright, 3B
15 Carlos Beltran, CF
3 Damian Easley, 2B
21 Carlos Delgado, 1B
17 Fernando Tatis, LF
11 Ramon Castro, C
57 Johan Santana, P

That’s the oddest lineup I’d come across since we last raised the subject and found an 8-men odd lineup from May 20, 2004:

57 Eric Valent, LF
25 Kaz Matsui, SS
31 Mike Piazza, 1B
43 Shane Spencer, CF
20 Karim Garcia, RF
23 Jason Phillips, C
27 Todd Zeile, 3B
9 Ty Wigginton, 2B
29 Steve Trachsel, P

Oddly enough (get it?!) the right fielder in both lineups provides the only even number.  It’s entirely possible I overlooked an odder starting nine at some point this year — the current personnel leave almost no chance for an even starting squad, but as always if you happen find occurrances such as this — also, all-ascending or all-descending lineups, so rare I’ve found none in 46 years — you know where to send it. Gary Cohen may be aware of the two-sixes controversy, but it’s not like Big Media is on this story yet.

* * *

Roster move: Tony Armas to the disabled list, Carlos Muniz back up again.

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They Deserved It

August 28, 2007 Uncategorized No comments

While everyone’s harping on the bullpen and Willie’s alleged poor management of it, the fact that the Mets have scored only 2 runs in the last three games is the real guilty party. That, and theLuis Castillo-Paul LoDuca screwup. And Aaron Rowand’s good fortune. The bullpen is what it is: Enigmatic, unpredictable, prone to slumps. Teams that don’t score more than 2 runs on the road in 10 innings deserve whatever they get.

The new right fielder, Endy Chavez, did little to change that last night. Endy returned to the Mets and the No. 10 jersey last night for the first time since June, and made a fine catch, but otherwise resembled all the other right fielders recently. Brian Lawrence 54 was designated to make room, leaving Saturday’s starter role currently unfulfilled. The possibilities are many as the calendar will read Sept. 1 by then, though Phillip Humber looks at the moment to have a shot.

Humber you may recall appeared twice in relief last September, wearing No. 49. He’s had a quietly strong season in AAA.

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Alo-Marred

August 26, 2007 Uncategorized No comments

Just asking, but is Sandy Alomar Sr. the world’s worst third-base coach?

Looks like tonight’s big series in Philly will begin with Paul LoDuca 16 back in action and the Son of the World’s Worst Third-Base Coach designated for assignment. That would free up 19 forJeff Conine should he want to wear it. Also look for Endy Chavez 10 to return during this series perhaps taking the place of tonight’s pitcher, Brian Lawrence 54. (pure speculation on my part here). Or wishing. Or whatever.

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Nady, Chavez Swap

February 20, 2006 Uncategorized No comments

22Thanks to MBTN reader Larry for pointing out another switch from Caravan week: Xavier Nady is wearing 22 (his previous number with the Padres) and Endy Chavez is wearing 10, not 22, in contrast to earlier published rosters. Also, Paul of Uni Watch notes the Mets this year are wearing what appear to beaerodynamic, two-tone batting helmets. Quoth Homer: “Mmmmm… speedholes.”

We also found a cool new blog: Getting Paid to Watch, by 1986 Met trainer Bob Sykes,who combines unique perspective on the 1986 Mets along with good writing.

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New Year Updates

January 4, 2006 Uncategorized No comments

Met fans were wondering again today whether Omar Minaya can be trusted at a swap meet, giving up underappreciated starter Jae Seo 26, along with lefty relieverTim Hamulack 46, in a trade for goggle-wearing Duaner Sanchez and his sidearm-throwing teammate, Steve Schmoll, both righthanded relievers for the Dodgers. We wish the best of luck to Seo, whose frequent bobs between New York and Norfolk resulted in three uniform numbers (he also wore 38 and 40). In case you’re also wondering, Sanchez wore No. 50 and Schmoll No. 40 in Chavez Latrine last season.

The Mets also invited veteran second baseman Bret Boone to camp with a minor league deal. Boone was released twice last year but according to Omar “knows how to win,” and will challenge incumbent Kaz Matsui for a job. Boone most often has worn No. 29.

Catching up with more winter moves, the Mets on Dec. 28 agreed to a one-year deal for freaky underhanded relief pitcher Chad Bradford, a hero of Moneyball and most recently, a patient with the Red Sox team doctors. He wore No. 53 for both teams.

On Dec. 23, former Met outfield prospect Endy Chavez was signed to a one-year deal. Chavez woreNo. 19 with Expo-Nationals and 47 when he was traded to Philadelphia late last year.

The Mets also released maddening lefthander Kaz Ishii 23, and invited journeymen Darren Oliver, Jose Parra and Pedro Feliciano to camp. We last saw Parra and Feliciano in Met uniforms 46 and 55, respectively, in 2004 (unless we vacationed in Japan in 2005).

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