Tag Archive for Gustavo Molina

Have a Very Mookie Christmas…

December 24, 2008 Uncategorized One comment

… and a Huskey New Year!

* Two of the four wearers of the No. 6 jersey last year, Gustavo Molina and Trot Nixon, have signed minor league deals with other clubs. Washington inked Molina last week, while Nixon will try and make it as a walk-on with Milwaukee. And you can add Abraham Nunez to the list of those we won’t likely see again (has ever there been a more pointless Met?), leaving only Nick Evans as a survivor — and not a sure one at that.

* Derek Lowe? Wore 32 with the Red Sox and 23 with the Dodgers. Carlos Muniz has appeared intermittentlkt in 32 over the last two seasons. 23 belongs to Brian Schneider whom I still think may not come back.

* Sure, the Yankees are creeps for signing a bunch of $20 million players this winter but before we hand over the division let’s not forget Sabathia only replaces Mussina, who had an excellent year last year; Texiera replaces Giambi who was pretty good too, and Burnett’s an unreliable douche. For a third place team, the Yankees are trying awful hard.

* Manny? Maybe?

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Billy Won’t Be A Hero

September 9, 2008 Uncategorized No comments

It should come as no surprise to regular readers that I’m rather indifferent to the news that Billy Wagner will miss the remainder of this season, and all of next, with elbow surgery. You needn’t twist my arm to convince me that having a healthy Wagner is better than not, especially as we reach the homestretch with a 1.5 game lead, but I certainly have enjoyed seeing the team rally around this supposed weakness and the results (22-11 since his assignment to the disabled list Aug. 2) say we’ll be just fine. To be perfectly honest I dreaded the alternative of Wagner’s return this week every bit as much as I bemoan the fact that he’s not coming back. It’s forced everyone to sack up a little and revealed potential heroes like Luis Ayala and Brian Stokes. Even Pedro Feliciano has performed in ways that don’t make me want to strangle him lately.

I’m less convinced this event teaches the Mets anything, even if it would be cool if it did. They blamed the strategy, not the injury, when Braden Looper didn’t work out: Wagner wouldn’t have been here otherwise. As for Wagner, while I respect his ability and will to win, I always felt he was here for Wagner more than he was for me. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But by the point in his career he arrived in New York, he was as much about burnishing his stats and Q rating for what looked to be shaping up as an interesting Hall of Fame debate, than he was about being a Met. A big contract with an ironclad no-trade clause took that worry off his mind and allowed him to speak maybe too freely of his teammates and management.

 

* * *

29One thing I forgot to mention while recounting the new arrivals and their uni numbers was this weird factoid: Gustavo Molina‘s return represents a fifth issue of the No. 29 jersey this year. It started on the back of Jorge Sosa who was released in May. In June, it went to Chris Aguila, then to Andy Phillips as he flipped in and flopped out. Aguila took it back again in July for a second visit, and here it is back with Molina.

Wanna see a Mets game before they tear down Big Shea? Matt Silverman says he still has a few leftover tixx for the Sept.24 game in the Picnic Area. Contact Matt and join a distinguished group of diehards. Who knows? We could clinch that day. Maybe.

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Ten Men In

September 1, 2008 Uncategorized One comment

OK, ran the below quiz all goofy. Here thanks to reader input are the official numbers of the new arrivals:

4 Argenis Reyes, INF

9 Marlon Anderson, UT

22 Ramon Martinez, INF

29 Gustavo Molina, C

32 Carlos Muniz, RHP

36 Al Reyes, RHP

39 Bobby Parnell, RHP

44 Brandon Knight, RHP

49 Jon Niese, LHP

73 Ricardo Rincon, LHP

Brandon Knight, who was 28 last time around, has switched to No. 44, even though an argument could be made for 22. Gustavo Molina also arrives in a new number; he was 6 when he showed up last. The 49 of Niese and 36 of Al Reyes represent uniforms available as the result of Ruddy Lugo and Willie Collazo being dropped from the 40-man roster, respectively. The recall of Muniz is his fifth this year (to accompany 4 demotions).

Welcome aboardick!

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Nine Men In (updated)

August 31, 2008 Uncategorized No comments

Thanks to Gene for the title and inspiration: The Mets on Monday are expected to activate nine and/or returning new players as rosters expand. Below are my predictions for their unis. Be like Gene, hurry and make yours before gametime Monday!

Player ActualPredictedNumber Notes
Jon Niese, LHP 62 47 49
 I love this call Shades of Humber
Bobby Parnell, RHP 39 His number throughout the minors. Guessed right!
Ricardo Rincon, LHP 73 That’s his number… and still is
Al Reyes, RHP 44 29 36 Got some personality
Carlos Muniz, RHP 32 His number previously
Gustavo Molina, C 30 12 29
 Glavine and now Willie. We really are moving on Oh well
Ramon Martinez, INF 16 22
 I barely knew we had this guy
Argenis Reyes, INF 4 Right where we left off
Marlon Anderson, UT 18 9 My mistake!

 

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Sons of Jim Marshall

April 24, 2008 Uncategorized No comments

Another injury to Brian Schneider this afternoon required the Mets to reach down to AAA and recall catcher Gustavo Molina, dressing him, appropriately enough, in No. 6. Brady Clark, who passed through undistinguishedly wearing No. 15 in 2004, may see his run in No. 44 this year similarly brief and forgettable: He was designated for assignment to make room for Molina (pictured at left thanks to MBTN reader Gordon).

As readers of this site know well, no number in Mets history has been issued as often as No. 6. Molina, if and when he makes his official Mets debut, would be the number’s 34th occupant and the first since Ruben Gotay, who was designated for assignment and claimed by the Braves shortly before the season began. No. 6’s colorful and scrubbily insignificant history includes three issues in the team’s maiden season of 1962 (Jim Marshall, Cliff Cook and Rick Herrscher); three issues in 1990 (Mike Marshall, Alex Trevino, Darren Reed) and a mind-boggling four giveaways in 2004 (Ricky Gutierrez, Gerald Williams, Tom Wilson and Jeff Keppinger).

Even the number’s longest-term occupants (Al Weis and Wally Backman) owned reputations as guys who overachieved their way to prominence: Weis was a light-hitting backup infielder for the 1969ers who masde a strong case to be MVP of the 1969 World Series; Backman, of course, overcame doubts early in his career and the need for a platoonmate throughout it, to carve out a nine-season run in No. 6 on pure grit.

Below is a list of the most popular issues in Met jersey history through April 25 2008, and including Molina:

No.       No. of Players to wear it          Notes

6          34         Issued a team-record four times in 2004.

34         30         Longest tenure: Danny Frisella (1970-72).

17         30         20 position players; 10 pitchers.

19         28        Current occupant: Ryan Church

35         28         Longest tenure: Rick Reed (5 years).

38         27         12 players in 9 years between Roger Craig (1963) and Buzz Capra (1971)

11         27         26 position players, 1 pitcher.

33         27         14 pitchers; 13 position players.

43         26         Issued twice in ’66, ’97, ’98 and ‘02

26         26         One All-Star starter: Dave Kingman (1976)

29         26         Best player to wear it gave it up too soon: Ken Singleton

1          25         Everyone wants to be No. 1; most should think twice

 

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