Mets Walk-Offs And Minutiae

It's a good thing those 3-way rumors between the Mets/Dodgers/Red Sox involving Tom Seaver, Don Sutton, and Jim Rice, never came to anything. Otherwise, the Mets may never have won the 1986 World Series. Jim Rice, a legit inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame played a significant role in Mets history, albeit one overlooked because of the actions of others. Rice went 9-for-27 with 6 walks and 6 runs scored in his only World Series appearance. But most significant were his 0 RBI, and the runs he didn't score. The Red Sox scored five runs in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. If Rice was a little faster, they might have scored seven. Rice had two chances to add to the Red Sox tally on a day in which he went 0-for-5. His first inning walk put runners on first and second with two outs. On a 1-1 pitch, Dwight Evans launched a double to left center field, plating the first run for Boston. Rice held at third after Len Dykstra played the carom off the fence perfectly. Rich Gedman flied ...

Rickey Henderson's longevity was such that he faced both Tom Seaver and Johan Santana. That's a pretty amazing link from Mets past to Mets present. Rickey Henderson Career vs... Tom Seaver: 4-for-19, 2 RBI, 3 K Johan Santana: 2-for-6, 3 RBI, 2 K Henderson didn't face either in their prime, and it's interesting to see what those battles would have been like. His meetings with Seaver came when he was a prime pup and Seaver was grizzled, and nearing the end. His meetings with Santana came while the youngster was still finding what worked and what didn't. The most significant date on which Seaver and Henderson went head-to-head was August 4, 1985. This was the day in which Seaver won his 300th game, a complete-game six-hitter in a 4-1 victory at Yankee Stadium. You could make the argument that the biggest key to this win was that Seaver kept Henderson, who was hitting .353 entering the game, off the bases. Henderson popped out to lead off the game, grounded out twice, a...

The last time someone pitched a perfect game in the majors was the day that Twins starter Johan Santana's 20-start unbeaten streak came to an end against the Blue Jays. And the Mets got themselves a walk-off win. May 18, 2004 was a pretty good baseball day even without Johnson's perfect game. From a Mets fan's perspective, there was perfection too. The Mets won, and the Yankees lost. The 5-4 victory over the Cardinals was probably the most dramatic walk-off win of the Art Howe era (error?). The hosts bailed starter Tom Glavine out of a 4-1 hole, but it wasn't easy. They scored twice in the sixth to cut the lead to 4-3, but didn't tally again until the last possible moment. A key double play in the ninth (on Marlon Anderson's bunt attempt) begun by catcher Jason Phillips, kept the score within reach. The bottom of the 9th of this game ran concurrent to Johnson's efforts against the Braves. Walks to Mike Cameron and Karim Garcia gave the Mets a two-on, one-out...

"When they put his numbers on the scoreboard (8.16 ERA, 21 walks in 28 innings), I figured we were off to the races..." "When I saw him come out of the bullpen that early, to be honest, I thought, `We're in trouble." Those were the words of Astros manager Larry Dierker and Twins outfielder Matt Lawton to newspaper reporters from the likes of the Houston Chronicle , the St. Paul Pioneer Press , and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune , after their respective teams played a game against each other June 6, 2000. But this wasn't just any game. It was the first major league win for Johan Santana. Yes, those were Santana's numbers when he entered in the third inning in relief of Eric Milton, who was pulled from a scoreless game after being hit with a line drive. And that was Santana whom Lawton was referring to with those comments. Santana had pitched in nine major league games to that point, none of which his team, the Twins, had won. Used most recently in games whi...

Working on some long-term projects today, but I'll leave you with this note. The Mets are perilously close to being shut out walk-off wise in the months of June and July. They haven't gone walk-off free in those months since the strike season of 1994. The last non-strike season in which the Mets went without a walk-off in June/July was in 1985.

The Mets have never had a walk-off win on July 21st, but that date has had an unusual share of metmorable events, both for good and for bad. On July 21, 1965, Al Jackson took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before it was broken up with one out by future Hall of Famer Willie Stargell. On July 21, 1972, Willie Mays homered in his return to San Francisco as a Met. On July 21, 1975, Joe Torre hit into four double plays in a 4-2 loss to the Astros. ("Tom Seaver said he'd hide me in his trunk to get me out of here," Torre said to reporters afterwards.) Of greater recency, it's the anniversary of a 12-0 pasting of Jake Peavy (2005) and John Maine's first career shutout (2006). July 21 also marks the date of one of the most unusual wins in Mets history, a 3-0 road victory over the Padres in 1970. What was odd about this victory was that it came in a game in which the Mets were being no-hit for the first eight innings. In fact, the Padres pitcher, Clay Kirby, left with ...

A year ago, on the 50th anniversary of NASA, I wrote about the Mets win on the day of the moon landing. http://www.metswalkoffs.com/2008/07/moon-shots.html So I need a new hook for today... There seems to be entertainment in the story of Greg "Moon Man" Minton, so we'll venture in that direction. Turns out, according to his bio on baseball-reference, that Minton earned his nickname after getting sunburned while playing for a minor league team in Phoenix. His manager, Rocky Bridges, said Minton's body had more craters than the Moon. Moon Man's baseball claim to fame is that he once went 269 innings between allowing home runs. Then, he allowed two within a one-week span while with the Giants. Both came against the Mets. John Stearns hit the first, and it came with some controversy, in Game 1 of a doubleheader on May 2, 1982. Instead of being a three-run game-tying home run in the eighth, it was a two-run shot that left the Mets a run short (thanks to an ump's di...

In Boston, they refer to the game of May 13, 2007 as "The Mother's Day Miracle." The Red Sox were trailing the Orioles, 5-0 in the ninth inning, and were being three-hit by Jeremy Guthrie. Julio Lugo led off the ninth and grounded out. Coco Crisp followed by popping up to the catcher. Or not. Ramon Hernandez muffed the ball, allowing Crisp to reach first base. For some reason, that resulted in Guthrie's removal, in favor of Danys Baez, despite Guthrie having thrown only 91 pitches. David Ortiz doubled to center on Baez's second pitch, scoring Crisp. Wily Mo Pena singled, advancing Ortiz to third. With the outcome having gotten slightly more dicey, Baez was pulled for Orioles closer Chris Ray. That didn't work either. Ray walked both J.D. Drew and Kevin Youkilis, forcing in a run to make it a 5-2 game. With the bases loaded, Jason Varitek lined a double to right center. Two more runs scored and the tying run, Youkilis, went to third base. Now it was 5-4, Oriole...

So this is what it's come to, celebrating the arrival of mediocre, journeymen has-beens (whatever happened to Wilson Valdez?). If we must, we must. Angel Berroa beat the Mets with a walk-off hit once, something of which I have no recollection. The game took place on June 12, 2004 and the Mets were in the midst of a 5-game losing streak. This was one that would have fit in well in 2009. A 2-0 Mets lead disappeared when Berroa hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning against Al Leiter. In the seventh, Leiter found success against Berroa, getting him to pop out to help escape a runner on third, one-out jam. The Royals took the lead in the home eighth when Carlos Beltran singled, stole second (Joe McEwing failed to get down a tag) and scored on Mike Sweeney's hit off David Weathers. The Mets tied the game in the ninth on Todd Zeile's RBI double, but Zeile would get doubled off second on Kaz Matsui's fly out to end the inning. Zeile evidently was at home plate when the dou...

Continuing Monday's list of the most notable plays at the plate in Mets history September 20, 1973 We've referenced "Ball on the Wall" many times in our writings here, and I strongly suggest you check out some of what we've done on the subject that was a vital game between the Mets and Pirates. The moment of moments took place in the top of the 13th when Pirate Richie Zisk was thrown out by Mets left fielder Cleon Jones trying to score on what he had to have thought was a sure-thing home run to left field by Dave Augustine. Imagine his shock to learn that the ball hit the fence, caromed to Jones, and with a perfect relay throw to home plate, Zisk was toast. I've read a good number of accounts on what took place on that play, but Jones' account, as featured in the next day's pages of the Bucks County Courier Times, trumps any I've read. "The ball didn't hit the top of the fence," Jones said. "It hit the corner of the two-by-four, ...

Their success on Sunday notwithstanding, the Mets have struggled to hit home runs throughout 2009. So, rather than partake in chatter related to Monday's Home Run Derby, I thought I'd create my own little project. I call it the Run Home Derby. I took about a week to compile the most memorable plays at the plate in Mets history, IE: instances in which someone was indulging in a different kind of home run. The play could be by a Met, as was the case in a couple of instances, or against the Mets, which make up a significant portion of the listings. For those who like the "Best Games I Know" series, think of this as the "Best Plays I Know." They are listed chronologically, beginning with those from the 1960s, and I encourage you to submit any I may have omitted. April 15, 1965 The Karate Kid had a winning maneuver called "The Crane." The Mets, on this date, had one called "The Krane." In the second inning of their meeting with the Astros, the...

My take on the Francoeur trade? I'm ok with it. A colleague told me he thought Ryan Church maxxed out, and comped him with Todd Hollandsworth. And I'd have traded Todd Hollandsworth for Jeff Francoeur without any hestitation. I love the walk-off deterrent capabilities of Francoeur's throwing arm (unnoticed this season is how much opposing teams have run on the Mets) and that alone is probably worth more runs per year than we know. I like that we took someone who usually hurts us and brought him on our side (can we do the same for Brandon Phillips?) I like that he's a good, positive guy, though he's probably gonna be a bit shellshocked when he checks out the deader-than-dead atmosphere on Saturday night. I like that he's only 25, and he's a couple years away from free agency. I like that he's got two career walk-off home runs, including one off "The Hat" (Chad Cordero, for those unfamiliar). What makes me a little skittish? Well, that's most...

You probably know about the Tom Seaver connection to July 9. Or you'll read about it somewhere. But July 9 is important for other reasons in Mets history... For Ya Gotta Believe... http://www.metswalkoffs.com/2009/05/believing-in-myself.html For Marathon Men http://www.metswalkoffs.com/2007/07/queens-are-flushing.html And For Coming Back From Injury http://www.metswalkoffs.com/2006/02/doubting-thomas.html Enjoy the flashbacks. Working on some other projects and enjoying the miracle that was "Ball on the Base."

Dodgers skipper Joe Torre is closing in on 100 regular-season wins against the Mets. He entered the series with 98. If you're compiling a list of the grimmest innings in Mets history (and we've had our share in 2009), the 2nd inning from Torre's first win against them would rank high on the list. The date was May 25, 1982. Mike Scott was pitching for the Mets and this was in his pre-splitter days, so he was very hittable. Scott's best days were a few years ahead. This would be one of his worst. Here's how Scott's second inning went. Home Run Single Triple Sac Fly Double Single Double Just for good measure, Scott was replaced here by Tom Hausman. The first batter Hausman faced homered. The damage amounted to eight runs, nine hits, an error, and three men left on base, and the final score was Braves 10, Mets 2. The New York Times noted it was the biggest Braves inning against the Mets since 1966, when they scored eight runs in the third inning of a 17-1 win. To ...

Al Jackson was 43-80 with a 4.26 ERA and his reward for pitching for the 1962 Mets was a 9-game stint with the 1969 club. Darrin Jackson hit .195 in 87 at-bats for the 1993 Mets. The first 11 games in which he played, the Mets lost. Roy Lee Jackson was 2-9 in 40 appearances for the 1977-1980 Mets. His highlight was a 12-strikeout complete game in Cincinnati for his final Mets win. Jackson Todd is a cancer survivor who went 3-6 for the 1977 Mets. That May 22, he beat the Reds in relief, a stint that included a bases-loaded escape, and the retiring of Pete Rose twice. Reginald C. Jackson went 9-8 for the 1983 Lynchburg Mets, a Class-A team whose roster included Dwight Gooden and Lenny Dykstra.

Tuesday is the 45th anniversary of the last walk-off home run in an All-Star Game (Johnny Callison). I would like to see another one. Therefore, I would call upon the good folks at Major League Baseball to make Manny Ramirez the injury-replacement selection for Carlos Beltran. In other words, let Manny be Manny. I realize this would be somewhat unpopular, and from a moral standpoint, I'm opposed, but I think it's a logical decision given the circumstances. The National League has not won an All-Star Game since 1996. The National League gets pummeled in interleague play every year. They need to do something to change the mojo. The last time an NL team had home-field advantage in the World Series was in 2001. Think the Diamondbacks win Game 7 (reminder: it was a walk-off) if they're in Yankee Stadium? I don't. I root for a National League team. If that team makes the World Series (ha!), I'd like it to have home-field advantage. And I'm willing to be a sellout to m...

The 2009 Mets are 39-42 through their first 81 games. They're halfway home. * The only other Mets team to start 39-42: The 1980 Mets. (final record 67-95) * The 2008 Mets were 1 game better (40-41). That's ok. These Mets are used to being 1 game behind. * The 39 is almost halfway between the best (56 in 1986) and worst (23 in 1962, 1964) midpoint win totals in Mets history. * The 1973 Mets started 35-46. They won the NL East and got to Game 7 of the World Series. * Of the Mets teams with 39 wins or less at the season's midpoint, the only ones to finish with a winning record were the 1973 and 2001 teams. * The 1969 Mets fared best over their final 81 games, going 53-28, one win better than the 1985 and 1986 teams. * To get to 90 wins, the current Mets need to go 51-30 (a 102-win pace). Only 4 Mets teams have played at that pace over the second half of the season- the previously mentioned 1969, 1985, and 1986 teams, and the 1999 squad. * To get to 90 losses, the current Mets ...

OK, so I'm trying out this Twitter thing and looking for my hook. For now, that's gonna be TWIMNOTES. TWIMNOTES, at least for now, will be defined as short-form Met-related nuggets. It may be related to This Date in Mets History, it may be some statistical minutiae that doesn't warrant a full blog, it may be a silly Mets pun, it may be something where I have 2 minutes to write instead of 30, it may be a walk-off alert. I may do one a day. I may do five. Depends on my mood, and if I find that people like them. I won't neglect my blog to do them. Think of them as a healthy, non-steroidal Mets supplement. I'm calling them TWIMNOTES as a tribute to the "TWIB Notes" that ran on This Week in Baseball. Feel free to follow me on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/metswalkoffs .

Charlie Brown: "Why does my team keep losing? Why? Why? Why?" Lucy: "Because we're no good...because we're no good...because we're no good." ------------------ Linus: "I've been going over our team records, Charlie Brown. We lost every game this season." Charlie Brown: "Maybe we're building character." -------------------------------------- Charlie Brown: "All right. Let's get together out there! Let's start calling for those fly balls!" Lucy: "I think maybe perhaps hopefully if everything goes right and nothing unpredictable happens, possibly I got it." Charlie Brown: "That isn't exactly what I meant." ----------------------------------------------- Charlie Brown: "Just look at this will you? Our team isn't ready to start a new season. We're just not ready. Where did the time go? Why does the season have to start so soon?" Linus: "Charlie Brown, our team wouldn...

You can now follow me on Twitter, under the name "Metswalkoffs." A blast from July 4th past can be found here: http://www.metswalkoffs.com/2005/07/fireworks-knight.html