Where Have All The Shea Stadium Players Gone?

Since late July, the Mets have parted ways with several players.  First, it was Carlos Beltran leaving his heart in New York to go to San Francisco.  Then Jose Reyes decided to take the money and run the basepaths in Miami.  Soon after, Angel Pagan flapped his wings to the Bay Area.  Even Nick Evans took the job security by signing in Pittsburgh.

What do all these players have in common, including the too-good-for-Triple-A, too-blah-for-the-major-leagues Nick Evans?  All four of them played for the Mets at Shea Stadium.

With the departure of Beltran, Reyes, Pagan and Evans, the Mets are now left with only six players who played home games at Shea Stadium.  The current longest tenured Met, David Wright, played his first five seasons at Shea.  Meanwhile, Mike Pelfrey came aboard for cups of coffee in 2006 and 2007, followed by his first full season during Shea's last year.

The short list of Shea players also includes Johan Santana, Daniel Murphy, Jonathon Niese and Bobby Parnell.  All four made it just in time for Shea's farewell season, but only Santana was on the team for the entire season.  Murphy played his first game at Shea in August 2008, while Niese waited until mid-September and Parnell almost didn't make it in time, not appearing in a game at Shea until the ballpark's final homestand.

There was once another New York team whose stadium was razed.  You might have heard about them.  They played their home games at 55 Sullivan Place.  Still doesn't ring a bell?  Well, I'm sure the patriarch of the Wilpon family will be more than happy to tell you about them in great detail.

Forget "Where's Waldo?".  Let's play "Where's Wilpon?".  You know he's somewhere in this photo.

In 1957, the Brooklyn Dodgers left Kings County to move to Los Angeles.  As late as 1966, there were still five players who played home games at Ebbets Field toiling for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Those players (Jim Gilliam, John Roseboro, Don Drysdale, Johnny Podres and some guy named Koufax) all remained with the team long after they switched coasts, with Roseboro remaining a Dodger until 1967 and Drysdale playing his final game in Los Angeles in 1969.

In addition, one former Brooklyn Dodger was still playing in the major leagues into the 1970s, finishing his career as a New York Met.  Bob Aspromonte played one game for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956, then returned to the Dodgers for parts of two seasons in 1960 and 1961.  In 1971, he became the last former Brooklyn Dodger to play in the major leagues, playing 104 games at third base for the Mets.

Although Bob Aspromonte might be the answer to the trivia question, "who was the final Brooklyn Dodger to play in the major leagues?", to Mets fans, he's known as one of the reasons the team felt the need to trade away Nolan Ryan.

Aspromonte's poor season at the plate in 1971 (.225, 5 HR, 33 RBI), along with the lack of development by third-year player Wayne Garrett, led the Mets to search elsewhere for a third baseman who could hit for average and power.  Their search ended with shortstop (not third baseman) Jim Fregosi, at the cost of Nolan Ryan.  Fregosi's time as a productive hitter pretty much ended there as well, as did the career of the last Brooklyn Dodger.

Johan Santana was the last Mets pitcher to record a win at Shea Stadium.  Now he's left to wonder if he'll also be the final current Met to have played his home games there.

With his recent injury history, Johan Santana is doubtful to be a Met after his current contract expires in 2013 (although there is a club option for 2014).  Similarly, David Wright is only under team control until next year.  If Mike Pelfrey doesn't return to form, he might be writing his ticket out of New York as well.

Do you see where this is going?  There is a real possibility that within six or seven years of Shea Stadium's final game, there might be no one left on the Mets who could say they were there when we all Shea'd Goodbye.

Nearly a decade after Ebbets Field closed for good, several former Brooklyn players still had "Dodgers" emblazoned on their chests.  Less than half a decade after Shea shut down, the number of players who could call it home is dwindling to a precious few.

Where have all the Shea Stadium players gone?  If things don't change, there will be none left very soon.

The K-Rod Deal: Rejected Players To Be Named Later

Yesterday, we speculated about who the two players to be named later would be in the deal that sent Francisco Rodriguez to the Milwaukee Brewers. From Bernie Brewer to Rollie Fingers’ mustache and everyone in between, we pondered whether or not each candidate would be a good choice for the team.

As of today, the Mets have not made their decision public as to who’s coming to New York from Milwaukee. But Studious Metsimus has learned who’s NOT coming to Citi Field. In addition, we have determined why these potential trades, all of which were discussed, did not become a reality. Some may disappoint you, some may shock you, while some may cause you to say “I’ll have what he’s having”.

Regardless of what you may think, you won’t have to worry about seeing the following people, places and things at Citi Field anytime soon. Here are the failed trades, in no particular order:


Wiener & Sausage From The Sausage Race

Middle of the inning races. Washington has the Presidents Race. Pittsburgh has the Pierogies Race. Even Texas has a person in a huge Nolan Ryan costume racing against American historical figures such as Davy Crockett and Sam Houston. But perhaps the most well-known race is the Sausage Race in Milwaukee.

The Brewers would have sent the duo of Wiener & Sausage to the Mets for K-Rod so that the Mets could have their own race between innings, but the Mets declined. Apparently, the Mets scoffed at the deal when the Brewers suggested they create a larger-than-life costume of the beloved R.A. Dickey to be worn by a third participant in the race. The reason for the scoff? Because that would create a race between a Dickey, a Wiener and a Sausage.


Arthur Fonzarelli

Although it was tough to turn down a deal for the Fonz (especially since the Mets already had success with another Fonz in Edgardo Alfonzo), the Mets felt that the acquisition would not have brought Happy Days to Citi Field, especially since the Brewers insisted that the Mets take their DVD set of “Joanie Loves Chachi: The Complete Series” as part of the deal. An anonymous source with knowledge of the failed trade overheard the Mets claiming that the deal jumped the shark at that point.




Arnold’s Drive-In

Once the trade for the Fonz fell through, the Brewers tried to package a deal around Arnold's Drive-In, the ‘50s-style joint frequented by such notable Milwaukee residents such as Richie Cunningham, Potsie Weber and Ralph Malph. Arnold’s would have joined famed Citi Field eateries Shake Shack, Blue Smoke, Box Frites and El Verano Taqueria and given fans a place other than McFadden’s to enjoy a game when they didn’t want to be allowed back into the park.

Before Sandy Alderson could make a decision whether or not to accept the deal, Mets’ chief cook and bottle washer Fred Wilpon vetoed the trade, saying the Mets should also get Arnold himself as part of the deal. Brewers’ ownership didn’t have the heart to tell Wilpon that Pat Morita had died years ago.


Cheeseheads

A group of Cheeseheads was also offered to the Mets for Francisco Rodriguez, which initially appealed to Sandy Alderson. The thought of having a boisterous, loyal group of people in the stands at Citi Field instead of the fickle fans who frequent it today was hard to turn down. However, Alderson thought of the long-term ramifications of this potential trade and decided against pulling the trigger on the deal. Being as media-savvy as he is, he did not want to be cornered into keeping the Cheeseheads around if they spoiled. He knew that if he had to give them their unconditional release, the following day’s headlines would announce to Mets fans that “Sandy Alderson Cut The Cheese”.


Brett Favre

Speaking of Cheeseheads, as a last-ditch effort, the Brewers attempted to send local hero (until he retired for the umpteenth time and decided to play for the Jets and the hated Vikings) Brett Favre to the Mets. Do we really need to go there again? Granted, he’d probably have the best arm on the staff, but instead of throwing on the side between starts, he’d probably spend that time sending Anna Benson suggestive texts. Plus, he’d never retire. Ever. He’d fester like Oliver Perez did for the past two years. Thanks, but no thanks.



Be happy you didn’t get any of the above in the K-Rod trade. Sandy Alderson knows what he’s doing and knows who wouldn’t be a good fit on the Mets. He’s shown that he has the long-term interests of the Mets in mind when he makes or doesn’t make a deal. He’s not like Omar Minaya, who would have either:

• a) Not traded K-Rod at all, or

• 2) Traded him for two guys who were once quite popular in Milwaukee, but are now past their prime. That’s right, Mets fans. I’m talking about Lenny & Squiggy.

It could have been worse. Omar Minaya could have settled for the Big Ragu instead of Lenny and Squiggy.

Someday soon, we’ll know the identities of the players to be named later in the Francisco Rodriguez trade. Until then, we’ll be treated to the closer committee of Jason Isringhausen, Pedro Beato and Bobby Parnell trying to throw his 100 MPH fastball past the National League’s best hitters (and Jimmy Rollins).

For now, K-Rod is in Milwaukee, the Mets are trying to compete for the National League wild card and Joanie Loves Chachi is still one of the worst spinoffs in television history. Yup, everything seems right to me.

The Kids Are All Right

This year's Mets team has been a pleasant surprise, going 45-42 with makeshift lineups and a lack of star power. They have performed above everyone's expectations, despite a slow start and injuries to their corner infielders and ace pitcher. The Mets are proving that the best teams aren't always the ones with a roster full of overpaid superstars (see New York Mets, 2007-2010). In fact, sometimes all a team needs is a young group of players with the hunger and desire to succeed.

Daniel Murphy, Jonathon Niese, Dillon Gee, Bobby Parnell, Justin Turner and Ruben Tejada were all supposed to be bit players on the Mets in 2011. Other than Niese, none of the players listed above was guaranteed a spot on the 25-man roster, with some of them opening the season at AAA-Buffalo. But through injuries and Terry Collins' desire to give his young players a chance, all have been instrumental in the team's success over the first half of the season.

Who would have thought that Daniel Murphy and Justin Turner would lead the Mets' infielders in RBI?

Daniel Murphy has kept his average around .300, while collecting his share of extra-base hits and clutch hits. His 17 doubles rank third on the team, while his .350 batting average with runners in scoring position have helped him collect 35 RBI, good for second on the team behind Carlos Beltran.

Jonathon Niese has continued his development from fringe pitcher to top of the rotation starter. He leads the team with 92 strikeouts and is tied for the team lead in wins with eight. Since starting the season slowly with a 1-4 record, Niese has gone 7-3 and has a 2.73 ERA over his last ten starts.

Dillon Gee went from Buffalo to near All-Star. He won his first seven decisions this season and is currently tied for the team lead in wins. His .800 winning percentage is tied for the National League lead with the Braves' Jair Jurrjens, a pitcher Gee defeated in their head-to-head matchup on June 4. He is also the hardest pitcher to hit in the Mets' starting rotation, allowing a .222 batting average to opposing hitters. As a result, the Mets are 11-2 in Gee's 13 starts.

Bobby Parnell has been an on-again, off-again pitcher since making his major league debut in 2008, but since returning from AAA-Buffalo in late May, he has been constantly in "on" mode. Parnell is the owner of a 0.96 ERA over his last 16 appearances and has held opposing hitters to a .200/.241/.218 mark in average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, respectively, since the beginning of June. He has also become a strikeout machine, averaging 11.0 strikeouts per nine innings, after averaging 7.7 K/9 innings from 2008-2010.

Bobby Parnell, future closer? For now, he's an outstanding set-up man.

It's a fact that no one saw Justin Turner coming, but once he arrived, he made his presence felt, setting Mets rookie records in consecutive games with an RBI and consecutive games reaching base. He has also been the team's best hitter with runners in scoring position, batting .386 in such spots. As a result, he sits just one RBI behind Daniel Murphy for second place on the team despite having only played in 57 games.

Ruben Tejada was supposed to be the kid with the slick glove who wasn't supposed to do much with the bat. But in addition to his fielding prowess, his offense has been a pleasant surprise. In 44 games hitting mostly in the eighth spot in the batting order, Tejada has collected 18 RBI, the result of a .314 batting average with runners in scoring position and a .318 average with men on base. Also, unlike most free-swinging young players, the 21-year-old Tejada has made excellent contact this season, striking out only 25 times.

All of these players have given the Mets significant contributions this season despite lacking the experience that their higher paid colleagues possess. In addition to their mutual success, there is one other important feature shared by all six players. None of them is older than 26 years of age. Therefore, they all stand to have long careers in the major leagues should they continue to build on their achievements.

Hakuna Tejada! He's not "lion" down on the job. He's just playing his game.

There was a time when “the kids” meant Jose Reyes, David Wright and no one else. The team didn’t develop their own players, preferring to sign or trade for 30-something players like Pedro Martinez, Carlos Delgado, Billy Wagner, Orlando “The Dookie” Hernandez, Moises Alou and Luis Castillo, rather than giving their young players a chance. Many of those veteran players performed well at the start of their careers in New York, but broke down long before they played their last games for the Mets.

The 2011 Mets have not lived by this mantra, giving players such as Daniel Murphy, Jonathon Niese, Dillon Gee, Bobby Parnell, Justin Turner and Ruben Tejada the opportunity to succeed at the major league level. Their success has translated into more wins for the Mets and the hope for meaningful games in the second half of the season, something that hasn’t been seen since the Mets moved across the parking lot into Citi Field.

Sure, having veteran leadership is always important, but how can those veterans lead when they can’t withstand the rigors of a 162-game season? The current Mets are better suited to play the entire season and are showing that they deserve to play. Before too long, there will come a day when Murphy, Niese, Gee, et al. are going to be the veterans that the next generation of players will be looking up to for leadership. It’s good to know that the 2011 Mets are getting the on-the-job training that will lead to success for this generation and future generations of Mets players.