I'm Glad For John Franco, But Where's Jesse Orosco?

I’m very happy that John Franco has become the latest member of the Mets’ Hall of Fame.  He is more than deserving of the honor, having pitched 14 seasons with the Mets and becoming the franchise’s all-time saves leader.  However, I am surprised by the fact that Franco was inducted this year, when there is another reliever who’s been waiting longer and is equally, if not more deserving of enshrinement into the team’s hallowed Hall.  My friends, where’s the love for Jesse Orosco?

When John Franco became the Mets’ all-time leader in saves in 1994, he broke Jesse Orosco’s record.  Prior to 1984, when the Mets became a perennial contender, Orosco was the sole bright spot on a last-place team.

In 1983, he went 13-7 with a 1.47 ERA and 17 saves.  He actually led the team in wins that year despite pitching exclusively out of the bullpen.  For his efforts, Orosco made his first All-Star team, finished 3rd in the Cy Young vote and actually finished 17th in MVP despite playing for a 94-loss team.  The following year, Orosco became the first Met to surpass 30 saves in a single season and was voted to his second All-Star team, the first reliever in franchise history to make multiple trips to the Midsummer Classic.  Two years later, Orosco made the final outs (and taught us all how to toss our gloves in the air in celebration properly) in both the NLCS and the World Series.

From 1981-1986, Orosco was 43-36 with a 2.31 ERA and 91 saves.  Think about that for a second.  He had a 2.31 ERA over a six-year span, a period in which he tossed 483.2 innings.  This is not a small sample of innings.  Simply stated, Jesse Orosco was one of the most consistent and effective relievers in Mets history.

It might be said that Franco’s selection was made so that each of the past two Hall of Fame classes wouldn’t focus so much on the 1986 team, what with Davey Johnson, Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden and Frank Cashen getting the call in 2010.  But Mookie Wilson (1996), Keith Hernandez (1997) and Gary Carter (2001) were selected consecutively (no Met was selected from 1998-2000).  Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman were also selected in consecutive years when they got the call in 1988 and 1989, respectively.

If you want to take things a little further, here's another Hall of Fame nugget for you.  Tug McGraw pitched in eight postseason games for the Mets.  In those eight games, he was 1-0 with two saves and a 1.66 ERA.  Jesse Orosco also pitched in eight postseason games as a Met.  In his eight appearances, Orosco went 3-0 with two saves and a 1.97 ERA.  Both McGraw and Orosco played longer for other teams than they did for the Mets (the Tugger pitched ten seasons in Philadelphia, while Orosco pitched for another 16 years with various teams after leaving the Mets) and they both won another World Series elsewhere, with McGraw recording the final out of the Phillies' first-ever title in 1980 and Orosco winning a ring as a member of the 1988 Dodgers.  Of course, Tug McGraw has been in the Mets' Hall of Fame since 1993, while Jesse is still in limbo.

Speaking of the World Series, John Franco was the last Mets pitcher to win a World Series game, as he was given credit for the victory in Game 3 of the 2000 World Series.  Jesse Orosco is the last Mets pitcher to be on the mound when the Mets won a World Series.  There’s a big difference between winning a World Series game and winning a World Series.

Hey, I have no problem with John Franco making it into the Mets’ Hall of Fame and I congratulate him for becoming the 26th Met to receive the honor.  But he shouldn’t have been selected before Jesse Orosco.  Orosco had just as many accomplishments as a Met as Franco did, but he’s been waiting for the Hall honor longer than Franco did.  Hopefully, the Mets will get it right and induct Orosco next year.  He’s sure waited long enough to get that call.

Ten Things You May Have Forgotten About John Franco

Photo courtesy of Associated Press/New York Mets

Earlier today, the Mets announced that John Franco will be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in a ceremony prior to the June 3rd game against the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals.  Franco will become the 26th member of the Mets' Hall of Fame and the first to be inducted since Davey Johnson, Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden and Frank Cashen were bestowed the honor in 2010.

Many people know that John Franco played more years for the Mets (14) than any player not named Ed Kranepool and was the team's last captain.  It's also fairly common knowledge amongst Mets fans that Franco holds the club record for saves (276) and is the all-time leader for saves by a left-handed pitcher (424).

But what about the things you may have forgotten about the Brooklyn-born Franco?  He was much more than just a pitcher who racked up saves and years played with the team.  In fact, I've come up with ten things you may not remember about the man who came into games as Chuck Berry serenaded him over the Shea Stadium speakers.  In honor of the newest member of the Mets' Hall of Fame, I present to you...


Ten Things You May Have Forgotten About John Franco

1.  Before Mike Piazza became synonymous with No. 31, John Franco wore the number.  In fact, he wore it longer than Piazza did as a Met, but gave it up to the superstar catcher upon his arrival in May 1998.  Franco switched to No. 45, the number he wore as a player at St. John's University and the number of his childhood hero, Tug McGraw.

2.  When John Franco was traded from Cincinnati to the Mets in December 1989, he was the Reds' all-time saves leader with 148.  In 1994, Franco recorded his 108th save as a Met, taking over the team's top spot from Jesse Orosco.  For ten seasons, John Franco held the No. 1 spot in saves for both the Reds and the Mets until Reds' closer Danny Graves surpassed Franco in 2004.

3.  John Franco is one of only two Mets players who played for both Davey Johnson and Bobby Valentine, joining his battery mate, Todd Hundley.  Johnson was fired as Mets' manager during Franco's first season in New York, while Valentine dialed Franco's number in the bullpen 295 times.  Unfortunately for Johnson, Franco gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning during a loss to the Padres on May 27, 1990.  It would be Davey's final game as Mets' manager.

4.  Although most fans remember Tom Seaver throwing out the first pitch at Citi Field, it was actually John Franco who threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the inaugural baseball game played at the Mets' home.  On March 29, 2009, Franco took the mound before the college baseball game between St. John's and Georgetown, opening up the ballpark with its first toss to the plate.

5.  The Mets lost the 2000 World Series to the Yankees in five games.  Who was the only Mets' pitcher credited with a victory in the first Subway Series in 44 years?  None other than John Franco, who earned the victory in Game 3 after Benny Agbayani's RBI double gave the Mets an eighth-inning lead.

6.  John Franco was once relieved by Matt Franco.  On Fireworks Night in 1999, Matt Franco traded in his pinch-hitting role to be the "pinch-pitcher" after John Franco left the game with a strained tendon in the middle finger of his throwing hand.  Franco (Matt) would give up a three-run homer to the first batter he faced, adding two runs to Franco's (John) pitching line for the night.  The Mets would go on to lose the game to the Braves, 16-0.  That wouldn't be the only thing lost that night, as Franco (John, not Matt) lost his job as Mets' closer to Armando Benitez because of his injury.

7.  Darryl Strawberry and David Wright are widely considered to be the two best homegrown hitters in franchise history, with both players popping up all over the Mets' all-time offensive leaderboards.  John Franco is the only player who was a teammate of both players while with the Mets.  Franco's first season in New York (1990) coincided with the Straw Man's last year as a Met, while his last year (2004) was the year David Wright made his Met debut.

8.  John Franco is one of only three Mets' relievers to finish in the top ten in the Cy Young Award vote in a particular year.  In the strike-shortened 1994 season, Franco led the National League with 30 saves and placed 7th in the Cy Young vote.  Jesse Orosco (3rd in 1983) and Billy Wagner (6th in 2006) are the other Mets who have received Cy Young Award votes in addition to Franco.

9.  With 33 saves in 1990, John Franco became the first Met ever to lead the league in saves.  He repeated the feat in 1994 when he saved 30 games for the Mets to pace the NL.  To this day, Franco remains the only Mets pitcher to lead the National League in saves.

10.  John Franco is one of only two men to pitch for the Mets at age 44.  In 1965, Hall of Famer Warren Spahn became the first player to accomplish the feat, pitching in 20 games (19 starts) for the Mets at the age of 44.  Franco's final appearance as a Met (October 3, 2004) was also his only appearance as a 44-year-old.  That's not the only thing Spahn and Franco have in common.  Both pitchers are first all-time in wins and saves for left-handed pitchers, respectively.  Spahn's 363 career victories and Franco's 424 saves lead all southpaws in major league history.

Mets Teammates Who Played Together The Longest

Within the next two weeks, longtime Yankees catcher Jorge Posada will announce his retirement from baseball.  The 40-year-old Posada will hang up his catchers' gear after 15 full seasons (17 overall) in Yankee pinstripes.  With Posada's retirement, that will leave Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera as the only Yankee teammates to be together since the days of Buck Showalter.  Jeter and Rivera made their major league debuts six days apart during the 1995 season and will be entering their 18th season as Yankee teammates in 2012.

Only one pair of teammates played together longer than Jeter and Rivera.  From 1977 to 1995, Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell were double play partners in Detroit.  Their 19 seasons as teammates surpassed the previous record of 18 years set by George Brett and Frank White when they played together in Kansas City from 1973 to 1990.

It's rare for an athlete to play for a single team over his entire career, especially if his career is lengthy.  It's even rarer for teammates to stay together for an extended period of time.  Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell played an unprecedented 19 seasons together.  No individual player, let alone a set of teammates, has ever been a Met for that long, as Ed Kranepool's 18 seasons with New York has remained the franchise record for over three decades.

This brings up an interesting question.  If no individual Met has played more than 18 seasons with the team, which pair of Mets were teammates the longest?  Surely, one of the dynamic duo had to be Kranepool, right?  We've gone through mounds of paperwork (and by paperwork, I mean baseball-reference.com) and came up with the teammates who played together the longest in orange and blue.  These pairs of Metropolitans played all or parts of twelve (or more) seasons together.  Here they are:

• Ed Kranepool and Cleon Jones (12 seasons; 1963, 1965-75)
• Bud Harrelson and Jerry Grote (12 seasons; 1966-77)
• Ed Kranepool and Jerry Grote (12 seasons; 1966-77)
• Ed Kranepool and Jerry Koosman (12 seasons; 1967-78)
• Ron Hodges and Craig Swan (12 seasons; 1973-84)
• Ed Kranepool and Bud Harrelson (13 seasons; 1965-77)

Ed Kranepool was everyone's teammate so long ago that color film hadn't been invented yet.

That was kind of boring, wasn't it?  Other than the Hodges/Swan combo that most Mets fans might have overlooked, the other pairs of teammates all played in the same era of Mets baseball.

The more interesting question might be which teammates played the longest since the '80s began?  That list is probably one you wouldn't be able to recite off the top of your head.  In fact, we uncovered only one pair of teammates that played at least ten seasons together since the Reagan administration and another nine that played a minimum of eight seasons with each other.  Time to go through those mounds of paperwork again...

• Darryl Strawberry and Ron Darling (8 seasons; 1983-90)
• Sid Fernandez and Ron Darling (8 seasons; 1984-91)
• Dwight Gooden and Ron Darling (8 seasons; 1984-91)
• John Franco and Bobby Jones (8 seasons; 1993-2000)
  
• Jose Reyes and David Wright (8 seasons; 2004-11)
• Mookie Wilson and Wally Backman (9 seasons; 1980-88)
  
• Sid Fernandez and Howard Johnson (9 seasons; 1985-93)
• Dwight Gooden and Howard Johnson (9 seasons; 1985-93)
• John Franco and Todd Hundley (9 seasons; 1990-98)
• Dwight Gooden and Sid Fernandez (10 seasons; 1984-93)

(Editor's note:  John Franco missed the 2002 season with an injury.  That eliminates a pairing of Franco and Edgardo Alfonzo as eight-year teammates, as Fonzie was with the Mets from 1995 to 2002, thereby only making him Franco's teammate for seven years.  Ya gotta believe... in semantics!) 

We know Sid Fernandez wore No. 50.  But he wore No. 10 in this photo to commemorate the number of seasons he was Dwight Gooden's teammate with the Mets.  We wouldn't lie to you about that.

With Jose Reyes now waiting for the latest fire sale in Miami, David Wright and Mike Pelfrey have become the current longest running duo on 126th and Roosevelt, having played all or parts of six seasons together.  Since neither player is guaranteed to return after the 2012 season, it may be a while before the Mets have a pair of teammates play at least eight seasons together, let alone the number of seasons that players like Ed Kranepool, Jerry Grote, Bud Harrelson and others from the early days of the franchise played together.

The business of baseball has changed quite a bit since the Mets were the little team that could.  Keeping a team intact for an extended period of time has become more difficult than spelling Mientkiewicz after downing a few Coronas.

Where have you gone, Eddie Kranepool?  The Mets don't have the same look to me...

For Mike Pelfrey, The Hits Just Keep On Comin'

Mike Pelfrey is entering his sixth season with the Mets, compiling a 43-41 record over his first five seasons in New York (43-42 after his Opening Day loss to the Florida Marlins). Although Pelfrey is just 27 years old, there have been only 17 pitchers in franchise history who have won more games than Big Pelf.

More than likely, Pelfrey will continue to move up the all-time wins leaderboard as his career progresses, but how much longer will he pitch for the Mets, especially if he continues to give up base hits at an alarming rate?

Consider the facts. In his first two starts of the 2011 season, Pelfrey has given up 12 hits in 6 1/3 innings, a rate of nearly two hits per inning. Let's compare that to the 17 pitchers who rank ahead of Pelfrey on the all-time club leaderboard for wins.

1. Tom Seaver (12 years, 198 wins): no seasons with more hits than innings pitched.
2. Dwight Gooden (11 years, 157 wins): one season with more hits than innings pitched.
3. Jerry Koosman (12 years, 140 wins): no seasons with more hits than innings pitched.
4. Ron Darling (9 years, 99 wins): one season with more hits than innings pitched.
5. Sid Fernandez (10 years, 98 wins): no seasons with more hits than innings pitched.
6. Al Leiter (7 years, 95 wins): no seasons with more hits than innings pitched.
7. Jon Matlack (7 years, 82 wins): one season with more hits than innings pitched.
8. David Cone (7 years, 81 wins): one season with more hits than innings pitched.
9. Bobby Jones (8 years, 74 wins): five seasons with more hits than innings pitched.
10. Steve Trachsel (6 years, 66 wins): two seasons with more hits than innings pitched.
11. Tom Glavine (5 years, 61 wins): four seasons with more hits than innings pitched.
12. Rick Reed (5 years, 59 wins): two seasons with more hits than innings pitched.
13. Craig Swan (12 years, 59 wins): four seasons with more hits than innings pitched.
14. Bob Ojeda (5 years, 51 wins): one season with more hits than innings pitched.
15. John Franco (14 years, 48 wins): five seasons with more hits than innings pitched.
16. Tug McGraw (9 years, 47 wins): two seasons with more hits than innings pitched.
17. Jesse Orosco (8 years, 47 wins): one season with more hits than innings pitched.

Dwight Gooden's sole season allowing more hits than innings pitched was 1994. That was his final season in a Mets uniform. Ron Darling also had one such season in his career, which came in his final full season as a Met (1990). In 1977, Jon Matlack suffered his first season with more hits than innings pitched. He never did it again as a Met because that was his final year in New York. The only year in which David Cone gave up better than a hit per inning was (you guessed it) his final season (2003), when he allowed 20 hits in 18 innings.

Bob Ojeda and Jesse Orosco also finished their Mets careers with only one season giving up more hits than innings pitched. In both cases, that season came in their final year with the Mets.

Of the seven pitchers who allowed more hits than innings pitched in multiple seasons (Jones, Trachsel, Glavine, Reed, Swan, Franco, McGraw), all but one of them accomplished the feat in his final full season in New York. The lone exception was John Franco, who barely missed, allowing exactly one hit per inning in 2004 (46 hits in 46 innings pitched).

So that brings us back to Mike Pelfrey. How many times do you think he's allowed more hits than innings pitched over a full season? Once? Twice? Take a look at his career numbers below:

• 2006: 21.1 innings pitched, 25 hits allowed.
• 2007: 72.2 innings pitched, 85 hits allowed.
• 2008: 200.2 innings pitched, 209 hits allowed.
• 2009: 184.1 innings pitched, 213 hits allowed.
• 2010: 204.0 innings pitched, 213 hits allowed.
• 2011: 6.1 innings pitched, 12 hits allowed.

Mike Pelfrey has allowed more hits than innings pitched in EVERY SEASON that he's pitched in the major leagues! Judging by his start this season, he might be on his way to his sixth consecutive season allowing more hits than innings pitched. Of the 17 pitchers who rank ahead of Pelfrey in career victories as a Met, none accomplished the feat more than five times.

Because of Johan Santana's injury, Pelfrey is now the de facto No. 1 pitcher in the rotation. But looking over his career numbers, the only thing Pelfrey is No. 1 in is allowing base hits. Considering the fates of other Mets pitchers who gave up more hits than innings pitched, especially late in their careers, Mike Pelfrey should be careful when he turns around. Another team's uniform might be gaining on him.

M.U.M.'s The Word (Most Underrated Mets): Turk Wendell

Quick. Name a middle reliever for the Mets. Any middle reliever. You probably won't have an immediate answer for that one. Had I asked for a starting pitcher, Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden or Johan Santana might have instantaneously rolled off your tongue. Had I asked for a closer, I might have heard Tug McGraw, Jesse Orosco or Francisco Rodriguez within a second of asking the question. Middle relief? "Let me get back to you on that one" and "Uhhhh" might have been the most popular choices.

Middle relief is perhaps the most unglorified position in the major leagues. Similar to an offensive lineman in football and a defenseman in hockey, middle relievers do their jobs while the players at the more high-profile positions get all the accolades.

One such middle reliever pitched for the Mets for three full seasons and parts of two others. Although his time in New York was relatively short, his contributions to the team and his outgoing, sometimes quirky personality endeared him to Mets fans long after he played his final game at Shea Stadium. His given name was Steven, but Mets fans will always remember him as Turk.

No one wanted the ball more than Turk Wendell during his days with the Mets.

Steven John Wendell, better known as Turk, was traded by the Cubs to the Mets during the 1997 season. At the time of the deal, the Mets were competing for the National League wild card, but were leading the major leagues with 22 blown saves. The Cubs, with the second worst record in the National League, had fallen out of contention almost from the time "Play Ball" was uttered on Opening Day. In the deal, the Mets acquired Wendell and Mel Rojas (who had saved 66 games over the previous two seasons) to bolster their bullpen. They also received Brian McRae, who had played brilliantly in 1996 (.276, 17 HR, 37 SB, 111 runs scored), but had underachieved in 1997. The cost for this trade was fan-favorite Lance Johnson, the spark plug who shattered the single-season club records for hits (227) and triples (21) in 1996.

But needs were needs, and the Mets thought the addition of two quality arms for the bullpen would offset the loss of their best centerfielder and leadoff hitter since Mookie Wilson and Lenny Dykstra shared those duties a decade earlier. Mel Rojas didn't bring the goods, finishing his Mets career with a 5.76 ERA over 73 games before being ostracized by the fans and eventually the front office. Turk Wendell, on the other hand, performed better than anyone could have expected.

It didn't start out well for Turk as a Met. In 13 games after the trade, he gave up runs in eight of them. Over the final two months of the 1997 season, Wendell's ERA was 4.96. However, the Mets still hadn't found a role for Turk, as he mostly pitched in games the Mets were already losing.

Although the Mets allowed Turk to pitch in closer games in 1998, his performance on the field over the first two months of the season remained unchanged from his late 1997 showing. Through games of May 20, Wendell had pitched in 13 games and his ERA was a bloated 6.89. At the same time, the Mets were also underperforming with a 22-20 record. Wendell, who would have pitched in every game if he was allowed to do so, was sent to the bench, not pitching again until June. But once he returned, he was a new man.

From June 1 to August 31, a three-month span, Wendell was virtually unhittable. In 37 appearances, Turk pitched 41 innings, allowing only 26 hits. Opposing batters hit only .181 against him over those three months. In addition, Wendell held the opposition scoreless in 34 of the 37 appearances, resulting in a 1.10 ERA. But Turk was at his best when he was cleaning up other pitchers' messes.

From June 20 to August 28, Wendell allowed an inherited baserunner to score once. Once. Only 10% of the runners he inherited came around to score, which was a major reason why the Mets were leading in the wild card race in September. In that month of September, it seemed as if Turk Wendell was always on the mound. While the Mets were struggling to hold on to their wild card lead, Wendell pitched in 11 of the team's final 12 games, including nine straight from September 14 to September 23. During those final two weeks, Wendell was at his best. He allowed only eight hits in 15 2/3 innings, holding opposing hitters to a .151 batting average, .170 slugging percentage and .224 on-base percentage. His ERA was 1.15 and he stranded all five baserunners he inherited.

The Mets eventually fell short of the playoffs in 1998, but Wendell finally had a role. He was now the main right-handed reliever in a tremendous set-up crew, with Dennis Cook (8-4, 2.38 ERA in 1998) providing the left-handed relief. If 1998 was the year Turk Wendell "arrived" as a Met, 1999 was the year he set up permanent residence in the hearts of Mets fans.

In 1999, the Mets were poised to make the playoffs after falling just short of their goal in 1998. They had arguably the best offense in team history, featuring speed (Rickey Henderson and Roger Cedeño stole 37 and 66 bases, respectively), power (Edgardo Alfonzo, John Olerud, Mike Piazza and Robin Ventura combined for 143 doubles, 118 HR and 448 RBI) and a team-record .279 batting average, which included five regulars hitting over .300 and one falling just short (John Olerud hit .298, but walked a franchise record 125 times).

The Mets needed that offense to make up for their lack of quality starting pitching. Nine pitchers made at least one start for the Mets in 1999 and not a single one of them finished the season with an ERA under 4.00 (see list below):

• Al Leiter (32 starts, 4.23 ERA)
• Orel Hershiser (32 starts, 4.58 ERA)
• Masato Yoshii (29 starts, 4.40 ERA)
• Rick Reed (26 starts, 4.58 ERA)
• Octavio Dotel (14 starts, 5.38 ERA)
• Kenny Rogers (12 starts, 4.03 ERA)
• Bobby Jones (9 starts, 5.61 ERA)
• Jason Isringhausen (5 starts, 6.41 ERA)
• Allen Watson (4 starts, 4.08 ERA)

With so many starters giving up their share of runs, it was incumbent upon the relief squad to keep opponents off the scoreboard. After all, the Mets couldn't win every game by the score of 8-7. Fortunately for the Mets, they had the best foursome in baseball in their bullpen. The quartet of Turk Wendell, Dennis Cook, Armando Benitez and John Franco turned most games into six-inning affairs. If the starter could keep the game close going into the late innings, the Mets were confident that their bullpen would keep the opposition off the scoreboard long enough for the hitters to tack on a few insurance runs. Although the Mets had four dependable relievers who could pitch in any situation, the one who was called upon the most was Turk Wendell.

In 1999, Turk Wendell became the first pitcher in franchise history to appear in 80 games, breaking the old mark of 76, which was set by sidearmer Jeff Innis in 1992 (Armando Benitez also surpassed Innis' mark by appearing in 77 games). Wendell began the '99 season on fire, picking up a win, a save and nine holds through May 15. His 1.57 ERA was also tops on the team. Wendell then suffered through a rough period over the next few weeks that saw his ERA climb by almost two runs.

After the Mets lost to the Yankees on June 5 for their eighth consecutive defeat, the team dipped below .500 at 27-28. As a result of their poor play, the team fired just about every coach they could find, sparing manager Bobby Valentine. Out were pitching coach Bob Apodaca, bullpen coach Randy Niemann and hitting coach Tom Robson. Despite being allowed to remain as manager, Bobby Valentine knew that if he didn't right the ship, he would be next on the chopping block.

''In the next 55 games, if we're not better, I shouldn't be the manager. I'd (like) a sustained run; something like 40 and 15 would be good.''

Over the next two months, the Mets proved their manager's words to be prophetic, as they won 40 of their next 55 games to jump back into contention. One of the main reasons why the Mets went on such a hot streak was because Turk Wendell overcame his struggles and once again became a stopper in the mid-to-late innings.

Turk pitched in 27 games during the team's 40-15 stretch, striking out more batters (27) than he allowed hits (24). His ERA over the two month period was 2.08, as he picked up a win, two saves and eight holds. In addition to his own low ERA, he helped keep his teammates' ERA down as well, allowing only three of 13 inherited baserunners to score. Twice in a span of nine days, Turk came into a game with the bases loaded and one out. Naturally, he got out of both jams without allowing any of those runners to score.

Despite all of Turk's heroics, the Mets still found themselves two games out of the wild card lead with three games left to play. Basically, the Mets needed to sweep the Pittsburgh Pirates and hope for help elsewhere. The Mets did exactly what they needed to do at Shea Stadium, and Turk Wendell played a major part in their season-ending sweep.

On October 1, Turk came into the game in the eighth inning to face Pirates' cleanup hitter Kevin Young. With the tying and go-ahead runs on base, Wendell struck out the Pirates' main power threat. Although the Pirates eventually sent the game into extra innings with a run-scoring infield hit off John Franco, the Mets would prevail on Robin Ventura's walk-off single in the 11th inning. Wendell was not needed in the middle game of the series, as Rick Reed dominated the Bucs with a three-hit shutout. But Turk was definitely needed in the season finale, and he responded with one of his most memorable performances.

Before a packed house at Shea, the Mets were tied with the Cincinnati Reds for the wild card lead. A win would guarantee that the Mets would be playing more baseball in 1999 and would also erase the disappointment felt by Mets fans following the team's season-ending five-game losing streak the previous year that left them one game short of ending their decade-long playoff drought. Fans came to celebrate, but what they got was an unexpected pitchers' duel between Orel Hershiser and Kris Benson.

Through six innings, both teams had managed to put one run on the board. With the season on the line, the Mets gave the ball to Turk Wendell to start the seventh inning. After a season in which Wendell became the most-used reliever in franchise history, it was in this, his 80th appearance of the season, that he would have to be at his sharpest. With the weight of the season on his shoulders, Wendell delivered. He retired the first eight batters he faced, before giving up a two-out single to Kevin Young in the ninth inning. Armando Benitez relieved Wendell after Young's single, and was able to get out of the inning, although not before allowing Young to steal second and issuing a walk to Warren Morris.

The Mets went on to win the game in the bottom of the ninth inning, when Melvin Mora scampered home after Brad Clontz uncorked a wild pitch with the bases loaded. Although Benitez was given credit for the victory, the true "winner" for the game was Turk Wendell. Without his clutch performance, barely working up a sweat in his 34-pitch outing (25 strikes, 9 balls), the Mets would not have been in a position to win the game in their final at-bat. It was perhaps the best relief appearance in a crucial game since Sid Fernandez's effort in Game 7 of the 1986 World Series.

The next day, Al Leiter pitched a two-hit shutout against the Reds in Cincinnati to clinch the wild card, sending the Mets to Arizona for their first postseason game since 1988. Once again, Turk Wendell would be front-and-center for the Mets, getting the win in Game 1 of the NLDS after Edgardo Alfonzo's ninth-inning grand slam off Bobby Chouinard gave the Mets the lead. Wendell would also pitch a scoreless inning in the Mets' Game 3 victory over the Diamondbacks. After Todd Pratt's series-ending home run in Game 4, it was on to Atlanta for the NLCS, where Wendell would pitch in all but one game.

After giving up a run in Game 1 of the NLCS, Wendell kept the Mets close in Game 2 with 1 2/3 scoreless innings of work. The Mets were never able to mount a rally in the second game, losing to the Braves by the score of 4-3. Wendell didn't pitch in the Mets' Game 3 loss, but found himself on the mound in Game 4 in one of the key spots of the series. The Braves had just taken a 2-1 lead on back-to-back homers by Brian Jordan and Ryan Klesko. The consecutive blasts ruined what had been a dominant pitching performance by Rick Reed, who had faced the minimum 21 batters through the first seven innings. Reed was taken out of the game by manager Bobby Valentine and Turk Wendell was brought in to prevent more balls from flying over LaGuardia's airspace. Wendell proceeded to retire the next three batters, including the final two on groundouts, keeping the Braves' lead at one run. The Mets went on to take the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, allowing Wendell to pick up the victory and keeping the Mets alive to see another day.

Game 5 of the NLCS will forever be known as the game in which Robin Ventura shocked the Braves with his 15th-inning "Grand Slam Single", but before Ventura could come through with his heroics, Turk Wendell played a key role in the game. With the game tied at 2 in the seventh inning, Orel Hershiser hit Bret Boone with a pitch. The Braves replaced Boone with the speedy Otis Nixon and sent notorious Met killer Chipper Jones to the plate. Jones had always done well against the Mets, but never more so than in his 1999 MVP campaign. In 12 regular season games against the Mets, Jones hit .400, with 7 HR and 16 RBI. Not too many Mets pitchers had had success against Jones in 1999, but one did. Turk Wendell.

Chipper Jones had two official at-bats against Wendell during the 1999 regular season, going 0-for-2 against Turk with a strikeout. So who did Bobby V turn to when Chipper Jones came up to bat in the seventh inning with the go-ahead run on base? You guessed it. Turk Wendell came hopping in from the bullpen to face "Larry" and made the Mets fans in attendance "chipper" with excitement when he struck out Jones. Although Jones was the only batter Wendell faced (he was removed in the middle of subsequent batter Brian Jordan's at-bat), his short outing kept the Braves at bay and helped set up the drama that unfolded eight innings later.

Unfortunately, the Mets could not ride the momentum of their Games 4 and 5 victories into Atlanta, as the Braves took Game 6 when Kenny Rogers (one of the many starting pitchers for the Mets with an ERA over 4.00 in 1999) came into the game in relief and allowed a bases-loaded walk to Andruw Jones in the bottom of the 11th inning. Turk Wendell tried his hardest to keep the Mets in the game, pitching a 1-2-3 fifth inning, before loading up the bases (including an intentional walk) with two outs in the sixth. Unlike Wendell, who was a master at not allowing inherited runners to score, the same could not be said for Dennis Cook, as the lefty relieved Wendell in the sixth inning and promptly gave up a two-run single to pinch-hitter Jose Hernandez.

The Mets fell short of the World Series in 1999, but the taste of October baseball made them hungry for more. Nothing short of a World Series appearance in 2000 would be acceptable for the Mets. For the team to advance to the Fall Classic in 2000, every player had to step up their game, and that included Turk Wendell. Could he improve in 2000? Oh yes. And he took the rest of the team with him.

Turk Wendell went 8-6 in 2000, with a 3.59 ERA, but that didn't tell the whole story. In 77 appearances, Turk pitched 82 2/3 innings, allowing only 60 hits. For the season, opposing batters hit only .206 against him, but at Shea Stadium, Wendell was completely unhittable. In 39 appearances at Shea, batters hit a measly .161 against Turk. Wendell went 5-2 at home, with a 1.99 ERA. As a result, the Mets cruised to their second consecutive wild card berth, finishing only one game behind the Braves in the NL East.

Compared to the 1999 Division Series and League Championship Series, the 2000 NLDS and NLCS was a breeze for the Mets. The Mets won seven of the nine games they played in the National League playoffs, with Wendell pitching in four of them. As he did in the 15-inning game in the 1999 NLCS, Wendell played a key early role in the 13-inning third game of the 2000 NLDS against the San Francisco Giants.

Turk Wendell was hunting for a pennant in 2000 and would stare down anyone who got in his way.

With the Mets trailing 2-1 in the seventh inning, Dennis Cook allowed a runner to reach third base with two outs. Not wanting to fall behind by more than one run, Bobby Valentine brought in his favorite IRS representative (Inherited Runners Stranded), Turk Wendell, to put out the fire caused by his defective Cook. Wendell got out of the jam by striking out Jeff Kent on three pitches. It would mark the second consecutive season that Wendell recorded a crucial strikeout against the season's eventual MVP winner, as Kent took home the 2000 NL MVP Award, a year after Chipper Jones did the same. Unlike his 1999 appearance against the Braves, this time Wendell was allowed to stay in the game for another inning, striking out two more batters in a scoreless eighth inning. The Mets would go on to win the game in the 13th inning on Benny Agbayani's walk-off home run against Aaron Fultz.

Wendell was not only great in Game 3 against the Giants; he was outstanding throughout the National League playoffs. In his four appearances against the Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals, Wendell allowed only one hit, walking two (one intentionally) and striking out seven in only 3 1/3 innings. He also picked up the win in Game 2 of the NLCS against the Cards. After the Mets defeated the Cardinals in Game 5, they were on to World Series for the first time since 1986, but this time, Turk wasn't as infallible as he had been in the National League playoffs.

Game 1 of the 2000 World Series against the Yankees might be known more for Timo Perez being thrown out at home after incorrectly assuming that Todd Zeile's double was going to leave the ballpark and for Armando Benitez's blown save in the ninth inning, but despite those game-changing moments, it was Turk Wendell who was on the mound when former Met Jose Vizcaino picked up the game-winning single in the bottom of the 12th inning. It would be the only blemish for Wendell in 13 postseason appearances for the Mets in 1999 and 2000.

Dang it, Timo! Had you not dilly-dallied around the bases, perhaps you could have spared Turk Wendell from suffering his only postseason loss with the Mets!

Wendell would get some modicum of revenge in Game 3 of the World Series, entering the game in the seventh inning with the score tied at 2. He struck out the first two batters he faced, including Vizcaino, before walking Derek Jeter and being replaced on the mound by Dennis Cook. Jeter was eventually stranded at second base and the Mets went on to win the game when Benny Agbayani and Bubba Trammell drove in the tying and go-ahead runs in the eighth inning. Wendell would not get called upon to pitch again in 2000, as the Mets lost Games 4 and 5 of the World Series to the Yankees.

With the Mets improving from year to year, it was not unreasonable to believe that they would return to the playoffs in 2001. However, the Mets underachieved with a capital "U", finding themselves 13½ games out of first place on August 17 with a 54-68 record. By then, general manager Steve Phillips had already decided to dismantle his high-salaried team. One of the casualties of the fire sale was Turk Wendell.

On July 27, the Mets traded the popular reliever, along with his bullpen mate, Dennis Cook, to the Philadelphia Phillies. In return, the Phillies sent minor leaguer Adam Walker and journeyman pitcher Bruce Chen to the Mets. Walker never made it to the major leagues, retiring after playing his final game for the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2003. Chen won a total of three games for the Mets, and has been racking up frequent flyer miles since his exodus from New York in 2002, pitching for the Expos, Reds, Astros, Red Sox, Orioles, Rangers and Royals.

Since the trades of Turk Wendell and Dennis Cook in 2001, the Mets have failed to put together a set-up crew similar to the one they employed during their late '90s, early '00s renaissance. In 2007, the Mets collapsed because they did not have dependable relievers who could bridge the gap between the starting pitchers and closer Billy Wagner. Had they been able to trot out a pitcher as effective as Turk Wendell was at keeping inherited runners from scoring, perhaps the Phillies' NL East dynasty would never have occurred as early as it did.

And what about those inherited runners? How did Turk do over his career as a Met? As this simple chart shows, he was among the best at stranding runners:

• 1998: 26 inherited runners, 10 scored (62% left stranded)
• 1999: 46 inherited runners, 12 scored (74% left stranded)
• 2000: 40 inherited runners, 6 scored (85% left stranded)
• 2001: 33 inherited runners, 10 scored (70% left stranded)

Note: In 13 appearances as a Met in 1997, Wendell did not come into a game with men on base.


If the double play is a pitcher's best friend, then Turk Wendell was a close second. From 1997-2001, Wendell allowed only 38 runners to score out of the 145 he inherited. That's an astounding 74% of inherited runners left stranded. By not allowing the men who were already on base to score, Wendell's teammates were able to keep their ERA down, but more importantly for the Mets, Wendell was able to keep the team in more ballgames, which contributed to more victories.

Need more proof on how clutch Turk Wendell was? From 1997-2001, Turk was brought into games a total of 46 times with at least two men on base. In 31 of those 46 games (more than two-thirds of the time), Turk did not allow any of those runners to score. In fact, in the Mets' pennant-winning season of 2000, Wendell was called upon to pitch 12 times with a minimum of two men on base. In 10 of those 12 games, he allowed none of the inherited runners to score and in the other two games, only one of those runners scored. There was never an instance during the 2000 season in which Turk Wendell came into a game and allowed multiple inherited runners to score.

When looking at MVP candidates for the Mets' 1999 and 2000 playoff teams, it's easy to look at an everyday player (Mike Piazza, Edgardo Alfonzo, Robin Ventura) or a starting pitcher (Al Leiter, Rick Reed, Mike Hampton). They're the ones who get the game-winning hits or pitch brilliantly over seven or eight innings. But the glue that kept those teams together was the middle relief corps and one man in particular did his job as effectively as any of the big hitters or front of the line starters did.

As a middle reliever, Turk Wendell was never going to pile up lofty win and save totals. In three full seasons (1998-2000) and parts of two others (1997, 2001), Wendell only won 22 games and notched 10 saves. But when you look beyond the wins, beyond the saves, beyond the tangible numbers you can find on any stat sheet, you'll notice that Turk Wendell was among the best middle relievers in baseball during his entire stay in New York.

If there was a runner on third base with less than two outs, it was Turk Wendell time. If there were multiple runners on base, Turk would leave them stranded. If an MVP candidate came up in a tight spot in the playoffs, Wendell wouldn't back down from the challenge.

Yes, Turk Wendell was a little - how shall we say this politely - different. Even his idiosyncrasies had idiosyncrasies. He'd brush his teeth between every inning. He ate licorice like there was no tomorrow. He'd never step on the foul line, preferring to hop over it as he was walking to and from the pitcher's mound. He would never catch a ball thrown at him by an umpire. He would wave to the centerfielder before each inning and not throw a pitch until he received a wave back. He was quite fond of the number "9", wearing uniform No. 99 and asking the Mets for a $9,999,999.99 contract after the 2000 season (too bad it wasn't after the '99 season).

Turk Wendell's contract demands made one particular vampire happy.

Despite being labeled an eccentric, he was also one of the most humble and caring human beings to ever put on a Mets uniform. Although he never wanted recognition for his volunteer and charity work, Wendell was honored with a Good Guy Award (presented by the New York Press Photographers Association) in 2000. He has also been an ardent supporter of American troops overseas, visiting Iraq and Afghanistan on multiple occasions.

Turk Wendell played for such a short time in New York, but worked his way into the hearts of many Mets fans. He was a key piece for the only Mets teams to make back-to-back playoff appearances. Yet despite his exceptional body of work for the Mets, Turk is still forgotten whenever people recall the best players of the Bobby Valentine era.

He was the only Met pitcher to win three postseason games during their two-year playoff run in 1999 and 2000, going 3-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 13 appearances. In five of those 13 appearances, he came into the game with men on base. Only once did he allow a baserunner to score (out of eight runners).

Simply stated, Turk Wendell is undoubtedly the most underrated middle reliever in Mets history, if not one of the most underrated players to wear the orange and blue (and sometimes black). The Mets finished with a winning record in each of the five seasons that Wendell suited up for them, and that's not a coincidence. Other players might have received the glory and the accolades for being part of one of the most successful eras in franchise history, but that's fine with Turk Wendell. He was just happy to be one of the guys.



Special note: There are two M.U.M. pieces left in the series, but I wanted to thank one particular reader for her invaluable assistance, especially for this piece, which was our "reader's choice" post. She gave me a sharp lead with her guided choice. Thank you for your continued readership and for your support, loyalty and generous contributions to Studious Metsimus over the years! You know who you are!


Note: M.U.M.'s The Word is a thirteen-part weekly series spotlighting some of the best Mets players of all-time who never got the recognition they deserved because they weren't the biggest names on the teams they played for. For previous installments, please click on the players' names below:

January 3, 2011: John Olerud
January 10, 2011: Sid Fernandez
January 17, 2011: Jon Matlack
January 24, 2011: Kevin McReynolds
January 31, 2011: Bobby Jones
February 7, 2011: John Stearns
February 14, 2011: David Cone
February 21, 2011: Rusty Staub
February 28, 2011: Rick Reed
March 7, 2011: Ron Taylor

At 27, Jose Reyes Is Now The Mets' Longest Tenured Player

With Pedro Feliciano not accepting the Mets' arbitration offer, he can now sign with another team. When he does leave the Mets, he will hand over the title of longest tenured player to Jose Reyes, who has been a Met since 2003.

Feliciano became a Met on August 15, 2002, when Cincinnati traded him to New York for Shawn Estes, the man who couldn't hit Roger Clemens with a pitch, but then hit a Roger Clemens pitch over the wall.

Since then, Feliciano has bounced back and forth, being selected by the Detroit Tigers off waivers in December 2002, then re-signing with the Mets the following April, then leaving for a year to Japan to play for the Fukuoka (watch your mouth!) Daiei Hawks, before returning to the Mets for good in 2006. However, since he never played for another major league team since becoming a Met in 2002, Feliciano kinda sorta held the title of longest tenured Met since the end of the 2006 season.

For all you stat geeks out there, here is the list of longest tenured players on the Mets, going back to the players who were on the Opening Day roster in 1962.


Jim Hickman (1962-1966): Although Ed Kranepool played three games for the Mets in 1962 and then remained with the team until 1979, he was not on the Opening Day roster. Hickman was. The man known as "Gentleman Jim" is known for two "lasts" and two "firsts". He was the last player to hit a home run at the Polo Grounds, accounting for the only run in a 5-1 loss to the Phillies on September 18, 1963. He was also the last of the original Mets, being traded to the Dodgers after the 1966 season, a year in which he became the only Met to appear on the Mets' Opening Day roster in each of their first five seasons. Hickman became the first Mets player to hit for the cycle when he accomplished the feat in 1963 against the Cardinals and was the first Met to hit three home runs in a game, which he achieved in 1965, also against St. Louis.

Ed Kranepool (1967-1979): After Hickman was traded to the Dodgers prior to the 1967 season, Ed Kranepool assumed the role of longest tenured Met, a title he did not give up until he played his last game for New York in 1979. Upon his retirement, Steady Eddie was among the franchise leaders in almost every major category and to this day, remains the Mets' all-time leader in games played (1,853), at-bats (5,436), hits (1,418), singles (1,050) and total bases (2,047).

Ron Hodges (1980-1984): Both Ron Hodges and Craig Swan played for the Mets from 1973-1984, but Hodges made his debut three months before Swannie (Hodges appeared in his first game on June 13, while Swan debuted on September 3). The hard-nosed catcher was with the Mets in good times (the "Ya Gotta Believe" Mets of 1973) and in bad times (the dark ages following the Midnight Massacre in 1977) and finished his career just as the Mets were becoming relevant again in 1984. His last appearance as a Met came as a pinch-hitter in the 1984 season finale. The next time the Mets played a regular season game, Gary Carter was their catcher.

Jesse Orosco (1985-1987): The man who perfected the art of the championship clinching glove toss made his debut with the Mets in 1979 after being traded to the Mets from Minnesota for the other man who specialized in championship clinching victories, Jerry Koosman. Although Orosco did not pitch in the major leagues in 1980, he returned for good in 1981. Once Ron Hodges retired after the 1984 season, Orosco became the only Met left who played for the team in the 1970s. He was traded to the Dodgers after the 1987 season and eventually pitched for just about everyone else on his way to becoming the major league's all-time leader in pitching appearances (1,252 games).

Wally Backman (1988) and Mookie Wilson (1988-1989): After Jesse Orosco left the team, the title of longest tenured Met fell on two players. Both Mookie Wilson and Wally Backman made their major league debuts for the Mets in the same game on September 2, 1980 in Los Angeles. Technically, Mookie Wilson appeared first, batting leadoff against the Dodgers, while Wally Backman batted eighth. The two continued to be integral parts of the Mets from their first game together in 1980 through the 1986 World Series championship and beyond. Backman remained a Met until he was traded to the Twins following the 1988 season, while Mookie Wilson was a Met until the middle of the 1989 season, when he was traded for (gasp) Jeff Musselman.

Terry Leach (1989): Bet you didn't see this one coming, although this one carries an asterisk similar to Pedro Feliciano. Leach made his debut for the Mets in 1981, pitching in 21 games. He repeated his 21-game salute in 1982, then spent the 1983 season in the minors. He was then traded to the Chicago Cubs, who later shipped him off to Atlanta in April 1984. One month later, he was released by the Braves and the following day, the Mets re-signed him. He came back up to the Mets in 1985, where he continued to pitch until the end of the 1989 season. His finest year as a Met came in 1987, when he was moved into the starting rotation because of injuries to various starters. Leach surprised everyone by going 11-1 in his spot-start duties. Short story long, after Mookie Wilson was traded to Toronto in July of 1989, Leach became the longest tenured Met for the rest of the season. Although he was traded twice between 1981 and 1989, he never pitched in the major leagues for a team other than the Mets during that time. But if you don't think Leach should be on this list, then perhaps you'd choose...

Darryl Strawberry (1990): Darryl Strawberry was once dubbed "the black Ted Williams" when he still playing high school ball. Although he never approached the Splendid Splinter's career marks, he is still the most explosive power hitter in Mets history. The franchise leader in home runs (252), RBI (733), runs scored (662), walks (580) and unfortunately, strikeouts (960), the Straw Man first played for the Mets on May 6, 1983 and became the only Met to play from the George Bamberger managerial era to the 1990s.

Ron Darling (1991): When Darryl Strawberry switched coasts to play for his hometown Dodgers, him teammate since the end of the 1983 season, Ron Darling, became the veteran of the team. The answer to the trivia question, "who was the last National League pitcher to win the Gold Glove Award before Greg Maddux started his streak of a bajillion straight Gold Gloves?", Ronnie fell one victory short of becoming only the fourth pitcher in franchise history to win 100 games when he was traded to Montreal on July 15, 1991. Sixteen days later, he was moved to Oakland, where he stayed until his last game in 1995. To this day, the former All-Star and Gold Glove winner remains a beloved Met and his 99 wins rank fourth in franchise history behind Tom Seaver (198), Dwight Gooden (157 - more on him later) and Jerry Koosman (140).

Dwight Gooden (1991-1994): He never went to med school, but the doctor performed surgeries every fifth day, operating on hitters with a blazing fastball and devastating curveball (dubbed Lord Charles). He had the best three-year stretch to start a career of any pitcher, when he went 58-19 with a 2.28 ERA from 1984-1986. He also completed 35 of his 99 starts, with 13 shutouts. And, oh yes. There were the strikeouts. Dr. K set the all-time rookie strikeout record in 1984 when he fanned 276 batters. He followed that up with 268 Ks in his Cy Young Award-winning season (1985), then "only" struck out 200 batters in the Mets' 1986 championship season. Substance abuse and injuries prevented Doc from ever regaining the dominant form he displayed in his first three seasons. However, he did have one final great year in 1990, when he finished 19-7 and registered his fourth (and first since 1986) season of 200 or more strikeouts, by finishing with 223. When he pitched his final game for the Mets in 1994, he became the last member of the 1986 World Champions to take the field as a player in blue and orange.

John Franco (1994-2004): After Ed Kranepool's 18 seasons in New York, John Franco played the most years as a Met, playing from 1990-2004 (he missed the 2002 season with an injury). Once Gooden pitched his last game for the Mets, Franco became the longest tenured Met and didn't give it up until after the 2004 season. Franco is the only Met pitcher to have played for the two winningest managers in Mets history, playing for Davey Johnson in 1990 and Bobby Valentine from 1996-2002 (Todd Hundley is the only other player who did it, having played his first game as a Met ten days before Davey Johnson was fired). He holds the franchise records for games pitched (695 - Pedro Feliciano is a distant second with 459) and saves (276 - Armando Benitez isn't even in the rearview mirror with his 160). Franco is also appearing on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time in 2011.

Mike Piazza (2005): Mike Piazza became a Met in 1998 after his one week stay as a Florida Marlin ended. His combination of power and batting average was never seen before in a Mets uniform. The future Hall of Famer is the only player to appear twice in the top ten single season batting averages in Mets history (.348 in 1998 and .324 in 2000, good for second and tenth all-time) and also appears twice in the top ten single season home run list (40 in 1999 and 38 in 2000 - his '99 total is now the third highest total in franchise history, while the '00 total is tied for sixth all-time). No other Met appears in BOTH top ten lists. In just eight years as a Met, Piazza left his mark all over the career all-time Met offensive leaders, finishing in the top five in career batting average (4th, .296), on-base percentage (5th, .373), slugging percentage (1st, .542), doubles (5th, 193), home runs (2nd, 200), runs batted in (3rd, 655) and extra-base hits (4th, 415). He not only replaced John Franco as the longest tenured Met after Franco pitched his last game in 2004, but also replaced him as #31 on the Mets, as Franco gave switched from #31 to #45 to accommodate Piazza. Piazza will become eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2013 and might become the second player to be inducted into the Hall as a Met.

Steve Trachsel (2006): Once Piazza waved his final goodbyes as a Met at Shea Stadium, the longest tenured Met became a player who never got the respect he deserved - Steve Trachsel. Although Trachsel was sometimes referred to as the Human Rain Delay II (Mike Hargrove was the original Human Rain Delay) and The Slowest Pitcher On Earth for his deliberate approach to pitching once there were runners on base, he really did spend six years as a Met (2001-2006). It just seemed like one long season because he was so slow to get the ball to the plate. Despite never being a fan-favorite, Trachsel was the winning pitcher in the 2006 NL East division clincher against the Marlins. It might also come as a surprise that Trachsel ranks in the top ten in career wins (his 66 victories are 10th on the Mets' all-time list) and is one of only five Met hurlers to pitch two complete game one-hitters, achieving both in 2003 (the other four are Tom Seaver - who accomplished the feat an Amazin' five times, Gary Gentry, Jon Matlack and David Cone).

Pedro Feliciano (2007-2010): As mentioned before, his inclusion as one of the longest tenured Mets comes with an asterisk, as he was not exclusively the property of the Mets during his stay in New York that began in 2002. He was briefly a member of the Detroit Tigers organization in 2002, but never played for them, as he was released by the Tigers two months after they signed him and re-signed with the prior to the 2003 season. He then played for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks in the Japanese Pacific League in 2005 before coming back to the Mets for what was arguably his best season in 2006. In that magical season, Feliciano finished with a 7-2 record and a 2.09 ERA. He was also stellar in that year's postseason, appearing in six games against the Dodgers and Cardinals, allowing only one run on two hits in 4 2/3 innings. He was credited with the victory in the NLDS clincher in Los Angeles. From 2008-2010, he earned the monicker Perpetual Pedro for breaking the franchise record for games pitched in each season. He also led the entire National League is appearances each year, pitching in 86 games in 2008, 88 games in 2009 and 92 games in 2010. Feliciano did not accept salary arbitration from the Mets after the 2010 season and is now free to sign with whoever he chooses.


That brings us to Jose Reyes. Since Doc Gooden became the longest tenured Met in 1991 at the age of 26, no Met had become the team veteran while in his 20s until now. Reyes will now assume that title, having played with the Mets since 2003. He and David Wright are the only two players left from the Art Howe era. In fact, with John Maine being non-tendered, Reyes is one of only four players left who played for the Mets in the 2006 postseason. (The others are Wright, Carlos Beltran and - shudder - Oliver Perez. Mike Pelfrey pitched for the Mets during the 2006 regular season, but did not make the postseason roster.)

Our 27-year-old shortstop has been called immature at times. He has also been accused of showing up the opposition and most recently, he has been mentioned in various trade rumors. Despite all this, one thing is certain. He may act like a spoiled child at times, but whether he likes it or not, he is now the veteran of this franchise. Younger players are going to come to him for advice and for tips on how to play the game. A more mature Jose Reyes will have to emerge on the playing field and in the clubhouse. A veteran wouldn't have it any other way.

Umpire Angel Hernandez Loses Mentor In Leslie Nielsen

Studious Metsimus is sad to report that actor/umpire Leslie Nielsen has passed away at the age of 84. The versatile thespian was influential to many comedians for his deadpan delivery on screen, but his work in the first "Naked Gun" film was a little too influential to an enemy of Mets fans.

For years, Mets fans have had a hate/hate relationship with umpire Angel Hernandez. His strike zone has been wider than CC Sabathia's waistline whenever the Mets are batting. He has also developed a rare form of temporary blindness that has resulted in numerous calls at the plate going against the Mets, as Mike Piazza (c. 1998) and Paul Lo Duca (c. 2006) can attest.

Whenever Angel Hernandez has been on the field for a Mets game, bad calls have always followed. Therefore, it should come as no surprise to Mets fans that he has based his entire style of calling games on the umpiring work of Leslie Nielsen. Don't believe me? Take a look at this video clip, which he accidentally left behind the last time he umpired a game at Citi Field.



When John Franco went ballistic on Hernandez after his blown call at home plate gave the Braves a crucial victory over the Mets in 1998, that was Leslie Nielsen's influence. Similarly, when Paul Lo Duca spiked the ball at home plate after another poor call by Hernandez during a game in 2006, it was right after the arbiter had viewed his favorite film (or as he liked to call it, his umpiring instructional video).

Angel Hernandez will be working with a heavy heart in 2011, as his mentor and inspiration has passed away. Most teams honor those who have died by wearing black patches or armbands on their uniforms. Hernandez will also wear black to honor Leslie Nielsen, but he will wear it in a way that is not only appropriate, but will allow him to come up with new excuses for missing critical calls against the Mets. (see photo below)


Leslie Nielsen starred in many films over his long career. His death will be mourned by millions of fans worldwide. But one fan may take it a little harder than most.

R.I.P. Leslie Nielsen. You will be missed by this Mets blogger and surely, you will be missed by Mets' nemesis Angel Hernandez (even if he just called you Shirley).

Pitching In For The Tug McGraw Foundation

Frank Edwin McGraw, Jr. made his major league debut for the New York Mets in 1965. He was not very effective as a starting pitcher so in 1969, he became a reliever on a full-time basis. Unfortunately, he did not pitch in the 1969 World Series even though he collected 12 saves during the regular season.

After a few mediocre seasons, the Mets appeared to be headed down that same path in 1973. Then the man known to all as Tug fired up the team and its fans when he reminded everyone that the season was not yet over. "Ya Gotta Believe" became the mantra for the underdog Mets as they went from last place in August to winning the division title the day after the regular season ended.

The magic continued in the playoffs as the Mets eliminated heavily favored Cincinnati in the National League Championship Series and took the defending champion Athletics to the seventh game of the World Series before ultimately succumbing to Oakland.

When Tug McGraw was traded from the Mets to the Philadelphia Phillies after the 1974 season, he was the franchise leader in saves and games pitched, a mark which is now held by another lefty who wore #45, John Franco.

McGraw helped the Phillies win their first ever World Series in 1980, recording the final out of the sixth and deciding game against another team seeking their first championship, the Kansas City Royals. He pitched four more seasons in Philadelphia, retiring after the 1984 season.

Fast forward to 2003. It was on March 12 that McGraw received the shocking news that he had a malignant, inoperable brain tumor. Although he was only given weeks to live, he managed to live throughout 2003 before finally passing away on January 5, 2004.

Before his death, the Tug McGraw Foundation was established. Its mission is to enhance the quality of life for children and adults with brain tumors and to raise awareness and money for brain tumor research. (Recently, the Foundation was expanded to include Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.)

In 2003, just months before he passed away, Tug McGraw was in attendance at Shea Stadium. He was signing autographs along with former Met second baseman Felix Millan at the Fan Fest that was held prior to weekend games at Shea. I was in attendance that day, but noticed McGraw and Millan after they had signed their last autographs. I was disappointed, feeling that I had missed my chance to meet McGraw, a man who pitched before my time but was very much a part of what made me into the Mets fan I am today.

As he was leaving, the Tugger picked up a T-shirt that was being given away that day and flung it out to the crowd. (Although he was a southpaw, I'll never forget that he tossed it into the crowd with his right hand.) Guess who caught that shirt?

No, it wasn't Joey who caught the shirt. He hadn't even been born yet! He just likes doing his Vanna White impersonation whenever there's a photo op. The shirt above is the one Tug McGraw threw into the crowd that I was fortunate enough to catch. To this day, I have never worn the shirt since his fingerprints are still on it.

Note the "Believe" logo (after Tug's famous phrase) on the shirt, directly over the depiction of a Mets Master Card. If you have a Mets Master Card (or any credit card), perhaps you'd like to make a donation to the Tug McGraw Foundation.

Sharon Chapman, a friend of the Studious Metsimus staff, will be running in the 2010 ING New York City Marathon to raise money for the Tug McGraw Foundation. Her goal is to raise $3,000 for brain tumor research. Please help Sharon reach her goal by clicking here and making a donation to Team McGraw.

Tug McGraw was a hero to many Mets fans during his tenure with the team. Almost six years after his passing, he is still a hero to many people who are benefiting from the progress being made in brain tumor research due to the Tug McGraw Foundation.

In 1973, Tug McGraw brazenly proclaimed "Ya Gotta Believe" to all the world. With your help, ya gotta believe that the quality of life will improve for people with brain tumors. From all of us at Studious Metsimus, we'd like to thank you for helping Sharon reach her goal and for your support of the Tug McGraw Foundation. We believe. So should you!