June 15, 1983: The Magic Is Back

June 15. It's a date that many Mets fans will remember as the day the Franchise was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. Tom Seaver's trade was the beginning of a dark time for the Mets. They struggled to do well in the standings and because of that, they struggled to do well at the ticket office.

When Nelson Doubleday bought the team in 1980, one of his first courses of action was to hire a general manager who could construct a team that would make the Mets relevant in the National League again. Enter Frank Cashen.

Through inspired draft picks (Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden) and shrewd trades (Lee Mazzilli for Ron Darling comes to mind), Cashen was removing the older players in lieu of younger talent in the hopes that they could harness their talents together and form the nucleus of a contending team. Some of these players had already been promoted to the Mets by 1983. However, for all the young talent the Mets were bringing up from Tidewater, they lacked leadership. Cashen knew the team needed a veteran presence for the players to look up to. They needed a gamer whose passion for perfection would spread throughout the clubhouse. The day was June 15, 1983. The player was Keith Hernandez.

Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog had made it clear that he was not pleased with Keith's attitude. He thought Hernandez was more interested in smoking cigarettes and doing crossword puzzles than focusing all his attention on the game. At the time, Hernandez was also being mentioned as one of the players involved in a cocaine scandal, which also convinced Herzog that a change was needed. Whitey had coveted Neil Allen for some time now, and when the Mets offered Rick Ownbey and Neil Allen in a packaged deal for Keith Hernandez, the deal was consummated.

Hernandez was not shy to voice his displeasure at being traded to the "Stems", as Tom Seaver called the team. But for all the negativity Whitey Herzog claimed Hernandez brought to the Cardinals, his arrival in New York infused the team with a desire to win and play well. His Gold Glove defense made the rest of the infield better, preventing many potential throwing errors and instilling confidence in the young pitching staff. No one was better at positioning himself at first base and his coverage on bunt plays was legendary.

Similar to when the Pedro Martinez signing before the 2005 season gave a struggling Mets franchise instant credibility and enticed other free agents (Carlos Beltran) to sign with the team, the trade of Keith Hernandez to the Mets on June 15, 1983 awakened the team from their six-year lull that had them in a state of hibernation since the Midnight Massacre trade of Tom Seaver. When Frank Cashen was hired as Mets GM, the Mets trotted out a new slogan to bring the fans back to Shea Stadium. They were told to come see the Mets play because "The Magic Is Back". It may have taken a few years, but 27 years ago today, the Magic arrived at Shea Stadium in the form of our beloved soon-to-be captain, Keith Hernandez.

On a related note, June 15, 1983 is special to me for another reason, for it was on that date that I attended my first Mets game at Shea Stadium. I went to that game with the rest of my Little League team. I remember how happy the sparse crowd was when the news was flashed on Diamondvision that the Mets had acquired Keith Hernandez from the St. Louis Cardinals. I also remember how confused I was that the biggest cheer of the night was reserved for the "big TV screen in left field" rather than the events taking place on the field.

Craig Swan started that game and was hit hard by the Cubs. By the time I got back from my second bathroom break (my Little League teammates were not amused that I kept stepping on their feet every time I tried to squeeze by them in our upper deck seats), Swan was out of the game and the Mets were down 4-0. The bullpen pitched very well after Swan's early exodus and the Mets rallied to tie the game, necessitating extra innings and causing some of the parents and chaperones to wonder if they should take the kids home. The Mets lost that game to the Chicago Cubs in 10 innings by the score of 7-4. If I remember correctly, Bill Buckner drove in the go-ahead run in the 10th. Who knew that he would play such an important role in Mets history just a few years later when the little roller went behind the bag?

It didn't matter that the Mets had lost that game. It was one of 94 games they lost that season anyway. That day was important to me for more than just a game. That day began my love affair with Shea Stadium and my subsequent appreciation of Keith Hernandez. I should have known the Mets had acquired someone special when I listened to the sweet voice of Bob Murphy after the game during the radio post-game show when he said "the Mets lost the game tonight, but they have gained a superstar." Twenty-seven years ago today, the magic entered my life. It has never left.

The Animal And The Baltimoron

So, did you hear the one about the Animal and the Baltimoron? You haven't?

Let me set the story up for you so that you're not as confused as umpiring legend Frank Drebin was when he took a course in ejection etiquette.

On Friday night, Chris "The Animal" Carter hit his first major league home run against the Baltimore Orioles. He followed that up with his second major league home run on Sunday. Both home runs were three-run homers that helped the Mets extend the small leads they had at the time.

Usually, a team tries to recover any player's first major league hit and/or home run, as the Mets did yesterday when rightfielder Jesus Feliciano collected his first major league hit. However, although Chris Carter does have the ball he hit for his second major league homer, he still does not have the memento from Friday night's home run.

It's not as if the team didn't try to retrieve the ball for him. It's that the ball ended up in the hands of a Baltimoron, that rare creature who mutated from an otherwise polite group of Baltimoreans. How did this particular beast get the name "Baltimoron"? The answer is quite simple.

The Mets offered the fan who caught Carter's first home run autographed David Wright, Jose Reyes and Francisco Rodriguez baseballs, as well as a bat autographed by The Animal himself. Of course, being a Baltimoron, the fan refused to give up the treasured ball because he was holding out for signed items from Orioles' players.

That's right. It wasn't enough to get three autographed baseballs from established All-Stars along with an autographed bat from the player responsible for hitting the ball causing this commotion. No, you need signed items from guys who play for THE WORST TEAM IN BASEBALL!

Let's re-enact this scene for you, in case you missed anything.


Mets: Thanks for catching Chris Carter's first major league home run. He'd love to have that ball as a keepsake to commemorate his first big league blast. How about we make a trade. We'll give you autographed baseballs of three of our biggest stars and an autographed bat given to you by the man who hit the ball. What do you say?

Baltimoron: No, that's not good enough. Throw in some autographs from players representing the worst team in baseball and you got a deal.

Mets: But these players aren't on our team. They're not in our locker room. They're not as accessible as guys who are literally standing ten feet away from me who are willing to do this for you.

Baltimoron: Yeah, that's nice and all, but I'd really like Cesar Izturis' autograph.

Mets: You do know that once we give you these autographed baseballs of our three All-Stars, if you don't want them, you could sell them for hundreds of dollars and probably buy every Cesar Izturis baseball card ever made?

Baltimoron: Okay, you took too long. Now I want a Julio Lugo autographed glove as well. I also want our mascot, The Bird, to show up at my son's next birthday party. Have him bring Mark Hendrickson in a clown costume when he comes. And if you don't hurry up, I'll want Juan Samuel to sign this photo of himself so I can keep it next to the lock of his Jheri-curled hair that I stole from his barber back in 1988.

Mets: (Door slam)

Baltimoron: Hello? Hello? What if you just added a Lenn Sakata baseball card to the mix instead? He wouldn't even have to autograph it. You can even keep the stick of bubble gum...

So there you have it, my friends. Chris "The Animal" Carter has been denied the opportunity to have the ball he hit for his first major league home run. And all this is because of a Baltimoron who wanted too much for it.

It's okay, Baltimoron. You can have the ball. We'll just take the three victories from your putrid team and while we're at it, we'll hold on to that Lenn Sakata baseball card as well. At least you can take comfort in the fact that you still have Juan Samuel's hair from 1988.

Another No-Name Keeps The Mets From A No-Hitter

Do you recognize that mug to the left? No? Then welcome to the club. The man in the Padres hat is Chris Denorfia, and he became the latest player to keep the Mets from finally recording their first no-hitter.

Last night, Chris Denorfia lined a leadoff double in the third inning against Jonathon Niese. It turned out to be the Padres' only hit (and only baserunner) of the game.

Denorfia now has full membership in the Mets' No-Hitter Breaker-Uppers Club, which is supposedly somewhere near the Caesar's Club and the Acela Club. In joining players like Jimmy Qualls, Chin-Hui Tsao, Kit Pellow and Paul Hoover, Denorfia is entitled to full Club privileges. These privileges include being booed mercilessly by Mets fans who have great long-term memories and the right to never be known for anything else other than being the one man who prevented the Mets from finally achieving that ever-elusive first no-hitter in franchise history!

Let's talk more about the latter privilege discussed above and the other Club members we mentioned.

Jimmy Qualls

Jimmy Qualls was given Club membership when he broke up Tom Seaver's perfect game on July 9, 1969. After denying Seaver his perfecto, Qualls went on to rack up only 91 more at-bats in his short career. The ninth-inning hit against Seaver was the 12th of the 31 hits collected by Qualls over his short career that saw him start only 20 games in the major leagues. However, one of those 20 games was on July 9, 1969.


Chin-Hui Tsao

Chin-Hui Tsao had a short-lived career as a pitcher for the Rockies and the Dodgers. In his fifth major-league start on August 18, 2003, Tsao opposed Steve Trachsel for the Mets. After Trachsel retired the first 17 batters to face him, Tsao hit a double to break up the no-hitter and perfect game. The two-bagger was the first hit and only double of Tsao's career, a career that saw him start only three more games, appear in 42 others as a reliever and spawn only one more base hit, which he collected five days after joining the No-Hitter Breaker-Uppers Club.

Kit Pellow

Kit Donovan Pellow (yes, his birth certificate really does list "Kit" as his first name) played briefly for the Kansas City Royals before signing with the Colorado Rockies in 2003. His moment in the sun came in his final year in the majors, when he doubled to break up Tom Glavine's no-hit bid with two outs in the eighth inning on May 23, 2004. The double was one of only 52 hits picked up by Pellow in his career. It was also the last double of his career. After joining the Club, Pellow only started seven more games in the big leagues and picked up eight additional base hits, none of which put him on another team's No-Hitter Breaker-Uppers Club.

Paul Hoover

Paul Hoover wasn't even supposed to be in the game on September 29, 2007. However, Marlins' starting catcher Miguel Olivo had been ejected from the game in the fifth inning for charging at Jose Reyes, who was standing on third base, igniting a bench-clearing incident. Three innings later, Hoover hit a 30-foot roller in front of home plate that didn't roll foul. The squibber ended John Maine's no-hit bid with two outs in the eighth inning. It was one of only three hits picked up by Hoover in 2007. Although Hoover made his major league debut in 2001 and has played in the majors as recently as three weeks ago with the Philadelphia Phillies, he has still only amassed 25 hits in the big leagues in 96 official at-bats. The No-Hitter Breaker-Uppers Club is the only thing that has rescued Hoover from baseball anonymity.

Last night, Jonathon Niese became the latest Met to be victimized by a member of the No-Hitter Breaker-Uppers Club when Chris Denorfia recorded the only hit against him in the third inning. It's only fitting that it was a player like Denorfia who got the hit. After all, looking at his career statistics, he seemed destined to become a Club member.

Denorfia broke into the major leagues in 2005 with the Cincinnati Reds and is now playing for his third major league team. Despite the fact that he has been on a major league roster for five of the past six years, he has only collected 74 hits in the big leagues, of which 16 have been doubles. Unfortunately for Jonathon Niese and the Mets, hit #74 and double #16 prevented no-hitter #1 from happening.

The No-Hitter Breaker-Uppers Club card has its advantages, which is why card-carrying members should never leave home without it. After all, unless if you're a Mets fan, no one would ever have any idea who these Club members were.

What Do Jonathon Niese and Tom Seaver Have In Common?

What Do Jonathon Niese and Tom Seaver have in common? If you said they've all been pied in the face after games, then congratulations! You're 100% wrong!

However, if you said they're the only two pitchers in Mets history to pitch a complete game one-hitter in which the one hit was the only thing preventing them from pitching perfect games, then pat yourself on the back. You are a true Mets fan!

On July 9, 1969, Tom Seaver's date with perfection was unfortunately chaperoned by the Cubs' Jimmy Qualls. Once Seaver got a little too close to perfection, Qualls stepped in to break things up. In this case, the breakup occurred with one out in the ninth inning and came in the form of a clean single to left-center.

Seaver was one of only four pitchers in Mets history to pitch more than one complete game one-hitter. Two of the other three were Gary Gentry and Jon Matlack. The third was Steve Trachsel, who came closest to joining Niese and Seaver on the "28 batters up, 27 batters down" list.

On August 18, 2003, Trachsel (who had already pitched a one-hitter earlier in the season against the Angels) retired the first 17 Colorado Rockies to face him before pitcher Chin-Hui Tsao doubled off him to break up the perfect game bid. Trachsel then retired the next eight hitters until Greg Norton reached first on a throwing error by first baseman Jason Phillips with one out in the ninth inning. After the last two batters were retired in order, Trachsel found himself with a complete game one-hitter where he did not walk or hit a batter. However, the ninth inning error preventing him from joining Seaver as the only pitchers in Mets history who missed perfection by one batter.

Now Jonathon Niese can lay claim to one of the best pitching performances in Mets history. Last night, Chris Denorfia's third inning double was the only blemish in a near-perfect performance by Niese. He may not be the best pitching prospect in franchise history, but he is now up there with "The Franchise" when it comes to best pitching performances in team history.

Jonathon Niese and Tom Seaver. Once upon a time, their only connection was that they were both homegrown talents. Now they will forever be connected by near-perfection.

Congratuations to Jonathon Niese on his masterful pitching performance! Let's hope there are many more left in the tank.

J-Niese Got A Gun

Born on the same day the Mets won their second World Series title, Jonathon Niese pitched like a champion tonight against the San Diego Padres, allowing only one man to reach base all game (a double to Chris Denorfia to lead off the third inning).

Niese became the 34th pitcher in Mets history to throw a one-hitter, joining greats such as Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden. On the other hand, he also joined not-so-greats Pete Schourek, Shawn Estes and Aaron F. Heilman on the Mets one-hitter list.

Whether he'll follow in the golden footsteps of Ryan, Seaver and Gooden or the muddy tracks left behind by Schourek, Estes and Heilman is yet to be determined, but one thing's for sure. Jonathon Niese has pitched brilliantly since returning from the disabled list last Saturday.

In addition to being effective in keeping men off base, he's also been very economical with his pitches. In his first start back from the DL on Saturday, he threw 90 pitches in seven innings and was only removed because of an understandable pitch count.

Tonight, Niese only needed 108 pitches to pitch his complete game gem. After eight innings, Niese had thrown 99 pitches. He could have been removed by Jerry Manuel, who had Francisco Rodriguez warming up in the bullpen. But as the crowd called for their 23-year old southpaw to come out of the dugout for the ninth inning, the bullpen door remained shut. It was then that we knew Jonathon Niese was coming out there to finish what he started. And what a finish it was. He retired Lance Zawadski, pinch hitter Nick Hundley and Jerry Hairston, Jr. on only nine pitches, capping off a nearly perfect night, when Chris Denorfia's third inning double was the only blemish in Jon Niese's performance.

The Mets have still never had a no-hitter in franchise history. But they got really close to a perfect game tonight. Jonathon Niese retired the final 21 batters to face him and at the same time might have given the Mets hope that they have a third quality starter on their staff after Mike Pelfrey and Johan Santana.

Niese has now pitched two beautiful games since coming off the disabled list last week. He also shut down the Phillies back in late April before getting hurt. With multiple successful outings this season, this homegrown talent appears to be taking the right track to a successful career with the Mets.

Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden all pitched one-hitters for the Mets. They were also all homegrown talents. More importantly, they all own Mets World Series rings. So far, Jonathon Niese can claim the one-hitter and homegrown talent to his name. There's one more thing to shoot for. With more outings like tonight, the Mets know that if they are to get themselves another ring, Jonathon Niese might be a key contributor towards that goal. How amazin' is that!

Beer, The Breakfast Of (National League) Champions

By now, I'm sure you've seen this video of a four-year old boy chugging a brewski during Sunday's Phillies game against the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. (Only the first nine seconds show the youth in the act of drinking the beer.)



Although no one has confirmed that the bottle actually contained the beverage of champions, how the phudge did this kid's parents allow him to get anywhere near an open beer bottle?

Then again, we are talking about Phillies Phans. It should come as no surprise that the same fan base that produced the projectile vomiter who victimized a cop's kid (no word on whether the cop's kid was drinking at the time) and the fan who needed to be tasered when he ran onto the field during a game (see photo below) would also have a future AA member make his drinking debut at a Phillies game.


Due to an assortment of injuries, the Phillies have had to call up a number of their minor leaguers this year. However, after seeing the young boy enjoy his liquid Happy Meal, perhaps the Phillies will have to specify whether AA refers to where their minor leaguers come from or where their minor age fans are going.

Stay crassy, Philadelphia. Stay crassy.

Welcome To Fantasy Baseball Island

My dear guests. I am Mr. Roarke, your host. Welcome to Fantasy Baseball Island.

Why don't you join me as I offer a toast to three players who helped fantasy teams immensely this week. These three players should be added to your team as soon as possible so that you can reap all the benefits they have to offer.


Catcher: Ronny Paulino, Marlins

Paulino has been a pleasant surprise for the Marlins. Over the past week, he hit .320 (8-for-25) and drove in eight runs. This is the first time he's been an everyday catcher since his days with the Pittsburgh Pirates and he's taking full advantage of the opportunity. For the season, Paulino is hitting .310, with 3 HR and 23 RBI. His .280 career batting average suggest that he can continue to produce base hits. He has also twice driven in 55 runs in a season, so there is no reason to believe that he can't match and perhaps surpass those totals this year.


First base: Troy Glaus, Braves

Glaus has been a pleasant surprise for the Braves, who needed help at first base during the offseason and took a chance with the oft-injured slugger. After being limited to 29 at-bats with the Cardinals in 2009, Glaus has bounced back nicely, as he is leading the National League with 44 RBI. Much of his damage has been done over the past week, as Glaus is hitting .348 (8 for his last 23) with a whopping 5 HR and 12 HR over those at-bats. He is one of the main reason that the Braves have won 10 of their 11 games and have pushed their way to the top of the NL East.


Starting Pitcher: Ricky Romero, Blue Jays

After the departure of Roy Halladay to the Phillies, the Blue Jays needed a new ace. They certainly got one in Ricky Romero. Romero has been brilliant and durable this year. He leads the American League in innings pitched with 85.1. He also leads the major leagues in strikeouts with 86. That's right. Your major league leader in strikeouts is not Tim Lincecum, but the unheralded Ricky Romero. The 25-year-old lefty is averaging over seven innings pitched per start and is holding his own in the ERA and WHIP departments (3.06 and 1.20, respectively). His pitching has been one of the reasons why the Blue Jays are toe-to-toe with the Rays, Yankees and Red Sox in the hotly-contested AL East.

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Although these three players were not high on anyone's preseason draft lists, there is no arguing that they should be on your fantasy teams now. By getting any or all of these players, I predict that your team will rise to the top of your league before you leave Fantasy Baseball Island.

Now, I present to you my sidekick, Tattoo, who will talk to you about the little players who have been coming up big for their teams.

Thank you, Mr. Roarke. For many years, baseball players have been bulking up to perform better on the field, whether it be through weight lifting, performance enhancing drugs, excessive hot-dog eating, or by saying the words "By the power of Grayskull".

However, not all players have to be huge to come up large for their teams. Here are three players who performed like big stars despite their small stature.


Second base: David Eckstein, Padres

The 5'7" Eckstein came up big this week for the Padres. Over the last four games, he has hit .333 (6-for-18) with three doubles. His two-out, two-strike, game-tying RBI single on Wednesday against the Mets helped the Padres snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat. His scrappiness is not just the Mets' problem. It has become the league's problem, as Eckstein is the toughest batter to strike out, having fanned only seven times this year. He won't fill up the stat sheet like a Chase Utley or a Robinson Cano would, but when all other second basemen are gone, don't forget about the little people like David Eckstein.


Shortstop: Orlando Cabrera, Reds

The 5'10" Cabrera has bounced around from team to team since the beginning of the 2004 season, playing for the Montreal Expos, the Boston Red Sox, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Orange County near Disneyland at an In-N-Out Burger, the Chicago White Sox, the Oakland A's, the Minnesota Twins and the Bad News Bears (sponsored by Chico's Bail Bonds) before finally putting an end to his peripatetic ways in Cincinnati. He has rewarded the Reds' confidence in him by being their best offensive shortstop since Barry Larkin. For the season, Cabrera is hitting .269, but has been producing in the extra-base hit department (12 doubles, 3 HR), the stolen base department (8 SB without being caught) and has scored 25 runs while driving in 27. All around, this little guy has been a serviceable fantasy player and should not be ignored even if you can barely see him on the field.


Relief Pitcher: Billy Wagner, Braves

The diminutive southpaw who spent a year on the disabled list after undergoing Tommy John surgery has proven that he is fully recovered from his ordeal. Questions about whether he could come back from that procedure at age 38 have been answered. Yes, he can! The old Billy Wagner is back and the Braves are happy to have him. So far this season, Wagner has picked up four wins and nine saves. In 21.1 innings, he has struck out 33 batters. Simple complicated math shows that of the 64 outs he's recorded, more than half have been via the strikeout. He has also done a fine job of limiting men from reaching base and scoring, compiling a 1.69 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP, while holding opposing batters to a .164 batting average against him. On behalf of all the dead little people in the world like me, I say "Merci" to Billy Wagner for showing that height doesn't always dictate your stature in baseball.

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Apparently, we have a gate-crasher on Fantasy Baseball Island, someone who arrived on zee plane, zee plane to offer his two cents. Some of you may know him already. Here's Joey Beartran.

Excuse me, but isn't this Studious Metsimus? Why are we talking about players on other teams and not the Mets? Don't make me do a special Joey's Soapbox feature to rip apart this particular blog post.

Anyway, since we ARE talking about fantasy baseball, I thought I'd tell you which Mets players are hot and should be added to your team if they're not already there. Following in the footsteps of Mr. Roarke and the secretary of the French-Filipino segment of the Lollipop Guild, I will discuss three Mets players you should consider when trying to revamp the fantasy team you thought would compete in your league, but in reality is full of underachieving guys like Carlos Lee, Raul Ibanez and Grady Sizemore.


Shortstop: Jose Reyes

Many people did not draft Reyes due to their concern over how he would return from his leg and thyroid issues. Those who did draft him were not impressed over the first month and a half, as Reyes was having difficulty getting on base. In fact, if fantasy leagues gave rewards for pop-ups, Reyes would have been that league's MVP (most valuable popper-upper). However, over the last few weeks, Reyes has been the Reyes we all know and love. Since May 22, Reyes has hit .352 and has a .407 OBP. In those 13 games, he's scored nine runs, driven in nine runs, stolen five bases and has six extra-base hits (three doubles, two triples, one home run). The fantasy juggernaut might have turned a corner and should be added to your team as soon as possible.


Outfielder: Angel Pagan

With the discharge of Private Matthews, Angel Pagan no longer has to look over his shoulder in center field, unless if he's successfully chasing down a fly ball. Pagan has eschewed his flawed defense and baserunning for solid all-around play and is no longer viewed as a good fourth outfielder, but as a starting center fielder and quality fantasy player. His overall numbers are quite decent (.287, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 9 SB, 31 runs scored), but over the past month, he's been outstanding. Since May 5, Pagan has hit .324, with 19 runs scored, 3 HR, 13 RBI and 7 SB. He has also cut down on his strikeouts, with only 19 Ks over his last 108 at-bats since May 5. Pagan is the guy you want that no one else has.


Starting Pitcher: Mike Pelfrey

Everyone knows about Pelfrey's hot start, yet still he's not mentioned among the top fantasy pitchers in baseball. For the year, Big Pelf is 8-1, with a 2.39 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Perhaps he is overlooked because he is not a strikeout pitcher, but he is posting the best strikeout rates of his career. (52 Ks in 71.2 innings or 6.5 K/9 innings. His previous best strikeouts per nine innings rate was 5.6 in 2007.) More importantly for Pelfrey is that unlike his teammates' inability to win on the road, he has been able to pitch well away from Citi Field. In five appearances on the road, Pelfrey is 3-1, with a 2.93 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. He also picked up a save in St. Louis. The rest of the team is a combined 5-17 on the road. Mike Pelfrey should be on your fantasy team, whether at home or on the road.

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That concludes this week's edition of Fantasy Baseball Island. We hope you enjoyed your stay and come back again soon. Parting gifts will be given in the form of better fantasy baseball teams for you and your friends.

Until next time, Mr. Roarke, Tattoo and Joey Beartran bid you adieu (Joey says "Gesundheit") and hope that all your fantasies come true.