M.U.M.'s The Word (Most Underrated Mets): David Cone

In 1987, the Mets entered the season as defending World Series champions. They won the title in 1986 with a strong pitching staff that combined youth and veteran leadership. Despite their success on the mound, the Mets were still looking for more pitching prior to the 1987 season.

Kansas City had a hometown kid in their minor league system who had once been a top pitching prospect (16-3, 2.08 ERA in 1982), but fell out of favor when he developed control problems. The former "can't miss" prospect was a "can miss", as far as the strike zone was concerned, walking a combined 207 minor league batters in 1984 and 1985. As a result, the Royals had no problems trading him to the Mets (along with Chris Jelic) in 1987 for backup catcher Ed Hearn, minor league pitcher Mauro Gozzo and spot-starter Rick Anderson. The trade ended up being one of the best in Mets history, for it brought David Cone to New York.

The kid from Kansas City took a bite out of the Big Apple and never looked back.

Two weeks after being traded from Kansas City to New York, David Cone was on the Shea Stadium mound for the first time, coming out of the bullpen to face the Atlanta Braves. Unfortunately, his Shea Stadium debut was not a pleasant one, as Cone gave up the go-ahead run in the ninth inning and took the loss. Cone would go on to pitch in nine more games (six starts) in April and May before breaking his pinky on May 27 in San Francisco. The injury occurred when Cone (a right-handed pitcher, but a left-handed batter) was hit by a wayward Atlee Hammaker pitch as he was squaring around to bunt. As a result, Cone was placed on the disabled list and did not return until mid-August.

Upon returning to the big leagues on August 15, Cone looked like a new pitcher. Prior to his stint on the disabled list, Cone was 2-2 with a 4.60 ERA. But once he returned, he gave the injury-depleted pitching staff a big boost. In 11 games (seven starts), Cone held opposing batters to a .215 batting average and had a sparkling 2.92 ERA. Unfortunately, Cone's record during this stretch was only 3-4 because the Mets failed to provide him with any run support, scoring two runs or less in five of the seven starts.

Cone's rookie year was good, but not great. He went 5-6, with a 3.71 ERA in 21 games (13 starts). Still, he picked up valuable experience pitching in the heat of a pennant race in September, and did not wilt under the pressure. That experience would come in handy in 1988, when Cone blossomed into an unlikely star.

David Cone began the 1988 season in the Mets bullpen, making seven appearances in April. In his first six relief appearances, it was all or nothing for David, as he pitched 13 innings, striking out 12 batters and walking 11 more. But in his final April appearance, manager Davey Johnson stretched Cone out a little, allowing him to pitch 4 1/3 innings against the Cincinnati Reds. It was his best appearance of the young season, as Cone only allowed two baserunners (one hit, one walk) and struck out five. It also prepared Cone for his return to the starting rotation, which he did four days later when he faced the Atlanta Braves at Shea Stadium.

On May 3, 1988, David Cone faced the same team that he made his Mets debut against just one year earlier. In that start, he took the loss against Atlanta. This time, the end result would be much different, as Cone notched the first shutout of his career, blanking the Braves on eight hits. Cone's first start of the 1988 campaign would set the tone for what was to come for the rest of the season.

After shutting out the Braves, Cone won every game he started in the month of May, going 5-0 with a microscopic 0.72 ERA. For his efforts, Cone was named the National League Pitcher of the Month for May. Two months later, he earned his first All-Star selection, retiring future Hall of Famers Rickey Henderson, Paul Molitor and Wade Boggs in order in his one inning of work.

As the Mets were pulling away from the rest of the competition in the NL East, Cone was establishing himself as the ace of the staff. Whereas some pitchers coast to the finish line, Cone was accelerating towards it. From August 23 to the end of the season, Cone won all eight of his starts. More importantly, the wildness that had plagued him since his days in the Royals' farm system was no longer an issue, as Cone walked a total of 14 batters over his final eight appearances.

For the season, Cone finished 20-3, with a 2.22 ERA and 213 strikeouts. His .870 winning percentage led the National League and was the highest in Mets history for pitchers with 20 or more decisions, surpassing Dwight Gooden's .857 mark from 1985. Although his performance was certainly worthy of the Cy Young Award, that honor went to Orel Hershiser, who bulldogged his way to the award by pitching 59 consecutive scoreless innings to end the season. Cone finished third in the voting, behind Hershiser and Danny Jackson of the Cincinnati Reds.

After finishing ahead of David Cone in the 1988 NL Cy Young Award vote, Danny Jackson went 52-74 with a 4.52 ERA over the rest of his career. Insert "you may have won the battle, but I will win the war" here.

In the 1988 NLCS, the Mets faced the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team they had defeated in 10 of 11 regular season matchups. On paper, the Mets were the clear favorite, although the Dodgers had Orel S. Hershiser (the "S" stands for "shutout") as their Game 1 starter. Speaking of paper, David Cone decided to use one, the New York Daily News, to share his thoughts on the series in a daily column. His venture into being a sports columnist turned out to be misguided.

After the Mets rallied for three runs in the ninth inning to defeat the Dodgers in Game 1, Cone shared his opinion on the state of the Dodgers in his column, when he said:

''I'll tell you a secret: As soon as we got Orel out of the game, we knew we'd beat the Dodgers. Knew it even after Jay Howell had struck out HoJo. We saw Howell throwing curveball after curveball and we were thinking: This is the Dodgers' idea of a stopper? Our idea is Randy, a guy who can blow you away with his heat. Seeing Howell and his curveball reminded us of a high school pitcher.''

Naturally, the Dodgers took umbrage to Cone's remarks, calling them "classless" and "stupid". Of course, this gave them all the motivation they needed when they faced Cone in Game 2.

In 28 starts during the regular season, Cone gave up as many as five earned runs in a game only once (June 29 vs. Pittsburgh in a game eventually won by the Mets 8-7). Game 2 would be his second such start, as he allowed five runs in only two innings of work. Cone faced 14 batters and allowed eight of them to reach base (five hits, two walks, one hit batsman). The Mets would go on to the lose the game 6-3, and returned to Shea Stadium with the series deadlocked at one game apiece.

In the aftermath of the game, Cone decided that it would be best to make his statements on the mound rather than in a newspaper column. The day before the series resumed in New York, Cone "retired" from his sports writing gig, saying:

''This is my first - and I'm announcing today - my last attempt at tabloid journalism. I apologize to my family for embarrassing them. And I apologize to my teammates.''

The Mets were able to recover from the loss in Game 2 by defeating the Dodgers, 8-4, in Game 3. After his short outing at Dodger Stadium, Cone came out of the bullpen to pitch the ninth inning, retiring the Dodgers in order.

The quick recovery in Game 3 was short-lived, as the Mets lost Game 4 (no thanks to Mike Scioscia and Kirk Gibson) and Game 5, facing elimination as they returned to Dodger Stadium for Game 6. It was time for David Cone to prove that he was the dominant pitcher who won 20 games during the regular season and not the helpless mortal who showed up in Game 2.

The Mets pounced on Dodgers' starter Tim Leary early, scoring a run in the first and adding another in the third. After Kevin McReynolds hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, the Mets led 4-0 and Cone was on cruise control, retiring 12 consecutive batters, before giving up back-to-back singles with two outs in the ninth. At 116 pitches, manager Davey Johnson could have elected to bring in Randy Myers from the bullpen. After all, it was Cone who said in his newspaper column that Myers could blow anyone away with his fastball. But Johnson decided to let Cone finish what he started and he did just that, retiring pinch-hitter Mike Davis on a fly ball to left field.

David Cone had exorcised his Game 2 demons, helping the Mets reach Game 7 against Orel Hershiser. Unfortunately, Cone's victory in Game 6 would not lead to the team's fourth World Series berth, as Ron Darling struggled, retiring only three batters while giving up six runs. The offense also failed to produce, as Hershiser stymied the Mets, shutting them out for the National League pennant.

Despite the unexpected ending to the 1988 season, the year can still be remembered for the breakthrough of David Cone from reliever/spot starter to the ace of a formidable staff.

David Cone will huff and he'll puff and he'll blow your hitters away.

The 1989 and 1990 Mets failed to return to the postseason, finishing second in the NL East to the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates, respectively. Although David Cone did not return to the lofty perch he reached in 1988, he remained one of the best pitchers in the National League, combining to go 28-18, with a 3.38 ERA over the two seasons. In 1990, he led the National League with 233 strikeouts. His 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings and his 3.58 K/BB ratio also paced the NL. On a team filled with underachievers, Cone raised the bar and helped keep the Mets in contention until the season's final days.

By the time 1991 rolled around, most of the players from the 1986 and 1988 division winners had left the team. Gary Carter, Keith Hernandez, Wally Backman, Mookie Wilson, Lenny Dykstra and Darryl Strawberry were no longer taking the field for the Mets, being replaced by the likes of Mackey Sasser, Dave Magadan, Gregg Jefferies, Keith Miller, Daryl Boston and Hubie Brooks. The pitching staff was bolstered by the acquisition of former Cy Young Award winner Frank Viola, but the heart and soul those '80s teams had disappeared.

The 1991 Mets came into the season with a fearsome threesome at the top of their rotation. With 53 victories and 638 strikeouts between them in 1990, Frank Viola (20-12, 2.67 ERA, 182 Ks), Dwight Gooden (19-7, 3.83 ERA, 223 Ks) and David Cone (14-10, 3.23 ERA, 233 Ks) were counted on to lead the Mets back to the postseason. However, other than Howard Johnson, who had a career year with 38 HR, 117 RBI and 108 runs scored, the offense sputtered, with no Met hitting more than 16 homers, driving in more than 74 runs or scoring more than 65. The team's .244 batting average was the lowest since 1983, which was the last time the Mets finished with a losing record, that is, until 1991.

The inept offense took its toll on the pitching staff, especially during a particularly horrid stretch in July and August when the Mets lost 23 out of 27 contests. During that 4-23 stretch, the Mets scored two runs or less 16 times, losing all 16. Dwight Gooden's season was cut short in late August by a shoulder injury while Frank Viola was a shadow of his former self, leading the major leagues in hits allowed (259). David Cone could have packed it in just like the Mets did in the final two months of the 1991 season, but he only became stronger as the season went on.

From August 21 to the end of the season, Cone made ten starts. In 72 innings, he recorded 86 strikeouts and opposing batters hit .196 against him. During that period, Cone also had an exceptional 2.63 ERA. Of course, since the offense had gone south for the summer, the Mets lost six of those ten starts. One of the starts they did win was the final game of the season, which was perhaps Cone's most memorable effort in a Mets uniform.

Cone took the mound at Veterans Stadium on the final day of the 1991 season, needing a win to avoid finishing the year with a losing record. If the Mets weren't going to hit for Cone, he wasn't going to let the Phillies hit him. Over the first six innings, Cone struck out 15 batters. Almost miraculously, the Mets put on their hitting shoes that afternoon, scoring three runs in the first inning and adding single runs in each odd-numbered inning after that.

By the time the Phillies came to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Mets had a commanding 7-0 lead and Cone had struck out 17 batters. although he had thrown 126 pitches to do so. But interim manager Mike Cubbage wasn't about to take Cone out when his next start wasn't scheduled for another six months. Cone struck out Kim Batiste and Mickey Morandini to tie the National League record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game. Now only one K away from setting a new NL record and tying Roger Clemens' major league record, Cone faced Wes Chamberlain, whom he had fanned in each of his three previous plate appearances, but the Phillies' leftfielder smoked a ground rule double to extend the inning, bringing up aging veteran Dale Murphy. The former All-Star was prone to striking out, leading the National League in whiffs three times (1978, 1980, 1985). However, on a 2-1 pitch, Murphy grounded out to shortstop Jeff Gardner, preserving the shutout, but keeping Cone from baseball immortality.

With his Closing Day victory, Cone finished the 1991 season with a 14-14 record and a 3.29 ERA. For the second consecutive season, Cone led the league in strikeouts, finishing with 241. But all this took a backseat to the news that Cone had allegedly raped a woman the night before his season-ending victory. Soon after, the police dropped the case, as the alleged victim's claims were deemed baseless.

In 1992, the Mets put together a team that (yet again) on paper, looked like a contender. They added manager Jeff Torborg, who had won the AL Manager of the Year Award for the White Sox in 1990. They also brought in sluggers Eddie Murray and Bobby Bonilla, along with two-time Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen. None of these acquisitions fared well for the Mets, nicknamed "The Worst Team Money Could Buy". But the one Met who continued to perform exceptionally well was David Cone.

The 1992 Mets were around the .500 mark for much of the first half of the season. At the All-Star Break, they were 42-46 and in fourth place in the NL East. For all the former All-Stars brought in to help the team, it was David Cone who was the Mets' sole All-Star Game representative. His stats at the halfway mark (9-4, 2.56 ERA, 154 Ks) were far and away the best on the staff and they continued to get better after the break, as Cone won his first four second-half starts to improve to 13-4. However, the Mets were still below .500 at 51-53 and were going nowhere fast despite having the highest payroll in baseball.

Prior to the 1992 season, David Cone was awarded the highest arbitration amount in history, when he won a $4.25 million salary for the '92 campaign. That left the Mets in a bind because Cone was due to become a free agent at year's end and his stellar season was sure to command a hefty pay increase. Therefore, to avoid having to pay Cone during the off-season, the Mets chose to trade him to the Toronto Blue Jays on August 27 for Jeff Kent and Ryan Thompson. Although he played the final five weeks of the 1992 season in the American League, Cone still led the National League with five shutouts (tied with Tom Glavine) and finished one strikeout behind John Smoltz for the National League lead.

Jeff Kent burst everyone's bubble as a Met, but apparently, not his own. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Kent and Thompson never became stars for the Mets, although Kent did have quite a career after leaving New York, building a Hall of Fame-caliber career with the San Francisco Giants. Cone, on the other hand, blossomed after he Shea'd goodbye. He won a World Series ring in 1992 as a Blue Jay, then took home the Cy Young Award as a Kansas City Royal in the strike-shortened 1994 season. He won four more World Series rings as a member of that other New York team in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2000, becoming a 20-game winner for the second time in 1998 and throwing a perfect game in 1999.

After playing the 2001 season in Boston, Cone was not signed by a major league team in 2002. Not believing his career to be done, Cone signed an incentive-laden deal with the Mets in February 2003. At the time, Cone needed seven wins to reach 200 for his career and the Mets, fresh off a 2002 season in which they went 75-86, were the only team willing to give him the opportunity to reach that plateau. Nothing was guaranteed for Cone as he entered Spring Training, as he was fighting for a job with players who were almost half his age. But as time went by, Cone was performing as well, if not better, than pitchers already guaranteed spots in the rotation. By the end of Spring Training, Cone had not only made the team, but he was penciled in as the Mets' fourth starter, making his return to Shea Stadium on April 4, 2003.

It had been over a decade since Cone last started for the Mets, but as he faced off against the Montreal Expos, it appeared as if nothing had changed. On a cold and windy night at Shea, Cone froze the Expos' hitters, pitching five scoreless innings, allowing only two hits, walking three and striking out five. It was vintage David Cone at Shea Stadium that night, and career win No. 194 was reminiscent of his previous 80 wins in a Mets uniform.

However, Cone's first start of the 2003 season would also produce the final win of his highly successful career. In his next start, also against the Expos, but this time at Montreal's home away from home in Puerto Rico, Cone struggled mightily. After keeping the Expos scoreless over the first two innings, Cone was rocked for seven runs in the third, with the crushing blow coming on a grand slam by Brad Wilkerson. Cone would lose that game as well as his next start in Pittsburgh, although he pitched better against the Pirates, allowing three runs in five innings of work.

On April 22, Cone would make his final start for the Mets, pitching two innings against the Houston Astros, before leaving the game with an injured left hip, for which he was placed on the disabled list the following day. Cone returned to the Mets on May 28, pitching two innings of relief against the Phillies, but his arthritic hip would not allow him to pitch again, as Cone announced his retirement two days later.

Cone only pitched five full seasons (1987-1991) and parts of two others (1992, 2003) in a Mets uniform. Despite having a relatively short career as a Met, Cone is all over the franchise's all-time pitching leaderboard, finishing in the top ten in all of the following categories:

• Wins: 81 (8th)
• ERA: 3.13 (9th)
• Win-Loss Percentage: .614 (5th)
• WHIP: 1.192 (9th)
• Hits/9 IP: 7.524 (5th)
• Strikeouts/9 IP: 8.722 (1st)
• Innings Pitched: 1,209.1 (10th)
• Starts: 169 (10th)
• Strikeouts: 1,172 (5th)
• Complete Games: 34 (7th)
• Shutouts: 15 (5th)
• Strikeouts/BB: 2.719 (7th)

Cone struck out 10 or more batters in a game 33 times in 169 starts as a Met, which explains why he is the club's all-time leader in strikeouts per nine innings, despite the fact that the Mets have employed some of the best strikeout pitchers of all-time, such as Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden and some guy whose last name was Ryan.

Speaking of Seaver and Gooden, upon further inspection of the Mets' all-time leaderboard, Cone ranks in the top three for right-handed pitchers in ERA, hits per nine innings pitched, strikeouts per nine innings pitched, total strikeouts and shutouts. The other two pitchers in the top three in almost all of those categories are Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden.

Had David Cone been a Met for more than six years, perhaps he'd be on this stage alongside legendary right-handers Dwight Gooden and Tom Seaver. (Photo by Michael G. Baron)

It would not be a stretch to say that David Cone is the third-best right-handed starting pitcher in franchise history. Nolan Ryan didn't have his best years until after he left New York, Ron Darling had too many ups and downs in the latter part of his Mets career and Rick Reed didn't pitch long enough to be taken into consideration. Bobby Jones, although very underrated, only had one exceptional year and one memorable post-season appearance for the Mets, although he's among the franchise's all-time winningest pitchers.

When David Cone was traded to New York before the 1987 season, the trade didn't make much noise in the tabloids. Almost a quarter century later, it remains one of the best trades in franchise history. The Mets gave up three players who had very little, if any, major league experience and got back a pitcher who went on to become one of the best and most beloved players in franchise history.

It's odd to call such a great pitcher underrated, but just ask any Mets fan on the street who the best right-handed starting pitchers are in team history. You'll hear some Tom Seavers and some Dwight Goodens in their responses, but see how many people say David Cone. Even they would be surprised at just how great Cone was once he left his hometown to come to the bright lights of the big city.


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

Roger Clemens "Misremembers" Severity of Piazza Bat-Throwing Incident

Apparently, there's a new comedian that's the latest ('roid) rage, as Adam Rubin reports on ESPNNewYork that Roger Clemens has been able to find some humor in his infamous bat throwing incident during Game 2 of the 2000 World Series.

Scenes like this always make for good comedy material. Isn't that right, Roger?

For those with no long-term memories, the incident occurred when Mets' catcher Mike Piazza hit a foul ball on a Roger Clemens offering, breaking his bat in the process. When the sharp end of the bat landed near Clemens' feet, the hurler took the projectile and flung it in the direction of the Mets' slugger, clearing both benches. At the time, Clemens claimed that he thought it was the ball Piazza had hit. Of course, this made perfect sense since both teams were playing with 19th century rules, where a fielder could register an out by throwing the ball directly at the batter/runner instead of tossing it to first base. Oh, they weren't? My bad. Then I have no explanation for what Clemens did.

Anyhoo, the current Hall of Shamer was at a charity event last night in Uncasville, Connecticut and reflected on the event from a decade ago. Apparently, he believed that would be the perfect time to joke about the Piazza incident by saying:

"I just remember my form being really good when I threw the bat. My form was impeccable. I fielded it perfectly. My arm angle when I whistled it on-deck was a little low."

So now Roger Clemens is a comedian, because it's funny to joke about throwing a sharp weapon at an unsuspecting player who's standing less than 60 feet away from you. This is the same player who Clemens gave a concussion to when he hit him in the head with a 90+ MPH fastball during that same season.

I wonder how Piazza feels about Clemens' comedy act. One thing is for sure. While Piazza is preparing his Hall of Fame speech in 2013, Clemens will be preparing his latest lie to a judge. I'm sure Piazza will find plenty of comedy in that routine.

Joey's Soapbox: Farewell To Jerry Sloan

I wasn't supposed to writing an edition of Joey's Soapbox today, but my colleague has been quite distraught over the news that long-time Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan has resigned after nearly 23 years on the job.

You see, he has been a fan of Jerry Sloan and the Utah Jazz since John Stockton was backing up Rickey Green and Frank Layden was coaching the team. Needless to say, the news came as quite a shock to my colleague.

Before submitting his resignation last night, Sloan was the longest tenured coach/manager in professional sports, leading the Jazz since becoming their head coach on December 9, 1988. With Sloan no longer coaching the Jazz, the title of longest tenured coach/manager now belongs to Tony La Russa, who will be entering his 16th season as manager of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011.

Under Sloan's guidance, the Jazz made a whopping 19 trips to the playoffs, winning seven division titles, reaching the Western Conference Finals six times and making two appearances in the NBA Finals. Compare that to the Mets, who have only reached the postseason seven times in 49 years, and you can see just how great of a coach Sloan was.

Before you say "why are you talking about basketball in a Studious Metsimus blog?", allow me to share this tidbit of information. Four different managers (Gil Hodges, Yogi Berra, Davey Johnson, Bobby Valentine) have led the Mets to the World Series. Hodges managed the team for four seasons (1968-1971). After his untimely death, Berra took the helm for 3½ years (1972-August 1975). Johnson became the most successful manager in Mets history in his nearly 6½ years with the team (1984-May 1990), while Valentine (August 1996-2002) was right behind Davey when it came to winning ballgames during his six-plus years managing the Mets.

Along with Willie Randolph, who was the only other manager to lead the Mets into the postseason, Hodges, Berra, Johnson and Valentine have been the best managers in franchise history. However, that quartet combined to manage the Mets for 19 seasons and parts of three others. That total is still less than the number of years Jerry Sloan served as the head coach in Utah. In other words, the best the Mets have had to offer over the course of nearly half a century does not compare to the efforts of one man in Salt Lake City.

I can understand why my colleague is so bent out of shape over the sudden resignation of Jerry Sloan. The NBA (and perhaps all of the other major sports) might never see a coach/manager like Sloan again. In today's "what have you done for me lately?" world of professional sports, Sloan never had to worry about losing his job. In nearly 23 years as head coach, his Jazz teams only finished below .500 once, and that was due to an assortment of injuries to key players during the '04-'05 season (sound familiar, Mets fans?).

Terry Collins has quite a while to go before he can catch up to Jerry Sloan's mark. Considering that no Mets manager has been able to hold his job for even one-third of the time Sloan did in Utah, it goes to show just what a special job Sloan did for the Jazz.

The Studious Metsimus staff (especially my colleague) would like to thank Jerry Sloan for proving that a little consistency can go a long way in the sports world. Sloan will be missed in Utah, but his legacy will last forever.

A Healthy Reyes Brings Hope To The Mets

In an article in today's New York Post, Mike Puma writes about Jose Reyes and his desire to return to his pre-2009 self. Reyes, who made a public appearance in Harlem yesterday, declared himself healthy and ready to report a week early to Spring Training.

With words that are sure to please even the most pessimistic Mets fans, Reyes was quoted as saying:

"Last year there were some questions about my legs. I spent all last year and the winter helping my legs. This year I don't have to worry about my legs or anything like that. The last two years have been kind of rough on me, but there is no doubt in my mind I'm going to be the same Jose Reyes that played in 2008. I've been working so hard this offseason, so there is no concern at all."

In addition to his declaration, Reyes announced that he will arrive at Port St. Lucie at 205 pounds, which is seven pounds heavier than his 2010 playing weight. Whether the extra weight will help him around the bases is yet to be seen (Red Sox speedster Carl Crawford is an inch taller than Reyes, but weighs 215), but a healthy Reyes is crucial to the Mets' success in 2011.

In 2010, Reyes played in 133 games, battling injuries throughout the year. Reyes' 30 steals represented his lowest total over a season in which he played at least 100 games, after averaging 65 stolen bases per year from 2005 to 2008.

It always comes down to health with the New York Mets. Will Jason Bay come back from his concussion to post the power numbers expected of him? Will Carlos Beltran be able to play at more than 85% for a full season? Will Johan Santana's changeup be effective when he finally returns to the mound? As with those players, the same can be said for Jose Reyes.

Reyes is the catalyst from which all else follows. As Reyes goes, so go the Mets. SNY feeds us the numbers ad nauseum. Whether it's the Mets' record in games where Jose Reyes scores at least one run (the team was 42-22 in 2010 when Reyes crossed the plate at least once, in case you didn't know) or their record without Reyes in the lineup (they're 65-90 without Reyes since the beginning of 2009), it's clear that the Mets need their shortstop and leadoff hitter to be Jose Reyes B.C. (Before Citi).

With all the recent talk about lawsuits and the search for ownership partners, perhaps Jose Reyes uttered the four words that could put an end, albeit a temporary one, to all the turmoil surrounding the team, when he said:

"I've recovered my speed."

A one-two punch of Jose Reyes and Angel Pagan at the top of the order could prove to be quite a headache for opposing pitchers. In 2010, they became only the ninth pair of teammates to steal 30 or more bases in the same season, as Reyes swiped 30 bases and Pagan stole 37.

Look out, Mets fans. It appears as if Jose Reyes is about to grab the 2011 season by the balls and the rest of the National League should take notice. Opening Day can't get here soon enough.

Happy Birthday To Moooo, Happy Birthday To Moooo...

Think fast! Who hit 62 triples, stole 281 bases, hit one little roller up along first and has 55 candles on his birthday cake today? It's none other than Mets Hall of Famer and current first base coach Mookie Wilson, that's who!

One of the above will be blowing out 55 candles today; the other will be counting them.

When Mets fans think of No. 41 on the Mets, they always think of Tom Seaver. The same thing goes for No. 14 (Gil Hodges), No. 17 (Keith Hernandez), No. 31 (Mike Piazza) and No. 37 (Casey Stengel). For me, No. 1 will always be synonymous with William Hayward Wilson.

Most fans will tell you that Mookie Wilson was one of the most electric and charismatic players to call Shea Stadium home. Those fans will also say that Mookie had the most crucial at-bat in franchise history, when he faced Bob Stanley in the tenth inning of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. But even those fans might not know everything about Mookie Wilson.

To celebrate the 55th birthday of the man who brought out the inner cow in Mets fans (Moooooo.....), here are a few things about Mookie Wilson you may not have known.

What's bubblier? The champagne in Mookie's hand or his effervescent personality?

Mookie Wilson made his major league debut for the New York Mets on September 2, 1980 at Dodger Stadium. Another key player from the 1986 World Champions also made his major league debut on that day, as Wally Backman played second base and batted eighth in the Mets' lineup (Mookie was the leadoff hitter). Wally's debut (2-for-4, 2 RBI) was slightly better than Mookie's (0-for-4, RBI groundout), but both went on to become favorites among the Shea faithful.

Despite being called up in 1980, Mookie Wilson qualified for the 1981 Rookie of the Year Award. Wilson finished seventh in the voting, receiving 1½ votes. Who did Mookie split a vote with? It was none other than teammate Hubie Brooks, who received 8½ votes to finish third.

No one would say that Mookie Wilson was a great hitter, but for two seasons, he was among the best in the league. In 1982, Mookie finished 10th in the National League with 178 hits and followed that up with 176 hits in 1983, good for 8th in the NL.

Mookie Wilson was known for his lightning fast speed, setting the franchise record for triples and stolen bases in a career (both marks have since been surpassed by Jose Reyes). Who held those records before Mookie claimed them for his own? That would be Bud Harrelson (45 triples) and Lee Mazzilli (139 stolen bases).

Bud Harrelson: The "3" in his uniform number stood for three-base hits.

Lee Mazzilli: Stole his way around the bases and into teen-aged girls' hearts.

When Mookie Wilson hit 10 triples and 10 home runs in 1984, he became the first Met to reach double digits in both categories. The only other player in Mets history to accomplish that feat is Jose Reyes, who has done it four times (2006, 2007, 2008, 2010).

There is one stolen base record that Mookie Wilson still hasn't lost to Jose Reyes. That would be caught stealing. The über-aggressive Mookie was thrown out 90 times in 371 attempts. Reyes will probably surpass him this season, as he has been gunned out 85 times.

It should come as no surprise that Mookie Wilson was able to get out of the way of Bob Stanley's wild pitch in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. After all, in ten years as a Met, Mookie was only hit by 16 pitches. By comparison, John Olerud only played three seasons in New York, but he was hit a total of 28 times.

Finally, what do Mookie Wilson and Mark McGwire have in common? Not much. But they do have one shared piece of baseball history. In 1989, Mark McGwire finished the year with 33 HR and 95 RBI, helping the Oakland A's win the World Series. Mookie Wilson was traded from the Mets to the Blue Jays on July 31, picking up two home runs and 17 RBI in 238 at-bats for Toronto. Somehow, both Mookie Wilson and Mark McGwire received exactly one American League MVP vote apiece, finishing in a tie for 25th place in the voting. Something tells me that one of the voters was also a member of the Toronto chapter of the Jeff Musselman Hate Club, and was thrilled that Mookie's arrival led to Musselman's departure.

Let's not talk about this picture, shall we?

Mets fans have not seen the last of Mookie Wilson, as the fan favorite will be the team's first base coach in 2011. With stolen base threats like Angel Pagan, Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Beltran, the Mets have a number of candidates who will be heeding Mookie's "GO" command from first base. It will be interesting to see how the players respond to having an experienced basestealer coaching them at first base.

Mookie Wilson once said "thou shalt not pass at thy offering" to describe his hitting philosophy. Therefore, as we celebrate his 55th birthday today, we shall not let the day pass without offering Mookie Wilson our best wishes for a happy birthday and a successful 2011 season as the Mets' first base coach. It may be true that the baseball season is a marathon and not a sprint, but try telling that to one of the fastest and most beloved Mets of all time.

M.U.M.'s The Word (Most Underrated Mets): John Stearns

On December 3, 1974, the Mets traded away one of their most beloved players when Tug McGraw was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies. The boisterous reliever had coined the phrase "Ya Gotta Believe" during the 1973 season; a phrase that became the rallying cry for Mets fans as they watched their team go from last place in the NL East to the seventh game of the World Series in a span of less than two months.

The trade, which included outfielders Don Hahn and Dave Schneck, was orchestrated because the Mets thought McGraw was breaking down due to shoulder problems he experienced during the 1974 season. In return, the Mets received pitcher Mac Scarce (who faced one batter during his Mets career), outfielder Del Unser and a young catcher whose major league résumé up to that point consisted of one game. The Mets may have traded away one of the best relievers in franchise history, but in return, they received a player that ended up having a pretty good career in his own right.

Even in his younger days, John Stearns was always one bad dude.

John Hardin Stearns was 23 years old when he took over as Jerry Grote's main backup catcher in 1975. In each season from 1972-1974, Grote played in fewer than 100 games due to an assortment of injuries. It was clear that his time as the Mets' No. 1 catcher was coming to an end. But Stearns didn't exactly hit his way into the starting lineup during his rookie season, as he finished the 1975 season with a .189 batting average in 59 games.

In 1976, Stearns started off the season poorly, batting .067 (1-for-15), prompting manager Joe Frazier to use Ron Hodges whenever Jerry Grote was given the day off. As a result of his anemic start, Stearns was sent down to AAA-Tidewater, a move that ended up energizing (and perhaps saving) his career.

Now playing every day at Tidewater, John Stearns found his batting stroke and eye, hitting .310 over 102 games and reaching base at an astounding .437 clip. In 410 plate appearances, Stearns displayed a keen eye for the strike zone, as evidenced by his 71 walks. He also became an excellent contact hitter, striking out only 29 times. Stearns' breakthrough season at Tidewater earned him a September call-up to the Mets, where he continued to hit at a blistering pace. In his first nine games after being recalled to the major leagues, Stearns hit .455 and reached base in half of his plate appearances (15 hits and three walks in 36 plate appearances). The .067 hitter from earlier in the season was long gone. The new and improved John Stearns was here to stay.

In 1977, Stearns had supplanted Jerry Grote as the Mets' No. 1 catcher. The 25-year-old was now calling pitches for Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman and Jon Matlack on a regular basis, a dream job for most catchers. That dream ended abruptly, as the tumult within the organization reached its crescendo on June 15, when the so-called Midnight Massacre ended the Mets career of Tom Seaver.

By the time the 1977 season came to its conclusion, the Mets had finished with their worst record (64-98) in ten years. In addition to trading away their top pitcher (Seaver), the Mets dealt their top power hitter (Dave Kingman), as well as the man Stearns replaced in the lineup, with the trade of Jerry Grote to the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 31.

Despite the team's awful showing in 1977, John Stearns' first full season in the majors was quite a success. Although Stearns finished the year with a .251 batting average, his on-base percentage was a healthy .370. He led the team in walks (77), doubles (25) and home runs (12, tied with John Milner and Steve Henderson). For his efforts, Stearns was chosen to represent the National League in the All-Star Game, making him the Mets' sole representative in his first year as the Mets' everyday catcher.

The 1978 Mets entered the season with the lowest expectations of any team since the late '60s. After a last place finish in 1977 and the subsequent dismantling of the pitching staff (Jon Matlack had been traded to the Texas Rangers during the offseason), manager Joe Torre was given very little to work with. The Mets had hardly any offense to speak of, hitting only .245 as a team and banging out a measly 86 home runs during the 1978 season. But they did have one bright spot in the lineup.

In an otherwise miserable season, John Stearns continued to shine. He hit .264 and set career highs in runs scored (65), home runs (15), RBI (73) and stolen bases (25). With his 25 steals, Stearns set the modern National League record for stolen bases by a catcher. (Editor's note: Roger Bresnahan stole 34 bases for the New York Giants in 1903, but split his time between catcher, first base, third base and the outfield.)

Despite his excellent performance, Stearns was not chosen to play in the 1978 All-Star Game, as he was bypassed for Braves' catcher Biff Pocoroba. Yes, that's the same Biff Pocoroba who was hitting .262, with eight doubles, four home runs, 24 RBI, 16 runs scored and no stolen bases at the All-Star Break. (Stearns' line at the break was .265, 11 doubles, 7 HR, 32 RBI, 33 runs scored and 11 steals.) It would turn out to be Pocoroba's only trip to the All-Star Game.

In the late '70s, if you looked up the word "embarrassing" in the dictionary, you might have seen a photo of the 1979 Mets next to the definition. Those Mets were more than just embarrassing; they were difficult to watch. Craig Swan was a 14-game winner in 1979 and pitched ten complete games. No other Met pitcher won more than six games or completed more than one. As awful as the pitchers were, the hitters were just as bad. The Mets hit only 74 home runs in 1979, which was the fewest full-season total in franchise history (a record that stood for all of one season). The team hit .250 (10th in the 12-team National League) and was next-to-last with 593 runs scored, which was 24 fewer than the original 1962 Mets scored. Most importantly, the Mets finished dead last in the standings, as their 63-99 record was the worst record in the National League.

John Stearns was not immune to the Mets' failures in 1979, as he batted a career-low .243. Despite the fact that he recorded 61 more at-bats than he did in his stellar 1978 season, Stearns hit six fewer homers and "only" stole 15 bases (in 30 attempts). For the first time in his career, Stearns' batting eye failed him, as he registered more strikeouts (57) than walks (52). He also let out his "bad dude" persona on several occasions in 1979, most notably during his fight with Gary Carter after a home plate collision in the fourth game of the season. Naturally, he was rewarded for his efforts by being selected to his second All-Star Game, although he never got into the game.

Did John Stearns fight Gary Carter because he thought he was elbowed or was it really because he was secretly jealous of Gary Carter's hair?

In 1980, the magic was supposedly back at Shea Stadium, or at least that's what the marketing department led us to believe. John Stearns was just hoping that the magic was back in his game after his subpar 1979 season.

Eschewing power for a higher average, Stearns tore up National League pitching over the first two months of the season. In April and May, his Dudeness was among the league leaders in batting average, hitting a robust .320, with almost twice as many doubles (17) as strikeouts (9). Stearns did not have any home runs, but was still scoring and driving in runs (20 runs scored, 20 RBI in his first 41 games). His new approach at the plate did not go unnoticed, as Stearns was selected to participate in the All-Star Game for the third time in four seasons.

As Stearns was soaring, so were the Mets. On July 15, the Mets defeated the Braves in Atlanta to reach the .500 mark. With a 42-42 record, the Mets had their fans believing that the magic was indeed back, as they found themselves only 3½ games behind the first place Expos. However, just as soon as Mets fans started believing in their team, their hope was taken away from them, and it all started with an injury to their All-Star catcher.

On July 26, John Stearns was listed as the Mets' starting catcher, batting fifth in the lineup. Stearns never got a chance to hit in the game, as he suffered a broken right index finger on a foul tip by Reds' leadoff hitter Dave Collins in the first inning. The injury abruptly ended the 28-year-old Stearns' season, as he was immediately placed on the disabled list. The Mets would go on to lose that game to the Reds, which became a common theme over the final two months of the season. After their best start in years, the Mets dropped 53 of their final 78 games, finishing the year with a 67-95 record, good enough for fifth place in the National League East.

Before the 1981 season began, John Stearns suffered a freak injury, twisting his right ankle after he stepped on a baseball during a workout at Wrigley Field on the day before Opening Day. Stearns did not appear in a game until April 22, when he was used as a pinch-hitter, and did not start a game until six days later, when he played third base against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He did not become the regular catcher until mid-May and was still not hitting home runs, but his average remained near .300 for most of the year's first half, until the players' strike put the season on hold in June.

At the time of the strike, the Mets had a 17-34 record, with basically no chance of making the playoffs. However, on August 6, the owners decided to split the season into two halves, with the pre-strike division leaders meeting the post-strike division leaders in a special divisional round of the playoffs. Therefore, when regular season play resumed on August 10, the slate was wiped clean for the Mets and every other team that had played poorly in the first half.

The strike apparently gave the Mets time to think about what went wrong in the first half. Once the Mets took the field on August 10, they played like a different team. They won six of their first ten games and were competing for the second-half division title. On September 16, John Stearns gave the Mets and their fans a reason to celebrate with something he hadn't done in two years.

Steve Carlton was coming off a season in which he had won the Cy Young Award. Entering his September 16 start against the Mets, the man known as "Lefty" certainly had the credentials (12-3, 2.31 ERA) for another Cy Young. But he also had an interesting history against the Mets, including the game on September 15, 1969 when he became the first pitcher in the major leagues to strike out 19 batters in a nine-inning game. However, Carlton lost that game as he gave up a pair of two-run homers to Ron Swoboda.

Twelve years and one day later, it would be déjà vu all over again for Carlton against the Mets, as the southpaw struck out 15 batters, but lost the game when John Stearns hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning. The blast was Stearns' first in over two years and turned a 4-3 deficit into a 5-4 lead, a lead that Neil Allen protected in the ninth inning.

Why is this man smiling? He couldn't keep Ron Swoboda or John Stearns in the ballpark.

The victory also began a stretch where the Mets won five out of six games. After their 13-inning win against the Pirates on September 21, the Mets' second half record stood at 20-20, putting them within striking distance of the St. Louis Cardinals, who at 22-17, were only 2½ games ahead of the Mets in first place. But the Mets' quest for an unlikely postseason appearance ended soon after their extra-inning victory over the Pirates, as they only won four of their remaining 13 games. The Cardinals also slumped, allowing the Montreal Expos to sneak past them and win the second-half NL East title by half a game. To this day, it remains the only postseason appearance in the 42-year history of the Expos/Nationals franchise.

In 1982, John Stearns came out of the box on fire. Going into June, Stearns was among the league leaders in batting average (.327), was scoring runs (crossing the plate 27 times), stealing bases (7 SB in 12 attempts) and was back to driving the ball all over the field. His 14 extra-base hits (10 doubles, one triple, three home runs) through the end of May matched his extra-base hit total for all of 1981.

Stearns' knack for the extra-base hit was never more evident than on Father's Day (June 20). The Mets and Cardinals were deadlocked in a 2-2 game when Stearns led off the ninth inning with a double. Although Stearns did come around to score the go-ahead run, the bullpen coughed up the lead in the bottom of the ninth, when Mike Scott (yes, THAT Mike Scott) gave up a two-out game-tying home run to Keith Hernandez (yes, THAT Keith Hernandez) to send the game into extra innings.

It didn't take too long for John Stearns to come up again and play the role of extra-base hero. In the tenth inning, after Ellis Valentine had struck out with two men on base, Stearns unloaded a triple off future Hall of Fame closer Bruce Sutter, scoring both runners. This time, the Mets were able to hold the lead, winning the game 5-4. The victory raised the Mets' record to 34-30 and left them only three games behind the first-place Cards.

For the fourth time in six years, Stearns earned the title of National League All-Star, representing the Mets in the Midsummer Classic. In doing so, he became the first position player in Mets' history to be selected to four All-Star teams. But that All-Star selection would be his last, as Stearns began experiencing right elbow pain. He made his last start behind the plate on August 12, made two pinch-hitting appearances after that, and was placed on the disabled list a week later with tendinitis in his right elbow. It was an injury he never recovered from.

Stearns went on to make three pinch-running appearances in September and continued to suffer from the effects of his elbow injury for the rest of his career. As a result, Stearns was limited to four pinch-running appearances in 1983 (no official at-bats) and one pinch-running appearance in 1984 before finally getting a chance to hit on September 1, 1984. It was his first time at bat in over two years. So what did Stearns do after two years without a bat in his hands? Naturally, he hit a double as a pinch-hitter, and came around to score in a 10-6 victory over the Padres. Stearns would eventually return to catch the final two games of the season, a season that saw the Mets finish with only their second 90-win season in franchise history.

Those last two appearances behind the plate would mark the end of John Stearns' career as the Bad Dude became the Retired Dude following the 1984 season. After his retirement, Stearns remained in the Mets' family, becoming the team's bench coach in 2000 and third base coach in 2001.

John Stearns finally made it to the World Series as bench coach for the 2000 Mets.

John Stearns was the type of player who never took the passive approach on the field. If an opposing pitcher went head-hunting after a teammate, Stearns would protect him, as he did in 1980 when Expos' rookie Bill Gullickson buzzed Mike Jorgensen with a pitch and Stearns (who wasn't even in the Mets' lineup) took exception, tackling Gullickson and starting a bench-clearing incident. It wasn't the only time Stearns would exhibit his football mentality on the field, as he tackled Atlanta's Chief Noc-A-Homa during a game in 1977 and did the same to an unruly fan who ran on the field during a game in 1980.

Although Stearns never had league-leading numbers or was the best catcher in the game, he did have a hard-nosed approach that is essential to winning games. Unfortunately, the Mets didn't do much winning during his time with the team, preventing Stearns from receiving more recognition for his accomplishments.

John Stearns was never the type of player who would fill up the boxscore, but he was the man you would most want as your teammate. Stearns once said "the monster's out of the cage" in reference to Mike Piazza. However, when Stearns took the playing field as a Met, he was the monster being left out of his cage. His teammates knew it, opposing players knew it and All-Star Game voters knew it. It's time for this underrated Met to receive the recognition he deserves.

Courting Mark Cuban

By now you've heard the story of the Wilpon Family Circus ad nauseum. If not, it goes a little something like this. The Wilpons are being sued! They need money! They're looking for a business partner to buy up to 25% of the Mets!

But while numerous investors have stepped up expressing interest in buying a share of the franchise, including one that would include Martin Luther King III, there is one billionaire whose name has not surfaced as a potential minority owner. This person has experience with ownership of a professional sports franchise and has also attempted to buy two other major league baseball teams in the recent past.

Tell me, my friends. How would you feel about Mark Cuban throwing his money around Citi Field?

In today's Daily News, Tim Smith reveals that all the Mets have to do to get Cuban's attention is to make the first phone call. The always accessible entrepreneur was in New York last night to watch the team he currently owns, the Dallas Mavericks, play the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Cuban had this to say about the Mets' search for a business partner:

"If someone sees me as a potential owner, I'll take their call and discuss a deal."

Cuban has already expressed his desire to own a major league baseball franchise. In 2008, he tried to purchase the Chicago Cubs from Sam Zell, but was unsuccessful in his attempt. Last year, after the Texas Rangers declared bankruptcy, Cuban was one of a number of investors who put in a bid for the financially troubled team. In August, he was narrowly beaten out by a group led by Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, who bought the eventual American League champions for over half a billion dollars.

So what are the pros and cons of Cuban potentially owning a share of the Mets?

For one thing, Cuban certainly wouldn't have allowed players such as Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo to remain on the team for as long as they have. Although the Wilpons have never publicly stated that they're unwilling to eat their contracts, it is not unreasonable to believe that their current financial problems have a lot to do with it. If the Mets decided to release Perez and Castillo, they'd still be responsible for their salaries (approximately $18 million in 2011 between the two players). They'd also have to pay the players who would fill their vacated roster spots, increasing the team's payroll in the process. By keeping Perez and Castillo on the team, they'd in essence be saving money, although it would come at the expense of fielding the best possible team.

Mark Cuban would not only rid the team of Perez and Castillo, he'd personally drive them to the airport and would make sure the door hit them on the way out. He would not let a few bucks or perhaps $18 million get in the way of fielding a contending team day in and day out. The Dallas Mavericks have been in the playoffs each of the last ten years, reaching the NBA Finals in 2006. They've put together a talented team despite there being a salary cap in basketball. Imagine what Cuban could do in baseball, where the commissioner's office doesn't restrict him from spending whatever he needs to acquire the best possible players.

Now there is the question of how hands-on you'd want Cuban to be. At times he has become the main story, rather than the man who sits quietly in the background, letting his players' performance do the talking. Cuban has been fined more than any other owner in NBA history. If he were to become a part of the Mets organization, would this behavior continue? The players have already had to deal with numerous off-the-field controversies. (Frankie Knuckles, Madoff's Millions, etc.) Would they have to answer for their new co-owner as well?

Will Mark Cuban unleash his telekinetic powers on the Wilpons in an effort to purchase a share of the Mets?

The Dallas Mavericks have never won a championship since Mark Cuban bought the team in January of 2000. However, they have registered ten consecutive 50-win seasons (the all-time NBA record is 12) and have won three division titles, reached the Western Conference Finals twice and made one trip to the NBA Finals. That's a lot more than the Mets can claim since Fred Wilpon bought Nelson Doubleday's share of the Mets in 2002. Since then, the Mets have only made one playoff appearance (2006) and have finished with a losing record five times.

In a perfect world, Cuban would become an owner of the Mets, allowing the Wilpons to deal with their problems, while coming up with the capital needed for Sandy Alderson to bring in the talent necessary to compete in the National League. Of course, we live in a less-than-perfect world, one where a certain player remains on the team to pick up that ever-elusive fourth victory in the third year of a $36 million contract.

Eventually the Wilpons will find a buyer that will dole out approximately $200 million for a share of the Mets. Should Mark Cuban be that buyer? Judging by how he brought the Dallas Mavericks back from Moribund Central (ten consecutive losing seasons in the '90s) to the rarefied air of the NBA's elite, perhaps a maverick owner is just what the Mets need.