Empires rise & fall. Our New York baseball landscape has been dominated by the Yankees since the mid 1990s. The Mets have been second class citizens relegated to the small TV in bars and the middle pages of sports sections. In 2017, however, New York is going to be owned by The New York Mets. The Yankees empire is dead and buried.

THE METS:

From the flowing golden locks of Thor Syndegaard to the majestic bombs of Yo’ Cespedes the marquee talent in the Big Apple resides in Queens. Supporting actors include the prodigal speedster Jose Reyes, The Dark Knight Matt Harvey, stud starters DeGrom, & Matz and a deep talented squad that has been to the post season the last two years.

Steady leadership of GM Sandy Alderson & manager Terry Collins has the Mets loaded with depth, talent & purpose. In today’s MLB where steroids, amphetamines and HGH cannot be used having quality interchangeable talent is a serious advantage.

Players to watch:

1) Does Matt Harvey bounce back? Cardio Thorasic Outlet surgery does not have an easily predicted recovery. If Harvey is on top of his game this team is scary.

2) Wilmer Flores: The kid that wanted to be a Met so bad he cried in 2015 was becoming a very dangerous hitter when he got hurt last year. He was raking against the best pitchers in the game. Look for Flores to find a fairly regular home at 1B.

3) Travis D’Arnaud: Stats say he is a good signal caller and above average pitch-framer. Eyes said he couldn’t throw out the hot dog vendor and his injury-prone nature was a problem. His new batting stance is yielding very positive results in Spring Training.

Prediction: The Mets are a powerful & dangerous team. Besides the talent on the field they have compelling story lines, combustible personalities and a desire to finish what they started in 2015. They will be in the post season with a great shot at winning the World Series.

THE YANKEES:

No GM in baseball was hurt more by the increased testing for PEDs than Brian Cashman. The checkbook GM would simply sign 31-year-old players and thanks to performance-altering chemistry he would receive three to five years of top production. Now the chickens have come home to roost. The Yankees stink.

Pop Quiz:

Who is the Yankees team leader this year? Brian McCann & Carlos Beltran play in Houston now.

Who is the number three hitter in the lineup? Ok smarty if you say Gary Sanchez than who is the cleanup hitter?

Who are the fourth & fifth starters? Exactly.

Prediction:

The Yankess (with a $200 million payroll) will finish in the basement of the AL East. If they crack 80 wins Joe Girardi should win manager of the year. Not only are they bad but they continue to embarrass the once proud Yankee mystique.

Trading off Andrew Miller & Aroldis Chapman and then watching them in the fall classic. Signing Mets re-treads like Jon Niese and Reuben Tejada. Not signing any stud free agents. Where are real NY Yankees? The Boss would never let this happen.

Disagree with me? Send an email to my attention at editor@rocklandcountytimes.com. We will document some predictions and see who has a clue.

Jacob deGrom’s Quality Start Streak Snapped

By Joe Rini

It’s a new season and a new era for the Mets.

With the start of the 2019 season, the Brodie Van Wagenen era officially begins. If the style of former GM Sandy Alderson could be likened to the new school principal bringing order to the school hallways and discipline in the classrooms, Brodie’s persona is more of the inspirational life coach who’ll get you to hit the gym, believe in yourself, and start your own business.

In contrast to Alderson, Brodie appears to be a more visible presence, at least early in the season. Prior to Sunday’s game, a 12-9 defeat at the hands of the Nationals, Brodie, in a sports jacket turned up at the collar, and Mets owner Fred Wilpon, in a windbreaker, chatted with each other and the players during batting practice, and afterwards he even greeted fans near the field. After batting practice on Sunday, I had a chance to chat with the new GM behind homeplate as he strided to the Mets clubhouse.

Having chatted with Brodie about organizing the front office at the BBWAA Dinner in January, I asked how he was handling the day to day of the regular season, and he brightly said it’s been fun and when I asked if he’s thinking about moves he can make, he answered that he’s more focused on supporting the players by providing them with the resources they need to succeed, whether its proper nutrition or proper mental preparation. The new Mets GM exudes an infectious optimism and fans hope it translates into wins.

When he took on the GM’s role, Brodie said prized prospect Pete Alonso could be the starting first baseman in contrast to teams that have held back rookies to gain an extra year of contract control. Alonso was subsequently in the opening day lineup and has delivered with five homeruns, 14 RBI, a .385 average, and boundless energy in the early going.

Two players the Mets are counting in 2019 are pitcher Zack Wheeler and outfielder Brandon Nimmo and both have started slowly. I asked manager Mickey Callaway prior to Wheeler’s start on Sunday about the impact of his expanded workload in 2018, and he said, “getting those innings under his belt was probably the most productive thing” for Wheeler and the team had a plan for rest and ramping up for him in the offseason. Callaway said Wheeler “understands what made him successful last year…and if he gets ahead at an elite rate with that great stuff,” he’ll be able to throw a lot of innings in 2019.

Callaway expressed confidence in Nimmo on Sunday despite starting 2 for 26 and the manager’s confidence was rewarded as the outfielder subsequently hit safely in three of his next seven at bats. I asked Nimmo on Sunday about his recent hand injury after being hit by a pitch and pointing to his knuckles, he said, “I dodged a bullet.”

Finally, after opening the season with 14 scoreless innings, Mets ace Jacob deGrom allowed six runs in four innings in Minnesota’s 14-8 trouncing of the Mets on Tuesday, thus ending his record-tying streak of 26 quality starts. The Mets Cy Young award winner will share the record with Hall of Famer Bob Gibson, though it should be noted, the term “quality start” did not exist in Gibson’s era, and if you told the ultra competitive Gibson that three runs in six innings was a quality start, he might’ve knocked you down with a pitch under your chin.

Whew, deGrom’s MRI Is Clean

By Joe Rini

The bridge closer to Edwin Diaz has often resembled a minefield for Mickey Callaway’s Mets during the first few weeks of 2019.

Six innings of shutout ball by Jacob deGrom followed by scoreless relief from Seth Lugo, Jeurys Familia, and Diaz on Opening Day appeared to provide the roadmap to victories this season. Unfortunately, in the weeks since the 2-0 Opening Day win over the Washington Nationals, the pitching staff has often made the trip through nine innings as excruciating as a GPS that continually squeaks “recalculating.” Starters not going deep into games, relievers not able to throw strikes or keep the opposition off the board has squandered some of the offense’s early productivity.

Pitching was expected to be the team’s strength but 23 games into the season, the Mets staff sits 14th in team ERA and WHIP among National League teams. Fortunately, a rebound by the offense powered by fast starts by Michael Conforto and newcomers Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil have the Amazins in first place at 13-10, one game ahead of the Phillies in the competitive National League East.

A starting staff anchored by deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, and Zack Wheeler and a bullpen bolstered by the additions of Diaz and Familia to close out the eighth and ninth innings looked to be the formula for success but that formula at times seems to be as elusive as the formula to Coca Cola.

Jacob deGrom reminded fans that he is actually not super-human with two consecutive sub-par outings—but news this past Friday that the Mets ace experienced elbow soreness and would go on the injured list and undergo an MRI on Saturday subsequently produced more twists and turns and ups and downs than a Simone Biles gymnastic floor routine.

Fears that deGrom would ultimately need surgery were replaced by the incongruous reports of deGrom throwing in the outfield in St. Louis before Saturday’s game and the Mets saying he wouldn’t necessarily need an MRI and would pitch at Citi Field on Friday April 26, which of course, produced an outcry among fans and media to get the MRI just to be safe. The Mets ace eventually had the MRI on Monday, which came back clean. His reward will be trying to keep reigning NL MVP and Derek Jeter cast-off Christian Yelich from adding to his NL leading home run total on Friday when the Mets play the Brewers.

If the Mets are going to be competitive over the long haul of 2019, they will need Syndergaard to start pitching like the Syndergaard of 2018 and for Jason Vargas not to pitch like the Vargas of 2018. The 6-foot-6 righty has fallen short by allowing at least four runs in four of his five starts while Vargas has lasted a combined five innings in his last two starts to go along with a 9.58 ERA. Vargas’ struggles and the lack of pitching depth at the Triple-A level has led to speculation that the Mets may sign free agent pitcher Gio Gonzalez but the former Nationals starter could also be an attractive target to the Brewers and Red Sox.

Similarly, Jeurys Familia’s struggles with his control. Nine walks in 10.2 innings has wreaked havoc with navigations through the eighth inning so he’s another important player who needs to find his groove. Perhaps his one inning of clean relief in Monday’s 5-1 victory versus Philadelphia is a sign of better times for the former Mets closer.

On a positive note, Zack Wheeler has improved in his last three starts, highlighted by seven shutout innings and 11 strikeouts (to go along with hitting a home run, doubling, and knocking in three runs) in Tuesday’s 9-0 zipping of the Phillies. Likewise, Steven Matz rebounded from a disastrous outing in the City of Brotherly Love on April 16, and limited the same Phillies to one run in six innings in Monday’s 5-1 victory.

The current homestand will continue through the weekend against the aforementioned Brewers with the Reds visiting for four games next week before the Mets begin a road trip in Milwaukee on May 3.

I invite you to follow me at faninthebox.com and on Twitter at @fanintheboxJoe.

Darling’s Diagnosis & Kranepool’s Surgery

By Joe Rini

The Mets have had outstanding pitching and hitting performances in 2019…unfortunately, not often in the same game.

The once formidable looking offense that compensated for spotty pitching performances in the early going of the season has been playing hard to get in the last two weeks after playing the over-eager suitor during the first two dozen games of the season. The Amazins lost eight of eleven and played a dreary brand of baseball in barely scoring two runs a game amidst mounting strikeouts and dwindling batting averages before breaking out for seven runs in Tuesday’s 7-6 victory over the Padres in San Diego.

Pick your worn down sleeve cliche to describe it: water seeking its level…the law of averages…every team goes through slumps…or could it be another fatally flawed team 2019 edition?

Call it coincidence, but little has seemed to go right since Jacob Rhame buzzed Rhys Hoskins in the ninth inning of the 9-0 blowout of the Phillies at Citi Field on April 23. Perhaps it did not wake up the Phillies as people feared but the Mets bats subsequently went aslumber. Since their 13-10 record put them a game up in first place, the offense not named Jeff McNeil or Pete Alonso shriveled and the Mets record fell to 17-19.

The heart of the lineup has hardly caused palpitations in the opposition lately; for instance, Michael Conforto and Wilson Ramos have seen their .300 plus averages drop to .254 and .227, respectively. Brandon Nimmo’s hitless streak of zero for late April and early May (aka 28 at bats) dropped his average below the proverbial interstate to .196 while Todd Frazier has struggled to a .146 average since his return from the IL.

With a .262 batting average entering play on May 8, Robinson Cano has not performed as expected. Whether the cause of his slump goes to the cold weather (optimistically, it will get warmer), adjusting to a new league (optimistically, he’ll adjust in time), a couple of unfortunate hit by pitches on the hand (optimistically, he’ll heal) or his age (uh oh, he’s 36 and not getting younger), Mets need Cano to perform close to his career slash line of .304/.354/.492.

Acquiring Cano at age 36 with five years left on his contract, the Mets were hoping he had at least two or three solid seasons remaining before age slowed him down. If Father Time is already creeping on Cano, the next five years will seem like a century to the people writing the payroll checks. Perhaps his 4 for 5 performance against the Padres on Tuesday is a good omen for Cano and the Mets.

On the positive side, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard have pitched better recently. Syndergaard became the first Mets pitcher to homer for his team’s lone run while pitching a complete game 1-0 shutout over the Reds on May 2 at Citi Field. deGrom has gone seven innings in each of his last two starts, allowing only two runs, yet only had a loss and a no-decision to show for it because the Mets were shutout each game.

On a more serious note, the trials and travails of the 2019 Mets were put in proper perspective with the health news surrounding Mets icons Ron Darling and Ed Kranepool. Darling, who underwent surgery to remove a mass on his chest, announced on May 6 that he’s been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. The 58 year-old former pitcher said in a statement that his doctors “are optimistic that the cancer is treatable” and he hoped to return to the Mets broadcast booth in the next month or so.

One day after Darling’s announcement, the 74 year-old Kranepool underwent his long awaited kidney transplant surgery. It’s hoped “Steady Eddie” will be able to join his former teammates when the 1969 Mets are honored at Citi Field in late June. Best wishes for a full and speedy to Ron and Ed.

I invite you to follow me at faninthebox.com and on Twitter at @fanintheboxJoe.

By Jamie Kempton

The Rockland County Track & Field Hall of Fame will enshrine nine new members during its 13th induction ceremony on Saturday, May 19, beginning 1 p.m., at the Paramount Country Club in New City.

The class of 2019 includes a quartet of two-time state champions: sprinter Roudy Monrose of Spring Valley and distance runners John Martinez of North Rockland and Brendan Fennell and Erin Demchko of Pearl River. Also on the roster are a pair of highly successful coaches, Joe Biddy of Suffern and Ray Kondracki of Clarkstown South; the 1974 Albertus Magnus “Long Red Line” cross country team; the 1970 Clarkstown sprint medley relay; and the 2001-03 Suffern girls’ 4×200-meter relay.

“This year’s lineup of inductees is extra special because, in addition to our usual gallery of individual stars and outstanding coaches, we are recognizing our first relay units and team,” said Chairman Jamie Kempton. “This expansion helps showcase the full dimensions of the sports of track & field and cross country in Rockland County.”

Fennell, class of 2003, won state Class C cross country titles as a sophomore and junior, set Rockland records for the Van Cortlandt Park 2.5-mile and 5K courses, and was selected Rockland XC Runner of the Decade. In track, he won a state Federation crown at 1,600 meters and ranks No. 4 all-time in Rockland in the mile (4:11.94). He later starred at American University.

Monrose, class of 1997, captured state championships in the outdoor 400 meters as a sophomore and indoor 300 meters as a junior. He set five County records, two of which still stand: the 300 meters (34.61) and 300 yards (31.4). As an open runner, he competed for Haiti in the 200 meters at the 2011 World Championships.

Martinez, class of 2005, claimed the U.S. Junior National championship in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in a Rockland record 9:06.60. He was also state indoor Federation titleholder at 3,200 meters, and Rockland’s first male All-America scholastic cross country harrier. Martinez was a two-time NCAA All-America steeplechaser at North Carolina State.

Demchko excelled at the 2,000-meter steeplechase, winning state Division II and Class B championships and placing fourth, second and third in successive national outdoor championships. At the Naval Academy, she lettered all 12 seasons and now competes for the All-Marine running team. She is a major in the U.S. Marine Corps.

During a 49-year coaching career at Suffern, Biddy earned a state-record 762 cross country victories and two state Class A titles. In cross country and indoor track combined, his teams won 53 Rockland County championships and 41 Sectional crowns, and he was chosen Rockland Coach of the Year 49 times.

Kondracki is retiring this year after 35 years at the helm of Clarkstown South. He led the Vikings track teams to 11 Rockland County titles, 10 Section 1 flags and 14 League banners. He coached 11 state and nine national champions and was awarded Coach of the Year honors 14 times.

The Albertus Long Red Line won the Rockland, Section 9 and New York State Class B, and Eastern States championships, with record scores and victory margins in the County and State meets. Coached by Dick Weis, they ranked No. 2 in the U.S. based on time in a season-ending two-mile track run.

The Clarkstown sprint medley relay was Rockland’s first state relay champion. Coached by Joe D’Innocenzo, they emerged victorious out of the unseeded section and clocked 3:40.5, equaling the County record. Tom Vanderbilt, Mike Fries, Bob Demcio and Mike Meehan ran on the relay.

Suffern’s girls’ 4×200-meter relay won the state and Federation titles three straight years, 2001 to 2003, and also captured the 2002 Eastern States. Coached by Joe Biddy, they won 23 meets over a three-year span and their best time of 1:42.18 ranks No. 4 all-time in Rockland.

Tickets for the dinner are $65 at the door and $25 for children 12 or younger. For ticket information, contact Bill Dailey at 845-323-0976 or wcd106@optonline.net, or visit the hall of fame’s website at www.rctfhalloffame.org.

Callaway and Brass Juggling the Roster

By Joe Rini

The temperatures are rising but at least one polar bear is thriving in the New York City heat. Christened the “Polar Bear” by his teammates, Pete Alonso, the 6 foot 3, 245-pound power hitting first baseman, hasn’t shown any stage fright since debuting on the New York baseball stage this season and we chatted prior to Friday’s game, a 9-8 loss to the Tigers.

With 17 homeruns and 39 RBI by Memorial Day and a penchant for late inning power-hitting heroics, the “Polar Bear” has been anything but cuddly to opposing pitchers—but he’s lived up to the hype and quickly become a fan favorite. It was after Alonso had finished batting practice that he walked among the fans on the field behind the batting practice cage signing baseballs and posing for selfies that we had a chance to chat outside the Mets dugout.

I asked if he was surprised by his early season success, and Alonso admitted that he didn’t feel like he was exceeding expectations, but he spoke in terms of gratitude seeing his success as a “coming into fruition” and “justifying the hard work” he’s employed over the years.

Alonso was quick to share the credit for his current status as a favorite for Rookie of the Year. He cited his “countless coaches” over the years and the support system provided by his parents and his fiancé. “She’s been my rock,” he said.

Perhaps contrary to what some Mets might feel about Robinson Cano or Todd Frazier and their struggles early this season, Alonso particularly cited their influence on him among the “amazing guys on this team.” Guys like Cano and Frazier have been very “welcoming,” he said, describing them as an “open book” when it comes to sharing their experiences, whether it’s facing that night’s pitcher or other baseball experiences they’ve gone through multiple times.

With 11 of his 17 homers coming after the seventh inning, Alonso said, “I just want to win,” and described himself as an “extremely competitive” person who wants to be “clutch for his teammates.” In those late inning situations, Alonso said, “I don’t want one at bat to carry over to the next at bat,” whether he’s been 3 for 3 or 0 for 3. “Live in the moment,” he said.

The personable and accessible Alonso has the potential to become the face of the franchise, much like David Wright was for a decade. And if he continues to hit like he has, it’ll happen faster than the triple digit “exit velo” of some of his homeruns.

With the flurry of roster moves lately and what seems to be a steady stream of relief pitchers shuttling between Triple-A Syracuse and Citi Field, I asked manager Mickey Callaway at Friday’s pregame press conference about the challenge of maintaining a sense of cohesion and leadership on the team in such an environment.

Callaway cited the need for communication with the players and having the right guys in the clubhouse. “I think some of these guys going back and forth to Syracuse understand that’s going to happen. You have options, you’re a young kid…that’s how you build a roster,” Callaway said. He also mentioned having these types of conversations with individuals during spring training and they have embraced and accepted their roles.

“Do they get upset when they are sent down?” Callaway asked. “Absolutely…but they stay focused when they go down there,” he said, adding that they put themselves in position to contribute when they return, specifically citing reliever Drew Gagnon. “He did an unbelievable job of staying ready and now this opportunity presented itself and he’s been throwing the ball well.”

I invite you to follow me at faninthebox.com and on Twitter at @fanintheboxJoe.

RCT Chats With Ron About 1969 Mets & Book “Here’s the Catch”

BY JOE RINI

To Ron Swoboda, “just a guy,” baseball’s parlance for an average player, made his iconic catch in the 9th inning of pivotal Game 4 of the 1969 World Series. While Swoboda’s career statistics might support the just a guy designation, Ron Swoboda the man is anything but average and this week I had the privilege of interviewing Ron about his baseball career and his newly published memoir, “Here’s the Catch.”

Being just a guy isn’t derogatory and along with stars like Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Cleon Jones, Ron said manager Gil Hodges, “Figured out how to make it work with his platooning” of players and bring a championship to Shea Stadium.

“Here’s the Catch” is a book with funny moments (eg. colorful uncles who worked at the morgue and his Chinese step-grandfather “Uncle Arthur”), poignant moments (eg. portraying the humanity of his friend Joe Foy, mostly remembered as a disappointing Met but whose career and life were derailed by substance abuse) but most impressive is Ron’s honesty, humility, and gratitude. Ron shares his World Series triumph along with his struggles in the field that saw him lead the league in errors.

In recalling his iconic catch (literally a leap into baseball immortality), Ron describes it in his memoir as “white space where time, thought, and sound disappear.” Yet, it was the result of a lot of hard work.

Speaking of his quest to become a better rightfielder, Ron said he hated being taken out for late-inning defense. “I wanted to be out there,” despite the difficulty of picking up balls in Shea Stadium’s three tier background.

He continued, “I figured out something as an outfielder that I didn’t as a hitter,” so he had Mets coach Eddie Yost hit fungoes to him for 10-15 minutes before every game.

“I didn’t take flyballs, as such…they were line drives, ground balls, left or right, over my head, in front of me.”

“It was a practice I invented myself…I played it at speed. I went after the ball. If I had to dive, I dove, so you play it like a game and I played it with intensity.”

As for the catch itself, “I worked so darn hard at connecting with the ball with Eddie Yost hitting thousands of balls to me.”

“You’re in the World Series. Man, you’re in a different realm of baseball where everything is more intense and your focus is something you can’t believe. When that happens and you’re off and I ran 3-4 strides and having to make a decision to lay out for this thing.”

“In that memory that you can construct in your mind, it goes just kind of quiet, and it’s just a series of still shots and you’re not aware of anything until that thing comes down in your web and you realize it’s not going anywhere.”

He said it was as though the crowd took a deep breath at his leap before an explosion of cheers. “It was pretty amazing. I experienced it in that one moment, in that mad dash to get it.”

The Mets will be honoring Ron and his teammates on the weekend of June 28-30 at Citi Field. He sees his former teammates Ed Kranepool, Cleon Jones, and Art Shamsky and he’s looking forward to reconnecting with his former teammates that he sees less frequently.

Of course, there’s a twinge of bittersweetness with the passing of former teammates/friends like Tug McGraw and Ed Charles, and the absence of Tom Seaver due to his battle with dementia.

Speaking of Seaver, “He was good right out of the box as good as he was 2-3 years down the road. Looking back, you saw Hall of Fame stuff, Hall of Fame confidence, Hall of Fame attitude and intelligence. You saw it all Day One. There wasn’t a break-in period for Tom Seaver. He showed up and he was Tom Seaver.”

He spoke regretfully of his failure to always get along with Hodges. Blaming himself for sometimes chafing under authority, Ron said, “Gil wanted you to act like a grown-up and be the best baseball player you could be and help the team win. I could do some of those things some of the time but not all of those things all of the time. Gil was as decent a man who walked the planet.” Years after Hodges’ death, he learned that Hodges and his father both served on the island of Tinian in March 1945 during World War II. “Maybe it would have opened the door to a better relationship. I don’t know.”

Speaking of the upcoming 50th Anniversary celebrations and the effect the 1969 team had on Mets fans, he said, “It thrills me that stuff we were doing as players still sticks in people’s minds as a fun part of their youth…what a privilege to feel this job you worked was doing things that illuminated people’s lives in a little bit of a good way.

Ron Swoboda will be in the New York area for about a week around the 50th Anniversary festivities and with book signings. I highly recommend “Here’s the Catch” as it captures the spirit of the Miracle Mets and the drama of 1960s and 1970s American cultural history.

I invite you to follow me at faninthebox.com and on Twitter at @fanintheboxJoe.

41 Seaver Way Is New Address for Citi Field

By Joe Rini

After a week where nearly everything went wrong for the Mets, on the seventh day, they commemorated a year where everything went right.

After a devastating loss on Sunday June 23 in Chicago, subsequent disappointing play on the field and distractions off it, the Mets and their fans turned their attention to 1969 and paid tribute to the champion “Miracle” Mets, highlighted by the festivities on Saturday June 29 at Citi Field when 15 returning players were honored with a parade, keys to the city of New York, and a ceremony before the Mets – Braves game.

The weekend’s festivities began on Thursday morning when the Mets and New York City officials publicly unveiled the new address of Citi Field as 41 Seaver Way in honor of the greatest Mets player of them all, Tom Seaver. The Mets Hall of Famer was represented by his daughters Sarah and Anne and their families since it was announced earlier this year that the 74-year old Seaver was retiring from public life because he was suffering from dementia.

The key to city ceremony attracted politicians from across the political spectrum including Mayor Bill de Blasio and Congressman Peter King. Along with the moon landing and Woodstock, the mayor recalled a time when, “A team from Queens won the hearts of not just the city, but the heart of America.” A former Brooklyn Dodger fan, Congressman King recalled to me that he (like my Dad and many others) embraced the Mets in 1962 after the Dodgers and Giants moved to California and he followed the 1969 World Series as a young attorney in Manhattan.

The genius of manager Gil Hodges was his melding of stars, platoon players, and role players into a championship team and after they received their keys to the city, I had a chance to speak with a cross section of former Mets, namely Bobby Pfeil, Jerry Koosman, and Art Shamsky, about their experiences.

“We were a team but Gil created that team. Everybody played,” Pfeil, a utility infielder, said to me. Recalling how Gil would ask him questions on the bench, Pfeil said, “I liked that he communicated with the guys who weren’t playing a lot…he made sure you were ready.” Pfeil was initially called up to the majors to replace Bud Harrelson for two weeks after spending eight  years in the minor leagues and when the two weeks were up, Pfeil recalled Hodges telling him, “‘They (the front office) don’t want you here but I do and you’ll be here the rest of the year.’ He appreciated me but I think he appreciated all of the players, but that made me feel special.”

Koosman was one of the stars of the 1969 team and won two World Series games on his way to 222 career wins. In talking about catcher Jerry Grote, Koosman said, “He was the best defensive catcher in the game. He did such a great job defensively, it was like him knocking in a couple of runs every game.” Laughing as he recalled Grote’s prowess at throwing out would be base stealers, “You better get your butt down (as a pitcher) because that ball was coming right by your head.”

“We had a good working relationship,” he said of Grote. Koosman recalled a game where he wanted to throw 10 change-ups and Grote called for 10 change-ups. “We were that close in our thinking.” Koosman pitched 16 complete games in 1969 plus a complete game victory in closing out the World Series so I had to ask if he’d like pitching today when starting pitchers may only go six innings. “No,” the 76-year old lefty laughed, “I’m too old now!”

In recalling the enthusiasm of the fans and the effect the Mets victory had on the city and the country during a time of turmoil, Art Shamsky, who hit an even .300 platooning in rightfield with Ron Swoboda, said, “I’ve had people over the years, people not even wanting an autograph, they just wanted to say thank you,” for how the 1969 helped them as Viet Nam veterans or through financial or health issues. “We made people feel better and you can’t ask for anything more as a professional athlete or a person.”

Amidst the cheers and happy recollections, there was a twinge of sadness at Seaver’s forced absence and the passing of many beloved members of that historic team, including manager Gil Hodges and players like Tug McGraw, Donn Clendenon, and Ed Charles (all of whom had family members take part in the ceremony). Fifty years may have stooped some of the shoulders or slowed the steps of the 1969 champions at Citi Field on Saturday but for their accomplishments a half century ago, they will forever stand tall and proud in sports history.

By Travis Pulver

Going into Friday night’s game against the Miami Marlins, the New York Mets were hoping that the reigning National League Cy Young winner, Jacob deGrom could lead the team out of their rut. With losses in their last two against the Washington Nationals, the team had fallen two games below .500 (20-22).

While that record is not necessarily awful at this time of year, Mets fans know all too well how a couple of losses in a row can snowball into something much worse. So, they needed Jacob deGrom to work his magic and make sure the Mets beat arguably the worst team in baseball.

Miami entered the game having scored just four runs in their last five games. Last weekend, the Mets dominated the Marlins in two of three games of a homestand (third was postponed), outscoring them 15-3.

So, surely deGrom could get the team back on the winning side of the scoreboard once again. But instead, the Marlins lit him up like a Christmas tree, with nine hits and seven runs (six earned) in five innings as the Mets lost 8-6. The Marlins had gone scoreless in their last 27 innings and were on a seven-game losing streak.

“Tonight’s on me. I did a terrible job out there,” deGrom said after the game, via ESPN. “I let it get out of hand.”

The loss makes it three in a row for the Mets but to make it worse, it’s the third in a row to a team with a losing record (previous two were to the Nationals).

While deGrom does deserve blame for Friday night’s loss, it isn’t all on him. The defense was not very good and made several mistakes that they shouldn’t have. The offense did produce six runs on the night but only had one through the first six (scored five between the 7th and 8th).

Since no one played particularly well, we must ask a rather delicate question: is it time to let manager Mickey Callaway go?

He is in the midst of just his second season as the manager of the Mets and his second as an MLB manager. Before getting the job with the Mets, he had been the pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians. While you would hope the learning curve wouldn’t be too bad in Year Two, it may be a little unreasonable to expect him to have the job down pat.

However, Mets fans and the organization have not been known for their patience. Still, if you look at the team and keep in mind how they did last season and where expectations were coming into this season, they aren’t doing so bad that the manager needs to be fired.

This season, after 43 games, the team is 20-23. Last season, they were 24-19. Yes, that is a better record, but it isn’t a drastically different one. It certainly isn’t (or shouldn’t be) enough of one to call for Callaway’s job.

Nonetheless, the pitching staff is not helping his case. As a unit, last season, they combined for a 4.07 ERA (4.29 before the All-Star break). With roughly a quarter of the season done, they are not performing close to that level (4.52). But, to be fair, the staff got off to a horrible start in April (5.42; 28th). So far, in May, they are a top-five staff (3.02).

Offensively, they are off to a better start in 2019. Last season they hit .234 as a team; so far this season they are hitting .248 (18th). That still isn’t great, but it is better.

When the season began, the Mets were one of those teams that some thought had potential to do well this season. That was evident in their World Series odds on April 1 (+1900), good but not great. Roughly a month and a half later, their odds are up to +2500 and they are further and further away from the World Series horse race.

If oddsmakers thought they were a terrible team without hope of redemption, their odds would have fallen faster and further. But this team has potential. The organization just needs to give Mickey Callaway a chance to figure out the job and do it.

HEMPSTEAD, NY (07/15/2019)– Hofstra University and the Department of Athletics are excited to announce the creation of the Hofstra Athletic Director Scholars Academic Honor Roll, recognizing the incredible work of Pride student-athletes in the classroom.

Sean Flaherty of Orangeburg, NY has earned a spot on the initial list.

A total of 159 Hofstra student-athletes were named to the list for the spring semester.

“We are thrilled to unveil another avenue to showcase the amazing work that the Hofstra student-athletes perform in the classroom,” commented Hofstra Director of Athletics Rick Cole Jr. “A truly special thank you to Associate Dean for the Center for University Advising Rachel Peel-Macandrew, who came up with the idea for this and worked with many of our colleagues in the Hofstra community to allow this recognition to come to fruition. Congratulations to our honorees on continuing to be great representatives of Hofstra and our athletic program.”

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COMMUNITY WHEELCHAIR SOFTBALL GAME VS. BOULDERS

Pomona, NY – Helen Hayes Hospital will team up with the Rockland Boulders baseball team and Bridges Independent Living Center on Sunday, July 28^th to present Accessible Awareness Day at Palisades Credit Union Park—featuring a very special wheelchair softball game pitting Helen Hayes Hospital, Bridges, and community members against Boulders players.This special event will allow visitors to learn about the daily living experiences of individuals with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, while also enjoying an exciting day of baseball with Rockland County’s popular professional baseball team.

Accessible Awareness Day will begin at 3:00pm with an adapted softball game for individuals of all ages and abilities. This game will take place in the parking lot of Palisades Credit Union Park so that individuals in wheelchairs can participate. Community members are invited to join Helen Hayes Hospital and Bridges to play in this game with the Rockland Boulders.

Following the game, attendees will be invited inside the stadium for a pre-game musical performance and to try out experiences that will allow participants to “walk in the shoes” of individuals with disabilities. Handcycles and wheelchairs will be available for visitors to test drive, as well as glasses that simulate visual impairment. Attendees will also be able to learn more about Helen Hayes Hospital and Bridges and the services they offer to people with disabilities.

Helen Hayes Hospital is one of the nation’s leading specialty rehabilitation hospitals, providing a range of inpatient, outpatient and specialty care to individuals recovering from brain and spinal cord injury, amputation and stroke, as well as cardiopulmonary, orthopedic and neurological disorders. Founded in 1900, it is operated by the New York State Department of Health and is a member of the New York-Presbyterian Healthcare System.

Bridges, Rockland County’s Independent Living Center, is a community-based, peer-driven, cross-disability, not-for-profit organization dedicated to advocacy and leadership on behalf of people with disabilities. The organization operates under the New York State Education Department.

The Boulders game will begin at 5pm. To register for the event and for additional info, please contact Helen Hayes Hospital’s Community Relations Specialist, Matthew Castelluccio: 845-786-4189.

RCT Chats With McNeil & He Gets a Puppy

By Joe Rini

Jeff McNeil’s nickname may be the “squirrel” but unlike those feisty creatures that zig zig and then zig zag again as they crisscross in front of your car as you negotiate the roads of Rockland County, he was cool as a cat in the shade when we chatted on Friday July 26 in the Mets clubhouse…well, at least he until a found a puppy before game time.

McNeil has gone from a little known minor leaguer to NL All-Star and batting title contender in barely a year, yet he seemed to take everything in stride as we chatted before the Mets 6-3 victory over Pittsburgh. With his ability to go the other way and hit behind the runner, he’s a throwback in an era of exit velos yet when I asked him about it, he mentioned how he had to master these skills in college ball in order to get playing time.

The hard work continues at the major league level as McNeil mentioned the use of video, not so much as to study his own swing, but to learn how the opposing pitchers pitch in specific situations. For instance, if a team is going to shift the defense when he’s up, he may look for something off-speed that he can hit to the opposite field. The California native said division teams know each other well, so success “comes down to execution.”

Whereas many players might struggle at the plate when getting used to a new position at the major league level, McNeil has thrived despite being moved to the outfield this season. “I had played it in college. It wasn’t a lot to get used to,” he said although having played only eight games in the outfield in six minor seasons, the 26-year old is probably being a bit modest.

When I asked who’s been instrumental in his success so far, he mentioned Todd Frazier and quality control coach Luis Rojas. Rojas has also coached him at several levels of the minor leagues and helped him with the “mental approach” to the game, including how to handle failure.

Pete Alonso also mentioned to me in May how much Frazier had helped him this season and I had the opportunity to ask Frazier about it outside the Mets dugout after batting practice. He was flattered when I told him how both players had credited his role with their success and the Toms River native said he approaches them the way his father approached him as a young player. Interestingly, rather than dictate to the young players beforehand, if he sees them make a mistake, he’ll ask them, “What was your approach at the plate?” or “Describe your thought process” in a situation.

Later as the team took batting and fielding practice, the North Shore Animal League was on the field with rescued dogs looking for adoption. One of the dogs appeared to be an Alaskan Husky mixed breed, and McNeil enthusiastically video chatted his wife about adopting it. With Mickey Callaway good-naturedly needling McNeil that he’d adopt the dog because he didn’t need to get his wife’s permission and the adoption pending a visit by the McNeils on Saturday, the Mets outfielder slugged a three run homer in the Mets 6-3 win and after the game he joked, “Hitting a home run after holding a puppy, I think that gives me a little bargaining chip. My wife wants more homers, then we have to get a puppy.” Happily, the pup officially joined the McNeil family on Saturday.

Although McNeil said the team hopes to get back in the wildcard race, the Mets were expected to be sellers at the trade deadline. However, after a sweep of the Pirates this past weekend, GM Brodie Van Wagenen and the Mets stunningly acquired All-Star pitcher Marcus Stroman from Toronto for two minor league pitching prospects on Sunday. With the 4:00 PM July 31 trade deadline tick tocking as we go to press, and Jason Vargas dealt to Philadelphia on Monday, questions swirl about whether Zack Wheeler, Noah Syndergaard, or Edwin Diaz will be dealt to replenish a farm system that’s dealt three former first round draft picks in the brief Van Wagenen era or whether the Mets will hold onto the veterans for a potential stretch run in 2019.

Finally, there was a ceremony in the pressroom before Friday’s game as Pete Alonso presented $50,000 donations to both the Wounded Warrior Project and the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation after Major League Baseball presented him with his $1 million check for winning the Home Run Derby. Sharing the stage with WWP CEO Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Linnington, Tunnel to Towers CEO Frank Siller, and beneficiaries of these foundations, Alonso spoke movingly of this nation’s military members and first responders, saying, “I have a very strong passion for those people willing to make the ultimate sacrifice every single day.”

Surge Feels Like 1969, 1973 & 2015 …Do You Believe?

By Joe Rini

And I thought Ed Kranepool was just being kind.

As the Mets Hall of Famer addressed the fans at the festivities honoring the 1969 champion Mets on June 29, he concluded his remarks by addressing the current Mets. “They can do it, like we did — you got to believe in yourself…Good luck. You have half a season. I wish you the best so that we can celebrate in October when you clinch the World Series and (we) come back when you’re still playing.”

Unfortunately, the 2019 Mets responded that day by dropping their seventh game in a row to the Braves by a score of 5-4, falling to a season high 10 games under .500, 13 games out of first place. By the end of that afternoon, 24-year old Pete Alonso seemed as likely to be playing in the World Series as his first base forbear, the 74-year old Kranepool.

Yet, perhaps, the Bronx-born, street smart Kranepool was planting seeds for another miracle. Seeds need a little time and nourishment to bloom and here six weeks later, the Mets are flourishing. Writing about the modest beginning of the 11 game win streak that catapulted the 1969 Mets, Ron Swoboda wrote in his newly published book, Here’s the Catch, “Something started that no one could’ve predicted,” and that something for these Mets was a 4-0 shutout of the Padres by Jacob deGrom and the bullpen on July 25 leaving the Mets at 47-55, 12 ½ games out of first with six teams and eight games between them and the second wildcard spot.

Zack Wheeler started on Friday July 26 in what many anticipated to be his final start as a Met with the July 31 trade deadline looming. I spoke to Jeff McNeil before the game about the atmosphere around the trade deadline and how to approach the final two months of the season and when he mentioned the team could still get hot and get back into the race, I thought he was being confidently hopeful if not realistic. But before the night was over, McNeil hit a three-run homer, adopted a puppy, Wheeler pitched into the sixth inning and the Mets won 6-3 over the Pirates.

The Mets swept the Pirates that weekend and more surprisingly, they acquired pitcher Marcus Stroman from the Toronto Blue Jays. Suddenly, the Mets weren’t selling at the trade deadline. Wheeler was staying. Noah Syndergaard was staying. Todd Ftazier was staying.

Credit Kranepool’s karma, McNeil’s puppy, a stabilized bullpen, stellar starting pitching, or clutch home runs, the Mets have amazingly reeled off 15 wins in 18 games (following Tuesday’s 5-3 defeat to Atlanta) and at 61-58, stand in the middle of the wildcard race with an outside chance at winning the Eastern Division of the National League.

In winning six of seven games on the last homestand against the Marlins and Nationals, the Mets received contributions from across the roster with Pete Alonso homering in four straight games while dramatic late-inning game-tying home runs were hit by veteran Todd Frazier (career number 208) and rookie Luis Guillorme (career number 1). Fan excitement was intense at Citi Field as seemingly every game was described as the “loudest” game ever at the stadium.

One of the key players on this run has been catcher Wilson Ramos, who sports a .333 average with runners in scoring position. Ramos cracked a three run homer in the Mets 5-0 triumph over the Marlins on August 6. Much maligned for his handling of the pitching staff earlier in the season, I asked Mickey Callaway after the game about Ramos’ progress in handling the staff.

“It’s about him building those relationships,” Callaway said. “He’s done a tremendous job…When you get to a new team, you get new pitchers. You have to earn their trust and he’s done that. He’s catching fantastic now. He’s preparing well. He’s doing a great job of understanding what our pitchers’ strengths are…they have enough knowledge of scouting report to attack weaknesses…and you can really expose hitters.”

With seven teams fighting for two wildcard spots, the Mets will need to keep winning to qualify for October baseball. While the Mets will lean on their starting pitching, they’ll also need the struggling Edwin Diaz to recover his 2018 form when he led the AL with 57 saves. Also, Jeff McNeil injured his hamstring trying to leg out a hit in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s game and as the team and their fans hold their breath in the hope that the All-Star outfielder will not miss an extended period of time to injury, we’ll wonder whether Ed Kranepool’s words will turn out to be not only kindly, but prophetic.

Callaway: “Anybody Can Contribute”

By Joe Rini

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The first six games of the current homestand encapsulated the hopes and fears of fans. The first three featured the Mets sweeping the red-hot AL Central leading Cleveland Indians but the more familiar nemesis from Atlanta, the NL East first place Braves, spoiled the Mets weekend plans of catching up in the wildcard race by sweeping the Amazins. Whereas, the Indians series featured the Mets late-season penchant for late game comebacks, the Braves series included an excruciating 14-inning loss on Friday, sloppy play on Saturday, and the tying and winning runs left on base in the ninth inning on Sunday.

Unfortunately for the Mets, the slumbering lumber continued when they dropped the opener to a crucial series with the Cubs 5-2 on Tuesday. Pete Alonso hit a franchise record 42nd home run on Tuesday but he’s been the lone spark on offense lately. With a month to go in the season, the Mets will hope the bats are taking a brief nap and not a hibernation.

Despite the late-night loss to the Braves on Friday, the Mets seemed in good spirits when I attended Saturday’s game at Citi Field. Prior to the game, I brought up his role as a late-season call-up to the 2002 World Champion California Angels and asked manager Mickey Callaway how he imparts that experience to his current group of young players.

Looking back, Callaway said, “Anybody can contribute. We had a lot of people getting called up later in that season that contributed,” specifically citing how Francisco (“KRod”) Rodriguez “punched out” 13 guys in five innings and then become a postseason hero.

Speaking of his own team, Callaway said everyone understands that, “Even though you are still in Triple-A today, doesn’t mean you can’t help us do something special.” He cited recent Mets call-up Paul Sewald and said, “He’s come up and thrown some great innings and he might play a huge role in where we want to get to so everyone going to contribute… with good teams, that’s what happens. Someone steps up and gets the job done.”

During Saturday’s late afternoon pregame drills, I caught up with reliever Seth Lugo outside the Mets dugout. Having pitched two innings two nights in a row, Lugo said he was too sore to pitch on Saturday but overall felt great physically for the stretch drive.

Considering the late night extra inning pitcher’s duel from the previous night, I asked how he felt about the minor league experimentation with having extra innings start with a runner on second and he shook his head and laughed, “Don’t they like baseball?” As for the experimentation of having balls and strikes called electronically instead of by the homeplate umpire, he said it would make his life as a pitcher easier because an automated system would probably call curveballs that drop over homeplate strikes whereas currently they’re called balls because the catcher typically catches them in the dirt.

Noting the long baseball season, Lugo said the team never thought it was out of the race. He enjoys working with pitching coach Phil Regan, someone he worked with in minor leagues. Lugo mentioned enjoying the competitiveness of trying to set up hitters, taking note of each game’s situation and each hitter’s tendencies, something Regan has helped him with since they started working together in 2014. In that sense, he said, the game hasn’t really changed despite the explosion of homeruns this season.

The pregame activities also included JD Davis greeting Little Leaguers from Utah, Brodie Van Wagenan on the field, and Robinson Cano taking fielding and batting practice despite his hamstring injury.

I asked Van Wagenan about the team’s off-season acquisition of Davis and the Mets GM said it was the product of the team’s pro scouting and analytical research team working together to identify Davis as a trade target. Van Wagenen cited Davis’ success in the minor leagues and his knowledge of the strike zone among his attributes when the Mets traded for him, and was happy to see him succeed given how hard a worker he is.

Speaking of player acquisitions, Van Wagenen said despite the success of the Davis trade, player transactions are an “imperfect science.” I asked Van Wagenen about Cano who was starting to hit at the time of his injury, and the GM said he still believes in Cano, calling him a “champion teammate.” As Cano finished his pregame drills, he told me he felt good and wants to be back on the field, but for the moment, is happy cheering on his teammates during this second half run.

The New York Mets are now 50-1 to win the World Series at the best online sportsbooks, falling from a shorter 30-1 earlier this summer.

The Amazin’ Mets currently sit in fourth place in the National League East. The Braves, who lead the division with 84 wins – at the time of writing – lead the odds boards as well out of this division at 10-1.

Despite the long odds and their place in the standings, the Mets sit at No. 9 on the TeamRankings power rankings, with a projected wins total of 82. That said, they still only have a 6.1 percent chance of making the playoffs. So for the NY Mets, this last stretch of the regular season has become the Miracle Mile.

What Needs to Happen

With fewer than 30 games left, the Mets need to go on a serious win streak and the Washington Nationals or Chicago Cubs need to stumble and fall in the wild card race. Right now, the Mets are eight games behind the Nationals and four behind the Cubs. If they can catch the Cubs or the boys from the capital city, they can snag a wild card spot.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have the second-best record in the NL West at 70 wins, trailing the Dodgers by a whopping 19 games. The Cubs are currently second in the AL Central with just 73 wins. The Milwaukee Brew Crew are in third with 70 wins. So, although the stars need to align a bit, there is still hope for the Mets.

New York starts a three-game series against the Washington Nationals on Monday, September 2. This is where it needs to start. The Mets are against the clock. If they can take two of three, they can begin their turn-around and race towards the playoffs. The Phillies are just a game up on the Mets. They just took a game off the Mets on Sunday with a 5-2 victory, but not before the Mets took both Friday and Saturday affairs.  Now they have a 4-game stretch against the Cincinnati Reds, who are sitting towards the bottom of the NL Central.

After the Nationals face the Mets, they head directly to Atlanta for a 4-game series. Then the Phillies face the Braves right after that – this is also after the Mets and Phillies do business. So, there is a good chance that the Mets can make up some ground in the first half of September. Unfortunately, the Mets have the ninth toughest remaining schedule in the League. However, they can still make the playoffs with some outstanding play and a little help from the rest of the National League.

They need a small miracle, but hey … they are the Amazin’ Mets.

Syndergaard and the Quest for a Personal Catcher

By Joe Rini

Are there Miracle Mets every 50 years? The 2019 Mets hope so.

After an amazing 15-1 stretch catapulted the Amazins to within ½ game of a wildcard spot in the National League, a prolonged period of middling play at 13-14 since August 10 has seen the Mets drift 3.5 games from the second wildcard spot in a scrum with the Phillies, the Brewers, and the Diamondbacks as they try to knock the Chicago Cubs off the second wildcard perch.

Getting swept by the Cubs in late August, dropping two of three versus the Phillies at Citi Field this past weekend, and relief pitchers not named Seth Lugo have the Mets dangling off the proverbial plank with only 18 games to play.

After three relievers caused the Mets to blow a six run ninth inning lead for the first time in franchise history (plus causing thousands of disrupted nights sleep for Mets fans) in a disastrous 11-10 defeat at the hands of the Nationals in Washington on September 3, they rebounded to win the rubber match the next afternoon and it was an upbeat Mickey Callaway who greeted the press before Friday’s game against the Phillies, a 5-4 literal walk-off win for the Mets as Pete Alonso drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning to force in the winning run.

A key second half contributor has been lefty starter Steven Matz. Since returning to the starting rotation in July, the Long Island native has dropped his season ERA by nearly a run and before facing the Phillies for a fifth time in 2019, I asked Callaway how Matz could continue his effectiveness against them.

Acknowledging that there are no secrets between division rivals, Callaway said, “He has to execute better than they execute their at bats.” Citing Matz’s improved performance since the All-Star break, Callaway said, “His cutter has been off the charts” especially to right-handed batters. “He’s very talented. He’s throwing really well at home this year so he has that nugget in the back of his mind, building confidence for him. He’s been pitching great since the All-Star break, so that’s another layer of confidence added on. He’s feeling great, performing great, so he should be able to go out there and throw one of his better games.”

Matz was good enough on Friday, allowing two runs in 5 ⅔ innings, while veterans Todd Frazier and Wilson Ramos provided help on offense. After the game, I asked Callaway about the importance of these veterans during the stretch run. “It’s big. We have a great mix of veteran guys and younger players that are performing….Frazier was probably the MVP of the game…and you figure Ramos will get you a hit a game.” Citing the roles played by Frazier and Ramos in starting rallies and driving in runs combined with Alonso’s walk-off walk, “Big job by our veterans and younger guys.”
There was drama on the field and melodrama off the field on Monday. Alonso hit home run numbers 46 and 47 in Monday’s 3-1 victory over the Diamondbacks with Aaron Judge’s tookie record of 52 within sight while published reports indicated that Noah Syndergaard again requested to management that he not pitch to Wilson Ramos since he has pitched better to backup catchers Tomas Nido and Rene Rivera. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Syndergaard said, “It’s unfortunate that a private conversation I had with the front office and the coaching staff became public, but it is what it is right now.” 144 games into the season, the Mets have been unwilling to placate their 6 foot 6 inch pitcher with a personal catcher, so it’s likely Syndergaard and Ramos will continue to be battery mates through his final starts.

The Mets have struggled against the top teams in the league but they’ll need to reverse that trend quickly as they face the playoff bound Dodgers this weekend before heading to Colorado and Cincinnati for the final road trip of the season. Last decade, the Mets squandered two playoff runs in their final 17 games; perhaps these final 18 will be kinder to the residents of 41 Seaver Way.

I invite you to follow me at faninthebox.com and on Twitter at @fanintheboxJoe.

HR Record for Alonso But Is Callaway Going, Going…?

By Joe Rini

And yet…

Pete Alonso capped off a historic season by hitting a rookie record 53rd home run in Game 161 in Saturday’s 3-0 shutout over the playoff bound Braves. Three days earlier, Jacob deGrom staked his claim to back to back Cy Young Awards with seven more shutout innings over the Marlins en route to his 11th victory. Finally, a weekend of good vibes and second half renewal culminated with the recently reactivated Dominic Smith hitting a two-out, 11th inning walkoff three run homer in Sunday’s 7-6 victory over the Braves, giving the Mets their 86th win of the season, their best season since 2016.

And yet, the Mets did not make the postseason. Despite their exciting mad dash to reach the second wildcard spot, 2019 ended with the Mets a few strides behind the fast closing Milwaukee Brewers, so the question remains, will late season optimism be enough for the Mets to bring manager Mickey Callaway back in 2020?

Alonso entered the final series of the season at Citi Field one home run behind Aaron Judge’s rookie record of 52 in 2017 but his first inning home run cheered every Mets fan except perhaps those still making their way through the turnstiles. Alonso shared the rookie record with the Yankees slugger for barely 24 hours before slugging the record breaker 415 feet from home plate in the right centerfield seats.

Raising his arms in celebration as he crossed home plate, the 24-year old Florida native shed tears of joy as he took his place at first base in the next half inning. “To me, it just means so much,” Alonso said after the game. “I didn’t know I was going to be overcome with all that emotion. At that point, I might as well just let it out.” One year after David Wright played his last game for the Mets, Alonso has become the new face of the franchise with a buoyant personality matched only by his home run prowess. He’s become the leader of a team with high ambitions for 2020.

Whether Mickey Callaway is part of meeting those ambitions in 2020 remains to be decided at press time. While Callaway is driving back home to Florida this week, his fate is to be determined by end of season organizational meetings between the front office and ownership. There are enticing (and expensive) managerial options available, namely a couple of Joes with World Series rings (Maddon and Girardi) and Buck Showalter. The Mets could also go in house and tab the highly regarded (and less expensive) Luis Rojas. While the poor performance of the Mets bullpen is more to blame than Callaway’s in-game decision making for failing to make the postseason, Callaway was hired by Sandy Alderson so the the incumbent GM Brodie Van Wagenen may want to hitch his fate to his own managerial hire.

If Callaway was nervous about his job security, he didn’t betray it at the pregame press conference on Friday. I asked Callaway about what it was like working with 82-year old pitching coach Phil Regan, who ascended to the job in June. Citing Regan’s experience, knowledge, calm demeanor, and communication skills, Callaway said, “He’s outstanding…I run (everything) by him…I want to learn and be a better person, a better manager, a better coach every single day and being around guys like Phil every single day only helps that…what an amazing human being.”

I also played straight man to the 44-year old Callaway when I asked if he could picture himself coaching at 82 like Regan. Callaway joked to much laughter, “When I’m 82? I don’t even picture myself being alive!”

It was nearly 40 years ago when rookies Mookie Wilson and Hubie Brooks made their Mets debuts in September 1980 and they along with former Met Lenny Harris were at Citi Field this past weekend as part of the popular Mets Alumni visits (even Keith Hernandez dropped by the dugout to say hello). I asked Mookie and Hubie how they were received as much anticipated last seasons call-ups to a then last placed team.

Mookie acknowledged, “It wasn’t that warm. I think a lot of the veterans knew we were there to replace them…it was a challenge. Good thing about it, we came up together…we had each other.”

Hubie agreed that having Mookie and other up and coming players like Wally Backman and Mike Scott also helped the transition. “That was a big changeover,” he said. Having known each other from the minor leagues and winter ball, Hubie said, “We had confidence in each other to be able to make the club and stay here…they gave us a really good opportunity and that was good.”

It’s not often I get to write an article with references to 40 years in the future and 40 years in the past but time flies just like this season has flown by, too. As always, it’s been my privilege to cover the Mets this season and I thank you, the readers, for your support and like Pete Alonso and the rest of the 2019 Mets, let’s look forward to spring training 2020. Be well.

I invite you to follow me at faninthebox.com and on Twitter at @fanintheboxJoe.

All professional athletes hope to one day play for their hometown team. Not all get the chance.

Former Nanuet High School standout Colin Kelly will get that opportunity after signing with the Rockland Boulders of the Frontier League. Kelly is the first post-merger signing by the Boulders, who will be playing their first season in the Frontier League.

A 2011 graduate of Nanuet High School, the righthanded pitcher played collegiately at Catholic University in Washington, DC. After seeing time on the mound from 2012-14, Kelly missed the 2015 season with an injury before returning to the mound for the 2016 campaign. He finished his career at Catholic with a lifetime mark of 16-10 with one save, serving as a starter and reliver during his time there.

Over the last three years, Kelly, 26, has pitched for several professional baseball teams, including the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League in 2017, where, in three appearances, he did record a decision.

“There are so many great baseball fans in Rockland County and I look forward to playing in front of them,” Kelly said. “I have not played a game in the local area since high school and I’m excited for the opportunity to be able to play in front of my family and friends.”

He added, “The Can-Am/ Frontier league merger is a great chance for Boulders’ fans to see more of the high-quality teams and players at the independent league level.”

The Rockland Boulders announced last week that manager Kevin Baez will return for the 2020 season.

In his first season as Boulders manager, Baez led the team to their sixth consecutive playoff appearance in the Can-Am League with a 43-50 record.  Next summer, the Boulders and four other Can-Am League teams, head into the new and expanded 14-team, Frontier League where Baez will attempt to keep the playoff streak alive.

“I’m excited to come back to Rockland – great fans, great organization. Looking forward to a great 2020 season,” Baez said.

Baez managed 1,087 games with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League over eight seasons (2011-2018), posting a 571-516 record with two league titles (2012 and 2013) and six trips to the championship series, including each of his last three seasons.

He attended nearby Dominican College and was a seventh-round pick in the 1988 Major League Baseball Entry Draft by the New York Mets. He appeared in 63 games over the course of three major league seasons (1990, 1992-1993) for the Mets. He continued his playing career primarily at the AAA level over the next decade before joining Long Island in 2002, where he helped the Ducks capture the Atlantic League Championship in 2004.

“When we hired Kevin, we knew 2019 would be a rebuilding year, but yet he still managed to lead us to the playoffs,” Boulders’ President Shawn Reilly said. “Because of the player moves Kevin made last season, I believe we are very well positioned to be successful this season in the Frontier League.”

The Boulders’ manager resides on Long Island with his wife, Marianne, and children, Kevin and Vincent. He was born and raised in Brooklyn and made his Major League debut for the Mets at Shea Stadium on Sept. 3, 1990.

Baez, 51, is the third manager in the Boulders history, following Dave LaPoint (2011-12) and Jamie Keefe (2013-18). Keefe spent six seasons at the helm in Rockland with a 344-260 record in Rockland, highlighted by the team’s lone Can-Am League championship in 2014.

The Boulders will celebrate their 10th year of play this summer with a number of special events planned throughout the season. For a complete schedule and/or ticket information, slide to www.RocklandBoulders.com or call 845-364-0009.