To start this column, I would just like to say “WELCOME HOME WALLY BACKMAN!!!” We have certainly missed your presence. Now it is time to brush off the cobwebs and prove to this organization that you are the right man to unseat General Chaos – oops I meant Jerry Manuel. It’s good to see that Omar and the Wilpons finally got something right in both a public relations and in a organizational standpoint. By hiring Wally as the manager of our Brooklyn Cyclones it will bring more fans to Key Span Park but I believe Wally just like his mentor before him – Davey Johnson has the eye to spot real talent , and he knows how to extract every ounce of it from his players. Good Luck – WE WANT TO SEE YOU AT CITI FIELD REAL SOON !!
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                    It will be nice seeing that jersey at Citi Field in the recent future
And now for the INFAMY !!
Happy birthday to one of the original catchers from the ’62 lovable losers – Harry Chiti (1932) . Chiti was one of the the first players to be drafted by the Mets in the ’61 expansion draft and when asked why the Mets drafted a catcher first Manager Casey Stengel succinctly said ” well you need a catcher or there will be alot of passed balls.”
Light hitting second baseman from ’71 to ’74 – Don Hahn (1948) is 61. Hahn was traded by the Mets from the Montreal Expos for one time World Series hero – Ron Swoboda. He was later dealt along with our beloved closer – Tug McGraw to the Philadelphia Phillies for John Stearns, Mac Scarce and Del Unser.
Reserve outfielder for the ’76 team – Leon Brown is 60(1949) .
“The Doctor” – Dwight Gooden is 45 !!(1964) To think that Gooden is 45 just floors me , because when you see pictures of him today he still looks like he is in his mid 20′s ( albeit a bit heavier) and can still blow you away with his high heat. I am just happy that he has found his way through the dark abyss of substance abuse , and it is great that he is back with the Mets family !
                                                             
                                                            Happy Birthday Doc !!
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Scrub reliever – Mark Corey is 35 (1974) .
New York Mets signed free agent Kevin “ORIGINAL GANGSTER” Mitchell on November 16, 1980. Trading him to the San Diego Padres was one of the stupidest moves Frank Cashen had ever made . – TRULY INFAMOUS !!
New York Mets signed free agent infielder, Don Florence of the Boston Red Sox on November 16, 1994.
New York Mets signed free agent utility infielder,Damion Easley of the Arizona Diamondbacks on November 16, 2006. I thought not bringing Easley back last season was a mistake because he was a slightly above average fielder with clutch hits in his bat. But instead we went with Alex Cora and the rest is INFAMY !!
And don’t for get – there are just 140 grueling more days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.
8 comments
GravediggerHebner
11/16/2009-7:17pm at 7:17 pm (UTC -4)
Happy birthday Doc!
Harry Chiti is the screen name of a very opinionated regular commenter at John Delcos’ site.
Man I still remember Kevin Mitchell playing shortstop. Shortstop! And left, and right, and third and first. Apparently he also played center, but I don’t remember that. The MVP year with the Giants was spectacular.
trs86
11/17/2009-7:29am at 7:29 am (UTC -4)
I still remember “the catch”. Of course if he was a better fielder he would not have needed to make it.
GravediggerHebner
11/16/2009-7:31pm at 7:31 pm (UTC -4)
Per Mack’s Mets the following 16 minor league Mets chose free agency:
Wilson Valdez, Mark Kiger, Mike Lamb, Javier Castillo, Jason Dubois, Jesus Feliciano, Chip Ambres, Robinson Cancel, Manuel Alvarez, Edgar Alfonzo, Julio de la Cruz, German Marte, Carlos Muniz, Adam Bostick, Chris Mason & Tim McNab.
With Bostick gone, at last we can put that Henry Owens trade behind us.
stickguy
11/16/2009-10:31pm at 10:31 pm (UTC -4)
other than Bostick, who I thought would get a look as a lefty out of the pen next year (and I still don’t know why he never got called up this yer), the rest is a veritable cornicopia of “who cares?” and just plain “who?”
prismo
11/17/2009-5:32am at 5:32 am (UTC -4)
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I seem to remember Mike Lamb having an excellent spring training and having a shot at making last year’s team. He’s had a few pretty good seasons in the bigs.
Edgar Alfonzo is Edgardo Alfonzo’s doppelganger.
Jesus “The Other” Feliciano
rustyjr
11/17/2009-5:54am at 5:54 am (UTC -4)
he sings the chico and the man theme song
trs86
11/17/2009-7:30am at 7:30 am (UTC -4)
I love how you call it the Henry Owens trade.
But anyway, I am guessing a few of these re-sign with the Mets.
trs86
11/17/2009-7:40am at 7:40 am (UTC -4)
I thought Bostick and Muniz were good minor leaguers to have around and I would bet Cancel re-signs.