I have no desire to rehash yesterday’s debacle for this team showed no heart, no soul, and no guts ! The only thing I will do is plead with Omar, Fred and Jeff to do the right thing and release Oliver Perez !!!
It’s funny how 24 years goes by in the blink of a eye. I was a 14 year old freshman attending Vernon Township high School in Vernon N.J. during the pennant chance of ’86. My favorite band was Metallica, my passion – The New York Mets. You see I wasn’t some wide eyed kid who jumped on the Mets band wagon because they were a winning team. No I was a Mets fan since the day of my birth. I grew up with Skip Lockwood, Jerry Kooseman,Dave Kingman, Craig Swan and Jeff Reardon. I lived through the ” Midnight Massacre” of ’77 and the futile “Magic is Back!” slogan of ’80. When I bought baseball cards during those down years I hoped that I would always get Met players in those cellophane waxed packages. I would look at the backs of other players cards such as Ed Figueroa to see if he was ever a Met ( he wasn’t) and I would pour over Joel Youngblood’s career stats, trying to justify why he should be on the All Star team. I came of age in ’84 , and it makes sense that that was when the Mets went from being perennial losers to a organization to be reckoned with.This was a year when many new faces started to grace the lineup. We had Davey Johnson – our one time World Series foe with the Baltimore Orioles piloting the team. We had Darryl Strawberry – the fresh faced power hitting outfielder who was unanimously voted the N.L Rookie Of The year in ’83. We had the nineteen year old flame-thrower named Dwight Gooden mowing down the competition with his 98 m.p.h fastball. Under the guidance of G.M and Mets C.O.O ,Frank Cashen, this team was about to own New York for the next six years.
1986 was nirvana. The Mets practically went wire to wire in First place, but it was never boring. There were fist fights – oh were there fist fights ! I remember watching Ray Knight deck Eric Davis at third base that fateful night in Cincinnati. Teams were scared of the Mets in the regular season. The Mets had a swagger and screw you attitude that reverberated around the league. The were better than you and they let you know it ! It culminated in what in my opinion has to be the most exciting post season ever. I dare anyone to prove me wrong. Whether it was the 17 inning game against the Houston Astros, or game six against the Boston Red Sox in the World Series , I don’t believe there has been anything else to rival it.
But unfortunately all good things must come to pass, and bit by bit players were traded ) Mookie Wilson, Kevin Mitchell, Dykstra) others went away through free agency ( Ray Knight) But Darryl was the first major piece to go, when he signed a contract with the Dodgers after a prolonged and bitter contract dispute. Johnson would be gone by the second month of ’91 – allegedly he had lost the team when their record was 20 – 22. Cashen was next – retiring by ’93. But the most heart wrenching was to see the fall of the Doctor in ’94. I remember when the reports were leaked that he failed another drug test and was being suspended for the rest of the season. My fellow Mets fans and I, out of hurt called for him to be released, and released he was. He later recapture some of his past glory, throwing a no -hitter and winning a ring with the Yankees – which made me conflicted because he should have won that ring and gained the immortality of the no-hitter with us. But life went on.
Yesterday was quite cathartic. In alot of ways it was a homecoming for all four men. Cashen still has ties with the club although he’s been retired for about 18 years, and Darryl and Doc have been come back to the fold within the last two to three years. But this was Davey’s first appearance with the team since he was fired long ago. Yes he works for the Washington Nationals and the U.S.A Mens Olympic baseball team, but he in my mind will always be a Met.
The Mets threw a party yesterday, it wasn’t boisterous and it wasn’t low key , if anything it was nuanced and top flight all the way. Rusty Staub and Bud Harrelson helped induct Frank Cashen into the Mets Hall Of Fame . as did Gary Carter did with Davey, Mookie did with Doc and Keith did with Darryl. It proved you could go home again. I just wish that I was that fourteen year old boy – instead of this 38 year old man . But I guess I looked upon this moment yesterday like I was a giddy teenager again – hoping to see my team come away with a dominant win.
Later on I visited my sister , her husband and my nephews who were in the Caesars Club, and as our V.I.P elevator descended tot eh next floor who did I see in the background – no other than porn star Ron Jeremy. But the biggest thrill was having Ralph Kiner and his wife being escorted into our elevator making their way out of Citi Field. It was like i had died and gone to heaven ( if there was one). I didn’t say a word to Ralph. he looked tired and he is looked frail , so I just basked in my 30 seconds of greatness with him.
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                                                           ” It’s about Time !!!”
                            And with that said… HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!
Happy Birthday wishes goes out for the first Korean pitcher to ever play for the New York Mets, Dae-Sung Koo (1969).
New York Mets purchased Cal Koonce from the Chicago Cubs on August 2, 1967.
New York Mets purchased José Cardenal from the Philadelphia Phillies on August 2, 1979. Ahh one of my all time favorite Mets scrubs.
New York Mets signed free agent reserve infielder,Ramon Martinez on August 2, 2008. He was brought up when Jose Reyes went down with that hamstring injury last season, and did very little to distinguish himself as a Met.
Mo Vaughn was overheard asking Ron Jeremy on how to get into the porn industry. Ron’s advice ” Practice”!
5 comments
metsfan4decades
8/2/2010-8:18am at 8:18 am (UTC -4)
There is no doubt that the best part of yesterday’s game was the pre-induction ceremonies.
Not sure what you all at the park saw the same but as each of the 4 made their way in from the OF, SNY showed a short clip of each, their NY Met contributions, with Gary Cohen narrating.
And oh, the memories those clips brought back of that ’86 season. I was a kid during the ’69 WS and to me ’86 was a long time coming. I was a few years into my professional career at that point and I remember rushing home from work during game 6 of the Houston series, listening on the radio, wanting them to win but wanting to get home in time to see it on TV. No need to be disappointed that game would be over before I got home. On and on it went until the 16th inning where Jesse hung on to record the final out.
That year was anything but boring. You always felt the Mets could win every game. The post season was truly something exciting to witness. You had the feeling going in it was destiny, there was no way they weren’t going all the way and winning the WS. I remember thinking in the bottom of the 10th during that infamous Game 6, what probably every Met fan was thinking – and come to find out later the players were thinking – it can’t end like this, it just can’t. Not after the season we had, not after winning the NLCS the way we did. And as every fan knows, it didn’t end with Boston winning 5-3.
Even in 2006, after practically sewing up the NL east by the ASB, I didn’t have the same confidence about going all the way as I did in 1986. Unfortunately, those doubts were on the money.
1986 as special as it was, was a long time ago now. We’ve only had one more WS appearance since then in 2000 and lost. How much longer are we going to have to wait?
rustyjr
8/2/2010-8:25am at 8:25 am (UTC -4)
First off yes the mets showed the video clips at the game
secondly I think we are 2 years away from a w.s appearance
Kingman 26
8/2/2010-8:25am at 8:25 am (UTC -4)
GREAT piece Rusty!
Damn, you described me in the late 70s with the things about baseball cards, justifying Youngblood’s All-Star appearance, etc.
Yesterday was an incredible pleasure to watch, until the game started of course.
rustyjr
8/2/2010-8:32am at 8:32 am (UTC -4)
I’m about to head up to R.I I’ll try to comment when I get to a rest area
Kingman 26
8/2/2010-8:38am at 8:38 am (UTC -4)
Drive safe buddy!