Even though it was a season that many of us would like to forget, there was much about the 2002 Mets that was memorable. For better or worse, many chapters of Mets history were written this past year.
News From the Top
The contentious relationship between co-owners Fred Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday ended in August when Wilpon and his Sterling Equities partners bought Doubleday's interest in the team. Wilpon is now the Mets chairman and chief executive officer, his brother-in-law and longtime associate Saul Katz is the team's president, and his son Jeff Wilpon is the executive vice president and chief operating officer. While Steve Phillips stays on as general manager, Bobby Valentine was fired as the manager right after the season ended. Despite extensive speculation that Lou Pinella would be the Mets' next manager, at the end of October, Art Howe was named as Valentine's replacement.
This was a season that saw the Mets covered by three separate television networks -- WB11, FSNY and MSG each carried 50 home games, with the remainder of the schedule on national networks such as Fox and ESPN. A new $1 million grass field was installed at Shea Stadium. Most of Shea's women's restroom attendants were laid off at the beginning of the season, but due to the public outcry they were hired back the following month.
Past Mets greats were honored during the team's 40th anniversary season. The All Amazin' Team, as chosen by fan voting, was named on August 16th. In conjunction with this event, the Mets broadcast booth was named after Bob Murphy while the television booth was named after Ralph Kiner. The following day, Tommie Agee was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame.
Sadly, there were also several controversies this past season. They ranged from the minor, such as Roberto Alomar and Roger Cedeño getting into a fight before a June game, to the seriousness of Mark Corey having seizures and admitting marijuana use. Grant Roberts was also in the news for drug use when a photograph of him smoking marijuana while he was in the minors was released to the media. Meanwhile, in May, Mike Piazza felt compelled to confirm his heterosexuality to the media after a New York Post gossip column strongly implied that he was gay. For better or worse, the Mets didn't lack for headlines in 2002.
Looking ahead, the Mets announced that they will play two exhibition games against the Dodgers in Mexico City in March, and that they will be the Expos' first opponent during a San Juan "homestand" in April. And fans coming to Shea next season will have to get used to tiered pricing under which tickets to games against better opponents and weekend games in the summer will cost more than their counterparts.
This and That
Steve Phillips became a dad once again when his wife, Marni, gave birth to the couple's fourth son last January.
New manager Art Howe led the MLB all stars to victory in Japan in November. Howe's 26-year-old son, Matt, accompanied Howe on the trip. Although the younger Howe is a third base prospect in the A's organization, for the Japan trip he was outfitted in a Mets uniform.
Third base coach Matt Galante, who was honored by the Texas Italian-American Sports Foundation with "Matt Galante Day" in Houston on May 4, is the only remaining coach from last season. The rest of Art Howe's new staff includes first base coach Gary Pettis; hitting coach Denny Walling; bench coach Don Baylor; pitching coach Vern Ruhle; and bullpen coach Rick Waits.
Equipment manager Charlie Samuels won his bet with Vince Piazza by losing over 100 pounds on the Atkins Diet. Living up to his end of the bargain, the father of the Mets' all star catcher presented Samuels with a Lexus during a pregame ceremony at Shea in May.
Lee Reynolds, one of the men who shares the role of being Mr. Met, was stationed in Guantanamo Bay's Camp X-Ray as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Vice president of media relations Jay Horwitz had a painful season -- he was hit on the left foot by a foul ball in spring training, and hit in the chest by a Mo Vaughn foul ball while he was in the press box on August 3. Thankfully, neither injury was serious.
Sandy Koufax, a high school teammate of Fred Wilpon, once again worked with Mets pitchers during spring training.
Director of scouting operations Gary LaRocque was the guest of Jets general manager Terry Bradway during the NFL Combine in Indianapolis
Harold O'Shaughnessy stepped down as senior vice president and treasurer for the club to become a consultant.
In health news, scouting director Carmen Fusco had kidney stones removed in March, and clubhouse assistant Nick Priore was hospitalized with chronic ulcers.
Senior vice president Dave Howard and vice president of corporate sales Paul Danforth participated in the Face of America Cycle Ride from Ground Zero to the Pentagon, a distance of 270 miles. Condolences went forth to Danforth, as well as to senior assistant general manager Jim Duquette - both men lost their fathers this past year.
Bruce Benedict took a break from Mets coaching duties this spring to be a NCAA basketball tournament official during March Madness! Organizational baserunning instructor Rich Miller developed "DP Buster" T-shirts to reward Mets who break up double plays.
Norfolk pitching coach Rick Waits and St. Lucie trainer Mike LoPriore spent the final month of the season with the major league team. Director of Florida operations Paul Taglieri was named the 2002 Florida State League's executive of the year.
Meet the Mets
The 2002 Mets were a busy crew, both on and off the field.
For Mike Piazza it was the best of times and the worst of times. On the field he surpassed Johnny Bench to become the catcher with the second highest home run total in history, trailing only Carlton Fisk; his fourteenth grand slam home run tied him for second place among active players in that category, he was the starting catcher in the All-star Game, and he surpassed 1,600 career hits as well as 1,000 RBIs. Piazza was the recipient of the Baseball Writers Association's Good Guy Award, he appeared in a multitude of advertisements and commercials and as an ESPN color analyst for the Home Run Derby, and Terry Cashman wrote "A Tattered Flag in the Breeze (Michael's Song)" about one of his memorable home runs. Piazza bobblehead dolls were given to young fans at Shea last April 28, he was featured on the cover of the "Backyard Baseball" video game and CD-ROM, and the catcher played himself in a scene in the Hugh Grant/Sandra Bullock film "Two Weeks Notice." Yet there were difficulties for the All-star catcher as well -- the normally mild-mannered Piazza was fined $3,000 as the result of a physical altercation with Dodgers pitcher Guillermo Mota during a spring training game, he took exception with Keith Hernandez's comments that the Mets had no heart, and he battled tendinitis in his wrist for the last month and a half of the season. The low point of Piazza's year, however, had to have been in May, when innuendoes in a New York Post gossip column led the catcher to publicly declare that he is not gay. The year ended on much higher notes, fortunately - Piazza won his 10th Silver Slugger award as the best offensive catcher in the National League, was named to the Sporting News All-star Team as the National League catcher, and during a postseason European trip he conducted youth baseball clinics to promote baseball in Berlin and Rome. After that, the devout Catholic had an audience with Pope John Paul II and presented the Pontiff with a Mets jersey. Eventful doesn't even begin to describe Piazza's year!
Al Leiter guaranteed that he will be ending his career as a Met when he signed an $18 million/2-year contract extension that includes a no-trade clause. Leiter emceed New York Mayor Bloomberg's inauguration ceremony, was given the Humanitarian Award by the Baseball Assistance Team (BAT), began hosting "The Leiter Side of Pitching" for the MSG network, and became the official spokesperson for Ultimate Software. A member of the Twin Towers Fund Board of Directors, Leiter donated $1,000 per win to the fund last season. With a win against Arizona in May, Leiter became the first pitcher to defeat all 30 Major League teams. Leiter Bobbleheads were given to kids at Shea at an August game. Leiter announced that this would be his final year as the Mets' player representative, a position he has held since 1999. The New Jersey native campaigned for Douglas Forrester in his unsuccessful bid for the US Senate last fall.
Although team captain John Franco did not pitch this season and underwent Tommy John surgery in may, he was nonetheless a strong presence in the Mets clubhouse. Franco remained with the team throughout the season, and he even organized the annual rookie hazing ritual in September. One of Franco's jerseys went into space with astronaut Mike Massimino, who then presented the jersey back to Franco at a Mets/Yankees game at Shea in June. He raised $300,000 for the March of Dimes with the third annual "John Franco Celebrity Bowl for Babies," and was recognized for his charitable efforts with the Phi Delta Theta's Lou Gehrig Award and by being named the local Roberto Clemente Award winner. The Brooklyn Cyclones held "John Franco Day" in July, complete with Franco T-shirts for the first 2,000 fans.
Mo Vaughn came to the New York scene in a big way - almost as big as the Carnegie Deli's newly named Mo-licious sandwich! Vaughn hit his 300th home run this year and surpassed 1,500 career hits and 1,000 career RBIs. He and teammate John Valentin were subjects of the newly published book, "The Hitmen and the Kid Who Batted Ninth." Vaughn was also active in the New York community, especially at events for kids. The hefty first baseman is spending the offseason getting into shape with a nutritionist, physician, and team provided personal trainer.
Roberto Alomar surpassed the 2,500 career hit and 200 home run marks this season. Despite breaking up with tennis star Mary Pierce shortly before joining the Mets and getting into fisticuffs with Roger Cedeño before a game in June, Alomar kept a fairly low profile for most of the season. The second baseman received the 2001 Latino MVP award, was named spokesperson for the Todd M. Beamer foundation, and Alomar bobbleheads were given to kids at Shea during a game in July. The Mets picked up Alomar's $8 million option for 2003. After the season, Alomar went to Japan as part of the MLB All-star team, giving him the chance to bond with new manager Art Howe and to spend quality time with his father, Sandy Alomar, Sr., who was a coach on the squad.
Joe McEwing earned his nickname "Super Joe" by being the first Met to start at seven different positions this year -- everything except pitcher and catcher. McEwing entertained and informed fans with his own show for MLB Radio almost every Tuesday this season.
Along with Edgardo Alfonzo, native Venezuelan Roger Cedeño met First Lady Marisabel Rodriguez de Chavez in May at Shea Stadium. The publicized dispute between Cedeño and Roberto Alomar prior to a game in June appears to be an anomaly that was not repeated. The outfielder's steal of home plate against the Yankees in June was the first straight steal of home plate by a Met since Tommie Agee had one in 1971! Despite collapsing in the field in Montreal on September 14, Cedeño was the John Gerald Jewelers Mets Player of the Month for that month. Cedeño, whose daughter was born in the States, recently applied for US residency and hopes to eventually become a naturalized citizen. Unfortunately, Cedeño ended the year on a negative note, with a misdemeanor DUI arrest in Florida just before Thanksgiving.
Tony Tarasco, best known for his role as an Orioles outfielder when Jeffrey Maier stole an out from him that was ruled a Derek Jeter playoff home run, met Maier for the first time during a speaking engagement in July at a camp where Maier worked as a counselor. Tarasco honored his late father's wishes by sprinkling his ashes in various baseball fields, including the Shea Stadium warning track. His most significant headlines this season, though, were made when he was with Mark Corey when the young pitcher collapsed from a seizure in June. In the aftermath of this event, it came out that both Tarasco and Corey had been smoking marijuana right after a Mets game. As a result, both players are in MLB's drug program as first time offenders.
Drug use also plagued Grant Roberts when, after he refused to capitulate to blackmail demands, a woman released a photo of the pitcher smoking marijuana when he was in the minors several years ago. The scandal hit the papers just when things had been looking up for Roberts, who spent a large portion of the season on the disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis. The Queens District Attorney's office is investigating whether to file charges against the woman who was blackmailing the young pitcher, and Roberts had vowed to cooperate with the investigation.
Vance Wilson attended several players association events as the Mets assistant player representative, and will likely succeed Al Leiter as the Mets' player representative next season. Wilson was the subject of a New York Post feature in June when Mike Piazza treated his backup to a makeover -- a $400 haircut, an eyebrow waxing, a straight razor shave and a new suit.
Armando Benitez, the 2001 Sharp Mets Pitcher of the Year and Rolaids Relief Man winner, earned his 150th career save in April and is now second on the Mets all time saves list behind John Franco. Benitez is the first Met to save 30 games in three consecutive seasons. Last winter the reliever spent $40,000 to build a "Field of Dreams" so that indigent children in his native Dominican Republic can have a place to play ball -- the kids have named the complex "Field 49," after Benitez's uniform number.
Timo Perez, the John Gerald Jewelers Mets Player of the Month for June, was late to spring training due to visa problems, stemming from the fact that his true birthdate of April 8, 1975, makes him two years older than he had previously acknowledged.
David Weathers, the Sharp Mets Pitcher of the Month for July, was suspended for three games for throwing at Juan Uribe of the Rockies during a game in August -- Weathers dropped his appeal in exchange for the suspension being cut to two games. Weathers was also an active participant in the New York City Libraries' Summer Reading Program.
Steve Trachsel was the Sharp Mets Pitcher of the Month for August. Trachsel had fun during in June when he went wine tasting with Mike Piazza and Shawn Estes in Connecticut, and he spent the All-star break with Estes in the Bahamas. The year ended on an exciting note for Trachsel - he signed a two year extension with the Mets the same week that his wife, Sarah, gave birth to the couple's second child and first daughter, Lauren.
Rookie Mike Bacsik, the son of a former Major Leaguer by the same name, ran the team's NCAA bracket pool in spring training and was the first Met to win his first Major League start since Masato Yoshii did so in 1998. Jorge Toca didn't make it up to the majors this year, and had his season ended prematurely when he broke two bones in his right leg in July. Mark Johnson started the season with the Mets but was sent to Norfolk in June -- in spring training, Johnson was introduced to Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler, the man who broke Johnson's college quarterback records at Dartmouth. Eric Cammack, who was a 2001 Met, didn't make it to the Major League squad this season.
Welcome Aboard
Several new faces were seen at Shea this year.
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Tom Glavine signed a three-year, $35 million contract with the Mets in December. The Massachusetts native will be closer to his family, and aspires to attain the 300 victory milestone as a Met.
The following week, former Yankee reliever Mike Stanton signed a three year deal with the Mets. The southpaw, who wanted very much to stay in the New York area, has a full no-trade clause in his three year, $9 million contract. Later that week, free agent outfielder Cliff Floyd also became a Met, signing a four year contract worth $26 million. December ended with the signing of free agent shortstop Rey Sanchez to a one year deal.
Jeromy Burnitz is the last remaining Mets acquisition from the 11 player deal last January that sent Todd Zeile and Benny Agbayani to Colorado and Glendon Rusch and Lenny Harris to Milwaukee. Burnitz, in his second stint as a Met, became a father for the second time when his wife, Kristy, gave birth to daughter Grace in March. Burnitz hit his 200th career home run in August, but made more headlines for his problems holding on to his bat -- no fewer than three people in the stands were hit by flying Burnitz bats this season!
Starting pitcher Pedro Astacio came to the Mets as a free agent in January. Along with Sammy Sosa, Astacio was active in promoting September's telethon to benefit the families of Flight 587 -- the duo donated several autographed items to be given to telethon donors.
Reliever Scott Strickland came to the Mets organization along with minor leaguers Phillip Seibel and Matt Watson in exchange for Bruce Chen, Dickey Gonzalez, Luis Figueroa and player-who-was-named-later Saul Rivera. Strickland immediately became an active member of the Mets family, visiting patients at the Hospital for Joint Diseases and frequently participating in the New York City Libraries Summer Reading Program.
At the July 31 trade deadline, starter John Thomson came to the Mets from Colorado along with cup of coffee Mark Little, in exchange for Jay Payton, Mark Corey and Rob Stratton. That same day, pitchers and Jason Middlebrook and Steve Reed were traded to New York from San Diego in exchange for Bobby M. Jones, Josh Reynolds and Jason Bay. This is Middlebrook's third time around with the Mets organization -- he was drafted out of high school by the Mets in 1993, but didn't sign, and he was claimed off waivers from San Diego by the Mets in 2000, but was reclaimed off waivers by San Diego the following month.
Jaime Cerda started the year in AA Binghamton, and then played twelve games in Norfolk before being called up by the Mets in June when Mark Corey was placed on the disabled list. Cerda had a memorable debut against the Yankees that weekend, coming in with the bases loaded and Robin Ventura at bat with one out. Ventura hit a sacrifice fly, but then Cerda induced Jorge Posada to fly out to end the sixth. Cerda then came back to strike out the side in the seventh! That performance earned the 23-year-old rookie an unexpected place on the major league roster for the rest of the season. But, in addition to his pitching, Cerda has become a favorite in my household because of two incidents. The first was when we were on our summer vacation in Milwaukee, and found ourselves outside of the Mets hotel when the team was on its way to Miller Park -- Cerda came out of the hotel talking to somebody on a cellular phone, and saw the children who were hoping to get autographs. Having trouble balancing the telephone with his pen, Cerda told the person on the other end of the line that he would have to call him back because he was busy. The other incident was in Philadelphia in September - while Cerda was signing an autograph for my young son, I tried to quickly snap a photo of the two together. The young pitcher noticed me and volunteered to pose with the boy for a proper picture. My personal philosophy is that I will root for anybody who is that kind to my children -- Thanks Jaime!
Ty Wigginton was on the Norfolk Express this year, being called up to the Mets three separate times. The San Diego native made his Major League debut in San Diego on May 16, with his Padres season ticketholder parents in attendance -- this was the same night that his high school teammate Alex Palaez made his Major League debut for the Padres!
Marco Scutaro also made three separate trips to the Mets this season. It's only fitting that the Venezuelan-born son of a Spanish father and Italian mother was the International League Player-of-the-Week in mid-May and a postseason International League All-star. Additionally, Scutaro won the Doubleday Award as the best Met minor leaguer at the AAA level.
Tyler Walker, who made two trips to the major league club this season, underwent surgery on his left knee after the season ended.
Raul Gonzalez was a player-who-was-named-later in the Shawn Estes trade, and he joined the Mets on August 21. Gonzalez was not only an International League postseason All-star, but was also named the International League MVP.
Esix Snead was the first recipient of the Brian Cole Memorial Baserunning Award to honor him as the top baserunner in the Mets organization. Snead was with the Mets in September, and after the season underwent surgery on the collateral ligament of his right hand.
McKay Christenson was claimed off waivers from Los Angeles in April, but only spent a week with the Mets before being sent to Norfolk. Heralded pitching prospect Jae Sao spent one day in the majors but made the most of it, pitching a 1-2-3 eighth inning against the Reds in Cincinnati. Tyler Yates was also a Met-for-a-day in April - he later tore the medial collateral ligament of his right elbow, and he underwent successful Tommy John surgery in June.
Catcher Jason Phillips, who singled in his only at bat in the AAA All-star game, led Norfolk with 65 RBIs this year and spent September with the Mets, as did pitching prospect Pat Strange. Brady Clark joined the Mets in mid-September as the final player-who-was-named-later in the Shawn Estes deal.
Russ Johnson and Josh Pressley were acquired from Tampa Bay in December in exchange for Rey Ordoñez. In the same week, the Mets claimed pitcher Pete Zamora off waivers from Philadelphia.
Down On The Farm
Those who hope to be the Mets stars of the future have been busy this year.
The Mets signed first round draft pick Scott Kazmir, who made his Brooklyn Cyclones debut on August 14. Last year's first round draft pick, Aaron Heilman, who wears shamrocks on his baseball shoes in honor of his Alma Mater, Notre Dame, was promoted from AA Binghamton to AAA Norfolk in July.
Jose Reyes is being groomed as the Mets shortstop of the future. In the meantime, Reyes was the Sterling Award winner as the Mets minor league player of the year, was USA Today's Minor League Player of the Year, was named Sportsticker's Teenager of the Year, and was the game MVP during the RadioShack All-star Futures Game. Prentice Redman was the Doubleday Award winner as the best Met minor leaguer at the AA level, and was voted team MVP by his Binghamton teammates. Justin Huber and David Wright shared the Doubleday Award at the A level Capital City; Craig Brazell was the Doubleday Award winner at St. Lucie; Jamar Hill won the Doubleday Award for Kingsport; Kevin Deaton was the Doubleday Award winner for the Brooklyn Cyclones; and David Mattox won the Sterling Award as the Mets minor league pitcher of the year. Aaron McNeal showed his stuff at the Double-A all star game, going 1-2 with an RBI single. Daniel Garcia at St. Lucie was the Florida State League's Player of the Week in mid-August.
Troubled Brooklyn Cyclones prospect Alhaji Turay was sent home to Washington State for a pattern of immature behavior, but was given a second chance with the team later in the season. Adam Walker's season was cut short by ligament replacement surgery in August.
Edgar Alexander Alfonzo, son of St. Lucie hitting coach Edgar Alfonzo and nephew of Edgardo Alfonzo, was signed to a minor league contract and assigned to Kingsport. Others new to the Mets organization include John Bale (obtained from Baltimore in exchange for Gary Matthews, Jr.); Phillip Seibel and Matt Watson (from Montreal in the Scott Strickland deal); Elvin Andujar (from Cincinnati in the Shawn Estes trade); and P.J. Bevis (from Arizona, as the player-to-be-named later in exchange for Mark Little). Ryan Jamison, Oscar Salazar, Ramon Soler and Andy Tracy were claimed off waivers by the Mets this past year. Ender Chavez was acquired from the Rockies and, briefly, was in the same organization as his older brother until Endy Chavez was claimed off waivers by the Expos in February.
In the Broadcast Booth
Keith Hernandez caused a bit of a controversy, first when his comments accusing the Mets of not having heart were published in his column for msgnetwork.com and, the next week, when he apologized to the team for what he said. Hernandez also published a pop-up book, First Base Hero, the proceeds of which benefit Brooklyn's Cobble Hill Health Center.
Tom Seaver worked out with Aaron Heilman and other pitchers during spring training, and was elected as a Little League Foundation trustee in May. Native Long Islander Ted Robinson joined the Mets family as a play-by-play announcer on television and radio after nine years of announcing San Francisco Giants games. When the Mets were in Milwaukee on August 8, Matt Laughlin was the Polish Sausage during one of the famed Miller Park sausage races. Former Marlins broadcaster Dave O'Brien joins the Mets for television play-by-play duty in 2003.
Mets Alumni In The News
Many former Mets made appearances in the news in 2002. Ron Gardenhire steered the Minnesota Twins to the ALCS in his first year as a Major League manager. Orel Hershiser was named pitching coach for the Texas Rangers. John Stearns will manage Double A Binghamton in 2003, while Bobby Floyd will manage Triple A Norfolk, assisted by former Mets bullpen coach Randy Niemann as pitching coach. Tim Teufel will manage the Brooklyn Cyclones. Former first base coach Mookie Wilson will be a roving minor league instructor for outfielders and baserunners, while former hitting coach Chris Chambliss will be a roving minor league hitting instructor. Tom Robson will be the Reds hitting coach next season. Ed Lynch was a color commentator for the Brooklyn Cyclones. Rusty Staub continued to raise money for the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund (donations to the fund may be sent to PO Box 3713, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163, by calling 631-544-4616, or by clicking here. Gary Carter served a second season as the Mets' part time roving catching instructor, and was promoted to the same position on a full time basis starting this spring. Lenny Dykstra and Tug McGraw made several public appearances, including greeting fans at Shea last February during the first day that tickets for the 2002 season went on sale. Jerry Koosman underwent successful double bypass surgery in early May. Tsuyoshi Shinjo became the first Japanese-born player to participate in a Major League World Series, and his bat from Game 1 was sent to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
Gone But Not Forgotten
With each passing year, certain individuals take their leave and move on to new horizons. 2002 was certainly no exception.
The biggest loss this past year would have to be Bobby Valentine. Manager since August 1996, Valentine was fired on October 1 after the Mets' disappointing season. Valentine's presence won't soon be forgotten -- not only did he amass more wins than any Mets manager except Davey Johnson, but Valentine's gargantuan charitable work touched a great number of people. Starting the year by winning the New York Baseball Writers Association's Joan Payson Award and ending it by being presented with baseball's Branch Rickey Award for "service above self," Valentine spent another baseball season doing his part (and then some) to make this world a better place. For the reaction of the kcmets.com staff to Valentine's departure, click here.
In the wake of Valentine's firing, coaches Charlie Hough and Tom Robson announced that they would not return to the Mets for the 2002 season. In other coaching news, hitting coach Dave Engle was replaced by Chris Chambliss during the season -- after the season, Chambliss was replaced by Denny Walling. Mookie Wilson, who was honored during the All-star game for his role in the 1986 World Series, was replaced as first base coach by Gary Pettis. Wilson and Chambliss will remain in the Mets organization, however, as roving minor league instructors.
Former Met and minor league pitching coach Bob Apodaca left the organization after the season to become the Colorado Rockies pitching coach. Senior assistant general manager Omar Minaya made history when he left the Mets to go to the Montreal Expos as Major League Baseball's first Hispanic general manager.
The most notable player to make his exit in 2002 is Edgardo Alfonzo. Alfonzo is product of the Mets farm system, an All-star in the year 2000, and a key part of the 1999 and 2000 teams. The fans chose Alfonzo as the second baseman on the Mets All Amazin' Team. Alfonzo declared himself a free agent after this past season, and the Mets did not offer him arbitration. After his ties with the Mets were severed, Alfonzo signed a four year deal with the San Francisco Giants.
Alfonzo's departure was followed by the trade of Rey Ordoñez to Tampa Bay for infielders Russ Johnson and Josh Pressley. Ordoñez, who admitted this year to being two years older than previously thought, earned three Gold Glove awards as a Met but was less than impressive at the plate. Ordoñez also had a sometimes embattled relationship with the Shea faithful, going as far as calling Mets fans "stupid" in September.
In January, the Mets said goodbye to Todd Zeile, Benny Agbayani, Glendon Rusch and Lenny Harris when they made the three way trade with the Brewers and Rockies that brought Jeromy Burnitz and four others to New York. In April the Mets traded Bruce Chen, Dickey Gonzalez, Luis Figueroa and player-who-was-named-later Saul Rivera to Montreal in exchange for Scott Strickland and two minor leaguers.
At the July trading deadline, Jay Payton, prospect Rob Stratton, and troubled reliever Mark Corey were sent to Colorado in exchange for John Thomson and Mark Little. That same day Bobby M. Jones, along with prospects Jason Bay and Josh Reynolds were traded to San Diego in exchange for Steve Reed and Jason Middlebrook.
Shawn Estes was a popular Met during his short tenure with New York. Not only did he make many public appearances for worthy causes, but in the clubhouse he ran the team's NCAA point spread pool and the contest among team pitchers to see who would end the year with the best hitting stats. Estes' most memorable game as a Met had to be when he faced the Yankees at Shea in June -- although Estes didn't hit Roger Clemens with a pitch as many had wanted, he exacted a better revenge by shutting out the Bronx team and hitting a home run in the game! However, Estes was inconsistent as a Met, and on August 15th he was traded to Cincinnati in exchange for four prospects.
Japanese veteran Satoru Komiyama was inconsistent in the bullpen, and spent a good portion of the season in AAA Norfolk. He was also on the disabled list in April after injuring his right middle finger while opening a garage door. When the season ended, the Mets declined the pitcher's $1 million for the 2003 season.
Cups of Coffee
Some guys came to the Mets in 2002, but were gone before the year was over.
Aside from Jeromy Burnitz, the Mets have no Rockies left from January's 11-player deal with Colorado and Milwaukee. Jeff D'Amico declared free agency after the season and was not tendered an arbitration offer by the Mets. Lou Collier was traded to Montreal for minor leaguers Jason Bay (who, as discussed above, was later traded to San Diego) and Jim Serrano. Mark Sweeney was given his unconditional release waivers in March, and went on to sign a minor league deal with San Diego. Craig House was bumped from the 40-man roster to make room for Endy Chavez, and was claimed off waivers by the Dodgers in February (Chavez, meanwhile, was claimed off waivers by the Expos later that month). Finally, Ross Gload was sent back to Colorado in exchange for cash a mere five days after the blockbuster trade.
Relievers Mark Guthrie and Steve Reed and utility infielder John Valentin declared free agency following the season, and were not offered arbitration by the Mets. The Mets are thus precluded from negotiating with these players until May 1, 2003.
Reliever Kane Davis was acquired from Colorado in exchange for minor leaguer Corey Brittan in February but went on the disabled list in May and underwent surgery on the flexor tendon in his right elbow in July. Davis cleared waivers to become a minor league free agent in October.
Darren Bragg spent his second consecutive spring training with the Mets, and was granted his release before the season began so that he could sign on with Atlanta. Gary Matthews, Jr. was traded to Baltimore in April for prospect John Bale. Pete Walker was called up in April in his second stint as a Met, but was designated for assignment later that month and was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays in early May. Danny Peoples, who came to the Mets in the Roberto Alomar deal, was released by the Mets in March. Mark Little was acquired from Colorado as part of the Jay Payton trade, but was traded to Arizona for P.J. Bevis in mid-August. John Thomson, also acquired in the Payton deal, was not tendered a contract after the season ended. Pedro Feliciano, who was one of the four players obtained by the Mets in exchange for Shawn Estes, was claimed off waivers by Detroit in October. And Doug Nickle, who was claimed off waivers from San Diego in October, was ultimately not tendered a contract by the Mets.
Rest In Peace
Wes Westrum, who managed the Mets from 1965 through 1967, passed away at the age of 79 on May 28.
Mel Harder, the Mets pitching coach in 1964, died on October 20 at the age of 93.
Personal Notes
This marks the completion of my second full year on the www.kcmets.com staff. I also had the thrill of seeing one of my stories reprinted in Mets Inside Pitch magazine, and the news that I have another appearance in the magazine in January, meaning that I can actually call myself a published sportswriter!
I have enjoyed this experience immensely, and look forward to my third year of writing Monday Morning Mets. Expect to see some changes in 2003 - my New Year's resolution is to focus less on minutiae and spend more time on the larger stories. As I tinker with the writing process, please feel free to give me your feedback at s.chapman@kcmets.com.
I would like to express my gratitude to my kcmets.com colleagues for all of their assistance and support this year. Special thanks to KC for putting up with all of my rewrites, corrections and formatting issues, and to Dave Whitham for the wonderful photos and for always being my sounding board. I enjoyed meeting Joe Pendal and his lovely family while on vacation in the Midwest this summer -- there is something truly special about seeing the Mets on the road with a fellow fan. And thanks to Edward Hoyt and Steven Goldleaf for always being there in cyberspace whenever I need to discuss our favorite team.
Special and warm thanks go out to my family. To my parents, who brought me up as a Mets fan from day one. To my children, for showing me the joy of sharing my favorite sport with the next generation. And, of course, to my husband (and, due to his fabulous Labor Scope articles, my kcmets.com colleague) Kevin, for all of the support and encouragement all these years. Twenty-eight stadiums down, two to go (well, three, with Cincinnati getting their new one this year)!
And, of course, thank you to all of my readers. It's a real ego boost knowing that so many of you actually enjoy my writing and keep coming back for more. Whenever I write a column my goal is for you to pick up something that you might not otherwise have learned -- I'd like to think that most weeks I am able to do that.
I wish all of you a safe, happy and healthy New Year. Let's Go Mets!
