Monday Morning — January 2003
Happy New Year, and welcome to another year of Mets baseball!
After two years of writing Monday Morning Mets, I have decided to change the format of the column a bit. It will still run weekly during the season and monthly during the offseason. However, instead of focusing so much on every small detail, I plan to concentrate more on the big stories instead. As I tweak things, feel free to send me your feedback at s.chapman@kcmets.com.
Be sure to check out my 2002 Year End Review and also look for my new column in the January and February issues of New York Mets Inside Pitch magazine entitled "A Fan's Voice".
Welcome Aboard - Two time Cy Young Award winner and Massachusetts native Tom Glavine signed a three year, $35 million deal with the Mets. It was a pleasant surprise to Mets fans that Glavine opted to come to New York, because most had assumed that he either remain with the only team for whom he had ever played, the Atlanta Braves, or that he would be lured to Philadelphia by their lucrative offer and the excitement of their new stadium that will be ready in 2004. In the end, though, the magnetism of Fred Wilpon's commitment to winning as well as the owner's personality persuaded the mighty lefty to sign with the Mets. "He is very warm and very family oriented. The comment that [my wife] and I both had was that you feel like you're talking to your dad. It was the warmth of talking to your father. That's a big thing for us and it made a big impression on us."
The proximity of Glavine's family was also a factor in his decision. His parents live in Billerica, Massachusetts, while his wife Chris's parents live in Rhode Island. Tom and Chris each have an 8-year-old child from their previous marriages, for which they have shared custody with their previous spouses, as well as two young boys of their own. Because of the custody arrangements, the Glavine family will not move permanently to the New York area, although they are looking for a home in Greenwich, Connecticut or Westchester County, New York.
Glavine will wear his familiar Number 47 in New York. Joe McEwing graciously ceded the uniform number to Glavine upon hearing the news of his arrival. "I had to out of respect for him. How could I not?" said the versatile utility player, who will now sport Number 11.
So Long, Fonzie - As the deadline for teams to offer arbitration to free agents came and passed, the Mets severed their 12-year relationship with infielder Edgardo Alfonzo. Fonzie, as known to fans, came up through the Mets farm system. He switched from shortstop to second base in the minors at the Mets' request in order to accommodate the acquisition of Rey Ordoñez, switched to third when Carlos Baerga became a Met, back to second when Baerga left and Robin Ventura joined the team, and finally back to third base in the 2003 season when Roberto Alomar came to the Mets.
Although known for his stellar fielding, two of Alfonzo's most memorable Mets moments were created by his bat. On August 30, 1999, in Houston, Alfonzo hit three home runs, six hits, six runs scored, and had sixteen total bases for the game. Six weeks later, Alfonzo's 9th inning grand slam home run gave the Mets the victory against Arizona in the opening game of the NLDS. Fans also voted him as the second baseman on the Mets All Amazin' Team this past season.
A class act, a quiet leader and a fan favorite, Fonzie will be missed. Monday Morning Mets wishes him the best of luck with the San Francisco Giants, with whom he signed a four year contract during the Winter Meetings (except, of course, when the Giants face the Mets).
Adios Ordoñez - Rey Ordoñez's seven year Met career ended in December, when he was traded to Tampa Bay for infielders Russ Johnson and Josh Pressley. Ordoñez wowed fans with his defense, earning three Gold Glove awards and once having 101 consecutive errorless games at shortstop. However, he was an easy out at the plate, and his fielding was erratic after he broke his arm and missed most of the 2000 season. Further, his relationship with the Shea faithful deteriorated to the point where he called Mets fans "stupid" in September.
Coming Across Town - Left-handed reliever Mike Stanton, who was cut loose by the Yankees after this past season, signed a three year, $9 million contract with the Mets in December. Stanton, who desperately wanted to remain in the New York area, has a full no-trade clause in his contract.
A Slugger for the Outfield - Cliff Floyd signed a four year/$26 million contract with the Mets the same week as the Stanton acquisition. Floyd may be best remembered to Mets fans for the run ins that he had with Bobby Valentine in 2001, including issues regarding his ultimate selection to the National League All Star team. Floyd, who played for Florida, Montreal and Boston in 2002, has full no-trade protection in the first year of his contract and can select ten teams to which he can veto trades in the contract's remaining three years.
The One that Got Away - The Mets thought that Japanese third baseman Nohiro Nakamura would be Edgardo Alfonzo's replacement, but such is not the case. According to the Mets, "We had an agreement in principle with the player. He changed his mind after successfully completing the physical with us. We respect his decision to change his mind and wish him best of luck in the future."
Familiar Faces in the Minors - Many Met alumni will be managing and coaching in the organization this year. John Stearns will manage the Double A Binghamton Mets, while Tim Teufel will manage the Brooklyn Cyclones. Randy Niemann shifts from Mets bullpen coach to Triple A Norfolk's pitching coach this year. Former Met coaches Mookie Wilson and Chris Chambliss have accepted positions as roving minor league instructors in the organization. Gary Carter was promoted to a full time position as the Mets minor league roving catching instructor, a position that he performed on a part time basis for the past two seasons.
This and That - The year ended on an exciting note for Steve Trachsel. In the same week that his wife, Sarah, delivered the couple's second child and first daughter, Lauren, the pitcher also signed a two year extension with the Mets. Congratulations to the Trachsel family!
The Mets claimed pitcher Pete Zamora off waivers from Philadelphia in December. Veteran shortstop Rey Sanchez signed a one year deal with the Mets.
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. John Thomson and Doug Nickle were also free agents because the Mets did not offer contracts to them, and Thomson signed a one-year contract with the Texas Rangers. The Mets declined to pick up pitcher Satoru Komiyama's $1 million option for 2003.
Al Leiter and several other sports figures and celebrities were on hand to light the New York Stock Exchange's Christmas tree on December 2. Three days later, Leiter was a guest at the White House Christmas party -- while he was about six feet away from President Bush, his cell phone rang with the news that Tom Glavine had chosen to sign with the Mets.
Blink and you'll miss him, but Mike Piazza appears as himself in the current Sandra Bullock/Hugh Grant film Two Weeks Notice.
Congratulations to pitching prospect Aaron Heilman, who married his college sweetheart, Kerri, at the basilica at the Notre Dame campus on December 14. The Heilmans honeymooned in New York City.
Join Tug's Mailing List - Former Met Tug McGraw is starting a new venture, the "Ya Gotta Believe in Baseball" campaign, a national program that will actively involve fans in honoring the rich history of baseball and focusing on the game's future. Tug is reaching out to his fans in the process by inviting anyone who wishes to contact him or to join his e-mail newsletter subscription list to write to him at tug@tugmcgraw.com or call his associate, Laurie Hawkins, at (215) 508-2640. Fans should also check out his new website, tugmcgraw.com .
Special Feature: Baseball as America
Special Feature: Talkin' Baseball with Terry Cashman
Unless otherwise stated, these stories have been extracted from reports on www.nydailynews.com, www.nypost.com, www.nytimes.com, www.njo.com, www.newsday.com, www.bergenrecord.com, AP , and www.mets.com reports.
