Monday Morning, July 29, 2002
After today's off day, the Mets continue their homestand with a three game series against the Houston Astros and then four games against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Los Mets Hablen Español - Tomorrow night's game will once again be available in English on MSG and in Spanish on FSNY.
Health Notes - Dr. James Andrews confirmed Mets team physician Dr. Andrew Rokito's diagnosis that reliever Grant Roberts does not have any structural damage that would require surgery but, instead, needs another two or three weeks of rest for his shoulder.
Roster Moves - Jae Sao, who had been called up the day before, was sent back to Norfolk on Monday to make room for Steve Trachsel on the roster. Sao made his Major League debut against Cincinnati, throwing a perfect inning against the Reds. Sao had come up for one game when Mike Bacsik was sent down in order to bolster the Mets' bullpen for a day.
Sao earned an exemption from military service in his native South Korea because his team won the gold medal at the 1998 Asian Games. The Mets were alarmed about a month ago when they learned that Sao had been fasting on game days, and have instructed him to discontinue that practice. The organization also told him to stop running excessively between starts so that he can build up his stamina.
On Friday, Bobby M. Jones was designated for assignment and Satoru Komiyama was called up from Norfolk. Earlier in the week, Komiyama was named the International League's Pitcher of the Week for the week of July 15-21.
Al's Here to Stay - Al Leiter and the Mets have agreed to an $18 million/2 year contract extension with a no-trade clause. This contract ensures that Leiter will finish his career as a Met.
Met Milestone - Roberto Alomar had his 2,500th career hit last Friday against the Reds.
Mo Let the Dogs Out - Mo Vaughn, who lives in Columbus Ohio, made the 75 minute drive out there from Cincinnati last week in order to spend some time with his two dogs, Gin and Juice.
Nice Debut - Marco Scutaro, the 26-year-old Venezuelan who was called up from Norfolk when Joe McEwing went on the disabled list, hit a 2-RBI triple in his first Major League at bat last Monday. Making the performance all that much sweeter was the fact that his wife, Marimes, and their two month old daughter, Maria Veronica, were at Shea for the game.
The Captain is Honored - John Franco was honored by the Brooklyn Cyclones yesterday when they held John Franco Day. A video montage was shown prior to the game, and the first 2,000 fans in attendance received T-shirts with Franco's number 45 on the back and the NYC Department of Sanitation insignia on the front. Franco has made Department of Sanitation shirts fashionable because he wears one under his uniform in order to honor his late father, a former Department of Sanitation worker.
On the Off Day - Not knowing the meaning of the word rest, today Bobby Valentine is hosting the second annual Bobby Valentine Summer Golf Classic in Darien, Connecticut. Proceeds from the event will go to the Mickey Lione Jr. Foundation for youth excellence. Keith Hernandez, Steve Trachsel, Shawn Estes and Joe McEwing are scheduled to play, while Mo Vaughn will attend the dinner that follows.
Home Plate Cooking - Bobby V's Sports Bar and Restaurant has a new schedule of weekly specials, including Latin Night on Mondays, Tuesday Night Trivia, Karaoke Night on Wednesdays and Pasta Night on Thursdays. For information, directions or reservations, call 718-672-1200 or visit www.bobbyvs.com.
Around the Net - For a historical summary of the background of the current labor dispute in baseball, LaborScope is must reading. Kevin Chapman is a labor attorney with a fan's interest in this matter, and has put together a description of the situation that is comprehensive and accessible. And for those of you wondering about the name, yes, he is my husband.
Mets by the Numbers has always been the ultimate source for Mets fans who have questions about player numbers, and now this excellent website has a more memorable domain name - www.mbtn.net. All the best to this great site in its new cyberhome!
Summer Reading - kcmets.com's very own Joseph Pendal has written a novel - Capitol Hell. It's a murder mystery set in Washington, D.C., and Mets fans will especially appreciate the references to names from team history, past and present. Paperback copies can be ordered here, and hardcover copies here, or you can ask your local Barnes & Noble to order a copy for you.
Congratulations to Joe on a great job!
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.
