Posts

Remembering Mets Opening Days (2001) Ventura Leads the Reigning N.L. Champs In Atlanta

-
Image
Tuesday April 3rd, 2001: The 2000 National League Champion, New York Mets opened up the 2001 season on the road in enemy territory, in Atlanta at the height of the Mets Braves rivalry. The Mets had won the wild card the previous year getting to the World Series. The Braves had been the NL Champions in 1999 beating the Mets in the NLCS. The rivalry was intense with some classic moments thru the years. The Mets came into 2001 without much improvement, adding pitcher Kevin Appier & outfielder Tsuyoshi Shingo from Japan. Management made a big mistake, passing up on free agent Alex Rodriguez who signed with Texas.  For Opening Day at Turner Field, 42,117 came to see Bobby Cox's Braves host Bobby Valentines New York Mets. The starting pitchers for this matchup would be Al Leiter for the Mets & Tom Glavine for the Braves. In the top of the 1st, Benny Agbayani led off with a walk, but was thrown out at second, trying to steal. Edgardo Alfonzo then doubled into centerfield.  A...
Read more

Al Weis: 1969 Mets World Series Hero (1968 - 1971)

-
Image
Albert John Weis was born April 2, 1938 in Franklin Square, New York on Long Island. He grew up in the town of Bethpage & attended Farmingdale high School. The Long Island boy then joined the Navy & while playing baseball there got signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent. The speedy six-foot switch-hitting speedy  infielder stole 42 bases in 1960 at the low level of the minor leagues. Al spent four years in the minor leagues peaking in 1962 at AAA Indianapolis batting .296 with 13 triples, 15 doubles & 31 stolen bases.   MLB Career: In September 1962 Weis got a call up playing behind the double play combo of Hall of Famers, Luis Aparicio & Nellie Fox. Weis debuted in Washington drawing a walk in his first game in a 3-1 loss to the Senators. He went just 1-12 during the month (.083). At the end of the season the White Sox traded away Luis Aparicio, Weis played his rookie year as a utility infielder behind Nellie Fox & Ron Hanse...
Read more

Daniel Murphy (Part Two) 2015 Post Season Record Setter

-
Image
2015: In the 2015 off season Daniel Murphy's name kept coming up in trade talks again, as the Mets continued to shop him.  They did not find a suitable buyer & it was back to Spring Training once again in a Mets uniform.  He continued to dodge the questions that came his way & went about his business as usual, like the true professional he was. No one expected the year that was ahead of Daniel Murphy.  Religious Views: During Spring Training Billy Bean was going around to baseball teams to promote Inclusion to MLB. Murphy a Religious man stated "I do disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual. That doesn’t mean I can’t still invest in him and get to know him. You can still accept him, but I do disagree with the lifestyle, 100%."   After these comments became controversial to some, Murph said he'll stick with baseball & not tell reporters about his religious beliefs anymore. 2015 Mets NL Pennant Season : Daniel Murphy  would be...
Read more