centerfield maz

Tuesday June 7th, 2005: The 2005 Mets were playing well, it was their best baseball since the Pennant year of 2000.  In the off season the Mets brought in the top two free agents on the market in Carlos Beltran & Pedro Martinez. The two players brought excitement back to Shea Stadium. Tonight, Willie Randolph's second place Mets (31-27) were hosting Phil Garner's last place, Houston Astros (21-35).  Two big pitchers went at it tonight, Pedro Martinez (6-1) for the Mets, taking on a struggling Roy Oswalt (6-6) for Houston. Oswalt was in in his second straight twenty-win season & his second straight season of leading the league in starts. In 2006 he was the NL's ERA leader as well. But tonight, Pedro wowed the 39,953 fans at Shea Stadium, giving them a night full of thrills on the mound. I n the top of the 1st inning, Pedro retired the side in order.  In the home 1st, Mike Cameron hit a one out double & scored on Cliff Floyd's double to center field. I...

Friday June 6th, 1986:  It had been just eleven days since the last brawl the wild, fighting 1986 Mets had been in. That Brawl was at Shea Stadium against the Los Angeles Dodgers starring Ray Knight & L.A. pitcher Tom Niedenfuer. On this night, it would be the Mets cool hitting coach Bill Robinson, swinging away getting into it with Pirate's pitcher Rick Rhoden. Trivia: Robinson & Rhoden had been team mates in Pittsburgh from 1979-1982 including the 1979 Pirates "We Are Family" World Championship team. Davey Johnson's first place Mets (34-15) arrived in Pittsburgh for a twi-night doubleheader against Jim Leyland's fourth place Pirates (22-27). Ron Darling (6-1) took the mound against Rick Rhoden (4-3). After a quiet 1st inning, the Mets put up a run in the 2nd. Darryl Strawberry singled, George Foster doubled & Ray Knight followed with an RBI single bringing in Strawberry. In the 4th inning the Pirates hit got doubles from Joe Orsulak, RJ Reynolds ...

Sunday June 6th, 1999: In the wake of the Mets front office firing three of Bobby Valentine's coaches the Mets answered back. The team had lost eight in a row & were at their worst point. Bobby Valentine even told the media "I believe in the next 55 games, if we're not better, I shouldn't be the manager". The Mets went on that evening on Nation TV & beat their cross town A.L. New York rivals. Then went on to win forty of those next 55 games, tying for a wild card spot. Then they beat the Reds in Cincinnati in a one game playoff, defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS & went to six games of the NLCS before getting defeated by the Atlanta Braves. In this subway series matchup, the Mets Mike Piazza continued his dominance against known steroid user Roger Clemens. Piazza would bat .421 vs. Clemens with 4 HRs a double & 10 RBIs against him in 19 at bats over eight games. Tonight, Al Leiter (2-5) would go up against Joe Torre's A.L. Team. Aft...

Saturday July 7th, 1973: A Saturday afternoon crowd of 30,468 filled up Shea Stadium on a beautiful sunny day to watch Yogi Berra's last place Mets (34-45) take on Eddie Mathews fifth place Atlanta Braves (38-49).  At this point, Braves slugger Hank Aaron was chasing the All-Time HR record & was the most famous face in baseball.  Aaron was #2 on the all-time HR list with 694 career HRs & the Mets' own Willie Mays was #3 on the all-time with 657 career HRs.  The Mets were bottomed out in last place 12.5 games out of first place, just about their lowest point of the season. There was still a long way to go in what was to be a pennant winning season  as the NL East remained tight all year. The Mets would not make their unlikely comeback until late August on. The Mets 13 year veteran, Ray Sadecki got his first start of the year, his first start in 14 months after having made 43 relief appearances.   Sadecki would eventuall...

1973 Mets NL Pennant Season: In the Mets' 1973 pennant-winning season, Felix Millan was Harrelson's new double play counterpart and their defense up the middle was spectacular. Bud was limited to 106 games, once again due to an injury. On June 4th in a game against the Cincinnati Reds, Johnny Bench's back up catcher; Bill Plummer, crashed into Harrelson at second base, fracturing his hand. He came back after three weeks on the DL only to have & the Pittsburgh Pittsburgh’s; Rennie Stennett crashed into him in rundown play. This injury resulted in a fractured sternum. Before the injures he was batting .259 & the Mets were struggling to stay out of the cellar in the NL East. Many of the Mets key regular players were hurt that season & all got healthy for the final stretch run which resulted in another Mets Miracle, although one game short of a total championship.  In Harrelson's return, he was another key to the Mets incredible September pennant run a...