Mets, David Wright Donate $250,000 To Mayor's Fund

 

From the Mets...

 

FLUSHING, N.Y., December 6, 2012 – Third baseman David Wright and the New York Mets today announced a $250,000 donation to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City to support hurricane restoration efforts.  The announcement was made by Wright and Mets COO Jeff Wilpon during a visit to P.S. 38 on Staten Island, where 80% of the student population was affected by Hurricane Sandy.

 

New York City Council Member James Oddo (Republican – District 50) brought the Staten Island school to Wright’s attention. Dennis M. Walcott, Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, joined Oddo, Wright, and Wilpon at today’s event.

 

“I love New York and it broke my heart to see the devastation throughout this city,” said Wright.  “I admire the thousands of New Yorkers who are courageously working hard to rebuild their homes and communities.  The people of this city have supported me for the past nine years and this is just a small way for me to say thanks.”

 

“We’re proud to join with David to contribute to the Mayor’s Fund and help our great city recover from this devastating storm,” Wilpon said.  “Giving back to the community is part of who we are as an organization and we pledge to continue to help the Mayor and the city in the weeks and months ahead.”

 

“Our City is incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received from countless generous individuals and companies that have stepped forward to help New Yorkers whose lives have been turned upside down by Hurricane Sandy,” said New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.  “David Wright, the Wilpons and the Mets have always shown their solidarity with New York City and their support and generous contribution to the Mayor’s Fund will go a long way towards helping our recovery.”

 

“As an elected representative for this community and a lifelong Mets fan, I am particularly grateful that Jeff and David will bring smiles to the faces of school kids affected by Sandy, and for remembering their families need our ongoing help and support,” Council Member Oddo said.

 

“I want to thank David Wright, Jeff Wilpon, and the Mets for their generous donation to help many of our families who have lost so much during the hurricane,” Chancellor Walcott said. “Their support, through the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, strengthens our relief efforts.”

 

The Mets have been actively engaged in helping the local community recover from the damaging effects of Hurricane Sandy.  Citi Field continues to be utilized as a staging ground for emergency services personnel. Mets players Johan Santana, Dillon Gee, Bobby Parnell, Matt Harvey and Jonathon Niese along with Mets staff have helped distribute hot meals, water, shovels, and cleaning supplies to communities in Coney Island, Breezy Point, Far Rockaway and Long Beach.

 

The Mayor’s Fund is accepting financial donations from organizations and individuals to support hurricane restoration efforts. One hundred percent of donations are being dispersed to relief efforts and organizations. The City is currently providing essential living supplies via distribution sites - including food, hygiene items, and cleaning materials - and will also support long-term recovery efforts. To donate by mail, make checks payable to Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and send to 253 Broadway, Eighth  Floor, New York City, New York 10007 (in memo line: Hurricane Sandy Relief).  For any questions or to donate over the phone call 311 (212-NEW-YORK outside New York City).

ICYMI: The Week In Review

It's almost Harvey-Time. With Dillon Gee undergoing what could be season ending surgery, all eyes will be on Matt Harvey Monday night as he auditions for a spot in the rotation. A number of Mets executives will be on hand for his start Monday, which can be seen on SNY.

According to Terry Collins, with Gee out for the foreseeable future, his choice of replacement has been narrowed down to Harvey and Miguel Batista. 

The Mets called up left-handed reliever Josh Edgin from Buffalo. Don't let his line fool you. Despite posting a 7.71 ERA in 2.1 innings of work, he has been impressive, striking out six batters, five of which were lefties.

R.A. Dickey may find himself working a little more as the season goes on. Terry Collins has suggested that after August 1, if the Mets are still in the race, Dickey could begin pitching on short rest.

Speaking of Dickey, the knuckleballer made his first-ever All-Star appearance this week. He allowed a leadoff single to the Angels' Mike Trout, but went on to pitch a scoreless sixth inning.

Of course, this year's All-Star Game was not without its controversy. National League manager Tony LaRussa chose to start San Francisco's Matt Cain over Dickey because starting catcher, Buster Posey, couldn't catch a knuckleball.

David Wright made his sixth All-Star Game appearance. He went 0-2.

Terry Collins, who was selected by Tony LasRussa to join the National League coaching staff for this year's game, coached first base and made a pitching change late in the game.

The Mets and Yankees will play fewer games against each other starting next season. Instead of the usual six games, the two will play just three or four games.

Chris Schwinden is back with the Mets. After the Mets dumped him earlier in the season, he has since played with the Blue Jays, Indians, and Yankees. He is now back with Buffalo as a non-40 man roster player.

On the injury front...

Dillon Gee underwent surgery on Friday to replace part of a damaged artery in his right shoulder. Gee was hospitalized earlier in the week with a blood clot. Doctors used a catheter to break up the clot. He could begin throwing in about eight weeks, but all signs indicate that Gee is done for the season.

Frank Francisco was shut down this week after he continued to feel discomfort in his oblique.

Jason Bay has moved his rehab assignment to Triple-A Buffalo. He went 1-4 with a walk and two strikeouts for Buffalo. He did not play in the outfield. He could return to the Mets on Tuesday.

Mike Baxter is scheduled to begin his rehab assignment in St. Lucie today.

Lucas Duda will sit out of today's game with a strained left hamstring. It had been bothering him for over a week, but the All-Star break did not help him any.

Annual MLB All-Star Game Is a Joke Post

Well, it's that time of year again. Major League Baseball announced the starters for the 2012 All-Star game, and what a surprise, a few deserving players were not selected.

Before I go into my rant, however, I would like to congratulate R.A. Dickey on being named to the All-Star team. Well deserved.

Now back to the rant...

Exhibit A: David Wright is not going to start the All-Star game.

Wright was beat out by San Francisco's Pablo Sandoval. Let's compare the two, shall we...

Here are Sandoval's stats:

And here are Wright's stats:

Now, am I OUTRAGED that Wright wasn't selected to be a starter? No. The All-Star Game has always been, and will continue to be, a joke. It's nothing more than a popularity contest where those less deserving are chosen before those who have earned it. 

These selections no longer surprise me. 

And, yes, in case you are wondering, I sent in my votes for Wright this year. 

Exhibit B: The voting in of injured players.

Take Los Angeles' Matt Kemp. Kemp was selected to start the NL outfield. Don't get me wrong. Kemp is a very valuable player, and if healthy, could very well have deserved to be selected.

Kemp, however, has not played a game since May 30, and has been on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring. He hasn't even begun a rehab assignment. 

But he's an All-Star. 

Finally, exhibit C: Atlanta's Dan Uggla. I don't even know where to begin with this one.

The list can go on and on.

If MLB would like more people to take the All-Star game seriously, they need to do away with fan voting. It's a joke. Besides, who has time to vote 25 times a day (outside of San Francisco)?  

Call me crazy, but if stats are so important these days, how about the folks at MLB actually take a look at them and make the selections that way.

Observations From Friday Night's Game

On Friday night, the Mets were nice enough to allow other bloggers and myself to attend the evening's festivities.

Here are a few things that stood out.

It's a good thing David Wright is not a doctor.

Shake it up a little more, David. 

After crashing, head first, into the left field wall, Jason Bay left the game with what the team described as a possible concussion.

Now, any normal person would say things like, "Feel better, Jason," or, "I hope you're okay." Not David. No, he decides to get in there and shake Bay's head around even more.

I was pretty embarrassed to be a Mets fan when Bay exited the game. If you were listening to the game on the radio or watching it on t.v., you may have noticed that Bay left the field to boos. Yes, an alarmingly large number of Mets fans were booing their own team's player after being injured. Scott Hairston practically got a standing ovation when he entered to take Bay's spot out in left. This isn't Philadelphia. Knock it off.

Finally...

Will anyone ever put a stop to the wave? I don't know if 34,000 people were just extremely bored, but at one point the wave went around the stadium at least 6-7 times in a row. I would be impressed that such a large group of people would be committed to completing the wave that many consecutive times, but I hate the wave.

David Wright Is Impressing This Critic

I'm not a big David Wright fan. I never have been. Don't ask me why, because I don't know.

It's hard not to be impressed by Wright at the moment though.

Since I can't keep up with what the Saber Nerds consider a "good stat," I'll just give you his whole line.

He leads the National League in batting average (.402) and on-base percentage (.489).

There's only one man who has had a hotter start to the season as a Met, and that was Cleon Jones who hit .411 in his first 50 games of the 1969 season.

In Saturday's start against the Marlins, Wright went 4-6 with three RBIs. Not too shabby for a guy who still has a fractured right pinky.

It's also hard not to notice that the apparent confidence he has at the plate right now is carrying over to the field.

To date, his fielding percentage is .986, and he has committed just one error. His throws the past few games have been spot on.

I don't expect Wright to maintain any of these stats. He's bound to go into a slump at some point. It's just the  nature of the game.

Even Wright feels that his dominance at the plate won't continue.

Can .400 continue for Wright? 

"I'm going to be honest with you," the third baseman replied as he prepared to depart Marlins Park on Saturday. "No."

How does Wright feels looking at the stadium scoreboard and seeing .402? 

"It feels like it's May," Wright replied. "There's a long way to go. Those are unrealistic goals."

Let's hope for the Mets' sake that these numbers do continue. Let's face it, whether you like him or not, if Wright is playing well, the Mets are playing well.

Mets Morning News 2-27-12

Photo by: MattBritt00 (Flickr.com)

Ryan Zimmerman signed a six year extension with the Nationals this weekend, so of course the next logical thing to do was to ask David Wright about it.

"I think Ryan did it the right way. They did it before spring training, per se. Now it’s kind of out of the way. My first extension we signed about halfway through the 2006 season. It’s probably better to not even do it during the season or during spring training. Like Zim and those guys have said, it creates kind of a distraction."

Is Wright thinking about his own contract extension?

"I haven’t even discussed that with my agents, and obviously the team hasn’t discussed it with my agents or me," Wright said. "I think that it might occur in the future. It might not. I don’t know. I’m not really sure the protocol, but I would assume the team pretty much approaches the player. I don’t think the front office wants 25 different phone calls from 25 different agents about extensions. We’ll wait and see. I’m very happy with my situation. I’ll go out and just try to play and not worry about that. The last thing on my mind is next year or the year after that."

According to the Daily News, for the Mets to even consider trading Wright, the deal would need to include "Four Zack Wheelers."

Johan Santana threw two simulated innings Sunday afternoon.

"Today was a good day. I’m not trying to back off from anything,” Santana said. "I’m doing everything just the same way I would do it if I didn’t have surgery on my arm.

"I missed a few [pitches], but I’ve got to make adjustments and I’m pretty sure my next time will be better."

Mets Morning News 2-26-12

The Mets released this image of the patch yesterday. 

The Mets announced Saturday that the team will wear a patch on their uniforms to honor the late Gary Carter. The patch features a home plate with "The Kid" and the No. 8 in the middle.

Andy McCullough of The Star-Ledger did a Q & A with Jason Bay to find out more about his friendship with Eddie Vedder.

"I was a huge Pearl Jam fan … Eddie’s a huge baseball fan. Huge Cubs fan. There’s a lot of guys who have met him. Sean Casey, who’s a diehard Pearl Jam fan, he’s hung out with Eddie numerous times. When I got traded to Boston, we played a game and that night Eddie was playing somewhere in Boston on his solo tour. And he signed this poster, 'Hey, Jason, welcome to the Red Sox.' And then Casey gave me his number. So we text back and forth."

"I’ve never met him. I’ve never actually technically met him. And that’s the funny part. Casey was like, 'Hey, here’s his number, he said text him.' So he was like 'Hey, sounds good, man. If I’m ever up in Seattle recording …' He’s never up there. He’s got a lot going on. I’m probably the last person (on his mind). 'Oh, I’ve got to call Jason Bay!'"

Pitching prospect Matt Harvey threw his first live batting practice Saturday. According to David Lennon, Harvey is expected to begin the season with Double-A Binghamton, but he writes, "plans are subject to change."

"Obviously, that's a pretty impressive-looking pitcher," manager Terry Collins said. "When you stand behind there, he's got a feel for it all. He's got tremendous rotation on his breaking ball, got a good slider, knows how to sink it. We all know he can throw hard. Now it's a matter of dealing with the process, and that's getting better command and more consistency. I truly believe in the process."

Andrew Keh of the New York Times profiles prospect Kirk Nieuwenhuis who discussed past injuries and his future.

"There’s no doubt this is an important spring for him because of the situation we’re looking at, with us in desperate need of guys who can play outfield," ManagerTerry Collins said of Nieuwenhuis. "We’re going to give him a lot of playing time. He’s going to get plenty of chances to prove himself."

Mike Pelfrey did not do well last season. We know it, and he knows it. David Wright is standing up for Pelfrey though, telling Mike Kerwick of The Record:

"He was coming off a good year," Wright said, "and then all of a sudden just because he's named the opening day starter … a lot of times he got matched up with [Roy] Halladay and Josh Johnson."

He deserved better, Wright said.

"There was numerous times where he pitched well and should have gotten a win," Wright said. "There were a couple times where we blew leads for him late. There were a couple times where he just had some bad luck because he's going up against other team's No. 1."

Mets Morning News: Carter Remembered, Francisco Likes A Challenge, AndMets Skeptical Of Braun

Hundreds of friends, family, and former teammates gathered at Chris Fellowship Church in Palm Beach Gardens, Fl. Friday night to remember Gary Carter. Read more about the service in The Times.

Mike Puma of the New York Post sat down with new Mats closer Frank Francisco. Francisco said he is up for a challenge.

"I got excited, because it’s a young team with a lot of potential," Francisco said yesterday. "Everybody has their eyes on the Mets to see what’s going to happen, and I like that. I like challenges — that’s me. I like people watching me."

According to Andy Martino of the Daily News, there was plenty of skepticism in the Mets clubhouse after Ryan Braun won his appeal.

"Ryan Braun is out there saying this shows he is innocent," one Met said. "Does that mean O.J. Simpson is innocent, too?"

"Oh, wow," a Mets player said on Friday, after hearing of Braun's chain-of-custody explanation. "That was his defense? Now every positive test is going to be challenged. That could be a mess."

Added a third player: "What a joke."

Another Met said: "Seems like he's guilty."

A few Mets did go on the record about the case. David Wright, R.A. Dickey, and Jason Bay all spoke with Newsday about Braun's victory.

 "I wasn't rooting one way or the other," Wright said. "I've gotten a chance to be around Ryan a little bit -- whether it was the World Baseball Classic or the All-Star Game -- and I think he's a great guy. I've had a blast playing with him and against him. Whether you agree or disagree with the decision, I guess the process worked."

"If you're guilty, I'm hoping that you're found guilty," Wright said. "If someone knowingly tries to cheat the system or cheat the game, I hope that they're caught and I hope that they're punished. In this case, I see what everybody else sees, but that's why you have the appeals process."

"I was surprised because it set a precedent," Dickey said. "I totally expected for them to find that it was legitimate. The fact that, through a technicality, they found that it wasn't, that is a surprise.

"I think that people still have doubt, like, 'Oh, here's another way to get away with it,' that type of mentality. But we've also seen a high number of people caught by it. The fact that Ryan Braun, the NL MVP, is not beyond the arm of what's going on, that's encouraging, too."

Mets Morning News: Pitchers And Catchers Report, Gee's Struggles WithFatigue, Wright Has Something To Prove

Pitchers and catchers officially report today, and their first official workout is Wednesday.

Dillon Gee tells Mike Puma of the NY Post that he ran out of gas halfway through last season.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn’t really tired," Gee said. "But it was important for me to experience that.

"I know now what I need to do better. I don’t think that first half was luck at all. I just think I was pitching well. I knew what I was doing. But as soon as I had a couple of bad outings I started pressing a little bit."

Andy McCullough of The Star-Ledger writes about how just like every other Met in 2012, David Wright has something to prove.

His time as a Met could be drawing to a close. Members of the front office are still privately mulling their options. They could trade him this summer. They could pick up his $16 million option for 2013 and deal him next winter. Or they could work to retain him long term. Much depends on how he performs this season.

Wright turned 29 in December. He is approaching baseball’s version of middle age, that cruel moment when reflexes slow down and bat speed declines. So perhaps 2011 was an outlier. Or perhaps it was a harbinger. That knowledge limits his current trade value, one talent evaluator explained this winter.

A memorial service will be held this Friday for Gary Carter in Palm Beach Gardens, Fl. The Mets expect to send a "sizable" group to honor the late, great Mets catcher.

In lieu of flowers, a donation be made to the Gary Carter Foundation, 580 Village Blvd., Suite 315, West Palm Beach, Fla., 33409. Donations will go to support the Autism Project of Palm Beach County, Hospice of Palm Beach County and Palm Beach Atlantic University baseball.

Mets Morning News: Murphy And Duda Are Corner Infielders, Ignoring OffField Distractions, & Pitching Prospects

Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes that Mets officials believe Daniel Murphy and Lucas Duda are best suited as corner infielders.

"The Mets also privately fret if Davis will hit lefties consistently; something they have far less concern about with Duda. What worries them with Duda is if he will subtract from his offensive value — which even executives around the league believe is legit — by being such a defensive liability in right. Murphy, meanwhile, has been seriously injured each of the past two seasons turning pivots at second.

Thus, the Mets want to verify their beliefs that Duda and Murphy are above-average hitters. If so, they will at least have the option to consider dealing Wright and/or Davis to continue to deepen the young talent base."

Terry Collins sat down with The Star-Ledger to discuss the 2012 season. He won't let his players feel sorry for themselves or be distracted with off the field issues.

"You know what? Jose’s not here...The first time I hear someone say, 'Oh, Jose would have caught that ball,' we've got problems...So our payroll’s down...How many guys here care what our payroll is?"

David Lennon of Newsday writes of how the trio of Matt Harvey, Jeurys Familia, and Zack Wheeler shouldn't be labeled the next Generation K. Also, don't expect to see any of them called up before their time.

"The temptation with those three guys doesn't really exist at the moment," [Sandy] Alderson said. "Obviously, when you bring somebody up -- whenever you do -- they still have to perform. So on the one hand, you're tempted to bring somebody up to fill innings, but on the other hand, they better be ready. Because if they're not, there are obviously consequences to that, too."

Caption This!

David Wright stopped by Citi Field yesterday and got an up close look at the outfield wall construction. My question is: What is Wright saying?

Photo: Mets Twitter Account

Fire away. I want to see your best captions.

David Wright Set To Host Annual Vegas Night

Here is a video of David Wright discussing his annual "Vegas Night" which raises money for Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in his home state of Virginia.



A tip of the cap to Metsblog for first posting this.

If you'll be in the area and are interested in attending the event, click here.

How Valuable Is David Wright To The Mets?

If you're asking me, I'd say not very. But then again, I'm not the biggest David Wright fan.

Jon Morosi of Fox Sports tweeted that a baseball executive said, "The Mets won’t trade him [Wright]. He’s more valuable to them than he would be to any other team."

While the Mets, and many Mets fans, still view Wright as a star, I have the feeling that the rest of the league probably sees him as just an ordinary player.

The Mets need at least one "star" on the team is order to give the fans a reason to go to the ballpark. Stars are hard to come by these days at Citi Field, and when you have a team made up of mostly Triple-A players, an average player such as Wright becomes a star.

At this point, with the loss of Jose Reyes to the Marlins, Wright is probably only valuable in the fact that he is the only thing that will probably help generate money for the team.

If the Mets highly value Wright as a player, we must not have been watching the same player for the past three years.

Wright has struggled tremendously the past few seasons, and the 2011 season is arguably his worst as a professional.

I've heard all of the excuses...he never got over getting hit in the head by Matt Cain, Citi Field dimensions are wreaking havoc on his approach at the plate, Howard Johnson screwed him up, maybe his dog died...blah, blah, blah.

When will it be acceptable to just admit that Wright is an average player?

Mets Finish Up Road Trip; Beat Padres 7-3

• Dillon Gee was the first Mets starter to give up one run or less since early July. Thanks to an early three run home run by David Wright, Gee was able to pitch to contact, striking out five along the way. He became the first Mets rookie since Doc and Darling in 1984 to win 11 games.


• Gee earned this win, but Manny Acosta really saved it for him. In the seventh inning, it was a 4 – 1 game and the Padres had loaded the bases. Acosta came in and struck out Jason Bartlett and promptly ended the threat.


• In the fourth inning, Wright made a spectacular defensive play. Not only did he make a diving stop to save a double, but he faked a throw to first, and caught Cameron Maybin rounding third base trying to score and tagged him out. It really was an incredible, heads up play by the veteran Wright.


• Jason Bay has reverted back to form from earlier in the season. He finished up the trip on hit-less in his last 20 at bats, dropping his average to .239

The Mets have an off day tomorrow. Friday they return to Citi Field to face the Central Leading Milwaukee Brewers for a three game series.

The Ultimate Mets Lineup

The 2011 Mets are hovering around .500 right now, and they will probably finish the year around .500 too.  Fitting, given that this team has been oddly snakebitten.  Jose Reyes was in the middle of his best offensive season and is now on the disabled list for the second time with a recurring leg problem.  Daniel Murphy joins him on the DL after establishing himself as a starter with a breakout year.  Last year's breakout Ike Davis hasn't seen the field in months, and won't until next year.  Ace Johan Santana will be lucky to see game action in 2011, and may never be the same after shoulder surgery.  David Wright has been hitting well since missing time, leading one to wonder how he would have performed over a full season.  Ditto for the departed Carlos Beltran.

So I decided to perform a little experiment.  What if everyone on the 2011 Mets had performed at the peak of his career? What if every starter had his best historical season - forget that, how about taking every Mets star from the last decade, sticking them on the field and seeing how they would perform at their absolute apex.

The ultimate Mets fantasy team of the 2000s, instead of the also-ran 2011 edition.

Meet the Met: Mike Baxter

This will be a weekly segment where I delve into the Mets farm system for a new face. It could be a player that has recently been acquired by the organization, or a player who many people may not know about, but has outperformed his expectations this season.

To begin, let me introduce: Mike Baxter.

Baxter, 26, was a fourth round pick of the San Diego Padres in the 2005 draft. He is a corner outfielder by trade, but played centerfield this past Saturday for the first time since 2009. Mike had been on the 60 day DL with the Padres for most of the season, after having surgery on March 28 to repair a torn ligament in his thumb. However, after Orlando Hudson was injured making a sliding catch, he was placed on waivers, where the Mets picked him up on July 22.

Over the course of his minor league career, which now spans seven seasons, Baxter has consistently improved. Take a look at these numbers:

	BA	OBP	SLG
2005 – A	.219	.267	.311
2006 – A	.256	.304	.363
2007 – A+, AAA	.271	.339	.401
2008 – A+, AA	.264	.345	.406
2009 – AA, AAA	.317	.394	.469
2010 – AAA	.301	.382	.517
2011 – A+, AAA	.321	.404	.440

At 26, his best years are still in front of him. Looking at his history, he has the ability to make adjustments and improve his craft no matter what level he is at, so he has some major league potential.

The Wright Stuff

David looks great for 229 years old!

David Wright made his fairly triumphant return to the Mets this weekend, and at least one Wikipedia editor was not pleased. I cannot fathom what about Wright could inspire someone to alter his bio into an 18^th century New York Stupid Metropolitan, but here we are. Wright is back, and for whatever reason some guy on the internet is pissed.

Wright has always inspired somewhat inexplicable vitriol. Maybe it's playing in New York, maybe it's playing for an often-disappointing team, or maybe it's the photogenic smile and the hot girlfriends and the Vitamin Water ads. Maybe it's everything combined, but I've never felt Wright has gotten a fair shake.