centerfield maz

Sunday September 29, 2013: In a touching moment at Citi Field, Mets legend #31- Mike Piazza, was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame. Mets radio voice Howie Rose was the on field MC, joined by other Mets Hall of Fame inductees; Ed Kranepool, Rusty Staub, Bud Harrelson, Keith Hernandez, Dwight Gooden, John Franco, Mookie Wilson as well as Al Jackson & the Glider; Ed Charles. Also on hand with Franco, was 2000 NL Champion teammate Edgardo Alfonzo who spoke some nice words & through a special video message, Piazza's old battery mate; Al Lieter (who was working at MLB studios in New Jersey). Piazza walked onto Citi Field as Jimi Hendrix's version of "the Star Spangled Banner" & Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold" blasted from the speakers. Piazza of course is a tremendous classic rock / hard rock / heavy metal fan. The Italian American Hero, received a standing ovation from the full house crowd that came out just for him....

Remembering the 1973 N.L. Champion New York Mets: Mets Split Twin Bill At Wrigley Field, Clinging to First Place On Wednesday September 26th, the Mets took an 8-5 loss to the Expos, in the final regular season game of the 1973 season at Shea Stadium. 31,000 fans came out that night in support. Around the League the Pirates won, pulling within a half game of New York. Wayne Garrett The Mets were off to Wrigley Field, in Chicago to close out the season playing for all the marbles. But they would have to wait it out for three days, as heavy rains postponed games for three straight days. The Pirates would lose three of their next four games & be two full games out by Saturday night. Meanwhile, the Cardinals had moved into second place just 1.5 games out. Montreal, who took a pair of games from Pittsburgh were 2.5 games out, still in the mix. On Sunday September 30th, the Mets & Cubs went to play a double header, in front of a tiny crowd in Chicago. The first ga...

Paul Robert Giel was born on September 29th 1932 in Winona Minnesota.  The five foot eleven right hander attended the University of Minnesota & was signed by the New York Giants as a 1954 bonus baby. He received the largest bonus any player had with the Giants up to that point $$60,000. He found himself pitching with the 1954 World Champions during the regular season, debuting on July 10th, 1954. That day he finished up a 10-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, striking out the last three batters he faced. Giel would pitch in just six games for New York, striking out four batters & walking two in 4.1 innings of work. He did not pitch in the post season. In 1955 he saw the most action of what would be a short career. He earned his first career win on June 15th, a three inning relief effort at Wrigley Field. He would earn another win there in late July as well. On July 10th he earned a win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in a classic at the Polo Grounds. With the ...

  It was a super special night at Shea Stadium on this Tuesday evening, as the Mets were 1/2 games up in first place over the Pittsburgh Pirates & they were to honor the great Willie Mays. 54,000 fans showed up to say goodbye to Mays on "Willie Mays Night" in a pre game ceremony before a very important matchup with the Montreal Expos. The 42 year old Mays, grew tired & was hurting by this point of the season. Mays had always said he felt manager Yogi Berra had used him too much earlier on in the '73 season. Mays had not been in a game since a September 9th, 3-0 win over the Expos in Montreal. He had planned to leave the team & call it quits, but the Mets owner; Joan Payson, who adored Mays, convinced him to stay with the club & finish out the season. Now the Mets were in a pennant race & Mays would get to go out a winner, on the National League Champion Mets. He would end playing in the World Series in the two cities that defined his career, ...

Remembering the 1973 N.L. Champion New York Mets: Mets Extend Win Streak to Five Games- Take One Game Lead Over Division Saturday 22 & Sunday September 23rd 1973: The St. Louis Cardinals rolled into Shea for a two game series just one game behind the first place Mets. The Cards were playing mostly .500 baseball the past week, while the Mets were red hot. After sweeping the Pirates in two different series, a three game set in Pittsburgh & a two game set at home, they were not stopping. They halted the Cards as well, by sweeping this two game set as well & continuing their win streak to seven straight games. The win streak extended to 11 wins in 13 games. On Saturday afternoon, Cardinals' manager Red Shoendienst sent Reggie Cleveland (13-9) to the mound to go up against Yogi Berra's young star Jon Matlack (13-15). Both pitchers were outstanding, but Matlack was spectacular. He would go the entire distance, shutting out St. Louis allowing just four hits...

Rocco Daniel Baldelli was born September 25, 1981 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. He was a gifted high school student posting a 4.25 grade average & starring in four sports. He earned All State honors in track, basketball, volley ball & baseball. He would have attended Wake Forest on a baseball scholarship but signed as first round pick with the Tampa Bay Rays instead. In 2002 he hit .331 at all three minor league levels getting to the Tampa big league club by 2003. He had a fantastic rookie year batting .289 with 32 doubles 11 HRs 78 RBIs & 27 stolen bases. He led all A.L. center fielders in assists (15) for the first of two straight seasons, was second in put outs & posted a .989 fielding percentage. Baldelli began to get compared with Joe Dimaggio, sharing similar abilities, both being of Italian heritage, wearing #5 & playing center field. Al LaMacchia, a professional scout for over 50 years, went so far as to call Rocco "Joe's twin...

R emembering the 1973 N.L. Champion New York Mets: Thursday September 20th, 1973- "The Ball On the Wall Game" Tonight's game between the Mets & Pittsburgh Pirates was certainly one of the most important games of the 1973 season & one of the most remembered in Mets history. 25,000 fans filled Shea that night to see Jerry Koosman (12-15) go up against the Pirates Jim Rooker (9-5). Jerry Koosman In the 4th inning the Pirates scored the first run, Koos walked Willie Stargell & Many Sanguillen singled. Then sloppy play led to a run, when Bud Harrelson threw wildly to first base on a Dal Maxvill groundball, the error scored Willie Stargell. Rooker rolled along to the 6th inning, when he walked Jerry Koosman to start the inning. Koos was forced at second by Wayne Garrett's grounder, then Felix Millan continued his hot hitting & got a base hit. With two outs, one of the hottest months of September; Cleon Jones came through with a single to le...

Jason Raymond Bay was born September 20, 1978 in Trail, British Columbia Canada. At 12 years old he went to the Little League World Series with his Trail team. Eventually he was drafted while attending Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, by the Montreal Expos in the 22nd round of the 2000 MLB draft. In Spring Training of 2002 he was traded to the New York Mets for Lou Collier. The Mets soon traded him along with Bobby Jones, to the San Diego Padres in July 2002 for relief pitchers Jason Middlebrook & Steve Reed. The next season he made his MLB debut in a Padres uniform and hit a HR in his first game that May. On May 25th he was hit by a pitch & broke his wrist, finishing his promising rookie season. In August of that same year the Padres sent him along with pitcher Oliver Perez to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Brian Giles. In 2004 Bay became the first Canadian born player to win the Rookie of the Year Award, hitting 26 HRs 24 doubles 82 RBIs a .358 on base % ...