centerfield maz

Marcus  Earl Stroman was born May 1st 1991 on Long Island, in Medford, New York.   His mother was Puerto Rican & his father African American. His father was a Suffolk County Police Detective. His parents divorced when he was in the 5th grade.  He was very close to his grand mother, as she regularly attended his high school & college games. The five foot seven, right hander, attended Patchogue high school in Medford, Long Island. He was an outstanding pitcher & all around star baseball player.  He would face his future Mets team mate, Steven Matz who also grew up on Long Island, many times in competition. The two were even player, roommates at one time. Duke University: Stroman was drafted by the Washington Nationals in 2009 but did sign, instead electing to go to college at Duke University.  At Duke he pitched & set a Duke career record for strike outs (290 in 222 innings). He also played second base & short stop in his Duke years....

April 22nd, 1973: Yogi Berra's New York Mets (8-6) faced off against Gene Mauch's Montreal Expos (6-7) for a classic Sunday afternoon double header. A crowd of 27, 230 came out to Shea Stadium on this Easter Sunday. In the first game, that years Cy Young Award winner, Tom Seaver went up against the Expos' John Strohmayer. Strohmayer would pitch for the Mets later in the season & again in 1974. T he Expos Ron Fairly, hit a lead off second inning HR and Strohmayer held down the Mets scoreless through the end of the 8th inning. He was relieved by relief ace, Mike Marshall who allowed a leadoff 9th inning walk to Jim Fregosi. He then threw a wild pitch advancing him to second. Jerry Grote sacrificed Fregosi to third & pinch hitter Ken Boswell came through with a base hit tying the game.  Newly acquired Mets relief pitcher Phil Hennigan, had his own troubles in the 10th inning. He walked John Boccabella, then walked pinch hitter Boots Day, intentional...

Warren Edward Spahn was born on April 23, 1921 in Buffalo New York, being named after President Warren Harden. The tall six foot lefty, was known as "the Invincible one" and became the winningest left handed pitcher of all time. He came up with Boston Braves in 1942 briefly before serving military time in the Military during World War II. In the war his heroic efforts won him a Purple Heart & a Bronze Star. He returned back to pitching by 1946 at the age of 26 going 8-5 with a 2.94 ERA. Quotes: "People say that my absence from the big leagues may have cost me a chance to win 400 games. But I don't know about that. I matured a lot in three years, and I think I was better equipped to handle major league hitters at 25 than I was at 22. Also, I pitched until I was 44. Maybe I wouldn't have been able to do that otherwise." In Boston he along with the number two man on the staff Johnny Sain, were so much better than the rest of the staff they inspir...

The Mets President; Lorinda deRoulet had fired M. Donald Grant effective January 1st, 1979. Grant was one of the most hated men in New York after being responsible for trading Tom Seaver to the Reds.  He was also responsible for the past trades of Rusty Staub, Nolan Ryan, Tug McGraw, Amos Otis & Dave Kingman.  In the wake of baseball's free agency, Grant refused to sign any top notch free agents, although the Mets were one of the richest teams in the mid seventies. That winter of 1978-1979, the Mets had also traded away, Jerry Koosman; one of the last players (along with Ed Kranepool) from the 1969 World Champions. Koosman went to his homestate of Minnesota to play with the Twins.  In exchange they received Jesse Orosco, who would play a major part in the organizations turnaround & the 1986 Championship. They had also acquired veteran Richie Hebner (nicknamed the Grave Digger) who had a big debut that day.  Also gone this year was original broadcast...