Cutnpaste: - Jose Reyes, Darren Oliver, Kai Gronauer, Darryl Strawberry, 1986 NLCS

Jose Reyes  — Aside from carrying the team this year for stretches at a time, the spark-plug shortstop won the first batting title in franchise history with an average of .337. Furthermore, the pending free agent scored at least 100 runs (101) for the fourth time in his career and stole 39 bases; he is the franchise leader in both categories. If this was goodbye, thanks for the memories, Jose! - http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ycn-9174449

Darren Oliver, Texas Rangers -- Yes, Darren Oliver is still in the league. Yes, Oliver is still effective with a 7.6 bWAR since departing the Mets for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim following the 2006 season. He was an afterthought in 2006 following a year where was released from two different minor league organizations, but the Minaya touch unearthed another gem that added gusto to the southpaw's second wind in the Majors. Oliver was on the roster for the last Mets playoff appearance, which should make it even easier for you to root him on. He'll also be joined by fellow 2006 teammate Endy Chavez, another player who needs no introduction to Mets fans. And Oliver will be cheered on by a few ex-Mets alumni in Rangers co-owner Nolan Ryan and pitching coach Mike Maddux. - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2011/9/30/2459916/a-mets-fans-guide-to-recognizing-your-saints-in-the-2011-mlb-playoffs

10-3-11: - http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/season-review-the-full-season-catchers  - Kai Gronauer led the B-Mets in games caught with 51, hitting .253/.326/.373 at age 24. His season was interrupted by a hamstring injury. Gronauer is a good communicator and a good interview, but threw out 29% of opposing base stealers (17 of 58). That’s not enough to even be Nickeas.

Darryl Strawberry (1990): Until recently the best offensive player the Mets have ever produced, Straw’s contract expired at the end of the 1990 season. At the time he was at the pinnacle of his career: at age 29 he was on pace the break the all time home run record and was coming off a 37-home run season. Darryl spurned the Mets, instead inking a lucrative five-year $22.25 million contract with his hometown Los Angeles Dodgers. He proved to be a bust in LA, hitting only only 38 home runs in three years there before being released. He drifted to San Francisco and then later to the Yankees where he enjoyed a revival of sorts, but his sure-fire Hall of Fame career when he left the Mets was lost in a haze of injuries and drug abuse. He has since reconcilled with the Mets and recently surfaced, warning Reyes to stay in New York. Hard to envision what could have happened had he stayed (many blame the influence of hometown friends on his demise in LA) but the cost of replacing him—first Vince Coleman and then Bobby Bonilla—ushered in a Mets Dark Age that lasted from 1991 to 1998 and the arrival of Mike Piazza. - http://www.metstoday.com/7084/11-12-offseason/adios-jose-five-free-agents-who-left-the-mets

Bob Knepper and the Astros led 3-0 in the ninth inning. A New York loss would tie the series and put the Mets at Mike Scott's mercy in Game 7. Scott already had two complete game victories, suffocating New York on eight hits. The Mets were 108-54 during the season, running away with the NL East by a staggering 21½ games. Suddenly, everything was in peril. Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson: "The team was arrogant enough to deny defeat. They didn't think that was possible. But once the series started, I sensed fear for the first time. … I think of all the things we feared the most was facing Scott in Game 7. We knew what was at stake. We knew that if we lost Game 6, Game 7 was pretty much a write-off. Mentally, most of the guys on that team didn't think that we could beat Scott.'' - http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/story/2011-10-03/1986-playoffs-bill-buckner-mets-red-sox/50646152/1

Citi Softball for Heroes

Yesterday Citi and the Mets Alumni Association held a charity softball event at Citi Field in Flushing. To read more about the event please read this article from the Examiner. I only learned about the event on Friday, but the moment I did I rallied the family to organize an early birthday present for my father.

My father grew up in Whitestone, NY and... he grew up a Yankee fan. He was a fan of Yogi Berra and Roger Marris and, like most kids his age... The Mick. Then came the fateful year where George Steinbrenner FIRED Yogi Berra as manager of the Yankees. My father was hurt that his team would ignore a player's legacy like that and conveniently was nearby for the recently created Mets franchise. Plus... the Mets made the decision to give Ole' Yogi a job.
While he wasn't always a Met fan he's been devoted to the Mets since then and raised me a Met fan too. Yesterday my father was able to make his debut at Citi Field, playing in this charity tournament. He got to meet Ed Charles, Ed Kranepool, Darryl Strawberry and John Franco. My father may have been the only participant in the game to have been old enough to watch the '69 series. Charles quipped, "What, were you 2 when you watched the '69 Mets?" He was only 15 years off.
Later, Ed Kranepool wanted to play a little first base for one of the teams. "Anyone have a lefty glove?" he asked. My father was quick to raise his. I told him that night, "That's your glove forever now."
Just the ability to toss a ball in the outfield of a professional stadium had it's impact. You don't really get an idea of how big the field IS until you're on it. My father may not have the best day at the plate (at least not compared to the 30 year olds he was playing with) but he did show off some solid fielding to make the players of our: "Old Fart Softball League" proud.
He also got some great behind the scenes looks into Citi Field, including a picture with Strawberry. (Who is only about a foot and a half taller than him.) All and all it was an amazing experience that my family was able to give my father for his sixtieth birthday and one he should remember for another sixty years.

I'd like to thank Citi and the Mets Alumni Association for organizing this fantastic charity event. Not only does it support a worthy cause, but it provides fans a once in a lifetime chance to get close to the game they love.

P.S.
My father's team won their two games: 9-0 and 6-0.