New York Mets
Mets' Phillips doesn't regret trip to Pittsburgh
NEW YORK (AP) - Mets general manager Steve Phillips doesn't
regret his emergency trip to Pittsburgh to deal with remarks
critical to the team that were falsely attributed to manager
Bobby Valentine on the Internet. A University of Pennsylvania
student, whose posting on the team's Web site last week started
the controversy, apologized to the team and its fans Sunday
night, saying "much of the information included in the post was
not factual." Phillips, who canceled a scouting trip to fly to
Pittsburgh on Friday, maintained that he made the right move. "I
absolutely feel I still made the right decision," Phillips said
Monday during a conference call. "I needed to talk to Bobby
face-to-face and get clarification on the story. I also needed to
address the media and whatever issues arose with players that I
couldn't necessarily predict."
April 16, 2000
New York Mets 12, Pittsburg Pirates 9
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Robin Ventura homered and drove in six runs and the New York Mets held off the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-9 Sunday. The Mets had 15 hits -- nine for extra bases -- while scoring in all but three innings. Mike Piazza went 3-for-4 with two doubles to finish the three-game series 8-for-10 with two homers and three doubles. Brian Giles had a homer, two doubles and four RBIs, but the Pirates couldn't overcame another sub-par start by spring training star Kris Benson. The right-hander didn't make it out of the third, surrendering two homers, six runs and five hits in 2/3 innings. The Mets gained the lead for good at 9-7 with a three-run fourth against Chris Peters (0-1), keyed by Ventura's RBI single. Pat Mahomes (1-0) earned the win for New York.
Quotes from Mets' Valentine printed
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Ignoring New York Mets manager Bobby
Valentine's e-mail request, the University of Pennsylvania
newspaper published portions of an audio tape of his speech to a
group of business students. The Daily Pennsylvanian is the first
to quote Valentine directly. About 30 minutes of his speech was
taped, and portions of the transcript were provided to The
Associated Press on Sunday. After the speech, Valentine sent an
e-mail to the newspaper's reporter asking her not to release an
audio tape of the comments. She called him back and told him that
her editor would have to decide what to do about the tape.
Valentine, speaking Wednesday to students at Penn's Wharton
School of Business, addressed the team's failure to sign Japanese
reliever Kazuhiro Sasaki and criticized former Mets player Bobby
Bonilla and outfielder Rickey Henderson.
Two Mets injured in first inning
PITTSBURGH (AP) - New York Mets pitcher Bobby J. Jones and left
fielder Rickey Henderson were lifted in the first inning of
Sunday's game against Pittsburgh because of injuries. Jones made
eight pitches, failing to retire the two batters he faced, until
straining his right calf as he ran over to back up third base on
a throw. Jones' replacement, Pat Mahomes, allowed four runs
before getting out of the first. Henderson's right thumb was
bruised when he was hit by a Kris Benson pitch leading off the
game. He stayed in the game until being retired at third base on
a ground ball, but did not take the field in the bottom of the
first. Henderson was replaced by Jon Nunnally, who hit a two-run
homer in the second. Robin Ventura homered and drove in six runs
and the Mets went on to beat the Pirates, 12-9.
April 15, 2000
Pittsburg Pirates 2, New York Mets 0
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Rookie Jimmy Anderson allowed five hits in eight innings and Kevin Young hit a two-run homer in the seventh as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the New York Mets 2-0 on Saturday. Anderson (1-0) gave up five earned runs in 4 1/3 innings to Arizona in his first start of the year. On Saturday, Anderson walked one, hit a batter and struck out five. Mets starter Glendon Rusch (0-1) had allowed just two hits through six innings in his first appearance of the year. Brian Giles then opened the seventh with a single, breaking a stretch in which Rusch had retired 12 consecutive batters. Young followed by hitting a 3-2 pitch over the left-field wall for his second home run in as many games. Mike Williams pitched the ninth for his second save.
Mets handle Valentine flap quietly
PITTSBURGH (AP) - New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine talked
himself into a controversy, but apparently talked his way back
out of it in a meeting with general manager Steve Phillips. "I'm
not going to get into the details of it, other than to say it's
been addressed satisfactorily and we will move forward today and
put the whole mess behind us," Phillips said before the Mets' 2-0
loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Phillips said he and Valentine
met Friday night to discuss the comments the manager made about
Mets management while speaking to a group of graduate students at
the Wharton School of Business. According to a post on the
Internet, Valentine was critical of several personnel decisions.
Among them were the Mets' signing of Todd Zeile to replace John
Olerud at first base and the acquisition of Derek Bell to play
right field. Valentine said his comments were misrepresented.
April 14, 2000
New York Mets 8, Pittsburg Pirates 5 (12)
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Mike Piazza homered twice in his first career five-hit game and Melvin Mora had a go-ahead, two-run single in the 12th inning as the New York Mets beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-5 Friday. The Mets outhit the Pirates 20-11, but didn't win it until Mora followed Rey Ordonez's single and Benny Agbayani's bad-hop double with a bloop single to center off Jose Silva (2-1). Piazza, who had homered in the seventh, followed with his third homer of the season. He went 5-for-6 with two homers, a double and four RBIs. John Franco (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the victory. Piazza and Robin Ventura homered on consecutive pitches off Jason Schmidt to put the Mets ahead 4-2 in the seventh, but their bullpen couldn't hold it. Kevin Young, 0-for-15 until he doubled in the fourth, hit his first homer in the eighth off Al Leiter.
This is not 'business' as usual for Mets' Valentine
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Mets general manager Steve Phillips said he was
"surprised and furious" Friday that manager Bobby Valentine
criticized the team's front office during a discussion with
students at the Wharton School of Business. Phillips flew to
Pittsburgh to talk to Valentine, but said he didn't plan to fire
him. Valentine said he thought his comments with the University
of Pennsylvania students on Wednesday in Philadelphia were off
the record and mostly tongue-in-cheek. Valentine told the group
that the Mets spent too much money to sign Todd Zeile, that he
couldn't bench Derek Bell because of his salary and that the Mets
shouldn't have gotten rid of Masato Yoshii. But Phillips was mad
enough to get on a plane and fly to Pittsburgh, where the Mets
are playing a three-game series. "I slept on it, and I thought it
made sense to come here. I would be conspicuous by my absence,"
he said.
April 13, 2000
New York Mets 2, Philadelphia Phillies 1
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Mike Piazza's tiebreaking, RBI double with two outs in the ninth inning helped the New York Mets snap a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night. Jay Payton singled with one out off Scott Aldred (0-1) for his first career three-hit game. With two outs, Piazza hit a liner to left-center off a low-and-away slider by Amaury Telemaco. Payton barely beat Mickey Morandini's relay throw from left fielder Ron Gant to score the winning run. Dennis Cook (2-0) got Rico Brogna to pop out with two runners on in the eighth. Armando Benitez pitched the ninth for his third save. Rick Reed allowed one run and four hits in seven innings and drove in New York's first run with a sacrifice fly.
April 12, 2000
Philadelphia Phillies 8, New York Mets 5
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Mike Hampton was knocked out with a bruised knee and swollen ERA, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Mets, 8-5, Wednesday night for their fifth straight victory over New York. The Mets lost their third straight overall and fifth in six games. In his shortest outing in two years, Hampton (0-3) gave up six runs, six hits and five walks in three innings. Struck in the right knee by Doug Glanville's liner in the third, he did not come out for the fourth. Hampton has a 6.56 ERA and 17 walks in 13 2/3 innings. Robert Person (1-0) continued to confound his former team, giving up two runs and three hits in seven innings. He retired his last 10 batters after Jay Payton's two-run homer in the fourth.
Hampton leaves with bruised knee
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Mike Hampton, already off to a poor start
this season, left the New York Mets' 8-5 loss to Philadelphia on
Wednesday night after getting hit in the knee with a line drive.
Hampton (0-3), acquired from Houston to be the Mets' ace, gave up
six runs and six hits in three innings. Doug Glanville's liner
back to the mound ricocheted off Hampton's right knee and toward
New York's dugout for an RBI single that made it 6-0. Ron Gant
flied out to end the inning. Hampton did not come out for the
fourth inning. The Mets said he had a bruised knee. Hampton
continued to struggle with his control, walking five to give him
17 in 13 2/3 innings. He has a 6.56 ERA this year. Hampton lost
to the Chicago Cubs and San Diego in his first two starts. He was
22-4 last year for Houston and was runner-up for the NL Cy Young
Award.
Mets claim Shumaker from Phillies
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Left-hander Anthony Shumaker was claimed by
the New York Mets off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies on
Wednesday and optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. Shumaker, 26, was 0-3
with a 5.96 ERA in eight games with the Phillies last season. He
has a 30-30 record with 18 saves and a 3.34 ERA in 189 minor
league games. The Phillies tried to pass Shumaker through waivers
in order to make room on the 40-man roster for Tomas Perez,
brought up when Mike Jackson went on the 15-day disabled list
last week. The Mets designated catcher Vance Wilson for
assignment to make room for Shumaker.
April 11, 2000
Mets sign Bournigal to minor league contract
NEW YORK (AP) - Infielder Rafael Bournigal agreed Tuesday to a
minor league contract with the New York Mets and was assigned to
Norfolk of the Triple-A International League. Bournigal, 33,
batted .274 with two homers and 14 RBIs for Seattle last season.
The New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays cut him during
spring training. Infielder Domingo Cedeno, who was on the Norfolk
roster, was released by the Mets.
April 10, 2000
Philadelphia Phillies 9, New York Mets 7
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Mike Lieberthal hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the fifth inning as the Philadelphia Phillies overcame a four-run deficit and beat the New York Mets 9-7 in their home opener Monday night. Phillies starter Paul Byrd, who got only two outs in his first start, allowed seven runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. Lieberthal's homer off Rich Rodriguez (0-1) capped a four-run fifth as the Phillies erased deficits of 4-0 and 7-5. Amaury Telemaco (1-0) pitched 1 2/3 hitless innings for the victory. Kirk Bullinger also retired all five batters he faced, and Wayne Gomes got four outs for his third save. Bobby Jones, who went only 2 2/3 innings in his first start, allowed seven runs -- six earned -- and six hits in four-plus innings.
April 9, 2000
Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets, Postponed
NEW YORK (AP) - An unusual spring snowstorm forced postponement of Sunday's game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. The game was rescheduled for April 24 at 7:10 p.m. ET. The makeup date came between home games for the Mets. For Los Angeles, it is squeezed between trips to Cincinnati and Atlanta. The teams had split the first two games of their series in the Dodgers' only scheduled visit to New York this season. Sunday's game was called off about 2 1/2 hours before it was supposed to begin. Snow covered the field and more was falling -- it also was about 40 degrees colder than the mid-70s temperatures of a day earlier.
Mets' Henderson involved in minor traffic accident
NEW YORK (AP) - Rickey Henderson might have found one more reason
for wanting to leave New York -- the traffic headache. The Mets
leadoff man was involved in a minor accident while driving his
car to Shea Stadium in the snow Sunday. He hit his head in the
mishap, but was checked out by team trainers and was OK. "His car
was hit from behind," Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz said. "He's
fine." The Mets' game against Los Angeles was postponed because
of snow. The Mets play Monday night at Philadelphia. Henderson,
the subject of trade rumors involving Detroit right before
opening day, has made no secret that he's unhappy with his
contract situation in New York. At 41, baseball's career stolen
base leader said last week that he wasn't "into it" early this
season. The left fielder is 3-for-23 (.130), all singles, this
year.
April 8, 2000
Los Angeles Dodgers 6, New York Mets 5 (10)
NEW YORK (AP) - Devon White hit a game-tying three-run homer with two out in the ninth and Eric Karros hit his second homer of the game in the 10th as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied Saturday to beat the New York Mets 6-5. Dodgers ace Kevin Brown left the game with a broken right pinkie after fouling off a pitch while attempting to bunt in the fifth and will miss 3-to-4 weeks. Former Mets closer John Franco wasted a 5-1 lead in the ninth, first allowing a leadoff homer to Karros. White connected with two outs off Franco, and Mike Fetters (1-0) escaped a two-on, two-out jam in the bottom half when Melvin Mora struck out. Karros then homered with two out in the 10th off Armando Benitez (0-1) for the 15th multihomer game of his career. Jeff Shaw pitched a perfect 10th for his first save.
Injury has Darryl Hamilton doubting future
NEW YORK (AP) - Mets outfielder Darryl Hamilton is so worried
about his left toe that thoughts of retirement have crossed his
mind. "I would rather think about worst case and go from there,"
he said Saturday before New York lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers
in 10 innings, 6-5. "I'm not going to try to convince myself that
I'm a 22-year-old," the 34-year-old Hamilton said, adding that he
didn't want to go through major surgery if that's what it would
take. "I've been in this position before," he said. "I've been in
position where I had elbow surgery that could have been
career-ending." Hamilton was placed on the 15-day disabled list
Friday because of the sprained left foot. The toe has bothered
him all year and he's already had three cortisone injections.
"I'm not going to grow any cartilage in the toe overnight or in
the next week or so," Hamilton said.
April 7, 2000
New York Mets 2, Los Angeles Dodgers 1
NEW YORK (AP) - Rick Reed overcame the Mets' early season offensive funk Friday night, allowing four hits one run in 7 2/3 innings to give New York a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Reed (1-0) threw strikes early in the count and held the Dodgers to four hits and one walk in an efficient 111-pitch outing. The only run he allowed came on Gary Sheffield's solo homer in the fourth inning. The Mets, who entered the game hitting .193 with 15 runs in five games, gave Reed all the support he needed in the first inning against Darren Dreifort (0-1). Jon Nunnally, filling in for the struggling Rickey Henderson, drew a leadoff walk, and one out later Edgardo Alfonzo also walked. Mike Piazza then hit a an RBI double. Robin Ventura drove in his first run of the season on a groundout to second base.
Mets' Hamilton goes on disabled list
NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Mets placed outfielder Darryl
Hamilton on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a sprained left
foot. Hamilton has taken three cortisone shots this year to
combat a sore left big toe. He has altered his running style to
protect the toe and injured his foot in the process. "I shouldn't
have been playing," Hamilton said. "I should have just sat down
in spring training. I thought it would get better, but it
didn't." X-rays on Hamilton were negative. Hamilton saw a
specialist Friday and will return to the doctor on Monday. Mets
general manager Steve Phillips said he doesn't anticipate losing
his starting center fielder for more than 15 days. Manager Bobby
Valentine said that Jay Payton and Melvin Mora will split most of
the time in center field. Payton went 0-for-4 in the Mets 2-1 win
over Los Angeles on Friday.
April 6, 2000
San Diego Padres 8, New York Mets 5
NEW YORK (AP) - Matt Clement picked up where he left off last season for San Diego. The New York Mets are still waiting for Mike Hampton and their big bats to get started. Clement kept New York's offense in a slumber, allowing one run in 6 2/3 effective innings, as the Padres beat the Mets, 8-5 ,on Thursday night to spoil Hampton's home debut. Hampton, the Mets' first legitimate ace since David Cone took over the title from Dwight Gooden in the early '90s, lost his second straight start. Hampton (0-2) allowed four runs -- two earned -- five hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings. He was 22-4 last year for Houston. Ruben Rivera hit a two-run triple in the third inning and Ed Sprague hit a solo homer in the eighth for San Diego.
Mets' Leiter to miss Saturday start
NEW YORK (AP) - New York Mets left-hander Al Leiter will miss his
scheduled start Saturday because of a strained groin. Leiter,
injured in the Mets' home opener Monday, will likely test the
groin by throwing in the bullpen Saturday. The Mets won't know
until then whether he will miss more than one start. "At this
time of year it probably doesn't make sense to push it," Leiter
said Thursday. Pat Mahomes, who pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings
of relief Wednesday, could get the start in Leiter's place. Fifth
starter Glendon Rusch is being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to
make his season debut Sunday. Bill Pulsipher, who was in the
running for the fifth spot in New York's rotation, was put on the
seven-day disabled list at Norfolk on Thursday after straining
his left calf muscle shagging balls in the outfield.
April 5, 2000
San Diego Padres 4, New York Mets 0
NEW YORK (AP) - Woody Williams kept Mets hitters in a deep freeze by pitching six shutout innings and the San Diego Padres, minus injured Tony Gwynn, beat New York, 4-0, Wednesday night for their first win of the season. Gwynn sat out with a bruised right elbow. X-rays were negative, and the eight-time NL batting champion could be back in a day or two. Williams (1-0) and relievers Carlos Almanzar and Trevor Hoffman shut down a team that was hitting only .177 in its first three games. But Bobby Jones (0-1) struggled in his first start since last May 22, lasting just 2 2/3 innings and getting booed when he left trailing by four runs. Bret Boone hit an RBI double to key a three-run second and drew a bases-loaded walk in the third.
April 3, 2000
New York Mets 2, San Diego Padres 1
NEW YORK (AP) - Derek Bell hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning in his first game for the Mets at Shea Stadium and New York, behind a well-rested Al Leiter, beat the San Diego Padres 2-1 Monday. Leiter (1-0) didn't make the 7,200-mile trip from Port St. Lucie, Fla., to Tokyo for the season-opening two-game series against the Chicago Cubs and looked fresh because of it. The left-hander allowed one run, five hits and no walks in eight innings, striking out seven. He earned the win when Bell hit the first pitch he saw from Donne Wall (0-1) over the fence in left-center to break a 1-1 tie with two outs in the eighth. Armando Benitez pitched a perfect ninth for his first save. Padres starter Sterling Hitchcock allowed one run and three hits in 6 1/3 innings. Phil Nevin homered in the second for San Diego.
April 1, 2000
Mets happy to be home after opening season in Japan
(AP) - The New York Mets are feeling fine, thank you, after
returning from their two-game tour of Tokyo. They're just tired
of being asked about the trip. "I'm not talking about Japan!"
joked pitcher Rick Reed, who allowed just an unearned run in
eight innings Thursday night as New York beat the Chicago Cubs,
5-1, in 11 innings. The Mets were back at Shea Stadium for a
two-hour workout Saturday, preparing to resume the season with
Monday's home opener against the San Diego Padres. "If everybody
feels as good as I do, then there won't be a problem," manager
Bobby Valentine said. "Half of the teams did the same thing we
did. They're going to open up on the road, and then they're going
to come home for their home opener. There's nothing special,
there was just some travel." Just some travel? Try nearly 30
hours round trip and a 14-hour time difference to adjust to.
March 30, 2000
New York Mets 5, Chicago Cubs 1 (11)
TOKYO (AP) - The New York Mets are sure glad they decided to take Benny Agbayani on this little detour. Agbayani, ticketed for the minors in 10 days, hit a grand slam in the 11th inning Thursday and the Mets beat the Chicago Cubs 5-1 for a split of their season-opening series in Japan. Agbayani's two-out drive to dead center field made it a disappointing major league debut for loser Danny Young (0-1). Young retired the first two batters of the 11th, but Todd Zeile singled, and walks to Rey Ordonez and Melvin Mora loaded the bases for Agbayani. The Cubs stranded a pair of runners in the ninth and left the bases loaded in the 10th when Dennis Cook (1-0) struck out Henry Rodriguez. Rickey Henderson added a stolen base and sacrifice fly in the fifth for New York.
March 29, 2000
Chicago Cubs 5, New York Mets 3
TOKYO (AP) - Baseball truly turned international Wednesday, and the Chicago Cubs took advantage of Mike Hampton's nine walks to beat the New York Mets 5-3 in the first major league game played outside North America. A mostly quiet, sellout crowd announced at 55,000 in the Tokyo Dome watched the earliest regular season opener ever and saw Shane Andrews and Mark Grace homer for the Cubs. Mike Piazza hit a two-run shot for the Mets. Jon Lieber (1-0) kept in control, pitching seven neat innings and allowing one run and five hits for the win. Traded to New York after going 22-4 for Houston, Hampton (0-1) lasted only five innings. The Cubs ended a string of three straight losses in openers and beat the Mets for the first time in six tries on Opening Day.