Its Milledge Time

[Willets Point]

More Milledge

[soupcan]

sharpie wrote: Number is reserved for African American outfielders only.

1991 New York Mets

Number worn: 20, 44
Name: Howard Johnson

[Benjamin Grimm]

I remember David Cone wearing 44, but I don't recall HoJo at all in that number.

[Frayed Knot]

Well he was until all the black players on the team beat him up for keeping the black man down by stealing their #44.

Or something like that ... I may have a few facts wrong.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Hojo was slumping and thought a number change would bring better power. His wife urged him to change it back, and he did, after about 10 or 11 days.

[soupcan]

I remember him wearing it for a series in San Francisco but as JD said it didn't last long.

Why no mention of it on the website JD?

[Guest Edgy DC]

I really hijacked that second Milledge thread and turned it into a Duncan threat, didn't I?

The cool thing is that the one knock on Millege going into the draft is that he seemed to crap out at a wood-bat workout, leading to the expectation that the Mets would have to be patient while he adjusted to the all-wood pros.

He struggled for a month and then...KABOOM! I have plenty of that kind of patience.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

]Henry Aaron popularlized 44 as a number reserved for sluggers, and for five games in May of 1991, that's what Howard Johnson tried to snap out of a slump (he switched back to 20 after admitting he felt "uncomfortable" and that his wife disapproved). But on the whole, Mets' 44s have not struck fear in the hearts of their opponents, at least not as longball threats.

edit -- hey, I'm missing a verb!

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

The whole story (Newsday, May 11, 1991)

]Marty Noble San Francisco Following the lead of David Cone, Howard Johnson has changed his uniform number - from 20, the number he has worn throughout his six-plus years with the Mets, to 44, the number Cone wore before changing to 17 Wednesday night. "I've always liked the number," Johnson said. "A lot of great players have worn it - Reggie, Aaron, McCovey." Johnson said he wanted to make the change in 1987 before Cone joined the team, but his wife preferred that he keep 20. Cone said he told Keith Hernandez, the former No. 17, he would return 17 to him if he came back to the club in some capacity or if the number was retired. "I thought I could go back to 44. I didn't know somebody was going to jump on it so fast."

[soupcan]

See, my wife will tell you that's just typical of me.

Did I totally miss it or did you just add it?

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

No, it was there above the photo.

Further info: Johnson was hitting 222/295/482 when he made the switch: Over the 5 games he wore 44 he was 5-17 (294) with 2 HRs a double and 4 RBI.

When he switched back to 20 he was 235/325/541

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yikes, should have stuck with the double quarts.

Highest Yielding Mets 44s, per Our Rankings

1) David Cone
2) Mike Cameron
3) Ryan Thompson
4) Jay Payton
5) Ron Darling
6) Jason Isringhausen
7) Tim Burke
8) Andy Hassler
9) Tom Paciorek
10) Ray Searage

One may well question Thompson over Payton. I guess that's what staying healthy will do for you.

Alex Escobar probably should have been a 44.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

By actual service time, Payton prolly outpoints Thompson, since Thompson spent ~40% of his Met tenure in 44 and the rest in No. 20.

RT couldn't hack the pressure of 44.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Ooooh, you're flipping right.

Highest Yielding Mets 44s, per Our Rankings

1) David Cone
2) Mike Cameron
3) Jay Payton
4) Ron Darling
5) Ryan Thompson
6) Jason Isringhausen
7) Tim Burke
8) Andy Hassler
9) Tom Paciorek
10) Ray Searage

Bobby "Oh My" Myrick and Bob "I Do the" Rauch keep demanding a re-count. They claim Paciorek was coat-tail rider.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Milledge is the 18th new Met to debut this year. And it's still only May.

There's a chance that we'll see Met number 800 some time this season. (Lastings is number 789.)

[Theoldmole]

The other 17?

[Vic Sage]

18 New Mets:

LoDuca
Delgado
Franco
Valentin
Nady
Milledge
E.Chavez

SP:
J.Gonzalez
Bannister
Maine
El Duque
Soler
Lima

RP:
D.Oliver
J.Julio
Bradford
D.Sanchez
Wagner

[Frayed Knot]

D'oh!

[Theoldmole]

Vic - thanx.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Is he chewing?

Who comes up chewing anymore?

[nymr83]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: There's a chance that we'll see Met number 800 some time this season. (Lastings is number 789.)

i'd bet we'll see 11 more...2 or 3 more guys who start agame or three and never again (lima), 4 or 5 relievers, and whatever september callups we get.
the hitting is pretty much set barring an injury i wouldnt expect a callup

[Guest Edgy DC]

Mr. Cross-Bearin'-Tobacco-Chewin-Fly-Droppin'-Parent-Heartbreakin'-Braid-Wearin'-Rookie starting in center tomorrow?

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

Impossible.

Tomorrow's an off day.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Oh, well, good point.

[Frayed Knot]

If Beltran can't go Friday (diagnosed as bruise for now) they've almost certainly gotta use Chavez anyway so shirley it'll be him in CF leaving the kid in RF.

[Elster88]

nymets.com wrote: "The best thing that happened is that I got drilled by Luis Vizcaino," Nady said. The pitch from Vizcaino struck him in the left side. When the doctor examined the area, Nady said, "Take a look over here, too." Some probing resulted in a trip to the hospital, a drink of dye, a scan and ultimately that surgery that put a temporary halt to physical activity for the 27-year-old right fielder.

Wow.

[Zvon]

]CBS SportsLine.com wire reports NEW YORK -- Lastings Milledge was high-fiving fans along the right-field railing, the same way Cal Ripken did 11 years ago on his "victory lap" in Baltimore after breaking Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played. Ahh, the exuberance of youth. Turns out, the celebration was premature -- and it irked a few folks in both dugouts. Pedro Feliz hit an RBI single in the 12th inning and the San Francisco Giants finally held off the Mets 7-6 Sunday, overcoming a breakout performance by New York's prized prospect. With the Mets down to their final strike in the 10th, Milledge hit his first career homer off All-Star closer Armando Benitez to tie it at 6-all. The 21-year-old rookie raised his index finger toward the sky as he rounded first and came out for a curtain call. Then, as he jogged out to right field for the 11th, he slapped hands with dozens of fans leaning over the railing. "We weren't too happy about that. But he's a young kid," Giants reliever Steve Kline said. "I don't know if he's going to be slapping five with everybody after he goes 0-for-15 and the New York fans are booing him. But in the heat of the moment, you can't blame the kid. He knows better. I think he genuinely knows he did wrong." The Mets also took notice. "Oh, boy. He has a little growing up to do," outfielder Cliff Floyd said. "I'll just mention to him the consequences that come along with that. If that's what you want to do, you do that. But at the same time, if you want guys throwing at your head constantly, you proceed to do it that way. "He has the talent and everything, but you have to understand the game at this level. At Triple-A they're going to treat you like a king, and what's wrong with that? When you come here, without losing your mojo, you've got to bring the mentality down. If you can do that, you'll earn the respect of a lot of people." Milledge heard it from his manager, too. "I had a little conversation with him about that. I told him to tone it down a little bit," Willie Randolph said. "He got excited about his first big home run. Wouldn't you? I talked to him about it -- it won't happen again." Milledge also hit a go-ahead double and made a sliding catch in right field in his fifth major league game, quickly winning over New York fans who have been reading about the gifted youngster for a while now. "Now I know what's expected. It was a rookie mistake. We learn from it," Milledge said. "I was just excited to get the team back. If it was just a solo homer that meant nothing for the team, I wouldn't have been that excited." Milledge's two-out double on an 0-2 hanger from starter Matt Morris put the Mets up 3-1 in the sixth. The two RBI were the first in the majors for Milledge, called up from the minors Tuesday after right fielder Xavier Nady had an appendectomy. "It was pretty disappointing because we should have won the game. We let it slip away all day," Milledge said. "It wasn't as though we beat ourselves, they just beat us."

[Zvon]

I didnt see this until I was watching ESPNs Baseball Tonight, although I did read about it in the IGT.

It is kinda bush.
But I gotta chuckle, cuz the kid does have brass ones.

I hope he ends up being as good as he thinks he is, on the MLB level.

[A Boy Named Seo]

I thought his enthusiasm was fun and funny, but don't know why anyone would get upset by it. Why is slappin' fives with the fans in right any more offensive to the other team than if he would have taken a curtain call?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Because, competitive men are looking for a reason to take offense. Therefore, be Japanese, and honor your opponent even as you destroy him.

A curtain call can be written off as not showing the opponent up, but reluctantly meeting the fans' demand, so long as go out humbly with your head sort of slack and raise your arm as if it weights 200 pounds, to briefly acknowledge them.