Fonzie Wants To Retire a Met

[MFS62]

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/alfonzo_yearns_for_one_more_amazin_zr0WFGukgHOiw1F6rcjOwN

He wants to do it as a player.
I wouldn't mind him doing it as a coach. He always seemed to be able to to the right thing, at the right time, in the right way. Maybe he could make some of that rub off on some of the fundamentals-challenged members of the current team.

Later

[metirish]

And I want to retire as a Met too.....no time for sentimentality here with this team , far more important stuff to get done.

[HahnSolo]

I loved Fonzie as a Met. But in general, I don't like these "come back for one day and retire" things. And that is what this would be, since he was shot as a player five years ago.

[Guest Edgy DC]

This is about the third thread on this.

I don't think it's about a one-day contract, nor do I think it's about a question of time. It's about guys on the fringes of baseball looking for a big-league spring training invite to get another crack. Baseball is full of them and there are certainly a share of them in the Mets camp every year.

Yeah, he's probably finished, but spring invites are cheap so we'll see.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Yeah, he clearly wants to play. He's not looking for a ceremonial retirement.

Sure, invite him. Why not? Sometimes players to parlay these things into a return to productivity. (Didn't Fernando Tatis do the same?) If he plays his way onto the team, great, and if not, then the Mets did a favor for a good guy, a loyal alumnus, and a fan favorite.

Who knows? Fonzie may turn out to be that three-decade Met that we've all been craving.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I went to a couple games the spring HoJo made the farewell lap. It was really nice because he got a standing ovation every time he came to bat.

My hunch is that these guys want the chance to prove to themselves, but after a couple weeks they can see that it's not there any more and two weeks of love from spring crowds -- and there are crowds at S. Lucie -- is a nice thing, especially if they follow with some roving minor league hitting coach kind of thing for him.

[Met Hunter]

Give him a shot. What's the big deal? And I disagree with the sentimentality. This team and it's fans need alot of that.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

I have no problem with giving him a spring training invitation. There's not much to lose by giving him an opportunity this spring,the Mets might get lucky and find a bat for the bench. If not, then they gave a former star a shot to show what he could do and they bid him farewell once more.

[metirish]

Give him a shot. What's the big deal? And I disagree with the sentimentality. This team and it's fans need alot of that.[/quote:2vjwleqj]



I'm a fan and I have no need for sentiment. Bring Fonzie to Spring Training but not because he was and is a great guy or because it would be great for fans down there to cheer him one last time.


If you think he can bring something to the table then fine......

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Give him a shot. What's the big deal? And I disagree with the sentimentality. This team and it's fans need alot of that.[/quote:1vnsya74]



I'm a fan and I have no need for sentiment. Bring Fonzie to Spring Training but not because he was and is a great guy or because it would be great for fans down there to cheer him one last time.


If you think he can bring something to the table then fine......[/quote:1vnsya74]


This'll sound terribly cynical, but I don't exactly trust this front office to do the right thing player-evaluation-wise. The least they could do, then-- since, as Edgy and others point out, spring invites are cheap-- is to "do the right thing" in this case.

[seawolf17]

I would love for this to happen. Never will, though.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Mike Silva, meanwhile, is upset that the Mets aren't sentimental enough with Dwight Gooden.

http://nybaseballdigest.com/

[Benjamin Grimm]

Well, he doesn't have to be the Edgardo Alfonzo of 1999. He just has to be better than Alex Cora, or, more accurately, the best guy the Mets could get to replace Alex Cora.

A much simpler task, but it may very well be beyond him. I do hope he gets the chance to find out.

[G-Fafif]

After 70-92, it's not like there's no room at the inn. I wouldn't pencil Fonzie in for the Opening Day roster (as much as I adore him) but I'd love to see him get a shot, as much for the ol' You Never Know as for sentiment's sake.

[metirish]

I wonder what Carolyn Kepcher would say on this.

[Guest Edgy DC]

The key to writing successful management guides --- hold up a highly publicized success story and pretend that it was done according to some formula that can be used as a replicable model.

Cash checks before reality kicks in.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Mike Silva, meanwhile, is upset that the Mets aren't sentimental enough with Dwight Gooden.

http://nybaseballdigest.com/

Edited November 16, 2009 by Guest

[metirish]

LWFS drops the hammer on Silva....


Regarding his readers I think Mike wants his readers to "learn how to read like a yankee".

[Met Hunter]

Give him a shot. What's the big deal? And I disagree with the sentimentality. This team and it's fans need alot of that.[/quote:3m60nx3z]



I'm a fan and I have no need for sentiment. Bring Fonzie to Spring Training but not because he was and is a great guy or because it would be great for fans down there to cheer him one last time.


If you think he can bring something to the table then fine......[/quote:3m60nx3z]


This was my intended point. Maybe he does have something to prove. Maybe not. Geez, they brought Marlon Anderson back last Spring.

As far as the sentiment, all we do is bash the Mets for ignoring their past. Here's a guy, with obviously some gas left in the tank, that is pledging his allegiance to his former team, for maybe only to have a chance to retire during ST in a Met uni, and we wouldn't want that as even a minor story to follow next year? Let's see what's left. Sign him up and leave the Wily Mo Penas at home.

[Frayed Knot]

Here's a guy, with obviously some gas left in the tank,

Actually, I don't think there is any gas left in the tank. His last several 'comebacks' have shown a whole lotta nuthin'.

But as long as it's only an invite and no job is handed out purely for sentimental reasons there's no harm done.

[Frayed Knot]

LWFS drops the hammer on Silva....

Which, I guess, makes it his Silva-hammer.

[ashie62]

I wonder what Carolyn Kepcher would say on this.[/quote:1v9zbjgn]

I'm wondering if Fonzie would bring Richie Cunningham & Potsie with him..

[Valadius]

Potsie can play short.

[nymr83]

i want to see Alfonzo back in a Met uniform at the plate in a spring training game, i don't care if he hangs them up after 1 game, its not like spring ABs, particularly early on, don't get spent on a myriad of guys who will never make the team anyway. legitimate comeback attempt or last hurrah i don't care, i want fonzie!

[seawolf17]

The guy did hit .329/.395/.489 with the Ducks in 2008 with 8 homers over 231 AB. Not awful at all. I know it's Atlantic League pitching, but he might be able to contribute something. Maybe even as a mentor/coach for guys like Reyes who need their heads screwed on a little tighter.

[ashie62]

Could Alfonzo be our "super-utility" guy..I smell Major league minimum Fred!