"Goodbye, Orange Juice" & Other Internet Archival Adventures

[Guest Edgy DC]

It's been 29 years since the Mets dealt Lee Mazzilli. Interestingly, (1) the deal was received as something of a failure, at least by New London, Connecticut's The Day, and (2) Mazzilli considered himself something of a clubhouse pariah. He was clearly Joe's boy (Torre would frequently have him bring the lineup card out), and maybe he didn't think he had much of a future under Bambi.

[A Boy Named Seo]

That was almost sad. Was there drama swirling before Lee was traded? Why didn't anyone talk to him?

And how crazy Stennett's monster 5-year, 2 million dollar deal looks nowadays, huh?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I get the impression spring training can be antsy times for players on the edge; there some dead men walking to it. I think Maz had to know his days were numbered when they whacked Torre. What I didn't remember was that it happened in spring. I'm sure the article was right in the Mets shopping Maz around all winter and not finding any takers.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Another Q:

I guess there used to be a spring trade deadline? When did this stop?

[Guest Edgy DC]

I remember it as being pretty sudden, although the article implies he had been shopped around, and is probably right, though I don't recall reading about it.

There was more drama regarding his return months later as the Yankees were trading Bucky Dent while denying they were trading him for a few days. The Yanks were playing the Rangers at the time the deal was finally announced, so Lee crossed over to the other clubhouse, met the media, and welcomed himself back. "Dream come true, play for a winner, consistently good franchise, blahblahblah." Young edgy mentally punched him in the face at least twice.

[Guest Edgy DC]

"It's great, great!"

Shaddup.

[G-Fafif]

Recently was treated to a DVD of previously videotaped highlights of the 1981 season, including all kinds of weird ephemera. On it was an interview from during the strike with Mazz with one of the local sports anchors (might have been Channel 2 weekend guy Len Berman). The hook was "they were already booing you, are you afraid they're going to boo you more when you guys come back." Mazz took it in stride, sort of. Also, I forgot about his mustache from that late Torre period. He looked like Lee Mazzilli disguising himself as Lee Mazzilli with a mustache.

Spring Training 1982, with Foster in left, Mookie in center, Valentine in right and Kingman at first, there was no room on the star-studded Mets for Mazzilli. But the middle-infield was unsettled, so Mazz was directed to take ground balls at second. He took a few and realized it was futile. That was a few weeks before the trade.

[G-Fafif]

When MFYs got Mazz, a young college radio host (though I imagine most college radio hosts are young) expressed horror that the almighty MFYs had stooped to obtain Lee Mazzilli, "alleged outfielder, alleged first baseman." The station was WFUV and the pompous gasbag who berated Mazzilli as unworthy of pinstripes was Michael Kay.

Who I'm pretty sure kissed his ass when Mazzilli was an MFY coach/mgr in waiting nearly two decades later.

What a prick.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yeah, that moustache was the end of the line. The specs were fine, but the Burt Reynolds thing was nasty.

[G-Fafif]

If his profile had been a little higher and his thought process a little less distracted, Lee could have turned, "Goodbye, Orange Juice...and Hello Tang!" into beaucoup endorsement dollars.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Jump to 2:30 for the Mazztache action, unless you need your Sasson fix.

[youtube:1qr8msvx]94UOKd03oZU[/youtube:1qr8msvx]

[Guest Edgy DC]

Anybody remember Kingman leading a fight against a beanballing Lynn McLothen?

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IXNkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xH0NAAAAIBAJ&pg=2516,520577&dq=mets&hl=en

I don't know about you, but I'm ordering me some Paulo Conti fashion knits.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Interesting that Unser, who had already been plunked in that game, is shown in the photo appearing to be prepared to clock Cardinal Coach Preston Gomez from behind.

[Ceetar]

Sadly, my main memory of Mazzilli was him whining to the umpires for an obstruction/interference call in the World Series and getting it.

[G-Fafif]

Edgy DC wrote: Anybody remember Kingman leading a fight against a beanballing Lynn McLothen?.

Hells yes! I also remember going bowling the ensuing weekend and swearing all kinds of vengeance on Lynn Fucking McGlothen. I was a feisty thirteen-year-old with a Saul Katz-sized ball in my hand.

[HahnSolo]

Ceetar wrote: Sadly, my main memory of Mazzilli was him whining to the umpires for an obstruction/interference call in the World Series and getting it.

That was a regular season game at Shea...part of a two stadium day/night double header. A day remembered for: Gooden starting a game at Shea against the Mets; and Piazza getting beaned.

[metsmarathon]

my main mazzilli meory is when he practically removed his arm from his body in an attempt to reel in a home run.

[HahnSolo]

My big Maz memory against the Mets came in '85 (or maybe early '86). As a Pirate at Three Rivers Stadium, he represented the tying run on third with one out in the 9th. A fly ball brought him home with the winning run...until the Mets appealed and he was called out for leaving early. I believe the Mets went on to win that one.

[Ceetar]

HahnSolo wrote: Sadly, my main memory of Mazzilli was him whining to the umpires for an obstruction/interference call in the World Series and getting it. That was a regular season game at Shea...part of a two stadium day/night double header. A day remembered for: Gooden starting a game at Shea against the Mets; and Piazza getting beaned.

You're right, 2000 but not the World Series. Quite a year.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

G-Fafif wrote: Edgy DC wrote: Anybody remember Kingman leading a fight against a beanballing Lynn McLothen?. Hells yes! I also remember going bowling the ensuing weekend and swearing all kinds of vengeance on Lynn Fucking McGlothen. I was a feisty thirteen-year-old with a Saul Katz-sized ball in my hand.

I also recall it, we were visiting my grandparents on their farm in Virginia and I heard it on the radio then spent all week drawing pictures of what I think it must have looked like (no TV at their place then, much less cable).

[Guest Edgy DC]

Find those drawings.

Did this have anything to do with the thumb injury that undercut his season?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Gil Hodges takes over.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Tracy Stallard vs. Duke Snider:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6VYaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bycEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7395,3850197&dq=mets+snider&hl=en

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4rxQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ONAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3274,4757876&dq=mets&hl=en

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I've got a copy of those remarks in the clip file somewhere.

Snider was 1-2 with a single in 2 appearances vs. Stallard that year.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Whoah: a "moody, selfish player."

Snider said: "Just the opportunity to play with a contender again should add a couple of years to my career. You'd be surprised how much younger you feel when you're playing with a pennant contender."

Reality said: "Over 91 games with the Giants, you went .210 / .302 / .323 // .625, while never playing centerfield. The Giants GM claimed you would put them over the top but you were in fact likely a good a reason as any they finished three games out. Three. Why? Because 'Gimps Don't Win Pennants'."

Ouch.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Why I've been called a lot of things in my long career but an 'unappreciative laggard'? You sir, have gone too far.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I think your father's illustration said it better than any columnist could have.

[Guest Edgy DC]

That does not look like a ballplayer with a lot left.