New Mets Hall of Fame member

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Team announced a new member will be named today.

Guesses?

Piazza? John Franco? Jesse Orosco?

[Edgy MD]

Nelson Doubleday.

[MFS62]

The Wilpons are picking?
Roy Campanella.

Later

[Ceetar]

metsguyinmichigan wrote: Team announced a new member will be named today. Guesses? Piazza? John Franco? Jesse Orosco?

Franco seems like a good pick, and he's been around more lately helping out in spring training..etc.

Leiter?

Piazza is a no-brainer either this year or next. I figured they'd roll it into the whole Hall of Fame/All-Star extravaganza next year though.

[seawolf17]

Franco and Piazza are both good guesses.

[TransMonk]

I'm guessing Franco. I agree with Ceetar that 2013 will be the Year of Piazza.

[Benjamin Grimm]

These were out eight finalists last year:

Frank Cashen
Dwight Gooden
Jane Jarvis
Davey Johnson
Mike Piazza
Darryl Strawberry
Bobby Valentine
Rube Walker

Four of them made it (Johnson, Cashen, Gooden, Strawberry).

I think Piazza is a good guess. Strengthen his Mets credentials prior to the Cooperstown cap decision.

[seawolf17]

These were out eight finalists last year: Frank Cashen Dwight Gooden Jane Jarvis Davey Johnson Mike Piazza Darryl Strawberry Bobby Valentine Rube Walker Four of them made it (Johnson, Cashen, Gooden, Strawberry). I think Piazza is a good guess. Strengthen his Mets credentials prior to the Cooperstown cap decision.

It won't be Bobby V because of his new gig, but I'd forgotten about Jarvis and Walker.

[Edgy MD]

Frank Cashen
Dwight Gooden
Jane Jarvis
Davey Johnson
Mike Piazza
Darryl Strawberry
Bobby Valentine
Rube Walker

OK, so Cashen, Johnson, Gooden and Straw were inducted.

Jane Jarvis
Mike Piazza
Bobby Valentine
Rube Walker

Jane Jarvis' passing kind of takes away any immediacy to the notion of inducting your organ player. And if she was to be inducted, she wouldn't go in alone, as we lack marquee value. This also goes for a deceased coach, as much as I supported his candidacy. Sorry, Rube Walker.

Mike Piazza
Bobby Valentine

Valentine is back in uniform for another team. This leaves him out.

Piazza may go in before his expected Hall of Fame election. He also is a uniting force in a divided Mets culture. I like the idea of Doubleday, but that will just pound the team with the Wilpon finance narrative. So Piazza or Franco seem most likely.

[Ceetar]

What about Leiter?

[Ceetar]

It's Franco, they just tweeted it. so that's cool.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Franco is a worthy selection.

[Fman99]

I was hoping it was Jeff Wilpon.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Franco is a worthy selection.

Yeah, but they should include Rube Walker too. He'll never stop being dead, of course, but he's deserving and he can share his day with a living person.

[MFS62]

Ceetar wrote: Franco seems like a good pick, and he's been around more lately helping out in spring training..etc.

I saw your post above about Franco being selected.
But if they were going to pick an ex-player who spent many (more) years with the team in various later roles (coach, minor league instructor), I would have loved AL Jackson to be honored. And it would be something to honor the team's 50th anniversary, too.

Later

[Fman99]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Yeah, but they should include Rube Walker too. He'll never stop being dead...

You can't say this with any certainty. Zombies, y'all.

[metirish]

Good for Franco, I hope his orange sanitation shirt goes in with him.

[G-Fafif]

MFS62 wrote: I would have loved AL Jackson to be honored. And it would be something to honor the team's 50th anniversary, too.

Al is on the selection committee, so I'm guessing that takes him out of consideration (which is too bad).

Franco was inevitable. Congratulations his way. At least Mets won't have to pay to fly him in from out of town.

[metsmarathon]

the undead are still dead. they're just more lively.

also, good for johnny.

[Benjamin Grimm]

JOHN FRANCO TO BE INDUCTED INTO METS HALL OF FAME ON SUNDAY, JUNE 3 January 26, 2012 The New York Mets today announced that John Franco, the club's all-time leader in saves and games pitched, will be inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame during the Mets Hall of Fame Induction ceremony presented by Citi Sunday, June 3 prior to the 1:10 p.m. game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Franco saved 276 games for the Mets over his 14-year career (1990-2004) with the team, the second-longest in franchise history behind Ed Kranepool's 18 years of service. The four-time All-Star compiled 424 saves during his career, the fourth-most in major league history and the most by any lefthanded reliever. "It's a tremendous honor to be elected to the Mets Hall of Fame," said Franco, who is currently in his fourth year as a Club Ambassador with the Mets. "I would like to thank Fred Wilpon, Saul Katz, Jeff Wilpon, the Hall of Fame Committee, all of my managers and coaches and of course my teammates. My entire family is looking forward to June 3." "John set a very high standard during his career both on and off the field," said Mets COO Jeff Wilpon, who serves as Ex-Officio for the Selection Committee. "It's great that during our 50th anniversary season we can have John - a true New Yorker in every sense - inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame." Complete Coverage at Mets.com The Brooklyn native appeared in 695 games with the Mets and earned the National League Rolaids Relief Award twice (1988, 1990). Franco was named the Mets' team captain on May 4, 2001 and was also honored on the 40th Anniversary All-Amazin' team. The Mets Hall of Fame now has 26 members. The previous Hall of Fame members in order of the year they were inducted are: Joan Payson (1981); Casey Stengel (1981); Gil Hodges (1982); George M. Weiss (1982); Johnny Murphy (1983); William A. Shea (1983); Ralph Kiner (1984); Bob Murphy (1984); Lindsey Nelson (1984); Bud Harrelson (1986); Rusty Staub (1986); Tom Seaver (1988); Jerry Koosman (1989); Ed Kranepool (1990); Cleon Jones (1991); Jerry Grote (1992); Tug McGraw (1993); Mookie Wilson (1996); Keith Hernandez (1997); Gary Carter (2001); Tommie Agee (2002); Frank Cashen (2010); Dwight Gooden (2010); Davey Johnson (2010) and Darryl Strawberry (2010). The seven-member Mets Hall of Fame committee is comprised of a combination of Mets front office staff and media members with long-standing connections to the club. The members are: Dave Howard, Executive Vice President, Business Operations who has been with the organization for 20 years; Jay Horwitz, Vice President, Media Relations who enters his 33rd season with the team; Tina Mannix, Executive Director, Marketing who has been with the Mets for 11 years; former Mets pitcher and original Met Al Jackson, a pitching consultant who is in his sixth decade with the Mets; Marty Noble, the Mets.com writer who has covered the team for over five decades; Gary Cohen, a New York native and voice of the Mets on SNY, who is entering his 24th season of broadcasting Mets baseball; and Howie Rose, a Queens native and radio voice of the Mets on WFAN who has covered the team since 1987. The Mets Alumni Association Presented by Citi was launched in 2010 as part of the organization's ongoing commitment to honor its history and serve the community. Dozens of Mets players spanning all eras visit Citi Field throughout the season, interacting with fans at the ballpark and participating in community events around New York City.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Prior to the celebration the Mets intend to load the bases on a walk, a bloop single and Jeff Kent error.

[Lefty Specialist]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Prior to the celebration the Mets intend to load the bases on a walk, a bloop single and Jeff Kent error.

I lol'd.

[Valadius]

Fman99 wrote: I was hoping it was Jeff Wilpon.

Can you imagine this punum in bronze?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I had to look up "punum".

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

So... I guess he knows a guy.

[ashie62]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Prior to the celebration the Mets intend to load the bases on a walk, a bloop single and Jeff Kent error.

At least its not Benitez coming in.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Nice interview with John Franco on Mets Hot Stove last night.