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Jeurys Familia and his challenging pronunciation invited to pitch at Diamondbacks camp.

I saw Rolen choke off a rally in late August of 2001 and then hit an 11th-inning home run to altogether foil the Mets as they otherwise rose from their seasonlong doldrums to almost purloin the division title. That game and the two Brian Jordan Games added up to the difference between those Mets' forgotten third-place finish and the potential one-game playoff vs the Braves which would have had America flocking to the Mets' cause, a run that would be praised far and wide to this day for lifting a city and a nation in the wake of its darkest hour had it succeeded. Instead, Rolen dives and grabs a sure Shinjo double with the bases loaded, throws out Piazza at the plate and we end up hearing about fucking Mr. November for the rest of time. Congratulations nonetheless, Scott.

Defensive replacement for Baty as the Mets successfully defended (if barely) their wacky 10-9 win in Philly. It was Sanchez's Mets 3B debut, always an occasion for notation.

Started and lost a game for one of the less impressive first-place teams in franchise history, whose lineup reads less than two years later as Francisco Lindor and a stack of tomato cans. Villar Lindor McCann Smith Maybin Fargas Drury Lee Yamamoto This was vs the Marlins on May 23, 2021, during the injury spate that necessitated the ascension of the Bench Mob. Even still. (I had to look up the lineup but I clearly remember the vibe.)

Non-uniformed personnel shares, per the Sporting News of 12/1/1973: Trainers Joe Deer and Tom McKenna, and equipment manager Herb Norman — $14,950.17 each. Batting practice pitchers Joey Fitzgerald, Tom Fitzgerald, Vito Valentinetti and Joey Diorio — $250 each. Batting practice pitcher N. Hugelmeyer: $150.

Mets coaches and players World Series shares, from the Sporting News, December 1, 1973. http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/wp-content/uploads/9F854506-DCCE-4EFA-97F9-AECEBD138CE2.jpeg>

He may have given up the runs, but Jon Matlack gives no ground in his recollection of the 1973 World Series. Matlack would later put on a show in the postseason. He pitched a shutout in the National League Championship Series against the Reds and pitched three games in the World Series against the Athletics, losing two of them, but he had a strong 2.16 Fall Classic ERA. Matlack lost the seventh game, 5-2, by allowing home runs to Bert Campaneris and Reggie Jackson. “I tip my hat to Campy. He hit a very nice curveball. It might have been a little wind-aided. Credit to him because he found a pitch he wanted and he was able to drive it,” Matlack said. “I hung a ball to Reggie that anybody could have hit out. When it left my hand, it was like, 'Oh, [man].' You knew by the way it came out of my hand it wasn't going to be good.” Fifty years after losing to Oakland, Matlack believes the Mets should have won their second championship in five seasons. “It was an interesting postseason. The series against the Reds held a lot more attention for us as a team than the World Series did,” Matlack said. “In reality, I thought we outplayed the A's the first six games, but we ended up 3-3 and they came to play on the last day.” Bill Ladson doing the 50th-anniversary honors again. https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/jon-matlack-talks-mets-careerhttps://www.mlb.com/mets/news/jon-matlack-talks-mets-career

The great A's and Brewers third baseman Sal Bando, 78.

This year's Rico Brogna “where they are now and what they're up to” thread regarding living former Mets no longer directly involved in professional baseball leads off by choking up on the bat and checking in with Felix Millan. Bill Ladson of mlb.com throws out the first pitch. Millan's closest friend on the Mets was first baseman John Milner, who would often tell Millan where to go eat. “He taught me a lot in New York because I didn't know too much about the place,” Millan recalled. “He would tell me what to do, just sharing things with me.” https://www.mlb.com/news/felix-millan-best-hitter-on-the-1973-metshttps://www.mlb.com/news/felix-millan-best-hitter-on-the-1973-mets

A few Hall-acious reflections http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2023/01/19/gary-howie-a-helluva-hall-haul/here.

Mets clarify this group will be inducted this year and every hundred years thereafter as part of Steve Cohen's 23 Skidoo initiative.

Al Leiter, Howard Johnson, Gary Cohen and Howie Rose are the New York Mets Hall of Fame Class of 2023, with Jay Horwitz getting the Mets Hall of Fame Achievement Award.

"Along with Ruf, Pham gives us another syllable," Eppler explained. "Vogelbach already has three."

A remembrance of the Frank Thomas legend http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2023/01/17/the-legend-of-the-original-frank-thomas/here.

How nuts is not using a question mark as punctuation to end a question?

“You'll never get me to downgrade the Mets. They're not the only last-place team I ever played for. The fans here are hard to beat. When I was in the hospital this season, I got 600 to 700 letters and cards. You can't beat that.” That was Thomas after beating the Mets upon his return to Shea as a Phillie. He never stopped showing that sort of gratitude in interviews for the rest of his life. That, along with the 34 homers in 1962, should remain synonymous with his name.

The Boras version https://sny.tv/articles/scott-boras-why-carlos-correa-deal-fell-apart-dont-understand-metshere. After the Mets' physical turned up similar questions surrounding Correa's surgically repaired right ankle – New York consulted with orthopedic specialist Dr. Robert Anderson, the same person who raised concerns during the Giants' examination – Boras was apparently left seething. “I don't understand the Mets,'' Boras told Nightengale. “I gave them all of the information. We had them talk to four doctors. They knew the issue the Giants had. And yet, they still call the same doctor the Giants used for his opinion. There was no new information. So why negotiate a contract if you were going to rely on the same doctor? “It was different with the Giants because a doctor had an opinion they didn't know about. But the Mets had notice of this. They knew the opinion of the Giants. So why did you negotiate when you know this thing in advance?" San Francisco did not re-engage with talks after their physical, but the Mets attempted to find a solution. And Nightengale wrote that Boras offered language in the contract to protect New York: the contract would be reduced if the right ankle injury forced Correa to miss more than 60 days and the contract could be voided if he spent more than 120 days on the injured list over a two-year period. And if Correa finished the season on IL, he would be given a physical “to determine if they wanted to part ways.”

Correa speaks — to Rosenthal. Correa: The Giants used an ankle specialist who didn't pass me. Then the Mets used the same specialist, who obviously wasn't going to pass me. He had already given an opinion to another team about my ankle. He was not going to change that. He was going to stand by what he was saying, of course, because that is what he believed. We did have other ankle specialists look at it and say it was going to be fine, orthopedists who know me, even the one who did the surgery on me. They were looking at the functionality of the ankle, the way the ankle has been the past eight years. I've played at an elite level where my movement has never been compromised. It was just a year ago when I won a Platinum Glove at shortstop, one of the most demanding positions, where you have to move the most. But the one doctor that had never touched me or seen me or done a test on me, that was the one who said it wasn't going to be fine. TA: Did everyone in your family just jump on a plane to New York? Correa: We flew back to Houston the next night (after the Giants' news conference was postponed). I dropped them off. Then I flew by myself to New York the first thing the next morning for the physical. (Mets owner) Steve (Cohen) sent his plane. I got on the plane and flew there, did the physical that night. The next morning, I did some blood tests. After that, they took me to Citi Field. I did some extra testing over there. Everything seemed fine. TA: Did you really tackle Scott after learning of the Mets' deal? Correa: Oh yeah, I tackled him. TA: What was that moment like? Correa: I gave my family the news that there was no deal, that we were still free agents. Then all of a sudden, this great dude — I don't think I can curse here, but in baseball terms you'd say this bad m——f—— gets me another deal in a matter of hours. He told me again the same words. “We need to talk. I need you to come to the room.” I was like, “OK, here we go again.” He gave me that news. He was sitting in bed. I just tackled him a little bit. The thing I was most concerned about was having to wait a long time again to get another deal done. What I went through last year with the free-agent process, where the market closed in on me with the lockout and everything, I was concerned that might happen again. TA: Did you talk to (Mets shortstop Francisco) Lindor? Correa: Right away. Forty-five-minute conversation. TA: What was that conversation like? Correa: It was more me talking about how I was OK with playing third base and I was never going to step on his toes. Out of my mouth would never come the words, “I want to play shortstop.” Out of my mouth would never come any form of betrayal toward him. From that moment on, from the moment the deal was agreed on, my mind was set to play third base every single day. That was never going to change. I wanted him to know I would always be loyal. I would always be there for him, whatever he needed. Just making sure we left everything clear. When players of both our calibers play shortstop and there's a change there's always some animosity in there. I wanted to make sure he knew out of the gate I was OK with playing third base. I was going to make the move, no problem. TA: How comfortable were you moving? I know you take a great amount of pride in what you've accomplished at short. Correa: I was comfortable because he's a really good shortstop and a really good player. At this stage of my career, it's all about winning. I do feel like in that case, me moving to third base was going to make the Mets a better team. So I was OK with it. My main focus right now is winning championships. I'm not focused on anything else. TA: Did you do the same thing with the Mets players and coaches that you did with the Giants, talking to everybody? Correa: I did talk to some coaches and some players. But not as many as I did with the Giants. When I (agreed) with the Giants, right away they sent me all the numbers, all the information I asked them to. It was easier for me to connect. The (Mets) players that texted me are the ones I talked to. I never got a chance to speak with Buck (Showalter). He was waiting for it to be official to talk about it. TA: Did you ever speak with Steve Cohen? Correa: Yes I did. (The conversation took place after Correa returned to Houston from San Francisco, and before he left for New York.) TA: What was that like? Correa: He was very happy. He was very excited. I even spoke with his wife. It was a good, fun conversation. He was in Hawaii. He seemed like a really, really nice guy. I definitely enjoyed that conversation. He was just welcoming me and all that. https://theathletic.com/4089872/2023/01/13/carlos-correa-twins-interview/?source=user_shared_articlehttps://theathletic.com/4089872/2023/01/13/carlos-correa-twins-interview/?source=user_shared_article

Cutch a Buc again. https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2023/01/13/pittsburgh-pirates-andrew-mccutchen-mlb-offseason-free-agency/stories/202301130059https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2023/01/13/pittsburgh-pirates-andrew-mccutchen-mlb-offseason-free-agency/stories/202301130059

Maybe not *the* Sadecki Spot, but close enough. Zvon would approve.

I was on a Zoom call earlier this evening with Will Clark (which, admittedly, sounds a little Mad Libs-ish) in which he was asked, in his official special assistant capacity, to predict a breakout season for a 2023 Giant. His choice was J.D. Davis. I also learned that whenever he was in New York on a road trip, Will made a point of dropping by the restaurant of his fellow Jesuit High School of New Orleans alumnus, Rusty Staub.

Article in the Athletic focusing on Byron Burton's relationship with Correa included this nugget: On Jan. 5, Buxton decided to re-engage. He'd previously been involved right before Correa agreed to a 13-year, $350 million contract with San Francisco, but had since stayed at arm's length. Mostly their conversations were about making sure that Correa, whom Buxton had known since they were selected with the first two picks in the 2012 amateur draft, was OK. But then it became obvious to Buxton the Twins might have a chance to sign Correa again. It had been 15 days since Correa agreed to a 12-year, $315 million deal with New York and the process had little momentum. As they discussed the situation, Buxton not only determined Correa wouldn't become a Met any time soon, but he also realized how much the two-time All-Star wanted to rejoin the Twins after spending the 2022 season with the organization. So WTF were we doing continually hitting refresh in search of resolution? Dude wanted to be a Giant. Dude was so happy to be a Met he tackled Boras in euphoria. Dude never really wanted to leave the Twins. It was all a strange dream. https://theathletic.com/4087172/2023/01/12/carlos-correa-byron-buxton/https://theathletic.com/4087172/2023/01/12/carlos-correa-byron-buxton/

“Quality control coach,” the role inhabited by Luis Rojas prior to his elevation to manager, and Brian Schneider afterward, doesn't seem to exist at the moment.