Countdown to Mets Fantasy Camp 4 Days to Go.
Every year for the last 3 years as Spring gives way to Fall, Mets season merges into NY Rangers season, I have been able to keep the baseball side of my brain occupied with thoughts of Mets Fantasy Camp. This year more so then ever, in the past I have simply gone down to cover the week long camp as a reporter, this season I am headed down to actually participate as a player. Each year I have tried to find unique ways of counting down the days until camp and sharing them with Mets fans, So this year I will do the countdown by Jersey numbers, When possible I will post my 3 favorite Mets who have worn that number, some numbers are harder then others. .
Lenny Dykstra
Most fitting nickname ever for a Mets Player, Nails! Lenny teamed with Wally Backman to set the tone every game as the 1-2 punch in the lineup.t The 2 of them became the poster boys for the Mets Bad Boy Attitude.My two favorite memories of Nails have to be his homer in his first game after he looked totally overmatched striking out against Mario Soto to lead off the game, he ran the bases as if he was legging out an inside the parker and of course his walk off game winner against the Astros in game 3 of the 1986 NLCS.
Ron Swoboda
While there have been many great World Series Catches, few are better then the one Rocky made in the 1969 World Series, His other defining moment as a Met came in a game in which Steve Carlton Struck out 19 Mets, breaking the previous mark of 18, he struck out Swoboda 2 times, but he also gave up 2 2 run homers to Rocky and lost the game 4-3!
Robin Ventura
Signed as a free agent he solidified Third base for three seasons as a Met providing solid defense and prior to an injury in July of 2000 a lethal bat . His 1999 season was dominate .301/32/120. He was a leader on and off the field. Thanks to Todd Pratt, he will always be remembered for his walk off Grand Slam single the hit that ended Game 5 of the 1999 National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves on October 17, 1999 at Shea Stadium.The game was tied 2–2, going into the top of the 15th inning, Mets pitcher Octavio Dotel gave up an RBI triple to Keith Lockhart, giving the Braves a 3–2 lead. In the bottom of the 15th inning, the Mets loaded the bases against Braves relief pitcher Kevin McGlinchy. Mets catcher Todd Pratt drew a bases loaded walk, tying the score 3–3.Then Ventura crushed the 2–1 pitch over the wall in right-center for what appeared to be a walk off grand slam, Ventura, however, never reached second base as Todd Pratt, the runner who was on first, picked up Ventura in celebration. Subsequently, Ventura was mobbed by his teammates, never finished his trot around the bases. Because he failed to touch all four bases, the hit was officially scored a single. Roger Cedeño, the runner on third at the time, was ruled the only runner to have crossed home plate before the on-field celebration began and the Mets were awarded a 4-3 victory. Thus, Ventura was only credited with a single and one RBI, surely the furtherest single in Met History.
Mets who wore #4
Charlie Neal
Duke Snider
Wayne Graham
Ron Swoboda
Rusty Staub
Bruce Boisclair
José Moreno
Bob Bailor
Lenny Dykstra
Lou Thornton
Mike Cubbage
Cookie Rojas
Robin Ventura
John Valentin
Matt Galante
Chris Woodward
Ben Johnson
Anderson Hernandez
Robinson Cancel
Argenis Reyes
Wilson Valdez
Angel Berroa
Wilson Valdez
Henry Blanco
Brad Emaus
Mike Nickeas
Collin Cowgill
Wilmer Flores
By: Mark Rosenman
WLIE 540 AM SPORTSTALKNY Host and Producer
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