Happy Birthday to a legend of baseball---Nolan Ryan. When I hear the name Nolan Ryan--two thoughts come to mind and I'm sure most Mets fans can relate. The first one is excellence. Nolan Ryan spent his career as an example of the best that baseball had to offer. Professionalism, class and the greatest fastball in baseball history.
The second emotion that comes to mind is sickness. Ryan was involved in the worst trade in Mets, if not all of baseball, history. In all our brain trust's brilliance, the Mets traded Nolan Ryan for veteran Jim Fregosi on December 10th, 1971. Can you imagine how many World Series we would have won had we had Nolan Ryan for twenty years? Can't dwell on it, but as a Mets fans who loves to suffer I always will.
So lets put aside the sickness and focus on the greatness.
Here are some all-time great Nolan Ryan quotes,
"To hit it, you have to start on the on deck circle."
--Ken Kaiser, Umpire, on players trying to hit a Nolan Ryan fastball
"It sounded like a fastball, but I sure didn't see it."
--Duke Simms, on a Nolan Ryan fastball
Over fifty great Ryan quotes at www.baseballquotations.com
Happy Birthday to one of the all time iconic Mets. What else can you say about the man who managed the Mets to one of their only two World Series championships.
Davey Johnson was born on January 30th, 1943. Before enjoying great success as the Mets manager, Johnson was a hell of a second baseman mostly with the Orioles, but he had some great power years with the Braves and played also for the Phillies and Cubs.
He was a four time all-star, three time Gold Glove winner and was a three time World Series champion. Also in 1973, he at the time set the record for most Home Runs by a National League second baseman with 43.
After his retirement, the brainy Johnson (one of the first managers to use a computer) became the Mets manager after a stint in the minor leagues. He was their manager from 1984--1990 and is the most successful in the Mets history with a record of 595 and 417 with a winning percentage of .588. He is the first National League Manager to win at least 90 games in his first five years.
Of course he is also the Manager who led the team to their last World Series championship in 1986. Ironically, he also played a role in the Mets other World Series championship when he was the Orioles final out in the 1969 World Series, hitting a fly out to Cleon Jones.
He is a member of both the Mets and Orioles Hall of Fame. That said, in my opinion, he never got the credit he deserved as the greatest and most winningest manager in Mets history.
Lots of great quotes about Davey Johnson. A matter of fact there are over fifty in www.baseballquotations.com
This quote is about his entrance to the Mets Baseball Hall of Fame.
"I'm honored and humbled and you guys (the media) know it's not easy to humble me."
--Davey Johnson, on being selected for the Mets Hall of Fame
Today is the birthday of one time Mets shortstop, Sergio Ferrer, born on this day in 1951. Despite over eleven thousand quotes in www.baseballquotations.com we have no quotes about Ferrer, but we do have some interesting stats.
Ferrer played with the Mets in 1978 and 1979, largely as a defensive replacement and pinch runner. Did play some time at short in '78 due to a Tim Foli injury.
He was not among the league's most feared hitters. In '78, he hit .212 with one RBI in 33 at bats, but he did score eight runs. In '79, he only had seven official plate appearances and did not have any hits.
Interesting Stats: In '79, he had seven at bats and scored seven runs. Not many player have an equal number of runs scored and at bats. Also in '79, he was 0-2 in stolen base attempts.
What I found the most interesting stat though is that between the Twins and Mets, he had 178 at bats and had only three rbi's.
Happy Birthday to former Met, Sergio Ferrer
There have been very few Mets players born over the last several days and if they played for the Mets, it was only for a brief time (Happy Birthday today to Tsuyoshi Shingo). But because of www.baseballquotations.com we have hundreds of Mets quotes to keep us going.
Also, if you want to get quotes of famous players born on this days, you can go to www.baseballbirthdayquote.blogspot.com/
One of the all-time classic Mets moments came after 9/11 when Mike Piazza hit the monumental home run to win the first game back after the tragic events. It was especially momentous given that it took place in New York.
Here is Mike Piazza's classic quote after his home run
"It told the rest of the country and the rest of the world what New York is all about. It's a tough city and it's a hard city. This is something we'll never forget. It'll scar us but we will move on"
"Take the fellows over to the other diamond---I want to see how they play on the road."
--Casey Stengel, on an intersquad spring training game
Today we are featuring another classic Ralph Kiner Mets Quotes. For our baseball birthday quote of the day go to http://baseballbirthdayquote.blogspot.com/
"The Mets have gotten their leadoff hitter on base only once this inning."
No Mets were born on January 25th so we celebrate by providing a quote from one of the great Baseball humorists, Ralph Kiner.
"Darryl Strawberry has been voted to the Hall of Fame five years in a row."
--Ralph Kiner
Alright if you want to get technical Scott Kazmir never pitched for the Mets, but he should have. He was born on January 24, 1984.
The Mets in all their wisdom traded their best minor league pitching prospect, the lefty Kazmir for journeyman pitcher, Victor Zambrano. I believe if you look back to 2004, virtually every one in baseball skewered the deal and they were right.
Kazmir has built up a solid career, still going strong, with 108 career wins--three all-star game appearances and was the 2007 American League strike out leader. As for Zambrano, in his two and half years with the Mets, he was 10-14 with a 4.42 E.R.A. The worst part was that Zambrano was a bad pitcher when the Mets traded Kazmir for him. In 2003, he led the American League in walks, hits batsmen and wild pitches---the triple crown.
Kazmir is currently on the Dodgers roster and continues to be an effective starting pitcher in the National League. We Mets fans will have to wonder what it would have been like if we never made the trade.
Kamir's former teammate on the Royals, Eric Hosmer provides the Mets Birthday Quote of the Day,
"He hits spots and goes after you, attacks you with all three of his pitches. There's really no set pattern. He can throw any pitch, any time."
--Eric Hosmer, talking about the professionalism of Scott Kazmir
Masato Yoshii was signed by the Mets as a free agent from Japan before the 1998 season. He pitched for the Mets in 1998 and 1999.
In '98 Yoshii was 6-8 with a 3.93 ERA. In '99, he was 12-8 with a 4.40 ERA. He did well by the Mets. Interesting fact about him---in his later years when he went back and played in Japan one of his managers' was Terry Collins.
Yoshii provided us Mets fans with a great sense of humor and this quote of his is an all-time funny Mets quote
"Get in the stands, drinking beer and yelling, 'Get Yoshi in there'."--Masato Yoshii, asked what he would be doing if he were not on the Mets pitching staff
Short stay Met, Wayne Kirby was born on this day in 1964. Kirby played for the Indians from 93-96, Dodgers from 96-97 and played with the Men from Flushing in 1998.He has a very solid coaching career with the Orioles for many years.
He put together a full solid years with the Indians including his rookie year where he hit .269, 17 stolen bases with 60 ribbies and he also led the American League with 19 assists in the outfield. He finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting.
Alas, his short stay with the Mets was not quite as successful. In 1998, he had 31 at bats with six hits for a batting average of .194 and no rbi's.
So very happy Mets birthday to Wayne Kirby.
I bet you didn't know that Bill Graham once played for the Mets. It was a different Bill Graham, of course. This Mets Bill Graham was born on January 21, 1937.
He pitched for the Mets in the 1967 season and pitched quite well. Prior to the Mets acquisition of Graham, he pitched briefly for the Tigers, pitching only two innings (that's briefly alright).
In 1967 pitching for the Mets, he had a 2.63 ERA and had a 1-2 record with three saves in twenty seven innings. Not bad at all. If any Mets fans out there remember why he was released, I would appreciate if you could send me information.
We have no quotes for Graham. We do have thousands on file but none specific to him. If you want to get thousands of Mets quotes for free, go to www.baseballquotations.com
Happy Birthday to one of the greatest of Mets starting pitchers, Jon Matlack. He was born on this day in 1950.
He was selected by the Mets as the 4th pick in the 1967 draft. He ended up playing with the Mets from 1971-'77. He was the 1972 Rookie of the Year, 3 x all-star and 1975 All-Star Game MVP.
He was known as one of the big three of the Mets pitching staff along with Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman. He was a terrific pitcher with the Mets and his 82-81 record with them was a reflection of weak offenses team as his 3.03 ERA can attest to.
Many of us will remember his incredible 1973 post season where he pitched so well against the Reds and ended up pitching three games in the World Series against the A's.
He left the Mets after the '77 season and played the rest of his career with the Rangers.
Jon Matlack is today's recipient of the Mets Baseball Quote of the Day,
"We tried like hell to get him. He can pitch and pitch well. He's still young with a good arm."
--Dick Williams, on trying to acquire Matlack
No Mets baseball quotes of the day today. So as a special Mets quote of the day, we go to the Captain, David Wright, talking about Mets fans.
"Mets fans have a certain energy, a fire that I haven't seen anywhere else."
--David Wright
Happy Birthday to baseball lifer Don Zimmer, born on this day in 1931. Zip was a true character of the game, loved and revered by players and fans (though maybe not so much when he managed the Red Sox).
Over his career, he played for five teams including a brief stint with the Mets (we'll get to that in a second). He was a manager of four teams including winning Manager of the Year with the Cubs and was coach for 12 teams. He and Joe Torre seemed to be tied at the hip during his Yankee days.
His Number 66 was retired by the Rays in 2015.
For us Mets fans, he is remembered for his brief stint with the team which led to an all-time hilarious Casey Stengel quote.
So in the Mets inaugural season of 1962, Zimmer played with them for 14 games. He did not actually set the world on fire as he had four hits in 52 at bats with a solid .077 batting average. He was soon thereafter traded to the Reds leading to this classic Casey Stengel quote.
"We gotta trade him while he's hot."
--Casey Stengel, after Zimmer got two hits in a row after an 0 for 33 start.
Ron Herbel was born on this day in 1938. Herbel was a good relief pitcher who was picked up by the Mets from the Padres for their 1970 pennant drive.
The Padres were going nowhere so they traded Herbel to the Mets in September of '70 in the middle of the pennant race. Though the Mets did not make it to postseason, it was clearly not the fault of Herbel. He had a good month for the Mets, compiling a 1.38 E.R.A., a 2 and 2 record and one save. In that same year he led the league in appearances with 76.
While Herbel was a good pitcher, he was a terrible hitting pitcher which led to this funny Mets Birthday Quote of the Day.
"I don't know, I've never been this far."
--Ron Herbel, asked why he slid so hard into third baseman Bob Aspromonte
The great relief pitcher Mike Marshall was born on this day in 1943. He is a former Cy Young Award winner with the Dodgers. He was an interesting baseball character who was a very smart, quirky guy. He has a degree in Kineselogy and use that knowledge to great effect as a player. He was mostly known for his screwball.
He did have great success over his long career including the aforementioned Cy Young Award, 3 x saves leader and 2 x all-star. He still holds the single season record for most appearances by a pitcher with 106 and most games pitched in a row with 13. He accomplished this in his Cy Young Award year when he won 15 games and saved 21.
He played for several teams with most of his success coming from the Expos and Dodgers.
He did, however, spend his final year with the Mets, compiling a 3 and 2 record with a 2.61 ERA. Very impressive.
Because of his long and successful career, Mike Marshall is today's recipient of the Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day
"What he can do with a baseball is just amazing. I don't see how anyone ever gets a hit off him.
--Camilo Pascual
Happy Birthday to former Met Mike Pelfrey, born on this day in 1984.
Pelfrey played with the Mets from 2006--2012. His best year with the Mets was 2010 when he was 15--9.
After he left the Mets as a free agent, he signed with the Twins. In 2016, he signed with the Tigers.
"Our intent was to get a guy that can go out there and give us 30 starts; give us some innings, a veteran guy that has good clubhouse makeup."
--Al Avila, on Tigers signing Pelfrey
One time Met, Kevin Mitchell was born on this day in 1962. In an understatement of immense proportion, Mitchell was a unique individual.
He was known for several things. The one most important in Mets lore, is of course, his single in Game 6 of the '86 World Series that kept the game alive for the Mets. He ultimately scored the tying run when Bob Stanley threw a wild pitch to Mookie Wilson.
After the Mets traded him, Mitchell had some terrific seasons. The most notable was his 1989 MVP season with the Giants. He hit .291 that year with 123 ribbies and 47 home runs. His career was not so successful after that and he played for several more teams. He holds the record for being the only baseball MVP to play for eight teams.
Mitchell was known to enjoy a good time off the field which led to an all-time funny quote from Lenny Dykstra
"Mitch found God in spring training. Then every night he went out looking for a Goddess."
--Lenny Dykstra, on Kevin Mitchell
Happy Birthday to former Met and Padre Cy Young Award winner Randy Jones, born on this day in 1950.
Jones spent most of his career with the Padres, notably winning the Cy Young Award in 1976 with a 22 and 14 record.
He had quite a trio of interesting years.
1974--He was 8 and 22
1975--He won 20 game and had a 2.24 ERA
1976--He was Cy Young Award winner with 22 wins.
His time with the Mets was not awe inspiring.
He was 1 and 8 in 1981 with a 4.85 ERA and in '82 he was 7 and 10 with a 4.60 ERA.
He is today's recipient of the very funny Mets Baseball Quote of the Day from one of kings of the malaprops, the late Hall of Famer Jerry Coleman who said of Jones.
"On the mound is Randy Jones, the left hander with the Karl Marx hairdo."
--Jerry Coleman
One time Met Dan Napoleon was born on this day in 1942. His tenure on the Mets was short but the baseball quote about him was classic.
Napoleon played for the Mets in 1965 and 1966. 1965 was about as bad a statistical year as you could have. In 1965 he had 97 at bats and hit .144 with seven rbi's. No wonder he only had thirty three at bats in 1966 and hit .212 with no ribbies.
Of course leave it to Casey Stengel to poke fun at the famous last name of Danny Napoleon in our Mets Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day.
"He'll be OK if he keeps his hand out of his shirt."
--Casey Stengel, talking about Dan Napoleon
Happy Birthday to former Met, Kelvin Torve, born on this day in 1960. Torve briefly played for the Twins before signing with the Mets in 1990. He hit a solid .289 for the Mets in '90 in 38 at bats. He only had 8 at bats in 1991 with no hits. He played in the Japanese league after being waived by the Mets.
We don't have any quotes about Torve, but we have hundreds of Mets quotes at www.baseballquotations.com
Happy Birthday to one time Met Ralph Terry who was born on January 9th, 1936.
He is known in baseball lore for giving up the Game 7 World Series winning home run to Bill Mazeroski in the 1960 World Series. He more than made restitution for that two years later when he was the World Series MVP and had a 2-1 record with a 1.80 ERA including winning Game 7 of the Series, 2--0. That year he also led the American League in wins with 23.
He played the last two years of his career with the Mets and never won a game. In 1966, he pitched in 11 games and was 0-1 but he did have two saves. In 1967, he pitched only 3.1 innings for the Mets and did not give up a run so in the last year of his career, he had a 0.00 ERA.
In honor of his career, he is today's Mets Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day
"Ralph had all the pitches. He had a good fastball and he had a real good breaking ball that helped make the fastball better. He had that slider and he had that change."
--Ralph Houk, talking about Ralph Terry
Former Met Mike Cameron was born on this day in 1973. The Mets were not Cameron's only team--he played also for the White Sox, Reds, Mariners, Padres, Brewers, Red Sox and Marlins.
He is known for several reasons including being the key player the Reds traded to the Mariners for Ken Griffey Junior and for hitting four home runs in a game.
He was a terrific fielder, winning three Gold Gloves as well as a strong power hitter with 278 career home runs. He was also recognized around baseball as a really good guy who was always very friendly with fans.
He played 2004 and 2005 with the Mets. In 2004, he only hit .231 but had thirty home runs. In 2005, he hit .273 but his season was cut short when he and Carlos Beltran crashed into each other in the outfield.
"He goes gets the ball. he plays hard. He plays to win. he's got a wonderful attitude."
--Lou Piniella, singing the praises of Cameron
Today is the birthday of former Met closer Francisco Rodriguez. KRod was with the Mets from the 2009 through a good part of the 2011 season.
Rodriguez came on the scene like few pitchers ever have. Coming out of nowhere, he helped lead the Angels to their one and only World Series in 2002. He won five post season games that year. In the World Series against the Giants, he became the youngest player in baseball history to ever win a World Series game at age 20. In the World Series, he had 13K's in 8 and a third innings.
He has had a lot of accomplishments in his career including the record for saves in one season with 62 in 2008, 6 time All-Star and one of only 6 major league pitchers with over 400 saves.
He is still pitching effectively today.
The Quote of the Day comes from www.baseballquotations.com and features a quote related to his 2002 World Series.
"We were in good shape and then they brought in Super Man."
--Shawon Dunston, after the Giants had a commanding lead in the 2002 World Series until KRod helped lead the Angels to a World Series victory
Not a lot of great Mets players birthday's today so I thought we'd give the Mets Baseball Quote of the Day to one of the real characters in Mets history--Tug McGraw.
Tug McGraw was one of the all-time great Mets relief pitchers who coined the phrase, 'Ya Gotta Beleive' for their amazing World Series run in 1973. He played for the Mets from 1965--1974 then spent 75--84 with the Phillies.
He had 180 saves and was a two time world champion and two time all-star. Mostly though he will be known for his friendly, easy going demeanor and great sense of humor. Of course, he will also be remembered for being the father of country music legend, Tim McGraw.
Speaking of great sense of humor, McGraw was once asked if he favored grass over astro turf, his now classic reply;
"I don't know. I never smoked Astro Turf."
No Mets players born today so I am making a stretch to the Milwaukee Brewer's Jim Gantner. The great Mets announcer Ralph Kiner was not the only one who could turn a phrase. Jim Gantner was a protege of Kiner in his ability to say funny quotes by mixing up words.
Gantner turned 63 today. He played his entire career with the Brewers from 1976--1992 and had a solid lifetime batting average of .274. He was also a terrific second baseman and is 44th all-time in assists from a second baseman and 27th all-time in double played turned by a second baseman.
Both as a player and a broadcaster, he had a reputations for changing around phrases and that's why he gets our Ralph Kiner Mets Baseball Quote of the Day
"I must have had ambrosia."
Jim Gantner, on being late for a radio appearance
Happy 53rd birthday to former Met Daryl Boston. Boston played his first five plus seasons with the White Sox before the Mets picked him up early in the 1990 season.
Boston played for the Mets for three years and had some decent numbers. In 1990--1992, Boston's combined batting average was .266. In 1990, he had 12 home runs and 18 stolen bases. He had double digits in steals all three years with the Mets and he had a strong arm from leftfield.
In honor of his birthday, Daryl Boston provides us with the New York Mets Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day and a funny one at that.
"It's a good thing it was seat cushion night."
--Daryl Boston, on going into the stands to catch a foul ball
Happy Mets Birthday to David Cone, who was born on January 2nd, 1963.
Conie was a terrific pitcher who was in the majors from 1986--2003. Among his many achievements include a Perfect Game, A Cy Young Award, five all-star appearances, five world series championships and two time major league strike out leader. Very impressive, also impressive is his 8-3 post season record.
Specifically with the Mets, he was 81-51 with a 3.13 ERA. His most magical year with the Mets was 1988 where he was an incredible 20--3. One of the most famous stories in Mets lore was that we came into the 1988 post season as huge favorites against the Dodgers who we (like I was on the team) did not lose to all year. We win Game 1 and then Cone who was writing a guest column for the Daily News decides to criticize Dodger pitchers Orel Hersheiser and Jay Howell.
Now if you have ever heard Conie speak, you know he is one of the smartest people you will ever meet, but that was not a smart move. Dodgers beat him up in Game 2 as he gave up five runs in two innings and though he pitched magnificently in Game 6, we still ended up losing the series. Not one our best moments.
On the bright side, the acquisition of Cone was one of the best trades in Mets history. The Mets acquired him in a trade with the Royals in exchange for Ed Hearns and Rick Anderson.
It was one of those rare times when you know a trade was a steal right when it happens. That statement was affirmed by Wally Backman in today's Mets Quote of the Day featuring David Cone.
"He's a stopper. I can't figure Kansas City's thinking. We got a stopper."
Wally Backman, after the Mets traded for David Cone
thousands of quotes at www.baseballquotations.com
Surprisingly, www.baseballquotations.com does not have any quotes dedicated to Fernando Tatis whose birthday is today. I will have to work on that.
So as a substitute, we will provide you all with a New Year's Day treat of a Mets quote featuring the Old Professor, Casey Stengel
"It was a team effort."
--Casey Stengel, on '62 Mets losing 120 games
