Mets Old Timers’ Day: Martinez, Bartolo, And More

Bill Menzel/ Latino Sports

Flushing, NY — Steve Cohen purchased the New York Mets and said there would be a difference on the field with emphasis on the history of a franchise that otherwise had ignored their glorious past of two World Series championships.

The owner asked his fans how to recognize the Mets illustrious history that basically was ignored in part because of previous ownership, so the fans responded and last year requested a return of Old Timers’ Day at Citi Field.

A year later at Citi Field, fans got their answer. The Mets franchise was honored with an Old Timers’ Day Saturday that will be remembered as a proud and historic moment.

There were the names, a few from the Miracle 1969 World Series champion Mets, many from the 1986 championship team, and more than one that have passed through the doors of Shea Stadium and Citi Field.

It’s always good to see Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry, teammates of that 1986 team. Just as good to see Art Shamsky and Ed Kranepool of the 1969 team that pulled the upset over the Baltimore Orioles.

And one that took everyone by surprise, Number 24, worn by the great Willie Mays, added to the increasing number of jerseys now retired and will hang from the rafters.

“I’m not sure that we could have recreated this experience today over the next several years,” said Mets team President Sandy Alderson regarding the retirement of Mays’ jersey number on Old Timers’ Day. “There has been a 50-year gap if you will between a promise made and a promise kept.”

The late owner, Joan Payson said 50 years ago when Mays came to the Mets, that his number would eventually be retired. She kept her promise, though, years later through the eyes and ears of Steve Cohen. Yes, this was a special moment at Citi Field and one for the annals in Mets history.

Despite the Mets always playing in the shadows of the cross-town Yankees, with their illustrious history, the franchise in their 60th year have also developed a rich tradition of baseball in New York, an expansion team succeeding the Giants and Dodgers as the NL team when both teams packed their bags and made their new homes in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Many of those former Mets saw the struggles, others went in the record books as World Series champions, league leaders in home runs, stolen bases, batting average, pitching and a few Gold Gloves from the outfield. They returned to Citi Field Saturday as they embraced the fans, older and younger that anticipated an Old Timers’ Day that has not been celebrated since the last one in 1994.

Then, it was a ceremony and there was a two inning ballgame. So, Saturday, after the roll call of names etched in Mets history, they took their positions and gave fans two innings of nostalgia.

Those prominent Latino names, spanning four decades of Mets history, could have played more if time permitted.

Bartolo Colon, 45-years old, could still throw a changeup and received a loud ovation as fans appreciated his 44 wins over four years with the Mets. Jose Reyes, the greatest base stealer in team history (408) and 2011 NL batting champ, got on base and sprinted home with a run.

Perhaps one of the prominent fan favorites in Mets history, Reyes wants this to become an annual tradition.

Felix “The Cat” Millan, instrumental to the 1973 NL pennant winners, hit .290 in his first year with the team, recording 30 extra-base hits and rounded out the year by batting .316 in the NLCS with two RBI.

Acquired by the Mets before the 1984 season, Sid Fernandez was a two-time All-Star who ranks fifth in team history with 98 wins. And Edgardo Alfonso, one of the clutch performers in Mets history, ranking first in postseason play with hits, runs, and RBI. They both took in the moment.

“They still talk about the catch like it was yesterday,” said Endy Chavez. A key member of the 2006 NL East Division champs, had that spectacular catch in Game 7 of the NLCS versus the Cardinals that robbed Scott Rolen of a two-run homer.

Chavez played to the sold-out crowd. He got on base, scored a run, and caught a few in the outfield. Keith Hernandez saw his number 17 retired last month and greeted the Old Timers from that 1986 team.

Bobby Ojeda, reminisced about his five seasons and 18 wins that led those 1986 Mets. And Jesse Orosco, forever remembered on the mound for the clincher of the NLCS and World Series that year. Also, 107 saves during his seven years with the Mets, fourth most in team history.

By far, though, the ovation and spectacle of seeing Pedro Martinez back on the mound, and in a Mets uniform, is one of those moments that fans anticipated. They remembered Martinez, the Dominican pitcher who collected his 3,000th strikeout in September of 2007, two All-Star selections and helping the Mets to their first NL divisional title since 1988,

He was the prized free agent acquisition, then during the Wilpon ownership era, one that was always contentious because they failed to spend wisely. However, the arrival of Pedro Martinez also began a culture of change.

The Mets signed more Latino players. That same 2006 year, Carlos Beltran was also signed to a lucrative free-agent deal and was instrumental in the Mets’ run to a World Series. Beltran, briefly hired as Mets manager would be dismissed because of involvement in a Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal.

Perhaps, next year or later, Beltran will get the invite. As much as Beltran’s history with the Mets is significant, the scandal still wears on. Conspicuous with his absence, Johan Santana who threw the first no-hitter in Mets history, though shoulder surgery was the cause.

And Pedro Martinez will always be a fan favorite. Always and never a lack of words from the future Hall of Famer.

“It’s always an honor to have some of the 86 World Series guys around the example and legacy they left some of us fell short,” he said.” Some of you got closer to the goal. Me in particular, I felt like I have unfinished business.”

Martinez asked pitchers Jacob DeGrom and Max Scherzer to complete the unfinished business he failed to do.

“Today,” said Martinez “I asked two of the talented members of the team. There was a huge amount of respect from the youngest to the oldest, the opportunity to share the same uniform is a heck of an honor. Proud to be a part of the Mets uniform and hope they bring it back.”

Bringing back a World Series championship to the Mets that Martinez asked them to complete about the unfinished business. But Saturday, the Mets franchise took the first step. Old Timers’ Day returned and that was some of the unfinished business.

Rich Mancuso is a senior writer @Latinosports.com. Twitter@Ring786 Facebook.com Watch “Sports with Rich” live on Tuesday Nights at 8pm EST on The SLG Network/Youtube with Robert Rizzo Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify under The SLG Network.