The Santo Cause

Ron Santo, who just passed away, surely had a career deserving of the Hall of Fame. Wins Above Replacement suggests he was the most valuable everyday player in the majors in the last half of the 1960s, and was one of the greatest third basemen of all-time.

But 1969 he probably preferred to forget. After the games of August 6 that season, the Cubs had a superb 71-41 record, and led the NL East by nine full games over the second place Mets. Santo was playing like an MVP, with a BA of .314, OBP of .409, SLG of .543 and OPS of .952. But from then on, through September 24, the day the Mets clinched the NL East, Santo managed only a BA of .231, OBP of .315, SLG of .333 and OPS of .648. The Cubs over that stretch went 19-26 and went from 9 games ahead ahead of the Mets on August 6 to six games behind the Mets with five to play. Over the five games remaining after the Cubs were out of it, Santo's OPS was .900.

Ron had health problems most of his life, and he could not have enjoyed repeatedly being denied a deserved induction into the Hall of Fame. But the final seven weeks of the 1969 season could not have been one of his better memories either. Cruel game, baseball, as recent Mets fans know. Perhaps the last few seasons for the Mets could be thought of as Santo's Revenge.

The Tender Trap

John Maine, Chris Carter and Sean Green were "non-tendered". That is, the Mets chose not to offer them the minimum one-year contract salary required to keep exclusive negotiating rights to their services. So the three are now free agents. The Mets could re-sign them, presumably at an amount less than the minimum amounts that would have been required to retain exclusive rights, but to do so the Mets now have to compete with potential offers from all other clubs.

Maine is two Wins short of being in the franchise top 10 for Wins by righty Mets pitchers, and Carter fell two hits short of leading the majors in pinch hits in 2010.

Most Regular Season Wins by a Right-Handed Mets Pitcher:

1. Tom Seaver 198
2. Dwight Gooden 157
3. Ron Darling 99
4. David Cone 81
5. Bobby Jones 74
6. Steve Trachsel 66
T7. Rick Reed and Craig Swan 59
9. Mike Pelfrey 43
T10. Pat Zachry and Gary Gentry 41
12. John Maine 39

Most Pinch Hits by a Major Leaguer in 2010:
1. Joe Inglett (MIL) 20
2. Chris Carter (NYM) 19
3. Delwyn Young (PIT) 16
T4. Ross Gload (PH), Nick Stavinoha (STL) ands and Travis Ishikawa (SFG) 15

Snow More Nieve

Nieve is Spanish for snow, and and Fernando Nieve is "snow more" a Met, having signed a minor league deal with the Pirates. (That is not a phrase describing 21st century stardom: "minor league deal with the Pirates").

Most Games Pitched in a Season By A Met With a Season ERA of 6 or higher:

1. Mel Rojas (1998): 50 Games Pitched, 6.05 ERA

2. Fernando Nieve (2010): 40 Games Pitched, 6.00 ERA

3. Ray Daviault (1962): 36 Games Pitched, 6.22 ERA

4. Ryota Igarashi (2010): 34 Games Pitched, 7.12 ERA

5. Rich Rodriguez (2000): 32 Games Pitched, 7.78 ERA