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Schneider punked by a Hall-of-Famer:
<blockquote>Schneider recalls vintage adventure
Catcher's introduction to Mets involved terrific experience
By Marty Noble / MLB.com
PORT ST. LUCIE -- There are introductions, and there are introductions. Brian Schneider is well into his second calendar year with the Mets. The trade that sent him to the Big Apple -- he and Ryan Church from the Nationals for Lastings Milledge -- is old news and, by the way, still good news for him and his current team.
Schneider recalls being notified of the deal that changed the direction of his career, and how pleased he was by it. He also recalls his belated and uncommon in-person introduction to his new team. And on Sunday, he shared this wonderful story about it.
"It was two days after the trade," Schneider began. "My wife and I and our neighbors were on vacation. We were in Napa Valley; we'd always wanted to go. We're out there, and the trade happens and we're pretty excited about New York. The previous summer, I'd told [Hall of Famer Don] Sutton [a television analyst for Nationals games] we were probably gonna go to Napa in the offseason. And he said he'd give me some suggestions where we should to go.
"We went to a couple of wineries he'd suggested. Then he calls, gives us a few more and says 'And you've got to go to this one.' So he gives me the address. And he gives me the code do we can get past the gate at this winery. We have no idea where we're going, really. But every other place he'd recommended was good, so we never thought anything of it.
"I put the code in, the gate opens and we drive in. Off in the distance, I see a guy working. He's in jeans and a hat. He's got a dog with him. We drive up closer and he waves us off to a different direction, and a minute later, he drives up in his truck with his dog. He gets out, comes over to us and says 'Can I help you?"
"I really don't know who I'm looking for. But Sutton had given me a name, George Thomas. So I say 'Yeah, I'm looking for George Thomas.' He steps a little closer and says 'I'm George Thomas ...' and as he take his hat off, he says 'Seaver.'
"I'm there, talking to Tom Seaver. I didn't know anything about it. I mean, I like wine, but I don't know what much about it. I didn't know he was doing that. Sutton had set it all up. He got me. "Our friends couldn't believe it. Tom took us on a tour of the vineyard. He showed his house -- unbelievable. I saw his room with all the baseball and the Cy Young Awards. ... Outstanding. And he makes some pretty good wine, too."
They had a terrific time, you might say.
The owner of GTS Vineyards of Calistoga, Calif. recalls the situation well --- well, almost well.
"Sutton always calls me 'George Thomas,'" Seaver said Sunday night from his home on the same property as the vineyard. "He's one of the member of our wine club on Hall of Fame weekend. "He set this whole thing up. He told me 'There's a great guy coming out there, and I'm sending him to your place. Take care of him.' I wasn't sure what was going on.
"But it turned great. We got a chance to show people what we're doing out here. It's very nice here. I think he had a good time once he got over the surprise."
Marty Noble is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.</blockquote>
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