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A Friend Returns

MFS62 Jul 15 2006 03:31 PM

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060715&content_id=1557788&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym For now, he can be a great help to the kids. And who knows about the future? Later

TheOldMole Jul 15 2006 03:36 PM

I hope he stays with the Mets on some capacity.

TransMonk Jul 15 2006 03:40 PM

Good to have him back in the organization. Like most, I always liked him and was sad when he left.

SteveJRogers Jul 15 2006 04:14 PM

Will Wagner have to give up 13 if he makes it to the big club I wonder?

SteveJRogers Jul 15 2006 04:22 PM

SteveJRogers Jul 15 2006 04:23 PM

From an 86 TBTC game, probably the 15th Anniversary year

Edgy DC Jul 15 2006 04:34 PM

SteveJRogers wrote: Will Wagner have to give up 13 if he makes it to the big club I wonder? I doubt it. I guess 31 is avaliable. That's another bridge.

Yancy Street Gang Jul 15 2006 05:40 PM

I always suspected that he'd be back. (I predicted it in 2002 when he left, but the ezHacker has probably destroyed the evidence.) It would be even nicer if it turns out that he can still play.

MFS62 Jul 15 2006 05:58 PM

Fonzie was one of the smartest baseball players I ever saw. He always seemed to do the right thing at the right time, offensively and defensively. He would make the perfect road roomie for Lastings. Later

Yancy Street Gang Jul 15 2006 06:04 PM

Do players still have roommates on the road?

Nymr83 Jul 15 2006 06:17 PM

welcome back fonzie!!

MFS62 Jul 15 2006 06:22 PM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: Do players still have roommates on the road? I would guess in the minors they still do. Gotta' control expenses. Seems logical to me. Later

Yancy Street Gang Jul 15 2006 06:51 PM

You're right; I overlooked that you were talking about Triple A.

TheOldMole Jul 15 2006 07:12 PM

Roommates on the road was a good baseball tradition. And us oldtimers (or anyone who listens to Ralph) remember when Choo Choo roomed with Number 5.

Yancy Street Gang Jul 15 2006 07:17 PM

These days, I can't imagine a player of Tom Seaver's caliber putting up with having to room with a Bud Harrelson.

Zvon Jul 15 2006 07:20 PM

Im happy to hear Fonzies back in the organization.

metirish Jul 15 2006 09:12 PM Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Jul 16 2006 05:14 PM

I'm so happy Fonzie is back, I would love nothing more than for him to get called up and to see the reception the fans would give him in his first AB.

TheOldMole Jul 16 2006 04:58 PM

Standing ovation lasting at least five minutes. Tears.

TheOldMole Jul 16 2006 05:00 PM

Is Edgar Alfonso still working for the Mets?

Frayed Knot Jul 16 2006 09:02 PM

="TheOldMole"]Is Edgar Alfonso still working for the Mets? I believe so. Also the nephew (Edgar's son) is pitching in the minors somewhere. I have no problem with Fonz getting a minor league chance and all. I just wish he had shown some clue that he can still hit major league pitching over the last 5 years. Let's face it, as sad as it was to see him go, not signing him was a great move as things turned out. His '01 & '02 seasons were a shell of his '98-'00 self and since '03 he's been even worse.

Gwreck Jul 16 2006 10:46 PM

I loved Fonzie as much as the next person, but history can't deny that Steve Phillips was absolutely correct in not resigning him, and that at best, he'd get a late-September call-up.

PatchyFogg Jul 16 2006 11:09 PM

He's probably my favorite Met ever, and I thought he'd roller skate into the Hall of Fame. But, unless this is shades of Maz returning in '86, I can't help but think they needed someone who can call Julio Franco "kid."

Edgy DC Jul 16 2006 11:48 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jul 17 2006 09:23 AM

He may have nothing left, but figuring that out is part of what AAA is for. Julio Franco is much much older; if Fonzie's your favorite Met ever, I don't get the dig.

Johnny Dickshot Jul 17 2006 08:59 AM

What I loved about Fonzie were the foul balls. When he was going well, it seemed as if he were capable of dealing with every single pitch he didn't like by fouling it away -- never more than 5-6 rows deep. He knew exactly what he was doing. Then, wham. Double off the wall. Or a walk. Or a hard-hit out. The 1999 Holy Trinity (Fonzie, Olerud, Piazza) was something else. With Rickey in front and Ventura behind, just delicious. I hated to see him go myself. But under torture I'd admit it was a good idea as he'd lost that ability to do what he wanted every time up (couldn't last) and his fielding was barely adequate. He's got This Year's Lee Mazzilli written all over him.

MFS62 Jul 17 2006 09:42 AM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: He's got This Year's Lee Mazzilli written all over him. Horrors! I hope he never sells his soul to the Yankees. Later

OlerudOwned Jul 17 2006 11:35 AM

I hope he gets a spot on the playoff roster, wins a ring, and rides off into the sunset (or a Mets coaching job).

Yancy Street Gang Jul 17 2006 11:40 AM

That would be a nice scenario, Olerud. The Mets have had a bunch of players appear in more than one postseason, but never one that transcended eras. By that I mean that nobody from 1969/1973 was around in 1986/1988, although Seaver and Staub and Ron Hodges came close. And nobody from 1986/1988 played in the 1999/2000 postseasons. But it looks like the next mini- (or maxi-) era of post-season play will begin in 2006. And if Fonzie's on the playoff roster (which I consider unlikely) it will be a first of sorts. And I know that 2000 and 2006 are not that far apart, but the roster has turned over completely since the 2000 season.

Willets Point Jul 17 2006 11:42 AM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: By that I mean that nobody from 1969/1973 was around in 1986/1988, although Seaver and Staub and Ron Hodges came close. And nobody from 1986/1988 played in the 1999/2000 postseasons. Except for David Cone. barf!

Yancy Street Gang Jul 17 2006 11:46 AM

I meant, of course, for the Mets, but you're right. Barf!

Frayed Knot Jul 17 2006 02:45 PM

]He's got This Year's Lee Mazzilli written all over him Except that Mazzilli circa 1986 still had something left. Fonzie hasn't shown signs of life for years.

Edgy DC Jul 17 2006 03:01 PM

Well, you perhaps wouldn't expect Pirate fans to have believed that, having seen Mazzilli go .226 / .392 /.301 // .693 in 61 games in 1986, before getting released. I thought the main difference is the lack this year of the void that Mazzilli stepped into. He was expected to take the veteran pinch hitter role that Rusty Staub retired out of after 1985, which was believed to be an unsuitable fit for George Foster, by both the Mets and Foster, when Foster was removed from the everyday lineup. I think if any team has ever had the "veteran pinch hitter" role filled, it's the 2006 Mets. That said, the Mets have been uncharacteristically carrying only three middle infielders since the Matsui trade, and have been without a substitute at all there since the Rey's injury, so they may indeed be looking at him to potentially back up second and third, pinch-hit, and maybe help Valentin with a lefty now and then. It gets me in trouble, but I'll also continue to argue that Alfonzo did fine in 2002.

Gwreck Jul 17 2006 03:14 PM

Edgy DC wrote: That said, the Mets have been uncharacteristically carrying only three middle infielders since the Matsui trade, and have been without a substitute there since the Reye's injury, so they may indeed be looking at him to potentially back up second and third, pinch-hit, and maybe help Valentin with a lefty now and then. I guess this is where we again lament Julio Franco's lack of defensive utility, for he is seemingly redundant with Woodward, Marrero, Nady, Valentin (and LoDuca) all able to play first. There are really only two spots for Alfonzo to take on the roster -- Eli Marrero's or Heath Bell's. If Willie is really going to use Marrero's versatility (the stints at 3B and C in the blowouts were encouraging) I can't see Fonzie warranting a spot on the roster.

Vic Sage Jul 17 2006 03:17 PM

He DID do fine in 02 (as indicated by an OPS+ of 130). The problem was, after an awful 01, he came back in 02 without the same pop of his earlier years, and so it felt disappointing. While he was a perfectly good #2 hitter in 02 (though not always used in that slot), he was no longer the Fonzie we once knew. And his last 3 1/2 years have been dreadful. In fact, I've never seen an excellent player have his production fall of a cliff like his did, at such a comparatively young age. Washed up at 31? geez. Still, i'm happy to see him back and wish him well.

Yancy Street Gang Jul 17 2006 03:17 PM

Fonzie could replace Jose Valentin, Julio Franco, or Chris Woodward. The only problem is that each of the three is doing a better job than Alfonzo probably would. So unless one of them is injured or traded, there's probably no room on the postseason roster for Fonzie. (But we might see him after September 1.)

Gwreck Jul 17 2006 03:21 PM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: Fonzie could replace Jose Valentin, Julio Franco, or Chris Woodward. The only problem is that each of the three is doing a better job than Alfonzo probably would. So unless one of them is injured or traded, there's probably no room on the postseason roster for Fonzie. (But we might see him after September 1.) That's hardly the only problem. Franco's contract; Woodward being the only backup SS; Valentin has a starting job in which he's doing admirably. I suppose it's worth waiting to see what happens in the minors but Jeff Keppinger seems to be much more deserving of the next middle infield promotion than Edgardo Alfonzo.

Edgy DC Jul 17 2006 03:33 PM

And we will see. If he does hit well enough to warrant post-season roster consideration (still an if), I don't see a lot of teams needing 12 pitchers on a post-season roster. That said, we probably could have used us some Rigo Beltran in the 1999 playoffs.

TheOldMole Jul 17 2006 03:55 PM

They're not gonna bring him up if he can't help them, so I don't see that as a huge problem. If he can help them, and they bring him up, I'll be glad to see him back. If not, I'm glad he's back in the organization, and I hope he stays in the Met family. He's one of the good ones.

OlerudOwned Jul 17 2006 04:24 PM

Only thing I can think of is Bell being left off the playoff roster because of the 4 man playoff rotation, with Fonzie taking his place. Although I guess he'd first have to show some kick when the rosters expand.

Yancy Street Gang Jul 17 2006 04:39 PM

Fonzie would have to prove himself before the rosters expand. There's a little room for loopholes if somebody's on the DL, but generally a player has to be on the active roster by August 31 to be eligible for the postseason. The Mets have six and a half weeks to figure out who they're taking to the dance.

Edgy DC Jul 17 2006 04:42 PM

Gwreck wrote: I suppose it's worth waiting to see what happens in the minors but Jeff Keppinger seems to be much more deserving of the next middle infield promotion than Edgardo Alfonzo. I don't think we should get prematurely offended on Keppinger's behalf. He's hitting .297, but that batting average is a gobstopping 84% of his offense (BAx2/OpS). His on-base percentage and slugging average at AAA is clearly below the 2003-2004 big league numbers posted by Alfonzo (though not the 2005-2006 numbers).

Gwreck Jul 17 2006 05:26 PM

Edgy DC wrote: If he does hit well enough to warrant post-season roster consideration (still an if), I don't see a lot of teams needing 12 pitchers on a post-season roster. That said, we probably could have used us some Rigo Beltran in the 1999 playoffs. Possibly, although we did have 11 pitchers on that roster. In 2000, the Mets only carried 10 pitchers on the postseason roster.

smg58 Jul 17 2006 06:10 PM

Vic Sage wrote: He DID do fine in 02 (as indicated by an OPS+ of 130). The problem was, after an awful 01, he came back in 02 without the same pop of his earlier years, and so it felt disappointing. While he was a perfectly good #2 hitter in 02 (though not always used in that slot), he was no longer the Fonzie we once knew. And his last 3 1/2 years have been dreadful. In fact, I've never seen an excellent player have his production fall of a cliff like his did, at such a comparatively young age. Washed up at 31? geez. Still, i'm happy to see him back and wish him well. I'm inclined to think Fonzie is more likely 35 than 32, but I'm suprised by the number of people who think he's a LOT older than he says he is. That would mean he convinced somebody he was 17 when he was well into his twenties. And his development through the minors was not abnormally fast. Plus, did he go back to Venezuela while preparing for the WBC? As much as I loved Fonzie and was angry to see him go, and as much as I welcome giving him a last chance here, I can't help wondering. A power spike in 99 and 00, then his back gives out, then he's not the same player... I hate to think it, but I don't know how to avoid being suspicious. As for now, I could see moving him up in favor of Marrero if he gives a reason to think he's a better hitter. Otherwise, it think it would take an injury to see him.

Edgy DC Jul 19 2006 09:57 AM

Fonzie went 0-4 with an RBI in his Norfolk return, a 7-2 victory over Indianapolis last night. it was a big night for Baby Mets, as the RBI went to Michael Tucker (35), Jacob Cruz (33, 2 RBI), Alfonzo (32), Sandy Martinez (35), and spring chicken Jeff Keppinger (26). Contributing with a run was Jose Offerman (37). You ask me why I'm squinting? It's because the future looks that bright.

MFS62 Jul 19 2006 10:15 AM

Edgy, that post needs no sarcastic comment rating. But if I had to give it one, it would be up around 100. LOL! Later

A Boy Named Seo Jul 23 2006 05:18 PM

Wearing #9, and batting fifth to protect the dangerous Offerman-Tucker 1-2 Punch, Fonz picked up a couple of hits and a couple of RBI's in Norfolk's 8-0 win yesterday. That brought him to a clean .300 in the early going (6-20) with one lone double in the XBH department. What could've been behind him that was so terrible they had to dump this crazy gray background there instead?

KC Jul 23 2006 07:33 PM

Hello, I'm Edgardo, and I'm 47 years young.

Edgy DC Jul 27 2006 11:20 PM

It strikes me that we have a Fonzarelli at each of our top farm clubs. Edgardo is with Norfolk (and hitting a disappointing 6-29. Edgar is the hitting coach with Binghamton. Edgar, Jr., is pitching relief with St. Lucie.

MFS62 Jul 28 2006 09:17 AM

Does anyone know if the guy catching for SF is a relative of theirs? Later

Yancy Street Gang Jul 28 2006 09:19 AM

Since his name isn't Edgar I'd guess not.

Edgy DC Aug 06 2006 11:11 PM

smg58 wrote: Plus, did he go back to Venezuela while preparing for the WBC? According to an article in today's Daily News, the team did work out in Caracas, although that doesn't mean everybody made the trip.

Zvon Aug 06 2006 11:22 PM

Collect em all! :)

Yancy Street Gang Aug 07 2006 06:05 AM