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The Way-Back Machine -- Before the Shit Storm

Frayed Knot Mar 31 2007 10:24 AM

The Long Island Press is a free weekly newspaper here on Long Island (Duh!). They took the name from a deseased daily which existed from the days of Walt Whitman but eventually went under upon the ascension of Newsday. In fact, it was 30 years ago this week that they ceased publishing. So to commemerate their bygone namesake, the current Press honored the dead relative by putting out a kind of retro issue depicting the news from late March 1977. Among the articles was the last L.I.Press byline for the recently deceased Jack Lang, approx 3 months prior to the midnight massacre. March 25, 1977 - ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. Contrary to their denials, the Mets have promised Tom Seaver they will trade him if they can work out an equitable deal, The Press learned today. And Tom Terrific has advised the brass it is the Dodgers he prefers to be dealt to. Now it is up to them to complete arrangements. Seaver, M. Donald Grant and Joe McDonald had a secret meeting at 6 o’clock last Wednesday night at Huggins-Stengel Field after the rest of the troops had journeyed across town to play the Cardinals at Al Lang Stadium. Grant requested the meeting with his star pitcher and the general manager, McDonald, also sat in on it. "They wanted to tell me how unhappy they are with me," Seaver revealed, "but it also gave me an opportunity to tell them just how I feel. It was quite a session." Short of calling him an ingrate, Grant accused Seaver of creating unrest in the Mets’ camp with his constant carping over last year’s salary negotiations. "I kept it inside me all last year," Seaver says. "I bit my tongue many times when I wanted to say something and didn’t. But I found it was affecting my family life and I wasn’t going to let myself get sick over it. That’s why I said what I said earlier this spring. I had to get it out of my system." Not all the details of the Wednesday night meeting are available but apparently there were some heated exchanges between the player and the chairman of the board. "They accused me of creating this trade talk but I advised them it was they who started it all last spring when they challenged my loyalty to the club just because I said I had to think of my family first," Seaver related. "They were the ones who threatened to trade me." Grant’s intention, according to Seaver, was to scold him at the Wednesday meeting but "The Franchise" instead wound up giving the chairman of the board a piece of his mind. "At least I let them know where I stand," said the pitcher, appearing relieved and happy that he had said his piece. "Yes," he admitted, "we talked about me being traded and we both agreed that maybe it would be better for both of us if I were traded." But Seaver must approve of any deal the Mets make. His veteran status assures him of that. They cannot send him to a team he will not report to. Seaver declined to say if he gave Grant and McDonald a list of clubs he would accept. But he did say the Dodgers are the team he would prefer. That could dreate a problem. Two snags have developed, and for all the bitterness that currently exists between Seaver and Grant, Tom may wind up pitching the entire year for the Mets. Could Seaver live with that? "No problem," he assured. "Now that I’ve told them how I feel, I’ve got a load off my mind. I’d be perfectly happy to go right on pitching in New York." Dealing with the Dodgers will not be easy, much as they want Seaver. In the first place, Don Sutton, whom the Dodgers are offering in exchange, has some second thoughts about joining the Mets. Last year he would have jumped at the opportunity. Now he is of a different mind. Secondly, the Mets want an infielder (Bill Russell) or a hard-hitting outfielder along with a pitcher. The Dodgers refuse. "I’m not going to bust up this team just to get Tom Seaver," says Dodger GM Al Campanis. As for a Tom Seaver-Pete Rose deal, it does not seem likely. Rose has told the Reds of six clubs he would join. The Mets are not one of them. "I won’t go to any team unless it is offense-oriented," says Rose. "The Mets are not offense-oriented. The Yankees are." Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the current situation is that following the meeting at which he assured Tom an effort would be made to trade him, Grant appeared at Lang Field where he told one reporter: "No, no, a thousand times no, we will not trade Tom Seaver." Someone speaks with forked tongue. Also: Tommy Hutton, who usually delights in facing Tom Seaver, did not miss him yesterday. Instead the Phillies’ reserve first baseman hit a three-run homer off Dennis Solari in the bottom of the ninth at Clearwater to give the Phillies a 10-8 victory … it was the Mets’ fifth loss in the last six games. They are now 7-7 for the spring after a 6-2 start … Jerry Koosman was clipped for nine hits in four innings, including a five-run second. Greg Luzinski slammed a two-run homer … then the Mets rallied with seven in the seventh only to lose in the ninth. Roy Staiger had two doubles in the seventh, one with the bases loaded … Randy Tate and John Pacella were cut from the squad and sent to the minor league complex … Lee Mazzilli is 22 today.