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Schwei: Another Lackluster September, Harang's Debut And More Mets Notes

By John Schweibacher
» More Columns

Back in the final month of the 1986 season, with the Mets on their way to a club-record 108 wins, the outfield fence at Shea Stadium carried the printed message: "A September to Remember."

The final months of the Mets' more recent seasons have not been as memorable, at least in a positive way. In fact, the Mets have had an above .500 record in September just once since winning the National League East in 2006.

Mets' September Records Since 2006:

•2013: 5-10 (.333)*

•2012: 11-16 (.407)

•2011: 12-16 (.429)

•2010: 12-15 (.444)

•2009: 8-20 (.286)

•2008: 13-12 (.520)

•2007: 14-14 (.500)

•2006: 16-8 (.667)

(•-through 9/15)

Aaron Harang took the loss in his Mets' debut last Thursday afternoon as the Mets were beaten, 7-2, by the Nationals.

Harang struck out 10 Washington batters to become just the third pitcher in club history to fan 10 or more opposing hitters in his first game for the Mets.

•4/04/05: Pedro Martinez at Cin -- 12

•7/26/12: Matt Harvey at Arz -- 11

•9/12/13: Aaron Harang vs. Was -- 10

Harang gave up just three runs, all on solo homers, equalling the dubious club mark of most home runs given up in a pitcher's Mets debut.

Oddly, the two most recent of these outings prior to Harang's occurred in consecutive games:

•Mike Birkbeck: 8/31/92 vs. Atl (Justice, Pendleton, Berryhill).

•Brian Rose: 4/6/01 at Mon (Cabrera, Bergeron, Barrett).

•Steve Trachsel: 4/7/01 at Mon (Stevens-2, Knorr).

•Aaron Harang: 9/12/13 vs. Was (Zimmerman, La Roche, Ramos).

The Nationals' Gio Gonzalez threw a one-hitter against the Mets last Monday night at Citi Field. It was the 11th time the Mets had been held to one hit or fewer by an opposing starter for at least nine innings in a home game, and the first in nearly 23 years.

6/21/64: Jim Bunning, Phillies (perfect game)

9/25/64: Jim Maloney, Cin (Jones single)

9/11/65: Tony Cloninger, Mil (Christopher single)

7/01/66: Woodie Fryman Pit (Hunt single)

9/20/69 Bob Moose, Pit (no-hitter)

7/06/72: Steve Arlin, SD (Marshall single)

5/03/75: Woodie Fryman, Mtl (Stearns double)

5/30/78: Silvio Martinez, Stl  (Henderson HR)

7/31/83: José DeLeon, Pit (Brooks single)

9/20/90: Chris Nabholz, Mtl (Herr single)

9/09/13: Gio Gonzalez, Was (Lutz single)

The Mets' homestand concludes with three games against the San Francisco Giants, and then the Mets begin their final road trip of 2013 with a three-game series in Philadelphia.

Last month, the Phillies replaced manager Charlie Manuel with third-base coach Ryne Sandberg. Manuel, who was hired by the Phils in November 2004 and Giants' manager Bruce Bochy, who is completing his seventh season with San Francisco, had been the two-longest tenured skippers in the National League.

Here are the 10 managers with the longest current tenures in the majors:

•Mike Scioscia: LAA, 11/17/99

•Ron Gardenhire: Min, 1/4/02

•Jim Leyland: Det, 10/4/05

•Joe Maddon: TB, 11/15/05

•Bruce Bochy: SF, 10/27/06

•Ron Washington: Tex, 11/8/06

•Bud Black: SD, 11/9/06

•Dusty Baker: Cin, 10/14/07

•Joe Girardi: NYY, 10/30/07

•Ned Yost: KC, 5/13/10

Nine Miles of Rough Road: National Disaster -- The Mets were out-homered, 13-0, in a four-game sweep by Washington, one shy of the 14-0 disparity against the Tigers in a three-game series in Detroit back in 1997.

Happy Recap: Travis d'Arnaud -- The rookie catcher was 0-for-17 with runners in scoring position before his bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 12th inning that gave the Mets a 1-0 victory over the Marlins on Sunday.

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