Schwei: David Wright's Legacy, Extra-Inning Games And More Mets Notes
By John Schweibacher
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The Mets began the final third of the 2013 season without their captain, David Wright, who went on the disabled list Saturday with a hamstring injury.
When Wright made his Mets debut in 2004, he was the 129th player to appear at third base in club history. Since then, only 21 other players have appeared in at least one game at the hot corner for the Mets, and only four of them have played in 10 or more games there for New York in addition to Wright:
• David Wright: 1,357
• Justin Turner: 48
• Fernando Tatis: 35
• Daniel Murphy: 22
• Chris Woodward: 17
The Mets played a pair of extra-inning games with the Kansas City Royals this past weekend, giving them a total of 15 this season and nine at Citi Field, where they have won four and lost five. The Mets have played 10 or more extra-inning games at home in a season 11 times in their history:
• 1968: 10 (1-9)
• 1969: 10 (6-4)
• 1971: 12 (8-4)
• 1978: 12 (4-8)
• 1979: 10 (3-7)
• 1980: 14 (5-9)
• 1985: 10 (4-6)
• 1986: 10 (4-6)
• 1996: 11 (7-4)
• 2001: 11 (5-6)
• 2002: 11 (4-7)
From September 21, 1982 through May 17, 1985, the Mets won 17 of 18 extra-inning games at Shea Stadium.
The Mets, who were 0-4 at home last season in extra-inning games, are now 13-23 overall in extra-inning games at Citi Field.
The Mets went 173-187 all time in extra-inning games at Shea Stadium after going a surprising 8 -7 in extras in their two seasons at the Polo Grounds.
The Mets have a postseason record of 6-3 in extra-inning games, all of which were played at Shea Stadium:
• 1969: 1-0
• 1973: 0-2
• 1986: 2-0
• 1988: 0-1
• 1999: 2-0
• 2000: 1-0
• 2006: 0-0
Bruce Chen did not figure in the decision in Kansas City's 4-3, 12-inning win over the Mets this past Saturday at Citi Field.
Chen has pitched for 10 different major-league teams, including the Mets. His first appearance for New York came in August of 2001, after being acquired in a trade with the Phillies. Only one active major leaguer made his Mets debut before Chen.
Here is a list of current players (including those on the disabled list) who first appeared with the Mets in 2005 or earlier:
• Octavio Dotel: 6/26/99
• Bruce Chen: 8/1/01
• Marco Scutaro: 7/21/02
• Pedro Feliciano: 9/4/02
• Jose Reyes: 6/10/03
• David Wright: 7/21/04
• Jeff Keppinger: 8/20/04
• Heath Bell: 8/24/04
• Carlos Beltan: 4/4/05
(Ty Wigginton, who made his Mets debut in 2002, was released by St. Louis last month.)
Zack Wheeler pitched no-hit ball into the seventh inning last Tuesday night in Miami. Thanks to SNY for this list of the five longest no-hit bids by Mets rookie pitchers:
Date Player IP Opponent (Hit To End Bid)
• 8/4/75: Randy Tate, 7.1 vs. MTL (Jim Lyttle single)
• 6/6/84: Dwight Gooden, 7.0 at PIT (Doug Frobel single)
• 7/30/13: Zack Wheeler, 6.1 at MIA (Ed Lucas single)
• 9/25/87: Danny Frisella, 6.0 at SF (Jim Ray Hart single)
• 8/16/99: Octavio Dotel, 6.0 at SD (Phil Nevin home run)
The Mets complete their homestand this week against Colorado. The Rockies have won eight straight games against the Mets at Citi Field, having swept a four-game series here in each of the last two seasons, giving Colorado a 10-5 all-time record against the Mets at Citi Field.
The Mets had an all-time record 46-20 against the Rockies at Shea Stadium, including an 18-2 mark vs. Colorado in the final 20 games between the two clubs at Shea.
This weekend, the Mets begin a 10-game road trip with a three-game series in Arizona. Since 2009, the Diamondbacks have won 10 of their 13 home games against the Mets. Prior to that the Mets had won 15 of 17 against the Diamondbacks in Arizona, including a streak of 13 in a row from May 12, 2004 through May 5, 2007.
Happy Recap: Eric Young, Jr. collected his first career walk-off hit with game-winning two-run homer to give the Mets a 4-2, 11-inning win last Friday night vs. the Royals.
Nine Miles of Rough Road: David Aardsma suffered a blown save and a loss in two weekend outings with Mets closer Bobby Parnell sidelined with a stiff neck.
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