IN a better day, Darryl vs. the Met manager would have been worth weeks of coverage, analysis and fallout. But these are not better days for the Mets.
The Darryl who verbally challenged Bobby Valentine was Hamilton and, thus, the issue was like the team: lacking life, interest or a future. Hamilton is now home in Houston, drawing the rest of his $3 million 2001 paycheck the same way he did the past three months – by doing nothing. Aptly for this Met season, that is symbolic, metaphoric and pathetic.
If more evidence were needed of this futile pennant defense – and it really shouldn’t be – the Mets lost 3-0 to the Cubs with their familiar offensive display, missing in action.
Joe McEwing had three hits and the rest of the lineup had two. The Mets loaded the bases with none out in the first and did not score and the only surprise would be if anyone at Shea were surprised.
Before the game, in his best revival-meeting mode, GM Steve Phillips had responded to a query about why Met fans should stay interested in his team by preaching about the salvation of a season.
“[The fans] have a chance to witness the greatest comeback in Met history and be part of it,” Phillips exhorted.
Phillips, as he has for much of this season, placed his faith in the power of healing of his many injured and the good record book, which he believes promises better things from his plagued offense.
Except here we are to tell you, brothers and sisters, that the Red Sox have been beset by more serious aches and pains and that the Cub lineup is even more inferior than that of the Mets.
Yet, those two teams – the long-suffering Job of franchises – have defied these problems and their history to make serious post-season assaults. Meanwhile, the shames of Shea have assured that in 2001 there will be no Miracle Mets. Phillips is still selling. But like when he mentions Rey Ordonez or Todd Zeile to other teams, no one should be buying.
Edgardo Alfonzo rejoined the lineup, which Phillips painted as a meaningful moment in the season, much like Jay Payton’s return was supposed to be meaningful and Benny Agbayani’s and Al Leiter’s and … well, you get the point or more points than the Mets ever do.
This represented the eighth time they were shut out and the 33rd time they have scored two or fewer runs. They are 4-29 in those games.
The best health news involving the Mets yesterday was not about Alfonzo, but that New York treasure Bob Murphy was back on the job following a battle with pneumonia that led to heart failure.
“The doctors told me I was a very sick guy,” the radio legend said. Murphy’s return to the microphone must serve as the happiest recap at Shea these days, because the games consistently go so wrong.
The Cubs managed just one run in Rick Reed’s seven innings and it came on a homer of biblical proportions over the left-field bleachers by Sammy Sosa. But why pitch to Sosa, who is even more of an island in the Cub lineup than Mike Piazza is with the Mets, especially with Rondell White out with a groin injury? You know what they would call Agbayani in Chicago? The cleanup hitter.
Yet, the Cubs – behind their power arms – have the NL’s second best record and the Mets are trying to hold off last-place Montreal.
Phillips said he thinks the division and wild-card winner will both win under 90 games. To win 89, the Mets would have to go 53-25 the rest of the way. And no team with an MVP race among McEwing, Desi Relaford and Tsuyoshi Shinjo is going to play .679 for a sustained period. Heck, the Mets need a 12-game winning streak simply to reach .500.
After last night’s game, the Mets had a Fourth of July celebration and to say it would be the only fireworks in their dismal season would be both trite and true.
The only highlights this year have been the blond streaks in Robin Ventura’s hair. In fact, the biggest news of the last week was that Piazza had gone platinum. That it overshadowed his fractured big toe said much about the 2001 Mets.
It left us with this question for this season, who dyed first, Piazza or his team?
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AMAZIN’ CIVIL WARS
Joel Sherman says Bobby Valentine-Darryl Hamilton spat was a joke, just like Mets. Here’s a look at some past Amazin’ internal blow-ups:
August 1986: George Foster vs. Davey Johnson
Foster cries racism as he is released following being benched after going 2-for-28 with 10 strikeouts and one RBI in last 12 games.
“I’m not saying [the benching] is a racial thing, but it seems to be the case in sports these days,” Foster said. “When a ballclub can they replace a George Foster or a Mookie Wilson with a more popular white player.”
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July 1987: Darrly Strawberry vs.Wally Backman
Lee Mazilli and Backman were criticizing Strawberry for skipping games against bitter rivals Cardinals. Starwberry refered to Backman as a redneck, and threatened to punch him if confronted.
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March 2, 1989: Darryl Strawberry vs. Keith Hernandez
While the Mets were lining up to take team photo, Hernandez and Strawberry got into a shoving match. Strawberry was told to sit next to Hernandez so that numbers 17 and 18 could be side-by-side. At that point Strawberry said, “I’d rather sit next to my real friends.” Hernandez then replied, “Why don’t you grow up you baby?” Strawberry threw a puch that missed Hernandez while saying “I’ve been tired of you for years.”
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August 1997: Lance Johnson and Pete Harnish vs. Bobby Valentine
Johnson, who was traded by the Mets to the Cubs August 8, ripped Valentine saying that the manager does not know how to win and is not respected by his players.
Harnisch got into a loud profanity-laced attack on Valentine in the team’s hotel in Baltimore on August 30. The next day Harnisch was traded to the Brewers. “[Valentine] inplied that I was scared to pitch,” Harnisch said. “This guy is a piece of [garbage] soley because of that 35, 40 seconds of speech he gave me that day.”
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1997-1998: Valentine vs. Todd Hundley
Soon after the Mets aquired Mike Piazza from the Marlins on May 22, 1998, questions began to spring up weather or not Hundley had a drinking problem. In 1997 Hundley was chastised by Valentine for his sleeping habits. Hundley was furious about the drinking reports and confronted GM Steve Phillips, Valentine and others about the story.
“I’ve confronted everyone I have thought might have done it, and I can’t get a straight answer,” said Hundley who denied having a drinking problem.
– Compiled by Thomas Cullen
(Different version of story in metro edition)