MLB

David Wright’s rookie season filled with excitement, ‘tough lessons’

The sports coat didn’t match his slacks, but that was the least of David Wright’s worries.

The flip-flops he had taken to wearing to and from the ballpark in the minors were a fashion faux pas in the major leagues.

And 10 years ago, that is where Wright suddenly found himself for the first time. Called up from Triple-A Norfolk on July 21, 2004, Wright was the newest New York Met.

Now a seven-time All-Star and the team’s captain, the 31-year-old third baseman said he remembers everything about those heady first few days.

Most of all, he recalls how much he didn’t know about being a big leaguer.

“I didn’t know anything,” Wright said.

The call had come the previous night after a game in Wright’s hometown of Norfolk, Va., where he was playing for the Triple-A Tides.

After a game against Durham, Wright was summoned into manager John Stearns’ office where he received news Wright said came “out of the blue.”

“After that it was a whirlwind of emotion,” he said. “On one end, you’re accomplishing a lifelong dream, a goal by being called up. At the same time, it’s kind of a beginning. It’s not a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Now you have to establish yourself.”

Wright runs home for a seventh inning run against the Atlanta Braves after a sacrifice from teammate Kirk Nieuwenhuis (not pictured) on July 9, 2014.Getty Images

After calling his parents and some friends, Wright got a quick night’s sleep before an early-morning flight to LaGuardia. He remembered flying over Shea Stadium and going right to the ballpark.

“Coming into the clubhouse and seeing your jersey hanging [in your locker] for the first time, it was pretty surreal,” he said. “I probably tried my jersey on and stood in front of the mirror for quite some time that day soaking it all in.”

“I remember a kid with a smile from ear to ear, his eyes glazed over, sitting down and taking everything in,” said reliever John Franco, then the Mets captain.

Wright had been drafted three years earlier out of high school by the Mets with the 38th pick — 20 selections after they grabbed pitcher Aaron Heilman.

Though the Mets were always high on Wright, they did not see him coming in 2004, a season he began at Double-A Binghamton where he hit .363 in 60 games.

“He moved quickly,” said Jim Duquette, then the Mets general manager. “He was having such a good season in Double-A and I remember having a conversation with his manager, Ken Oberkfell. And Obie said ‘He can help you right now in the big leagues…He just has a knack.’

“In the end we took the more conservative approach and assigned him to Norfolk…And 30 games in he’s swinging the hell out of the bat there too. So we said, ‘Screw it. Let’s bring him up.’”

Wright joined the Art Howe Mets of Franco, Mike Piazza, Al Leiter, Tom Glavine, Cliff Floyd and Mike Cameron. They would reach the .500 mark with a win in Wright’s first game, but they would never sniff it again and would finish 71-91.

“It was a very veteran team,” Wright said. “I wasn’t very thankful for that then because they gave me a hard time. But I’m very thankful for it now. I think it really helped me learn. But there were some tough lessons. … But once I kind of earned the respect of the veterans it was a very comfortable atmosphere.”

Wright high-fives second baseman Daniel Murphy #28, after hitting a 2-run home run in the 5th inning against the Miami Marlins, July 11, 2014.Charles Wenzelberg

“You always ride the rookies pretty good,” said Franco.

Wright batted seventh and went 0-for 4 that first night against the Montreal Expos. He got his first hit the following day off Zach Day.

His first homer wouldn’t come until five days later in Montreal. That road trip presented other challenges, however.

“I had no idea what the dress code was,” Wright said. “I knew that I had to have a sports coat. I had suit pants, but I had a coat that didn’t match the suit pants. So I always carried the coat so no one would notice.

“But once I got to Montreal you had to wear nice shoes, nice jeans and a collared shirt. I had the collared shirts, but I was wearing flip-flops. I went to the first game and everyone looked at me.”

“I do remember that,” said utilityman Joe McEwing, whom Wright credits with guiding him. “I said ‘No more. Last day.’”

“He was a bad dresser,” said Franco. “But most guys who come up from the minor leagues are.”

McEwing and his wife helped Wright find an apartment in their building and invited him over often.

“He was like a big brother,” Wright said. “He taught me what time to be here. What to wear on the road. The dos and don’ts, the ins and outs of everyday big league baseball life.”

But his former teammates all said Wright, for all he might not have known, arrived with a deep respect for the game that made accepting him easy.

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“David didn’t come in acting like he was a superstar,” said Floyd, who recalled he “messed with” Wright “24/7” even making him carry his bags. “You earn that and he knew that…He understood the importance of doing it on the field.”

As the team’s season hit the skids, the Mets debated sending Wright back to Triple-A.

Though he struggled initially, he would finish the season batting .293 with 14 homers and 40 RBIs in 69 games.

“We never felt like he was overmatched,” said Duquette. “The only big fear was he would be around a lot of negativity with the losing. But his production was so good. There was no way we were going to send him back down…We said, ‘This guy is well on his way to being the player we thought he’d be.’

“He was so humble and had very little ego. I remember making the comment at the time, he’s the kind of guy you’d want to date your daughter. And he’s a really good player. Most of those players that you want to date your daughter aren’t very good. But he’s a different breed.”

Of all the lessons the veterans imparted one stood out, though Wright admitted he was skeptical at first.

“They told me ‘Enjoy it because it flies by,’” he said. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, OK. You have been playing for this long. I know it hasn’t flown by.’

“Fast forward 10 years, turns out it has all gone by quickly.”