DNBW IV: May 2004
Coming off a successful first month of the 2004 season, the Mets front office and GM John Spelferson were given a sense of cautious optimism that the team may be able to be competitive despite an orientation towards a youth movement. Spelferson would not make moves to augment the team unless they remained competitive through the middle of June, and remained confident that reinforcements could come from the team's Minor League depth.
The month of May 2004 would begin with two games against the Cincinnati Reds at home, a continuation of the four game series from the end of April. The Mets won both games in April and in May they split the remaining two, taking 3 of 4 from the Reds. The remaining schedule for May featured heavily in divisional opponents, making it a key month to measure the viability of the team going forward. Two three game series on the road against the Marlins and Phillies would be followed by an eight game home-stand against the Expos, Dodgers, and a truncated two game series against the Cardinals. A short two game road series against the Reds would follow, after which time the Mets would return home to play the Yankees for three games and the Phillies for three games. During the last week of May, the Mets would play four games on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers and two games in Montreal against the Expos, part of a three game series that extended into June.
The first road trip of the month would be a test against division rivals and potential competitors as Florida was 4 games behind the Mets and the Phillies were in first place, 1 game ahead. As the team departed for Miami it demoted long reliever Matt Ginter (10.03 ERA in 11.2 IP) and recalled Manny Aybar from AAA Norfolk. The Mets took 2 of 3 from Florida, including a 19-7 win in the middle game of the series which saw each starting player (including pitcher Tom Glavine) have at least one RBI in the game. Manny Aybar, who allowed 3 ER in 3 IP to close the game, earned a rare multi-innings save. Flying to Philadelphia next, the Mets found themselves atop the National League East standings as the Phillies had been swept by the Giants during the Mets series in Miami; the Mets at 16-10 lead the 15-11 Phillies by 1 game. The Mets lost the first game despite a late rally but managed to win the other two, putting the team 2 games ahead by the end of the series. Standout players of this critical series included OF Chris Richard who went 4-9 with 2 HR and SP Brian Bannister, who, in his fifth Major League start, pitched a complete game with 2 ER and 6 hits in the final game of the series.
The next stretch of games - the home-stand against the Expos and Dodgers - presented a major opportunity for the Mets to solidify their lead as both teams were in last place. The Mets made the most of it by sweeping Montreal at home, a series which included team captain RP John Franco recording his first win since the 2001 season in relief. The Mets next took 2 of 3 from the Dodgers, elevating their record to a stunning, league-best 23-12 approximately halfway through the month of May. National media attention began to focus on the Mets and GM John Spelferson as well as "comeback" story Chris Richard, whose .313-8-27 line helped bolster the middle of the Mets lineup. Spelferson was hailed by Sports Illustrated as "Baseball's Next Top Man", but his reception among the New York media was considerably more mixed. Receiving particular attention was the trade of Steve Trachsel (4-1, 2.96 ERA in 45 IP) for Jake Westbrook (2-4, 5.79 ERA in 42 IP) as well as the mediocre return for Cliff Floyd. Nonetheless, fans expressed confidence and enthusiasm with favorable attendance numbers through May 16, with the team's average of 45,533 at Shea Stadium being second in the National League.
Enthusiasm would be tempered somewhat as the Mets were swept by the Cardinals in the 2 game series that would precede their short trip to Cincinnati. The series featured a 12-0 blowout pitched by Jake Westbrook, though he was only responsible for 5 ER due to a critical error by 1B Jason Phillips; Manny Aybar allowed an addition 2 runs in relief. The Mets would split the two game series in Cincinnati before returning for another critical home-stand, this time against the crosstown Yankees and Phillies, who remained in second place. Much to the embarrassment of Mets fans, the team would be swept by the Yankees, putting the Mets in a 1-7 stretch since the last game of the Dodgers series. The series included another 7-0 loss pitched by Jake Westbrook, who began to draw the ire of Mets fans for continued poor performances. Fortunately for the Mets, the Phillies had also struggled and remained in second place by 1 game. Despite a strong overall record, the Mets fell to a 11-10 record for May and many felt that the team stood at the brink. A strong series against the Phillies, which began on May 23rd, could lift the team and give it enough momentum to continue to be competitive; a series loss or sweep could mean the beginning of the end.
The first game of the series, an exciting affair tied through 9 innings, came to a disappointing end as closer Braden Looper surrendered the game winning run in the top of the tenth inning. The Mets would break their four game losing streak the next day with a 6-1 win after a very strong performance by SP Tom Glavine. The rubber game of the series was a duel of left-handed pitchers Al Leiter and Randy Wolf. Like the first game, this would be decided late as both teams were tied with 1 run through 7 innings. The game saw Jeff Duncan's first hit of the year as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 8th inning. Duncan would advance to third base on a Jose Reyes hit, and scored on a Mike Cameron sacrifice fly, putting the Mets ahead 2-1. Braden Looper would successfully close the game the next inning, giving the Mets a series win.
Before closing out the month with series against the Brewers - a tough but not dominant team - and the league-worst Montreal Expos, John Spelferson arranged another roster shuffle. OF Jason Jones, acquired from the Texas Rangers in the Cliff Floyd trade, had progressed significantly and had strong Minor League stats. As a switch-hitter, he provided significant value off the bench as the only left hander, OF Jeff Duncan, had struggled mightily. Jones was called up on May 26th in place of IF Ricky Gutierrez, who was designated for assignment and had not played in a single game for New York. Manager Art Howe decided Jones would take the Designated Hitter duties for the remainder of the team's inter-league schedule. The Mets also began to search internally for a backup option at second base, as Jeff Keppinger (.235-4-30) had struggled on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. For the time being, 24 year old IF David Bacani, who had managed 4 hits in 13 AB off the bench, took over the starting second base job, but Manager Art Howe insisted the situation was "fluid" and would be "results-based". Behind the scenes, Spelferson directed Howe to have 3B Ty Wigginton begin taking grounders at 2B and try and learn the position. Wigginton blocked one of the Mets top prospects - 3B David Wright - and his bat would play better as a middle infielder. The final roster move Spelferson made was to demote Manny Aybar and promote pitcher Aaron Heilman, who had struggled mightily as a starter in 2003 but had strong stats for AA Binghamton. Heilman replaced Jake Westbrook in the starting rotation as Westbrook was relegated to long relief and "mopup" duties.
The four game series against the Milwaukee Brewers went as well as could have been expected for a competitive opponent, and the Mets split the series. The series included a win for Aaron Heilman, who pitched 5 innings with no runs in his season debut on May 26th. 2B David Bacani managed only 2 hits in 9 AB but was walked 5 times due to him batting ahead of the pitcher. The concluding series of the month, two of the three games scheduled against the Expos in Montreal, were split. The Expos shocked the Mets with a 11-0 victory as the last place team tagged Al Leiter with 6 ER in 4.2 IP, though the Mets responded with a 10-3 victory to close the month.
The Mets finished May with a 29-22 overall record and a 16-14 record on the month, though they closed the month with a 6-11 record in the final 17 games, which gave both fans and the front office a degree of alarm. Despite cause for concern, there were many bright spots. SP Brian Bannister (3-1, 3.81 ERA in 52 IP) seemed to be a genuine "diamond in the rough", and confidence in him earned Spelferson considerable praise. 26 year old relievers Dan Wheeler (2.45 ERA in 25.2 IP) and Heath Bell (2.22 ERA in 24.1 IP) provided considerable stability for the team late in games. OF Chris Richard continued his strong offensive season (.312-11-35, .396 OBP) and 1B/C Jason Phillips (.286-9-29, .352 OBP) was posting a second consecutive strong season. After a weak first season with New York, SP Tom Glavine (9-2, 3.27 ERA in 77 IP) was pitching a strong season and was leading the Major Leagues in wins through the end of May.
The month of May 2004 would begin with two games against the Cincinnati Reds at home, a continuation of the four game series from the end of April. The Mets won both games in April and in May they split the remaining two, taking 3 of 4 from the Reds. The remaining schedule for May featured heavily in divisional opponents, making it a key month to measure the viability of the team going forward. Two three game series on the road against the Marlins and Phillies would be followed by an eight game home-stand against the Expos, Dodgers, and a truncated two game series against the Cardinals. A short two game road series against the Reds would follow, after which time the Mets would return home to play the Yankees for three games and the Phillies for three games. During the last week of May, the Mets would play four games on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers and two games in Montreal against the Expos, part of a three game series that extended into June.
The first road trip of the month would be a test against division rivals and potential competitors as Florida was 4 games behind the Mets and the Phillies were in first place, 1 game ahead. As the team departed for Miami it demoted long reliever Matt Ginter (10.03 ERA in 11.2 IP) and recalled Manny Aybar from AAA Norfolk. The Mets took 2 of 3 from Florida, including a 19-7 win in the middle game of the series which saw each starting player (including pitcher Tom Glavine) have at least one RBI in the game. Manny Aybar, who allowed 3 ER in 3 IP to close the game, earned a rare multi-innings save. Flying to Philadelphia next, the Mets found themselves atop the National League East standings as the Phillies had been swept by the Giants during the Mets series in Miami; the Mets at 16-10 lead the 15-11 Phillies by 1 game. The Mets lost the first game despite a late rally but managed to win the other two, putting the team 2 games ahead by the end of the series. Standout players of this critical series included OF Chris Richard who went 4-9 with 2 HR and SP Brian Bannister, who, in his fifth Major League start, pitched a complete game with 2 ER and 6 hits in the final game of the series.
The next stretch of games - the home-stand against the Expos and Dodgers - presented a major opportunity for the Mets to solidify their lead as both teams were in last place. The Mets made the most of it by sweeping Montreal at home, a series which included team captain RP John Franco recording his first win since the 2001 season in relief. The Mets next took 2 of 3 from the Dodgers, elevating their record to a stunning, league-best 23-12 approximately halfway through the month of May. National media attention began to focus on the Mets and GM John Spelferson as well as "comeback" story Chris Richard, whose .313-8-27 line helped bolster the middle of the Mets lineup. Spelferson was hailed by Sports Illustrated as "Baseball's Next Top Man", but his reception among the New York media was considerably more mixed. Receiving particular attention was the trade of Steve Trachsel (4-1, 2.96 ERA in 45 IP) for Jake Westbrook (2-4, 5.79 ERA in 42 IP) as well as the mediocre return for Cliff Floyd. Nonetheless, fans expressed confidence and enthusiasm with favorable attendance numbers through May 16, with the team's average of 45,533 at Shea Stadium being second in the National League.
Enthusiasm would be tempered somewhat as the Mets were swept by the Cardinals in the 2 game series that would precede their short trip to Cincinnati. The series featured a 12-0 blowout pitched by Jake Westbrook, though he was only responsible for 5 ER due to a critical error by 1B Jason Phillips; Manny Aybar allowed an addition 2 runs in relief. The Mets would split the two game series in Cincinnati before returning for another critical home-stand, this time against the crosstown Yankees and Phillies, who remained in second place. Much to the embarrassment of Mets fans, the team would be swept by the Yankees, putting the Mets in a 1-7 stretch since the last game of the Dodgers series. The series included another 7-0 loss pitched by Jake Westbrook, who began to draw the ire of Mets fans for continued poor performances. Fortunately for the Mets, the Phillies had also struggled and remained in second place by 1 game. Despite a strong overall record, the Mets fell to a 11-10 record for May and many felt that the team stood at the brink. A strong series against the Phillies, which began on May 23rd, could lift the team and give it enough momentum to continue to be competitive; a series loss or sweep could mean the beginning of the end.
The first game of the series, an exciting affair tied through 9 innings, came to a disappointing end as closer Braden Looper surrendered the game winning run in the top of the tenth inning. The Mets would break their four game losing streak the next day with a 6-1 win after a very strong performance by SP Tom Glavine. The rubber game of the series was a duel of left-handed pitchers Al Leiter and Randy Wolf. Like the first game, this would be decided late as both teams were tied with 1 run through 7 innings. The game saw Jeff Duncan's first hit of the year as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 8th inning. Duncan would advance to third base on a Jose Reyes hit, and scored on a Mike Cameron sacrifice fly, putting the Mets ahead 2-1. Braden Looper would successfully close the game the next inning, giving the Mets a series win.
Before closing out the month with series against the Brewers - a tough but not dominant team - and the league-worst Montreal Expos, John Spelferson arranged another roster shuffle. OF Jason Jones, acquired from the Texas Rangers in the Cliff Floyd trade, had progressed significantly and had strong Minor League stats. As a switch-hitter, he provided significant value off the bench as the only left hander, OF Jeff Duncan, had struggled mightily. Jones was called up on May 26th in place of IF Ricky Gutierrez, who was designated for assignment and had not played in a single game for New York. Manager Art Howe decided Jones would take the Designated Hitter duties for the remainder of the team's inter-league schedule. The Mets also began to search internally for a backup option at second base, as Jeff Keppinger (.235-4-30) had struggled on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. For the time being, 24 year old IF David Bacani, who had managed 4 hits in 13 AB off the bench, took over the starting second base job, but Manager Art Howe insisted the situation was "fluid" and would be "results-based". Behind the scenes, Spelferson directed Howe to have 3B Ty Wigginton begin taking grounders at 2B and try and learn the position. Wigginton blocked one of the Mets top prospects - 3B David Wright - and his bat would play better as a middle infielder. The final roster move Spelferson made was to demote Manny Aybar and promote pitcher Aaron Heilman, who had struggled mightily as a starter in 2003 but had strong stats for AA Binghamton. Heilman replaced Jake Westbrook in the starting rotation as Westbrook was relegated to long relief and "mopup" duties.
The four game series against the Milwaukee Brewers went as well as could have been expected for a competitive opponent, and the Mets split the series. The series included a win for Aaron Heilman, who pitched 5 innings with no runs in his season debut on May 26th. 2B David Bacani managed only 2 hits in 9 AB but was walked 5 times due to him batting ahead of the pitcher. The concluding series of the month, two of the three games scheduled against the Expos in Montreal, were split. The Expos shocked the Mets with a 11-0 victory as the last place team tagged Al Leiter with 6 ER in 4.2 IP, though the Mets responded with a 10-3 victory to close the month.
The Mets finished May with a 29-22 overall record and a 16-14 record on the month, though they closed the month with a 6-11 record in the final 17 games, which gave both fans and the front office a degree of alarm. Despite cause for concern, there were many bright spots. SP Brian Bannister (3-1, 3.81 ERA in 52 IP) seemed to be a genuine "diamond in the rough", and confidence in him earned Spelferson considerable praise. 26 year old relievers Dan Wheeler (2.45 ERA in 25.2 IP) and Heath Bell (2.22 ERA in 24.1 IP) provided considerable stability for the team late in games. OF Chris Richard continued his strong offensive season (.312-11-35, .396 OBP) and 1B/C Jason Phillips (.286-9-29, .352 OBP) was posting a second consecutive strong season. After a weak first season with New York, SP Tom Glavine (9-2, 3.27 ERA in 77 IP) was pitching a strong season and was leading the Major Leagues in wins through the end of May.
Team stats through the end of May
If the team were to remain competitive, it was clear that the starting rotation must see improvements, either in the form of new personnel or stronger performances. The team's seventh year ace Al Leiter was particularly disappointing. The Mets' farm system was relatively well stocked but had few starters who were Major League ready. While Al Leiter could not be sent down and would likely not be displaced by a call-up, second year pitcher Jae Weong Seo was a disappointment and it was thought that he would be sent down if he continued to struggle. On May 31st, the Mets promoted 20 year old SP Scott Kazmir from A ball to AAA in preparation for a potential call-up in June. IF Mike Collins, who had been sent down earlier in the year, was recalled after hitting nearly .400 in AAA; 2B Jeff Keppinger was sent down to AAA in his place. Due to stable but unimpressive results from 2B David Bacani, Collins would be given the starting second base role for a few days to evaluate his potential.
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