Valentine's day may come in October: Mets are for real

Sporting News, The, August 16, 1999 by Jon Heyman

While glancing recently at his gaudy Marlins 1997 World ring, Mets pitcher Al Leiter made this observation: "I hope this year's ring is even bigger."

You'll excuse Leiter's excitement, but it's understandable considering his past and the Mets' present. Leiter has three rings already, and he's starting to feel charmed. As for his great faith in his ballclub, it is shared by those who have lately witnessed the Mets, by far baseball's best team over the past two months.

This kind of brash talk was unthinkable in early June, with the Mets on the verge of playing themselves out of the race and controversial manager Bobby Valentine out of a job. Valentine's status was tenuous on June 5, the watershed day of quite possibly a landmark season. The Mets were 27-28, and G.M. Steve Phillips, once a Valentine ally, stunned his manager by firing pitching coach Bob Apodaca, bullpen coach Randy Niemann and hitting coach Tom Robson. It was, simply, a Valentine's day massacre.

Valentine's usual bright smile was missing that week, though not his ample stage presence. With the camera trained on him, Valentine made a bold guarantee the next day, saying the Mets would be a lot better over the next 55 games or he'd be gone.

The stark turnaround began that day, maybe even that moment. The Mets whipped the Yankees, 7-2, and were off to the races. Their 40-15 record over the next 55 games, Valentine's 55 games, has solidified his job and convinced baseball people the Mets are for real.

The Mets must be considered one of the top two or three threats to win the World Series. They possess the ingredients of a champion. They have an ultra-patient lineup (their 486 walks lead the N.L.), superior infield defense (the .987 fielding percentage leads the majors) and an ocean-deep bullpen that gets even deeper when closer John Franco returns. Enthusiasm is building--New York senses its first Subway Series since 1956.

"We have to take it one step at a rime," says Valentine, whose many detractors frequently cite his failure to make the postseason. "We can't get too far ahead of ourselves. But we're a real good team."

Though it's hard to find veteran Mets having career years, several have surpassed expectations. Mike Piazza is the unquestioned megastar, but Robin Ventura and Edgardo Alfonzo are actually outproducing him. In his first year in the N.L., Ventura trails only sluggers Mark McGwire, Jeff Bagwell, Sammy Sosa, Matt Williams and Larry Walker in RBIs. And Alfonzo, overlooked despite his New York address, is among the top 10 in runs, hits and doubles, and with acrobatic shortstop Rey Ordonez he forms the league's best defensive combo.

Roger Cedeno has risen from benchwarmer status to steal a league-leading 56 bases. Benny Agbayani, who never hit more than 11 home runs in Class AAA, has matched that. And no team can excite the geriatric set more. The Mets possess two post-40 producers. Orel Hershiser has 11 victories, Rickey Henderson a .447 on-base percentage.

Phillips must have felt the same pressure as Valentine in June, even if he didn't show it. After all, it was he who ran up the bills. The payroll is $70 million, as co-owners Fred Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday make a title run in possibly their final year together before selling to Cablevision. Phillips patterned the team after the Indians: big bats and big bullpen. He ensured respectability by resigning Piazza and Leiter, for $91 million and $32 million, respectively, then began working on improving the team. The miracle was getting Cedeno plus Armando Benitez, who limits hitters to a .156 average, for Todd Hundley.

The Mets must now be favored to unseat the Braves, authors of a remarkable seven straight division rifles. Braves G.M. John Schuerholz admits to feeling strange looking up at another team, but he says he isn't surprised by the Mets' success. "It's a good team," Schuerholz says. "There are quality players all over the field."

The Braves' inspired play, despite the crushing losses of Andres Galarraga, Kerry Ligtenberg and Javy Lopez, necessitated he do something, Schuerholz admits. New shortstop Jose Hernandez helps. However, the Braves still need a leadoff hitter, catcher and first baseman. Some wonder whether the decision to hold onto top prospects hinted of a concession. Schuerholz simply says prices were too steep. Meanwhile, the Mets fortified three areas: an already strong bullpen (the team has an astounding zero complete games) with Billy Taylor and Chuck McElroy; the bench and clubhouse with native New Yorker Shawon Dunston; and the lineup with Darryl Hamilton.

Even if the relationship between Phillips and Valentine became tense after the firings, the team became cohesive and productive. Apodaca was a fine technician, but replacement Dave Wallace has formed more personal relationships. Another subtle difference: Valentine uses coaches as conduits less frequently, causing him to become closer to players.

Valentine has been known for seeing talent where nobody else does (Agbayani, Matt Franco and Rick Reed), but even better, the star players such as Piazza, Ventura, John Olerud, Leiter and Ventura are on record as liking Valentine. Valentine's reputation as clubhouse buttinsky is waning. "At times, he's very unobtrusive," Piazza says. Valentine's strength, brilliant in-game strategy, is the talk now. Says Phillips: "I think he's doing a very good job. He gets the most out of his players and puts them in positions where they will succeed."