PHOENIX – Upon assembling the 1999 Mets, Steve Phillips handed Bobby Valentine the keys to a car that was supposed to look pretty muchthe same for 140 games. But because that car is of the vintage variety, it has been forced to undergo repairs on almost a daily basis.
Luckily for the Mets, and this may have a lot to do with the fact that they are still playing better than .600 baseball at 17-11, they have plenty of good spare parts, which is almost as important for a veteran National League club as signing Robin Ventura.
As much as Valentine is accused of tinkering with the lineup the past few seasons, this year’s version was supposed to be written in stone: Rickey Henderson, Edgardo Alfonzo, John Olerud, Mike Piazza, Bobby Bonilla, Ventura, Brian McRae and Rey Ordonez.
But this talented lineup has appeared only four times in the first 28 games, and hasn’t appeared since April 8, the fourth game of the season.
That’s what happens when you have one regular over 40, another who is 36, and a rash of minor injuries that may or may not be associated with age. There are the knees: Piazza’s, Bonilla’s, McRae’s, Henderson’s and Al Leiter’s (Valentine lamented not buying stock in the knee-brace company). There’s Rick Reed’s torn calf muscle. There’s Henderson’s hamstring and then a revisitation of Bonilla’s knee.
Wednesday night, McRae was hit in the left ankle by a Jay Powell pitch and had to leave the game. But X-rays were negative and McRae anticipated playing here tonight as the Mets begin a nine-game trip. Henderson, however, was questionable.
Does age have anything to do with it? Maybe, maybe not. But the Mets have to be prepared for this the rest of the way because not one of them will get younger. The average age of the Mets’ Opening Day lineup is 31. Even if the initial injuries may have nothing to do with that, recovery time may be a factor.
“It all depends on the individual’s metabolism and physiology,” Valentine said. “I’m not sure age is a factor, but it might be. I’ve seen a lot of 20-year-olds on the disabled list for a lot longer than projected.”
Twelve seasons ago, when Henderson was 28, he had only 358 at-bats with the Yankees due to his infamous hamstring. Last year, at 39, he had 542 at-bats. John Franco is 38 and hasn’t missed the call since the end of 1997, and 40-year-old Orel Hershiser is injury-free.
There’s evidence on both sides.
But even when players go down, the Mets are getting good production from the bench. Roger Cedeno has played in all but one game, but Rickey has made it into only 20. Bonilla has played in 22, but has had only 59 at-bats.
Cedeno has been the prize, hitting .321, stealing a team-high eight bases and roving the outfield without flaw. His speed is amazing, and watching him go from first to third or third to home is not a long event. Hence, his 13 runs, which are fourth-best on the team.
“He’s been just as advertised,” Valentine said.
But there has been more.
*In the words of Franco, Todd Pratt was the “MVP of the first three weeks of the season.” He hit .320 (16-for-50) with three home runs and 11 RBIs while Piazza was out, and still has one additional start (14) behind the plate than Piazza has.
*Luis Lopez has done his work as usual, hitting .333 and doing the job defensively.
*Allen Watson did a good job filling in for Reed, going 1-2 with a 3.18 ERA, while taking one hard-luck loss. In his last two starts, he allowed only two runs over 10 innings.
*Then there’s the gritty Mike Kinkade, who has been an asset with his versatility in the field, although he has only hit .235. And though Jermaine Allensworth has struggled terribly (4-for-30), he has been very good defensively, especially filling in for Bonilla.
It’s not All-Star caliber, but it’s what a good, veteran team needs to stay good all season.