02.09.02-The Mets' 1962 Inaugural Year Yearbook Cover
02.10.02-Mets' manager Casey Stengel giving Mets coaches Yogi Berra and Warren Spahn some humorous pointers
02.11.02-Bobby Valentine and Steve Phillips with Mo Vaughn at the press conference announcing the Vaughn for Kevin Appier deal
02.12.02 #1-Fred Wilpon's proposed new stadium for the Mets. It is part of a new wave of retro style ballparks, built to remind fans of old parks. This stadium (which will be corporately named) is designed to resemble Ebbets Field. Different views: 2nd view 3rd view 4th view
02.13.02-After winning the World Series in 1969, only their eighth season in the league, the Amazin's shocked the baseball world, prompting this Time magazine cover.
02.14.02-The Mets' 1963 revised yearbook cover
02.15.02-Mike Piazza and Mo Vaughn with children who lost parents in the September 11th attacks
02.16.02-A top Mets pitchers rookie card featuring Tom Seaver and Bill Denehy
02.17.02-Mets captain and primary set-up man John Franco takes off his cap and winces after giving up a game winning 3-run homer to Brian Jordan on September 29th, 2001. For the second Sunday in a row the Mets had a lead into the eighth inning, only to blow it in the 9th. Game Recap and Game Log (both courtesy of ESPN.com)
02.18.02-In One of the most famous plays in baseball history, Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner allows a grounder hit by the Mets' Mookie Wilson to roll through his legs, keeping the Mets' 1986 championship hopes alive. After the Red Sox scored two runs in the top of the 10th, it looked like this World Series had slipped away from the Mets. Yet in the bottom of the 10th, the Mets replied with 3 runs, aided by the grounder that "went between the wickets." Two days later, the Mets came from behind once again, although in less dramatic fashion, to beat the Red Sox and capture their second World Championship and first in 17 years.
02.19.02-Mike Piazza stretching while on deck at PNC Park in Pittsburgh in the first series played after September 11th
02.20.02-View of a game at Shea from the right field foul pole
02.21.02-Cardinals pitching legend Bob Gibson throwing on the sidelines during batting practice. One site says the Mets signed him on April 7th, 1987 (when he was 52, and had been in the Hall of Fame for 6 years), though others don't have any record of him ever pitching for the Mets. If you know whether or not he pitched for the Mets (and if he did, when), please e-mail me. Whether or not he ever actually pitched for the Mets remains uncertain, yet we do know that once upon a time, he put on a Mets jersey and took the time to sign the picture.
02.22.02-Timo Perez jumps up and down in the 2000 NLCS vs. the Cardinals as the Mets win their fourth NL penant and first since 1986. The ball he caught was was thrown by NLCS MVP Mike Hampton and hit out to center by pinch hitter Rick Wilkins. Perez was jumping up and down before catching the ball, showing an excitement not often displayed on the field. It was fitting that Perez, who came up to the Mets from Triple-A Norfolk in the September callups, and was as much of a force in getting the Mets into the playoffs as anyone, was the one to make catch. On a personal note: seeing Timo jump up and down before making the catch is my Mets Moment and even though other great plays and events will come in the future, this one will always be etched into my memory.
02.23.02-Jay Payton gets a good grip on Houston catcher Brad Ausmus' throat after being hit by a pitch from Jose Lima on May 2nd 2001. After being hit, he charges the mound and naturally Ausmus gets out of his crouch to protect his pitcher, only to get choked by Payton. Both Payton and Lima are ejected and Joe McEwing runs for Payton. The usually mild-mannered Payton has shown that he becomes someone else after being hit by pitches. In the 1999 NLCS vs. the Cardinals, St. Louis closer Dave Veres hit Payton in the head with a pitch. Payton, who is bleeding over the right eye, charges the mound anyway.
02.24.02-The Mets' 1964 Yearbook Cover featuring the opening of Shea Stadium
02.25.02-Japanese outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo tries on a Met hat and jersey at the press conference announcing his signing with the Mets. When asked by a reporter why he chose the Mets over other Major League teams Shinjo replied: "They had the coolest jerseys."
02.26.02-In what has now become a classic Mets image, Mets closer Jesse Orosco throws up his glove and drops to his knees after securing thr final out of the 1986 World Series, in which the Mets came from behind to win against the Boston Red Sox (see the 02.18.02 explanation for more detail on the Series)
02.27.02-Armando Benitez after a strikeout wearing an FDNY hat after September 11th. The entire Mets team wore hats of either the NYPD, FDNY, PAPD, or EMS to honor the relief workers at Ground Zero
02.28.02-Roger Cedeņo slides into third base safely in a 1999 game against the Astros in Cedeņo's first stint with the Mets. The throw from the catcher is high and Houston thirdbaseman Ken Caminiti gets leather on it to keep the ball in the infield.
03.01.02-Joe McEwing, sporting flipped-up sunglasses, turns a double play against the Cardinals in yesterday's Spring training game, the first of the 2002 season
03.02.02-Al Leiter throws a pitch in today's Spring training game against the Marlins
03.03.02-Bernie Williams circles the bases as Kevin Appier looks on, after Williams went yard off of Appier in the 2001 regular season Subway Series on June 16th, 2001.
03.04.02-First base coach Mookie Wilson and manager Bobby Valentine have to restrain then-third base coach Cookie Rojas after Rojas and the umpires saw different versions of the same play
03.05.02-Todd Zeile gets up after making a sparkling diving play on a foul bunt against the Blue Jays during the 2001 season. That day the Mets wore jerseys worn by the New York Cubans, the old Negro League team based in New York.
03.06.02-The Mets hoist their 2000 National League Championship Flag on Opening Day, 2001