A DIRTY little secret of the Mets was revealed once again this spring when Braves GM John Schuerholz’s book exposed just how badly Tom Glavine really wanted to stay in Atlanta four years ago.
The problem is that it has not only been Glavine, or else this would be no dirty little secret. When given the choice, Carlos Delgado picked Florida and ripped into the Mets for playing the Latin card. Neither Pedro Martinez nor Billy Wagner wanted to leave Boston and Philadelphia, respectively, but a fourth year on a contract made them swallow hard and relocate to Flushing.
Carlos Beltran offered the Yankees a $20 million discount at the 11th hour, reflecting how badly he wanted to call The Bronx, not Queens, his home. Even Kaz Matsui’s first choice was the Yanks. Too bad for the Mets that the Yanks’ Tampa faction won out on that decision, which forced Matsui to the Shea side of the Triborough.
The six most expensive Mets, therefore, are symbolic of what the team has been, a second-choice destination for players, and second-class citizens in the NL East to the Braves and in New York to the Yankees. So when Glavine takes the mound today shortly after 1 p.m. – weather permitting – the Mets try again to win games and change perceptions.
“There is definitely an opportunity for that,” Glavine said.
He is right. On paper, the Mets have their best talent in years, even more than the 2000 NL champions. They have launched a new network and plan to break ground on a new stadium next door to Shea sometime after the Yankees series in mid-May, when parking spaces will become slightly less precious. Jesse Orosco will throw the traditional first pitch today to Gary Carter, igniting a season-long, 20th anniversary of the 1986 Mets, which should provide a year-long reminder this franchise, indeed, could rule both baseball and New York.
Most encouraging is the Mets open with a talented group of home-grown youngsters in David Wright, Jose Reyes, Aaron Heilman and Brian Bannister, with Lastings Milledge and Mike Pelfrey percolating below. The decade-plus-long success of the Braves and Yankees took root with a starry homegrown base. As Glavine said, “Remember, when I first was a Brave, we stunk, there were no crowds and no one wanted to play there. But we started to win. We can change perceptions, too, and because of the make-up of the roster, we have a chance to change things for a while.”
But this has to be more than theory. This must be fact. The Mets are not some little engine that could. In a weak NL, the Mets have by far the largest payroll. They addressed their two stark weaknesses – lack of production at first base and dependability in the end game – with elite players in Delgado and Wagner. Wright and Reyes are not just promise, they already are the NL’s best left side of the infield. Pedro Martinez, bad toe and all, is Pedro Martinez, which means one of the greatest pitchers ever. So the Mets have plenty of talent and no excuses.
“The bottom line is going to be winning,” said Wright, who grew up in Norfolk with the Mets in his blood. “I have passion and love for this organization,” Wright said.
When he came to bat yesterday at a Shea workout on a beautiful afternoon, an enthusiastic crowd of about 13,000 season ticket-holders gave the third baseman a hearty applause, recognition that he is the Mets’ Derek Jeter. It felt like a great day of promise for the guy who wants to be here most and an entire organization.
Now we see if the Mets can be more than that promise, if they can make Shea a destination again.
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2006 Mets payroll
Pedro Martinez $14,875,000
Carlos Delgado $13,500,000
Carlos Beltran $13,571,429
Tom Glavine $10,500,000
Billy Wagner $10,500,000
a-Kaz Matsui $8,033,333
Paul LoDuca $6,666,667
Cliff Floyd $6,500,000
Victor Zambrano $3,000,000
Jorge Julio $2,525,000
Steve Trachsel $2,500,000
Chad Bradford $1,400,000
Julio Franco $1,050,000
b-Alay Soler $1,033,333
Jose Valentin $912,500
Chris Woodward $825,000
Ramon Castro $800,000
b-Yusaku Iriki $750,000
Darren Oliver $600,000
Endy Chavez $500,000
Xavier Nady $427,000
Jose Reyes $401,500
Duaner Sanchez $399,500
David Wright $374,000
Aaron Heilman $359,000
Victor Diaz $335,000
a-Juan Padilla $333,000
Anderson Hernandez $327,000
Brian Bannister $327,000
TOTAL $103,325,262
a-on DL
b-Minor Leaguers with major league contract
Salaries include pro-rated signing bonuses. Contract deferrals are not included. Contract deferrals owed former players are not included.
-Complied by Joel Sherman