2008 New York Mets season
Encyclopedia
The 2008 New York Mets
season was the franchise's 47th season. The Mets finished the season with an 89–73 record, second place in the National League East
, three games behind the Philadelphia Phillies
, and one game worse than the wild card winners, the Milwaukee Brewers
. The Mets were eliminated from postseason play on their last day of the regular season by the Florida Marlins
for the second straight year.
2008 was the Mets' 45th and final year at Shea Stadium
. They moved to Citi Field in 2009.
to lose the National League East
to the Philadelphia Phillies
on their last day of the regular season, the Mets front office was expected to make big moves in the offseason to give hope for the next season.
Needing to make a decision within five days after the Mets' last game, Tom Glavine
declined his $13 million player option. He eventually signed with his former team, the Atlanta Braves
, agreeing to a one-year contract worth $8 million on November 18.
On October 31, the Mets took care of two of their own potential free agents. Left fielder Moisés Alou
's option year on his contract was picked up for $7.5 million despite Alou only playing in 87 games due to a left quadriceps injury. He did, however, lead the Mets with a .341 batting average and seven outfield assists. Alou also set a franchise record with a 30-game hitting streak after he came off the disabled list
. Utility player Damion Easley
was re-signed for one year at $950,000. He was on the disabled list two separate times due to a left quadriceps strain on May 11 and a left ankle sprain
which ended his season on August 18.
When the free agency period began, the Mets first looked to catcher Yorvit Torrealba
to replace 2007 starter Paul Lo Duca
. After agreeing to the structure of a three-year contract worth $14.4 million with Torrealba, the Mets suddenly changed their minds on November 17 and retracted the offer, seemingly because of Torrealba's sore shoulder, as the Mets only needed to see the results of Torrealba's physical to officially complete the deal. Lo Duca never appeared to be the first choice for the Mets, so they continued their search for a starter from another team rather than re-sign Lo Duca, who went on to sign with the Nationals.
After the Torrealba deal fell through, the Mets focused on one of their own free agents. On November 18, second baseman Luis Castillo agree to a four-year $25 million contract. The Mets explored the possibility of signing David Eckstein
to start at second base, but determined his contract demands were too lofty.
On November 20, the Mets traded relief pitcher Guillermo Mota
away to the Milwaukee Brewers
for catcher Johnny Estrada
. This trade ended up just being a salary dump, as Estrada, who was arbitration-eligible, was not offered a new contract, therefore becoming a free agent. The Mets wanted to be rid of Mota and his $3.2 million salary because he pitched to a 5.72 ERA in 2007 after being suspended for 50 games for steroid use.
In response to the Mets' need for a starting catcher, General Manager Omar Minaya
made his first significant trade of the offseason on December 1, acquiring catcher Brian Schneider
and outfielder Ryan Church from the Nationals for outfielder Lastings Milledge
. Once considered the Mets top prospect, Milledge had fallen out of favor with players and management due to his on- and off-field antics. Minaya made the trade to acquire two players who, in his mind, would be starters for the Mets.
The Mets made a small move on January 5, 2008 to shore up their outfield depth, acquiring Angel Pagán
from the Chicago Cubs
for two minor-league players, outfielder Corey Coles and pitcher Ryan Meyers. Pagán was a fourth-round draft pick by the Mets in 1999, and he was sent to the Cubs on January 25, 2006 for cash.
The Mets' biggest trade of the offseason would come on January 29, when they agreed to a trade for two-time Cy Young Award
-winning pitcher Johan Santana
from the Minnesota Twins
. Minaya agreed to trade outfielder Carlos Gómez
and pitchers Philip Humber
, Kevin Mulvey
, and Deolis Guerra
to the Twins. Three days later, to complete the trade, Santana agreed to a contract extension worth $137.5 million over the course of six years, with an option worth an extra $19.5 million for 2014, which can be triggered by performance. This contract is a record amount for a Major League Baseball
pitcher.
Starting pitcher Óliver Pérez
's arbitration case was settled on February 22 and scored a win for Pérez, as the Mets found out they would have to pay him $6.5 million for the 2008 season. This gave Pérez a raise of over $4 million and was $1.775 million more than the Mets offered to pay him.
Another player signed during the offseason was relief pitcher Duaner Sánchez
. Sánchez missed all of 2007 due to a broken bone in his left shoulder suffered during a taxi accident in 2006, but the Mets hoped he could still return to be an important part of the bullpen, signing him to a one-year deal at $850,000.
Players who made it to the Mets in 2008 after being signed to minor-league contracts include pitcher Tony Armas, Jr.
, catcher Robinson Cancel
, and utility player Fernando Tatis
.
was still recovering from his shoulder injury, and older starters Pedro Martínez
and Orlando Hernández
were coming off of seasons when they missed significant time due to injury. Martínez made it to Opening Day healthy, but Sánchez and Hernández opened the regular season on the disabled list
.
During spring training, the team suffered several injuries to players that they had pegged to play with the Mets when the season opened on March 31. On March 1, Ryan Church collided with Marlon Anderson
while trying to catch a fly ball, leaving Church with a concussion and Anderson with a bruised sternum. Ramón Castro
aggravated his right hamstring
injury on March 16, ending up with a sprain. It was more severe than first thought, keeping Castro out of play through the beginning of the season. Carlos Beltrán
and Luis Castillo were late to start playing because they were both still recovering from offseason knee surgery, while Moisés Alou
was held out of action because of hernia surgery. Other players suffered minor injuries that held them out of many exhibition games, but they returned before the first game that counted.
John Maine
had the strongest spring training performance from the pitching staff, leading all National League pitchers with a 1.53 ERA
. Maine went 3–1 over 29⅓ innings, with 33 strikeouts and five walks. Angel Pagán
was a surprising force on offense, batting .329 to win the starting left field competition that was open due to Alou's injury.
Coming out of spring training, the Mets set their starting rotation with Johan Santana
, Martínez, Maine, Óliver Pérez
, and Mike Pelfrey in place of Hernández. The bullpen consisted of Billy Wagner
, Aaron Heilman
, Pedro Feliciano
, Scott Schoeneweis
, Matt Wise
, and Joe Smith, who beat Brian Stokes
for a spot on the roster. Brian Schneider
, Carlos Delgado
, Castillo, José Reyes, David Wright, Pagán, Beltrán, and Church started in the field.
Anderson, Damion Easley
, and Endy Chávez
were set as the bench players, joined by Brady Clark
and Raul Casanova
due to Alou's and Castro's injuries. These decisions caused Rubén Gotay
to lose his spot on the roster after playing in 98 games in 2007, so the Mets placed him on waivers, where he was claimed by the Atlanta Braves
on March 28.
Legend: G = games played; AB = at-bats
; H = hits; BA = batting average
; OBP = on-base percentage; HR = home runs; RBI = runs batted in; R = runs scored; SB = stolen bases; bold = league leader
Legend: G = games pitched; GS = games started; IP = innings pitched; W = wins; L = losses; ERA = earned run average
; H = hits allowed; SO = strikeouts; BB = walks; S = saves; bold = league leader
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
season was the franchise's 47th season. The Mets finished the season with an 89–73 record, second place in the National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
, three games behind the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, and one game worse than the wild card winners, the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. The Mets were eliminated from postseason play on their last day of the regular season by the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
for the second straight year.
2008 was the Mets' 45th and final year at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
. They moved to Citi Field in 2009.
Offseason
After dropping 12 out of their final 17 games of the 2007 season2007 New York Mets season
The New York Mets' 2007 season was the 46th regular season for the Mets. The Mets were defending their first divisional championship since 1988. While the Atlanta Braves were counted as possible competition, the Philadelphia Phillies were predicted as the front-runners, albeit by their own star...
to lose the National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
to the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
on their last day of the regular season, the Mets front office was expected to make big moves in the offseason to give hope for the next season.
Needing to make a decision within five days after the Mets' last game, Tom Glavine
Tom Glavine
Thomas Michael Glavine is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher.With 164 victories during the 1990s, Glavine was the second winningest pitcher in the National League, second only to teammate Greg Maddux's 176...
declined his $13 million player option. He eventually signed with his former team, the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, agreeing to a one-year contract worth $8 million on November 18.
On October 31, the Mets took care of two of their own potential free agents. Left fielder Moisés Alou
Moisés Alou
Moisés Rojas Alou |Spanish:]] ; born July 3, 1966 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 17 seasons in the National League. In 1,942 career games, Alou had a batting average of .303 with 2,134 hits, 421 doubles, 332 home runs, and 1,287 runs...
's option year on his contract was picked up for $7.5 million despite Alou only playing in 87 games due to a left quadriceps injury. He did, however, lead the Mets with a .341 batting average and seven outfield assists. Alou also set a franchise record with a 30-game hitting streak after he came off the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
. Utility player Damion Easley
Damion Easley
Jacinto Damion Easley is a former Major League Baseball player who is currently Executive Director of Warrior Baseball Academy. He is also an assistant coach for the Peoria Padres.-Biography:...
was re-signed for one year at $950,000. He was on the disabled list two separate times due to a left quadriceps strain on May 11 and a left ankle sprain
Sprained ankle
A sprained ankle, also known as an ankle sprain, twisted ankle, rolled ankle, ankle injury or ankle ligament injury, is a common medical condition where one or more of the ligaments of the ankle is torn or partially torn.-Cause:...
which ended his season on August 18.
When the free agency period began, the Mets first looked to catcher Yorvit Torrealba
Yorvit Torrealba
Yorvit Adolfo Torrealba is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Texas Rangers. He previously played for the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres. He bats and throws right-handed.-San Francisco Giants:...
to replace 2007 starter Paul Lo Duca
Paul Lo Duca
Paul Anthony Lo Duca is a television personality and a former Major League Baseball catcher. Previously, Lo Duca played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Florida Marlins , New York Mets , and Washington Nationals...
. After agreeing to the structure of a three-year contract worth $14.4 million with Torrealba, the Mets suddenly changed their minds on November 17 and retracted the offer, seemingly because of Torrealba's sore shoulder, as the Mets only needed to see the results of Torrealba's physical to officially complete the deal. Lo Duca never appeared to be the first choice for the Mets, so they continued their search for a starter from another team rather than re-sign Lo Duca, who went on to sign with the Nationals.
After the Torrealba deal fell through, the Mets focused on one of their own free agents. On November 18, second baseman Luis Castillo agree to a four-year $25 million contract. The Mets explored the possibility of signing David Eckstein
David Eckstein
David Mark Eckstein is a former American professional baseball player who was an infielder in Major League Baseball for ten seasons. He played college baseball for the University of Florida, and has played professionally for the Anaheim Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona...
to start at second base, but determined his contract demands were too lofty.
On November 20, the Mets traded relief pitcher Guillermo Mota
Guillermo Mota
Guillermo Reynoso Mota is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He stands tall and weighs . He throws and bats right-handed. Mota has played for the Montreal Expos, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Florida Marlins, the Cleveland Indians, the New York Mets, the Milwaukee Brewers and the San...
away to the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for catcher Johnny Estrada
Johnny Estrada
Johnny Pulado Estrada III is a former American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers and the Washington Nationals.Estrada was selected in the 17th round of the 1997 Major...
. This trade ended up just being a salary dump, as Estrada, who was arbitration-eligible, was not offered a new contract, therefore becoming a free agent. The Mets wanted to be rid of Mota and his $3.2 million salary because he pitched to a 5.72 ERA in 2007 after being suspended for 50 games for steroid use.
In response to the Mets' need for a starting catcher, General Manager Omar Minaya
Omar Minaya
Omar Teodoro Antonio Minaya y Sánchez is a former baseball executive who served as General Manager for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets.-Early life:...
made his first significant trade of the offseason on December 1, acquiring catcher Brian Schneider
Brian Schneider
Brian Duncan Schneider is an American Major League Baseball catcher.-Early life:Schneider was born in Jacksonville, Florida to Peter and Karen Schneider...
and outfielder Ryan Church from the Nationals for outfielder Lastings Milledge
Lastings Milledge
Lastings Darnell Milledge is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He was the youngest player in the National League during the 2006 season.-Early life:Milledge was born in Bradenton, Florida...
. Once considered the Mets top prospect, Milledge had fallen out of favor with players and management due to his on- and off-field antics. Minaya made the trade to acquire two players who, in his mind, would be starters for the Mets.
The Mets made a small move on January 5, 2008 to shore up their outfield depth, acquiring Angel Pagán
Angel Pagán
Ángel Anthony Pagán is a Puerto Rican professional baseball player. He currently plays outfield for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. Pagan's original contract in Major League Baseball was with the Mets, but he was transferred to the Chicago Cubs when they bought his contract...
from the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for two minor-league players, outfielder Corey Coles and pitcher Ryan Meyers. Pagán was a fourth-round draft pick by the Mets in 1999, and he was sent to the Cubs on January 25, 2006 for cash.
The Mets' biggest trade of the offseason would come on January 29, when they agreed to a trade for two-time Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
-winning pitcher Johan Santana
Johan Santana
Johan Alexander Santana Araque is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who is currently playing for the New York Mets. He is a native of Venezuela....
from the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. Minaya agreed to trade outfielder Carlos Gómez
Carlos Gómez
Carlos Argelis Gómez Pena, nicknamed "Go-Go", is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers.-Minor leagues:...
and pitchers Philip Humber
Philip Humber
Philip Gregory Humber is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox.-Early life:Humber attended Carthage High School in Carthage, Texas...
, Kevin Mulvey
Kevin Mulvey
Kevin John Mulvey is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball. He has previously played for the Minnesota Twins.-Early life:Mulvey is a New Jersey native...
, and Deolis Guerra
Deolis Guerra
Deolis Alexander Guerra is a minor league right-handed pitcher in the Minnesota Twins' organization currently assigned to the Twins' Double-A affiliate, the New Britain Rock Cats....
to the Twins. Three days later, to complete the trade, Santana agreed to a contract extension worth $137.5 million over the course of six years, with an option worth an extra $19.5 million for 2014, which can be triggered by performance. This contract is a record amount for a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher.
Starting pitcher Óliver Pérez
Oliver Pérez
Óliver Pérez Martínez is a left-handed pitcher currently in the Washington Nationals organization.-San Diego Padres:...
's arbitration case was settled on February 22 and scored a win for Pérez, as the Mets found out they would have to pay him $6.5 million for the 2008 season. This gave Pérez a raise of over $4 million and was $1.775 million more than the Mets offered to pay him.
Another player signed during the offseason was relief pitcher Duaner Sánchez
Duaner Sánchez
Duaner Sánchez is a Dominican-American professional baseball player currently playing for the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League. He is a right-handed relief pitcher who is currently a free agent in Major League Baseball...
. Sánchez missed all of 2007 due to a broken bone in his left shoulder suffered during a taxi accident in 2006, but the Mets hoped he could still return to be an important part of the bullpen, signing him to a one-year deal at $850,000.
Players who made it to the Mets in 2008 after being signed to minor-league contracts include pitcher Tony Armas, Jr.
Tony Armas, Jr.
Antonio José Armas , better known as Tony Armas, Jr., is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who is currently a free agent. He last appeared in a Major League game in 2008...
, catcher Robinson Cancel
Robinson Cancel
Robinson Cancel is a catcher in Major League Baseball who is currently with the Houston Astros. He made his major league debut for the Brewers on September 3, 1999....
, and utility player Fernando Tatis
Fernando Tatis
Fernando Tatís, Jr. is a Major League Baseball utility player, who is currently a free agent. He previously played for the Texas Rangers , St. Louis Cardinals , Montreal Expos , Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets...
.
Spring training
The Mets entered spring training with questions about their pitching staff due to injury and age. Duaner SánchezDuaner Sánchez
Duaner Sánchez is a Dominican-American professional baseball player currently playing for the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League. He is a right-handed relief pitcher who is currently a free agent in Major League Baseball...
was still recovering from his shoulder injury, and older starters Pedro Martínez
Pedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
and Orlando Hernández
Orlando Hernández
Orlando Hernández Pedroso , nicknamed "El Duque", is a former Cuban right-handed baseball pitcher....
were coming off of seasons when they missed significant time due to injury. Martínez made it to Opening Day healthy, but Sánchez and Hernández opened the regular season on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
.
During spring training, the team suffered several injuries to players that they had pegged to play with the Mets when the season opened on March 31. On March 1, Ryan Church collided with Marlon Anderson
Marlon Anderson
Marlon Ordell Anderson is a former Major League Baseball utility player. He was widely known for his clutch hits, and writers for publications including The New York Times and Newsday had referred to him as one of the best pinch-hitters in the game...
while trying to catch a fly ball, leaving Church with a concussion and Anderson with a bruised sternum. Ramón Castro
Ramón Castro
Ramón Abraham Castro is a Major League Baseball catcher.-Early career:On June 2 1994 Castro was selected by the Houston Astros in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft, becoming the first Puerto Rican to ever be drafted in the first round...
aggravated his right hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
injury on March 16, ending up with a sprain. It was more severe than first thought, keeping Castro out of play through the beginning of the season. Carlos Beltrán
Carlos Beltrán
Carlos Iván Beltrán is a Major League Baseball outfielder.-Early life:In his youth, Beltrán excelled in many sports, with volleyball and baseball being his favorites. At his father's urging, he gave up volleyball to concentrate on baseball when he was seventeen...
and Luis Castillo were late to start playing because they were both still recovering from offseason knee surgery, while Moisés Alou
Moisés Alou
Moisés Rojas Alou |Spanish:]] ; born July 3, 1966 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 17 seasons in the National League. In 1,942 career games, Alou had a batting average of .303 with 2,134 hits, 421 doubles, 332 home runs, and 1,287 runs...
was held out of action because of hernia surgery. Other players suffered minor injuries that held them out of many exhibition games, but they returned before the first game that counted.
John Maine
John Maine
John Kevin Maine is an American professional baseball pitcher. He has played for the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets. He bats and throws right-handed.-Early life and college:Maine was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia...
had the strongest spring training performance from the pitching staff, leading all National League pitchers with a 1.53 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. Maine went 3–1 over 29⅓ innings, with 33 strikeouts and five walks. Angel Pagán
Angel Pagán
Ángel Anthony Pagán is a Puerto Rican professional baseball player. He currently plays outfield for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. Pagan's original contract in Major League Baseball was with the Mets, but he was transferred to the Chicago Cubs when they bought his contract...
was a surprising force on offense, batting .329 to win the starting left field competition that was open due to Alou's injury.
Johan Santana
Johan Alexander Santana Araque is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who is currently playing for the New York Mets. He is a native of Venezuela....
, Martínez, Maine, Óliver Pérez
Oliver Pérez
Óliver Pérez Martínez is a left-handed pitcher currently in the Washington Nationals organization.-San Diego Padres:...
, and Mike Pelfrey in place of Hernández. The bullpen consisted of Billy Wagner
Billy Wagner
William Edward Wagner , nicknamed "Billy the Kid", is a retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He pitched for the Houston Astros , the Philadelphia Phillies , the New York Mets , the Boston Red Sox , and the Atlanta Braves...
, Aaron Heilman
Aaron Heilman
Aaron Michael Heilman is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball. Heilman was drafted by the New York Mets out of Notre Dame in 2001. He came up through the Mets system as a starting pitcher but was converted to a relief pitcher in 2005...
, Pedro Feliciano
Pedro Feliciano
Pedro Juan Feliciano Molina is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the New York Yankees.-Early career:...
, Scott Schoeneweis
Scott Schoeneweis
Scott David Schoeneweis is an American Major League Baseball left-handed relief pitcher who is currently a free agent.In the five seasons from 2003–07, Schoeneweis allowed only one home run to left-handed batters...
, Matt Wise
Matt Wise
Matthew John Wise , is a former right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher.Wise was drafted in the sixth round of the draft. He made his major league debut on August 2, with the Anaheim Angels. He was released by the Angels in and signed with the Milwaukee Brewers...
, and Joe Smith, who beat Brian Stokes
Brian Stokes
Brian Alexander Stokes is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball...
for a spot on the roster. Brian Schneider
Brian Schneider
Brian Duncan Schneider is an American Major League Baseball catcher.-Early life:Schneider was born in Jacksonville, Florida to Peter and Karen Schneider...
, Carlos Delgado
Carlos Delgado
Carlos Juan Delgado Hernández is a retired Puerto Rican professional baseball player. With 473 home runs and 1,512 RBI, he holds the all-time home run and RBI records among Puerto Rican players....
, Castillo, José Reyes, David Wright, Pagán, Beltrán, and Church started in the field.
Anderson, Damion Easley
Damion Easley
Jacinto Damion Easley is a former Major League Baseball player who is currently Executive Director of Warrior Baseball Academy. He is also an assistant coach for the Peoria Padres.-Biography:...
, and Endy Chávez
Endy Chávez
Endy de Jesus Chávez is a Major League Baseball outfielder.Chávez bats and throws left-handed and is considered to have good fielding skills, speed, and the ability to hit to all parts of the field...
were set as the bench players, joined by Brady Clark
Brady Clark
Brady William Clark is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Brady is a class of 1991 graduate of Sunset High School in Portland, Oregon and 1996 graduate of the University of San Diego...
and Raul Casanova
Raul Casanova
Raul Casanova was a Major League Baseball catcher from 1996 to 2008 with the exception of 1999 and 2006.-Minor leagues:He was drafted 220th overall, in the eighth round of the draft by the New York Mets....
due to Alou's and Castro's injuries. These decisions caused Rubén Gotay
Rubén Gotay
-Kansas City Royals:Gotay made his major league debut with the Kansas City Royals on August 4, , when they played the Chicago White Sox. He went 1-for-3 and got his first major league hit off José Contreras. Gotay played in 44 games for the Royals in 2004. He hit .270 with one home run and 16 RBI....
to lose his spot on the roster after playing in 98 games in 2007, so the Mets placed him on waivers, where he was claimed by the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
on March 28.
Regular season
Bullpen problems
The weakest part of the Mets team was their bullpen, which struggled throughout the season. If all the games played by the Mets ended after the 8th inning the team would have won the NL East by 12 games.Roster changes
- On June 13, 2008 the Mets acquired Trot NixonTrot NixonChristopher Trotman Nixon is an American retired professional baseball right fielder. He played from 1996-2008 for three different teams, but is noted primarily for his time with the Boston Red Sox...
via trade from the Arizona DiamondbacksArizona DiamondbacksThe Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
. The move was deemed necessary due to multiple injuries in the Mets outfield.
- The Mets fired manager Willie RandolphWillie RandolphWillie Larry Randolph is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and manager, most recently the third base coach for the Baltimore Orioles...
as well as pitching coach Rick PetersonRick PetersonErick Harding "Rick" Peterson is a former pitcher and pitching coach in Major League Baseball. He was a pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, but is most notable as the pitching coach for the Oakland Athletics and New York Mets...
and first base coach Tom Nieto just two hours after the team's 9–6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimThe Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
on Monday, June 16, 2008. They were replaced by interim manager Jerry ManuelJerry ManuelJerry Manuel , nicknamed "The Sage" is a former major league manager. He previously managed the Chicago White Sox from 1998 to 2003 and the New York Mets from the middle of 2008 to 2010 and played in the majors for parts of five seasons in the 1970s and early 1980s.-Playing career:Manuel played...
and coaches Ken OberkfellKen OberkfellKenneth Raymond Oberkfell is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman and ex-coach for the New York Mets. He played from 1977-1992 for six different teams. Oberkfell primarily played third base but was also known to play second base and both corner outfield positions...
, Dan WarthenDan WarthenDaniel Dean Warthen is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher and current coach for the Brooklyn Cyclones Daniel Dean Warthen (born December 1, 1952, in Omaha, Nebraska) is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher and current coach for the Brooklyn...
, and Luis AguayoLuis AguayoLuis Aguayo Muriel is the former third base coach of the New York Mets baseball team. He is a former major league baseball player. An infielder, Aguayo played with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1980 to 1988. During the season, Aguayo was traded for pitcher Amalio Carreno to the New York Yankees...
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Roster
| 2008 New York Mets | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers | Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders Other batters |
Manager Coaches (third base) (catching) (third base/bench) (bullpen) (hitting) (bench) (first base) (first base) (pitching) (pitching) |
||||||
Game log
| Legend | ||
|---|---|---|
| Mets Win | Mets Loss | Game Postponed |
| 2008 Game Log | |
|---|---|
Batting
| Player | G | AB | H | BA | OBP | HR | RBI | R | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 12 | 2 | .167 | .286 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 15 | 49 | 17 | .347 | .389 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 1 | |
| 87 | 138 | 29 | .210 | .255 | 1 | 10 | 16 | 2 | |
| 3 | 3 | 0 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 161 | 606 | 172 | .284 | .376 | 27 | 112 | 116 | 25 | |
| 27 | 49 | 12 | .245 | .288 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1 | |
| 20 | 55 | 15 | .273 | .344 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 0 | |
| 87 | 298 | 73 | .245 | .355 | 3 | 28 | 46 | 17 | |
| 52 | 143 | 35 | .245 | .312 | 7 | 24 | 15 | 0 | |
| 133 | 270 | 72 | .267 | .308 | 1 | 12 | 30 | 6 | |
| 90 | 319 | 88 | .276 | .346 | 12 | 49 | 54 | 2 | |
| 7 | 8 | 2 | .250 | .400 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 159 | 598 | 162 | .271 | .353 | 38 | 115 | 96 | 1 | |
| 113 | 316 | 85 | .269 | .322 | 6 | 44 | 33 | 0 | |
| 50 | 109 | 28 | .257 | .303 | 2 | 9 | 18 | 0 | |
| 16 | 12 | 1 | .083 | .214 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 75 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | 3 | 0 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 26 | 46 | 5 | .109 | .212 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | |
| 20 | 39 | 6 | .154 | .154 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | |
| 7 | 16 | 4 | .250 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2 | 7 | 1 | .143 | .250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 49 | 131 | 41 | .313 | .397 | 2 | 17 | 24 | 0 | |
| 3 | 6 | 1 | .167 | .167 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | 35 | 6 | .171 | .293 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2 | 2 | 0 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 31 | 91 | 25 | .275 | .346 | 0 | 13 | 12 | 4 | |
| 30 | 59 | 5 | .085 | .156 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | |
| 32 | 56 | 6 | .107 | .167 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| 4 | 5 | 1 | .200 | .200 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 49 | 110 | 24 | .218 | .259 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 2 | |
| 159 | 688 | 204 | .297 | .358 | 16 | 68 | 113 | 56 | |
| 32 | 78 | 11 | .141 | .173 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | |
| 110 | 335 | 86 | .257 | .339 | 9 | 38 | 30 | 0 | |
| 71 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 82 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 20 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 24 | 3 | 2 | .667 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 92 | 273 | 81 | .297 | .369 | 11 | 47 | 33 | 3 | |
| 10 | 8 | 0 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 160 | 626 | 189 | .302 | .390 | 33 | 124 | 115 | 15 |
Legend: G = games played; AB = at-bats
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
; H = hits; BA = batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
; OBP = on-base percentage; HR = home runs; RBI = runs batted in; R = runs scored; SB = stolen bases; bold = league leader
Pitching
| Player | G | GS | IP | W | L | S | ERA | H | SO | BB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 5.50 | 23 | 14 | 2 | |
| 3 | 1 | 8 ⅓ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7.56 | 11 | 6 | 1 | |
| 86 | 0 | 53 ⅓ | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4.05 | 57 | 50 | 26 | |
| 16 | 6 | 45 ⅓ | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4.57 | 48 | 36 | 26 | |
| 78 | 0 | 76 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 5.21 | 75 | 80 | 46 | |
| 4 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5.25 | 14 | 10 | 7 | |
| 4 | 0 | 2 ⅔ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13.50 | 5 | 1 | 1 | |
| 25 | 25 | 140 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 4.18 | 122 | 122 | 67 | |
| 20 | 20 | 109 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 5.61 | 127 | 87 | 44 | |
| 18 | 0 | 23 ⅓ | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.40 | 24 | 16 | 7 | |
| 3 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7.07 | 20 | 11 | 8 | |
| 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.40 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| 32 | 32 | 200 ⅔ | 13 | 11 | 0 | 3.72 | 209 | 110 | 64 | |
| 34 | 34 | 194 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 4.22 | 167 | 180 | 105 | |
| 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.50 | 4 | 3 | 1 | |
| 66 | 0 | 58 ⅓ | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4.32 | 54 | 44 | 23 | |
| 34 | 34 | 234 ⅓ | 16 | 7 | 0 | 2.53 | 206 | 206 | 53 | |
| 73 | 0 | 56 ⅔ | 2 | 6 | 1 | 3.34 | 55 | 34 | 23 | |
| 82 | 0 | 63 ⅓ | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3.55 | 51 | 52 | 31 | |
| 20 | 0 | 21 ⅔ | 4 | 1 | 0 | 7.06 | 30 | 12 | 11 | |
| 24 | 1 | 33 ⅓ | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3.51 | 35 | 26 | 8 | |
| 11 | 4 | 37 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4.62 | 33 | 20 | 11 | |
| 45 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 2.30 | 32 | 52 | 10 | |
| 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.43 | 10 | 6 | 3 |
Legend: G = games pitched; GS = games started; IP = innings pitched; W = wins; L = losses; ERA = earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
; H = hits allowed; SO = strikeouts; BB = walks; S = saves; bold = league leader