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David Wright of the Mets will replace injured Alfonso Soriano of the Chicago Cubs on the National League All-Star roster. All-Star manager Clint Hurdle of the Colorado Rockies made the announcement Friday. Colorado outfielder Matt Holliday, originally selected as a reserve, will replace Soriano in the starting lineup. Continue
David Wright was wronged. The Mets third baseman fell short in the fan voting for the final National League spot in Tuesday's All-Star Game, finishing second to Milwaukee's Corey Hart, whose statistics are a sliver below Wright's. Wright made the All-Star team the last two years but was left off this year's roster, announced Sunday. He was one of five players the fans could vote for to get the final spot on the team. Continue
David Wright is the only player in the big leagues to play every inning this season, but he might not stay that way much longer. Willie Randolph said last night he has considered giving the All-Star third baseman a day off after watching Wright appear in each of the club's first 58 games.
"We've been talking about that, but he says he feels great," Randolph said. "We'll try to find a spot here and there. If I really feel like he's struggling, then I'll give him a day off." Wright went into last night's game against the Padres batting .286 after a recent surge, which is why Randolph is hesitant to sit him. Continue
The Mets' 12-1 romp over the Dodgers on Wednesday couldn't overshadow the fact that their best player remains in a perplexing funk. Since a three-game show of force against the Phillies in Philadelphia two weeks ago, even David Wright admits he has been a little more than a shadow of his All-Star self at the plate.
Wright had a double in Wednesday's rout in Los Angeles, but was fruitless in his other four at-bats and is hitting just .155 (9-for-58) in the wake of that eight-hit weekend eruption in Philly.Wright can only hope a three-game series against the lowly Reds that starts tonight at Shea Stadium can spark a turnaround, because the weight of his recent rough stretch - and the Mets' hitting woes overall - is starting to wear on the third baseman. Continue
You have to understand: Wright is a golden child, one of the chosen. He is a homegrown organization talent, which means he is treated very differently than the latest free agent on the block. He is granted immunity from prosecution for all but the most dire slumps or transgressions.
"The fans have given me and Jose (Reyes) a pass sometimes," Wright admitted Monday, before the rainout against Pittsburgh.It is this way on every team, with every player. Derek Jeter gets more slack from the fans than Alex Rodriguez, forever, or as long as he stays in pinstripes. Wright will receive the benefit of doubt around Shea and Citi field for many seasons to come, cheered for RBI doubles in the gap. Continue
There were some rare moments of giddiness yesterday at Shea Stadium, even getting fans to display gusto as they belted out the words to the most unlikely anthem: "I'm a Believer." If ever there were an irony, it was these fans singing those words this season. Almost as if fate were making a point, the instant the music stopped, who should step in the batter's box but Carlos Delgado, who fouled out and inspired the popular 2008 chorus: "Boooooo!"
They had booed Delgado in the introductions and booed him during the game. They booed Aaron Heilman after he turned a two-run lead into a one-run lead. They would have booed plenty more if the Mets had not hung on for a 4-3 win over the Braves. Continue
David Wright knows there are expectations that came with the Golden Glove award he received before Saturday's game at Shea. He also knows that the two errors he committed in the 5-3 loss to the Brewers failed to meet that standard.
"Of course there are going to be people that say 'told you so,' and things like that if you make a couple of errors," said Wright, who has made three errors in 10games. "I didn't vote for myself for the Golden Glove last year, but it is an honor to win it and now I know there (are) some expectations." Continue
David Wright might be a Gold Glove winner, but he also has the most errors of any major league third baseman over the past three seasons. So this spring, Wright - who has a barehanded, over-the-shoulder catch in San Diego on his résumé - is working on doing the unspectacular.
"I would trade the 'Web Gems' just to make all the routine ones," Wright said. "That's what wins games. That's where I seem to have the most problems - when I have too much time to think, or I relax a little bit. Maybe I don't focus on the routine play like I do on the spectacular play." Continue
You can't hide when you're David Wright, no matter how big New York City may be, no matter how sprawling the urban playpen may seem. There is no such thing as blending into the background when you possess the most famous face on the Mets New York Mets , no morphing into the wallpaper.
"I love how deeply the fans care," Wright says, fresh from a session at the Tradition Field batting cages. "It's what makes playing in New York so incredible. They not only want us to win, they know why we win. And why we lose." Continue
JImmy Rollins correctly predicted last year that the Phillies were the team to beat in the National League East. With pitchers and catchers set to report next week, David Wright believes that to be the case this year, too.
Wright, whose Mets suffered a historic collapse last September by blowing a seven-game lead with 17 games to play, said last night that the Phillies have to be considered the divisional favorites for the upcoming season - even after the Mets' acquisition of Johan Santana. "The team to beat in my eyes is the team that won last year," Wright said. "Philadelphia took care of us last year. They took care of business in the division. Going into this year, we have to take control again of the NL East." Continue
David Wright believes that the Mets will be formidable with or without Johan Santana. Wright, who visited the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island yesterday in New Hyde Park for the rededication of its Mets "clubhouse," said: "With Johan, or without Johan, I'm going to be very confident in this Mets team." Wright emphasized that he has no inside knowledge about negotiations between the Mets and Twins. He's been following the rumor mill like any other fan this offseason. Continue
David Wright said he was a big fan of Roger Clemens growing up. The Mets third baseman even got his autograph. He'd like to be able to say the pitcher he faced was not using performance-enhancing drugs, but Wright isn't sure what to make of the Rocket's alleged steroid use detailed in the Mitchell Report.
"Being a player I want to believe Roger," Wright said Tuesday night during halftime of the Knicks-Wizards game at the Garden. "But as much as I respect him...if there's some sort of evidence (that he used steroids) I think he should be punished." Continue
During David Wright's recent conversation with Omar Minaya, the Mets GM told him that he should get set to occupy the hot corner next season. Wright was at NYU Medical Center yesterday visiting the Acute Care Pediatric Unit, and at one point he talked to reporters about his discussion with Minaya. Wright certainly sounded as if he didn't leave the conversation believing the Mets were set to acquire another third baseman - e.g., Alex Rodriguez.
"When I spoke to Omar - and he can talk about obviously that stuff more than I can - but it was more of a say hello and he wanted to just tell me, 'Hey, be prepared to be the third baseman in 2008,' " Wright said. "That's what I took from it, and that's the way I'm going about my business. Continue
The Mets should sign Alex Rodriguez only if they are ready to move David Wright, and not to second base or left field. The Mets would have to be ready to trade Wright to address their pitching needs, because you cannot just guess that Wright can play another position. If he can't, what do the Mets do then?
No, the only way to justify a mega-signing of A-Rod is to trade Wright now for the Mets' real No. 1 need, pitching. Could they turn Wright by himself or in a package into Johan Santana? Scott Kazmir? Erik Bedard? Joba Chamberlain? Clay Buchholz? Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Broxton? Continue
Weeks before he became the third Mets player to produce a 30-30 season, David Wright considered the significance of that round-number achievement. He knew it came with cachet and embraced what it suggested.
"I'd like to be known," he said, "as a player who does everything above average. And I think going 30-30 would be an indication that I do at least two things well." And now there is an indication, not to mention tangible evidence, that Wright excels in another facet of the game: defense. The Mets' third baseman has won a Gold Glove. Continue
The Mets remain open to the idea of pursuing Alex Rodriguez, but they have reiterated to David Wright that they are very happy with him as their starting third baseman.
Realistically, therefore, the Mets have no place to play A-Rod, who opted out of his contract with the Yankees last Sunday. So although the Mets still might kick the tires on the soon-to-be three-time Most Valuable Player, A-Rod remains an extreme long shot to move to Shea Stadium. According to a person familiar with the Mets' operations, general manager Omar Minaya told Wright in the last couple of days exactly what Minaya had said publicly earlier in the week. Continue
Thinking in terms of A-Rod, which is all anybody will be doing this offseason, yesterday's decision by the Mets to bring back Moises Alou would seem to eliminate leftfield as a possible destination for David Wright.
And if general manager Omar Minaya intends on re-signing Luis Castillo, as he indicated yesterday, that leaves first base as the only reasonable alternative for Wright - aside from the fact that Carlos Delgado and his $16-million salary currently reside there. Wright already has said he would switch positions for Alex Rodriguez. But Minaya, who planned to speak with his All-Star third baseman, made it sound as if there's no immediate plans to ask him to do so. Continue
Thinking in terms of A-Rod, which is all anybody will be doing this offseason, yesterday's decision by the Mets to bring back Moises Alou would seem to eliminate leftfield as a possible destination for David Wright.
And if general manager Omar Minaya intends on re-signing Luis Castillo, as he indicated yesterday, that leaves first base as the only reasonable alternative for Wright - aside from the fact that Carlos Delgado and his $16-million salary currently reside there. Wright already has said he would switch positions for Alex Rodriguez. But Minaya, who planned to speak with his All-Star third baseman, made it sound as if there were no immediate plans to ask him to do so. Continue
David Wright wants to meet with Mets officials to gauge how serious they are about pursuing Alex Rodriguez. About all team brass has told the two-time All-Star so far is to keep quiet. While Wright has expressed a willingness to switch positions if the Mets could land A-Rod, his primary wish is to be kept informed. Mets VP Jay Horwitz called Wright Monday and asked the third baseman - perhaps the most accessible and accommodating Met - to stay mum.
"Jay doesn't want me talking about it," Wright said, adding, "I'd like to sit down and talk with (management) before I say anything." Wright, who owns a penthouse on the Lower East Side, is heading to his native Virginia at the end of the week, and said he hopes a powwow will occur in the next couple of days. Continue
The fifth 30-30 season in the history of the Mets and his third straight season producing at least 100 runs batted made David Wright's 2007 special and evidently one held in high regard by his National League colleagues. The Mets third baseman was voted the National League's All-Star third baseman in balloting conducted last month by The Sporting News.
Wright, the lone Mets player voted to the team, led New York in batting with a career-high .325 average, which ranked 13th in the big leagues among players qualifying for the batting title. He scored 113 runs and hit 30 home runs -- both career highs -- and drove in 107 runs. His 42 doubles equaled a career high and were the most by any Mets player this year. Continue
David Wright became the fourth-youngest player in MLB history to join the 30-homer, 30-steal club when he took Geoff Geary deep for the final run in a 10-6 loss to the Phillies. Only Alex Rodriguez, Bobby Bonds and Jose Canseco were younger than Wright (24 years, 270 days). Wright is the third Met to reach 30-30, joining mentor Howard Johnson (1987, '89 and '91) and Darryl Strawberry ('87).
"I wish it was going to happen in a game that it meant a little more for the outcome," Wright said. "As far as 30-30 goes, I'm extremely proud and thankful the coaching staff has really pushed me to run. After getting off to a slow start, they spent numerous, countless hours in the cage trying to get me right." Continue
David Wright is not a speedster like Jose Reyes, but the Mets' third baseman always presumed it would be easier for him to swipe 30 bases than belt 30 homers in a big-league season. As the Mets open a home stand tonight against the Astros, Wright - who recorded his 30th steal on Aug.30 at Philadelphia, to go with 26 homers - may be on the verge of reaching that more difficult plateau, anyway.
With four more longballs over the Mets' final 23 games, Wright (born Dec.20, 1982) would become the fourth-youngest member of the 30-30 club. Only Alex Rodriguez (22 years, 3 days in 1998), Bobby Bonds (23 years, 182 days in '69) and Jose Canseco (24 years, 35 days in '88) would be younger than Wright when they reached 30-30. Hanley Ramirez, Florida's 23-year-old shortstop, is six homers away. Continue
David Wright’s thumbs were killing him, courtesy of a couple of hard sinkers delivered by John Smoltz, the latest scars in what has been a career-long misadventure against the Braves’ future Hall of Famer.
Forty-three times he’d faced Smoltz in his career before yesterday afternoon, and he’d collected eight hits and four walks against 17 strikeouts. That’s the kind of history that will give a guy a splitting headache. Wright got hit No. 9 in the first inning yesterday, a ball that may have traveled 30 feet total, and felt like 450. Continue
David Wright jawed with C.B. Bucknor over disputed strikes in the fourth inning last night. And when the plate umpire called Wright out on strikes for the third time in the game to end the top of the eighth, Wright had had enough. After playing the bottom half at third base, Wright was ejected for the second time in his career.
"I saw things a little differently than he did, and I said what I had to say," Wright said. Wright's other ejection came in May 2005 in Atlanta. Coach Jerry Manuel had to usher him off the field after ump Jeff Nelson ruled Wright's takeout slide strayed too far from second base. Continue
A six-game lead in the NL East isn't enough for David Wright, who feels that the upcoming road trip to Philadelphia and Atlanta is time for the Mets to prove themselves. "(This) week is not going to make or break our season by any means, but we need to go in there and prove we can beat the best teams in the National League East," Wright said. "We haven't proven that on a consistent basis yet this year. It is important we go in there and prove not only to ourselves but also to the top teams in the National League that we are for real and we can beat them - especially at their place."
The Mets start a four-game series against the second-place Phillies tonight, followed by three in Atlanta against the Braves. who are seven out. Neither NL East rival has played well lately, with the Phillies losing six of their last 10 and the Braves seven of 10. Meanwhile, the Mets, ranked second in the majors with 38 wins on the road, will benefit from a healthy lineup, with catcher Paul Lo Duca and outfielder Endy Chavez making the trip - Lo Duca will be activated for tonight's game, Chavez's activation day is not definite. Continue
By this point last season, the Mets already had enjoyed a double-digit lead in the NL East for two weeks, a cushion that wouldn't return to single digits the rest of the season. Now, as the second half opens tonight with Orlando Hernandez opposing Cincinnati's Bronson Arroyo at Shea, the Mets' advantage stands at just two games over second-place Atlanta. And the Mets expect a battle with the Braves and Phillies simply to reach the postseason.
"There's not one team that I think is capable of doing what we did last year - running away with it," David Wright said. "I think it's going to be a dogfight down to the last week. We've seen it already in the first half where those three teams beat up on each other. We haven't been able to solve the Braves. We understand that a National League East championship is going to have to go through Atlanta and Philadelphia. We're going to have to figure out Atlanta. We're going to have to play well against Philadelphia." Continue
There were only three hits in last night's rain-shortened game, and David Wright was in the middle of two of them. The Mets third baseman hit the home run that accounted for the only runs of the Mets' 2-0 victory, and he allowed the Cardinals' only hit when he was unable to make what would have been a spectacular throw.
Tom Glavine had to settle for a one-hitter in the six-inning game after Scott Rolen's hard shot in the second inning bounced behind third base where Wright grabbed it and then threw across the field. The throw was off line, bringing Carlos Delgado off the base. Continue
Howard Johnson had three 30-homer, 30-steal seasons as a Met. And the Mets first base coach believes David Wright can achieve that lofty plateau, too. Wright has a team-leading 12 homers as well as 14 steals. He is actually 14-for-14 in steal attempts. HoJo has the franchise record of 26 straight swipes from June 10 to Sept.1, 1989. "We're very similar," HoJo said. "He's smart, and that's what you've got to be. If you don't have speed like Jose Reyes, that's the way you've got to be. You've got to be smart and you've got to get the jumps." Continue
David Wright is trying for another Mets record. The All-Star third baseman already has set the record for longest hitting streak in Mets history (26 games) and on Monday, he was bidding to tie the team record for the most consecutive games with a home run at five.
Wright, who failed to tie the team home run record, is now trying for another mark - the most consecutively stolen bases. Wright is 14-for-14 in steals this season. Howard Johnson, the team's first base coach, holds the all-time Mets record when he swiped 26 straight bases in 1989. Wright has the most steals without being caught in the NL. (NY Post)
David Wright's closest bid at making Mets history last night ended as just a fly out to deep right field. Wright had homered in four straight games going into last night's game and was attempting to join Richard Hidalgo for the best power streak in the Mets' 46-year existence. Hidalgo homered in five straight games in July 2004 (three of them against the Yankees), but Wright couldn't match him. He went 1-for 4 with a single - and that third inning fly out - in the Mets' 5-3 loss to the Dodgers.
Wright said he didn't know he had ever homered in four straight games before, not even in Little League or tee-ball. "I don't know," Wright said Sunday. "Probably not." Wright extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a first-inning RBI single. During the spurt, he has batted .333 (17-for-51) with four homers, five doubles, nine RBIs, eight runs and four stolen bases. Continue
David Wright had a grand total of zero homers when the calendar flipped to May. Now he's got 12 and sole possession of the team lead after going deep for the fourth straight game yesterday - this time a three-run shot in the first off Andrew Miller. Wright is one shy of matching the franchise record of five straight games with a homer set by Richard Hidalgo from July 1-5, 2004.
"It's funny how things work out like that," said Wright, who has a 12-game hitting streak. "I wouldn't have thought that I would have 20 home runs (at the All-Star Break) and then six home runs in the second half last year. But I don't think there's really an explanation or rhyme or reason." Continue
David Wright is the newest member of the Mets injury club. Wright was a late scratch from Friday night's lineup after waking up with light back spasms. The injury isn't considered serious, and Wright plans to play this weekend.
"This morning, when I got up, it was pretty instant pain," Wright said. "Now, more than anything, it's uncomfortable and just spasms. I'd love to be out there and play, but they kind of talked some sense into me, the trainers. I'd rather be safe than sorry." Wright said that he felt no discomfort last night -- nothing abnormal at all, in fact, until this morning. And after discussing the issue with manager Willie Randolph, he concluded that rest was the best option. Continue
David Wright has eight homers this month, second in the majors in May behind Cincinnati's Ken Griffey Jr. Wright would have settled for contact last night. He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, including leaving the bases loaded in the third inning when he failed to check his swing on an 0-2 split-finger fastball in the dirt from John Smoltz as the Mets lost, 2-1, at Turner Field.
On the final pitch of the third-inning at-bat, first base ump Larry Young ruled Wright hadn't held and punched him out - Wright's 14th strikeout in his first 34 career at-bats against Smoltz. An infuriated Wright, who usually reserves his frustration for the tunnel from the dugout to the clubhouse, threw down his helmet and barked at Young. (Career strikeout No. 15 for Wright against Smoltz came in the sixth. He also watched a called third strike at the very top of the zone from Rafael Soriano in the eighth.) Continue
Since the start of the regular season, David Wright hasn’t been on the South Beach Diet or the Beverly Hills Diet. But thanks to a nutritionist/cook he hired to prepare his meals, Wright’s been eating better, and he feels like it’s having an impact.
Bill Feldman - who, according to Wright, has worked with players on the Nets and New York Giants - has been whipping up healthy breakfasts, lunches and dinners for Wright when the third baseman is home in New York. “I feel like I have more energy,’’ he said yesterday. “A lot of times you put the wrong food in your body you feel sluggish and it feels like my energy level is up this year and my body is able to recover quicker than in the past. Over the winter, Wright worked with Mets physical therapist Jeff Cavaliere on his fitness, and Cavaliere found Feldman for Wright. Continue
In the fall of 2006, David Wright played with Mike Myers on the Major League All-Star team that toured Japan. Yesterday afternoon, he said sayonara to Myers. Twice. Wright launched two two-run home runs off the Yankees reliever - one that seemed headed for the Pacific Rim - to stake the Mets to a big lead and help them down the Bombers, 10-7.
Maybe more impressive than the two taters that totaled 860 feet were the three intentional walks that followed. Indeed, Wright doesn't remember ever being walked intentionally three times - even in amateur ball. Todd Hundley was the last Met with three intentional walks in a game, back in 1997. "It's a tremendous show of respect, and one that we as his teammates are happy to see," winning pitcher Tom Glavine said. "David obviously is a key part of our team, and he's a big bat in our lineup. Continue
When David Wright said patience paid off last night, the Mets' third baseman was talking about his approach at the plate against Brewers righthander Jeff Suppan. He also could have been talking about himself and Carlos Delgado so far this season. Wright and Delgado, who both have started the season slowly, each homered off Suppan in the Mets' four-run fourth inning to help lead the way to a 5-4 win at Shea.
The Mets tied a season high with three homers last night, with second baseman Damion Easley hitting his fourth of the season in the seventh inning. It was just the third home run of the season for both Wright and Delgado, who hit 26 and 38, respectively, last season. Last night's blasts were reassurance that both hitters are coming into form. Continue
Carlos Beltran hung a shingle on his barber shop inside the visitor's clubhouse, prepping for customers. He had shears, razors and plenty of towels to blot the blood. Before long there was a parade of Mets lining up to get their domes shaved. Many were willing, some had to be coaxed, razzed and properly humiliated. A few players emerged with tiny wet cuts on their foreheads and necks. Most knew they'd blown their chances to ever be featured on a GQ cover.
Julio Franco took a quick turn with the clippers, trimming Beltran's hair until his head gleamed like an egg. Beltran was such an introvert his first two seasons in New York, happy to be seen but not heard, but now he boisterously grabbed control of the floor, handling the scissors as if they were a bat. Continue
Perhaps no one on the Mets was happier to see the calendar flip from April to May than David Wright. After slogging through a forgettable first month that ended with Wright being the Met lone regular without a homer while posting a paltry six RBI, there was nowhere to go but up for the All-Star third baseman in May. And last night was a very promising start.
Wright had his first three-hit game of the season, including his first homer, falling a triple shy of the cycle in the Mets' 5-2 loss to the Marlins last night. And though his average jumped 22 points to .266, all Wright seemed concerned about was the Mets' fourth loss in their last six games. "We went out there, lost the game and lost the series," Wright said. "You can't take any satisfaction in personal achievements or individual statistics when you go out there and lose a game. Offensively, I think I'm slowly making some strides, but we need to go out there and win games." Continue
They still love David Wright here at Shea Stadium. He is the one Met everyone wants to bring home to dinner. But mark last night down as the night this baseball honeymoon officially ended. When Wright struck out on three pitches with two runners on in the seventh inning of the Mets’ 9-6 loss to the Marlins, a month of frustration came to a head. The fans turned A-Rod on the Mets’ young star and booed the third baseman. Not scattered boos, real New York boos. Those are unmistakable. During his time with the Mets this was the loudest Wright had ever been booed by the home fans. Continue
If batting averages and run production numbers were posted on the New York Stock Exchange, Willie Randolph would call David Wright's recent decline a market correction and nothing more. But the 0-for-15 mark Wright took into last night's game, which he ended with a second-inning single, definitely would not be termed a slump.
"A slump is a long period of time that you're out of sync mechanically," Randolph said. "It's not 14 or 15 at-bats. I don't call them slumps. I've seen guys that are supposed to be in slumps and they might hit the ball right on the nose 15 out of 25 times and not get any hits. It might be tough luck, but it's not a slump." Continue
For a guy who recently established a Mets record with a 26-game hitting streak stretching from the end of last season to the start of this one, there certainly were a lot of panicky questions yesterday about David Wright.
The All-Star third baseman took extra batting practice before last night's 6-1 win over Colorado, but he now is 0-for-14 with seven strikeouts since his hitting streak ended Friday. He also has no homers, four RBI, four extra-base hits and a paltry .333 slugging percentage over his first 70 at-bats this season. "It's all frustrating, but all part of the game," Wright said after going 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts. "You go into these ruts sometimes, and you just continue to work and work to get out of them." Continue
David Wright isn't very impressed with it. Wright set the Mets' record for longest hitting streak last night, going 2-for-5 to make it 25 games. He had entered the game tied with Hubie Brooks and Mike Piazza.
"You just try to go up there and put together good at-bats. If you get a hit, great. If not, get 'em tomorrow," Wright said after the game. "It's one of those things where the company that you're in is phenomenal. But like I said from Day One, it's not something I'm concerned with. It's not something that when this thing is done that I'm going to lose any sleep over." Continue
Hubie Brooks and Mike Piazza have company for the longest hitting streak in franchise history. David Wright's lone hit in five at-bats last night, a second-inning single, extended his streak to a record-tying 24 games. "I'm sure they're not losing any sleep over it," said Wright, whose streak is officially recognized separately, since it spans two seasons. Continue
The longer that David Wright's hitting streak continues, the more uncomfortable he gets talking about it, and that definitely was the case yesterday after a 6-2 loss to the Nationals. Wright became the first player in franchise history to hit safely in a season's first 11 games when he blooped a single to center in the second inning. He also extended his overall streak to 23 games - one short of the club record by Mike Piazza (1999) and Hubie Brooks (1984).
"It's something that you don't even think about," he said. "To me, it's not a big deal. It's one of those things that you just try to go out and get a hit every day. It doesn't even come to mind when you're playing." Continue
Even David Wright was amazed how much his wax likeness resembled him when it was unveiled at Madame Tussauds in Times Square yesterday. "It's creepy how much they got it right," Wright said. "Right down to veins in my wrists. And apparently, I didn't shave the day I was measured."
The wax figure isn't the only resemblance that the Mets third baseman is noticing. Seven games into 2007, these Mets seem to have the same fight as 2006's NL East champions. "We have that same never-say-die attitude," Wright said. "After last night's win, there's a lot of a resemblance between last year's team and this year's." Continue
David Wright, strangely, has an 18-game hitting streak. Wright singled in the eighth inning of yesterday's 3-2 Met loss to Atlanta, keeping his career-best hitting streak alive. He had gotten a hit in each of his final 12 games last season and has gotten at least one hit in all six Mets games in 2007. Wright, who had hit in 15 games straight in 2005, said he had heard he was on a hitting streak but wasn't sure of the length. He said he "didn't even know I ended last year on one." (NY Post)
David Wright is as media-friendly as any Met. But there's one media-driven reality he's not embracing: the 3:55 p.m. Saturday start time that is mandated by baseball's new TV deal with Fox. Yesterday had that odd start time, as will at least five others this season. Fox wants a late-afternoon window on its Game of the Week to draw in more viewers, but the shadows around home plate in the game's early innings weren't a hit with batters.
"No good," Wright said. "Not a fan of 3:55 starts at all. If I get a vote, I'm against 3:55 starts. Especially against John Smoltz." Wright struck out in each of his first three at-bats against Smoltz. Carlos Delgado agreed "it was tough to see at the plate." Continue
Willie Randolph doesn't intend to commit to a lineup, not like he committed to his childhood sweetheart Gretchen. But batting David Wright second, behind Jose Reyes, seems to agree with the Mets skipper.
Since meeting with veteran players nine days ago and asking the team to tighten its play, Reyes and Wright have started every day but one. Each game, Wright has batted right behind Reyes. "I like it, but I'm not going to make any announcements on our lineup or anything like that," Randolph said. "But I like it. "I like it with (Paul) LoDuca there, too," he added after a brief pause. Continue
There are many reasons why David Wright should bat second for the Mets rather than Paul Lo Duca - and we will get to those. But here is the biggest reason: Wright is a better, more dangerous hitter than Lo Duca, and should bat more often and in more critical situations. Period.
Three times already this spring Wright has hit second. Willie Randolph says he is just tinkering and "nothing is etched in stone." But this is more than a tinker. Randolph is seriously considering batting Wright behind Jose Reyes and in front of Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and Moises Alou. Continue
Alex Rodriguez had to switch positions to become a Yankee because of Derek Jeter's presence at shortstop. But the matinee-idol star on the other side of town would be willing to make a similar move on the minuscule chance A-Rod lands in Flushing next season. If Rodriguez exercises his right to opt out of his mega-contract after 2007, David Wright said he'd "absolutely" vacate third base and switch to the outfield or second base if the Mets decide to pursue A-Rod as a free agent.
"For Alex Rodriguez? Yeah. He's Alex Rodriguez," Wright said yesterday at Tradition Field. "He's a Hall of Famer. He does everything in the game extremely well. I still think it's a little premature to be testing the waters. But he's a great player. You're talking about a player who makes any team instantly better. Continue
David Wright still vividly recalls the message waiting for him when he turned on his cell phone after landing at LaGuardia Airport on July 21, 2004. "Just go up there and break all my records," Howard Johnson had said on the recording. "Go for it. If somebody is going to do it, I want it to be you."
Two and a half years later, Wright is on his way to doing just that. Only now, he'll have the man he refers to as his "baseball father" in the dugout as a firsthand observer. HoJo, who served as hitting coach on Wright's Class-A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton teams during consecutive years in the minors, joined the major-league staff in December as first base coach. He replaces new Nationals manager Manny Acta. Wright's endorsements to Omar Minaya and Willie Randolph helped HoJo land the position. Continue
David Wright was thrilled this winter when he was selected as the cover athlete for MLB 07: The Show, an honor previously held by Red Sox slugger David Ortiz. But Wright also understands that life is nothing like a video game, and that's why the All-Star third baseman showed up at the team's minor-league complex two weeks early.
As of Wednesday, he was the only position player from last year's team to make an appearance here, and it was not to re-arrange his cleats and hang up his favorite t-shirts. Wright dressed with the dozens of minor-league pitchers and fringe candidates at 8 a.m., then fielded grounders and took batting practice for three hours before calling it quits. Continue
The goal has never been simpler, yet more challenging for the Mets. Next stop, ultimate October success. When I asked David Wright yesterday what is the Mets' goal for 2007, he didn't blink. "Right now," Wright said, "it's got to be to win a World Series."
There it is in black and white. Good for Wright and the Mets. There is no more dancing around the subject. This spring the Mets don't have to make any of those silly statements that their goal is to play, "meaningful games in September." And forget the excuse of not having playoff experience, that's out the window, too. The only goal is to win the World Series, plain and simple. Continue
David Wright knows he is living the dream, but nothing off the field can compare with this past Monday night when Wright was quietly invited to the White House to have dinner with President Bush. "You talk about all the off-the-field perks I've had," Wright said yesterday from the Mets spring training complex in Port St. Lucie, "this one tops them all. I had goose bumps all night."
The Mets All-Star third baseman was invited to a "baseball dinner" along with San Diego's Trevor Hoffman, Toronto's Vernon Wells, Cubs manager Lou Piniella, broadcaster Tim McCarver and journalist George Will. Will, a baseball zealot, has helped the president organize such dinners in the past and reached out to Omar Minaya, who worked for the Rangers when Bush was the managing general partner of the club. Minaya suggested Wright be invited, along with Julio Franco, who could not attend because of a family illness. About a month ago, Wright was quietly given a verbal invite. Continue
If Barry Zito is interested in taking Manhattan, then David Wright is interested in taking him around it. Yesterday afternoon, Wright enthusiastically suggested that he would be a tour guide for Zito to woo the top-notch free agent. And the franchise's hot-corner cornerstone figures to do a hard, tough sell "if we get that far," as he put it.
Wright said that anyone who doesn't want to play on the biggest stage in baseball needs to be viewed skeptically. It's a seeming shot across the bow, or a preemptive strike against Zito signing with a pretender like Texas instead of a contender like the Mets.
"I'd be more than open to showing Barry around and try to sell him on New York," Wright said. "This place sells itself." Continue
David Wright admitted defeat yesterday. As many times as he's gone deep in the MLB All-Star tour of Japan, he just can't keep up with Phillies slugger Ryan Howard's longball pace. "I tried to stay neck-and-neck with him in the Home Run Derby and he wore me out," Wright said, referring to Pittsburgh in July. "I'm not going to even try to do that. He's tremendous. He's one of a kind. So I'm not going to even try to keep pace with him, home run for home run. I can't do it."
Wright's fourth-inning homer against lefthander Kei Igawa was the third baseman's third of the trip and gave the MLB a two-run lead. After John Maine coughed up that advantage, Howard began a five-run eighth inning with a homer and the MLB All-Stars went on to a 7-2 victory over their Japanese counterparts at the Kyocera Dome. Howard has four home runs in the past three games. Jose Reyes' two-run single capped the eighth-inning scoring and helped MLB improve to 4-0 in the series, after a 7-7 exhibition draw against the Yomiuri Giants that included the first of Wright's three homers. Continue
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