Wells managed to earn his 195th career victory, despite allowing 12 hits—one shy of his career high—in just six innings.March 31, 2003 - Corey Patterson made Dusty Baker’s debut as manager of the Chicago Cubs a successful one. The start to the tenures of New York Mets Art Howe and Tom Glavine were less than auspicious.
Patterson had four hits, including a pair of homers, and drove in a career-high seven runs and Kerry Wood combined with three relievers on a four-hitter as the Cubs pounded the Mets, 15-2.
After guiding the San Francisco Giants to the World Series in 2002, Baker was brought in by the Cubs in an attempt to jump-start a team that lost 95 games last season.
“The first one is the hardest,” Baker said. “Anytime you’re a new manager, it’s something you will remember. I remember my first one in San Francisco and I’ll remember this one.”
Baker’s first game could not have gone much better as his team rapped out 16 hits, walked 12 times and tied the team record for runs on Opening Day.
“You get 12 walks, that’s a good way to keep pitchers working,” he said. “Anytime you get a lot of walks, to me, it’s a victory.”
The Cubs began the 1899 season with a 15-1 victory over Louisville.
Conversely, Howe - who led Oakland to a 103 wins and the American League West Division title in 2002 - saw his new team allow its most runs on Opening Day.
“You just move on and go to the next one,” Howe said. “A 4-2 game would have been more agonizing. I would have wanted a better game for the fans. I wish we had a better script.”
It was the most lopsided opener in the major leagues since the Chicago White Sox routed the St. Louis Browns, 17-3, on April 17, 1951.
Ironically, the Mets entered the game with a 25-15 mark in season openers - the best percentage (.634) in major league history.
Mets, Bacsik lose to Braves
March 31, 2003 - The Mets lost their second consecutive game on Saturday, dropping a 4-1 decision to Atlanta at Cracker Jack Stadium. Bacsik (1-3) allowed 10 hits in four innings.
Aaron Heilman, who is also battling for a spot in the starting rotation, came on and scattered three hits in four innings, allowing a run on a bloop base hit in the sixth.
Piazza files appeal of suspension
March 21, 2003 - Mets catcher Mike Piazza filed an appeal with the Commissioner's Office late Friday afternoon, asking for a hearing on the five-game suspension and fine handed him earlier this week.
Mike PiazzaPiazza drew the suspension and $3,000 fine for his actions after he was hit by a Guillermo Mota pitch during the March 12 game against the Dodgers.Piazza charged at Mota and later went into the Dodgers' clubhouse in search of the pitcher.
In addition to the suspension, Piazza was fined $3,000 by MLB vice president Bob Watson. Mota was suspended for five games and fined $1,500, and the Mets' Jeromy Burnitz was fined $500.
Piazza was fined $3,000 for grabbing Mota by the shirt after being hit by a pitch in a Spring Training game last year.
Mets' Kazmir on the rise
March 18, 2003 - Because Scott Kazmir has a live fastball that rockets through the strike zone at speeds in excess of 90 mph, it's easy to watch him pitch and think about the possibilities.
But before anybody gets carried away and anoints the native of Texas the future ace of the Mets' staff, keep one thing in mind: Kazmir is only 19.Kazmir is nine months removed from high school, where he spent his days pitching against batters who spent more time worrying about potential prom dates than how to get around on an unhittable fastball.
Kazmir was New York's top pick in last June's draft, 15th overall. Baseball America named him its high school player of the year in 2002, and he is currently ranked as the 11th-best prospect in the country by the same publication.
But Kazmir won't even allow himself to venture over to the Major League clubhouse at the Mets' Thomas J. White Stadium complex. Instead, he spends his morning in the barn-like minor league clubhouse, then works out on the back fields with more than 100 other hopefuls.
Piazza fined, suspended for brawl
March 17, 2003 - Mike Piazza learned on Monday what his part in last week's brawl with the Los Angeles Dodgers will cost him.The Commissioner's Office announced that Piazza and Dodgers pitcher Guillermo Mota were each suspended for five regular-season games. Piazza and Mota were also fined, reportedly $3,000 and $1,500, respectively. Suspensions, pending appeal, are slated to begin March 31, the date both clubs open the regular season.
According to Bob Watson, Major League Baseball's vice president for on-field operations, the appeal process may have already begun. Watson determined the length of the suspensions and the amount of the fines.
The Mets dropped a 7-4 decision to Baltimore on Monday, but Piazza did not make the trip to Fort Lauderdale. He has remained mum about the situation since it happened but did release the following statement through the team's public relation's department.
iazza charged the mound in a March 12 game against the Dodgers in Port St. Lucie after Mota hit him in the back of the left shoulder with a pitch. A short but heated scuffle ensued on the field with several of the Mets attempting in vain to reach Mota. Jeromy Burnitz was one of Mota's chief pursuers and was fined an undisclosed sum for "acting aggressively" during the incident.After order was restored, Piazza showered in New York's clubhouse, then went over to the visiting clubhouse at Thomas J. White Stadium to look for Mota. By that time, however, Mota had already left the building.
Piazza's entrance into the visiting clubhouse drew the ire of the Dodgers, and Los Angeles general manager Dan Evans immediately filed a complaint.Last week's incident came nearly a year after Piazza and Mota engaged in a shoving match during a game in Vero Beach, Fla. Mota hit Piazza with a pitch on March 28, 2002.
Piazza then waited on the bench for Mota to leave the game and confronted him near the right-field foul line, eventually grabbing Mota by the throat before the two were separated. Piazza was fined $3,000 then.
There was no word on when Bob DuPuy, MLB's president and chief operating officer, would hear any appeal for this case.
Mike Piazza squares off against Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Guillermo Mota in this image from television, Wednesday, March 12, 2003 in Port St. Lucie, Fla.Mota hits Piazza, brawl ensues
March 13, 2003 - Lingering bad blood between Dodgers reliever Guillermo Mota and Mets catcher Mike Piazza erupted into a bench-clearing brawl Wednesday night when Mota drilled the former Dodger with a pitch.
Mota had slugged a three-run homer in the top of the sixth of the Dodgers' 13-6 win over New York, but it didn't appear any words were exchanged when Mota crossed the plate. Piazza led off the bottom of the sixth inning and Mota threw the first pitch inside, Piazza glaring at the pitcher. The second pitch, also a fastball, nailed Piazza in the back.
Mike PiazzaDodger catcher David Ross caught Piazza just before he reached the mound."I got his arm just as he was throwing a punch," said Ross. "That's the first fight I've ever been in. I didn't know what to do."
Adrian Beltre and Brian Jordan restrained Piazza, who by this time was screaming and motioning wildly at Mota."If he had gotten loose, I don't know what would have happened," said Mets manager Art Howe.
Jeromy Burnitz and Joe McEwing took aim on Mota, but he was surrounded by teammates and ushered into the dugout and quickly toward the clubhouse.
Mota and Piazza were the only players ejected. Umpire crew chief Ed Montague, who also grabbed Piazza when the catcher made a second attempt to get at Mota, said a report will be filed with the Commissioner's Office.
He showered and dressed and walked to Brian Jordan's waiting white Range Rover, which Jordan retrieved from the parking lot and brought inside the security gates. With Jordan at the wheel, he and Mota departed with the game still in the sixth inning.
Five minutes later, Piazza left the Mets clubhouse without speaking to reporters, drove his BMW to the entrance of the Dodger clubhouse, and entered. Visibly agitated, Piazza approached equipment manager Jerry Turner, then trainer Stan Johnston."Where's Mota?" Piazza repeated. "Where's Mota?"
Told Mota had left, Piazza checked the trainer's room and looked into the shower, then scanned the lockers before he finally left.Mota and Piazza have a history. In a March 4, 2002 exhibition game against the Dodgers at Port St. Lucie, Piazza was hit by an Eric Gagne pitch and Mark Guthrie retaliated by hitting Jordan with a pitch.
Mota, acquired five days earlier, faced Piazza in a March 28 exhibition game in Vero Beach and hit Piazza in the back with a pitch. Piazza waited in the Mets first-base dugout for Mota to leave the field after being removed from the game. When Mota reached the grass in shallow right field, Piazza intercepted him and grabbed the 6-foot-4 Mota by the neck until they were separated by other players. Piazza received a fine.Dodgers manager Jim Tracy remembered last year's incident.
"Obviously, (Mota) remembers he reached up and tried to choke him a year ago. Other than that, I don't have a lot to say. It boils down to nothing more than history that started late last March and carried itself over."Howe questioned why Mota came out for a second inning of work.
"I thought they left him out there to go after Piazza," said Howe. "That's my opinion. Someone told me they have a history. I read about it last year and after that first pitch, it kind of brought it back into my mind. He tried to get him on the first one. There was certainly intent from my viewpoint."But the guy ran like a scared rabbit. If he wants to hit someone, he should stay there and fight. He can backpedal faster than I can run forward. It was a set up, as far as I was concerned. I'm angry. He's my best player and I don't want guys taking potshots at my best player."
Howe said Piazza should not be suspended "for anything he did tonight."
The two teams have played each other four times in the past three days with games scheduled Saturday and Sunday in Mexico City."Both sides need to get this resolved and get it over with," said Tracy. "Nobody wants to start a season missing key players when you've worked as hard as we've worked to this point."
DL likely for Astacio
March 7, 2003 - A contrast MRI on Pedro Astacio's right shoulder revealed no further damage to his partially torn labrum on Friday. It was determined, however, that Astacio has biceps tendonitis and will likely begin the season on the disabled list.
Pedro AstacioPhillips stressed that there was no change to the tear in Astacio's labrum, a fact that was confirmed after comparing Friday's MRI with a contrast MRI administered by Dr. Lewis Yocum in October 2001. He added that the pain Astacio, 33, is currently experiencing is not a result of the tear in the labrum.
Astacio was forced to miss the final months of the 2001 season while pitching for Houston because of the tear in his labrum. The Mets signed Astacio last winter after he pitched well during winter ball, proving he was healthy. Astacio then pitched marvelously for much of last season, posting an 11-4 mark with a 2.95 ERA through early August. But he closed the season with a 1-7 record and a 10.80 ERA, once again raising concerns about his health.