Veterans to decide Hodges' fate
February 28, 2005 - When Gil Hodges retired as a player 42 years ago, he ranked 11th on the all-time home run list with 370. The 10 players who were ahead of Hodges then are in the Hall of Fame now. Hodges isn't, but the focus will be on him in the upcoming election by the Hall of Fame Veterans Committee.

Will the Hall of Fame Veterans Committee vote Hodges in?

Hodges played 14 seasons in the Dodgers organization -- 10 in Brooklyn and four in Los Angeles. He went to the New York Mets in the 1961 expansion draft and hit the first home run in Mets history, but retired in 1963 to become manager of the Washington Senators for four years.

He was actually traded back to manage the Mets from 1968-1971, a tenure highlighted by the Miracle Mets' World Championship of 1969, when the club erased a 9 1/2-game deficit over the final six weeks of the season. Hodges died of a heart attack in 1972, while playing golf two days before his 48th birthday.

In the most recent Veterans Committee vote, Hodges fell 11 ballots short of joining Boys of Summer teammates Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella and Pee Wee Reese. During his 15 years on the regular Hall of Fame ballot, Hodges received the highest vote total of any player not elected. 

Mets GM shoots down Cameron rumor
February 21, 2005 - Responding to a published report, Omar Minaya came out strongly on Monday in stating that he had no intention of moving Gold Glove outfielder Mike Cameron.

Matsui aims to be second to none
February 17, 2005 -

Kaz Matsui

There was a great deal of fanfare surrounding Kaz Matsui's arrival in Spring Training last year. This year, there was not.

There was talk of Gold Gloves, possible Rookie of the Year accolades and throngs of Japanese media covering Matsui's every move when he arrived in Florida in 2004. This year, however, the talk was of second base and the complexities of moving from the left side of the infield to the right, and whether Matsui was fully accepting of the switch.

The conversation also centered on errors and injuries and whether Matsui would be able to avoid both during his sophomore season in the Major Leagues.

As for the Japanese media, the horde, some 30 members strong last year, was whittled down to a handful on Thursday morning as Matsui received a more subdued greeting when he arrived at Tradition Field.

Things are certainly different 12 months later, changes having abounded with the Mets as a team and with Matsui as an individual. Expectations are different for New York's new second baseman, clearly not as high as they were last year after he displaced Jose Reyes at shortstop. Gold Glove-caliber play would be welcome at second base, but at this point, the Mets are just hoping Matsui makes a smooth transition from the only position he's ever known. 

Mets, Strawberry to reunite
February 11, 2005 - The Mets and Darryl Strawberry will join forces for the first time in 15 years later this month when the former All-Star returns to the team with which he made his name as a player, serving as special instructor for the organization's outfielders.

Strawberry, 42, will be joined by fellow 1986 World Series champion Lenny Dykstra, who served as an instructor last spring. When Strawberry puts on the blue and orange, it will mark the first time since the 1990 season ended that he will don a Mets uniform.

Tim Teufel and Howard Johnson, both former teammates of Strawberry's in New York, have worked with the organization for years. Teufel will manage Class A St. Lucie this season while Johnson will serve as the hitting coach in Triple-A Norfolk. They are pleased to see Strawberry back in the fold. 

Mets 'not interested' in Wilson
February 1, 2005 - Contrary to several published reports coming out of Colorado and New York on Tuesday, the Mets have no desire to swap Mike Cameron for Rockies slugger Preston Wilson.

Sources confirmed to MLB.com that the Mets "have no interest" in Wilson, a former Met and the stepson of Brooklyn Cyclones manager Mookie Wilson. Preston Wilson is owed $12 million this season -- the last on his contract -- but has had several surgeries on a balky left knee. Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd also told MLB.com that discussions of such a deal ended 2 1/2 months ago. 

Mets sign veteran Van Poppel
February 14, 2005 - General manager Omar Minaya signed right-hander Todd Van Poppel to a minor league deal on Monday and invited the veteran to Major League camp. 

Steroids Allegations Hit Shea Stadium
Flushing, February 1, 2005 - An anonymous Major League Baseball source has revealed that a mascot of for one of the Major League baseball teams in New York City is under investigation for possible use of steroids. Early speculation is that could possibly no other New York Mets mascot, "Mr. Met."

Mr. Met was accused of dealing marijuana to several Met players including Tony Tarasco, Mark Corey and Grant Roberts.

The process of elimination was easy one source reported. "The Yankees don't have a stupid mascot," one angry told fan told MTM, protesting outside Shea Stadium demanding the release of Mr. Met.

Carmine Spano of Jackson Heights screamed outside Mets offices, "He an embarrassment to the organization and should tied to the back of the 7 Train and dragged back into Manhattan with all those pill heads!"

This is not the first scandal involving Mr. Met, in the 2002 Mr. Met was accused of dealing marijuana to several Met players including Tony Tarasco, Mark Corey and Grant Roberts.

Corey suffered a seizure in the player's parking lot as was traded eventually. Corey admitted to smoking pot and reported to authorities that Mr. Met sold him the marijuana, which turned out to be oregano. Corey swore that Mr. Met claimed that the weed was best shit we ever had. Mr. Met denied the allegations of being a drug dealer.

Later that season photos were obtained by Meet The Mess showed Mr. Met smoking from a bong similar to ones that the N.Y. Post showed of pitcher Grant Roberts.

Mr. Met claimed he did not inhale. That he was hanging out with a tough crowd and felt intimidated by the peer pressure after buying a bong from Tommy Chong.

In 1998 Mr. Met appeared on ESPN commercial as himself doing a spoof for a summer calendar with some of ESPN personalities. Mr. Met was featured with Linda Cohn in a swimsuit, with Mr. Met rubbing suntan lotion on her.

Cohn asked Mr. Met to stop rubbing lotion on her body several times and was escorted from the set by security. Cohn filed sexual harassment charges again Mr. Met, but a settlement was made with undisclosed cash settlement.