After 14 seasons, all with the Mets, third baseman and team captain David Wright will retire because of medical issues with his back. Follow along with Wright's final days in a Mets uniform as he set is to play his final game on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018.

Sports

Baseball

New York Mets

David Lennon

In the end, David Wright got what he deserved. 
The Mets’ captain, on the final night of his 14-year tenure in Flushing, got one of the largest crowds (43,928) in Citi Field’s history to show up specifically to see him play one more time. He got thousands of seats filled with No. 5 jerseys, holding up signs, cheering his every movement. 
Wright got his 2-year-old daughter, Olivia Shea, to throw him the first pitch as he crouched behind the plate. (“I was pretty sure that had about a 10 percent chance of happening,” he joked later.) He got to share the field with his wife, Molly, along with his parents, as they soaked in the adoration. 
The only homegrown Mets star to finish his career with the franchise got to trot to third base by himself to open Saturday night’s game, followed by close friend Jose Reyes, as the two played beside each other for the first time since 2011 — in Game No. 878 together, a club record. 
Wright also got two plate appearances (a walk and a foul pop) and smiled broadly after scooping up a ground ball, then firing it over to first base to finish the second inning. In the top of the fourth, he got to be called off the field for a farewell standing ovation, hugs from all his teammates at the dugout rail and another curtain call. 
And because Wright is a Met, above all else, he got to wait more than 4 hours for the finish of a 1-0, 13-inning win over Miami before taking the microphone to address the fans who stuck with him at about 11:45 p.m. 
“I’m all out of tears, but this is love,” Wright told them. “I can’t say anything else — this is love.” 
On a night Wright described as “surreal” and “awesome,” he got the dream he imagined — or as close to the best possible version. And how many of us are lucky enough to get that? 
You can focus on the fact that Wright’s career was sadly cut short far too soon, the back injuries an unfortunate series of violent accidents, and that is as much a part of his Mets legacy as the 1,777 hits and 242 home runs. But that is only half of what made Wright so beloved among everyone who knew him, watched him or shared a clubhouse with him. And most would suggest that was the lesser half, because Wright transcended those numbers, growing into a presence that had the ability to outshine the dark days. 
“No. 1, David is a special person,” said Michael Cuddyer, a fellow Virginia Beach native who was friendly with Wright before they played together on the Mets. “For me, it’s his authenticity. Being who you are all the time, and that’s what David is. As far as wearing a Mets uniform his whole career, he’s the best that’s ever done it.” 
If Wright had managed to stay healthy, Cooperstown was his likely destination. He made it to only one World Series, the failed 2015 trip, and also endured that painful NLCS loss in 2006, followed by two late-season collapses the next two years. 
Against that backdrop, Wright developed into a tragic hero, the eternally boyish All-Star cursed with a broken body that betrayed his youthful appearance. When three surgeries to repair his back, shoulder and neck issues limited him to 75 games during the past four seasons, Wright’s fate was almost certain. There would be no resumption of his career, only a conclusion. But that was enough motivation to somehow propel him toward Citi Field for Saturday night. 
“It shows a lot of character, a guy that’s not going to give up on it,” said Marlins manager Don Mattingly, the former Yankees captain whose own career was ended by back woes. “He keeps fighting and fighting. I think it tells you a lot about him as a person and what he wanted to do.” 
For years, Wright existed in a state of perpetual rehab. There was a time he showed up after a recent neck surgery wearing an immobilizing brace, looking painfully thin, his muscle tone wasted away from a liquid diet and the inability to exercise. Wright looked as far from playing for the Mets again as you or I. But the dream persisted, and the same drive, the same character, that transformed him into a seven-time All-Star made Saturday night possible, too. 
Returning to Citi, however, also required an acceptance of his fate, and that’s not something easily done for a 35-year-old who’s spent his life playing a kid’s game. During the past few months, Wright gutted his way through rehab stops in Port St. Lucie and Las Vegas, spending hours to prepare before suffering through each inning. 
The temptation to quit must have been overwhelming. All that for another few swings with the Mets? Could it really be worth the daily anguish? 
It didn’t take long for Wright to get his answer when he pulled into the players’ parking lot Saturday afternoon. 
“Coming to the ballpark, I didn’t know what to expect,” Wright said. “Then there were five or six dozen fans waiting. That’s when it hit me — this was going to be an awesome night.” 
Wright never did what he did begrudgingly, or out of some forced obligation. He was the Mets’ captain for a reason, and that was displayed both on and off the field. Wright was Employee No. 5, the lunch-pail third baseman and three hitter who never ducked the spotlight no matter how intense the heat. People recognize that and respect it. 
“He’s a true professional,” said Jacob deGrom, whose same approach should earn him a Cy Young Award this year. “I’m sad to see him go. He’s been the best teammate I’ve ever had.” 
Thinking of Wright in the past tense is when the heartbreak comes for such a cherished member of the franchise to be finished too soon. But seeing how happy he was again, just to be kicking the bat on his way to the plate as the Beastie Boys’ “Brass Monkey” blared throughout the stadium, suggested that this was a lasting salve for a wounded baseball soul. 
“I can’t sit here and tell you I’m good with where I’m at right now,” Wright said later in the packed conference room. “That would be a lie. But it was a wonderful night. It’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.” 
His love for the game is genuine, just as it is for the Mets and the seemingly countless number of smitten fans who follow this often bewildering team. That love was returned to Wright on Saturday night, an outpouring of emotional support and unconditional affection that both he and his family were showered with. 
“I live and die with this team,” Wright said. “I think that’s what made the connection between the fans and me so strong.” 
That bond was never more on display than Saturday night, when Wright was able to bask in the full rock-star treatment like Bono or Mick Jagger or Jay-Z. The stage was his. And he deserved nothing less.

Columnists

SPDAVE180930

Outpouring of love for David Wright from 43,000 hearts

Lennon: Outpouring of love from 43,000 hearts

spmets180930

David Wright’s tears began at the end — not the end of the game, but the end of his career, in the top of the fifth inning Saturday night, when he made the slow walk from third base to the home dugout at Citi Field. 
His grand exit went down just as the team had planned, after two trips to the plate and one last trek onto the field before being subbed out. But having the itinerary didn’t make it any less emotional for him. 
Wright tipped his cap, pointed to the fans, tapped his chest, pointed to the fans, clapped his bare right hand with the glove on his left, pointed to the fans, and waved toward the stands at his family, on their feet at field level behind home plate. 
The Mets, lined up in front of the dugout railing, waited their turn for a handshake and a hug from Wright, who made his way through the procession, descended the dugout steps and popped back out for a curtain call. Then he ducked down the tunnel and into the clubhouse, where the tears continued as the Mets’ eventual 1-0, 13-inning win over the Marlins resumed. 
The sellout crowd of an adoring 43,928 stood and cheered throughout Wright’s departure. The ovation lasted so long — a tad over three minutes — that the dramatic song playing over the public-address system, “Captain America March” from the superhero movie, ended before the clapping did. 
Jose Reyes, who started at shortstop alongside Wright at third for the first time since Sept. 28, 2011, slid over to the hot corner to replace his friend. 
“I held up good until I saw Mickey [Callaway] come out. That kind of hit me,” said Wright, who claimed to be “undeserving” of such a send-off. “Then I turned around to see our bullpen coming onto the field. Then I saw all the guys from the dugout come onto the field. For a split second, I looked around the stadium and saw all the signs and heard the chants. Everything hits you at once.” 
The word “retirement’’ remains a vulgarity because of insurance implications, but Wright has acknowledged that his playing days are over after this week because of back, neck and shoulder issues. Knowing it was the end for their leader, the Mets sent him off with a celebration of his career, arguably the best by a position player in franchise history. 
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared Saturday “David Wright Day.” The game lasted so long that Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon didn’t read the proclamation to Wright until 11:51 p.m. during a postgame news conference. 
The fans went wild for Wright’s every move: when he bunted his first pitch of batting practice, when he hopped out of the dugout for pregame warmups, when he threw a ball to Reyes, when he stood in line for the national anthem. 
They booed when the first pitch Wright saw, a slider from Miami’s Trevor Richards, was called a strike by plate umpire Tim Timmons. 
“It hit me right in the heart when I took the field for the first time and heard the fans cheer,” Wright said. 
Wright’s game action was anticlimactic. He fielded a grounder by Bryan Holaday in the third and made the routine throw to first. In the first, he worked a full-count walk. In the fourth, he led off with a foul pop-up corralled by first baseman Peter O’Brien, who seemed to hesitate before deciding to catch it. (The fans heartily booed O’Brien throughout his three subsequent at-bats.) 
“The at-bats were pretty amazing,” Wright said. “I wish I could have gotten a hit or found a hole. At least I have an on-base percentage this year.” 
Then came his final walk. Watching from the infield was a Long Island kid who grew up rooting for Wright, who was in awe when he met the captain upon becoming a Met in 2009, who can lay claim to being the answer to this trivia question: Who was the Mets’ starting pitcher in Wright’s last game? 
“It’s something I’m going to tell my grandkids about,” Steven Matz said. “Not only this game, but I got to pitch in a World Series with David Wright as my third baseman. That’s surreal.” 
Watching from the dugout was longtime Mets bullpen catcher Dave Racaniello, perhaps Wright’s closest friend in the organization. Racaniello sought and received permission to watch the early innings from the dugout instead of his usual right-centerfield locale. “I’m glad he has an opportunity to soak these moments in,” he said. “Fifteen years — it seems like it went fast.” 
Watching from the other dugout, in a serendipitous sort of way, was Marlins manager Don Mattingly, another New York baseball icon whose career ended prematurely because of back issues, and Marlins catching coach Brian Schneider, who made the putout in Wright’s first major-league at-bat. On July 21, 2004 against the Montreal Expos, Wright sent a pop-up foul — just like his last at-bat — and Schneider tumbled into the visitors’ dugout at Shea Stadium to snag it. 
Watching from a suite, and scattered throughout the ballpark, were upward of 70 family members and friends. That included Wright’s daughters — 2-year-old Olivia Shea, who threw out the first pitch to her father, and 4-month-old Madison — who were among his primary motivations in pursuing a big-league return. Before this week, neither was alive to see their father in the majors. 
“What touches me the most is David wanted to play in front of his two daughters,” Callaway said. “That says a lot about who he is and what he’s all about.” 
Wright finishes as the Mets’ all-time leader in hits (1,777), RBIs (970), runs scored (949), doubles (390) and walks (762). He hit .296, made seven All-Star Games, was a two-time Gold Glover and Silver Slugger and finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting four times. He was on a potential Hall of Fame track until injuries struck. 
Saturday was about more than all of that, Callaway said. That’s what he wants the other Mets to take away from the night. “We’re doing something special for David not because of the numbers but because of the person he is,’’ Callaway said. “That’s probably the biggest lesson. These guys are going to play baseball for a small part of their life, then they have to go be human beings the rest of it. They should all look up to David in that regard. That’s why we’re doing this today.” 
At the end of it all, it still stings for Wright. He’ll never play again. “I can’t sit here and tell you I’m good with where I’m at right now. That would be a lie. It would be false,” he said. “You love something so much and you want to continue that. I got a little taste of that, and I’m already feeling it physically. I’m at peace with the work and the time and the effort and the dedication I put into this. But I’m certainly not at peace with the end result.” 
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SPMETS180930

Mets captain David Wright gives tearful goodbye in final appearance for the club

Wright gives tearful goodbye in final appearance for the club

spMETS180930

David Wright did it all for the love of the game. 
Those grueling weeks, months and years of rehabilitation aimed at making it back to the Mets didn’t pan out the way he’d hoped, but at least he got the chance to finish a remarkable 15-year career on his own terms. The Mets’ captain goes out holding the No. 1 spot in numerous team statistical categories, including hits, runs and doubles, and — with 1,585 after his Saturday farewell — is behind only Ed Kranepool’s 1,853 in games played. 
“David Wright is one of the greatest players in our franchise’s history. You can measure his batting average, home runs and RBIs, but what you can’t measure is what he’s meant to this organization and our fans,” Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon said in a statement, “He created his own foundation to help those in need, represents all the best values a captain should and is giving of his time. David is an iconic Met, but his kindness and generosity far outweigh any baseball statistic.” 
The Mets’ 2018 season officially ends after Sunday’s game against the Marlins. On Monday, No. 5 — the third baseman who gave his heart and soul to the team for 15 seasons — will be a 35-year-old ex-ballplayer. 
Wright has an invitation to remain with the Mets in some capacity, assistant general manager Omar Minaya said. “I don’t know what he wants to do,“ Minaya said. “My guess is that whatever he wants to do, he will be able to do.’’ 
<h3>CAPTAIN AMERICA</h3> 
Wright, the 38th player taken in the 2001 draft, started his professional career at Kingsport, Tennessee. He made the jump to New York on July 21, 2004, going 0-for-4 against the Expos. He had a double and a single the next day and hit his first home run July 26 in Montreal. He finished his rookie season hitting .293 with 14 home runs and 40 RBIs in 69 games. 
Cliff Floyd, now an analyst for MLB Network, was Wright’s teammate then. 
“He made the transition from the minor leagues quick,’’ Floyd said. “I felt like watching him take on New York, take on the bright lights, take on the responsibility of being a superstar and all the expectations, he took them in stride.’’ 
And, Floyd said wistfully, “All he had to do is stay on the field and be healthy.’’ 
Wright’s best years occurred from 2006-08, when he averaged 29 homers and 115 RBIs. 
“When I first got there, he was a great player,’’ said Terry Collins, who took over from Jerry Manuel as Mets manager in 2011. “I was shocked that people kept pitching to him. People kept pitching, he just kept hitting. He said, ‘Hop on, guys, I’ll drive the bus this time.’&nbsp;&nbsp;” 
Wright was named Mets captain in 2013, the same year he hit .438 for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, where he was dubbed Captain America. 
“I knew he wasn’t a real rah- rah guy,’’ Collins said, “but I knew the players had such respect for him that if he went to them individually, they listened, done deal.’’ 
In 2015, Wright drew raves from Collins and his teammates after he lectured Noah Syndergaard for eating lunch in the clubhouse during an intrasquad scrimmage at spring training. 
<h3>THE INJURIES</h3> 
On April 14, 2015, Wright went on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring. That was the precursor for the later diagnosis of spinal stenosis, and he was limited to 38 regular-season games that season. After a four-month stay on the disabled list that year, Wright met the team in a hotel room in full uniform and hit a monster home run against the Phillies in his first at-bat. He was able to participate in the 2015 World Series and homered against the Royals in Game 3, the only Mets victory. 
In 2016, Wright played in only 36 games, the result of a herniated disc in his neck that would require surgery. In 2017, he had right shoulder impingement, which eventually led to rotator cuff surgery. Wright has said all of his injuries can be traced back to 2011, when he tried to make a diving tag at third on the Astros’ Carlos Lee. That resulted in a stress fracture in Wright’s lower back, but he tried to play through it. 
During the extended rehabs, Collins often was asked about Wright’s possible return. “He did his best to stay positive around his teammates,’’ Collins said, “but you could see the anguish in his face. He said to me, ‘There’s mornings I wake up, I just hope I can get out of bed.’ And yet he never slowed down. 
“The hardest thing to do is manage a star that is starting to fall,’’ Collins added. “It’s really difficult to see.’’ 
Collins, an adviser to the Mets, watched Wright’s most recent rehab efforts in Port St. Lucie. 
“He was the ultimate professional and he showed it this last month,’’ Collins said. “He wanted to make sure his body wasn’t going to be able to play, he had to prove it to himself. He said he felt he owed it to the Wilpons, the Mets, the Mets fans to give maximum effort. He’s never going to have to say I should have given it a shot. He gave it a shot.’’ 
<h3>JUST CALL HIM ‘MR. MET’ </h3> 
Wright was the face of the Mets from almost Day 1. “If you were trying to sell season tickets and the guy said I want to meet David Wright, David never blinked an eye,’’ Collins said. 
Wright volunteered to attend events commemorating the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He also privately and tearfully toured areas of Staten Island ravaged by Superstorm Sandy. 
“He’s a pretty sincere, empathetic, intimate guy.’’ said former Mets general manager Steve Phillips, who hosts a show on SiriusXM’s MLB Network Radio. “And he let us into that in ways that star players don’t often do. And I think that’s what separated him and made him so special and beloved by fans. There’s a part of it that’s ‘what if’ for sure; if he had stayed healthy, where would the career numbers have gone. It certainly is something to celebrate because he’s at the top of most offensive categories for the organization. It’s sad because he’s been robbed of some years of production. It’s a celebration, but certainly, there’s some sadness in there.’’ 
Willie Randolph, who managed Wright from 2005-08, said, ”This reminds me a little bit of what happened to Don Mattingly,’’ whose career ended when he was 34 because of back issues. “David had it all, all the ingredients. If he had stayed healthy, he would have been in the conversation, I think, for the Hall of Fame. It’s a little bittersweet, but David didn’t leave anything on the field. Even to the end, he loves to compete.’’

spWRIGHT180930

David Wright never gave up, never slowed down

David Wright never gave up, never slowed down

DavidWrightVideo

David Wright says goodbye to the Mets with one last game against the Marlins on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018 at Citi Field.

David Wright's Mets farewell

The last at-bat of David Wright’s career with the Mets in the fourth inning Saturday night wasn’t lost on Marlins&nbsp;first baseman Peter O’Brien. &nbsp; 
He knew it &nbsp;probably was Wright’s last opportunity to reach base, but O’Brien didn’t think it was his job to help make that happen as he caught Wright’s foul pop-up. 
And Wright agreed. “We catch the ball,’’ he said Sunday. “You wouldn’t want it any other way.’’ 
Wright said he sent a signed ball to O’Brien with the inscription &nbsp;“You should have let it drop’’ after hearing that&nbsp;O’Brien’s teammates were razzing him. 
“I spoke to him when he walked the first time up,’’ O’Brien said. “He’s obviously a great player, had a great career, very well respected by everyone, including me.’’ 
O’Brien also understood the fans’ angry reaction when he caught the ball.&nbsp;“Definitely,’’ he said. “I’m just playing the game.’’ 
The boos for O'Brien were still in force Sunday, and the game ended when he&nbsp;lined out to right as Noah Syndergaard concluded a &nbsp;complete game in the Mets' 1-0 victory. &nbsp; 
As he tentatively&nbsp;tracked the ball, it&nbsp;may have appeared that O’Brien was deciding if he wanted to prolong Wright's at-bat,&nbsp; but he&nbsp;said that was not the case. “There is a lot of foul ground over there,’’ he said, “I thought I was closer to the stands than I was, so I kinda jumped for it a little bit.” 
Major League Baseball does not condone sentimentality being shown during in-game situations. That dates to Sept. 19, 1968, when Tigers pitcher Denny McLain —&nbsp;in the eighth inning of&nbsp;a 6-2 victory that lifted his record to 31-5&nbsp;—&nbsp;admittedly telegraphed a pitch to Mickey Mantle, who was playing his last game in Detroit and needed one home run to surpass Jimmie Foxx (534) on the all-time list. Mantle, briefly confused by what McLain was indicating to him, hit his 535th homer on a belt-high pitch. &nbsp;McLain was sent a letter of reprimand by then-commissioner William Eckert. 
In the 2015 All-Star Game, National League starting pitcher Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals indicated that he grooved a pitch to retiring Derek Jeter, who hit a leadoff double for the American League. Wainwright later walked that back, saying, “I hope people realize I'm not intentionally giving up hits out there.’’

spOBIE181001

Peter O'Brien understands the fans' reaction to his catch of David Wright's foul pop-up

O'Brien understands reaction to his catch 

Marlins Phillies Baseball

David Wright did not want to take off his uniform after his final game for the Mets Saturday night at Citi Field. &nbsp; 
Cliff Floyd, Wright’s former teammate, gets it. &nbsp;For Wright, an arduous task lies ahead: accepting his career is over after numerous injuries forced his retirement at 35. &nbsp; 
“You want to give them the jersey because you were able to say I'm flat out done, I’m burnt,’’ said Floyd, who was Wright’s teammate from 2003-2006. &nbsp;“That’s the way we envision giving back our jersey. When you give it this way, that’s not the note or the way you want to go out.’’ 
Floyd, an analyst for the MLB Network, also had an injury-riddled career. "The love of the game is something, unless you’ve been on that field and went through the trials and tribulations, you have no idea,’’ he said. “When you’re done and the phone doesn’t ring and you don't have that camaraderie... it’s devastating. It is. It never gets easy. You don’t think about the 'after.'&nbsp; You don't think about what to do next. That hasn't hit him yet.’’ 
Wright has $27 million left on his contract, but Floyd said it isn’t about the money. "You're saying 'damn, I’m rich, but what's next?’ &nbsp;You alway want to say 'what if.'&nbsp; To this day--and I’m 45--I say I can definitely hit right now, knowing good and hell-well I can't. But that just the love of the game. "There will be nights when he’ll lie in bed and say 'My body really is this messed up, I can’t do this anymore. That’s going to last for a while.’’ 
Wright has not addressed what he will do next. Floyd hopes he stays in the sport. “You feel like you have so much knowledge, you want to drain yourself of it,’’ Floyd said. “My hope is he wants to get back in the game as soon as he gets his feet up under him. I know there's a lot of people who want to see his face out there.’’

SPWRIGHT181001

Floyd says accepting retirement isn't going to be easy for Wright

David Wright was drafted by the Mets in 2001, months before the Twin Towers fell. That was a different era for the Mets, a different era for the city. It was Mike Piazza hitting a home run in the first game in New York after 9/11. It was John Franco, the captain then, wearing a Sanitation Department shirt under his uniform. Those Mets strove and retired. They never won a World Series. Then came David Wright up to the majors at 21 years old in 2004, a fresh face, a fresh spirit, a new city.&nbsp; 
He was a Bloomberg-era Met, a Met of go-years and optimism and potential. An All Star, a Gold Glove winner, a Met of the new millennium. The Mets’ last-millennium home, round Shea Stadium, had a date with the wrecking ball. He welcomed the new field into existence, despite deep fences that blunted his power. He was always smiling. He was rarely controversial. He did charity. He played the game right, whatever that means. He mentored the youngsters, like the one he’d been just recently. In 2013 he became the captain.&nbsp; 
Not the captain with the same international fame as that other lauded Captain in the Bronx. He didn’t make a big deal about it. He didn’t wear a C. He worked hard and he kept smiling. It’s a beautiful game, he played it beautifully. There were some playoff appearances, a World Series. The city was thriving and exciting. He was a Virginia boy who adapted to Queens, he was Captain America thanks to World Baseball Classic heroics in 2013. It was a simpler time.&nbsp; 
Soon the injuries began, the spinal stenosis. His back had always been broad and strong before. Yet the injuries were crippling. There were dark times. There were short seasons. There were minor league starts and the always-promise that maybe this month was the month. Maybe this season he’d be cleared for baseball activities.&nbsp; 
It got so the Mets fans who crowded into Citi Field Saturday night to see what was billed as Wright’s last game had spent years forgetting that the end of Wright’s career might be coming. He was the captain—he was also a ghost. 
But on Saturday the return became reality. A Met at the beginning, he was a Met at the end. Meaning he walked once and, in his final live-long at-bat, popped out to Marlins first baseman Peter O’Brien, and fielded without issue a gift of a ground ball, an easy bouncer of the type that is certainly the easiest of all ground balls to field, as if for an inning the diamond gods were nice to him. Wright snagged the grounder and did no wrong in his short innings.&nbsp; 
And then the Mets fans did what they could to thank him. For the rest of the game they booed that first baseman, O’Brien, an unassuming player, just doing his job, a .227 lifetime hitter, has played pieces of three years, the kind of guy Wright might have mentored if things had gone differently.&nbsp;&nbsp;The crowd roared whenever O’Brien, poor guy, did anything, because what else could one do now that Wright was gone. At 35, he is not an old man. He is comfortably wealthy; he’s surrounded by family. He’s just a guy who got some bad breaks playing a game for a decade or so in one city. Now the link to that old city is broken. Now he’s left third base for a new player, a new era for the city.

News

opchi180929

The end of a Mets era

SPMSIDE1002_WEB cropped ***

Laura Albanese

The Mets still will be here after David Wright has left. 
That basic truth didn’t seem all that real Saturday night, when the team’s faithful came out in droves to say goodbye to the face of the franchise — a player whose presence overtook Citi Field so fully that it seemed almost absurd that the Mets somehow had marched on without him for two years. But the captain has to go, and the Mets eventually will need someone new at the helm. Amid all the retrospectives and tributes, that issue came to the fore before Austin Jackson’s RBI double gave the Mets a 1-0, 13-inning victory over the Marlins. 
Will it be Jacob deGrom, the Cy Young Award candidate whose leadership style is more about the example he sets rather than the words he says? It could be Michael Conforto, who spent his rookie year being fast-tracked to the major leagues and learning from Wright. There’s also Brandon Nimmo, good-natured and a constant figure in front of his locker, willing to speak whether things are going well or very, very badly. (Nimmo appeared to injure his hamstring rather severely in the seventh inning Saturday and had to be helped off the field, though there was no immediate update.) 
Mickey Callaway posited that it could be all three, or really, whoever wants it. 
“I think we have a lot of young players that do things the right way,” he said. “I think the Nimmos, the Confortos, the deGroms of the world can all step up and take that leadership role. Obviously, they’re performing very well and they have all those other characteristics that we talk about. They’re great human beings, they’re great workers and those are the types of players that we want to have, and we’ve expressed some of this to those guys and we definitely think we have guys that can fill that role.” 
That’s the thing people spoke about the most. The reason they’re doing all of this — the video montages, the special ceremony, all of it — “is not because of the numbers he put up,” Callaway said, “but the person he is.” 
It also can serve as a bit of an eye-opener for players in what is, at its core, a result-driven business. Lots of professional players hit home runs or rack up strikeouts, but rare is the player who got the send-off Wright got Saturday night. Every step he took was an excuse to chant his name, and the hush before every pitch he faced contained a nervous energy that this stadium hadn’t seen since the 2015 playoffs. 
“They better be” paying attention to everything that’s going on, Callaway said of his young players. “I think it would be foolish if they didn’t . . . &nbsp;I think there’s no way this can’t impact them . . .&nbsp;I hope our players understand that it’s not just about going out there and throwing seven shutout innings or going 4-for-4, it’s about something greater.” 
DeGrom certainly seemed to get the point. Not always the most vocal player, he seemed to gladly hold court with the media Saturday — mostly because he got to heap praise on Wright. 
“He’s honestly been the best teammate I ever had,” he said. 
On Friday, after Wright’s first pinch-hit appearance, deGrom called his wife on the way home. “I told her, I’m really going to miss that guy . . . &nbsp;He’s someone I looked up to . . . &nbsp;It’s sad to see him go.”

spMGAME180930

With David Wright retiring, who will assume leadership role?

With Wright retiring, who assumes leadership role?

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Anthony Rieber

At 8:27 on Friday night, David Wright popped out of the dugout and into the on-deck circle to prepare for his first major league at-bat since May 27, 2016. 
The crowd of 27,045 at Citi Field stood and cheered for the Mets’ captain. 
The only problem was there were two outs in the fourth and Wright’s pinch hit at-bat for pitcher Corey Oswalt would come only if Kevin Plawecki extended the inning. 
Plawecki grounded into a forceout for the third out. 
The crowd booed. 
Wright went back into the dugout to wait for the fifth inning. He had waited two-plus seasons to make his return. What were another few minutes? 
At 8:44, after the Marlins scored two runs in the top of the fifth, Wright came out of the dugout again. The crowd stood and cheered again. At 8:45, Wright walked to the plate as he was introduced by the public address announcer. 
Wright took a practice swing, dug into the righthanded batter’s box and grounded a first-pitch fastball from righthander Jose Urena to third baseman Brian Anderson, who fielded a short hop and threw out Wright at first. 
One pitch. One swing. One out. David Wright was a big-league player again. 
It was a brief hello. On Saturday night, Wright will start at third base in his final game and say a longer goodbye. 
“It was amazing,” Wright said. “It really was amazing. In a way — and I told Plaw this afterward — I think I needed another inning, so I was like, ‘I’m kind of glad you got out.’ I hate to be a bad teammate right there, but that first time on deck was something special. I really felt butterflies that I had never felt before. I think I was pretty close to throwing up on deck. I know I dropped my bat and I never would have just let the bat fly. I had to walk a couple steps and pick it back up. The fan support — it really was overwhelming.” 
Wright has been active since Tuesday, but the Mets did not use him in three games against the Braves because Atlanta was playing for home-field advantage in the playoffs. The games against Miami are meaningless in the standings, but obviously very meaningful to Wright. 
“Everything felt just new,” Wright said. “I’ve played in a lot of opening days and I’ve played in some playoff games and some World Series games and I had never felt the type of nervousness that I felt tonight.” 
Manager Mickey Callaway announced the decision to have Wright pinch hit on Friday before the game, which the Mets lost, 8-1. Knowing he was going to be the first pinch hitter used gave Wright time to get ready, which he needs because of the back, neck and shoulder issues that will end his career after this weekend. “I wish I could have gotten a hit,” Wright said. “But putting 96 in play isn’t so bad either . . . Might be two pitches tomorrow, too. I’m just trying to get up there and whack at it.” 
On Saturday, Wright will start at third base and in his familiar third spot in the order. After his second plate appearance, Wright will take the field and then will be taken out so the sellout crowd can give him an ovation. After he leaves the game, Wright is expected to appear for a half-inning on the TV broadcast (the game will be shown on SNY and Ch. 11) and a half-inning in the WOR-710 radio booth. 
Wright’s 2-year-old daughter, Olivia Shea, will throw out the first pitch to Wright’s dad, Rhon. 
The Mets also are expected to hold a postgame ceremony honoring Wright, after which he will address the crowd. That will be it. Wright will not play in Sunday’s season finale. 
Said Wright: “It’s going to be a sleepless night, I know that.”

spMETS180929

David Wright pinch hits for Mets, making his first MLB appearance since 2016

Wright pinch hits in first MLB appearance since 2016

A look back at Mets captain <a href="https://www.newsday.com/davidwright">David Wright</a>'s career, from his time at Triple-A Norfolk in 2004 to last week's announcement that Saturday's start would be his last.

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David Wright: His Mets career photo album

David Wright always will be considered Mr. Met, but it’s important to note, without the big head. He was a seven-time All-Star, often among the top 10 MVP candidates during his early years, and yet played with a Little Leaguer’s enthusiasm, as if he were trying every day just to make the team. His bubbly passion was infectious, his corner locker welcoming. And somehow, that never changed during a 14-year tenure in Flushing that contained some of the most turbulent, and embarrassing, times for the franchise. Written and narrated by David Lennon.


A salute to David Wright

Newsday

spWRIGHT180926

It’s David Wright Week at Citi Field, but so far that hasn’t included much of David Wright. 
The Mets’ captain, an active player this homestand for the first time since early 2016 and the last time in his career, remained on the bench Thursday night in the Mets’ 4-1 win over the Braves. That’s three nights in a row that he was available but didn’t play, the circumstances not aligning just right for him to get a pinch-hit appearance. 
After Jason Vargas’ seven shutout innings and pinch hitter Devin Mesoraco’s three-run home run in the seventh, a “We want David!” chant broke out. Still no Wright. 
Friday, when the Mets host the Marlins, will bring another opportunity. Wright will start Saturday at third base alongside shortstop Jose Reyes. 
That wait has yielded an unusual phenomenon: Some Mets players have been booed simply for not being David Wright. Laughs ensued. 
“But you got to love it,” said Dominic Smith, heckled Tuesday when he pinch hit in the pitcher’s spot and was not the face of the franchise and a seven-time All-Star. “I walked into the dugout after and I was like, ‘Man, David, it’s going to be a rough week for guys.’ He’s like, ‘Why?’ I was like, ‘I got booed walking up to the plate. I heard some ‘We Want David Wright’ chants.” 
The same was true for Kevin Plawecki, who homered Thursday but two days earlier stepped to the plate to boos. Plawecki, who perhaps is not the greatest position player in franchise history, turned to catcher Kurt Suzuki and said, “I don’t think I’m the guy they want right now.” 
Todd Frazier, signed last offseason as Wright’s replacement, said the fans near third base have been razzing him all week because he is not the guy who spent 13 seasons at the position. It was all in good fun, Frazier said, until he made an error late in the Mets’ loss Tuesday and the crowd started to chant demands for Wright. 
“The whole game. The whole game. I’m just like, ‘What do you want me to do?’ ‘Oh, we still love you. No hard feelings.’ I’m like, ‘All right.’ Then I make the error and it was hard feelings,” Frazier said, laughing. 
“I kept telling him, ‘David, this is the last game I’m going out there. I’m not dealing with it anymore.’ He starts laughing and stuff. I said, ‘Here, take my glove and get your butt out there.’ We get a good laugh out of it, so it’s good.” 
Assistant general manager John Ricco warned Tuesday that it was “unlikely” Wright would play against Atlanta. Because the Braves are competing for home-field advantage in the playoffs and because Wright is active largely ceremonially, the Mets wanted to pinch hit him only in a lopsided game. 
“[Friday] will really open up the possibility of a lot more,” manager Mickey Callaway said. 
The booed Mets said they want to see Wright on the field just as much as the fans do. 
“Everybody is excited. We want to see D. Wright play,” Smith said. “It’s fun warming up and getting ready and seeing him in the cage next to me. Just seeing him smile and really take it all in and enjoy it — he’s like a little kid again out here just enjoying himself. This week is going to be a special week for all of us.” 
Said Frazier: “I’m going to be on the top step watching everything.”

spMETS180928

No at-bats for David Wright as Mets top Braves

No at-bats for Wright as Mets top Braves

Eight hundred and fifty-one days after his most recent major-league game, David Wright became an active player Tuesday, on schedule with his prescripted career finale during the Mets’ season-concluding homestand. 
Wright will be available to pinch hit all week and will start at third base, alongside shortstop Jose Reyes, Saturday night against the Marlins. He didn’t get into the game Tuesday night, though, as the Mets lost to the Braves, 7-3, after Noah Syndergaard’s six scoreless innings and another bullpen collapse. The sparse Citi Field crowd repeatedly chanted “We want David!” and booed the pinch hitters chosen over him. 
After missing 2 1/2 seasons due to three surgeries — neck, back, shoulder — and spinal stenosis, this isn’t how Wright, the Mets’ captain, imagined how it would end. And he is not at peace with this bow on what once looked like a potential Hall of Fame career. 
“No. Of course not. I want to play,” Wright said. “But it’s just I’ve spent so long going through the rehab process and things aren’t getting any better. I would say I’m at peace with the work I’ve put in, knowing there was nothing else I could do. I’m certainly not at peace with my body not cooperating.” 
But it’s not all sad. 
“To say it’s a good feeling is an understatement,” Wright said. “It’s been a long time coming, and I can’t wait to put that jersey on tonight, for sure. A lot of time, a lot of hard work. To be able to suit up, to go out there and just the opportunity to get the chance to play means the world to me. 
“I’m real nervous, I’ll tell you that. I’m real excited. I’ve got the butterflies going. It’s going to be a weird yet very fulfilling feeling.” 
Assistant general manager John Ricco said it’s “unlikely” Wright will pinch hit against the Braves because of the Mets’ “sensitivity” toward Atlanta, which has clinched the NL East but is still playing for home-field advantage in the playoffs. In the event of a blowout — and an early blowout, at that, considering Wright needs a heads-up of approximately two innings to get ready — he might pinch hit. 
That leaves the possibility of Wright making his re-debut Friday, one day before his scheduled start. Manager Mickey Callaway said he would have no qualms about that, despite the hours of preparation Wright needs before playing. 
On the line when Wright does enter a game: a three-game homer streak compiled May 23-27, 2016. 
“I would love to get him in the game when we get him an at-bat before Saturday happens,” Callaway said. “We’ll just have to see what the circumstances are. But either way, he’s going to go out there Saturday.” 
Wright admitted this week, and Saturday in particular, will be different in two ways. 
First, Wright said he’s “going to try to allow myself to get in the moment, which as a player you very rarely allow yourself.” And second, given his physical state, Wright acknowledged limited expectations of what he is able to do on the field. 
“Hopefully, perform is the right word,” he said, half-joking. “I hope to go out there and do something that doesn’t embarrass me. … I’d definitely say that probably contact is more of a goal right now as opposed to performance. 
“All in all, it’s nice to accomplish what I guess at this point more of a longer-term goal of being activated, but at the same time, wanting to put on as good a show as I possibly can — and at the same time soak it in.”

Mets activate David Wright for final week as his career finale approaches

Mets activate Wright for final week 

Barbara Barker

In the end, it’s the little things that can really get you. 
It’s walking into the clubhouse at Citi Field and nodding to the security guard. It’s laughing with reporters at the end of the news conference when someone trips and knocks over their drink. It’s pulling on your uniform for what you know will be one of the last times. 
It’s a weird thing to be nostalgic for the present, to realize how badly you are going to miss something while you are still doing it. Yet&nbsp;that’s exactly how David Wright was feeling Tuesday after the Mets activated him for the final homestand of his storied career. 
“As a player you&nbsp;rarely allow yourself to look around and really soak it in and enjoy it,” Wright said before the game against the Braves. “ ... I’ve never really allowed myself to do it, and I’m going to try to do it this week.” 
Wright is going to try to do that despite the weird, clumsy sort of way that the Mets are handling his goodbye. 
The cornerstone of the franchise for the past dozen or so years, Wright hasn’t played a major-league game since May 27, 2016. &nbsp;After multiple operations to address his back and shoulder problems, Wright, 35, announced this month his plan to leave the game after one more start, which will be this Saturday against the Marlins. 
Shortly after activating him Tuesday, assistant GM John Ricco announced that the team isn’t likely to use him as a pinch hitter in any of the three games against the Braves because they&nbsp;are still playing for home-field advantage in the playoffs. It was a strange announcement, given that a chance to say goodbye to Wright is really the only reason any Mets fan would show up at Citi Field this week. 
No matter when he gets his next at-bat, it’s clear that it will mean a lot to the Mets captain. Wright, who played his entire career with the team, is the franchise record-holder in hits, doubles, extra-base hits, runs, RBIs, walks and total bases. Though some of those are certainly because he also leads the team in at-bats, his best years were Hall of Fame-worthy. 
Wright definitely will be replaying some of those top moments in this head this week. He will be remembering his first at-bat, how on July 21, 2004, against the Expos at Shea Stadium he was distracted at the plate by seeing his own face on the Jumbotron. Wright managed to work the count to 2-and-2 before popping up to the catcher, future teammate Brian Schneider. 
“He made a ridiculously good play on me, almost jumping into their dugout when he was with the Expos to catch a foul ball,” Wright said with a laugh. 
Wright was 21 years old that season. This was before he was named to seven All-Star teams during an eight-year stretch that ended in 2013. This was before the barehanded catch on the Padres'&nbsp;Brian Giles in 2005. This was before his four-RBI performance in Game 3 of the 2015 World Series. 
In some ways, it all feels like a lifetime ago. And in some ways it feels like yesterday. 
“I guess as a young player or even a couple of years ago, you never think it’s [going to end],” Wright said. “You think you can play forever.” 
On Saturday, it will all end for Wright. He will walk out on the field to play third base one last time. Wright said this is something he has not yet come to peace with; he obviously would like his body to get back to the point where he could play a few more seasons. 
Yet&nbsp;on Saturday he said he will not dwell on the future that isn’t and instead enjoy the present that is. 
“I will take it all in as much as I can and try to savor these feelings and emotions.”

spBARB180926

David Wright nostalgic before he walks away from Mets

Barker: Wright nostalgic before he walks away

spMETS180926_photos

David Wright Week begins on Tuesday night at Citi Field. 
The Mets captain will be activated off the disabled list before Tuesday’s game against the Braves for the first time since his last big-league appearance on May 27, 2016. 
Manager Mickey Callaway said on Sunday he is <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/mets-david-wright-1.21223193">planning to use Wright as a pinch hitter</a> at least once before Wright’s farewell game on Saturday night vs. Miami. Wright is scheduled to start at third base on Saturday at a sold-out Citi Field in his final appearance in the only big-league uniform he’s ever worn. 
Wright has declined to speak about his return since a news conference on Sept. 13. But Mets teammates who have played with him before and those who haven’t are as excited as little kids to take the field with No. 5. 
“It’s going to be great,” Michael Conforto said. “I’m excited to see the reception that he’s going to get from the fans. I’m sure it’ll be very emotional for him. I’m excited just to see everything, just the whole situation. I hope it’s everything he deserves. As far as us, we’re really excited to have him out there with us, especially the guys who’ve played with him before.” 
Conforto played with Wright during&nbsp;the Mets’ magical run to the World Series in 2015 and also at the start of the following&nbsp;season. There are some who think Conforto is the best candidate to assume the leadership void that Wright will be leaving when he hangs ’em up for good. But Conforto isn’t ready to take the baton just yet. 
“When I thought of the Mets, I thought of David Wright,” Conforto said. “He was the first person to text me when I was drafted. So for me personally, it’ll be really special and I’m excited for him to finally get back out there and just soak it all in.” 
Wright has made his mark on players who have never played in a big-league game with him, too. Dominic Smith said he is just hoping he’ll be in the lineup on Saturday to say he played one game with Wright. 
“That would be so special to me,” Smith said. “I grew up a baseball fan and when I was younger he was one of the best players in the league. He was our captain for a long time and he holds a lot of Mets records, so just to play with him one time in my career, it would definitely be a special moment for me. It’ll definitely sit in a special place in my heart, for sure. 
“I’m happy for him. I’m happy that he’s able to get out there and play again. I’m obviously very sad that this is going to be his last go-round, but I’m definitely excited to watch him get out there. I know he’s very eager. He’s worked incredibly hard for the last couple years. He’s rehabbed on a couple of my teams over the last two years in the minor leagues on his way to come back, so to finally see him get into a big-league lineup, I’ll be very, very happy for him.” 
What if Callaway calls Smith back to the dugout before Saturday so Wright can pinch hit for him against a lefty? 
“That’d be awesome,” Smith said. “If I can give him my at-bat, to let him hit and play again, I definitely will.” 
The Mets’ current roster is filled with young players who have never played with Wright. Still, Smith said the youngsters throughout the organization know who Wright is and what he means to the team and its fans. 
“Everybody knows who he is, no matter what level you are at,” Smith said. “When he walks through the door, you know what kind of player he was, the stuff that he accomplished in his career. You just kind of stare at him in awe sometimes. I know I definitely do. I can’t believe that he’s on my team.”

spMETS180925

Teammates excited to see Mets captain David Wright play once more

Teammates excited to see David Wright play once more

Mets Nationals Baseball

WASHINGTON — All systems are still go for David Wright to start at third base for the Mets on Saturday — and the captain might make a cameo appearance as a pinch hitter before that. 
Manager Mickey Callaway said Sunday that he is considering using Wright off the bench in one of the four games leading up to Saturday’s farewell. 
“I wouldn’t mind getting him in there and getting him a pinch-hit at-bat when it makes sense in the Braves series,” Callaway said. 
The NL East champion Braves will visit Citi Field for a three-game series starting Tuesday. The Marlins will be the Mets’ final opponent of the season beginning Friday. 
At his news conference Sept. 13, Wright expressed concern about appearing against the Braves because Atlanta was fighting for the division title. But with the Braves having clinched Saturday, Callaway said that won’t be a factor. 
“I think all along I would have really sought out a spot for him to get one AB in before he starts on that Saturday,” Callaway said. 
Wright, who has been with the team on this final road trip, has been fielding ground balls at third base and taking batting practice in the cage. He declined to talk about his upcoming return before the Mets’ game against the Nationals on Sunday, as has been his practice since Sept. 13. 
Wright, 35, last played in a big-league game May 27, 2016. He likely will hang up his cleats for medical reasons at the end of the season because of back, neck and shoulder injuries.

spMSIDE180924

David Wright still set to start at third Saturday, could pinch hit before that

Wright could pinch hit leading up to Saturday's farewell

spMETS180914

David Wright's final days with the Mets

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