David Lennon makes the case for the Mets to keep Johnny Estrada as the Mets #1 catcher. Lennon points out that the staff ERA when caught by Estrada improved at each of the teams he’s played for. Lennon also hints that all the “between the lines” most of us have been doing on why Omar wants no part of Paul LoDuca is off base. It looks like it’s more about Dookies age, health and his defensive breakdown as well as money that has him left out in the cold.
By the way. can you all stop with this pipe dream that the Mets bring back Mike Piazza as a third catcher/pinch hitter. It’s over for Mikey here there or anywhere. Oh by the way the picture taking up the bulk of this post is of the greatest catcher in Mets history Jerry Grote.
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This post was written by kranepool on November 26, 2007
I met Jerry Grote at a CSA Autograph show in Chantilly, VA this summer. He looked great, his hands were the size of oven mitts and he was the nicest person at the Cancer Society charity booth.
I go way back and I am a Jerry Grote guy too, but what about The Kid? Gary Carter´s place in the Hall of Fame was nailed down by what he did for the Mets in the mid-1980s, and Jerry Grote never got close to that level.
But strictly as a defender, Grote was the man! One of the great Mets.
Was in the locker room after an Old-timers game in Phoenix, between 69 Mets & Cubs, and went to Eddie the Krane, got his autograph and then asked him if he knew where Grote was, he reply to me was why? I told him that Grote was my mother’s favorite player, and he says, “your mother has bad taste, kid. (laughing) I was never 100% sure if he was joking or serious. Considering Jerry’s reputation for being “Mr. Personality”, my guess is that he was both.
I had the good fortune to meet Jerry Grote towards the end of his career when he was with Kansas City in 1981. On my way driving out to the west coast for grad school I saw games at about 8/10 ballparks, and came to KC on “Royals Photo Day” in early September. We fans got to walk around the warning track / edge of the park to take pictures of our favorite Royals.
To my surprise and delight, there was Grote, who politely posed for me to take his picture (I was wearing my Mets cap, of course). I’ll have to dig it out - he had a beard by then, tinged with grey.
Seemed like a nice enough guy.
He was one of my favorite Mets while I was growing up, although even I’d have to give Carter the edge on my list of all-time Mets catchers.
Thanks for bringing back a nice memory.