David Lennon has been a staff writer for Newsday since 1991, when he started covering New York City high schools and writing about the exploits of a talented Lincoln point guard named Stephon Marbury.
His debut on the Yankees' beat was 1995 -- the very same season the Bombers snapped a 14-year playoff drought by becoming the American League's first wild-card team. Two World Series rings later, Lennon left the Yankees' beat after the 1998 season, bounced between the Bronx and Shea for the next three years, then took over on the Mets for the demise of Bobby Valentine in 2002. He's been chasing them around ever since.
Lennon also is a Hall of Fame voter and co-author of The Great New York Sports Debate.
Comments (13)
I am surprised somewhat that Omar has been treated with kid gloves this off season. Going into the off season after the late season swoon it was obvious that the Mets needed back end bullpen guys (7-9). The Mets have needed a #1 starter for the last two years and Omar has not landed the prize so to speak. Now we hear that our prospects are not as good as the other big market clubs because they do not want to pay for high draft picks.
Wright and Reyes were drafted and signed by other GM's. Outside of signing Beltran and Pedro what has he done? if not for the Anna Benson Christmas Party or Duaner's car accident he would not have landed Maine or Oliver Perez. I am surprised the New York and National Media has not put more heat on him.
The following are excerpts from articles that I believe add to the circumstantial evidence against Roger Clemens. These articles are not difficult to look up and confirm their accuracy as well as Clemens record before and after his stint on the DL.
On July 1, 2000, the following excerpt appeared in a New York Newsday article titled, “Justice, But No Relief/Yanks Bullpen Blows up Again” by David Lennon, “Perhaps worst of all, Roger Clemens lived through a session of hitting golf balls alongside the free-swinging Jose Canseco, who currently is on the disabled list of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. “He’s like one giant vein,” Clemens joked as he described his bulky former teammate. Clemens has spent the last two weeks at the team’s minor league facility working his way back from a strained right groin.”
On July 3, 2000, the following excerpt appeared in a New York Newsday article titled, “A Case of No Strain, No Gain/Clemens Comes Off the DL a New Man,” by Lawrence Rocca, “While rehabbing at the Yankees minor league complex in Tampa, he saw George Steinbrenner frequently. The Boss teased Clemens about having it easy. One day Clemens got to hit some golf balls with Jose Canseco.”
In July 2000, Clemens, in six (6) starts, was 5-0, with an ERA of 1.91, after returning from the disabled list. His prior start was on June 13, 2000 versus the Boston Red Sox when he left in the first inning.
Could some one please post Glavin's stats for his last five start of last season........As far as I'm concern, he was the main reason for last year collapse, he was their veteran future hall of fame pitcher, along with Willie Randolph's care free attitude, like every thing was going to be OK till it was to late for him to do anything.
It blew my mind that the Mets ever went for Glavine, he was a hated Brave all his career, a thorn in the Mets side for so many years and his heart was still in Atlanta his whole time with the Mets and now he's back where he belongs, good riddens.
AM I on a Mets blog or did I cross the street accidentally and land in the Bronx??? Come on now. Stop with all the silly nonsense about english/spanish; bad trades; lousy management. Remember back to the Bobby Bonilla, Vince Coleman days when all we had to cheer abour were firecrackers and players spitting on fans.
We have a GREAT TEAM with GREAT MANAGEMENT. At the time of this writing the Mets are up 13-0 in game 3 of the season - and Nelson Figueroa...who flew in and signed his contract on the dugout steps...pitched a 1-2-3 inning.
Please remember what being A FAN is! Stop criticizing and start believing! A FAN is A FAN no matter what. Leave the conspearicy theories and racial nonsense for the Bronx. We are METS FANS!!! That means we reflect the organization...classy, knowledable, and respectful. And one more thing....we ALWAYS back our team and we're ALWAYS proud to be a fan of the NEW YORK METS.
We'll be fine. No trades. No knee-jerk reactions. Just one thing, and one thing only: LETS GO METS!
Dont kid yourself. This team STINKS and it's manager seems to have no clue at times. This team will be lucky to finish at .500 Braves take this division quietly.
Pedro Martinez is DONE. "I feel great" "I'm in the best shape ever" Now, let me pull a hammy and be out for 2 months.Sorry Pedro, your days are well behind you, all the talk is positive getting old.
Oliver Perez has 4 good innings per game, then falls apart. No heart, no guts. 5th starter on most teams. Nothing like picking up the Pirates rejects.
Nelson Figueroa? WHO? See you in the minors in May. One good game and people are ready to annoint him as the second coming of Christ.
Carlos Delgado couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat anymore. DONE. Retire - bring back Mike Jacobs. Another fantastic trade by Minaya. A joke of a GM. No clue. If you speak Spanish or have a Hispanic surname, you're in with him. (not a racist comment, just open your eyes and look at the roster and his pickups - REALITY)
Once Alou comes back, we'll send a talented kid to the pines. Nothing like putting a 40+ year old left fielder out there that gets hurt twice a week.
Ryan Church will come back to earth. He's a subpar reject that must be happier than a pig in poo that he escaped the Nationals.
Brian Schnider? Nothing like a catcher that couldn't hit a ball that was thrown underhand to him. Yea, he can call games, but whats the use calling a game when you have 2 out of starting 5 pitchers that deserve to even be IN the game?
Aaron Hileman is a joke. No guts, crybaby because he's not a starter. We should have traded him when we had the chance.
Luis Castillo? Nice pickup. Kaz Matsui has more upside at this point.
Mike Pelfry? BUST. Organization trying to save face after the Scott Kazmir disaster of a trade.
Billy Wagner is getting old. Still good, but scares the crap out of a Met fan everytime he toes the rubber.
The bench is a joke. Enough already with Marlon Anderson and Edny Chavez, they're both lucky to still be in the league.
Reyes, Wright, Beltran and Santana cannot carry this team.
The only 2 things that will keep the Mets out of the basement are the Nationals and the Marlins.
Don't quote me bullspit stats, look at the day in and day out reality of the situation. This team is poorly constructed, poorly managed and will go nowhere.
Fire Randolph, Fire Minaya, dump the dead crap and start over while Reyes, Wright, Santana and Beltran are still young enough to live through a rebuilding.
Nick, I think you're an idiot. Marlins aren't keeping the Mets out of the cellar their too busy leading the division for the entire season. you obiviously don't know enough about baseball to have an opinion. Leave the Mets alone until you can say something intelligent.
David,
I am a bit confused by the Mets continued use of Ryan Church. From afar, from all TV and newspaper reports about him since his injury last week, Ryan is exhibiting concussion symptoms that in hockey would shelve him and prevent him from any physical activity until he is symptom free. Do the Mets or baseball not have any protocols to follow for concussions? Tell the Mets training staff to call the Rangers and ask questions about Pat LaFontaine, Eric Lindros, Mike Richter, etc...
My brother, FDNY Capt. Billy Burke of Eng. Co. 21 gave his life, 9/11. I think a Mets-Yanks Sept. 11 game is a great idea. Most of all the comments I see on the article, on this site and on Anthony Rieber's article endorsed it wholeheartedly and one 9/11 family member wanted to make it happen.
Well, I agree! Let's make it happen! (Let's roll! she said). I have a letter on captbillyburke.blog.com for Bud Selig and MLB. if everyone could contact them maybe we couild get the ball rolling (so to speak).
What could be more American than baseball and remembering and honoring the loss and sacrifice of 9/11?
I think now is the time for a team to go after Barry Bonds. I still believe Omar was told by the Wilpons it's either you or Willie who won't be with the team in July, you decide. That being said the hot seat is wide open and Omar knows he's top on the list to potentially follow Willie out the door if the Mets can't get things going, i.e. make the playoffs. Who better to come in and take all the focus off the collapse, the firing and the less than mediocre performance the Mets have put forth over the past year than the greatest hitter in baseball history, pending a drug test. I'm not a fan of Barry first and foremost but he has to offer is exactly what Omar and the Wilpons apparently want, a team capable of getting to the World Series. Bonds brings twice the pop Delgado had and putting him behind Reyes and Wright (Yes I think with Barry Wright should hit to because he'd see more fast balls behind Reyes and with him on base as much as he is Bonds won't have to hit into a shift.) The circus Bonds brings might distract enough talk about the collapse and what happened to Willie Met players might get on the field and play good ball, last I checked Bonds can hit the ball so he's going to improve the team on the field even if it is 2 steps forward one step back. Who's with me?
I would like to know why they throw the ball out of the game when it goes in the dirt. I don't think it gets any dirtier than the infield hit skipping on the ground which is kept in the game.
Can you tell me why??
Thank you,
Stanley Wolfson
Woodmere, New York
Can someone tell me why a pitch in the dirt get the ball automatically thrown out of the game and an infield hit ball is kept in the game. I don't think the infield ball gets any less dirty/
Stanley Wolfson
Woodmere,NY
Thought you might be interested to see that the Mets and Delgado are even being covered in the British press.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2008/sep/11/ussport
David i was wondering since you are around the team a lot you may have some insight to this. Frnacessa said yesterday that Ryan Church HATED NY and Hated the Mets club house. Heyman then said that although he hadn't heard that he hated it here he felt as though the NY Mets Management knew that he wasn't a good fit here.
What am i missing here? Why would he be so upset here considering this is the first good team he has ever played on? Is this a result of all the post concussion screw up the Mets made?