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After seven years as a New York Met, Al Leiter has left our fair city for a second stint with the Florida Marlins. Leiter signed a 1 year, $7 million contract with the team he pitched for in 1996 and won a World Series with in 1997. The Tom's River, NJ native, has always been a Mets fan, yet he left the team even after agreeing to an offer of 1 year, guaranteed $4 million contract with $3 million in easy incentives. Despite his desire to stay, it seems like it was Omar Minaya that drove him away by making offers with deadlines, slow response time and rescinding offers.
Last season, Leiter was 10-8 with a 3.21 ERA, 10th best in the National League. Leiter was a class act with roots in the community and Gothamist will miss him, despite his lack of rhythm or skills in playing the tambourine (we saw him on stage at a Springstein concert).
Was Minaya right to let the lifelong Mets fan go or was it a mistake that he will have to live with next season as Leiter returns as a Marlin?
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this just breaks my heart. what the hell was minaya thinking? it was a ridiculous, heartless decision and executed so badly. have a little respect for the guy please! he pitches his heart out for the team every time and this is how they treat him? i just can't believe it. i'm still a mets fan, but the organization has got to do better. i'll miss you al leiter!
Both Leiter's record and ERA are deceiving. He only pitched 173 innings in 2004 (low for a starter)on account of overly high pitch counts which never allowed him to get out of the 5th or 6th inning in one piece. Furthermore, he's no longer a spring chicken at 39, was prone to injuries, and apparently had far more input into team personnel choices than he's willing to admit.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Mets fan and appreciate everything Leiter has done for the team. He's an upstanding citizen and intelligent human being; both of which are in short supply in the MLB these days. But I, and I'm guessing most Mets fans, won't miss watching him walk the bases loaded in the 2nd inning with 0 outs.
All of a sudden Al Leiter is Tom Seaver ???
I don't recall Al bringing home a world series ring to us Mets fans .
I remember him last year , saying " It's hard for us veterans to get pumped up for a game these days " .. when the Mets were doing poorly late in the season . Please Al .. how much do you make to PLAY BASEBALL ??????
The guy also had a straight line to owner Fred Wilpon's ear ( or his son's ) . Leiter had way too much input on what went on with this team .
It was Al's time to go . No hard feelings , He gave us some good years , a few great games ( Cinncy - 1 game playoff ) . But he never delivered the ring . So he goes down as a good met pitcher . But no where near great .
For him to rip the Mets on his way out was classless . Good bye AL , have fun pitching in front of 6,000 marlin fans next year ...