Mets Have Become New Zoo in Town

Hard to believe that the Yankees would emerge as the class team in New York and the Mets would be characterized by chaos.

But in the last week, at least, the Mets have been embroiled in the type of turmoil more familiar to the Bronx

Word leaked that Brian McRae and Bobby Bonilla had been put on waivers, angering both players; three coaches were fired over Manager Bobby Valentine’s objections; Valentine blasted two reporters on the radio and engaged one, Marty Noble of Newsday, in a clubhouse shouting match in which each called the other a liar; Bonilla reacted to his benching by refusing to pinch-hit in Tuesday’s game, exchanged angry words with Valentine and was not asked to pinch-hit in Wednesday’s game as punishment, and Valentine disgraced himself, his team and his sport by reappearing in the dugout in disguise after having been ejected from Wednesday’s game.

Amid it all, the Mets have a five-game winning streak, but Bonilla did not figure to remain, his second stint with the Mets having turned as ugly and unhappy as his first. It probably will be more costly too, if the team is unable to negotiate a trade and elects to release him, swallowing the $9.5 million still owed him through next year.

It’s a case of throwing good money after bad. The Mets could have released Mel Rojas last winter and paid him his 1999 salary of $4.5 million but tried to get comparable value by sending him to the Dodgers for Bonilla, who has been comparable indeed--every bit as bad with the Mets as Rojas was last year. The Mets got $1 million from the Dodgers to help defray Bonilla’s contract, but will still pay him $10.8 million over the two years, which is $6.3 million more than they would have had to pay a released Rojas.

They also knew, from experience, that Bonilla was a potential problem in the clubhouse and a defensive risk, particularly in the outfield, where they intended to play him. Valentine didn’t want him, and when asked about the risk Bonilla posed last November, was quoted as saying, “The risk is whether or not he catches the ball when it comes down.”

A knee injury complicated that task, and now Bonilla is thought to be through in New York. There is no disguising that Valentine may be on a short leash as well.

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Many players have grown disenchanted with the interleague format, thinking the way to build stronger rivalries is with more games against teams from their own division.

Not so right-hander Brett Tomko of the Cincinnati Reds, who defeated Minnesota Wednesday night and is 7-0 in seven interleague starts.

In fact, there is nothing like the sight of an American League team to invigorate Tomko, who has been in and out of the Reds’ doghouse most of the season, was demoted to the minors at one point, has been relegated to the bullpen primarily and carried a 1-3 record with a 5.76 earned-run average into Wednesday’s game.

Would he like to be traded to the American League, given his interleague success?

“Everything is fine right here right now,” he said. “If I pitch the way I did tonight all the time, I’ll be all right in any league.”

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It has taken only 24 games as the home team manager at Colorado’s Coors Field to convince Jim Leyland that what he suspected during four years as a visiting manager is true--perseverance is almost as important as pitching.

“You don’t manage here that much,” he said. “You persevere. You hang in there, and hang in there.”

The result? The Rockies, who once dominated at Coors, are 12-12 this year.