Mets’ Tom Seaver statue unveiling to be attended by widow Nancy and daughters
PHILADELPHIA — The Franchise is 10 feet high, 13 1/2 feet in length, and weighs 3,200 pounds. The statue, that is.
The highly anticipated Tom Seaver statue will be unveiled at 10:30 a.m. during a pregame ceremony on Friday at Citi Field before the Mets’ home opener against the Diamondbacks. Nancy, Seaver’s widow, and their two daughters, Sarah and Anne, will be in attendance at the Home Run Apple to see the statue for the first time.
“This is a wonderful way to honor Dad’s legacy, and to celebrate his wonderful years in New York,” said Sarah Seaver, Tom’s oldest daughter. “The Mets have been working on this for years, and to see William Behrends’ vision come to fruition is so exciting and very touching. We are thrilled to share this with all the fans who supported Dad throughout his career.”
The statue, sculpted by William Behrends, was commissioned by the Wilpon-owned Mets in 2019. It will feature his iconic drop and drive delivery and is said to be two times life-size to scale. It consists of 2,000 pounds of bronze and 1,2000 pounds of structural stainless steel. The granite mound the statue sits on is approximately three feet in height.
The sculptor tried to capture the enormity of what Seaver meant to the Mets organization.
“Tom Seaver’s larger than life presence on the mound and his dynamic pitching delivery were both a challenge and a rich inspiration to me as a sculptor,” said Behrends. “I am most grateful to the Seaver family for being so generous with their time in sharing stories of him and insights into the extraordinary man he was.”
Seaver died at age 75 at his home in Calistoga, Calif., following complications from Lyme disease, dementia and COVID-19. He dropped out of public life in March of 2019 after being diagnosed with dementia.
He left behind 311 victories, 3,640 career strikeouts, three Cy Young Awards and his starring role in the Miracle Mets 1969 championship season.
“There is a reason he was called ‘The Franchise,’” said team owner Steve Cohen. “You can’t measure what Tom Seaver meant to this organization. This magnificent statue will be a wonderful daily reminder to Mets fans coming to Citi Field that Tom Seaver is forever a Mets legend.”
WELCOME TO PHILLY
The Mets opened their first series against the Phillies on Monday, and manager Buck Showalter will get his first extended look at one of the club’s division rivals over the course of the three-game set.
“They’ve got a lot of weapons,” Showalter said. “They’ve got people who know how to use them. They’re a good baseball team. Got a lot of ways they can beat you. Very potent. Not going to say it’s going to be fun to compete against them, but it’s going to be a good test for us.”
In addition to the usual suspects in the Phillies lineup, including Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, and Rhys Hoskins, the club picked up slugger Kyle Schwarber and outfielder Nick Castellanos this past offseason. Zack Wheeler also welcomed a former Mets teammate when the Phillies signed free agent Jeurys Familia to a one-year deal.
The Phillies entered Monday having won two of their first three games against the Athletics.
MAC NEEDS A DAY
Jeff McNeil was out of the starting lineup on Monday for the series opener in Philly, replaced by Luis Guillorme at second base. Showalter said he’s trying to give his regular position players days off early in the season to keep them fresh for the long run.
The Phillies also had a left-hander in Ranger Suarez on the mound Monday. McNeil slashes .290/.357/.400 lifetime against southpaws.
“Mac needs a day. I’ve given everybody one,” Showalter said. “Without getting into the details, I think today would be good for him. And this isn’t a guy he necessarily matches up well with. Same way with Robbie (Cano). I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves just to lose sight. We need to be smart about his playing time.”
MARTE LOVES PHILLY
Starling Marte loves hitting at Citizens Bank Park.
In 25 career games in Philly, Marte has hit .398 with 17 runs, 12 doubles, four homers, 13 RBI and six walks, plus a .449 on-base percentage and a .643 slugging percentage. His .401 career average vs. the Phillies is the fifth-highest all-time for any player against any one opponent (min. 175 at-bats).
DIAZ RETURN?
Edwin Diaz is expected to return from the bereavement list Tuesday, the first day he’s eligible to do so. The Mets closer will attempt to fly to Philly from Puerto Rico on Monday night.
“If he’s not here, he’s not here,” Showalter said. “We told him to take what he needed. Hopefully he’ll get back in. He really wanted to rejoin the team on Monday if he could. Have to get the airplanes to cooperate with us.”
