Week in Wreview

By simply putting that photo there, I struggled to get this sentence out.  I triple clutched my finger before finally hitting the key.  Just a reminder of what life is like for Mets without a stache.  What a first week it’s been for The Wright Stache. We…

• Introduced ourselves to the internets.
• Proved that the 1986 Mets were powered by Metstaches.
• Paid homage to our patron saint and celebrated his achievements.
• Addressed the Giambi stache head on.
• Got to know the Metstaches of HoJo, Davey and John Pacella.
• Launched our Wright Wreasons series with Magnum force.
• And learned that David can and should grow a stache…statistically speaking.

Not a bad start.  I know that it may seem like I’ve done most of the posting over the last few days.  That’s because Hairy Backman has been working hard at his real job in the steel mill and Jose’s Chin Pubes is in Texas taking the steak-eating challenge at every steakhouse south of Dallas-Ft. Worth.  We’ll form Voltron next week.

We’ll be working through the weekend, so stop by while you nurse your hangover and watch whatever marathon MTV runs.

Stay tuned for some site improvements in the next week or so that will make commenting more pleasureable.  And please do check back often and share The Wright Stache with your friends, family and casual encounters.

Better Know a Metstache: John Pacella

Nobody beats John's stache!

I was fortunate enough to exchange emails with Greg Prince of Faith and Fear in Flushing yesterday and Greg had some thoughts on classic Metstaches.  He noted that we had focused thus far on Metstaches of the 1980s and had neglected those scrappy 70s staches.  Well, I had no response.  He was right.  So, today we profile John Pacella and his Metstache.

John who?  Yeah, he’s not exactly having his number retired anytime soon (he wore #20, btw).  John and his whiskers played for the Mets in 1977 and 1979-1980.  He was a RHP who was a part-time starter.  And he had one hell of a stache.

In his three seasons with the Mets, John went 3-6 with a 4.83 ERA in 39 appearances.  His career, unlike his stache, was not particularly prolific.  So why profile him at all?  Because John’s contributions weren’t about on-field performance.  He was there to bring the whimsy.

You see, John’s throwing motion was so awkward that his cap would often fall off after his delivery.  Imagine the joy on the faces of teammates and fans as John and his whiskers retrieved his hat after allowing yet another batter to reach base (he had a 1.64 WHIP in his three seasons with the Mets).  Every team needs a John Pacella to lighten the mood on a hot August Day.

Thanks for the smiles, John.  And thanks, Greg, for inspiring this post.

And now you better know a Metstache.

Be sure to check out Greg’s book, Faith and Fear in Flushing: An Intense Personal History of the New York Mets when it comes out on Monday, March 23.