Making A Difference

Funny that January is National Mentoring Month.

That explains why Darryl Strawberry was in Port St. Lucie to help mentor the rookies at the Mets mini camp.

The rookies...and David Wright.

Wright was the only major leaguer to attend the mini camp, which exists for minor leaguers, and injury rehab. He took advantage of his time with Straw and Howard Johnson to ask about being on the '86 team.

Now if Darryl really wants to be a mentor, then the best thing he can tell David Wright is that "drugs are bad...mmm'kay?"

If Mr. Mackey was around when Darryl Strawberry was a young wide-eyed rookie, Straw would be on his five year wait for the Hall in a Mets cap, now wouldn't he? Which is nice to see that Straw is around camp as a reminder of what your career can be if you fall into the trap of choosing to throw away immense talent. But I seriously hope that he answers any questions that a young player would have for him regarding that. Because Mark McGwire, for all of his blustering about being the best role model there is regarding steroids, has not done one PSA or attended one Cardinal rookie camp since. He does not embody the spirit of being a good mentor. "Daaaaaaaaar-ryyyyyyyyyyyl" can be that role model. And it would be the best thing he's ever done for the Mets organization.

But the fact that Wright is down in Florida one month early has me wondering if David Wright even needs a role model. For example, here are a couple of quotes for your consumption:

"Sometimes I sit back in New York, look at my locker and just seeing my name right there on a jersey...and it's such a privilege to put that jersey on."

"I know there have been a lot of blood and guts and sweat and tears that went in...To see some players come without that respect and without that regard for the people that played before them was tough...You should take a tremendous amount of pride in being in that position and playing for this city and this organization."

The first quote belongs to David Wright, from his recent stint at Port St. Lucie.

Do you know who's responsible for the second quote?

Why none other than Mark Messier, who had his number retired by the New York Rangers on Thursday, during National Mentoring Month. Fitting.

If the quotes make the man, then I only hope that David Wright Night is half as momentous and emotional as was Thursday night. And it will be, as long as Darryl Strawberry is as good a mentor as he was a player.