Mets’ players praise Carter’s determination, enthusiasm for game
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — As the Mets discuss a plan to honour Carter during this season, from deciding on a uniform patch to a ceremony at Citi Field, some of the early-arriving players returned to the spring training complex Friday.
Carter was Josh Thole’s manager on the Gulf Coast League Mets in 2005, and the current Mets catcher recalled how he taught him more than just baseball.
“How to be a man,” Thole said. “I was 18 years old playing my first year and Gary really emphasized on treating us like men. It didn’t matter if you were 16 coming from the Dominican or if you were 22 coming from college, everybody was treated the same way — and he was so passionate about winning. He was a competitor and he wanted to win every day.”
Thole, a converted first baseman, was new behind the plate, and he couldn’t have picked a better mentor than Carter. But the message was never about one position on the field.
“It was how to play the game,” Thole said. “That’s what he was real big on. It didn’t matter — win, lose or draw — as long as you went out there and you played hard. That was the one thing he taught the whole team.”
David Wright appreciated Carter’s enthusiasm for baseball, and his desire to stay connected to this next generation of Mets.
“Obviously, it’s a sad day,” Wright said. “You put on this uniform, you see all the
“HE WAS A COMPETITOR AND HE WANTED TO WIN EVERY DAY.” JOSH THOLE
pictures of Gary celebrating and Gary smiling, and you strive to be that type of player — but also that type of person. Coming up through the minor leagues, when I broke into the big leagues until about a month ago, Gary kept in touch, he would call and just want to talk baseball, talk about the team, and talk about what I was feeling at the plate. Those will be my lasting memories and something that will stick with me pretty vividly just because he knew the situation he was in.”