New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard paid tribute to David Wright as only Thor could, with a funny yet kind tweet.
A long season for the New York Mets and their fans had an emotional end, as captain David Wright played his final game as a Major Leaguer. Before and after an emotional, somewhat bittersweet end to Wright’s career, tributes came pouring in for the Mets’ captain.
Curtis Granderson said that Wright was the reason he signed with the team in 2013, and every player on the team attended Wright’s press conference when he announced the plan for him going forward, despite the fact that few of them played with him.
Most people don’t know that #DavidWright was one of the reasons I signed with the @mets in ‘13. I believed in his vision as the team Captain & wanted to play w/one of the greatest leaders this game will ever know. Thanks for the memories bro, it was an honor to be your teammate! pic.twitter.com/zoNGD4KO99
— Curtis Granderson (@cgrand3) September 29, 2018
One of the most unique tribute’s to Wright came from Noah Syndergaard, who tweeted about one of his first interactions with him. He told the story of his lunch being thrown in the garbage, while taking the blame for it, and telling Wright how much he would miss him.
I was told the one person to not piss off on the Mets in Spring Training is David Wright. Then he threw out my lunch. My bad, Captain. I will truly miss you and your presence. You were the best example of how to play this game even while not playing. #LGM
— Noah Syndergaard (@Noahsyndergaard) September 30, 2018
For those who have forgotten the story, it occurred in Spring Training of 2015 before Syndergaard was called up to the Mets during that season. Syndergaard had pitched in a Spring Training game and went into the cafeteria to get food after he was removed from the game.
Wright was walking past the cafeteria and didn’t take kindly to a 22-year-old who hadn’t made the major leagues not being out watching the game after he was pulled. He went to confront Syndergaard and told him to get back out to the dugout and watch the game.
Bobby Parnell, who served as the Mets closer before injuries derailed his career, also came over, and in the course of the conversation, Syndergaard’s lunch was thrown in the garbage (for the record, Marc Carig of Newsday (at the time) said that it was Parnell who threw the food away).
The incident became a story because it was witnessed by the press, something that Wright apologized to the rookie for, as he didn’t intend to embarrass Syndergaard, just send him a message. To Syndergaard’s credit, he held no ill will and wasn’t angry at Wright for what happened, and he used it as a learning experience.
It also made for a funny story for Syndergaard to use to send off the captain of the Mets with.
