Ultimate Mets Database - Memories of Roger Cedeno

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Roger Cedeno
vs. the Mets

Roger Cedeno
vs. Other Teams

Memories of
Roger Cedeno

Roger Cedeno
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 89 of 1252 players

Roger Leandro Cedeno
Born: August 16, 1974 at Valencia, Venezuela
Throws: Right Bats: Both
Height: 6.01 Weight: 205

Roger Cedeno was the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup on March 12, 2004, March 13, 2004, August 16, 2012, September 24, 2012, January 27, 2013, June 24, 2018, and September 10, 2018.

First Mets game: April 6, 1999
Last Mets game: September 28, 2003

Share your memories of Roger Cedeno

HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY:

Michelle Paz
Watching Roger Cedeno in 1999 stealing bases left and right was definitely a highlight of the season.

Alex
Even though he was a Met for one season, I loved him. He was so fast and it was fun watching him get bunt singles. You knew that once he was on that he was going to steal. I guess the one image of Cedeno that sticks in my mind is when Mora scored the go-ahead run in last years NLCS. Cedeno and Mora leaped into the air and chest bumped each other and hugged as soon as Mora crossed the plate.

Eric
March 28, 2001
I miss this guy a lot. He could get on base a lot, steal bases like nothing, and the biggest reason is because he was a '99 Met. That was a VERY special season to me and I wish the team was re-created.

Jon
April 17, 2001
Nice little player but in danger of turning into a fish story among Met fans. For all his speed he was a poor baserunner and fielder. He faded badly in the second half and he's been traded by every team that ever had him. I think we saw the best 4 months of his career.

añonymous
July 9, 2001
I miss having 2 Mets in the batting order with ñ's in their name. Well, they'll never trade the great superstar (sarcastic) Rey Ordoñez.

Rich S.
November 13, 2001
Although Jon says Cedeno was a poor baserunner and fielder, that was his reputation when he arrived, and one that I think he disproved. While he made an occasional basepath mistake, he was no Bernie Williams and he created havoc with his speed and base stealing. I thought he was a solid rightfielder with a surprisingly strong and accurate arm. If the Mets don't get a premiere hitter in the outfield I hope they get Cedeno back for 2002.

Mr. Sparkle
December 13, 2001
Welcome back!!!!!!
I always liked this guy. I was dissapointed that he was traded after breaking Mookie's stolen base record. Mookie is my favorite all time player and to see someone break his record and then get traded drove me crazy. It's great to see him back and I'm glad we finally have a decent lead off hitter that we so desparately need. He's defintely a great sparkplug!!!

Jujo
December 13, 2001
Just heard the good news that we got Roger back. The Mets paid a big price trading him and Dotel for Hampton for essentially 1 year's rent. Roger will help the Mets with speed, scoring runs and providing a catalyst at the top of the lineup. Phillips appears to be doing something right for a change.

Coach HoJo 20
December 13, 2001
For a guy working with both hands tied behind his back, Steve Phillips has done a great job so far. The acquisition of Senor Speed will solve our Lead off and speed problems, Now we don’t have to hope for an Ordonez blooper to score in that 1 run in the bottom of the 9th.
Many question the trade that sent him packing for Mike Hampton and Derek Bell, but that is the advantage of hindsight. In my opinion it was an awesome deal that I didn’t second-guess then and I don’t second- guess now.
Now that I look towards the future I have to say IM very excited, I see at least a Wild Card spot in our future and hey you never know we might be in first place!
It looks like this will be a very entertaining, exciting year to be a Mets fan!

Won Doney
December 13, 2001
I'm so glad to see Roger back! It was upsetting when he was traded, and I always thought the Mets didn't know what they were getting rid of. He was one of my favorite players back in '99.

murphy
January 4, 2002
I love any guy who turns down more money from the Seattle Mariners to come back and play for the Mets. Not many guys can handle New York's pressure. Cedeno says he thrived on it. I love to hear that. Welcome back, Roger.

Joe Figliola
April 2, 2002
He set a JF scorebook record in 1999 that was not to be believed. He stole 16 bases. SIXTEEN! Hell, I'm lucky to get the whole TEAM to steal 16 bases in one season, much less one guy.
I'm glad he's back. He's a fun player and was one of the "new" Mets to make an impact in the Opening Day win. And let me add that he DEFINITELY is going to be fun to score for the next four seasons, especially in the stolen bases department.
As I always say: Roger Cedeno, his play is bueno!

Gilinfiji
August 16, 2002
Roger has to be the saddest of all this year's busts. I loved watching him play in '99, seeing him run the bases with reckless abandon and with such enthusiasm. I was so excited to see we re-signed him. But in this nightmare of a season we can't seem to escape, the man has only 13 - count 'em, 13 - steals. Didn't he steal 25 alone in the month of May in '99? I remember the great series he had in April in Atlanta and then it all went downhill from there for him and everyone else.

Mr. Sparkle
August 19, 2002
I can't believe the bad year he has had. But still I think there is hope. I don't remember him being so horrendous in the outfield in 99. Maybe that's because he was in right? I don't know but since Burnitz is a joke why not put Roger in right field? And I think if the Mets left Roger as their leadoff hitter all year long rather than dumping him at 7 where it doesn't make sense to steal as much especially with two out because they can always walk Ordonez to get to the pitcher, he would have had a much better year with many more steals. He would have also seen better pitches leading off. Let him lead off in 2003 and he will have a good year.

murphy
August 20, 2002
Somebody has to get a hold of Cedeno and reconstruct his swing from the left side of the plate. He's falling backwards on every swing from the left side. Most major league hitters today dive headfirst into the ball. Cedeno is backing up. It drives me nuts watching it.

Andy from Rego Park
April 14, 2003
I can only conclude that his performance in 1999 was a fluke. How else can you explain the total disintegration of all facets of his game? He can't hit and in those rare moments when he's on base he's no longer stealing bases. Lastly, his outfield defense is as bad as anybody this side of the man he was traded for, Todd Hundley (who can at least be forgiven for his brief, and embarrasing term as the Mets' leftfielder). Maybe it's time for the Mets to bite the bullet with Roger and cut him loose. Timo and Shinjo are more fundamentally sound players who deserve a chance to play every day.

Shari
April 14, 2003
I agree with you Andy. There's no other way to explain how he did so well in 1999, and he's been a complete disaster since coming back to the Mets. The only thing I can think of as far his bad defensive play was that it was overlooked in 1999 because he was hitting and stealing bases, but even then I don't remember his defensive play in the field being as bad as it is now. I think we should cut him loose too.

Joe Figliola
April 16, 2003
Roger Cedeno: his play ain't bueno; it's B.S.
Although Roger is now classified as a young veteran, I think the lack of a father figure is hurting his play. Everyone got on Rickey Henderson's case during his two years as a Met; but do you remember all those shots on TV where Henderson was counseling Roger and helping him throughout the year? And everyone thought Rickey was a selfish guy.
Y'know, Steve Phillips, Rickey's out there, and he can still play. Why not bring him back to help Roger out?

Mr. Sparkle
April 23, 2003
Here's another guy I've had the patience of Job with. While everyone else is bashing him, I've been saying give him a chance. He'll come around and steal a bunch of bases. He always starts slow. But after yesterday's game, where he misjudged a fly ball and it lead to 3 runs in the inning, which was a major factor in them losing, I just can't defend the guy anymore. His defense is so horrid, I don't care if he steals 100 bases, he will cost more runs than he produces. That's pretty bad for an outfielder. He has no instincts whatsoever out there and you can afford to have a below average fielder who can hit but you can't afford to have an extremely poor defensive outfielder. He is a joke in the outfield. He was getting a hand early in the game for catching a routine fly ball. I don't like Shinjo that much but a Timo/Shinjo platoon would work much better than this clown. Too bad he makes so much money. Another bad contract for Steve Phillips. I liked the move originally so I can't second guess him but let's admit our mistakes and move on.

Chris
July 2, 2003
Even in '99 his on-base average was under .400 and he struck out 100 times. ANOTHER NEW YORK METS FREE- AGENT DISASTER! This guy wouldn't be a good Triple-A player. Why are the Mets still carrying him???

Jonathan Stern
July 20, 2003
Couple weeks ago, Roger sprayed the clubhouse with a foul-smelling odor. Was this a cheerful prank or was he summing up his second go-around with the Mets?

Shari
July 23, 2003
I don't think I have ever seen a worse outfielder in my life. He missed 2 balls in the game against the Phillies yesterday that almost cost the Mets the game. He just stinks on ice, does any one else remember him being this dreadful in the outfield the first time around? He just doesn't have a clue out there, it's unbelieveable. My 2 German shepherds can play the outfield better. At least I know they can catch a ball.

Albert
July 25, 2003
One of the worst players to ever play the game. Period. Big mistake by Steve Phillips to sign him for 4 years. With the kind of money he is payed, we might have to put up with him another two years. It's hard to say, but the torture is only half over.

Mr. Sparkle
July 30, 2003
I can't believe I was so happy that they signed this clown 2 years ago. Wow, what a mistake. I guess if he hadn't broken Mookie's steal record I wouldn't necessarily be so happy to bring him back but he has been as bad a player as I have ever seen. I'd take Bobby Bonilla out of retirement over this guy. He can't even steal a base anymore. I'd rather have Les Nessman playing the outfield listening to his mother shout at him to play his violin in his head than Roger Cedeno. His defense is attrocious. He hit a nice pinch hit homer yesterday and then called for a ball in the outfield he ended up dropping. The Mets are looking to move him in exchange for another bad contract in the off season. Hopefully it'll be only a one year bad contract. If it's not, eat the money and drop this loser. He should go to Japan.

murphy
October 10, 2003
Cedeno is a zero tool player, possibly the most worthless player in the league. He can't hit for average, can't hit for power, can't get on base, can't play the outfield at the high school level, can't throw, and has lost his speed and basestealing ability. On top of those terrific attributes, Cedeno also is a stupid ball player who doesn't grasp the finer points of the game.
At some point the Mets have to eat the rest of his contract and free up a roster spot for someone who can actually play baseball.

Larry Burns
December 19, 2003
What is most unbelievable is that we went out to reaquire this guy! It is like being married to Lorena Bobbit and after getting divorced, seeing if there is any romance left. He is a terrible hitter and defensive outfielder. As he has gotten older his speed and base running skills have diminished considerably. If he came up in a big spot this year, I knew we were DONE!

Anthony
December 24, 2003
Why? Why? Why? Why is he still here? To solve the right field problem? Put this guy out to the road with his Steve Phillips $5 mil or whatever-he-got a year, and get Vlad or Brian Jordan in here to play right field to give Piazza & Floyd some protection in the line up.

Big Vin
January 4, 2004
Of all the Christmas presents that I got the one I didn't was being able to pick up a newspaper and read that Roger "Mr. Traffic Infraction" Cedeno was no longer a Met. I am sure Duquette tried (and still is) but this guy just has to go. His mere continued presence just gives the perception that the team is not serious about getting better - which we know is not true. Eat the rest of his contract and give him Steve Phillips phone number so he can act as his agent.

Kiwiwriter
September 12, 2004
I think that when they re-aquired Roger Cedeno, they didn't get the guy who stole 66 bases in 1999, but his evil twin.
What happened to Cedeno? How did he disintegrate? Is he paying the Mets back for trading him just before 2000, so he couldn't get his World Series share?
Another Steve Phillips nightmare. They traded him when he was good and got him back after it was too late. And for who? Mike Hampton, the educator.

Joe P.
October 10, 2004
I kept hearing that he's such a nice guy. But I still hated this man with a passion.

David
October 24, 2004
Probably the worst defensive outfielder in baseball. Yes, even worse than Manny, and Cliff Floyd. Seeing Cedeno play center would be comical if it wasn't so sad. Now going to the Series against Boston with the Cards as a bench player he was a catalyst in the comeback against Clemens in game 7 of the NLCS.

agee_of_aquarius
March 29, 2005
If a player is bad, but tries hard and hustles, I may not love him, but I can't hate him. Roger Cedeno hustled, and really wanted to be a Met. That's way more than you can say about many former Mets. I'm glad he got to play on a pennant winner in St. Louis - - and at the same time, I'm glad he won't be dropping fly balls in Shea.

KMT
December 1, 2005
I was happy when we got him back! He wanted to play here and we should have left him in R.F. Things snowballed around him, and even though he tried his best it did not work out! All that aside, once we got on his back, we wouldn't get off!! We do like to kick people when they're down, don't we? The Mets threw a lot of money at him! He would have been a fool to turn it down. What I'll remember most about Roger is, he never gave up trying, and he never blamed anyone but himself for not working out the 2nd time around!!

Jared K
September 16, 2007
This PIGGY gained a ton of weight his second time around with the Mets. That's why his skills took a nose dive. He signed a minor league contract with the Orioles this past spring and was promptly released because he showed up at 274 lbs!!! 100% true story! MUOY GORDITO!

Alex
June 14, 2022
Cedeno couldn't have picked a better time to have his career year. The Mets were fully coalescing in 1999 and Cedeno was right in the mix of it all. He hit for average (.313), he drew walks (.396 OBP) and he stole a LOT of bases (66). He was awesome and exciting to watch.
In my youth I could never figure out why he played so many games -- 155 -- but managed so few at-bats (453) that year. Apparently he spent most of April as a pinch hitter and late-inning replacement and didn't become ensconced in the everyday lineup until May. He started only 115 of his 149 games in the outfield and played complete games only 88 times.
When he came back in 2002 and 2003, though he was just a few years removed, he just wasn't the same. The old spark wasn't there anymore. His blazing speed was largely gone and he ... like most on those teams, actually ... was just deadweight.
At least we have 1999.