Keith Hernandez called in to SNY's Daily News Live this afternoon to discuss the passing of his teammate and friend Gary Carter, and Keith was in or on the verge of tears for the balance of the interview. My eyes can't help but moisten at hearing one of my boyhood sports heroes in near-weeping eulogy of another.
Gary and Keith played together from 1985 through 1989, helping the Mets to an awful lot of wins in the process. They had five top-ten MVP finishes between them during that span, finishing third (Carter) and fourth in 1986 and sixth (Carter) and eighth in 1985.
Meanwhile, Wally Backman, manager of the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons and Carter's teammate with the Mets from 1985 through 1988, will wear uniform number eight in memory of his friend:
#Bisons manager Wally Backman announces he will change to #8 this season in honor of Gary Carter.
— Buffalo Bisons (@BuffaloBisons) February 17, 2012
Click past the jump for video from SNY of Keith's emotional appearance this afternoon.