by home plate umpire Randy Marsh for arguing a catcher's interference call against Mike Piazza. Valentine returned to the dugout an inning later disguised with sunglasses and a fake moustache made from eye black. The Mets went on to win the game 4–3, and Major League Baseball fined Valentine $5,000 and suspended him for two games. Valentine led the Mets to a record of 97–66 and a wild card playoff berth that season. The Mets defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in four games (3–1) en route to the National League Championship Series, where they eventually lost to their division rival the Atlanta Braves in six games (4–2). In early 2000, Valentine allegedly mentioned to students at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business somewhat cynical, insider comments regarding a handful of Mets players and the organization as a whole. The incident was called "The Whartongate Affair". That year Valentine returned as Mets manager, finishing with a 94–68 record and another wild card playoff berth. This time the Mets were successful in winning the National League pennant, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2000 National League Championship Series in five games (4–1). The Mets lost the 2000 World Series to their crosstown rivals the New York Yankees in five games (4–1). On July 14, 2001, Valentine won his 1,000th game as manager, doing so against the Boston Red Sox in his 1,958th game as manager. Valentine won the 2002 Branch Rickey Award for his donations and personal work with survivors of the September 11 attacks. Valentine had an uneasy, if not volatile relationship with general manager Steve Phillips, who fired three of Valentine's coaches and selected the replacements himself during the 1999 season (in a move many observers felt was an attempt to get Valentine to quit) and eventually fired him after the 2002 season. He finished his Mets managerial career with a record of 536 wins and 467 losses. Second stint with the Chiba Lotte Marines In 2004, Valentine rejoined the Chiba Lotte Marines as manager, and in 2005 led the Marines to their first Pacific League pennant since 1974 following a close playoff with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. On October 26, 2005, the Marines won the Japan Series in a four-game sweep of the Hanshin Tigers. The next day Valentine issued a challenge to the World Series champion Chicago White Sox on behalf of the Marines, calling for