Blogging Mets

Ralph Kiner (1962-Present)

Despite his penchant for misspeaking, Kiner is an excellent announcer. Unlike today’s breed of commentator, he rarely uses the word “I” when giving analysis. My favorite Kiner’s Korner moment was when he had Mookie Wilson and Danny Heep on the show, and Heep was wearing eye black. Kiner said, “Danny is wearing that to cut down on glare — he’s not trying to look like Mookie.” Classic.

Bob Murphy (1962-2003)

Murphy was just a “damn” solid old school, play-by-play guy.  He wasn’t spectaular, but always steady. “Oh, those bases on balls.” Mets fans miss that.

Lindsay Nelson (1962-1978)

From the crazy jackets to the high-pitched voice, Nelson was just a whole lot of fun to listen to.

Steve Albert (1979-1981)

Albert had the unenviable, impossible task of replacing Nelson. He was doomed from the start, although I remember him doing a great job. In the spirit of full disclosure, I worked with Steve at WABC-AM more than 20 years ago, and he’s one of the nicest guys I’ve ever worked with. He also gave me one piece of advice by which I still live — “Never trust a man who wears a bow tie.” Having worked for noted bow tie wearers Frank Cashen with the Mets and Bill Torrey with the Islanders, he must know what he’s talking about.

Tim McCarver (1983-1998)

While his habit of beating points to death is very annoying, McCarver is still the best color guy in the game. He drew out Kiner, making him an even better analyst. When the Mets fired him and replaced him with Tom Seaver (great pitcher, lousy announcer), he was told it was because Seaver was a big part of Mets history. McCarver’s response  — “I guess my 16 years doesn’t count as history.”

Rusty Staub (1986-1995)

I’ll be honest — I really don’t remember anything specific Staub’s work as an announcer.  But he was my favorite player as a kid, hence his appearance on this list. Also, he was intrumental in getting his pal Keith Hernandez into broadcasting. That’s got to count for something! 

Gary Thorne (1985-1988, 1994-2002)

Thorne is, in my opinion, the best play-by-play guy working today. He talks a great game, and doesn’t pull his punches. He was very critical of the Mets when the team was bad. I was actually shocked by some of the things he used to say, but everything he said was true. Management apparently didn’t agree, and they fired him. And the fact that he was replaced by the crummy Dave O’Brien added to Mets fans’ misery.

Gary Cohen (1989-Present)

Cohen moved over to the TV side in 2006, and although he looked a bit uncomfortable at first being on camera, the broadcast didn’t miss a beat. Cohen is excellent and has a wry New York sense of humor. Plus, his knowledge of Mets history is second-to-none, and that really adds a lot to the games.

Keith Hernandez (2002-Present)

Hernandez is just plain fun. He has his critics, but it’s hard to deny that when he’s not in the booth, the broadcasts feel a little off. He has no filter, which is dangerous for him, but fun for us. It’s kind of like sitting around talking baseball with your friends — anything could come out of his mouth.

Ron Darling (2006-Present)

Darling is geting better and better every year. His analysis is sharp, and so is his deceptively sly sense of humor. He had the line of the season this year, when Hernandez commented on an opposing manager’s manicure. After Cohen questioned why he noticed such things, Darling said, “You’re on your way to having your own show on Bravo.”

Mug Shots Courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php

Gil Hodges (1962-1963)

Not in the Hall of Fame, but he certainly should be. His 2 seasons with the Mets don’t help his case, hitting 9 homers in just 65 games.  For his career, Hodges hit 370 homers, and drove in more than 100 runs 7 years in a row.

Duke Snider (1963)

Snider hit 14 home runs and batted .243 in his one season with the Mets. It was a far cry from the rest of his Hall of Fame career, in which he slammed 407 homers, including 5 straight seasons of 40+ when 40 homers really meant something.

Warren Spahn (1965)

It’s easy to forget that one of the greatest lefties of all time pitched for the Mets. That’s because by the time they got him, Spahn was 44 years old, and went 4-12 before being released mid-season. Spahn won 363 career games (6th all-time), including an impossible 13 years of 20+ wins.

Yogi Berra (1965)

Yogi barely makes the list, appearing in just 4 games in his solo season with the Mets. But his Hall of Fame credentials were cemented in 18 seasons with the Yankees — 358 homers, 1430 RBIs and 3 MVP awards.

Nolan Ryan (1966, 1968-1971)

Ryan showed promise with the Mets — 29-38, but with a 3.58 ERA and averaging nearly a strikeout per inning. But it was after he left the Mets that he became  the Nolan Ryan we now know — 324 wins, a record 5714 strikeouts, and those incredible 7 no-hitters.

Tom Seaver (1967-1977, 1983)

Finally, a great player who actually had great years for the Mets! Seaver leads the Mets in virtually every pitching category, and finished his career with 311 wins, 3640 strikeouts and 2.86 ERA.

Willie Mays (1972-1973)

One of the greatest players of all time, Mays was a mere shell of himself when he returned to New York at age 41. For his career, Mays had 660 homers (4th all-time), 1903 RBIs (10th), 3283 hits (11th), and won 2 MVP awards.

Eddie Murray (1992-1993)

Murray actually had 2 pretty good years with the Mets, hitting a total of 43 home runs and driving in 193 runs. The rest of his Hall of Fame career was pretty good as well — 504 homers, 1913 RBIs (9th all-time) and 3255 hits (12th).

Mike Piazza (1998-2005)

Hey, another guy with actual Mets credentials. The best Mets hitter ever and the greatest hitting catcher of all-time, Piazza finished up his career with 427 home runs and a .308 batting average.

Rickey Henderson (1999-2000)

Rickey’s first year with the Mets was good — at age 40 he stole 37 bases and hit .315. He was released in May of the second year after a terrible start. Overall, he had 3055 hits, and holds the all-time marks with 2295 runs and an incredible 1406 stolen bases.

Mug Shots Courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php

Elliott Maddox (1978-1980)

The Mets sat out the first couple of years of free agency before taking the plunge with Maddox. A lot was expected of their first big signing, and all he delivered in 3 years was 7 homers and a .255 batting average.

Tim Leary (1981, 1983-1984)

Leary was the number 2 pick overall in the 1979 draft, and was touted as the next Tom Seaver. He lasted all of 2 innings in his first Mets start at a frigid Wrigley Field in 1981 before blowing out his arm. He missed the following year, and pitched just another 22 games over the next 2 seasons for the Mets before they gave up on him. 

Ellis Valentine (1981-1982)

Valentine was on his way to becoming one of the game’s better hitters when he got hit in the face with a ball in 1980, fracturing his cheekbone. He was never the same afterwards. The Mets were hoping he could find his old form, and traded Jeff Reardon to the Expos for him. But Valentine was done, hitting .261 with 13 homers in a season and a half.

George Foster (1982-1986)

When the Mets traded for Foster before the 1982 season and gave him a huge (at the time) 5 year, $10 million contract, they thought they were getting the slugger who hit 52 homers 5 years earlier. Instead, they got a 33-year-old on the downside of his career. Foster topped out at just 28 homers in 1983. He was released midway through the 1986 season after accusing the Mets of racism. 

Gregg Jefferies (1987-1991)

One of the most hyped prospects in Mets history, Jefferies was billed as a hitting machine. He was anything but, batting .276 in 5 years. He was also apparently despised by his teammates. Twenty years later, Keith Hernandez still groans when his name is mentioned during Mets broadcasts.

Bobby Bonilla (1992-1995, 1999)

No need to go into all the stories again. But people forget that when the Mets signed him to a 5 year, $29 million contract, he was the highest paid player in the game. A lot is expected of a player who carries that tag, and Bonilla, who was far from the best player in baseball, couldn’t deliver.

Paul Wilson (1996)

All 3 of the “Generation K” pitchers could have been on the list, but Wilson was by far the most disappointing. He was the first player picked in the 1994 draft, and he was expected to be the ace of the Mets staff for the next decade. Instead, he battled injuries and pitched just a single season for the Mets, going 5-12 with a 5.38 ERA.

Roberto Alomar (2002-2003)

Alomar was coming off a season of 20 homers, 100 RBIs, .336 BA when he was dealt to the Mets for Matt Lawton and prospects. Manager Bobby Valentine asked at the time “how could we get him so cheap?” That question was answered when Alomar got onto the field. He had nothing left. One writer called him “the cardboard cut-out of Roberto Alomar.” He lasted a season and a half in Queens, batting .265 with 13 home runs. 

Kaz Matsui (2004-2006)

The Mets waded into the Japanese waters before, signing such second-tier players as Masato Yoshii and Tsuyoshi Shinjo. But when they handed Matsui a 3 year, $21 million contract (and moved Jose Reyes to second base to make room for him), the Mets and their fans thought they were getting the next Ichiro Suzuki or Hideki Matsui. We got neither.

Pedro Martinez (2005-2008)

It pains me to put Pedro on this list, because he was so much fun to watch and have on the team. But his Mets career can only be categorized as a disappointment. For $52 million, he went 32-23, the final 3 years riddled with injuries in which he made only 48 starts. He never pitched in a post-season game for the Mets. What else can you call that except disappointing?

Dishonorable mention: Jim Fregosi, Juan Samuel, Carlos Baerga, Jay Payton, Mo Vaughn and Victor Zambrano.

Mug Shots Courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php

Cleon Jones (1963-1975)

2nd all time in hits, 4th in triples, 7th in doubles & RBIs. Batted .340 in 1969.  An underrated Mets career.

Tom Seaver (1967-1977, 1983)

Leads team in every pitching category. Won Rookie of the Year & 3 Cy Young Awards, and even had a save.

Jerry Koosman (1967-1978)

A career of almosts — almost won Rookie of the Year, almost won Cy Young. 3rd in wins & strikeouts.

Darryl Strawberry (1983-1990)

1st in homers, RBIs, runs, walks & strikeouts, 2nd in slugging. Won Rookie of the Year. Team’s best power hitter.

Dwight Gooden (1984-1994)

2nd in wins & strikeouts. Won Rookie of the Year & Cy Young. His 1985 season (24-4, 1.53, 268) best in Mets history.

Howard Johnson (1985-1993)

2nd in runs, 3rd in homers, RBIs, doubles & stolen bases. Nice moustache.

Edgardo Alfonzo (1995-2002)

3rd in hits & runs, 4th in doubles, 5th in batting average, 6th in RBIs. Hit .300 four times.

Mike Piazza (1998-2005)

1st in slugging, 2nd in homers & RBIs, 4th in batting average, 5th in doubles. Just the best Mets hitter ever.

Jose Reyes (2003-present)

Already the team leader in triples & stolen bases, with (hopefully) many more years ahead.

David Wright (2004-present)

3 doubles away from number one. 2nd in batting average, 5th in RBIs. Should be atop all categories when he’s done.

Mug Shots Courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php

Doug Sisk (1982-1987)

The standard by which all hated Mets are held.

Kevin McReynolds (1987-1991, 1994)

His lazy, lackadaisical style of play infuriated fans.

Vince Coleman (1991-1993)

He was just a jerk.

Bobby Bonilla (1992-1995, 1999)

What to hate most — the earplugs, the medicore numbers, threatening a reporter? I’ll go with the latter, because in the effort of full disclosure, the reporter, Art McFarland, was a former colleague at WABC-TV, and is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Watch the ridiculous confrontation:

Mel Rojas (1997-1998)

In a case of the lesser of two evils, was traded straight-up for Bonilla after the ‘98 season.

Armando Benitez (1999-2003)

Was great from April to mid-September, but famously choked in big games.

Braden Looper (2004-2005)

Deserves credit for absorbing the boos during his lousy second season, and not telling the media he was pitching injured all year.

Guillermo Mota (2006-2007)

He should have stayed on the steroids — he was actually really good when juiced. Clean? — not so much.

Scott Schoeneweis (2007-2008)

Was it just me, or were the Mets announcers late in 2007 always saying, “It’s Schoeneweis and Mota warming up in the bullpen?”

Luis Castillo (2007-present)

Is having a nice bouce-back 2009 season that has quieted the fans. He just might work his way off of this list, but the boos he got in 2008 were among the worst since, well, Doug Sisk.

Mug Shots courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php

Tug McGraw (1965-1967, 1969-1974)

Came up with “You Gotta Believe,” willing the 1973 Mets to the East title.

Tom Seaver (1967-1977, 1983)

How could a player who is the all-time face of a franchise be lost to that team not once, but twice? Only the Mets.

Rusty Staub (1972-1975, 1981-1985)

With all the food at Citi Field, why is there no Rusty’s Ribs?

Lee Mazzilli (1976-1981, 1986-1989)

Is it me, or does it seem like the Mets keep trading their most popular players, only to re-acquire them later?

Mookie Wilson (1980-1989)

Do you think he would have been as popular if his name wasn’t Mookie?

Keith Hernandez (1983-1989)

Every girl in the ’80s loved Hernandez. How do you compete with that?

Dwight Gooden (1984-1994)

Despite everything that went wrong, he’s still beloved by Mets fans. Still, it’s hard not to imagine what might have been.

Mike Piazza (1998-2005)

The best hitter the Mets have ever had. Hopefully he’ll go into the Hall of Fame as a Met.

Jose Reyes (2003-present)

The most exciting position player the Mets have ever had. It seems like everyone is wearing a Reyes jersey at the game. 

David Wright (2004-present)

Unless they are wearing a Wright jersey. The new face of the franchise, he’ll be named captain soon.

Mug Shots courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php