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ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | ||
ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | |||
One of the Continental League's five charter members was a team in New York City. Majority interest was held by ] and her husband, ], former minority owners of the Giants. The second largest stake was held by ] (uncle of the future President ]), who served as ] and ] until 1977.<ref name="WashPostTV">{{cite web | |||
|url=http://www.tarpley.net/bush1.htm | |||
|author=] | |||
|coauthor=Anton Chaitkin | |||
|title=George Bush: The Unauthorized Biography | |||
|publisher=Progressive Press | |||
|accessdate=2006-06-17 | |||
|date=2009 - reprint of 1992 book}}</ref> | |||
Former Giants director ] became chairman of the board. Grant and Joan Payson had been the only members of the Giants' board to oppose the team's move west. | |||
ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!! | |||
The existing ]s, which had considerably more autonomy at the time, responded with plans to add four new teams, two in each league. One of the new National League teams was to be in New York. The NL offered this new franchise to the CL's New York group, provided that they commit to building a new park. Shea told ] ] that he had to personally cable every National League owner and guarantee that the city would build a new facility. | |||
ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!! | |||
ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!! | |||
ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!! | |||
The new team required a new name, and many were suggested. Among the finalists were "Bees", "]s", "Continentals", "Skyscrapers", and "Jets", as well as the eventual runner-up, the "Skyliners." Although Payson had admitted a preference for "]", the owners ultimately selected '''"Mets",''' because it was closely related to the club's already-existing corporate name, "New York Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc.", it hearkened back to "]", a name used by an earlier New York team in the ] from 1880 to 1887, and because its brevity would naturally fit in newspaper headlines. The name was received with broad approval among fans and the press. | |||
From the beginning, the Mets sought to appeal to the large contingent of former Giants and Dodgers fans. The Mets' team colors reflect this: orange from the Giants, blue from the Dodgers. Coincidentally, orange and blue are also New York City's official colors. Thus two rival fan-bases with 19th Century origins were largely united in support of the new club. | |||
ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!! | |||
For the first two years of its existence, the team played its home games at the historic ] in ], which it shared with the ]. In {{by|1964}}, both teams moved into newly constructed ] in ], Queens, where the Mets stayed through the {{Baseball Year|2008}} season. In 2009, the club moved into ], located adjacent to the former site of Shea Stadium. | |||
During their history, the Mets have won two ] titles (1969 and 1986), four National League ] (1969, 1973, 1986, 2000), and five ] titles (1969, 1973, 1986, 1988, 2006). The Mets also qualified for the postseason as the National League ] team in 1999 and 2000. The Mets have appeared in more World Series — four — than any other ] in Major League Baseball history. Their two championships equal the tally of the ] and ] for the most titles among expansion teams. | |||
The Mets held the New York baseball attendance record for 29 years. They broke the ]' 1948 record by drawing nearly 2.7 million in 1970. The Mets broke their own record five times before the Yankees took it back in 1999. | |||
No Met pitcher has ever thrown a ], and the franchise's hurlers have gone more than 7,500 games without pitching one — longer than any other Major League franchise. On several occasions, potential no-hitters by Met pitchers have been broken up in the late innings. ] twice pitched 8⅓ innings without allowing a hit for the Mets — in one of those games, against Chicago in 1969, Seaver only needed two more outs for a perfect game before Jimmy Qualls singled<ref></ref> - while in recent years ], ], ], and ] all lost their no-hit bids in the 7th or 8th inning. | |||
In 1998, the Independent Budget Office of the city of New York published a study on the economic effect of the city's two Major League Baseball teams. The study included an analysis of where fans of both the Mets and the Yankees resided. The study found that 39% of Mets fans lived in one of the five boroughs of New York, 49% in the tri-state area outside the city and 12% elsewhere. Mets fans were more likely to be found in ], ], and the ] counties of ] and ], whereas ], ], ], ], ], and the counties of ] and ], as well as the upper Hudson Valley and the upstate New York region, leaned more towards the Yankees — this despite Manhattan's one-time association with the Giants, one of the Mets' predecessors.<ref name="IBO">{{cite web | |||
|url=http://www.ibo.nyc.ny.us/iboreports/stadiumsurvey.html | |||
|title=Home Base for Mets and Yankees Fans | |||
|publisher=The City of New York Independent Budget Office | |||
|accessdate=2006-06-17 | |||
|date=1998-09-28}}</ref> | |||
===Lovable Losers (1962–1966)=== | |||
In October, 1961, the ] held an ] to stock the rosters of the Mets and the ] with players from other clubs. 22 players were selected by the Mets, including some with notable previous success such as ], ], ], and ]. But rather than select talented young players with future potential, Mets management preferred to sign faded stars of the Dodgers and Giants to appeal to fans' nostalgia. Legendary Yankees manager ] was hired out of retirement to lead the team, but his managerial acumen wasn't enough to overcome the severe deficiency of talent among the players. | |||
====1962–63==== | |||
The ] took the field for the first time on April 11, 1962 against the ] (the first game schedule for April 10 was delayed due to rain). In an apparent harbinger of things to come, pitcher Roger Craig went into his windup with the Cardinals' ] on third—and dropped the ball. Craig was charged with a ], scoring White from third with the first run ever against the Mets. Despite ] hitting the first home run in New York Mets history that day, the Mets went on to lose that game. It would be the first of nine straight losses to start the season en route to a 40–120 record. Their .250 winning percentage was the ], and the third-worst of the modern era (since {{by|1901}}). Throughout major league history only the 1899 ] (20–134) lost more games in a single season than the 1962 Mets. It wasn't until 2003 that the record would be threatened by the ], who finished the season at 43–119. The ineptitude of the Mets during their first year is chronicled in colorful fashion in the 1963 book ''Can't Anybody Here Play This Game?'', written by New York columnist ]. | |||
Beloved by New York fans despite—or perhaps because—of their losing ways, the Mets of the early 1960s became famous for their ineptitude. Journeyman players like the ironically nicknamed ] became icons of athletic incompetence. Ex-Dodger and Giant pitcher ], who was selected by the Mets in the 1961 expansion draft, was credited with the ungrammatical "The Mets is a good thing. They give everybody jobs. Just like the ]." Even the Mets proved to have standards, however. In ], ] ] ] was purchased by the Mets for a ] in the season. After only 15 games and a .195 batting average, the Mets sent him back to the Indians; he never played another major league game. Chiti was the first player ever to be sent back to his original team in a trade in Major League history. | |||
The ] featured a pitcher, Carlton Willey, who was having a great year, pitching four shut-outs, when he incurred an injury and finished with a 9–14 win-loss record. | |||
====1964==== | |||
{{Main|1964 New York Mets season}} | |||
On May 26, 1964, in Chicago, they played like champions (at least for one game) and pummeled the ], 19–1. According to legend, later that day a fan called a New York newspaper to get the score. He was told: "They scored 19 runs." There was a long silence, then the fan asked: "Did they win?"<ref></ref> | |||
Also in 1964, the Mets, who played their first two seasons in the old ], the former home of the Giants, moved to the newly constructed ], a 55,300-seat multipurpose facility built in the ] neighborhood of the ] of ], adjacent to the site of the ] and ]s. | |||
One high point of Shea Stadium's first season came on ], when ] pitcher ] threw a perfect game against the ], the first in the National League since ]. For perhaps the only time in the stadium's history, the Shea faithful found themselves rooting for the visitors, caught up in the rare achievement, and roaring for Bunning on every pitch in the ninth inning. His strikeout of John Stephenson capped the performance. Another high point was Shea Stadium's hosting of the ]. Unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight in the final hectic weekend of the ], the Mets relished the role of spoiler, beating the ] in ] on Friday and Saturday (keeping alive the hopes of the Phillies, Giants, and Reds) before succumbing to the eventual National League champions on Sunday. | |||
====1966==== | |||
{{Main|1966 New York Mets season}} | |||
The Mets' image as lovable losers was wearing a little thin as the decade progressed, but things began to change slowly in the late '60s. In ], the Mets chose catcher ] as the first overall selection in the ]. He became the first number one draft pick to retire without reaching the major leagues. The second pick that year was Hall of Famer ]. | |||
Soon after mets fans ran on to the field and tore down walls and threw garbage all over the field beofre raiding the locker rooms. | |||
===Tom Seaver=== | |||
The Mets acquired top pitching prospect ] in a lottery and he became the league's ] in ]. Even though the Mets remained in last place, Tom Seaver was a sign of good fortune to come. He was originally signed by the ] in February 1966 out of the ], but his contract was voided by ] ] on the basis that the ] had already started when Seaver signed. In order to resolve this issue, the Mets, Indians, and Phillies were all placed in a hat since they were the only teams willing to match the Braves offer, and the Mets were fortunate enough to win the drawing. In addition to Seaver, two other young players were catcher ] and shortstop ]. This trio of youth formed a new, determined clubhouse nucleus that had no interest in losing, lovably or otherwise. By the ], ] would be replaced as manager by ]. Pitcher ] joined the staff and had a spectacular rookie season in ], winning 19 games. Left fielder ] developed as a batter and exciting center fielder ] came over in a trade. But although much improved, the ] still finished the season in 9th place. | |||
===(1969–1971) the Amazin' Mets: the Gil Hodges era=== | |||
{{Main|1969 New York Mets season}} | |||
The Mets began the ] in a mediocre way: an opening day home loss of 11–10 to the expansion ] was followed by a record of 21–23 through the end of May. On April 10, 1969 ] became the only player ever to hit a home run to the small area of fair territory in the upper level of Shea Stadium. A painted sign on the stands nearby commemorated the spot at Shea. By mid-August, the favored ] seemed safely on their way to winning the first ever National League East Division title (and their first postseason appearance of any kind since ]). The Mets sat in third place, ten games behind; but Chicago went 8–17 in September, while the Mets, with outstanding pitching from their young staff, piled up victory after victory, winning 38 of their last 49 games. They took first place for good on September 9, and finished in first place with a 100–62 record for the season, their first winning year ever, a full eight games over the Cubs. The Mets finished with a team ERA of 2.99, and a league leading 28 shutouts thrown. Tom Seaver led the way with a 25–7 record, with lefty ] behind him at 17–9 record, while ] finished with a .340 batting average. Seaver's best game occurred on July 9, at Shea Stadium, where he came within two outs of a perfect game, but gave up a one-out, ninth-inning single to the Cubs' Jimmy Qualls for the only hit in the Mets' 4–0 victory. | |||
The "Miracle Mets" or "Amazin Mets", as they became known by the press, went on to win a three-game sweep of the strong ], led by legend ], in the very first ]. The Mets were still considered underdogs in this series despite the fact that they had a better record than the Braves, the first place team in the National League West. | |||
The Mets were given very little chance in the ], facing a powerful ] team that had gone 109–53 in the regular season and included ], ], and ] as well as future Mets manager ], who would make the final out of the Series. Before the series began, pundits predicted Tom Seaver might win the opening game, but that the Mets would have trouble winning again in the World Series. As it turned out, just the opposite occurred; Seaver was roughed up, allowing four runs in the opener, which he lost — but the Mets' pitching shut down the Orioles after that, holding them to just five runs over the next four games, to win the World Series 4 games to 1. Seaver got his revenge in game four, pitching all 10 innings of a 2–1 victory. | |||
For longtime Mets announcer ] and many fans, the turning point in the team's season, came in the third inning of the second game of a July 30 doubleheader against the ]. When left fielder Cleon Jones failed to hustle after a ball hit to the outfield, Mets manager Gil Hodges removed him from the game — but rather than simply signal from the dugout for Jones to come out, or delegate the job to one of his coaches, Hodges left the dugout and slowly, deliberately, walked all the way out to left field to Jones, and walked him back to the bench. For the rest of that season, Jones never failed to hustle. | |||
The Miracle Mets magic wore off as the 1970s began. In subsequent years, Mets pitchers generally excelled but received lackluster support from the hitters with mediocre finishes the result. Efforts to improve the offense backfired with blunders such as trading ] for troubled infielder ] after the 1969 season as well as young pitcher ] for infielder ] after the ]. Once out of the glaring New York spotlight, Ryan became one of the best pitchers in history, spending 22 more years in the majors and entering the ] in 1999 as a ]. Fregosi battled injuries and played just 146 games for the Mets over a season and a half. Meanwhile Otis became a star with the ] while Foy lasted only one season in New York. | |||
The team was thrown into confusion and shock prior to the ], when Manager ], who had led the team to the World Series victory in 1969, suffered a sudden heart attack at the end of spring training and died. Coach ] succeeded Hodges. | |||
==="Ya Gotta Believe!"=== | |||
{{Main|1973 New York Mets season}} | |||
] | |||
Berra's Mets found themselves in last place with a 61–71 record at the end of August 1973, but they recovered behind relief pitcher ] and his '''"Ya gotta believe!"''' rallying cry (the team has since ]ed the phrase), winning 21 of their last 29 games. Berra also coined his most famous ] that year: '''"It ain't over till it's over!"''' Their final record of only 82–79 was good enough to win the division while five better teams missed the postseason. Despite the second-worst winning percentage ever by a division winner (until the ]), the Mets then shocked the heavily-favored ] "]" in the ]. Their record remains the worst of any pennant-winning team but they managed to push the defending World Series Champion ] to a seventh game. Their near-miracle season ended with a loss to ] in the final contest. | |||
===1974–79=== | |||
As the ] ended, owner Joan Payson died, leaving the team to her husband Charles. While Joan Payson had been the driving force behind the Mets, her survivors did not share her enthusiasm. Charles delegated his authority to his three daughters, who left control over baseball matters to club chairman Grant. Contract disputes with star pitcher ] and slugger ] erupted in 1977. Both players were traded on June 15, the trading deadline, in what New York ]s dubbed "The Midnight Massacre." The Mets received six players in the two deals, but none had any lasting impact. Attendance fell, to the point where Shea Stadium was nicknamed "Grant's Tomb." Coincidentally, the Yankees began their resurgence at roughly the same time, further eroding the Mets' fan base. | |||
The ] finished in last place yet again in ]. By this time, it was obvious that Grant had mismanaged the team and failed to invest in its future. Charles Payson himself fired Grant at the end of the season. The Mets continued to struggle, and did not become a competitive team again until the mid-1980s, marking the first time that both New York teams were competitive at the same time, both on the field and at the box office. | |||
===The Doubleday Era 1980-1985=== | |||
] was the Mets' home from 1964 to 2008.]] | |||
In January 1980, the Payson heirs sold the Mets franchise to the ] publishing company for $21.1 million. ] was named chairman of the board while minority shareholder ] took the role of club president. Wilpon quickly hired longtime ] executive ] as general manager to begin the process of rebuilding the Mets. | |||
Cashen's positive impact on the organization took some time to be felt at the major league level. He began by selecting slugging high school phenomenon ] as the number one overall pick in the ]. Two years later, hard-throwing hurler ] was taken as the fifth overall selection in the ]. The pair rose quickly through the minors, winning successive ] awards (Strawberry in 1983, Gooden in 1984). Cashen's mid-season 1983 trade for former ] ] helped spark the Mets' return to competitive contention. In 1984, new manager ] was promoted from the helm of the AAA ] and led the Mets to a 90–72 record, their first winning season since 1976. | |||
===The "Party Hard; play harder" Mets=== | |||
====1985==== | |||
{{Main|1985 New York Mets season}} | |||
In 1985, the Mets acquired catcher ] from the ] and won 98 games, but lost the division title to the ] in the final days of the season in a memorable series. The Mets began the series three games behind St. Louis and won the first two, but faltered in the third game, allowing St. Louis to remain in first place. | |||
====1986: World Champions Again==== | |||
{{Main|1986 New York Mets season}} | |||
Unlike the league champion Mets of 1969 or 1973, the 1986 Mets broke away from the rest of the division early and dominated throughout the entire year. They won 20 of their first 24 games, clinched the East Division title on September 17, and finished the year 108–54, which tied with the ] for the third highest win total in National League history, behind the ] (116) and the ] (110). The relative lack of excitement during the regular season was more than compensated for by the spectacularly suspenseful and dramatic post-season series. | |||
In the ], the Mets faced their fellow 1962 expansion team, the ]. Unlike the Mets, the Astros had yet to win a pennant, but had former Mets pitchers ], the league's ] winner, and ] ] leading their pitching staff. The Mets took a two-games-to-one lead with a come-from-behind ] by ]. In Game 6, the Mets turned a 3–0 ninth-inning deficit into a sixteen-inning marathon victory to clinch the National League pennant and earn their third ] appearance. The Astros would have to wait until ] to finally win their first pennant. | |||
In the ] against the ], the Mets faced elimination leading into Game 6. The Red Sox scored two runs in the tenth inning and twice came within one strike of winning their first World Series since ]. However, the Mets rallied and would come back in typical Amazin' Mets fashion, as the game became one of the most famous games in baseball history as the ] appeared to be alive and well. In fact, it was in this series that talk of the curse began. | |||
With two outs and down two runs, three consecutive singles brought the Mets within {{convert|90|ft|m}} of knotting the score. Hitter ] ran the count to 2-1, then fouled off 3 consecutive pitches. With the count 2-2, pitcher ] threw a wild pitch that Wilson had to leap out of the way of. Boston catcher ] made a wild stab for the ball but it went to the backstop. Pinch hitter ] scored from third base, tying the game. | |||
Now facing a full count, Wilson fouled off two more pitches. On ], ] then called a play that would quickly become an iconic one to baseball fans, with the normally calm Scully growing increasingly excited: {{Cquote|So the winning run is at second base, with two outs, three and two to Mookie Wilson. (A) little roller up along first... ''behind the bag! It gets through ]! Here comes ], and the Mets win it!''}} | |||
Scully then remained silent for more than three minutes, letting the pictures and the crowd noise tell the story. Scully resumed with: {{cquote|If one picture is worth a thousand words, you have seen about a million words, but more than that, you have seen an absolutely bizarre finish to Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. The Mets are not only alive, they are well, and they will play the ] in Game 7 tomorrow!}} | |||
The Mets went on to win their second World Series title by taking Game 7, also in dramatic fashion, overcoming a 3 run deficit while scoring a total of 8 runs during the final 3 innings. The final score was 8-5 with Mets' pitcher Jesse Orosco ending the game by striking out Marty Barrett. Orosco then threw his glove high in the air and dropped to his knees while catcher Gary Carter ran to the mound to embrace him. This scene was captured on film and would become an iconic image in Mets baseball history. The Mets remain the only team to come within one strike of losing a World Series before recovering to become World Champions. | |||
While the team around the 1986 championship was strong, they also became infamous for off-the-field controversy. Both Strawberry and Gooden were youngsters who wound up burning out long before their time because of various substance abuse and personal problems. Hernandez's cocaine abuse was the subject of persistent rumors even before he joined the Mets, but he publicly acknowledged his addiction in 1985 and made a successful recovery. Lenny Dykstra's reputation was recently tainted by allegations of ] use and ] problems.<ref name="USATodaySteroids">{{cite web | |||
|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2005-04-24-dykstra-steroids_x.htm | |||
|title=Report: Lawsuit alleges Dykstra used steroids, gambled | |||
|work=] | |||
|accessdate=2006-06-17 | |||
|date=2005-04-24}}</ref> | |||
Instead of putting together a winning dynasty, the problems caused the Mets to soon fall apart.<ref name="SIFlashback">{{cite web | |||
|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/2000/02/23/strawberry_flashback_95 | |||
|last=Verducci | |||
|first=Tom | |||
|title=High Price of Hard Living | |||
|work=] | |||
|accessdate=2006-06-17 | |||
|date=1995-02-27}}</ref> | |||
Despite Darryl Strawberry's numerous off-the-field mishaps, he remains the Mets' all-time leader in home runs and runs batted in. | |||
====1987==== | |||
{{Main|1987 New York Mets season}} | |||
After winning the World Series in 1986 the Mets declined to re-sign World Series MVP ], who then signed with the ]. Also, they traded the flexible ] to the Padres for long-ball threat ]. But the biggest shock since the Midnight Massacre of 1977 was when Mets' ace Dwight Gooden was admitted to a drug clinic after testing positive for cocaine. But after struggling in the first few months of the ], "Dr. K" would come back, and so would the Mets. It was during the tough times that the Mets made a great long-term deal, trading ] to the ] for pitcher ]. They would surge to battle ] for the division title. But on September 11 in a game against St. Louis, 3rd baseman ] hit a homer to give the Cardinals a lead, and eventually the NL East title. One highlight of the year was ] and ] becoming the first teammates' ever to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in the same season. | |||
====1988==== | |||
{{Main|1988 New York Mets season}} | |||
After missing the playoffs in 1987, the 1988 Mets again won the division. Thanks to some stellar pitching from Gooden, ], and ] as well as offense from McReynolds, Strawberry, and Howard Johnson, the Mets won 100 games for the 2nd time in 3 campaigns. In addition, Strawberry and McReynolds both lost the MVP to ] as they finished 2nd and 3rd in the voting, respectively. Despite this, however, the clubhouse was distracted by the presence of a young ] who was just called up. The veteran players took a dislike to Jefferies, who had a habit of excessive bragging, prompting his teammates to saw his bats in half as a form of hazing.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.projo.com/cgi-bin/include.pl/redsox/crank/main.htm | title=Underappreciated Teams | last=McLaughlin | first=Dan | date=2003-02-28 | work=]}}</ref> The Mets played the ] in the ] in a season where they beat them 10 out of 11 times but, led by ], the Dodgers continued their ] by beating the Mets in seven games. | |||
===1989–1990=== | |||
The Mets (as well as the ]) would battle the ] for the division title in ], but Chicago would prevail, despite a career year by Howard Johnson and a deadline trade with ] for 1988 AL Cy Young winner ]. Those high points were tempered by injuries to Gooden, Hernandez and Carter as well as an ill-fated trade<ref>{{citeweb| url=http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/sports2000/players/162287.html | title=Backdraft: New York Mets | date=1999-05-30 | work=]}}</ref> that sent Dykstra and ] to ] in exchange for ]. After the season, Samuel, who hit .235 that season, would be traded to the Dodgers for ], who would hit .239 in 53 games for the Mets before being traded to Boston. Dykstra, however, would become an All-Star in Philadelphia and help lead his team to a pennant in 1993. | |||
That offseason, the Mets had a mix of triumph and tragedy. They would receive All-Star closer and native New Yorker ] in a trade with the ], and Strawberry, in legal trouble as well, would check into an alcohol rehabilitation center and miss the start of the season. They would also lose key veterans ] and ] as they left for the Giants and Indians, respectively. The next season, the Mets would surge again to battle the ], but Pittsburgh's "B-B Guns" (which included ], ], ] and Wally Backman) led the Pirates to their first NLCS since 1979. In that campaign, general manager ] fired Johnson from his managerial job and replaced him with former shortstop ]. Although he led them to a good finish in 1990 (Strawberry's last with the Mets, as he went on to sign with the Dodgers in the offseason), the Mets fell to 5th place in 1991. Before the 1991 season the Mets signed ] to a $2 million contract after failing to sign defending batting champion ]. This was the first of what would lead to many bad free agent signings and trades that would doom the Mets during the mid 1990s. | |||
===1991–1993: ''The Worst Team Money Could Buy''=== | |||
====1991–92==== | |||
During the ], the ] were actually in contention for most of the first half of the season, closing to within 2.5 games of the front-running ] at one point. However, during the second half, the bottom completely fell out and Harrelson was fired with a week left to go in the season, replaced by third base coach ] for the final games. Jefferies was once again a distraction as he released a controversial statement to be read on ] radio: | |||
''"When a pitcher is having trouble getting players out, when a hitter is having trouble hitting, or when a player makes an error, I try to support them in whatever way I can. I don't run to the media to belittle them or to draw more attention to their difficult times. I can only hope that one day those teammates who have found it convenient to criticize me will realize that we are all in this together. If only we can concentrate more on the games than complaining and bickering and pointing fingers, we would all be better off."'' | |||
This was seen as the end for Jefferies in New York as he would be traded to the ] in the offseason. The season ended on a high note, however, as ] pitched a one-hit shutout against the ] at ], in which he struck out 19 batters, tying the National League regulation game record (first set by former Met ]) | |||
With all of the personal problems swirling around the Mets after the 1986 championship, the Mets tried to rebuild using experienced superstars. They picked up ] for over $3 million, ] for over $6 million. They also traded McReynolds and Jeffries for one-time World Series hero ] and his $3 million contract, along with signing veteran free agent pitcher ] for $1.5 million. The rebuilding was supported by the slogan, "Hardball Is Back".<ref>, '']'', March 26, 1993</ref> | |||
The experiment of building a team via free agency quickly flopped as Saberhagen and Coleman were soon injured and spent more time on the disabled list than on the field, and Bonilla exhibited unprofessional behavior towards members of the press, once threatening a reporter by saying, "I'll show you The Bronx" . At the beginning of the 1991 season, Coleman, Gooden and outfielder ] were named in an alleged sexual abuse incident against a woman near the Mets' spring training facility; charges were later dropped. Meanwhile, popular pitcher ] was dealt to the ] during the 1992 season for ] and ]. While the move was widely criticized by fans of both teams, the Jays went on to win the ]. | |||
====1993==== | |||
{{Main|1993 New York Mets season}} | |||
The lowest point of the experiment was the ] when the Mets lost 103 games. In April of that year, Coleman accidentally hit Gooden's shoulder with a golf club while practicing his swing. In July, Saberhagen threw a firecracker under a table near reporters. Their young pitching prospect ] started the '93 season at 0–13 and his overall streak of 27 straight losses over two years set a new record. After Young's record-setting loss, Coleman threw a firecracker out of the team bus window and injured three people resulting in felony charges that effectively ended his Mets career. Only a few days later, Saberhagen was in trouble again, this time for spraying ] at three reporters. The meltdown season resulted in the worst record for a Mets team since 1965. Their descent was chronicled by the book ''The Worst Team Money Could Buy: The Collapse Of The New York Mets'' (ISBN 0-8032-7822-5) by Mets beat writers ] and John Harper. In addition, two of the three remaining links to the '86 team, ] and ], departed after the season via free agency. | |||
===1994 Strike shortened season=== | |||
{{Main|1994 New York Mets season}} | |||
The ] was filled with some bright spots, but there was still trouble for the franchise, and for the team's franchise player. Gooden, who had a 3–4 record with a 6.31 ERA in the final year of his contract with the team, shocked not only New York sports fans, but baseball fans around the country by testing positive for ] and was suspended by Major League Baseball for 60 days. Shortly after he began serving his suspension for the positive drug test, it was announced that he had again tested positive for cocaine and was now being suspended by Major League Baseball for one year, thus ending his Mets career and nearly his life. The day after receiving the second suspension, Gooden's then-wife, Monica, found him in his bedroom with a loaded gun to his head. | |||
Still, the 1994 season saw some promise for the troubled Mets, as first baseman ] and second baseman ] became fan favorites with their solid glove work and potential 20-25 home run power, Bonilla started to become the player the Mets expected, and a healthy Saberhagen, along with promising young starter ] and John Franco, helped the Mets pitching staff along. In the ] 1994 season the Mets were in 3rd place behind first-place ] and ] when the season ended on August 12. | |||
===1995–1997=== | |||
====1995 season==== | |||
{{Main|1995 New York Mets season}} | |||
When the strike finally ended in ], the Mets finally showed some promise again, finishing in 2nd place (but still 6 games under .500) behind eventual World Series champion Atlanta. | |||
The 1995 season marked the emergence of pitchers ], ], and ]. The trio were dubbed ], a group of talented young hurlers who were destined to bring the Mets into greatness, much like Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman and ] did in the 60s. However, all three players succumbed to injury, preventing them from reaching their full potential. | |||
====1996 season==== | |||
{{Main|1996 New York Mets season}} | |||
The Mets dismal ] was highlighted by the play of ] ] ] breaking the Major League Baseball single season record for home runs hit by catcher with 41. ] ] set single-season franchise records in ] (227), ] (21), ]s (682), ] (117). | |||
====1997==== | |||
{{Main|1997 New York Mets season}} | |||
In the off season, the Mets acquired 1st Baseman ] from the Toronto Blue Jays for pitcher ]. | |||
In ], as they missed the playoffs by only four games, and improved by 17 wins from 1996. On June 16, the Mets beat the ] at ] in the first ever regular-season game played between the crosstown rivals 6–0. Mets starter ] pitched a complete game/shutout to pick up the win. In 1997, Hundley's great season was derailed by a devastating elbow injury and required ]. | |||
===1998–2004: Piazza, the Subway Series and 9/11=== | |||
] | |||
====1998==== | |||
{{Main|1998 New York Mets season}} | |||
In 1998, the Mets acquired ] in a blockbuster trade that immediately brought star power and credibility to the Mets that had been lacking in recent years. | |||
After the Piazza trade, the Mets played well, but missed the 1998 postseason by only one game. With five games left in the ], the Mets could not win a single game against both the ] at home and the ] on the road. Following the 1998 season the Mets re-signed Mike Piazza to a seven-year, $91 million contract, the Mets traded Todd Hundley to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Trades netted the Mets Roger Cedeno, Armando Benitez, and the Mets signed free agents ], ], and ]. | |||
====1999==== | |||
{{Main|1999 New York Mets season}} | |||
The Mets started the ] well, going 17–9, but after an eight-game losing streak, including the last two to the ], the Mets fired their entire coaching staff except for manager ]. The Mets, in front of a national audience on ] '']'', beat the ] 7–2 in the turning point of the 1999 season. Both Mike Piazza and Robin Ventura had MVP-type seasons and ] emerged as an important role player. It was a breakout year for Mets second baseman ] and ], who broke the single season steals record for the Mets. | |||
After the regular season ended, the Mets played ] against the ], ] pitched the best game of his Met career as he hurled a two-hit complete-game shutout to advance the Mets to the playoffs. In the ], the Mets defeated the ] 3 games to 1. The series-clinching victory included a walk-off home run by backup catcher ]. The Mets would lose however in the ] to the ], in six exciting games which included the famous ] by Robin Ventura to win game 5 for the Mets. The Mets were at one point down 3–0 in the series. | |||
====2000==== | |||
{{Main|2000 New York Mets season}} | |||
In the 1999 offseason, the Mets traded Roger Cedeño and ] to the ] for ] and ]. ] was signed to play first base, replacing departing free agent John Olerud. | |||
The ] began well for the Mets as Derek Bell became the best hitter on the team for the first month. The highlight of the season came on June 30 when the Mets beat the rival ] in a memorable game at Shea Stadium on ''Fireworks Night''. With the Mets losing 8–1 to begin the bottom of the eighth, they rallied back with two outs to tie the game, capping the 10-run inning with Mike Piazza's three run home run to put the Mets up 11–8, giving them the lead and eventually the win. The Mets easily made the playoffs winning the ] wild card. In the playoffs, the Mets beat the ] in the first round and the ] in the ] to win their fourth NL pennant. Mike Hampton was named the NLCS MVP for his two scoreless starts in the series as the Mets headed to the ] to face their crosstown rivals, the New York Yankees. The Mets were defeated in the much-hyped "]." This marked the first all-New York World Series since ], when the ] defeated the ]. | |||
The most memorable moment of the 2000 World Series occurred during the first inning of Game 2 at Yankee Stadium. Piazza fouled off a pitch which shattered his bat, sending a piece of the barrel toward the pitcher's mound. Pitcher ] seized the piece and hurled it in the direction of Piazza as the catcher trotted to first base, benches briefly cleared before the game was resumed with no ejections. In July 2000, Clemens had knocked Piazza unconscious with a fastball to the helmet, Piazza had previously enjoyed great success against Clemens, with 3 crucial home runs in previous encounters. | |||
====2001==== | |||
{{Main|2001 New York Mets season}} | |||
In 2001, the Mets finished with a record of 82–80. After the ] ] was used as a relief center and then saw the first sporting event in New York City since the attacks, in a game vs. the ] on September 21. Before the game the ], ], ], and all rescue workers were honored, ] sang ], the two teams shook hands to show that they were united in the face of tragedy, and Liza Minnelli sang "]" during the 7th inning stretch. In the bottom of the 8th inning the Mets were trailing 2–1 when Mike Piazza came to bat with a runner on first. Piazza dramatically sent Shea into a frenzy by crushing a home run to give the Mets a 3–2 lead and the eventual win. The game is considered to be one of the greatest moments in the history of the franchise. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Mets, as well as other teams in the league, wore ], FDNY,NYPD and PAPD hats. Unlike the other teams, the Mets wore these for the rest of the year, despite threats of fines by Major League Baseball. | |||
====2002 season==== | |||
{{Main|2002 New York Mets season}} | |||
In the following seasons, the Mets struggled mightily as the result of several poor player acquisitions, including ], ], and re-acquiring former Mets Roger Cedeño and ]. These acquisitions were made by then-general manager ], who was fired during the 2003 season. Phillips was credited with building the 2000 World Series team, but also blamed for the demise of the Mets' farm system and the poor play of the acquired players. The Mets did have a few bright spots in 2002. Al Leiter became the first major league pitcher to defeat all thirty major league teams with a victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, the Mets posted a 75–86 record, last in the ]. | |||
The team's ] difficulties reached off the field as co-owners Wilpon and Doubleday became embroiled in a bitter legal dispute over Wilpon's attempt to buy Doubleday's half of the team. Doubleday alleged that Major League Baseball attached an unrealistically low value to the team, thereby lowering the amount of money he would receive from Wilpon in the buyout. Wilpon sued Doubleday in federal court to force the sale. The purchase was finally settled and Wilpon became sole owner of the Mets on August 23, 2002.<ref name="NYTWilpon">{{cite news|title=Sale to Wilpon Is Final|work=]|publisher=]|date=2002-08-24|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B01E4D6123CF937A1575BC0A9649C8B63|accessdate=2008-07-27}}</ref> Wilpon, the founder of Sterling Equities, Inc., manages the Mets through his ] firm, Sterling Mets.<ref name="HooverSterlingMets">{{cite web|url=http://www.hoovers.com/sterling-mets-lp/--ID__46720--/free-co-profile.xhtml|title=Sterling Mets LP - Company Description|publisher=]|accessdate=2008-07-27}}</ref> | |||
====2003 season==== | |||
{{Main|2003 New York Mets season}} | |||
The Mets' record in ] (66–95) was the fourth worst in baseball, and Piazza had missed two-thirds of the season with a torn groin muscle. His steady decline around that time mirrored the Mets' fortunes for the first half of the decade. ] also made his debut on June 10, 2003. | |||
====2004 season==== | |||
{{Main|2004 New York Mets season}} | |||
In ], the Mets made more poor player acquisitions including signing Japanese shortstop ], who never lived up to his potential in two-and-a-half years with the Mets. General manager ] acquired pitcher ] for third baseman ] at the trade deadline just before one of the worst trades in franchise history, sending highly-touted pitching prospect ] to the ] for the disappointing ]. On July 21, 2004, the Mets brought up third baseman ]. Since then, Wright and Jose Reyes have become the most outstanding products of the Mets' farm system since ] and ]. Nonetheless, The Mets finished 71–91 in 2004. | |||
===2005–present: Minaya, The Collapse, Citi Field and Injuries=== | |||
{{wikinews|Frank Messina: An interview with the 'Mets Poet'}} | |||
After the ], ] ownership made significant changes to their management strategy. With their television contract with the ] expiring at the end of 2005, they announced plans to establish their own cable network to broadcast Mets games. This investment in what became known as ] was coupled with an aggressive plan to upgrade the performance of the team on the field. ] was replaced as general manager by former Expos GM ]. Minaya, an ex-Mets assistant GM, had achieved notable success in Montreal by making bold player moves on a limited budget. With the Mets, Minaya was given substantial financial resources to develop a winning team. | |||
====2005 season==== | |||
{{Main|2005 New York Mets season}} | |||
Minaya began by hiring Yankee bench coach ] as manager, then signed two of that year's most sought-after free agents — ] and ] — to large multi-year deals. Despite an 0–5 start to the ], the team finished 83–79, finishing above the .500 mark for the first time since 2001. The 2005 season was also the last by ] in a Mets uniform. | |||
During the 2005 offseason star first baseman ] and catcher ] were acquired via trade and the Mets signed free agent closer ]. | |||
====2006 season==== | |||
{{Main|2006 New York Mets season}} | |||
In ], led by a franchise record six ] (Beltran, Lo Duca, Reyes, Wright, ], and Martínez), the Mets won the division title, their first in 18 years. In a runaway similar to 1986, the Mets led the division from April 6 on, and only spent one day out of first the whole season. The Mets finished the season 12 games ahead of the ], and with the best record in the ]. The turning point for the season was a 9–1 June road trip. The 2006 season was also the first time that the Mets and ] each won their respective divisions in the same year and both teams tied for the best record in baseball. | |||
The Mets swept the ] in the ]. In the ], the Mets lost in seven games to the ], the eventual ] champions. Game 7 featured one of the most spectacular plays in postseason history when left fielder ] leaped over the 8-foot (2.4 m)-high left field wall in the top of the sixth inning and caught the ball with the tip of his glove to rob Cardinals third baseman ] of a two-run home run. Chávez then threw to the cutoff man second baseman ], who threw to Carlos Delgado at first base, doubling off center fielder ] for an inning-ending double play. Chávez's effort was in vain, however, as Carlos Beltran took a curve ball from Cardinals closer ] for a called third strike in the bottom of the ninth to end the Mets season. | |||
====2007 season==== | |||
{{Main|2007 New York Mets season}} | |||
After their success in 2006, there were high expectations for the Mets in ], and they started the season strong. The Mets then had a 7 game lead in the division with 17 games to go. The Mets, however, would lose 12 of their final 17 games enabling the ] to win the NL East by one game. The Mets were eliminated on the final day of the season as Tom Glavine allowed 7 runs to the ] and only got through 1/3 of an inning in his final start as a Met. The Mets became the first team in baseball history to blow a lead of seven or more games with only 17 games to play.<ref name="collapse">{{cite web | |||
|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2007-09-30-nl-season-end-cover_N.htm | |||
|last= | |||
|first= | |||
|title= Mets' historic fall highlights a crazy Sunday in the NL | |||
|publisher=AP | |||
|accessdate=2008-03-05 | |||
|date=}}</ref> | |||
====2008 season==== | |||
{{Main|2008 New York Mets season}} | |||
In the 2007 offseason the team acquired two-time ]-winning pitcher ] from the ] for outfielder ] and minor-league pitchers ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite news |title=Twins agree to deal Santana to Mets for 4 prospects |first=Bob |last=Nightengale |work=] |date=2008-01-30 |url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2008-01-29-twins-mets-santana_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip# }}</ref> | |||
The ] marked the final season at ], the team's home for 45 years. Throughout the first half of the season, the Mets struggled, playing .500. On June 16, ] fired ], ], and ]. ] was named interim manager.<ref name=randolph-fired>{{cite news | |||
| last = Shpigel | |||
| first = Ben | |||
| title = Mets Fire Manager Willie Randolph | |||
| work = ] | |||
| publisher = ] | |||
| date = 2008-06-17 | |||
| url = http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/sports/baseball/17cnd-mets.html | |||
| accessdate = 2008-06-17}}</ref> | |||
The Mets improved under Manuel, highlighted by a 10-game winning streak in July. In September the Mets had 3.5 game divisional lead over the ] with 17 games left to play. However, the Mets lost 10 of their final 17 games. The Phillies went 13–4 during the same stretch and won the division (the Phillies went on to win the World Series). The Mets still remained in the NL Wild Card with the ] but on September 28, the final game played at Shea Stadium, the Mets were eliminated from playoff contention by losing to the ] on the season's final day for the second straight season. | |||
====2009 season==== | |||
{{Main|2009 New York Mets season}} | |||
], the Mets new stadium.]] | |||
To improve the bullpen for the ], which was arguably the reason the Mets missed the playoffs in 2007 and 2008, the Mets signed free agent closer ], who established a single-season major league record for saves (62) as a member of the ] in 2008. They also acquired setup man ] from the ] in exchange for several players. | |||
The 2009 season was the Mets' first season at ], a retropark following current architectural trends in stadium design. It follows the brick and steel-truss trend begun by the Orioles at ] in 1992. The exterior facade resembles ], former home of the ]. The Mets' first exhibition game at Citi Field was played on April 3, 2009 against the ]. The first regular season home game was on April 13, 2009 against the ], who spoiled the opener with a 6–5 win against the Mets. On April 17, ], who just days earlier was signed by the Mets as a free agent, hit his ] against the ]. Sheffield became the first pinch hitter to reach this milestone, as well as the first to do it in a Mets uniform. | |||
The 2009 season for the Mets was marred by numerous injuries suffered by its players, with 20 of them having been on the ] at one point or another during the season and losing star players like ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ],and ]. As a result, the Mets finished in fourth place, with a record of 70-92 and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the third straight season. Mets players spent more than 1,480 days in the disabled list in 2009, more than any other team in the majors.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt=AidiMV7um3Gc70drp7y9Pwu4u7YF?gid=291004121&prov=ap&print=1|title=Figueroa pitches shutout, Mets beat Astros 4-0|date=October 4, 2009|accessdate=2009-10-04|first=Mike|last=Fitzpatrick|agency=Associated Press|publisher=Yahoo! News}}</ref> | |||
====2010 season==== | |||
{{Main|2010 New York Mets season}} | |||
Coming into 2010, the Mets were looking for a comeback after a sluggish 2009 season full of injuries. In their biggest acquisition of the offseason, the Mets signed outfielder ] to a four year, $66 million deal with a vesting option for a fifth year. | |||
David Wright came into training camp heavier because of muscle he built up during the winter. The Mets brought in ] to start in place of Carlos Beltran because of Beltran's surgery in February 2010. | |||
The team won their first game of the season, beating the ] by a score of 7 to 1 on April 5th. | |||
==Theme Song== | |||
"]" is the Mets' signature song, written in 1961, one year before the first season, by Bill Katz and Ruth Roberts. Is played at the gate, during broadcasts, and during an in-game sing-along at Citi Field | |||
==Uniform and logo symbolism== | |||
===Uniform color and design=== | |||
] wearing his mid-1960s era Mets jersey, which served as an inspiration for the current Mets pinstriped uniform.]] | |||
The Mets' colors are blue, orange, black and white, symbolic of the return of ] baseball to New York after the ] (blue/white) and ] (orange/black) moved to California. Blue and orange are also the colors of New York City, as seen on its ]. | |||
Currently, the Mets wear an assortment of uniforms. | |||
The team's regular home uniforms were introduced for the 1997 season as alternate uniforms. They are white with blue piping along the seams and feature "Mets" written in blue across the front of the jersey in a cursive script similar to the team logo. | |||
The team's regular road uniforms are solid gray with blue piping, and feature "New York" written in blue all capitals along the front in an old-fashioned style font. | |||
Before the 1998 season black was added as a team color. Black drop-shadows were added to the blue and orange lettering on the white and gray jerseys. A solid black alternate jersey with blue piping and "Mets" written in blue lettering trimmed in orange and white was introduced. | |||
The Mets introduced a new version of their original home uniform for the 2010 season, to be used as an alternate uniform. The cream color and blue pinstripes of the new uniform are based on the original Mets uniform when the team debuted in 1962.<ref></ref> "Mets" continues to be written in blue script on the front of the jersey, outlined in orange and black.<ref>http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20091124&content_id=7710888&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym</ref><ref>http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/11/24/2009-11-24_mets_retro.html#ixzz0Xnm3GtXQ</ref> | |||
The cap worn at home is blue with an orange "NY" logo. A black cap with a blue brim and a blue "NY" logo trimmed in orange is worn with the gray road jerseys. An all black alternate cap with a blue "NY" logo trimmed in orange and white is worn with the black jerseys. | |||
The Mets wear three styles of ] batting helmets, depending what cap they are wearing that day. If they are wearing their blue caps, the batting helmets are all-blue with an orange "NY", matching the cap. The other caps are matched with batting helmets that have a blue brim and fade to black in the back with a black "NY" outlined in white. | |||
===Logo=== | |||
The cap logo is identical to the logo used by the New York Giants in their final years, and is on a blue cap reminiscent of the caps worn by the Brooklyn Dodgers. In the primary logo, designed by sports cartoonist Ray Gatto, each part of the skyline has special meaning — at the left is a church spire, symbolic of Brooklyn, the borough of churches; the second building from the left is the Williamsburg Savings Bank, the tallest building in Brooklyn; next is the Woolworth Building; after a general skyline view of midtown comes the Empire State Building; at the far right is the United Nations Building. The bridge in the center symbolizes that the Mets, by bringing National League baseball back to New York, represent all five boroughs. | |||
With the introduction of black as an official color, an alternate team logo was created. It is identical to the original logo, but the skyline is black instead of blue and the "Mets" script is blue trimmed in orange and white instead of orange trimmed in white. | |||
==Baseball Hall of Famers== | |||
{| | |||
|valign="top"| | |||
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*]* | |||
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*Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum | |||
: '''Names in Bold''' - Inducted as Met | |||
: * Carter asked that the cap on his Hall of Fame plaque either be depicted as split between the Mets and ], or just as a Met. The Hall chose instead to depict him as an Expo, determining that his time with that team formed the most significant portion of his career. | |||
===Ford C. Frick Award recipients=== | |||
Names in '''bold''' received the award based on their work as Mets broadcasters. | |||
*''']''' | |||
*''']''' | |||
*''']''' | |||
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Played as Mets | |||
==Retired numbers== | |||
{{See also|List of Major League Baseball retired numbers}} | |||
The numbers honored are as follows: | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="font-style:bold; font-size:100%; border:3px" cellpadding="2" | |||
|-align="center" | |||
|]<br/><b>]<br/>M: 1962–1965<br/><br/><font size=1>Retired September 2, 1965</font></font> | |||
|]<br/><b>]<br/>1B: 1962-63<br />M: 1968-71<br/><font size=1>Retired June 9, 1973</font></font> | |||
|]<br/><b>]<br/>P: 1966-77, 83<br/><br/><font size=1>Retired July 24, 1988</font></font> | |||
|]<br/><b>]<br/>Retired by<br/>all of MLB<br/><font size=1>Retired April 15, 1997</font></font> | |||
|]<br/><b>]<br>Proponent<br/><br/><font size=1>Honored April 8, 2008</font></font> | |||
|- | |||
|} | |||
In addition, ] is the only Met ever to win the '']'' ] Award in 1969 and was voted the Mets "Hometown Hero" in a 2006 poll sponsored by ]. | |||
Major League Baseball retired Jackie Robinson's number 42 on April 15, 1997, when the Mets played the ] at ], although ] wore the number throughout the rest of his Mets career (due to a ] placed on the retired number by MLB). ] also wore number 42 during his stint with the Mets, due to the same clause. | |||
On April 8, 2008, the final Opening Day at Shea Stadium, the Mets unveiled a sign bearing the name ] next to the team's retired numbers listed above.<ref>See ].</ref> | |||
===Numbers out of circulation but not retired=== | |||
The Mets have not issued number 8 since ] was elected to the Hall of Fame.<ref name="Mets by the Numbers">{{cite web | |||
|url=http://www.mbtn.net | |||
|title=Mets by the Numbers | |||
|publisher= | |||
|accessdate= | |||
|date= }}</ref> | |||
] | |||
When the Mets honored Carter, they did not retire number 8 at that time, but instead gave him a replica of his Hall of Fame plaque depicting him as a Met instead of an Expo. | |||
] wore number 31 for the Mets until 1998, when he switched to number 45 to accommodate ], who wore it until leaving the Mets after the 2005 season. Pedro Martinez has worn number 45 for the Mets from 2005–2008. The Mets have not issued number 31 since Piazza's departure. There is also a growing debate that number 45 be retired in honor of the late Tug McGraw.<ref name = "Mets by the Numbers"/> | |||
When ] retired after the 1973 season, owner Joan Whitney Payson | |||
(who had great admiration for Mays) promised Mays his number would not be issued to another player. Since then, number 24 has been issued only twice: to 1B-OF ] (by mistake in 1990) and to<!-- OK here: don't correct it--> OF ], as a player (1999–2000) and as a coach (2007).<ref name = "Mets by the Numbers"/> | |||
==Team captains== | |||
*] - 1987–1989 (co-captain) | |||
*] - 1988–1989 (co-captain) | |||
*] - 2001–2004 | |||
==Current roster== | |||
{{New York Mets roster}} | |||
==Minor league affiliations== | |||
*'''AAA:''' ], ]<ref></ref> | |||
*'''AA:''' ], ] | |||
*'''Advanced A:''' ], ] | |||
*'''A:''' ], ] | |||
*'''Short A:''' ], ] | |||
*'''Rookie:''' ], ] | |||
*'''Rookie:''' ], ] | |||
*'''Rookie:''' ], ] | |||
*'''Rookie:''' VSL Mets Tronconero (B), ] | |||
==See also== | |||
{{portal|New York City|Flag of New York City.svg}} | |||
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==References== | |||
{{Reflist|2}} | |||
==External links== | |||
{{Commons category|New York Mets}} | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* All-time listing of Mets uniform numbers | |||
* Most up to date Mets info out there | |||
{{New York Mets|show=yes}} | |||
{{Navboxes|titlestyle=background:#002C77; color:#FB4F14|list1= | |||
{{1969 New York Mets}} | |||
{{1986 New York Mets}} | |||
{{MLB Team New York Mets}} | |||
{{MLB}} | |||
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{{New York Sports}} | |||
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Revision as of 16:29, 13 April 2010
"Mets" redirects here. For other uses, see Mets (disambiguation).Eric McGee | |||||
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2025 Eric McGee season | |||||
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Retired numbers | 14, 37, 41, 42, Shea | ||||
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Major league titles | |||||
World Series titles (2) | 1969 • 1986 | ||||
NL Pennants (4) | 1969 • 1973 • 1986 • 2000 | ||||
East Division titles (5) | 1969 • 1973 • 1986 • 1988 • 2006 | ||||
Wild card berths (2) | 1999 • 2000 | ||||
Front office | |||||
Principal owner(s) | Fred Wilpon | ||||
General manager | Omar Minaya | ||||
Manager | Jerry Manuel |
The Eric McGee's are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City. The Mets are a member of the East Division of Major League Baseball's National League.
Franchise history
ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!! ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!! ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!! ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!
ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!ERIC MCGEE!!!!!!!