I was on vacation in Japan when the Mets acquired Felix Millan in the winter of 1972, so I found out about the trade – Millan and lefty pitcher George Stone from the Braves for starting pitcher Gary Gentry and reliever Danny Frisella – via a tiny box in the International Edition of the New York Times. 1972 had been a very disappointing, injury-filled season for the Mets. Prior to the...
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It is perhaps a sad commentary on the current state of the Mets and their almost non-existent production from the outfield, but I want to assure you that this post is NOT written tongue-in-cheek. I’m sure most Mets fans remember when Milledge was the highly-touted first-round Mets’ draft pick who made a big splash in the major leagues after an impressive climb through the minors. Milledge seemed...
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When Sandy Alderson was hired as Mets’ GM, most Mets’ fans were overjoyed. Alderson had a track record of success and was also an articulate spokesman who promised to keep the fans informed of the Mets’ plans and to make every fan feel more a part of the Mets than ever before. We soon learned that the Wilpons were cash-strapped and that high-price free agent signings were unlikely. Nevertheless,...
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Ed Charles, the veteran third baseman with the heart of a winner and the soul of a poet was a leader on and off the field and a genuinely nice guy who was an integral part of the 1969 Miracle Mets. His championship ring was the culmination of an 18-year professional career. Charles’ name is sometimes forgotten because he didn’t make any highlight reel plays in the World Series, but those of us...
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In 1975, Rusty Staub had his best season ever for the Mets, batting .282/.371/.448 with 30 doubles, 19 home runs and 105 RBI. Then, in the offseason, for reasons few fans could understand, the Mets traded Staub to Detroit for veteran lefthanded pitcher Mickey Lolich. Actually, the trade was Staub and AAA pitcher Bill Laxton for Lolich and AAA outfielder Billy Baldwin. I remember thinking that...
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