Throughout his 17-year career, Moises Alou experienced many highs and lows. From winning two silver slugger awards to an improbable World Series win with the 1997 Marlins, the prolific outfielder achieved a lot of success.
He also dealt with adversity, laboring through many significant injuries, and suffering heartbreaking finishes with the 2003 Cubs and 2007 Mets. But through all these events, one factor always remained consistent: Alou never stopped hitting.
Alou, the son of Felipe Alou and brother of current Mets’ manager Luis Rojas, crushed 332 home runs and batted .303/.369/.516 over his career. Even as Alou reached the end of his tenure, pitchers still couldn’t get him out. At the age of 40 for the Mets, Alou slashed .341/.392/.524 with 13 home runs and 49 RBI in 87 games.
While the Mets collapsed that September, Alou’s incredible hitting shouldn’t be forgotten. From Aug. 23 to Sept. 26, Alou slashed .403/.455/.588 with four home runs and 17 RBI. He recorded a hit in 30 straight games, setting the franchise record.
If Alou had one weakness, it was his inability to stay healthy. He missed the entire season in both 1991 and 1999, and he made 150 or more starts just four times in his career.
Alou’s injury history would only extend during his tenure with the Mets. After signing a One-year $7.5M contract with the Mets, Alou was placed on the disabled list with a torn quadricep in May. He would not return to the lineup until August.
In many ways, the 2007 season was a microcosm of Alou’s career. When he played, he hit great. But he couldn’t stay on the field for long. It’s easy to wonder how much differently the season would have transpired if the Mets had him the entire year.
His 2.3 bWAR was the Mets’ fourth highest among position players, and he achieved this mark despite missing half the year. Alou ranked behind only David Wright with his .916 OPS and .392 wOBA.
The 2007 collapse wasn’t the first time Alou experienced a crushing defeat. In Game Six of the 2003 National League Championship Series, a fan prevented Alou from catching a foul ball in the stands with his team leading 3-0 in the eighth inning. The Cubs ultimately lost the game, and the series, continuing Chicago’s World Series drought.
But Alou’s performance in the 1997 World Series stands out as one of his best performances. While Alou slumped to begin the postseason, he batted .321 with a 1.101 OPS in the World Series as Florida won their first ever championship.
Since Alou ended the 2007 season with such a bang, the Mets brough him back for 2008. Alou batted .347, but he was limited to just 15 games played. He missed the beginning of the season with hernia surgery, and he tore his hamstring in a minor league rehab appearance. It was a disappointing end to what was a fantastic career.
Ultimately, the bitter finish to the 2007 season obscures just how good Alou was for the Mets. If the team around him did more to stave off the Phillies, Alou’s hit streak would have been a more memorable moment in Mets’ history. And if not for his multitude of injuries, a Hall of Fame career wouldn’t have been out of his reach.
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