LaTroy Hawkins embarked on quite the lengthy journey through Major League Baseball, serving 21 seasons and playing on 11 different teams during that time.

That journey eventually brought him to Flushing on a minor league contract that, at the time, actually worked out quite well for the rebuilding 2013 Mets. 

Hawkins played for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2011, appearing in 52 games and posting a 2.42 ERA, throwing up 0.7 WAR, which is quite respectable for a relief pitcher with less than 50 IP on the year. In 2012, he signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels, this time appearing in 48 games and raising his ERA to 3.64.

Surprisingly, Hawkins received zero major league offers after the 2012 season. His BB/9 had begun to rise going into the 2012 season, hitting 2.79, and he was coming into his age 40 season. Those factors definitely detracted from value, but his inability to acquire any major league contract attention made it quite easy for the Mets to swoop in with some leverage.

In late January of 2013, Sandy Alderson and the Mets’ front office offered Hawkins a one-year long minor league contract with an invite to Spring Training.

In an interview done back in 2017, Hawkins told MMO that he was at first offended at the Mets’ minor league offer, and initially debated walking away from it. However, after a phone call with Alderson, it was reaffirmed to Hawkins that he had a very good chance at making the Major League roster if he didn’t get hurt in Spring Training. That was enough to sway him, and he accepted the offer on January 31, 2013. 

After not allowing a single run during the spring, Hawkins joined the Mets bullpen as the setup man to wild flamethrower Bobby Parnell. During the months of June and July, Hawkins had an ERA of 2.70, walking only five batters in that span. 

Parnell ended up getting hurt at the end of July, eventually pushing Hawkins into the closer position, which was a role he excelled at. In August and September, he saved 13 games, and only blew three across the course of the season. 

He did struggle in August, but five of his seven earned runs on the month came in one game, inflating his ERA. He finished strong in September, allowing zero earned runs in 12 IP. 

Hawkins also stepped into a mentor role for the young bullpen. He had learned to throw a strategic quick pitch during his time in Milwaukee, and he helped youngsters Jeurys Familia and Hansel Robles figure out how to throw it. 

He finished the season with a 2.93 ERA and lowered his BB/9 to the lowest mark of his career, at 1.27. His 1.2 WAR was the most he had obtained in a season since 2004.

After the 2013 season, the rebuilding Mets felt no desire to keep the aging Hawkins, and he was scooped up by the Rockies in November. He went on to play through the 2015 season, remaining an effective reliever throughout those final seasons.