The Mets of the late 90s are remembered for the acquisition of Mike Piazza in May 1998, Robin Ventura‘s “Grand Slam Single,” and the postseason run of 1999. But the foundation for a winning culture began during a season in which they had low expectations and little experience with success.

Bobby Valentine‘s first full year as Mets manager may have been his most impressive job. Promoted after leading the Triple-A Norfolk Tides and the firing of Dallas Green in August 1996, the Mets were a club that was worse than the sum of its parts. Three members of the lineup—Todd Hundley, Bernard Gilkey, and Lance Johnson—set franchise hitting records. And yet those individual efforts didn’t lead to positive outcomes in the standings.

New York wound up 20 games under .500, with Valentine riding out the sinking ship to a 12-19 record. To shore up the lineup, the most significant offseason upgrade came in a trade that sent pitcher Robert Person to the Blue Jays in exchange for veteran first baseman John Olerud.

He’d spent eight productive seasons in Toronto, winning two World Series titles, three Gold Gloves, and a batting title. His disposition was better suited for Canada than Queens, it seemed. But he quickly found the National League to his liking. Better utilizing his fluid swing so that he could spray balls to all fields, Olerud batted 20 points higher than in ’96 with the Blue Jays, maintained terrific fielding at first base, and established team records in just three seasons. His 102 RBIs, 22 homers, and 34 doubles were the most since his stellar 1993. And on September 11, he became the seventh Met to hit for the cycle.

Edgardo Alfonzo truly began to enter Mets lore in ’97, establishing himself as one of the greatest and most beloved players ever. Playing the bulk of his games at third base, Fonzie accumulated the highest bWAR (6.2), slashed .315/.391/.432, and began a string of eight straight years with at least 20 doubles.

Hundley, meanwhile, followed up on his historic ’96 in which his 41 homers set a franchise mark and were the most in one year by a catcher. His 30 blasts led the club, as did 86 RBIs—and he was one of five Mets to drive in at least 70 (joining Alfonzo, Olerud, Gilkey, and Butch Huskey).

The Mets had just one All-Star named to the NL team. It wasn’t Olerud, nor Alfonzo, and not Hundley. The lone blue-and-orange representative? Starting pitcher Bobby Jones, who went seven innings or more in 13 of his 18 first-half starts to post a 3.08 ERA.

Jones’ rotation-mate, Rick Reed, a fellow right-hander without a flame-throwing pitch in his arsenal, was only a big-leaguer in 1995 because of the strike that ruined the ’94 season and bled into the following spring training. It was a devastating blow for the sport. Yet it was the best thing to happen for Reed. MLB threatened to use replacement players, of which Reed was one. It never came to pass in the regular season, but Reed hung on. And in his first year with New York, he led all starters with a 2.89 ERA and a 1.042 WHIP.

Reed posted 11 quality starts over the final three months of the season, as Valentine’s group—who went 18-9 in May to jump beyond respectability—enjoyed winning records in June and July to emerge as one of the surprise stories in baseball.

After a tough 15-inning loss to the Montreal Expos at home on September 12, their hopes for the lone NL Wild Card spot appeared faint. More so when they were down 6-0 in the ninth less than 24 hours later. A single scored two, and another hit loaded the bases for left-handed swinging Carl Everett. On a 3-2 pitch from Ugueth Urbina, Everett connected on a changeup and blasted it below the right-center field scoreboard.

The improbabilities continued in the bottom of the 11th with two on. Bernard Gilkey, out of the starting lineup because of a sprained ankle, summoned up the power

The last-gasp effort against Montreal had Mets fans thinking about playoffs. It had been seven years since they could even entertain the idea of a postseason this late. With 15 games left, they were five back of the Marlins.

However, a five-game skid that followed truly ended New York’s hopes. The Mets took two of three in the final series to finish with 88 victories, the most by the franchise since the start of the decade. The Marlins not only took that playoff berth but took it all the way to a World Series title.

The 1997 season gets largely forgotten. By wildly exceeding expectations and maintaining more than relevance into September, it was the year in which the Mets were finally fun again.

The post A Look Back at the 1997 Mets appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Alonso already has the Mets’ single-season home run record. Now he’s after the RBI mark.

Following play on Monday, even with recent struggles, his current pace has him within sight of the 124 set by Mike Piazza and David Wright. And with under six weeks left in the regular season, his other number put him in the discussion for the greatest individual hitting seasons by a Met.

In addition to a National League-leading 102 runs driven in, his 30 homers, .514 slugging percentage, 148 OPS+ and 138 WRC+ are also ranked among the MLB’s elite. So how does the Polar Bear compare to other amazin’ single-season performances?

Cleon Jones (1969)

.340 BA/.422 OBP/.482 SLG, 151 OPS+, 154 WRC+, 5.5 offensive bWAR

Cleon Jones was a good hitter to begin his Mets career and became a great one just as the team was ready to ascend.

He started fast, hitting .410 in April, blasting five homers in May, and posting a June batting average of .341 to catapult the Mets into contention. His hot start earned him a spot as All-Star starter. A hurt leg in the second half didn’t stop Cleon from challenging Pete Rose and Roberto Clemente for the batting crown, though. Jones hit safely in 24 of the 29 games he played in August.

Jones ended up five points shy of Clemente and eight behind Rose, but his .340 average would stand as the highest ever by a Met until John Olerud surpassed it 29 years later. Jones cut his strikeouts down by 38 from 1968 and led the club in on-base percentage at .422. He was second on the team in RBIs, one short of Tommie Agee, and seventh in NL MVP voting.

Keith Hernandez (1984)

.311/.409/.449, 143 OPS+, 146 WRC+, 5.2 offensive bWAR

We all know he was an exceptional fielder, but his bat was pretty good too.

Keith Hernandez’s first full season in New York coincided with the Mets dramatically improving their record from 1983. His leadership and glove were obvious reasons for the turnaround (and being voted runner-up for NL MVP), but he also hit a team-best .311, clubbed 15 homers, had 31 doubles, and drove in 94. Keith topped the Mets in batting average, on-base percentage, OPS, and total bases. He also led with one clutch moment after another, using his cerebral knowledge of the strike zone to produce in key situations. The rest of the Mets followed his guidance as they were second to the Cubs in the NL East race with 90 victories.

Darryl Strawberry (1987)

.284/.398/.583, 162 OPS+, 159 WRC+, 7.2 offensive bWAR

For all the enormous hype given to him before he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Mets in 1980 and the All-Star seasons he had already put together in his young MLB career, it wasn’t until ’87 when his talents truly came together.

In spite of the distractions he caused, Darryl Strawberry’s on-field performance was a significant reason why the Mets overcame their abundance of injuries to the pitching staff and stayed in the NL East race with the St. Louis Cardinals. From September 1 until the end of the year, Strawberry drove in 28 runs and had an OPS of 1.058, and he was among the top 10 in the NL in home runs, OPS, RBIs, and steals. Strawberry and Howard Johnson became the first Mets to enter the 30-homer, 30-stolen base club.

Darryl Strawberry (1988)

.269/.366/.545, 165 OPS+, 159 WRC+, 6.2 offensive bWAR

Compared to his competition, Darryl’s better season was ’88. Compared to his best years, it’s a tougher call.

Strawberry led the NL in homers (39), slugging, and OPS. He began the year with a 4-for-4 day and two moonshots in Montreal. He’d hit 37 more to match his ’87 total. He topped 100 RBIs for the second straight season and was one steal short of back-to-back 30-30 years. For the first time, he was garnering serious consideration for MVP, thanks in part to the Mets running away with the division in September and claiming their second NL East title in three years. Strawberry missed out on the award to the Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson, mainly because Darryl’s votes were split with fellow outfielder Kevin McReynolds.

Howard Johnson (1989)

.286/.369/.559, 169 OPS+, 166 WRC+, 8.0 offensive bWAR

It’s a shame HoJo is not in the Mets Hall of Fame. One of the most under-appreciated hitters in team history also has one of the best hitting seasons. You could make a case this deserves to be at the top.

In earning his first trip to the All-Star Game as a starting third baseman, Johnson notched his second of three 30-30 years. He eclipsed 100 RBIs and 40 doubles for the first time and matched a career-best with 36 homers. Although he re-established career-bests in homers and RBIs two years later and led the NL in both categories, his 1989 season easily wins out—especially in terms of WRC+ (140 in ’91) and OPS+ (145).

Bernard Gilkey (1996)

.317/.392/.562, 155 OPS+, 152 WRC+, 6.0 offensive bWAR

His first season in New York was easily his best—not just as a Met, but for his entire major-league career.

Bernard Gilkey’s .317 batting average was eighth in the NL and his 44 doubles not only were fourth-best in the league but also established a new Mets single-season record. With fellow first-year New Yorker Lance Johnson at the top of the order and Todd Hundley in the middle each setting franchise marks themselves, it was one of the most productive offenses in years despite an underwhelming overall record. Gilkey’s success in New York got him MVP votes and was followed a cameo in “Men in Black,” although it exposed proneness to alien distractions while patrolling the outfield.

John Olerud (1998)

.354/.447/.551, 163 OPS+, 167 WRC+, 6.2 offensive bWAR

Players like Olerud are now getting the appreciation they truly deserve. The trade for Mike Piazza boosted the confidence of all Mets, but the power-hitting catcher’s insertion into the cleanup spot gave Olerud a chance to see good pitches more frequently.

Less than two months after Piazza’s arrival, Olerud went on a 23-game hitting streak. In September, he reached base 15 straight times, tying Barry Bonds for the NL record. After the streak, he proceeded to go 24-for-42 to finish out the year. Although Piazza’s presence was enormous, Olerud’s importance to the Mets cannot be overstated. He fortified his franchise-best batting average and on-base percentage with 96 walks to 73 strikeouts. His 307 total bases came from 22 homers, 197 hits, and 36 doubles. Olerud also drove in 93 runs and was third in the NL in wRC+.

Mike Piazza (2000)

.324/.398/.614, 155 OPS+, 153 WRC+, 5.5 offensive bWAR

Mike Piazza was the central figure in the Mets’ second straight playoff trip and their first World Series appearance in 1986. During this stretch, he further strengthened his hold on the “greatest power hitting catcher” title.

He was the team leader in homers for the third straight year, while his .324 batting average tied him with Edgardo Alfonzo. Piazza also drove in 113 runs. And for 15 consecutive games, spanning from June 14 through July 2, he tallied at least one RBI—two shy of the all-time MLB record. The streak reached its height on June 30, when he capped one of the greatest comebacks in team history and turned the tables on the hated Atlanta Braves.

Carlos Beltrán (2006)

.275/.388/.594, 150 OPS+, 148 WRC+, 7.0 offensive bWAR

It took a year for him to settle in. Once he did, Beltrán was everything Mets fans hoped for.

He set one Mets record—127 runs scored—and tied two others—80 extra-base hits and 41 home runs. None of those homers was more notable than the blow he struck—against the Cardinals, interestingly enough—which capped off a thrilling Mets rally on August 22. St. Louis likely thought it was safely ahead with a 7–1 lead in the fifth and a 7–6 lead in the ninth. In both instances, they thought wrong.

Beltrán’s two-run walk-off homer only added to the assurance that the Mets were the best in the National League. Of course, they came up one win short of proving it. Clichéd as it sounds, the Mets wouldn’t have reached that point without Beltrán in the lineup. He finished fourth in NL MVP voting but was clearly the most valuable Met.

David Wright (2007)

.325/.416/.546, 149 OPS+, 151 WRC+, 7.2 offensive bWAR

If a little thing like a collapse didn’t get in the way, he could’ve easily been the NL MVP. Even while the rest of his team was crumbling, David Wright maintained a torrid pace.

During a second half in which he slashed .364/.466/.596, Wright was especially vital to the offense in August and September—posting stellar OPS figures of 1.172 and 1.034 respectively. “The Captain” belted 30 homers for the first time in his young career and went over the 100-RBI plateau for the third straight season. Wright was outstanding at the plate with his best OBP and was a vastly improved base runner with 34 steals—joining the likes of Johnson and Strawberry in the 30-30 club.

Pete Alonso (2019)

.260/.358/.583, 147 OPS+, 144 WRC+, 5.6 offensive bWAR

His current season may not even be the best Pete Alonso season. If anyone expected that kind of first year, they’re kidding themselves. Considering the accomplishments he packed into such a short time—the franchise single-season home run record, the franchise single-season extra-base record, the major-league single-season rookie home run record, the 2019 major-league home run title, the 2019 NL Rookie of the Year, and the Home Run Derby crown—it’s hard not to call it the greatest rookie season in team history (perhaps even better than Dwight Gooden’s 1984).

With time, Alonso has developed into a more disciplined hitter. No matter how long he stays a Met, he’ll never have a year like 2019 because of how startling it was. Now we know who Pete Alonso is. And if his early career is any indication, he has a great chance to be among this group again.

The post How Pete Alonso’s 2022 Compares to Best Mets Seasons Ever appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Dave Mlicki‘s major league career lasted ten seasons. By comparison, it was a rather modest decade: 66-80, a 4.72 ERA, and a 1.47 WHIP. He spent four years with the Mets registering a 24-30 record and an ERA+ of 98.

Of the 66 victories in the majors and 24 as a Met, his night at Yankee Stadium clearly stands out. It wasn’t any ordinary game, contrary to what some players may have said. It was the first-ever regular-season meeting between the two New York clubs

The advent of interleague play gave great anticipation to several regional match-ups that had not yet been seen. And because of New York’s storied history, the Mets and Yankees had the most build-up.

It was the 29-year-old Mlicki who got the start on the historic occasion. All he did was become, still to this day, the only Met to throw a shutout at Yankee Stadium—current or previous.

“It was one of those days where everything was working,” Mlicki said to the New York Post last year. “I had confidence in my stuff. The fans were into it. It was such a big deal.”

Although he gave up nine hits and allowed two walks over 119 pitches and managed just a single 1-2-3 frame, the Yankees were unable to get on the scoreboard. Much of the credit goes to Mlicki of course for striking out eight and preventing any trouble. But he also got assistance from his defense—including sharp glove plays from Matt Franco at third base and Bernard Gilkey in left field.

Gilkey scored three times on the night. He crossed the plate on a John Olerud double off Andy Pettitte in the first as the Mets jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. The Mets added two more on an Olerud seventh-inning single and another on Gilkey’s ninth-inning sacrifice fly.

The Yankees added more traffic on the bases in the ninth. But despite three singles, Mlicki stayed in and preserved his scoreless effort—striking out Derek Jeter to finish off the 5-0 win and earn bragging rights over the defending world champions.

Mlicki finished ’97 at 8-12 with an ERA of 4.00. But his season, his Mets career, and his big-league career is forever remembered by his stellar night at the Bronx. As Mlicki told the Post last year, many haven’t forgotten.

“I’ll be at a golf tournament and some Mets fan will come to me and say, ‘Oh my God, I was at that game! I still have the ticket stub!’ All New York fans are so passionate about their sports. It’s what makes it so great. It’s nice to still be relevant sometimes.”

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Photo Credits: USA Today

Pete Alonso continued his strong first two months of the season with another big day in the Mets’ 8-6 win Friday night.

The slugging first baseman went 2-for-2 with four RBIs, bringing his total up to an MLB-leading 45 on the season. That number breaks the Mets’ franchise record for most RBIs before Memorial Day, which was set by Bernard Gilkey in his 1996 campaign.

Alonso got his day started with a sacrifice fly to right field in the first inning, which drove in the first run of the game. In his second plate appearance, Alonso socked a slider from Bailey Falter over the left-field fence for a two-run homer, his 12th long ball of the season. With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Alonso smacked an RBI double off the fence in right-center field on an 0-2 pitch to extend the Mets’ lead to 7-0.

“It’s extremely satisfying,” Alonso said. “It means I have the right tempo in the box. I’m swinging at the right effort level at quality pitches, and again, just trying to help this team win as many games as possible.”

After hitting just .250/.316/.429 with four homers and 17 RBIs in April, Alonso has cracked eight homers and driven in 28 runs this month, which ties him with Willie Montañez for the most runs driven in by a Met in the month of May.

“I’m just trying to capitalize on opportunities and just be as consistent as I can every day,” Alonso said.

Alonso is now hitting .283/.348/.528 across 180 plate appearances on the season, and he is the only player in the NL with more than 40 RBIs thus far. His career highs for homers and RBIs, respectively, are 53 and 120, which he set in 2019 during his Rookie of the Year campaign. Last year, he had 37 homers and 94 RBIs in 152 games.

The post Pete Alonso Sets Franchise Mark For RBIs Before Memorial Day appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

It’s rare that a comeback is largely forgotten, but the defensive wizardry displayed by Rey Ordóñez in his major league debut is still what’s most remembered from Opening Day 1996.

The Mets had sliced a 6-0 deficit in half by the time the Cardinals were at bat with two outs in the top of the seventh and Royce Clayton on first. Ray Lankford went down the left field line — a hit that potentially could extend St. Louis’ lead. Soon after Bernard Gilkey fielded the ball near the side wall, Clayton rounded third base. Gilkey’s throw to Ordóñez — the cutoff man — was low, but Rey got down and fielded the short hop. Then, from his knees on the outfield grass he fired it some 150 feet home to catcher Todd Hundley before Clayton reached the plate.

Ordóñez complemented his extraordinary defense minutes later with a single to right field that set up the Mets’ game-winning four-run rally, but Rey the rookie truly saved the day with his glove and arm.

He had already drawn comparison to Ozzie Smith, the greatest ever defender at shortstop. Now, with the veteran watching from the Cardinal dugout, Ordóñez showed why.

“When you throw somebody out from your knees on a relay,” Mets manager Dallas Green said, “you’re doing something special.”

It’s not just the best Opening Day comebacks in team history, it’s one of the best the Mets have ever made.

Played under dark clouds and with a light rain falling, a 6-0 deficit turned things even gloomier at Shea Stadium.

Rey Ordóñez offered up several highlights in the field, but the play made in his very first game may be the best.

The post OTD 1996: Ordóñez Gem Highlights Opening Day Comeback appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

We are right smack in the middle of the holidays, so there’s a good chance you’re still around some extended family even though Christmas is officially in the rearview mirror. What better way to pass the time than talk about New York Mets history…am I right?

I mean, there’s not much happening in the game right now thanks to the lockout, so this is the next best thing to have a conversation about. At least, it is in theory.

But seriously, do you know which Mets players have put together the best single-season performances at each position on the diamond? You’re about to. The below tweet uses bWAR (Baseball-Reference’s calculation of WAR) to put together a Mets squad that would’ve absolutely crushed opponents on a nightly basis.

Best Mets bWAR Seasons (Position):

C: Gary Carter 6.5 (1985)
1B: John Olerud – 7.6 (1998)
2B: Edgardo Alfonzo – 6.4 (2000)
SS: Jose Reyes – 5.9 (2006)
3B: David Wright – 8.3 (2007)
OF: Carlos Beltran – 8.2 (2006)
OF: Bernard Gilkey – 8.1 (1996)
OF: Lance Johnson – 7.2 (1996) pic.twitter.com/1z6fYwNOe5

— Greg Harvey (@BetweenTheNums) December 26, 2021

A few observations here…

Considering the fact that the Mets enjoyed terrific performances from Mike Piazza, it says a lot that Gary Carter‘s inaugural season with the club is still the best in team history. The 1998 season from John Olerud was also the year in which he set the club record with a .354 batting average, which we talked about in more detail last week.

It would’ve been incredibly weird if both Jose Reyes and David Wright weren’t on this list somehow, so it feels good that they are. Well, outside of it being a reminder of what could’ve been with both of those dudes in their respective primes, along with Carlos Beltrán putting up some huge numbers himself.

Edgardo Alfonzo‘s 2000 season was clearly his best when looking at overall offensive production. He was rewarded with his only All-Star Game selection that year, but he actually finished higher in NL MVP voting the year prior (eighth vs. 15th) and won a Silver Slugger Award in 1999, as well.

And finally, in an otherwise dull year where New York went 71-91, how fun was it to watch Bernard Gilkey and Lance Johnson each do their thing? Just awesome.

Now, if you’re wondering about the best starting pitcher and relief pitcher seasons, you weren’t alone because someone asked that same question in the replies. Dwight Gooden‘s Cy Young-winning season of 1985 was the best for starters (12.2 bWAR) and Tug McGraw‘s 1972 performance (4.3 bWAR) was the best out of the ‘pen.

The post LOOK: Mets’ Best Single-Season Performances at Each Position appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

June 16, 1997 was a historic day in the chronicles of the New York Mets. On that date, they played their first regular season game against the cross-town rival New York Yankees, defeating the Bombers in the Bronx by a 6-0 score.

On June 13, 1997 the Mets played their first regular season Interleague game in franchise history, losing 8-4 to the Boston Red Sox at Shea Stadium. The Red Sox would take two of three in that series, before the Mets boarded the buses northward on Monday, June 16.

Entering the inaugural Subway Series, the Mets were off to a surprising start with a 36-30 record, after finishing the disappointing 1996 season at 71-91. The Yankees, 37-29 going into the game, were the reigning World Series champions and on their way to a 96-66 finish in 1997.

The Mets sent 29-year old Dave Mlicki, who was in his fifth major league season, to the mound against the Yankees’ Andy Pettitte, who had gone 2-1 in the 1996 postseason. This night, in front of over 56,000 fans, Yankee Stadium belonged to Mlicki.

The right-hander from Cleveland tossed a complete game shutout, allowing nine hits, walking two, striking out eight, and ending the game with a called third strike on Derek Jeter.

The Mets handed Mlicki a three-run lead before he took the mound. In the top of the first inning, John Olerud doubled in Bernard Gilkey for one run, then Carl Everett drove in Olerud. The Mets got their third run on a steal of home by Todd Hundley.

Olerud, who hit .294 in 1997 with an .889 OPS, struck again in the seventh inning when he singled in Matt Franco and Luis Lopez to give the Mets a 5-0 lead. The Mets scored their final run in the top of the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Gilkey.

The Mets would lose the next two games of the series, which was their only one against the Yankees in 1997. Since Interleague play began, the Yankees have had the upper-hand against their rivals from Queens. winning 74 of 128 games played.

June 16, 1997 was Mlicki’s pinnacle moment as a Met. He finished the 1997 season with an 8-12 record. Over four years in Flushing, he posted 24 wins against 30 losses.

Mlicki pitched a total of ten seasons in the major leagues, going 66-80 with a 4.72 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. In addition to the Mets, he pitched for the Indians, Dodgers, Tigers, and Astros.

While Mlicki had a modest career, he came up big on a night that made New York baseball history. If you’re a Mets fan, that night felt extremely special.

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