In that spirit, let’s breakdown five players the Mets should have held on to and five they should have let go. Players in this exercise will be historical in nature, and not include any active players such as Zack Wheeler, Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil, etc.

Daniel Murphy. Photo Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Five Players They Should Have Kept

Kevin Mitchell

Kevin Mitchell only played 115 games with the Mets before they shipped him off to San Diego Padres, who a few months later traded him to the San Francisco Giants. As a Giant, Mitchell went on to slash .278/.356/.536 (.892 OPS) with 143 home runs across 624 games. He made the All-Star team twice with them and won the National League MVP in 1989. That season he hit 47 home runs and drove in 125 runs. Injuries impacted him in his 30s, but those were all years past what the Mets had under team control.

Mitchell did have off the field issues which led to his trade as MMO outlined in 2018. Despite former manager Davey Johnson’s pleas and disagreements with then general manager Frank Cashen about whether or not Mitchell was a negative influence, the Mets moved him.

Nolan Ryan

Another Mets World Series winner, Nolan Ryan, was traded because he walked too many batters. His 6.1 walks per nine was higher than at any other stop in his career, however, one would argue his 5,714 career strikeouts made up for it. Even with his high walk rate as a Met he threw 510 innings to a 3.58 ERA. This one is probably more hindsight based because Nolan Ryan was not striking batters out with the Mets at the rate he would throughout the rest of his career. As a Met he averaged 8.7 strikeouts per nine. Immediately after the trade he jumped to 10.4 with the Angels.

All said, the Mets traded a legend and a Hall of Fame which easily puts him on this list.

Justin Turner

It is easy to look at Justin Turner‘s .696 OPS as a Met and argue the Mets should have cut him. The issue is that the swing change that led to the success through his career happened during the 2013 season while working out with Marlon Byrd and his hitting instructor Doug Latta. That second half of 2013 with the Mets Turner slashed .292/.330/.434 (.764 OPS). He got progressively better as the season went on slashing .357/.357/.571 (.929 OPS) his final month as a Met.

Justin Turner took that new swing to the Los Angeles Dodgers and in his first year slashed .340/.404/.493 (.897 OPS) and across nine years in Los Angeles put up an .865 OPS with 156 home runs in 1075 games. Even worse for the Mets was that they desperately needed a third baseman across many of those seasons due to David Wright‘s injuries.

Daniel Murphy

Daniel Murphy not being brought back was another one that did not make much sense at the time. Often you do not want to pay a guy solely because of postseason heroics, but Murphy as a whole was a solid Met slashing .288/.331/.424 (.755 OPS) across 903 games. Had he gone on to sign a monster seven-to-eight year contract you could easily look at his later seasons and justify not retaining him. But he did not sign that contract. He signed a very reasonable three-year, $37 million deal. During that contract with his new team he slashed .329/.380/.550 (.930 OPS) with 54 home runs in 342 games. And he did it for the Washington Nationals, a direct National League East competitor.

David Cone

The Mets allegedly assumed that David Cone would require a five-year extension to retain, but Cone and his agent have disputed they set that as a prerequisite. Whatever the reasons, it was a clear failure at the time not extending him and it only got worse after. The Mets traded Cone away from the worst team money could buy and he wont he 1992 World Series with Toronto. He was a plus pitcher through his age-36 season making multiple all star teams, winning the Cy Young Award in 1994. The Mets had multiple opportunities to bring him back in free agency and never did.

Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

Five Players They Were Right to Let Go

R.A. Dickey

R.A. Dickey was a great story breaking out with the Mets and winning the 2012 Cy Young award. He also had the three best seasons of his career as a Met. While he did have some success in Toronto in 2014 and 2015, it was nowhere near the level he did with the Mets and his four years there he put up a 4.05 ERA compared to a 2.95 ERA in Queens. That trade brought both Noah Syndergaard and Travis d’Arnaud to the Mets.

Noah Syndergaard

Speaking of Noah Syndergaard, the end of his Mets tenure was a weird one. Syndergaard only pitched 30 starts with the Mets twice across his six years in Queens but when he was healthy he was an ace pitching 718 innings to a 3.32 ERA. His 2022 season was good, not great, pitching to a 3.94 ERA across 134 2/3 innings. He only pitched one more season after that in the majors struggling heavily to a 6.50 ERA and has not pitched since. He tried a comeback in 2025 signing a minor-league deal with the White Sox but could not break their 102-loss roster.

Ron Darling

Ron Darling is still a Mets icon thanks to his work in the Mets’ booth with Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez. And, as a result, will forever be known not just as a Mets World Series winner, but an all-time great. Across his nine years as a Met he threw 1,620 innings to a 3.50 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. He never had gaudy strikeout numbers but he regularly went deep into games.

The Mets traded him in 1991 to the Montreal Expos where he struggled, was traded to the Oakland Athletics, and ended the season with mixed results. He bounced back in 1992 but that was his last good season. After his 1992 season he signed a multi-year contract with Oakland but two years later he was released during his age 34 season and retired.

Edgardo Alfonzo

As a Met, Edgardo Alfonzo slashed .292/.367/.445 (.812 OPS) with 120 home runs across 1,086 games. He had multiple six-plus WAR seasons and left after one of his best seasons at age 28. After that he never had a season where he was an above average hitter by OPS+ or WRC+. Across the four-year contract he signed after leaving the Mets he dealt with nagging injuries and he retired at age 33.

John Maine

John Maine was never a world-beater but he was a solid Met. The perfect type of player to have through arbitration and then part ways. He pitched 542 innings to a 4.17 ERA and 1.31 WHIP before a shoulder surgery that ended his 2010 season. The Mets non-tendered him that offseason and he bounced around on minor-league deals. He had a brief appearance in the majors in 2013 before retiring from major league baseball and becoming a volunteer pitching coach at his alma mater.

Conclusion

There are many more names that could end up in both categories like Mike Scott, Carlos Gomez, and John Olerud in the keep category or Jose Reyes, Lee Mazzilli, and Howard Johnson in the let go.

When we look at the current crop of former Mets it seems clear that letting Wheeler go was a mistake. Nimmo’s 2026 season is making it look like that was the right move. McNeil’s also makes it clear it was a smart idea there as well. Alonso had a great 2026 but he is on a five-year deal with a play style that usually doesn’t age well and tends to age quickly. That contract could look very different a year from now. Michael Conforto meanwhile seems to flip the script one way or another every year.

Players come and go. They all perform differently. However, this is always an interesting exercise.

The post Historical Look At Players The Mets Should Have Kept, Let Go appeared first on Metsmerized.

Opening Day is finally here! After five long months of cold weather and no Mets baseball, Amazin’ fans can rejoice as their club will take the field yet again today. Last season was a wild roller coaster ride that saw the Mets look dead in the water a couple of months in, to doing a complete 180 and going to the sixth game of the NLCS. The squad from Queens has now added some new faces, including former crosstown foes Juan Soto and Clay Holmes, to try to get themselves over the hump. The energy is high as another exciting season is on tap in Queens!

The Mets open up in Houston today at 4:10 p.m. EST. It will be Clay Holmes making his first start as a Met, going against Astros ace Framber Valdez.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

Manny Randhawa of MLB.com did an interview with Juan Soto’s mentor and Little League coach, Rafel Zapata, who turned Sot from a pitcher to a position player. 

Frankie Montas‘ MRI this week showed “really good healing” in his strained right lat, David Stearns said. He still is a week or two away from starting a throwing program, per Tim Healey of Newsday.

Steve Cohen went in depth with Jon Heyman of the NY Post on how any why he went to the length that he did to get Soto.

Carlos Mendoza says Brett Baty will receive “a lot of the reps” at second base with Jeff McNeil starting the season on the IL, per SNY.

Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña made the Opening Day roster. Click here to learn more about the Mets’ Opening Day cuts.

Latest MLB News

Strauss is beginning a Minor League Baseball partnership as the first brand partner on MiLB helmets, per David Broughton of Sports Business Journal.

RHPs Carl Edwards Jr. and Touki Toussaint each signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels and were assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake.

New Brewers starter and former Met Jose Quintana agreed to be optioned to the minors to complete his build-up, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.

In 2025 spring training, the ABS challenge system yielded these results: 4.1 challenge per game, 52.2% overturn percentage, 2.6% of called pitches challenged and 13.8 seconds added per challenge.

The Yankees and Mets are expected to generate $909 million in economic impact for New York City during the 2025 regular season, according to projections from NYC mayor Eric Adams and the NYC Economic Development Corporation, per Mike Mazzeo of Sports Business Journal.

Pirates star young pitcher Jared Jones is dealing with a UCL sprain and the organization is being careful and exploring other avenues as they try to avoid Tommy John surgery, per Noah Hiles of Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette.

Latest on MMO

MMO has released their 2025 pre-season MLB power rankings. 

Check out MMO’s preview on new Met A.J. Minter!

See what moves the Mets made to complete their opening day roster.

On This Date in Mets History

2022: Jacob deGrom pitches the first three innings and Max Scherzer finishes the game with six innings in relief as they strike out 12 in a 7-3 spring training win over the Cardinals.

1987: The Mets acquire David Cone from the Royals in exchange for Ed Hearn, Rick Anderson and Mauro Gozzo. 

Born on This Date: Clay Holmes (1993), Brandon Nimmo (1993), Matt Harvey (1989), Johnny Monell (1986), Michael Cuddyer (1979), Bill Sudakis (1946).

The post Morning Briefing: Opening Day is Here! appeared first on Metsmerized.

While the starting pitching market continues to dwindle with most of the top names being off the board, there are still a couple of future Hall of Famers on the market. Both Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander are searching for new homes, and Jon Heyman of the New York Post gave an update of Scherzer’s market on a Bleacher Report live stream. Heyman reported that the three-time Cy Young Award winner is fielding interest from four different teams. Along with that, he mentioned that the former Met’s market is “heating up,” so a signing may be imminent. 

Max Scherzer. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Los Angeles Angels are “looking at” Pete Alonso, but there seems to be a gap in years. 

MLB.com writers labeled Mets outfield prospect Edward Lantigua as a possible breakout candidate in 2025. Lantigua signed for $950,000 last January and was an All-Star in the Dominican Summer League. 

Latest MLB News

The Philadelphia Phillies traded LHP Tyler Gilbert to the Chicago White Sox for minor league RHP Aaron Combs. 

The Washington Nationals signed former Mets minor leaguer Junior Santos to a minor league deal, per Chase Ford of MiLB Central.

Latest on MMO

The Angels are showing interest in Pete Alonso.

Take a look at MMO’s Mets New Year’s resolutions!

On This Date in Mets History

Born On This Date: Yoan López (1993), Reed Garrett (1993), David Cone (1963).

The post Morning Briefing: Scherzer Market ‘Heating Up’ appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets’ London hangover did not last for too long as they took Game 2 of the series in a big way.

Harrison Bader opened the game with a bang, sending a ball to the left field seats and giving the Mets an early 2-0 lead over the Marlins. While the Marlins evened things back up, a three-run second inning answer gave the Mets the lead for good. The Amazin’s piled on from there, resulting in a 10-4 win to get things back on track. Click here for a full game report.

The Mets sent left-hander Danny Young to Triple-A Syracuse after the game, per Tim Healey. This opens up a roster spot for Edwin Díaz.

The Mets look to take Game 3 of the series on Thursday at 7:10 ET as Luis Severino (4-2, 3.25 ERA) will go for the Mets and Roddery Muñoz (1-2, 5.95 ERA) will be on the mound for Miami.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Latest Mets News

Young won Baseball Prospectus Pitch of the Day on Tuesday with his sweeper, which covered over 23″ of horizontal break and had an IVB of -4.9″.

Carlos Mendoza said that Díaz will be the Mets closer upon his return on Thursday, per Tim Healey of Newsday.

Christian Scott had a short but sweet start for Triple-A Syracuse: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. The Mets are continuing to manage his workload. Click here for a full breakdown of his start.

Brett Baty tallied two hits in Triple-A Syracuse Tuesday.

McDonald’s mascot Grimace threw out the first pitch at Citi Field last night.

Grimace threw out the first pitch tonight at Citi Field 🟣 pic.twitter.com/9i9vEWpDxz

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 12, 2024

Drew Gilbert was named the Mets prospect with the best power-speed combo by MLB.com.

Latest MLB News

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired INF/OF Cavan Biggio in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays, where they sent RHP Braydon Fisher to Toronto.

The Chicago Cubs signed Jorge López to a minor league deal, per Andy Martínez of Marquee Sports Network. López was designated for assignment by the Mets on May 30th.

The Chicago White Sox DFA’d left-handed relief pitcher Tim Hill.

Latest on MMO

Christian Scott looks to make his return to the big leagues.

The Mets defensive woes continue to be a thorn in their side.

Brett Baty continues to hit in Triple-A.

On This Date in Mets History

2012: R.A. Dickey throws a one-hitter in a 9-1 Mets victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Dickey also set a franchise record during the start, going 32 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings. 

1988: Lee Mazzilli gives the Mets a win over the Cardinals with a walk-off RBI single in the 12th inning. David Cone went 10 innings of one-run ball, striking out seven and throwing 130 pitches. 

1986: Darryl Strawberry walks off the Pirates with an RBI single, avenging Jesse Orosco, who gave up two runs in the top of the ninth.

Birthdays: James McCann (34)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Option Danny Young to Make Room for Edwin Díaz appeared first on Metsmerized.

Mets owner Steve Cohen held a press conference on Wednesday where he assessed the state of the team as the Mets have fallen to fourth place in the NL East despite having the largest payroll in baseball. After the Mets’s blowup in Philadelphia on Sunday, there were many questions about GM Billy Eppler and manager Buck Showalter‘s job security; Cohen put those rumors to rest as he responded “Absolutely” after being asked if the two will keep their jobs throughout the season. Cohen also commented on the Mets’ mindset regarding the trade deadline as well as future front office moves, which you can read about here.

As for on the field, the Mets suffered yet another disappointing loss as they fell to the Brewers, 5-2. New York was unable to cash in on some early opportunities against Wade Miley, while Kodai Senga pushed through five solid innings of two-run ball. The Mets offense was not able to muster up any runs in the late innings as the Brewers bullpen put the game to bed.

The Mets will try to split the four-game set as they throw Max Scherzer (7-2) against Milwaukee’s Adrian Houser (2-2).

Latest Mets News

It was announced on Thursday that José Quintana will be making his fourth, and hopefully last, rehab start for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday. Quintana, who is coming back from a left rib fracture, threw 47 pitches through his four innings of work for High-A Brooklyn on Sunday and is hoped to be back in the Mets rotation by next week.

Mets pitching prospect Christian Scott has been dealing as of late, and that continued as he threw seven scoreless innings last night in his third Double-A start. The 2021 fifth0round draft pick out of Florida has accumulated 23 strikeouts and a 1.37 ERA in his three starts in Binghamton while allowing two or less runs in seven consecutive starts, per Metsmerized Michael Mayer.

Latest MLB News

Yankees starter Domingo Germán faced the minimum last night as he became the first pitcher since Félix Hernández in 2012 to throw a perfect game. Germán made quick work of the Athletics last night as he only threw 99 pitches on his way to perfection becoming the fourth Yankees pitcher to throw a perfect game; joining a list that includes: Don Larsen, David Wells, and David Cone.

White Sox reliever and cancer survivor, Liam Hendriks, will be the recipient of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the 2023 ESPYS. Hendriks made his triumphant return to a major league mound on May 29 after his bout with Stage-4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which he was diagnosed with this past December.

Pirates third-baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes was put on the 10-day IL (retroactive to June 25), due to lower back inflammation. In a corresponding move, Pittsburgh called up third baseman Jared Triolo who made his big league debut against the San Diego Padres last night. Hayes joins Bryan Reynolds and O’Neil Cruz on the IL as the Pirates have been inundated with injuries while their quick start has come to a halt.

Cardinals star third baseman Nolan Arenado left Wednesday night’s game against the Houston Astros with lower back tightness, the team said.  Arenado, who tied the game with a three-run home run earlier in the game, is said to be day-to-day and the Cardinals are hoping he can avoid time on the IL.

Latest on MMO

Rich Sparago looked into the possible causes of the MLB’s attendance increase this season.

On This Date In Mets History

1969: Tom Seaver notches his 44th career win to take hold of the franchise record in wins. Seaver still holds said record with 198 career wins.

2012: R.A. Dickey throws eight shutout innings to propel the Mets past the Dodgers. This gem improved his ERA to 2.15 and record to 12-1.

Birthdays: Yolmer Sanchez (31), Brooks Raley (35), Larry Stahl (82)

The post Morning Briefing: Showalter, Eppler Will ‘Absolutely’ Retain Their Jobs appeared first on Metsmerized.

They’ve shared more than just a city. While the Mets and Yankees rarely engage in trade talks, it’s not unusual for players to spend parts of their careers in Queens and in the Bronx. According to Baseball-Reference, the count has now surpassed 150, but here are some of the most notable plus verdicts on which team they fared better with.

David Cone – Mets (1987-92; 03), Yankees (1995-2000)

Few players have been one of the best at their positions for both current New York clubs. It could be argued that David Cone belongs on the Mets and Yankees’ all-time rotations. The Mets got him in a steal of a trade in March ’87. He didn’t start full-time until the following May but made sure it stuck. Cone won 20 games in ’88 for a division title winner, struggled in his first postseason outing but thrived in the next.

During five-plus years as a Mets starter, Cone topped 200 strikeouts three times and led the NL twice. On the season finale in 1991, he tied the team and league record for a single game with 19. Postseasons were the mark of Cone’s Yankees legacy, as he was a vital part of four championship clubs. Then there was the day he was perfect in 1999.

Better as a: Yankee (stats say Mets, but clutch performances say pinstripes)

Darryl Strawberry – Mets (1983-90), Yankees (1995-99)

He should have never left New York in the first place. Darryl Strawberry returned to the city after troublesome years on the west coast with Los Angeles and San Francisco. While he continued to endure personal issues during his time with the Yankees, he contributed to three more title-winning teams adding to a ring collection that began in ’86.

When Yankee Stadium was under repair, Darryl got the chance to return to his initial major-league residence and connected for his 127th homer in Flushing. The forever home run leader in Shea Stadium history and, for now, the Mets’ all-time home run king, Straw’s seven All-Star appearances are tied for the most among Amazin’ position players.

Better as a: Met

Robinson Canó – Yankees (2005-13), Mets (2019-2022)

While Mets fans couldn’t wait to see Robinson Canó go elsewhere, Yankees fans were thrilled by his arrival in 2005. He finished runner-up for the AL Rookie of the Year and would be named an All-Star five times, hitting 204 homers and slashing .309/.355/.504.

Canó’s sojourn to Seattle saw some decrease in production but a bigger fall in reputation with a PED suspension. The trade to the Mets (along with Edwin Diaz) led to additional scrutiny and another drug ban. Canó’s 168 games in orange and blue proved nothing more than a waste. A slightly above league-average hitter at a 105 OPS+, it certainly wasn’t acceptable considering the amount of money he was paid.

Better as a: Yankee

Carlos Beltrán – Mets (2005-11), Yankees (2014-16)

The greatest center field in Mets history was in the twilight of his career by the time he put on the pinstripes. Carlos Beltrán‘s exploits in Flushing are well-known: a terrific outfield range that led to three Gold Gloves, five All-Star selections, a 129 OPS+, 41 long balls in 2006, and three years of at least 110 RBIs. His high-profile signing was a rare case in which the Mets made money well spent.

All this would’ve made his performance as a Yankee very hard to match, more so considering his age. That being said, his numbers in the Bronx aren’t bad. He hit 19 homers and posted a 119 OPS+ in 2015 at age 38 plus 22 home runs in 99 games the next year (with an All-Star nod) before going to Texas.

Better as a: Met

Yogi Berra – Yankees (1946-63), Mets (1965)

Joe Torre, Willie Randolph, and Dallas Green are among those who have coached and/or managed for both Big Apple teams. Yogi Berra too, and he’s the only one to lead both to a World Series. His Fall Classic performance as a Yankee player is unprecedented: an all-time record 74 hits and 10 rings. The regular seasons were pretty good too: three MVPs and 358 home runs. Often forgotten is Yogi’s brief stint as a Mets player, which occurred in the wake of his initial period as a Yankee manager.

Let go following a World Series loss to the Cardinals, Yogi joined the other side as a coach — but in between had a cameo in the lineup with nine at-bats over four games. Berra stayed on the staff through the Miracle Mets year until he took over the club following Gil Hodges‘ sudden passing.

Better as a: Yankee (was this even a discussion?)

Dwight Gooden – Mets (1984-94), Yankees (1996-97, 2000)

Nobody’s Mets career began more spectacularly. Gooden’s presence and the talents of the team in the mid-1980s turned New York orange and blue. Especially when Dr. K was on the mound, the Mets were the most fascinating and most successful club in town. He was the top rookie in ’84, the top pitcher in ’85, and a World Champion in ’86. Dwight Gooden may not have gotten the most out of his ability, but his ability was better than most who ever pitched for the franchise.

He did everything but get a no-hitter. That came on May 14, 1996 at Yankee Stadium against the Seattle Mariners. He made a final appearance at Shea in a memorable two-stadium doubleheader while getting the win in the process.

Better as a: Met (again, was this even a discussion?)

Orlando Hernández – Yankees (1998-02, 2004), Mets (2006-07)

Like Cone, the success of the Yankees in the late 1990s afforded “El Duque” the opportunity to make many important starts. Rarely did he disappoint. In his first year after escaping Cuba, Hernández allowed one run in 14 October innings. He was the MVP of the ’99 ALCS and didn’t lose a postseason decision until the Mets defeated him in Game 3 of the 2000 World Series. Hernández had a 112 ERA+ over 44 starts in Queens but provided veteran leadership on a team mostly reliant on its lineup. Any chance of pitching in the postseason for the Mets was ruined when he injured his hamstring in late September 2006 after the division title was already secured.

Better as a: Yankee

Curtis Granderson – Yankees (2010-13), Mets (2014-17)

One of a few to play for a New York team one year and play for the other New York team the next. The dimensions at Yankee Stadium were more to the lefty swinger’s liking. Curtis Granderson hit a career-best 41 homers in 2011, only to surpass that with 43 in 2012. He exceeded 100 RBIs in both seasons.

The love for Grandy spread to Citi Field, especially when he helped lead the Mets to the World Series. Notorious for slow starts, Granderson picked it up as the 2015 season went into October. He drove in 13 runs in the playoffs including three World Series homers. He added 30 more long balls in 2016. At his introductory press conference after switching sides in 2013, Granderson declared that “true New Yorkers are Mets fans.” Who’s to argue with him?

Better as a: Yankee (the short porch in right field didn’t hurt)

Al Leiter – Yankees (1987-89; 2005), Mets (1998-04)

He’s now a Mets Hall of Famer and isn’t soon to be seen in Monument Park. Al Leiter began his big-league career with an organization lacking direction. The New Jersey native only got 22 appearances in two-plus seasons and fewer with Toronto. But he won a couple World Series there an another in Florida before getting the chance to play for the team he grew up rooting for. His first year with the Mets, 1998, was his best year. His best performance was the 1999 Wild Card tiebreaker and he had many clutch playoff outings. Leiter left the Mets in the top 10 of many club pitching categories, including a 124 ERA+, and has stayed there. He finished out his career with the Yankees—far more accomplished but clearly not the same he had recently been before.

Better as a: Met

Rickey Henderson – Yankees (1985-89), Mets (1999-00)

He played for enough teams over his lengthy and monumental career that he was bound to end up in New York at least once. Rickey Henderson‘s domination during the 1980s was mainly in Oakland but included a stop in the Bronx. While he didn’t put up the same prodigious stolen base numbers, averaging 75 in four full years was superior by comparison to the rest of the league. He was traded back to the A’s as part of a Yankees mid-season and later bounced to Toronto, San Diego, and Anaheim before landing in Queens.

Now in his early 40s, Henderson didn’t steal bases with the same prowess. But he did have a 117 OPS+ as the leadoff hitter for a ’99 team that reached the postseason for the first time in 11 years before eventually wearing out his welcome.

Better as a: Yankee

The post Playing on Both Sides of Town: Those Who Were Mets and Yankees appeared first on Metsmerized.

On February 13, 2003, the Mets coaxed pitcher David Cone out of retirement for one more go-round with the team.

Cone had retired after pitching for the Red Sox in 2001, missing the entire 2002 season. In 2003, Cone made four starts for the Mets, posting a 1-3 record with a 6.50 ERA. He retired in late May, citing a chronic hip problem as his reason for stepping away from the game as an active player, this time permanently.

The Mets originally acquired Cone from the Kansas City Royals prior to the 1987 season, in a deal for catcher Ed Hearn, and pitchers Rick Anderson and Mauro Gozzo. Cone was a Met from 1987 until August of 1992, when he was traded to the Blue Jays for Jeff Kent and Ryan Thompson.

In 1987, Cone had a record of 5-6 with a 3.71 ERA. Cone came into his own in 1988, when he began the season in the bullpen, and was moved to the rotation in early May. He finished the season, a year the Mets won the National League’s eastern division, with a 20-3 record and a 2.22 ERA. He placed third in the National League’s Cy Young award voting that season, and was selected to the All-Star team.

As the Mets moved to the NLCS against the Dodgers, Cone accepted a role with the New York Daily News as a commentator on the series. This may sound like a really bad idea, and it was. Cone at one point called Cy Young winner Orel Hershiser “lucky” for surviving eight innings against the Mets’ lineup, and also referred to Dodgers’ closer Jay Howell‘s curveball as “high school quality.”

Naturally, this served as an inspiration for the Dodgers, who shelled Cone in game two of the series for five runs in two innings. Cone would get a measure of revenge in game six, when he kept the Mets alive by pitching a complete game. The Mets would lose the series in seven games.

Overall in his first tenure with the Mets, Cone went 80-48. He led the National League in strikeouts in 1990 and 1991, with 233 and 241 respectively. In his last start of the 1991 season, Cone struck out 19 Phillies, tying Tom Seaver for the franchise single-game record. On August 27, 1992, with the Mets hopelessly behind the Pirates for the division lead, the team traded Cone to Toronto, ending his first tenure in Queens.

Cone was part of a World Series championship in Toronto 1992, and led the majors with 261 combined strikeouts with the Mets and Blue Jays. After the 1992 season, the Missouri native signed with the team that drafted him, the Kansas City Royals. He spent 1993 and 1994 in Kansas City, winning the Cy Young award in the strike-shortened 1994 season.

In April of 1995, the Royals traded Cone back to Toronto, who traded him to the Yankees in July of that season. He remained with the Yankees (re-signing with them twice) through the 2000 season, winning four titles with the Bronx Bombers.

Cone hit his individual career apex on July 18, 1999, when he threw a perfect game against the Montreal Expos on a sweltering day at Yankee Stadium. Cone was far less effective in 2000, his last year with the Yankees, with a 4-14 record and a 6.91 ERA. In the World Series against the Mets, Cone recorded a key out against Mike Piazza in game four. Piazza was the only batter Cone faced in that entire series.

Over his 17-year career, Cone logged a record of 194-126, with an ERA of 3.46, and ERA+ of 121, and a 1.256 WHIP. He struck out 2,668 batters in 2898.2 innings pitched, allowing 2.504 hits. He was a five-time all star, and had a career bWAR of 61.6.

Cone, who turned 58 years old in January,  is currently a broadcaster with the Yankees, and can be heard doing color commentary with Paul O’Neill alongside Michael Kay.

The post OTD in 2003: Mets Sign David Cone For Return Engagement appeared first on Metsmerized.

Here is proof that some good came out of the abominable 1992 season. Hoping to eradicate a disastrous conclusion to 1991, the Mets’ winter maneuvering was predicated upon acquiring proven veterans.

Bret Saberhagen, Eddie Murray, and Willie Randolph were among the newcomers, joining Gooden and HoJo to help foster expectations of a division title. The initial test of this experiment came against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. And it was the heroics of the most prized addition that made the difference. The Mets hoped Bobby Bonilla, a former Pittsburgh Pirate and still just 29 years old, would be a long-term presence with the franchise. Be careful what you wish for.

Here are the highlights:

• Ozzie Smith, the Cardinals’ Hall of Fame shortstop, does his trademark back flip at 3:58 to commemorate the start of the new season.
• New additions Willie Randolph, Bonilla, Murray, Bill Pecota are in the starting lineup
• St. Louis sports an eventual Met (Todd Zeile) at third base, a former Met (Jose Oquendo) at shortstop, and an old friend as manager (Joe Torre).
• Both teams have uniform adjustments from the previous season — each ditching v-neck pullovers for classic button-downs. The patch on the left sleeve of the Mets’ jerseys has an ‘S’ in tribute to the recently-passed William Shea, who pushed for National League baseball to return to New York in the early 60s.
• Bonilla leads off the top of the fourth against Jose de Leon with a shot to right at 38:28.
• St. Louis, up 2-1, looked to close the game out at 1:53:57. Lee Smith is on the mound and double-play candidate Mackey Sasser is at the plate with runners at first and third and one out.
• You can count the amount of positive Bobby Bonilla moments on one hand. Tonight was one of them, proven at 2:16:47.
• John Franco came in to preserve Bonilla’s heroics starting at 2:21:23.

The rest of the season (and Bonilla’s career, for that matter)…well, that’s better left unsaid.

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By John Jackson

Good morning Mets fans! Ahead of the New York Yankees’ postseason opener, it was the New York Mets who were the talk of the town on Thursday as they fired manager Mickey Callaway. The Mets have now begun their search for a new manager in a loaded field where many names are being thrown around.

Latest Mets News

After Callaway’s firing, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen told reporters on a conference call that the rest of the coaching staff is being evaluated. Tim Britton of The Athletic noted that nobody from the coaching staff are under contract for 2020.

The fate of one member of the coaching staff has already been made clear as Jim Riggleman will not return as the Mets bench coach according to William Ladson of MLB.com.

Also two other coaching staff members’ jobs appear safe as Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported that Mets want hitting coach Chili Davis and pitching coach Phil Regan back in 2020 if there is mutual interest.

During Van Wagenen’s conference call, he also put to rest any lingering trade rumors regarding Noah Syndergaard and Edwin Diaz. Both players will be on the 2020 team according to Van Wagenen.

David Cone expressed interest in the Mets’ vacant managerial position if contacted.

Pete Alonso was named the Mets’ nominee for the Hank Aaron Award, which is awarded to the best overall offensive player in each league. Aaron, a panel of Hall of Famers and fans vote on which players gets the award. The Mets are among 10 MLB teams who have never had one of their players win the award.

Latest MLB News

Some Baltimore Orioles season-ticket holders received handwritten “thank you” notes from players after they finished the 2019 campaign with the second-worst record in MLB, as reported by Dan Connolly of The Athletic.

Benjamin Mullin and Jeffrey Trachtenberg of the Wall Street Journal covered the news about around 40 positions at Sports Illustrated being eliminated by their new operator, TheMaven Inc.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced that CC Sabathia will not be on the Yankees ALDS roster since his pitching shoulder was not bouncing back after his relief appearance. Boone also revealed that the starters for the ALDS will be James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka and Luis Severino, in that order.

Latest NL East News

The Atlanta Braves’ ninth-inning comeback in Game 1 of the NLDS came up short against the St. Louis Cardinals as they fell 7-6. The Braves had a 3-1 lead heading into the eighth, which turned into a 3-3 tie heading into the ninth. The Braves then entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 7-3 and fought back, but ultimately fell short.

Chris Martin left Game 1 of the NLDS with an oblique injury and is not expected to return during the postseason according to David O’Brien of The Athletic.

The Washington Nationals were shutout 6-0 by the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLDS. They were limited to two hits and three walks. On the Dodgers side, Gavin Lux made franchise history with his pinch hit home run, as he was the youngest Dodger to hit a postseason home run (21 years, 314 days).

Latest on MMO/MMN

Matt Musico broke down the bullpen statistics and concluded that Seth Lugo was more valuable than the entire rest of the bullpen combined.

Pat Ragazzo wrote about the Mets’ core being a reason to be optimistic for the team in 2020.

Christopher Soto wrote about how Andres Gimenez and Ali Sanchez performed in the Arizona Fall League on Wednesday.

This Day in Mets History

1969: The Mets defeated the Braves by a score of 9-5 in the first game of the inaugural National League Championship Series.

1972: The Mets beat the Expos 3-1 to finish the season over .500. Despite collecting 83 wins as a team, the club made MLB history by becoming the first team to finish a season without any player collecting at least 100 hits.

1999: The Mets triumphed over the Reds 5-0 in a Game 163. Al Leiter pitched a complete game shutout in which he only allowed four walks and two hits. Rey Ordonez also extended his major league record for errorless games at shortstop to 100.

2010: The Mets fired manager Jerry Manuel and general manager Omar Minaya following a 79-83 season; their second-straight losing season in a row.

Birthdays: Dennis Cook turns 57.

The post Morning Briefing: The Managerial Search Has Begun! appeared first on Metsmerized.

Good morning Mets fans! The New York Mets (27-29) lost their four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers (38-19) after falling 2-0 to the Dodgers on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium. The Mets will continue their West Coast road trip as they open up a three-game set with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday at 9:40 p.m. EDT.

Latest Mets News

Zack Wheeler (4-3, 4.63 ERA) will get the nod for the first game of the series. Jon Duplantier (1-0, 2.25 ERA) will serve as opposition to Wheeler. Game coverage will be on SNY, WCBS 880 and ESPN 1050.

The Athletic’s Twitter account, @TheAthleticNYC, tweeted out a video from 2016 that showed Pete Alonso‘s reaction to being drafted by the Mets.

Jason Vargas lowered his ERA to 4.46 after Thursday’s game, which is better than Syndergaard’s 4.90 ERA and Wheeler’s 4.63 ERA to date.

Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News suggested that the Mets should consider ditching Jeurys Familia as the team’s setup man.

Buster Olney of ESPN wrote that the Mets must be ready to become sellers before the 2019 trade deadline.

Latest MLB News

Jeff Passan of ESPN wrote a column about the need for full protective netting at ballparks in light of the little girl who was struck by a foul ball on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park.

Former Pittsburgh Pirate Jared Hughes agreed with Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell‘s statement that Pirates are throwing at Reds intentionally, per Jay Morrison of The Athletic.

Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times highlighted Hyun-Jin Ryu‘s unorthodox routine between starts which excludes having bullpen sessions. After his start against the Mets on Thursday, he lowered his MLB-best 1.65 ERA to an even lower 1.48 ERA.

The Chicago Cubs agreed to a minor league deal with Carlos Gonzalez, as reported by Jesse Rogers of ESPN.

Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel of FanGraphs released pre-draft rankings of teams’ farm systems.

Latest NL East News

The Philadelphia Phillies (33-23) continue their reign atop the NL East standings. They are followed by the Atlanta Braves (30-26; 3.0 games behind), Mets (27-29; 6.0 games behind), Washington Nationals (24-32; 9.0 games behind) and Miami Marlins (19-35; 13.0 games behind).

In addition to the Mets’ loss, the Phillies lost 5-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals and the Marlins lost 3-1 to the San Francisco Giants. The Braves and Nationals had a day off following the conclusion of their two-game series on Wednesday.

David O’Brien of The Athletic wrote a piece on the Braves’ selection of Chipper Jones first overall in the 1990 MLB Draft.

Latest on MMO/MMN

Mathew Brownstein interviewed both David Cone and Jack Curry.

Matt Musico took a deeper look at some of the reasons why Jacob deGrom has not consistently produced his typical top quality pitching this season.

Brian Greenzang analyzed Noah Syndergaard‘s start from Wednesday.

Michael Mayer wrote about Edwin Diaz‘s meltdown in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s game.

Mayer also wrote about the offensive performance during Wednesday’s game from the youthful top of the lineup.

Logan Barer wrote about Alonso’s record-breaking season so far and the record-breaking pace he is on for home runs by a Mets rookie.

Roberto Correa wrote about FanGraphs’ latest mock draft which had the Mets selecting Bryson Stott, a shortstop out of the University of Nevada Las Vegas, with the 12th overall pick.

This Day in Mets History

1964: The Mets were swept by the Giants in a doubleheader which went a total of 32 innings and lasted nine hours and 52 minutes combined. While the first game of the doubleheader was only nine innings, the second was the longest game played in MLB history at the time. It went 23 innings and lasted seven hours and 23 minutes. Roy McMillan and Ed Kranepool also turned a rare 6-6-3 triple play in the 14th inning for the second triple play in franchise history.

1991: The Mets traded Tim Teufel to the San Diego Padres for Garry Templeton.

Birthdays: Gerson Bautista turns 24, Joe Orsulak turns 57 and Dwight Bernard turns 67.

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Continue West Coast Road Trip In Arizona appeared first on Metsmerized.