Although he was a gifted defender, the native of Niles, California, won just one gold glove during his 16 major league seasons. He ended his career with a fielding percentage of .976, playing the vast majority of his games at shortstop. Harrelson was generally a light hitter, ending his career with a slash line of .236/.327/.615. Small in stature (five feet, eleven inches tall, and 160 pounds), Buddy ran well (127 career stolen bases) and was a skillful bunter.

Bud Harrelson, Ed Kranepool.

Many associated with the Mets’ organization, including Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, and Ron Darling, have expressed their memories of the team’s primary shortstop from 1967-1977. The themes of their comments have been very consistent. Harrelson was a good player, but his value was more than his slash line or his outs above average. He was a genuinely nice man, a hard worker, a great teammate, and a competitor who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind.

Here are some memories from a fan who was lucky enough to see some of his career in real time. One thing that jumps out immediately is that former broadcaster, the late Lindsey Nelson, would seemingly remind the audience every game that Harrelson was born on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

In the 1973 season, the Mets had a remarkable September run to the World Series. They took down the mighty Cincinnati Reds in the National League Championship Series, setting up a date with the reigning champion Oakland Athletics. The Mets lost Game One, and of course, needed a win in Game Two. The game went to extra innings. Harrelson led off the tenth inning with a single and was on third with one out when Felix Millan hit a fly ball to fairly shallow left field. Left fielder Joe Rudi made the catch, and Bud decided to challenge the throw with his great speed.

Though he was called out, Harrelson certainly appeared to be safe. During the argument, he was ejected and said to the umpire, “You can’t throw me out because of your incompetence!” That was a glimpse at his fiery nature that endeared him to his teammates.

When Mets fans of a certain age think of Harrelson, their thoughts most often go to Game Three of the 1973 NLCS. Here’s the backstory. The Mets had great pitching, and in the first two games of the series (split one to one), Mets’ pitching held the Big Red Machine to two runs and eight hits. Harrelson quipped after Game Two that the Mets’ hurlers were making the Reds’ great hitters “look like a bunch of Bud Harrelsons.”

This did not land well, and the Reds went into Game Three with a chip on their shoulders. Pete Rose, attempting to break up a double play, went hard into second base, drawing Harrelson’s ire. A fight erupted, and it went like this.

That winter, Harrelson presented Rose with a “nice guy award” at a banquet, and said he threw his best punch at Rose, “hitting his fist with my eye.” His sense of humor was one of the reasons Bud was so popular wherever he went.

I’d like to close this with a semi-personal story. In the 1980s, a cousin of mine went to an awards dinner where Harrelson was among the honorees. My cousin happened to park near Harrelson, and they walked in at the same time, engaging in some light chit-chat. My cousin took the opportunity to express his admiration of Harrelson but said that he was a die-hard Yankees fan.

Later that night, my cousin was wandering around the parking lot, trying to remember where he parked (no car chirping back then). Harrelson went to his car and saw my cousin aimlessly roaming the parking lot. Bud yelled across the parking lot, “Hey buddy, it’s over here!” That’s a pretty nice gesture from an athlete and an honoree to some guy who expressed loyalty to the cross-town rivals.

It’s a sad day in the Mets’ organization. One of the team’s legends has passed on.

Rest in peace, Derrel McKinley Harrelson.

The post Remembering Mets’ Shortstop Bud Harrelson appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On Wednesday night, the MLB season officially ended as the Texas Rangers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2023 World Series, four games to one. Winning Game 5 of the series by a score of 5-0, the 2023 Rangers gave the franchise their first-ever World Series trophy since its inception in 1961.

Game 5 was the definition of a pitcher’s duel, even though each side’s pitcher did it in their own way. Nathan Eovaldi did a masterful job of wiggling in and out of trouble throughout his six innings of work, as the Diamondbacks were getting runners into scoring position consistently. While the D-backs couldn’t cash in on any of their early chances, their ace Zac Gallen did more than keep them in the game as he started his outing with six no-hit innings. However, Mitch Garver helped the Rangers scratch across a run as he was the third of three consecutive hits off of Gallen in the seventh inning. But the final blow came in the ninth inning; Jonah Heim scorched a two-RBI single, which was followed by a Marcus Semien two-run home run, as the Rangers solidified their championship win.

Corey Seager won his second Willie Mays World Series MVP as he tallied three home runs, six RBIs, and hit for a 1.137 OPS during the five-game series. Additionally, three former Mets — Max Scherzer, Travis Jankowski, and Jacob deGrom — became World Series champions, Scherzer winning his second. Rangers GM Chris Young also played for the Mets, and interviewed for their GM opening in 2020. 

Just over a decade after losing back-to-back World Series, even being an out away from accomplishing the feat, Texas overcame all of the odds to win this year’s commissioner’s trophy. They became the third team in MLB history, including the 1969 New York Mets, to win the World Series just two seasons after losing 100 games. 

Latest Mets News

Andy Martino of SNY reported that Mets third base coach Joey Cora has heard from several teams regarding open coaching positions. Cora is not under contract with the Mets any longer, and his future with the team is uncertain as the Mets continue to make changes after the hiring of David Stearns. 

Joel Sherman of the New York Post gave two significant updates to the Mets managerial search on Wednesday, as he reported that the Mets have interviewed Carlos Mendoza and Andy Green for the position. Mendoza, who has been with the Yankees organization for 15 seasons and has spent the past four as their bench coach, is reportedly also in a second-round callback interview with the Mets per Andy Martino of SNY. Green is a former major leaguer, playing four games for the Mets, and has managing experience as he formerly managed the San Diego Padres. 

Latest MLB News

Evan Drellich of The Athletic reported that Major League Baseball will no longer use uniform employee contracts, the agreements with standardized language that MLB long required managers, coaches, trainers, and salaried scouts to agree to across the 30 teams. Clubs are now to draft their own contracts, allowing terms to vary as the MLB makes this move to protect the league office against liability. However, Drellich reports that many are worried that clubs will now attempt to include language that works against employees in new ways. 

MLB’s Arizona Fall League announced the participants for their 2023 Home Run Derby, which will take place on Saturday, November 4. The field has several top prospects: Kevin Alcántara, Kyle Manzardo, Aaron Sabato, Ivan Melendez, Wes Clarke, Damiano Palmegiani, Gabriel Rincones Jr., and Kala’i Rosario.

The San Diego Padres recently took out a $50 million loan to help cover payroll, per a report from Dennis Lin, Evan Drellich, and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Despite being in a bottom-third media market in the league, San Diego had one of the highest payrolls in baseball, as they are obligated to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr., and others. According to the article, the loan was taken out to “address short-term cash flow issues and meet their obligations, including payroll.”

Latest on MMO

Allison Waxman looked back at the infamous Matt Harvey ninth inning in Game 5 of the 2015 World Series and asked the readers, should he have gone back out?

Jett Williams‘ plan to make his major league debut in 2024 was highlighted by Alexis Farinacci. 

Evan Mazza looked into the Mets’ recent interviews for their open manager position. 

On This Date in Mets History

2015: After a historic postseason run in which he led the Mets to an unexpected World Series appearance, Daniel Murphy graces the cover of Sports Illustrated, titled “The Amazin’ Murphy.”

1972: The Mets traded Gary Gentry and Danny Frisella and, in return, acquired Félix Millán and George Stone from the Atlanta Braves. Both players the Mets received played crucial roles in their 1973 pennant-winning season; Millán hit .290 and received MVP votes, while Stone went 12-3 with a 2.80 ERA.

Birthdays: Denyi Reyes (27), Tom Paciorek (77)

The post Morning Briefing: Texas Rangers Win First World Series Championship appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Travis d’Arnaud. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

There was a time when the Atlanta Braves didn’t always have the New York Mets’ number when it mattered most. Go back to 1969 and the inaugural NLCS. Atlanta actually came out of the West and were quickly gone in a best-of-five sweep. The first two players on our list of Mets-Braves overlap were part of that, but the ties between New York and Atlanta are few and far between aside from mutual dislike. Here’s a bit of source material for your future immaculate grids.

Gary Gentry – Mets (1969-72), Braves (1973-75)

In the shadow of a rotation headed by names like Koosman and Seaver, there was the 22-year-old rookie who won 13 times in ’69 with a 3.43 ERA and three shutouts. One of those came in the NL East clincher on September 24. He gave up only four hits and set off a wild Shea celebration. The party continued through the playoffs and through the World Series, where he was the winner in Game 3.

His career though did not go on an upward track following the championship year. He more or so leveled out and was no better than a league-average pitcher over the next three seasons. The Mets deemed him and reliever Danny Frisella, who regressed after an outstanding 1971 out of the bullpen, expendable enough to be dealt. It turned out to be a two-for-two swap. One player the Mets got in return was George Stone. The other? See below.

Félix Millán – Braves (1966-72), Mets (1973-77)

It became one of the best trades in the early history of the Mets. As it turned out, Gentry’s career never really recovered once in Atlanta. Millán, meanwhile, became the most underrated piece to the ’73 NL champs. He had already established himself with the Braves—making three All-Star teams and claiming a Gold Glove Award at second base. In a year when regulars were dropping like flies from injury, Millán played in 153 games and helped the Mets turn an NL–leading 179 double plays while hitting .290 and establishing a franchise record 185 hits as the No. 2 batter in the order.

While he could never come close to repeating his 1973, Millán remained steady. He typified the term everyday player and set team records for hits (191) and doubles (37) in 1975.

Joe Torre – Braves (1966-68), Mets (1975-77)

Torre played for the Braves and later played for the Mets. Then he immediately transitioned to managing the Mets before being fired and taking over the Braves gig. He was a superior player in Atlanta due to better surroundings and younger age. From 1963-68, he had an OPS+ of 135 and was an All-Star in all but one season. In a lineup that featured, among others, Hank Aaron, Torre drove in 100 or more runs twice even if his speed contributed to his league-leading double-play totals.

He was a more successful manager in Atlanta due to better surroundings and the lessons learned in New York. Torre took over the reins in Queens just as Tom Seaver was heading out and was given a thankless task. Being fired in 1981 turned out to be a blessing as he led the Braves to a division title in ’82.

Mike Hampton – Mets (2000), Braves (2003-05, 2008)

That Atlanta school system must be really good. Hampton’s only regular season in New York was good, but his postseason was great. From late March to late September, the left-hander had a 3.14 ERA and earned 15 victories. But he really justified in acquisition in October. Hampton strung together 16 consecutive scoreless innings against the St. Louis Cardinals, capped by a brilliant three-hit shutout in the clinching Game 5. He was rightfully named the series’ MVP.

Famously citing the superior Denver education system, Hampton bolted the Big Apple for Colorado. From there, he excelled as a hitting pitcher but his actual pitching never improved. His tenure with the Braves was interrupted by a two-year hiatus due to numerous injuries.

Tom Glavine – Braves (1987-2002, 2008), Mets (2003-07)

When thinking of great left-handed pitchers and the Atlanta Braves, it’s hard not to think of Glavine. When thinking of Glavine and the Mets, it’s impossible not to think of his final game. The Hall of Famer had a legendary meltdown in the opening inning of a must-win season finale versus Florida. After allowing seven runs, a five-season tenure marked by a 3.97 ERA and his 300th win just a few weeks ago was overshadowed. The Mets’ chances of a postseason berth went up in smoke and the collapse was all but complete. The frustration was amplified for several reasons, one being his dominance over New York during his time in Atlanta. In fairness, most teams couldn’t beat Glavine. From 1991-2002, he had an ERA+ of 134 and collected two Cy Youngs.

Billy Wagner – Mets (2006-09), Braves (2010)

If he makes the Hall of Fame, the highlights would be more Mets than Braves. That’s due to quantity than quality. By the end of his New York tenure, his arm wasn’t as strong as it was in Houston, Philadelphia, or during his initial years in Queens.

Wagner arrived to the Mets and became one of the best free-agent acquisitions. He saved 40 and pitched to a 2.24 ERA for the division-clinching ’06 club, finishing sixth in the NL Cy Young Award voting. Wagner was an All-Star for each of the next two seasons and ended up with a 10.9 strikeout/9 inning ratio before his 2008 was derailed by a significant elbow injury. An interlude with Boston preceded his joining the Braves, where he came back nicely with a 1.43 ERA over the last 71 games of his career.

Jeff Francoeur – Braves (2005-09), Mets (2009, 2010)

Full disclosure, it feels like Francoeur was on the Mets roster for more than two seasons. Maybe it was because we saw so much of him before then. Francoeur got to witness the successes and failures of New York from afar, then was right in the middle of it during Citi Field’s infancy. He was a decent hitter with a great outfield arm. His production at the plate over 75 games in 2009, coming over from Atlanta in a July trade, exceeded the performance in 2010 when he tailed off and was benched. At least his defense improved—he went from five assists for ’09 to 11 the very next year.

Travis d’Arnaud – Mets (2013-19), Braves (2020-present)

It can’t be forgotten that d’Arnaud was part of a terrific and timely trade with Toronto for Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey that also brought fellow Blue Jay prospect Noah Syndergaard into the Mets’ system. At his best, he helped the Mets win the 2015 National League pennant. At his worst, he was a liability at the plate and in the field.

By 2019, it was clear that d’Arnaud needed a change of scenery. It didn’t happen in Los Angeles or Tampa. Unfortunately for the Mets, the revival happened right within their division. Letting d’Arnaud go wasn’t a mistake by the Mets even as he’s found long-term success in Atlanta, as many seem to do.

The post Big Apple and Deep South: Playing for the Mets and Braves appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

For the first time since 1994, the Mets are hosting an Old Timers’ Day. What once had been a staple of the organization ever since the team originated has now been revived under the Steve Cohen regime, helped by crowdsourcing on Twitter shortly after taking ownership. The early years of the festivities celebrated New York’s brilliant baseball past, especially in 1977 when they brought out Joe DiMaggio, Duke Snider, Mickey Mantle, and Willie Mays — appropriately — from center field.

Now with 60 years of its own history to look back on, this latest version is entirely orange and blue. It’s a day that will span generations as 65 former Mets are taking part, some of whom date back to the very beginning of the franchise.

Plenty of famous faces will be there: Mike Piazza, Mookie Wilson, Keith Hernandez, and starting pitchers Dwight Gooden and Bartolo Colon, but many others who made an impact on this team’s unique past are also going to be recognized Saturday — and may even take their turn at the plate or on the mound. Here are just a few:

Jay Hook

The Mets have won over 4,630 times and it all began with him. Hook pitched a five-hit complete game and walking one in a 9-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field on April 21, 1962. The Northwestern University alum with a degree in engineering finished ’62 at 8-19 for the 40-120 club and ended his eight-year major league career as a Met in 1964. At 85 years old, Hook will toss out the ceremonial first pitch to Mike Piazza before the present-day Mets take the field for their contest with the Rockies and is hoping to pitch during the Old Timers’ Game.

Frank Thomas

The original Frank Thomas was also an original Met, acquired from the Milwaukee Braves on November 21, 1961. A the three-time All-Star with Pittsburgh clouted at least twenty-five homers in five different seasons—and found similar success with the short left-field porch of the Polo Grounds. He went three straight August games belting two home runs apiece and finished with 34 on the year, a mark which stood for 13 years. Although his power eventually subsided, Thomas topped the 1963 team in RBIs with 60—giving him a two-year total of 154 before getting sent to the Phillies in August 1964.

While Jay Hook is known for a Mets first, Orosco specialized in endings. Specifically in 1986, when he was on the mound for the NLCS and World Series clinchers. Orosco also has ties to the team’s first title, as he was traded to the Mets from Minnesota in exchange for the pitcher who finished the ’69 series, Jerry Koosman. The left-hander who set the MLB record for appearances had his longest stop in Queens, taking up eight of his remarkable 24-year career and racking up 107 saves. Often forgotten in the spotlight of ’86 was his stellar 1983 season, in which he had a 1.47 ERA and was third in the NL Cy Young Award voting.

Howard Johnson

HoJo might be the most underrated Met ever. There’s certainly a case to be made for him having the greatest hitting season, considering what he did in 1989: 36 homers, 101 RBIs, a league-best 104 runs scored, a career-best 41 stolen bases, and the highest single-season Mets totals in OPS+ (169) and offensive bWAR (8.0). Johnson recorded three 30-30 seasons in all (1987, ’89, ’91) and remains prominent on the franchise hitting leaderboards: fourth in home runs, fourth in RBIs, fourth in runs, and third in steals.

Rafael Santana

The starting shortstop on the 1986 Mets is largely forgotten because he didn’t have the star power of his teammates nor did he put up any tremendous figures with the bat. But Santana was a splendid fielder at shortstop and had the sixth-best defensive bWAR in the NL in ’86. He started all 13 games in the postseason that year, and set NLCS positional records for most putouts (13), assists (18) and chances (31). Santana took advantage of the lively ball in 1987, setting career-highs in homers and RBIs.

Terry Leach

The right-handed sidearmer had two separate stints with the Mets in the 1980s and was a godsend to the ’87 club. The loss of Dwight Gooden to drug rehab and Bob Ojeda to injury, among other ailments to New York pitchers, necessitated Leach’s insertion into the rotation. All he did was tally ten consecutive victories, seven of eight as a starter, and have an overall 11-1 record. The Mets were far healthier in ’88, keeping Leach in the bullpen but not keeping him off the mound, as made 52 appearances for the NL East champs and posted a 2.54 ERA.

Rico Brogna

Looking at his Baseball Reference page, it’s hard to believe he only played for the Mets in 228 games over three seasons. Because growing up, I swore he was their first baseman for like eight. Brogna had 138 plate appearances in 1994 but was quite efficient, slashing .351/.380/.626 with an OPS over 1.000. His only full season came in ’95, when those numbers dipped slightly but he still produced 22 homers and drove in 76 with 27 doubles, not to mention being stellar with the glove. A highlight for him came when he hit a walk-off homer on John Franco Day after Franco (and others) were ejected for their involvement in a brawl with the Cubs.

Turk Wendell

There’s quirky, then there’s Turk. Baseball is known for its superstitions and probably no one had more than Wendell. You always could figure out who was coming in to pitch when it was a guy with a shark tooth necklace emerging from the bullpen. Idiosyncrasies aside, he was an oft-used high-leverage reliever during one of the team’s best eras, appearing in 157 games from 1999-00 with a 145 ERA+. If he ends up pitching Saturday and doesn’t throw the rosin bag and jump over the baseline as he jogs to the dugout, we will have not gotten the full Turk Wendell experience.

The post An Old Timers’ Day Primer appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Felix Millan was one of my favorite Mets growing up.  Partly because he was a gritty ballplayer who played the keystone well, and partly because I also had the following card from the 1976 set, which showed the Mets second baseman with one of the most pronounced choking up batting positions in the history of the sport.

Choking up to maintain bat control, and avoid striking out, just the way ol’ Dad said to.

Millan had a very nice career as a player.  Playing from 1966 through 1977, Millan was a three-time All Star form 1969 to 1971, won two gold gloves, and despite the less-than-fearsome stance showed on the 1976 card above, had a lifetime .279 batting average.  Millan had the lowest strikeout rate in the National League four times (1971, ’73, ’74 and ’75).  In 1973, the Mets acquired Millan and George Stone from the Braves in exchange for Danny Frisella and Gary Gentry. Stone went 12 – 3 with a 2.80 ERA in 1973, and Millan capably replaced Ken Boswell, hitting .290 and playing defense well enough to get down ballot MVP votes while the Mets won the 1973 National League pennant.

Turning our attention to the 1978 card, let’s put our Sherlock Holmes deerstalker hat on our head and fire up the computer and turn to baseballreference.com to determine if we can answer the obvious questions being asked by the picture on the card:

1. Who is the base runner?
2. What date is the action taken from?
3. Was the batter safe or out at first?
4. Who was the pitcher?
5. Did the Mets win the game?

1) For those who don’t recall that for years #39 on the Pirates belonged to Dave Parker, we can turn to the Uniforms page on baseballreference.com for the 1977 Pirates and note that indeed, in 1977 Dave Parker wore number 39.

Parker had a stellar 1977 season for the Pirates as their full time right fielder.  He led the National League in hits with 215, and doubles with 44 while leading the league in batting with a .338 average.  Parker won his first gold glove in 1977, and had 7.4 bWAR while finishing third in National League MVP voting.

2) Looking at the card, we see the action is from a day game, and Millan is wearing the home uniform of the Mets while Parker is wearing the road uniform of the Pirates in 1977.  Also the field is grass.  We’re therefore looking for a day game from 1977 where Felix Millan played second against the Pirates and Parker was forced out at second, perhaps but not necessarily as part of a double play.

Using the Schedule & Results page from the 1977 Mets, we see the Mets mostly played night games against the Pirates in 1977.  The days were played on April 23, July 16 and a double header on July 17.  Turning to the box scores from each game, the April 23rd game can be eliminated as Millan did not play in the game for the Mets.  The July 16th game can be eliminated as Parker was never forced at second.  In the first game on the July 17th doubleheader, Parker went 0 – 4 and never reached base.  By process of elimination, the game was taken from the second game of the double header on July 17th, 1977 at Shea Stadium.

Indeed, looking at the box score and play by play from that game, we have two possibilities.  The first is the top of the first when Jerry Koosman was pitching and Parker on first, Al Oliver hit into an around the horn double play, Lenny Randle to Millan to John Stearns.  Looking at the clean uniform pants of Millan, that is my choice for the play.  However, in the top of the eighth, with one out and Skip Lockwood pitching with Parker on first, Bill Robinson hit into an a double play, Millan unassisted to Ed Kranepool at first.  However, seeing how close Parker is to second, a grounder to second would be unlikely to have Millan turned that way if he was touching second, nor Parker getting that close to second, especially compared to an around the horn double play.  In addition, by the 8th inning, Millan had already tripled, scored 2 runs and to me would not have had such a clean uniform.  Also, Parker’s uniform would also be dirtier from the double play in the first, if it were the eighth inning.

3) Likely Al Oliver (first inning) or perhaps Bill Robinson (eighth inning) in either event the runner was out at first as no other times was Parker retired on a force at second.

4) Likely Jerry Koosman (first inning), less likely, Skip Lockwood, (eighth inning).

5) The Mets, who finished the 1977 season with a dismal 64 – 98 record, have one of their victories shown on the card, as the Mets won the game 9 – 3.

Let’s take a deerstalker hat off now my fellow baseball card sleuths and hang it on the peg on the wall.  Remember until next time………………………

Lets Go Mets 

The post 1978 Felix Millan, Topps Card Number 505 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The New York Mets will host the Arizona Diamondbacks at 7:10 tonight. Robert Gsellman will start for New York against Taijuan Walker.

Yesterday, the Mets could not take the rubber game against the Marlins. Jacob deGrom was not at his best but his defense did not do him any favors. The Mets made a late surge but ultimately fell short as they lost 6-4.

Latest Mets News

Matt Harvey continues his rehab assignment with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies tomorrow. He will likely throw 60 pitches or so judging by his previous starts.

The Mets acquired Jacob Rhame as the player to be named later in the Curtis Granderson deal. Rhame was the Dodgers 28th ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline. He throws hard with good command.

Lefty Josh Edgin has a tear in his meniscus and Tyler Pill has bone spurs and chips in his pitching elbow which you can read about here.

Latest NL East News

Trea Turner and Jayson Werth will begin rehab assignments. Both will have key roles on the Nationals postseason roster.

Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald recaps the trade of Tom Koehler.

Mark Bowman of MLB.com talks about Gold-Glover Brandon Phillips‘ transition to third base.

Matt Gelb of Philly.com thinks prospect J.P. Crawford will be called up soon.

Latest on MMO

Rob Piersall writes about the Mets’ youth movement.

This Day in Mets History

2015: Yoenis Cespedes has his coming out party as a Met. The slugger swats a grand slam as part of his three-homer game against the Rockies.

Birthdays: Bruce Berenyi turns 63, John Stearns turns 66, Felix Millan turns 74

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Look To Eclipse Diamondbacks appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

As Mets fans, we have had a lot to be thankful for over the years. First and foremost, we have a team we care about deeply. They give us a release from our daily trials and pressures.

If you’re a shut-in, they give you entertainment and a sense of belonging to a greater entity. They make your day.

They are our team, unlike any other, and we are thankful for the passion in our hearts whenever we find our seat at Citi Field or turn on the television. For the next three hours, they entertain and sometimes frustrate us. But, we’ll always watch.

I don’t believe in the term “die hard Mets fan,’’ because dying means you eventually turn away from them. If you’re a fan, you always stay. Once you give your heart to them, you don’t take it back.

I also don’t believe in “long suffering Mets fan.” They might frustrate us, but we don’t watch to suffer. We watch in hope.

It’s why, on the day after Thanksgiving, you’re reading Mets blogs, you’re waiting for the Winter Meetings and the hope they’ll do something big, and you’re waiting for spring training.

Quite frankly, the Wilpons and GM Sandy Alderson, from their lofty perches, don’t understand what we do about the team they run.

It’s the holiday season and the order is Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and Opening Day. Aren’t they the ones that really matter?

As a Mets fan, what are you most thankful for?

How about William Shea, who when the Dodgers and Giants left the city, fought to bring National League baseball back to New York?

You’re thankful for:

Catcher Hobie Landrith, the first player taken by the Mets in the 1961 expansion draft.

Casey Stengel, the Old Professor was the Mets’ first manager. His words made us dizzy as we watched that 120-loss team in 1962.

Don Zimmer, a Brooklyn Dodger who became an original Met.

Frank Thomas, the Mets’ first star and Ron Hunt, the first All-Star.

We’re thankful for the legends of Marvelous Marv Throneberry; Choo-Choo Coleman; Al Jackson; Roger Craig; Jim Hickman; Roy McMillan and his specs; Jay Hook, the winning pitcher in the club’s first victory.

We’re thankful for the former stars who became Mets for a brief time: Richie Ashburn, Gus Bell, Duke Snider, Yogi Berra, and, of course, Gil Hodges.

We’re thankful the Mets let us watch baseball once again in the Polo Grounds. And, we’re thankful for Shea Stadium, that when it opened in 1964 brought a bright and shiny toy for our team to play in.

Once state-of-the-art, even when Shea Stadium became cold, drafty and leaky, we’re thankful because it was our home.

We’re thankful for Hodges’ steadying hand that brought us the Miracle Mets of 1969, with the celebration at Shea Stadium. We’re thankful the Mets became baseball’s best “worst-to-first story.’’

We’re thankful for 1969, and the brilliance that was Tom Seaver, a future Hall of Famer and the franchise’s greatest player.

We’re thankful that season also showcased Jerry Koosman’s guile; Jerry Grote’s toughness; Bud Harrelson’s steadiness at shortstop; Ed Kranepool, who struggled through the hard times to taste champagne; for Tommie Agee’s glove and power; for the addition of Donn Clendenon; and for the steady bat of Cleon Jones.

We’re thankful Hodges had the backbone to publicly discipline Jones, a turning point to that season.

We’re thankful we saw a real team in 1969, with many non-descript players had their moments. Al Weis, Ron Swoboda, Don Cardwell, Ken Boswell, J.C. Martin, Joe Foy, and so many others.

We’re thankful we got to see Nolan Ryan in his Hall of Fame infancy that year.

We’re thankful for organist Jane Jarvis, sign-man Karl Ehrhardt, Banner Day, and the guy we sit next to for nine innings and talk Mets.

We’re also thankful for the second championship season, 1986, when victory was expected and featured one of the game’s greatest comebacks.

We’re thankful the immense talent that wooed us that summer: the brashness of manager Davey Johnson who predicted domination; Keith Hernandez’s leadership, a nifty glove and timely bat; the captaincy of Gary Carter that put the team over the top; the grit and toughness of Lenny Dykstra, Wally Backman and Ray Knight; the prodigious power of Darryl Strawberry; and, of course, Mookie Wilson.

We’re thankful for Dwight Gooden’s mastery and the K Corner; Sid Fernandez’s overpowering stuff; and the calmness of Ron Darling and Bob Ojeda. We’re thankful for the deepest rotation in franchise history.

We’re thankful the “ball got through Buckner.”

Although they didn’t win, we’re thankful for the World Series runs in 1973, 2000 and 2015. Because, even in defeat, those teams brought thrills, joy and pride.

We’re thankful for so many more stars thrilled us, even if it was for a brief time: Lee Mazzilli and Rusty Staub; Jon Matlack and Al Leiter; John Milner and Carlos Delgado; Roger McDowell and Jesse Orosco; John Stearns and Felix Millan; Tug McGraw and David Cone; Howard Johnson and Edgardo Alfonzo; Jose Reyes and Daniel Murphy; Hubie Brooks and John Olerud; Rey Ordonez and John Franco; Dave Kingman and Rickey Henderson.

There are so many. You think of one and another comes to mind.

We’re thankful we got to see Willie Mays one more time in a New York uniform. He wasn’t vintage, but the memories of him were.

We’re thankful Carlos Beltran always busted his butt for us, even playing with a fractured face.

We’re thankful for Johan Santana’s willingness to take the ball and the night he finally gave us a no-hitter.

We’re thankful to have a player who embodies the word “class,’’ and that is David Wright. We’re thankful we saw his development from prospect to All-Star. He means so much to us that we hurt when he hurts.

We’re thankful the game’s greatest hitting catcher, Mike Piazza, thought so much of his time here that he chose to wear a Mets’ cap into the Hall of Fame. There’s no greater honor a player can give to his city and fan base.

We’re thankful for the great rotations we’ve had, and for the future of the rotation we have now: Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler. They give us dreams.

We’re thankful for scintillating moments veteran journeymen pitchers R.A. Dickey and Bartolo Colon gave us. They gave us a chance to win every fifth day.

We’re thankful for Citi Field, one of baseball’s jewel stadiums. Hopefully, it will bring us the great moments Shea Stadium did.

We’re thankful for so many great plays, from Jones’ catch to end the `69 Series to the plays made by Agee and Swoboda that year. … For Staub playing with a busted shoulder in `73, and, Endy Chavez’s catch in the 2006 NLCS.

We’re thankful for the summer Yoenis Cespedes gave us in 2015 and wonder if he’ll be back for more.

We’re thankful for the enduring pictures and images spun by the words of Bob Murphy, Ralph Kiner and Lindsey Nelson. We’re thankful for Kiner’s stories and malapropos; Nelson’s sports coats and the soothing voice of Murph, especially after that win over the Phillies: “and the Mets win it … They win the damn thing.”

We’re thankful for that great broadcasting team, and the one we have now in Gary, Keith and Ron. We’re thankful Gary Cohen is staying.

We’re thankful for the voices when we’re in our cars or grilling on the deck: Howie Rose and Josh Lewin bring us to the game.

We’re thankful for so many memories and for the memories to come.

Yes, with Thanksgiving gone and Christmas approaching, the Mets give us so many reasons to be thankful. Not the least of which is hope for 2017.

To see more of John’s writing check out the New York Mets Report

The post Mets Give Us Many Reasons To Be Thankful appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

I was on vacation in Japan when the Mets acquired Felix Millan in the winter of 1972.

I found out about the trade – Millan and lefty pitcher George Stone from the Atlanta Braves for starting pitcher Gary Gentry and reliever Danny Frisella – via a tiny mention of it in the International Edition of the New York Times.

1972 had been a very disappointing, injury-filled season for the Mets. Prior to the season, the Mets had acquired perennial All-Stars Jim Fregosi and Rusty Staub. Adding them to the lineup to go along with the best pitching in baseball figured to make the Mets a strong favorite for another championship.

Unfortunately, by the time the season ended, the pitching was intact, but the lineup was in shambles. In addition to the injuries, regular second baseman Ken Boswell finished the season batting .211, bad any way you look at it, but especially for a second baseman whose bat was considered his best asset. So the Mets looked for a replacement.

Millan was a former all-star coming off his worst season, but undoubtedly a better second baseman than Boswell. Gentry was, at 26, still young enough to become a star, although he was no better than a third starter with the Mets. Stone was a fringe major leaguer and Frisella a good reliever who was behind Tug McGraw in the Mets’ bullpen hierarchy.

At the time, the deal didn’t look all that good to me, because Millan at best was “steady” and Stone looked like he’d struggle to make the Mets, while the two pitchers the Mets gave up were young enough and good enough to have long, productive careers. But it turned out to be a steal for the Mets.

In seven seasons with the Braves, Millan batted .281 with a .668 OPS and a cumulative 9.4 WAR in 799 games. In that era, and long before the steroids era, those numbers ranged between very good and All Star level for a second baseman.

After joining the Mets, “The Cat” as he was known, continued to produce at that level but also became very accomplished in another distinguishing aspect of his game. The three-time All Star batted .279 with a .663 OPS and 8.1 WAR in 4 1/2 seasons with the Amazins.

Millan also became MLB’s toughest player to strikeout and was always putting the ball in play and making things happen. For five consecutive seasons, one with the Braves and four with the Mets, he led the league in At-Bat to Strikeout ratio.

In fact, during his tenure with the Mets he finished with a remarkable 3.1% strikeout rate – the best mark in the majors during that span. To put that into raw numbers, that’s 92 strikeouts in 2,954 plate appearances.

With his trademark style of choking up on the bat, Milan was a catalyst for the Mets at the top of the order, batting second and hitting .291 while scoring 82 runs during the team’s incredible 1973 season. Unfortunately, the Mets ended up losing the World Series to the Oakland A’s in seven games.

A Puerto Rican native, Millan gave the Mets four very solid seasons before he was forced to retire in 1977 because of a serious shoulder injury he sustained in a brawl with Pirates catcher Ed Ott.

After Ott slid hard into Millan to break up a double play, the smallish second baseman punched Ott in the face with his fist clenched around the baseball. Ott responded by lifting Millan off his feet and then slamming him hard onto the ground. He did attempt to resurrect his career playing in Japan, but that was the last MLB game Millan would ever play.

George Stone was remarkable for the 1973 Mets, finishing 12-3 with a 2.80 ERA in 148 innings. After ’73, Stone did little to help the Mets and was gone after two more mediocre seasons. But clearly, this trade put the Mets in the 1973 World Series as much as anything.

As for Gentry and Frisella, elbow problems plagued Gentry for the rest of his career and he never really helped the Braves. He got one last spring training shot with the Mets a few years later, but was quickly released. Frisella was a mediocre reliever the rest of his career before his untimely passing in a dune-buggy accident before the 1977 season.

Did You Know?

On July 21, 1975, Joe Torre set an MLB record by grounding into four double-plays in a single game. Felix Millan had a nice 4-for-4 day at the plate singling all four times while batting ahead of Joe Torre in that game.

Afterward, Torre went into the clubhouse turned to the reporters at his locker and famously said, “I’d like to thank Felix Millan for making all of this possible.”

Millan jokingly responded, “Geesh, you’d think that big oaf would at least hit a two-run homer or something.”

The post Amazin Moments: Mets Trade For Felix Millan and George Stone appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Going around the Diamond – there have been 24 different players in the Mets 52 year history that would could be classified as the “everyday” second baseman.

So who has played there the most? (seasons classified as the main second baseman in parenthesis)

10. Tim Teufel (1987). Tim played in 325 games (251 starts) at second for the Mets as the other half of the platoon with Wally Backman. He played in 93 games (72 starts) at second in 1987 to classify him as the “main” second baseman that season (although Wally Backman actually started 76 games, but appeared in 87 games at second that year – fewer than Teufel). In his 6 seasons as a Met, Tim hit .256 with 35 HR and 164 RBI.

9. Gregg Jefferies (1989-1991). Gregg played 328 games at second (308 starts). With the Mets, he was a .276 hitter with 42 HR, 205 RBI, 96 doubles, and 63 SB. He led the National League with 40 doubles in 1990.

8. Luis Castillo (2007-2010). Luis played in 342 games at second (325 starts). As a Met, he hit .274 with 5 HR, 105 RBI, and 55 SB.

7. Jeff Kent (1993-95). Jeff appeared in 390 games at second (383 starts). With the Mets, he hit .279 with 67 HR, 267 RBI and 98 doubles.

6. Ron Hunt (1963-64, 1966). Ron played 420 games at second (411 starts). As a Mets, he hit .282 with 20 HR and 127 RBI. He was an All-Star in 1964 & 1966.

5. Ken Boswell (1969-72). Ken played 506 games at second (472 starts). With the Mets, he hit .250 with 31 HR and 193 RBI.

4. Edgardo Alfonzo (1999-2001). Fonzie was the primary second baseman for the two back-to-back playoff teams and was also the Mets primary third baseman in 4 other seasons. As a Met, he hit .292 with 120 HR and 538 RBI. In 1999, he hit .304 with 27 HR, 108 RBI, scored 123 runs and hit 41 doubles with a .384 OBP. In 2000, he hit .324 with 25 HR, 94 RBI, scored 109 runs and hit 40 doubles with a .425 OBP. He was an All-Star in 2000 and the won the Silver Slugger award in 1999. Fonzie was, in my opinion, the best second baseman in franchise history.

3. Doug Flynn (1978-1981). Doug came to the Mets in the June 15, 1977 trade that banished Tom Seaver to the Reds. Doug appeared in 530 games at second (496 starts). In the Orange and Blue, he hit .234 with 5 HR and 155 RBI. In 1980, he won a Gold Glove.

2. Felix Millan (1973-77). Felix appeared in 674 games at second (657 starts) and in 1975, he started 162 games. With the Mets, he hit .278 with 8 HR and 182 RBI.

1. Wally Backman (1982, 1984-86, 1988). Wally played in more games at second than any other Met, appearing in 680 games at second (577 starts). He hit .283 with 7 HR and 165 RBI and 106 RBI.

The post Around the Diamond – What’s on Second? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

This is where I tip my cap to Daniel Murphy.

Before I begin, let me preface this by saying that if you’re not a Daniel Murphy supporter, then in all likelihood you will not be a fan of this post.  (And for the record, the title of this piece was suggested by my Gal For All Seasons, so I’m not alone in my appreciation for the Mets’ second baseman.)

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s look back at the great second baseman in Mets history.  There’s Edgardo Alfonzo and there’s … uh … well …  there’s not much else.  Sure, there were some second basemen who had good years, like two-time All-Star and Rookie of the Year runner-up Ron Hunt, but he was mostly a singles hitters who made as much contact with the ball using his bat (.282 lifetime average as a Met) as he did with his body (41 HBP in four seasons in New York).

In addition to Hunt, the Mets have employed other fine second sackers such as Felix Millan (who made Ron Hunt look like an extra-base hit machine), Doug Flynn (ditto) and Wally Backman (double ditto).  Ken Boswell had some pop, if you want to call a career-high nine home runs in 1972 “some pop”.

There have also been a number of second basemen who were great before they came to the Mets, then underachieved in New York.  Do the names Carlos Baerga, Roberto Alomar and Luis Castillo ring a bell?

Basically, after Alfonzo, the next-best second baseman in club annals might have been Jeff Kent, who had some solid years in Flushing when he wasn’t thinking about being on his ranch in Texas.  And Kent probably couldn’t concentrate much on that ranch with all those boos from the Shea Faithful permeating the daydream sensors in his brain.

But that No. 2 spot behind Fonzie on the unofficial list of greatest second basemen in Mets history might have a new resident taking off the vacancy sign very soon.  And that resident’s name is Daniel Murphy.

Make room for Daniel Murphy at second base.

Daniel Murphy had one of the greatest seasons ever recorded by a Mets second baseman in 2013.  He finished the year with a .286 batting average, 38 doubles, 13 homers, 78 RBI, 92 runs scored and 23 stolen bases.  Prior to Murphy, the only second basemen in franchise history to reach double digits in both home runs and RBI in the same season were Gregg Jefferies and Roberto Alomar.  But neither player matched Murphy’s totals in batting average, runs scored, runs batted in and stolen bases.  In fact, the only two players in team history who had better numbers than Murphy in all six offensive categories (batting average, doubles, home runs, RBI, runs scored, stolen bases), regardless of their defensive position, were Howard Johnson in 1989 (.287 average, 41 doubles, 36 HR, 101 RBI, 104 runs scored, 41 SB) and David Wright in 2007 (.325 average, 42 doubles, 30 HR, 107 RBI, 113 runs scored, 34 SB).

Murphy’s 2013 campaign saw him finish among the National League leaders in a number of offensive categories.  Murphy was in the top ten in games played (161; 2nd in the NL), hits (188; 2nd), singles (133; 2nd), doubles (38; T-7th), total bases (273; 8th), runs scored (92; 8th) and stolen bases (23; T-7th).  The only other player in the National League to finish in the top ten in all of those categories was MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen.  (Oh, and did I mention that Murphy finished first in the league in stolen base percentage, as he was caught stealing only three times in 26 attempts?  Andrew McCutchen, on the other hand, was caught stealing ten times, making him one of only nine players in the National League to reach double digits in that category.)

Offensively, there are few second basemen in the league who can match Daniel Murphy’s overall production.  However, there have been some questions posed about Murphy’s ability to handle the defensive side of the position.  It’s true that Murphy had an unfavorable defensive WAR (-1.5) and made 16 errors at second base.  But that doesn’t mean he was a complete wash at the position.

Murphy finished second in the league in putouts to three-time Gold Glove winner Brandon Phillips.  In addition, Murphy finished third in the NL in assists (behind Phillips and Neil Walker) and third in double plays turned (behind Walker and MVP candidate Matt Carpenter).

Now let’s look at the 16 errors committed by Murphy, a total that was surpassed in the Senior Circuit only by Chase Utley, who made one more miscue.  Murphy played 150 games at second base in 2013 (his other 11 games were at first base and pinch-hitter).  The three second basemen who finished directly behind Murphy in errors committed were Dan Uggla, Marco Scutaro and Rickie Weeks, who made 14, 13 and 10 errors, respectively.  But Uggla, Scutaro and Weeks all spent time on the disabled list, combining to miss 119 games this past season with each player missing at least 26 games.  Had they all remained on the field, perhaps one or more of them could have committed more gaffes at second base than Murphy.

Doubles, stolen bases, death-defying leaps over catchers. Is there anything Daniel Murphy can’t do?

For his career, Daniel Murphy has been known as a doubles machine.  He has the only 40-double campaign for a left-handed hitter in team history.  Murphy is also one of only two Mets (David Wright is the other) with three or more seasons of 35+ doubles.  And with 73 more doubles (about two average Daniel Murphy seasons), Murphy will pass Ed Kranepool to become the second-most prolific doubles hitter in franchise history.  But Murphy is more than just a producer of two-base hits.  He proved that (and then some) in 2013.

In my opinion, Daniel Murphy has not been appreciated enough by Mets fans.  Just like Carlos Beltran (who continues to be remembered more for keeping the bat on his shoulders as a Lord Charles curveball danced on by than for the complete player that he was), Daniel Murphy will always have detractors who will complain that he doesn’t take enough walks or that he’s a horrible defensive player.

To those detractors, I have one thing to say.  Be careful what you wish for.  Many players have been run out of town only to come back and haunt the Mets.  Don’t let Daniel Murphy become another one of those players.  Take time to appreciate what Daniel Murphy has done for the team and what he hopefully will continue to do for the team as its second baseman.  The Mets have not had many productive second basemen like Daniel Murphy in their 52-year history.

Not everyone can be Edgardo Alfonzo at second base.  It’s a good thing Daniel Murphy doesn’t try to be.

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