Tim McCarver, a major-league catcher for 21 seasons and a Hall of Fame broadcaster who called Mets games for 16 years, has passed away at the age of 81.

McCarver was known nationally as the analyst for a record 24 World Series and 22 All-Star Games and received the Ford C. Frick Award in 2012.

He joined the Mets broadcast team in 1983 after a playing career that lasted over two decades with four different clubs. McCarver provided television play-by-play and analysis, paired with many including fellow Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner, and was there for the rise and success of the organization over the rest of the 1980s.

The Mets released the following statement on McCarver’s passing. “We are saddened to learn of the passing today of Tim McCarver, who for 16 years in the television booth gave Mets fans an insightful, humorous and knowledgeable behind the scenes look into the game of baseball.

Tim drew on his 21-year career as a catcher to give viewers a unique opinion on what went on between the lines. We send our condolences to his daughters, Kathy and Kelley, and the rest of the McCarver family.”

In 1985, McCarver called the first of many World Series for ABC. He would later do the same for CBS and FOX where he established himself as one of the most influential voices in the sport.

His network presence allowed McCarver to be on-hand and on the mic for several Mets postseason moments: the 1986 National League Championship Series against Houston, the 1988 NLCS loss to Los Angeles, Benny Agbayani‘s game-winning homer in the 2000 National League Division Series, later that year’s NLCS triumph against the Cardinals and the World Series defeat to the Yankees, and the 2006 NLCS loss against St. Louis.

The last of McCarver’s 21 All-Star Games was held at Citi Field in 2013. He stepped away from the FOX booth at the conclusion of that season.

Before McCarver spoke on his many World Series, he played in two — as a member of the 1964 and 1967 St. Louis Cardinals. The durable catcher was twice an All-Star selection, remarkably had a league-leading 13 triples in 1966, and was NL MVP runner-up in ’67. He also played for the Phillies, Expos, and Red Sox before retiring in 1980 as one of a handful to be major leaguer in four different decades.

Thoughts from Joe D

This one really hurts… Before Gary Cohen came along, Tim McCarver was my favorite Mets announcer. He not only entertained us with his myriad of colorful tales from his time as a player, but he taught me everything about the rules and strategies of the game. His pleasant southern charm came through in his voice and his knowledge of the game was unbound. I grew up with Tim and in many ways, he steered me into a lifelong appreciation of the game and of course the Mets. I’m going to miss him. Rest in peace, Tim.

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Tommie Agee.

On January 22, 2001, the Mets’ center fielder from their 1969 championship team, Tommie Agee, suffered a heart attack in Manhattan and passed away hours later. The Magnolia, Alabama native was 58 years old.

Agee was traded to the Mets by the Chicago White Sox before the 1968 season, in a deal that also brought Al Weis to Queens. Weis would go on to hit a famous home run in the 1969 World Series. Agee struggled in the 1968 season (the year of the pitcher), posting a slash line of .217/.255/.307 with five home runs. Things turned around for him (and for the Mets) in the 1969 season.

Agee served as the leadoff hitter in the Mets’ 1969 lineup, and slashed .271/.342/.464 with 26 home runs, 76 RBI, and 12 stolen basses, good for a 5.2 bWAR. In the postseason, spanning eight games, he hit .250 with three home runs, two of which in the World Series.

Tommie’s best statistical season was 1970, .286/.344/.469 with 24 home runs and 31 stolen bases, leading to a bWAR of 5.4. After a solid 1971 season (bWAR of 3.5), Agee dropped off dramatically. He posted a 0.1 bWAR in 1972, and was traded to the Houston Astros after the season. His playing career ended after the 1973 season at just 31 years of age.

When Mets’ fans think about Tommie Agee, his two outstanding catches in Game 3 of the 1969 World Series immediately come to mind. In Game Three, he also belted a home run. You can his highlights from that pivotal game in the video below.

While Agee was a gifted fielder with outstanding speed, he had tremendous power as well. He is the only player in history to hit a fair ball into the upper deck at Shea Stadium. On April 10, 1969, he blasted a home run to left field off Expos’ pitcher Larry Jaster (he hit two home runs in the game). The spot where the ball landed was marked with a sign by the Mets. The sign, with Agee’s name and the date, was sold to a private collector when Shea Stadium was demolished.

With the current labor dispute and the money available in the game today, it’s interesting to note that Tommie Agee, a World Series hero, earned approximately $200,500 over his twelve year career and six major league contracts.

Here’s an MMO hat tip to a Mets‘ World Series hero, the late Tommie Agee.

The post OTD 2001: Mets’ Legend Tommie Agee Passes From Heart Attack appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning, Mets fans.

Former MLB outfielder Frank Thomas passed away Monday at the age of 93. Thomas played for seven different teams during his 16 years in the majors, including three with the Mets. He was a three-time All-Star for his hometown Pirates before getting traded to the Cubs and then the Braves, eventually getting sent to the Mets in November of 1961. In the team’s inaugural season, Thomas clubbed 34 homers, a franchise record that stood until Dave Kingman hit 36 in 1975. Thomas took part in the Old Timers’ Day festivities at Citi Field this past summer along with some of his old teammates.

Latest MLB News

Corner infielder Travis Shaw announced his retirement from baseball on his Twitter account. The son of former All-Star reliever Jeff Shaw, the “Mayor of Ding Dong City” was drafted in the ninth round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Kent State University. Shaw smacked over 30 homers in both 2017 and 2018 and finished his career with 114 round-trippers despite never playing in a full season after 2018.

The Red Sox have signed catcher Jorge Alfaro to a minor-league contract, Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports. The Colombian-born backstop has a $2 million base salary if he makes the majors and can opt out of the deal as early as June 1 if he isn’t with the big club. Alfaro’s biggest issue has been his high strikeout totals and low walk rates, and in 274 plate appearances for the Padres this year, he hit .246/.285/.383 (94 OPS+) with seven homers and a 35.8% strikeout rate against just a 4.0% walk rate.

Latest on MMO

Tyler Antonelle profiles free agent outfielder David Peralta.

Brian Wright looks back at the Yoenis Céspedes contract, which MMO ranks as the sixth-worst signing in Mets history.

On This Date in Mets History

1984: The Mets snag a couple of shortstops, first selecting Kevin Elster out of Golden West College in the second round of the amateur draft. They also pick up Rafael Santana, who was released by the Cardinals earlier in the day.

Birthdays: Dario Álvarez (34)

The post Morning Briefing: Original Met Frank Thomas Passes Away appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Updated Post – Jan. 11, 11:38

The Minnesota Twins announced on Wednesday morning that they officially signed star shortstop Carlos Correa. The almost-Met released the following statement, “Wow what a journey it’s been. A lot of emotions involved throughout the whole process but always believed at the end of the day God will put me in the right place.”

Once the deal became official, the Mets released their own statement, “We were unable to reach an agreement. We wish Carlos all the best.”

Updated Post – Jan. 11, 09:52

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Carlos Correa has passed his physical with the Minnesota Twins and the team will make an announcement at some point today.

Original Post – Jan. 10, 14:02

The long-running Carlos Correa saga has finally reached a conclusion with the Minnesota Twins agreeing to a deal with Carlos Correa, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. It seems the New York Mets decided to walk away from the star free agent and end all contract talks.

Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Mets offered Correa a fully guaranteed six-year, $157.5 million deal. They would have paid the shortstop $210 million over eight years, and $315 million over 12 years (non-guaranteed). Jon Heyman of The New York Post also reported that the Mets were willing to fully guarantee six years at $157.5 million, but the final six years of the deal would have been only conditionally guaranteed. As a result, Correa opted to return to the Twins where he will make $42.5 million more in the first six years of his deal with Minnesota. Heyman also suggested that Correa and the Mets couldn’t get past the language issue that ultimately proved to be the backbreaker in negotiations.

It was reported on Thursday by Andy Martino of SNY that the Mets had grown “very frustrated” in their negotiations with powerhouse owner Scott Boras. While a source did tell Martino that they “still believed the sides stood a strong chance of reaching an agreement,” that hasn’t proved to be the case. Monday night, then, Ken Rosenthal reported talks between the Twins and Correa were “accelerating.” it reached a fever pitch Tuesday with a new deal.

Passan says Correa and the Twins agreed to a six-year, $200 million deal with a vesting option that will bring total money to $270 million. The deal is pending a physical. The $200 million guaranteed is over $100 million less than what he agreed to with the Mets, and over $150 million what he agreed to with the Giants. This new deal with the Twins is for half the years and nearly half of the money. It should be noted the Twins approved of a three-year deal with Correa just last offseason, so doctors would only need to sign off on four additional years. If his contract vests, it’s assumed that means his ankle will remain healthy over the length of the deal.

The Mets’ (and Giants’) previous concerns with money and years were over Correa’s ankle, which we’ll dive into in a moment.

Today’s news brings to an end what has been a frustrating few weeks for all involved with the Mets. It started on December 21 when, after the Giants saw their 13-year, $350 million offer to Correa crumble over an issue with the player’s medical history, the Mets swooped in. After all, Cohen had previously spoken about his disappointment about missing out on Correa having launched an 11th hour bid to bring him to Citi Field, as well as revealing his admiration for the player.

It was reported by Jon Heyman of The New York Post that the Mets and Correa had reached an agreement on a 12-year contract worth $315 million deal. It was the latest blockbuster swing-for-the-fences type move by Cohen in a long line of them this offseason, and the team had added another All-Star to their roster overnight.

However, before Mets fans even had a chance to tone down their excitement for the 2023 season, a rather large hurdle was placed in front of the team in the form of Correa’s troublesome medical history. The same lower right leg injury that spooked the Giants also gave the Mets reasons to be concerned during a medical. That was revealed by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic on Christmas Eve.

The party line by multiple reporters ever since Christmas has been that the two parties have been working through any issues over Correa’s health. Lawyers were involved in negotiations with the Mets and Correa, with Martino reporting earlier this week that a resolution could come sooner rather than later, while Heyman suggested a deal could finally be reached by the end of this week. Rosenthal had previously reported that the final contract would look “dramatically different” to the original terms that were agreed to.

While this has been an unprecedented situation, the Mets are hardly swimming in uncharted waters. After all, Boras has been here before having re-negotiated JD Martinez‘s deal with the Boston Red Sox back in 2018. Boston’s medical team raised concerns over a Lisfranc foot injury that forced Martinez to miss time during the 2017 season. Ultimately, all parties agreed to new language being added to the deal that gave the Red Sox options. Martinez was also granted an additional opt-out clause that wasn’t in the original deal.

Due to the complexities of the new contract being thrashed out, it was always understood that it would take time for the Mets to close out a deal with Correa. The general school of thought was always that Correa would eventually end up in a Mets uniform, but that positive thinking slowly ebbed away over the last few days.

It does seems that the Mets reached their limit in discussions. Given how badly Cohen wanted Correa, coupled with how long negotiations have dragged on, the fact that no agreement was reached is somewhat surprising. The underlying feeling was always a case of if and not when, but it appears that discussions have fallen off a cliff over the past couple of days.

The post Correa Deal With Twins Official; Mets Issue Statement appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

I feel like part of my childhood just died… Growing up as a kid in Brooklyn in a neighborhood still packed with old Brooklyn Dodger fans, I was naturally groomed to be a Mets fan.

The funny thing is at the time the team started growing on me, it wasn’t the great Tom Seaver or Jerry Koosman that captured my growing passion for Mets baseball… For me my favorite players were the newly acquired Dave Kingman and John Stearns.

I loved watching both of them play and I’d spend hours observing, reading and learning all I can about our newest and exciting Mets.

Kingman homered in the first game I ever attended and I recall Stearns homering the second time I went to Shea. The Mets had become such a big part of my life back then and I wanted to be just like Stearns.

We used to play baseball every day after school. I remember finishing my homework and then quickly grabbing my glove and bat from my bedroom closet and rushing out the door to the schoolyard while my mother was yelling at me to be home for dinner.

When I took my turn at the plate – which we marked off with chalk – I pretended in my mind to be “Bad Dude” John Stearns. I tried to emulate everything about his approach and his swing, but most of all his gritty play and toughness. He was so freaking cool.

I’d argue with many of the Yankee fans on my block about who was better between Stearns and Thurman Munson — and who was meaner!

We were young but we fiercely defended our positions the way gang members defended their turf. I was a Mets fan and no Yankees fan was ever going to one-up me…

What I loved most about Stearns – besides his bat and extraordinary coolness – was his surprising speed. The Bad Dude was fast… real fast. That one season in 1978, Stearns had his coming out party. After firmly establishing himself as the Mets’ full-time catcher in ’77, Stearns would hit 15 homers and steal an incredible 25 bases.

It was so exciting to watch him that season, especially in the aftermath of the Midnight Massacre when general manager M. Donald Grant dealt away Tom Seaver and Dave Kingman. For me, Stearns had become a one-man show.

Unfortunately, injuries curtailed what should’ve been a great career for John Stearns…

This morning I shed a tear when learning that John had passed away last night at the age of 71.

This giant of a man and hard-nosed ballplayer was a four-time All-Star in 10 seasons with the Mets from 1975 to 1984.

The Colorado native was drafted by the Phillies in the first round (second overall) in the 1973 draft. Stearns was also drafted by the Buffalo Bills of the NFL in the same year as a defensive back, but he decided to pursue a career in baseball.

He was traded along with Mac Scarce and Del Unser the following season in December to the Mets, in a deal that netted the Phillies Tug McGraw, Don Hahn, and Dave Schneck.

Stearns would make his Mets major league debut on April 16, 1975, as their catcher. He picked up his first hit in the seventh inning with an RBI double. He would play in 59 games for the Mets in the 1975 season and 32 more in the 1976 season.

In 1977, Stearns became the Mets full-time starter behind the plate (and a few games at first) and was also named to his first All-Star game.

I’m going to miss John Stearns… It was so nice to see him take everything he had left in him to attend the Mets Old Timers’ Day last month at Citi Field. It brought back such wonderful memories. So sad he’s gone…

Like I said, it feels like a small part of my childhood died lastnight…

Rest in peace, John.

The post John Stearns, Former Mets Catcher, Passes Away At 71 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On April 2, 1972 Mets skipper and  Gil Hodges passed away from a heart attack during spring training after playing a round of golf. He was two days shy of his 48th birthday.

Rob Silverman of MMO accurately wrote that Donn Clendenon was the final piece to the championship puzzle in 1969. Hodges was the first piece.

Hodges, who played 18 seasons (16 with the Dodgers, two with the Mets) and slugged 370 home runs, was named manager of the Mets for the 1968 season, taking over a team that had struggled since its inception in 1962.

The Princeton, IN native had managed the Washington Senators of the American League from 1963-1967, posting a 321-444 record over five seasons. In Hodges’ first season, the Mets showed notable, if not significant, improvement finishing with a 73-89 record.

Beyond their record, the Mets had a pitching staff of young arms that was starting to come together. Tom Seaver won 16 games in 1968, and southpaw Jerry Koosman logged 19 wins. Fireballing right-hander Nolan Ryan was on the staff, along with fellow righty Jim McAndrew.

After 1968, it seemed better days were ahead for the guys from Flushing, how quickly those better days came shocked the baseball world.

Mets’ shortstop Bud Harrelson famously said that Hodges watched the 1968 team as if he were studying for an exam.  Hodges, the former Marine who was honored and decorated for heroism recognizing his service in World War II, developed a strong sense of what he had and did not have on his ball club, and used that information to help deliver a championship the following season.

In an article from Radio.com, former Met Ed Kranepool recalled Hodges’ style as a manager, where the manager’s Marine pedigree clearly came through:

“You know, he was a strict disciplinarian, but he was a great leader,” Kranepool said. “It’s because of his leadership that we really have changed everything around. We went from the last-place laughingstock to a championship team in ’69.”

Art Shamsky agreed with his former teammate.

“You know, you’ve got 25 personalities and you really have to deal with certain things,” he said. “But Gil was a very strong disciplinarian and when he talked, we listened.”

Many people point to “the Cleon Jones incident” as an example of Hodges’ focus on discipline, though the former left fielder said it was anything but. Resetting the scenario, in July of 1969, the Mets were being pounded by the Astros in a game at Shea Stadium.

Johnny Edwards of the Astros hit a ball down the line that went for a double, and the manager came out of the dugout to ask why Jones could not have held Edwards to a single. Jones told the story in article by Kevin Kernan of The New York Post:

Hodges asked, “Are you all right?”

“I said I’m fine. He said, ‘Do you think you could have held him to a single?’ I said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘Gil, look down.’

“When he looked down, his feet were under water and so was mine. It had rained pretty good that day. And we had had a talk in Montreal, a week or so before that. I had a bad ankle. It comes from my old football days and every now and then it would puff up on me.”

After the exchange, Hodges felt it was in Jones’ best interests to leave the game and not risk injury. Though a stern leader, Jones said his manager would never publicly embarrass a player. However, Hodges cleverly used the event to motivate his team.

“He had a plan and a purpose, and the plan and the purpose was, if I can go out and talk to Jones and when I’m hitting .350, maybe all these other guys will get the message,” Jones said. “And sure enough, it worked.’’

Indeed, whatever Hodges was trying to do on that July day, and during the entire 1969 season, day did work. The Mets ended their regular season with a record of 100-62, swept the Braves in the NLCS, and defeated the heavily-favored Orioles in the World Series.

In a sadly ironic twist of fate, as written on MMO by Joe D., the day of Hodges’ death he and some coaches met Expos’ outfielder Rusty Staub in church on Easter Sunday. The Mets had completed a trade for Staub, though the right fielder was not yet aware.

It’s a shame that they never had the opportunity to work together, as Hodges passed just hours later. Yogi Berra was named manager for the 1972 season.

The combination of Hodges’ playing career, managerial achievements with the Mets, and military service led to his long-awaited election into baseball’s Hall of Fame in December of 2021. Hodges had been passed over for the Hall of Fame for many years, and his getting the call delighted Mets fans and former Mets players.

In an article by Christian Red in Forbes, Jones put it this way:

“Well, it’s been a long and grinding road for the (Hodges) family,” said Jones, the 79-year-old former Mets All-Star left fielder. “I was tickled to hear about it, that he got in. My personal opinion? I thought that he should have been in years ago.”

“Every first baseman in America in the ‘50s emulated Gil Hodges,” said Jones. “When we think back to that particular time, with Campy (catcher Roy Campanella), Jackie (Robinson), Duke Snider, Pee Wee (Reese), all the big names, Gil was just as big and just as good.”

Ron Swoboda, who made the amazing catch in Game 3 of the 1969 World Series, added:

“Although Hodges’ baseball numbers fell a little short of classic Hall of Fame numbers, as a manager he lost a whole lot of years because of a second heart attack that took him,” said Swoboda, 77. “When you consider what a strong, and decent character he was, what he meant as a player in that (Dodgers) clubhouse, what he meant in our (Mets) clubhouse… I think all of us 1969 guys were over-the-top happy that Gil was voted in.”

While Hodges had the disciplinarian reputation as noted above, his ability to use his roster to its fullest potential was perhaps his greatest strength as a manager. Here’s Jones from the Forbes article:

“When you think about ‘69, you think about only four guys who were starters — that was (catcher Jerry) Grote, (shortstop Bud) Harrelson, (center fielder Tommie) Agee and myself,” said Jones. “Everybody else platooned. All of these guys were excellent teammates, and somewhere down the line, they contributed to winning.”

Gil Hodges had as much of an impact on the Mets ascension to champions as anyone else affiliated with the team in the late 1960s. Could the Mets have won another championship in the 1970s if he had survived? Of course, we will never know.

Rest in peace, Gil Hodges.

The post OTD 1972: Mets Manager Gil Hodges Passes Away appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On March 29, 2018 (Opening Day of the baseball season), Rusty Staub, one of the most popular players ever to wear the orange and blue of the New York Mets, passed away in a West Palm Beach, Florida hospital from multiple organ failure just three days shy of his 74th birthday. He had spent eight weeks in the hospital prior to his death.

The Mets had obtained Daniel Joseph Staub before the 1972 season, trading Tim Foli, Mike Jorgensen, and Ken Singleton to the Expos in return. Staub, a New Orleans native who began his career with the Houston Colt 45s, was a very good player with Montreal, accumulating an 18.5  bWAR over three seasons. The Mets had acquired a five-time all-star in his prime. Staub did not disappoint in New York.

He was limited to 66 games in 1972, and put up a slash line of .293/.372/.452 with 9 home runs and 38 RBIs. In the pennant-winning season of 1973, Staub played in 152 games (.279/.361/.421 15 HR, 76 RBIs). He was injured in May of that season, and played through the pain for much of the year. In the NLCS, he separated his shoulder in game four making a catch while crashing into the wall. He missed game five, yet played in the World Series and was able to hit .423 with one home run.

You can see the catch on which Staub was injured in the video below. It’s the second one of two excellent catches in the video. Staub was an outstanding outfielder in his early years, with a very strong throwing arm.

Ask a Mets fan about the darkest days in franchise history. Many will have June 15, 1977, listed somewhere, the day the Mets traded Tom Seaver to the Reds. Some might point to November 1, 2015 (World Series loss to the Royals), October 21, 1973 (WS loss to Oakland), or, gasp, October 26, 2000 (WS loss to the Yankees). I’ll put December 12, 1975, near the top of the list.

On that day, the Mets dealt “Le Grand Orange” to the Tigers for pitcher Mickey Lolich as headliners in a four-player trade. Why would they trade Staub? After becoming a Met in 1972, he had led the Mets offensively to the 1973 World Series, hitting three home runs in the NLCS, and posting the .423 BA in the World Series noted above. In 1975, Staub had set a franchise record for RBIs in a single season with 105, becoming the first Met to drive in more than 100 runs in a season.

Again, why did they trade him?  The answer is that Staub was one year away from becoming a 10/5 player, and with 10 years in the majors and five with one team, he could have vetoed trades. So, the Mets dealt him while they could (and before he could seek a higher payday).

Let’s talk about the return. Lolich had some very good years in Detroit, with 25 wins in 1971 and 21 wins in 1972. However, he had not had an above .500 record since 1972, and his ERA had gone from 2.50 in 1972, to 3.82, 4.15, and 3.78 in the next three seasons (keep in mind, offense in baseball was not as it is in current day). Lolich was also a 10/5 player, and initially delayed the finalization of the trade by contemplating exercising his veto power.

Lolich agreed to become a Met, and was in Queens for one season. He went 8-13 that year, and to be fair, was victimized by the Mets weak offense in 1976. He had a 3.22 ERA that year, and had a respectable WHIP of 1.22. He allowed less than a hit per inning that season, posting a K/9 rate of 8.6.

In Detroit over four seasons, Staub, 31 at the time of the trade, slashed .277/.353/.434 with 70 home runs and 358 RBIs. It’s fair to say that the Tigers got the better end of that deal.

After returning to Montreal from Detroit during the 1979 season, Staub played for the Texas Rangers in 1980 before coming back to the Mets in 1981, where he remained through the 1985 season, his last. He became an outstanding pinch hitter in his later years in Flushing. In 1983, he had hits in eight consecutive pinch hitting appearances, tying a National League record, and tied a Major League record with 25 pinch-hit RBIs.

Staub ended his playing career with a slash line of .279/.362/.431, along with 292 home runs and 1466 RBIs over 23 seasons. Staub was enshrined in the Mets Hall of Fame in 1986. He worked in the Mets television booth from 1986-1995.

Staub owned a popular restaurant in New York (Rusty’s), and opened a second restaurant of the same name to build upon the success of the first. One thing that differentiates Rusty from most other players is the depth of his philanthropic work. He founded The New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund in 1985, whose work provides for families of police officers and firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Looking at Staub’s Mets legacy, particularly the charity work, a case can be made that Staub deserves some type of acknowledgment at Citi Field. Now that the Mets, under new owner Steve Cohen, are doing a better job of honoring their past, perhaps Rusty can be in line for a statue at the Mets’ home park.

Here’s a Mesmerized hat-tip to the late Rusty Staub, a very good player and a better man.

The post OTD 2018: Mets Icon Rusty Staub Passes Away appeared first on Metsmerized Online.