Many people inevitably get into a debate over a few adult beverages over a team’s All Time Great roster. In the case of the Mets is it Mike Piazza or Gary Carter? Keith Hernandez or John Olerud? Edgardo Alfonzo or Daniel Murphy?
When I pondered the many free agents available this
off-season the name Oliver Perez caused an involuntary shudder given the
vitriol with which most Mets fans felt about the challenging left hander. It got me to thinking what other players were
the object of the fans’ wrath. Towards
that end I set about to create an All Time Mets Fan Hate List. Let’s see how you feel about the options I’ve
included.
First Base
While Lucas Duda and Dave Kingman had their rabid fans and
detractors, the one name that came to mind as a player who in his short Mets
career made me feel ashamed of his antics was the ultimate hot dog, Willie
Montanez. If he’d applied more effort to
improving his game rather than being a flashy showman, then perhaps he would
have lasted longer in a Mets uniform.
Second Base
This particular position has had a large number of unpopular
players, some with the fans and some with his teammates. In the former you have the pair brought over
from Cleveland, Carlos Baerga and Robbie Alomar, both of whom were major busts
in New York after being All Stars prior their arrival. In the latter category you had both Jeff Kent
and Greg Jefferies who never seemed to fit into the clubhouse and were
prematurely ushered out of town to the detriment of the franchise.
Shortstop
To me the primary villain in this scenario would be the Mets
last high-dollar foray into the foreign market – Kazuo Matsui. With a reputation of being a sure thing, he
actually forced highly popular Jose Reyes off his natural shortstop position
over to second base. He never amounted
to much with the Mets and probably explains the xenophobia they have when it
comes to foreign free agents.
Third Base
Two players became hated not as much for what they failed to
produce on the field but for what they cost the Mets to acquire. Jim Fregosi was a former All Star at the end
of his career and for many years the hot corner was a revolving door for the
Mets. The price was, of course, Nolan
Ryan. Then there was the Kansas City
Royals which sent Amos Otis to help the Royals win pennants. The Mets acquired the immortal Joe Foy. Ugh! Given Ryan's Hall of Fame career that followed, I have to go with Fregosi.
Catcher
Here I don’t clearly remember anyone generating particular hostility
among the fans, though for sure there were way too many games given to inferior
players like Josh Thole, Junior Ortiz, Omir Santos, Anthony Recker and Kelly
Stinnett. However, I think the mantle of
wrath has to go to current Mets starting catcher Travis d’Arnaud who seems to
generate an inordinate amount of negative commentary among the fans.
Left Field
Jason Bay. Enough
said. (Honorable mention, John Mayberry,
Jr.)
Center Field
The two center field options that spring to mind are recent
Sandy Alderson failed roster decisions.
Rick Ankiel and Alejandro de Aza both were cringe-worthy every time you
saw their names in the lineup.
Right Field
Speedy Roger Cedeno was a great mystery every time a ball was
hit in his direction. Former Braves top
prospect Jeff Francoeur was pretty much a waste of roster space during this
Mets tenure. The very talented but drug-using Ellis Valentine was a consideration. Still, I think the poster
child for anger management, Carl Everett, may indeed take the starting role
here.
Starting Pitcher
The aforementioned Oliver Perez that inspired this column
would easily be the first candidate to consider here. Others like Mike Pelfrey and Steve Trachsel
could initiate a Tourette’s-like reaction when they entered a game, but Perez
easily edges them out.
Relief Pitcher
Here there are several candidates. Armando Benitez’ penchant for failing in key
moments that overshadowed his positive contributions at other times. The other anger management candidate, K-Rod,
belongs on the list of candidates. Short
termer Mel Rojas is another one people loved to hate, but again there’s one guy
who seemingly has this category all sewn up – sidearmer Doug Sisk.
Manager
Now this one is a bit tougher. Obviously Terry Collins is a candidate but he
still has some supporters who think he and not Yoenis Cespedes, Addison Reed
and Tyler Clippard got the Mets to the World Series. He is the losingest manager in team history,
so that’s a tough record to beat.
However, the oft-repeated catchphrase of our winner, Art Howe, made me
personally want to punch the television every time he uttered, “We battled.” Given that Collins was on the payroll when
the team twice went to the post season doesn’t obliterate his overall record of
mediocrity, but Howe accomplished pretty much nothing. After two losing season he was terminated. He gets the nod.
Who do you feel belongs in the starting role on this
particular All Time Mets team?
24 comments:
You forgot Rich Hebner, Rich Rodriguez, Steve Traschel. Dave Newhan Juan Samuel, Vince Coleman etc
Oh & Art Howe
You had to be a long term Mets hater to be able to put together this post.
Good job Reese.
I had mentioned Trachsel and Hiwe but good calls on Samuel and Coleman. I remember Hebner not liking the Mets but don't remember the fans turning on him. Rodriguez? What was the issue there?
Took me a while to dust off cobwebs of bad memories. I actually liked Montanez who was the Mets all time season record holder for fly outs to the track.
Pelfrey I despised, and Shaun Marcum was 50-38 in his non-Mets career, 1-10 as a Met. Really loved that.
Anthony Young, because he epitomizes an organization that historically has not had a lust for winning.
Kirk, because he annoyed me. Symbolized the Mets' frequent overuse of very grungy players that help you miss the playoffs.
No Vaughn and Robbie Alomar symbolized the Mets' foolish hopes that an aging player would not severely decline as a Met.
Fringy, not grungy, and Mo, not No. Thanks, spell-correct.
Horrendous middle reliever who only had a spot on the roster is because he was Steve Phillips roommate in the minors
I wasn’t a big Ron Hodges Fan at catcher and absolutely despised both Cubbage and Valentine as Managers.
Relief pitchers you could go on for days but Armando, Rojas and Sisk were the absolute WORST!!!
Zozo
Mo Vaughn was a good nominee for 1st Base. I had written this piece from memory without actually studying old rosters, hence a few obvious ones like that and the aforementioned Coleman got skipped.
I have to say that I could never warm to Tom Glavine.
Yup, his attitude when he blew the final series for the Mets was unforgivable.
I tried to keep some of my personal prejudices out, so no mentions were made of Ruben Tejada, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Eric Young, Jr. and other wastes of roster space that got way too many opportunities to sabotage the probability of winning.
I think I have to distinguish between guys who were major disappointments (who I continued to root for until I gave up--Jason Bay), over-the-hill guys where the ;ightning-in-a-bottle was more vinegar than vintage wine (K.Boyer, even Fregosi), guys I had hope for that never materialized as a Met (Kent, Izzy), highly touted flops (K-Mart, Pulsipher) and those that I never wanted to find in the lineup when I attended or turned on the TV. From the latter category:
C- Mike Nikeas
1B- W.Montenez
2B- Louis Castillo
3B- Richie Hebner
SS- Frank taveras
LF- Chris Young
CF- Vin Coleman
RF- Claudell Washington/Karim Garcia (tie)
SP- Victor Zambrano
RP- Doug Sisk
What ever happened to the glass being half FULL?
How about a post on the guys by position you loved best on this team?
That may follow later as favorite or all-time bests are fodder for many off season and barroom discussions. This was a twist on that familiar theme.
I'll take you up on that, Mack. "Most liked to watch" (not necessarily most talented).
C- Jerry Grote
1B- John Olerude
2b- Keith Miller!
3B- Sonny Randle
SS- Ray Ordonez
LF- Kevin Mitchell
CF- Juan Legares
RF- Xavier Nady
sP- RA Dickey
RP- Tug McGraw
Hobie, interesting group...but where is Victor Cruzado? LOL
Hobie, Rey Ordonez over Roy McMillan? Wow.
Wow ... i thin you missed a few players to be mentioned
Luis Castillo - worse 2b I have ever seen in the Mets Uniform
Juan Samuel... Simply awful
Bobby Bonilla - worst part is he still affects this team
Vince Coleman...
I'm with you on Castillo, Bonilla and Coleman but I can't recall the fans turning on Samuel. I know the idiots in management felt they could turn a good 2nd baseman into a bad centerfielder. I think his defensive challenges probably caused him to lose focus at the plate. We've seen that happen before with others as well.
On the most liked by the fans (even if they weren't necessarily the best players):
C -- Gary Carter
1B -- Ed Kranepool
2B -- Edgardo Alfonzo
SS -- Buddy Harrelson/Jose Reyes
3B -- David Wright
LF -- Cliff Floyd/Benny Agbayani
CF -- Mookie Wilson
RF -- Rusty Staub
SP -- R.A. Dickey/Tom Seaver
RP -- Tug McGraw
MGR -- Gil Hodges
I also thought of a few more of the hate list -- George Foster and Kevin McReynolds
What I hate the most is the need to compile a "hate list" at all. The only thing that draws my hete is bad attude/behavior. Vince Coleman with his firecrackers and Richie Hebner playing matador with grounders are on that list. Gregg Jefferiesb spoiled brat attitude make my list, too.
But a player who tries his best but fails to reach a lofty standard is someone I root for and hope he succeeds. Fans who hate their own team turn me off more than players who try but fail.
No one mentioned Frankie Frank?
He probably deserves to be there, too.
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