Reese Kaplan -- Mets Whose Careers Ended Abruptly

Recently I read a couple of MLB speculation pieces about players whose careers ended prematurely resulting in a wistful, “What might have been”? sentiment regarding the lost potential for the careers that went unrealized.  I thought I might localize this concept and think back through some Mets history to offer up their own roster.

1B – Rico Brogna

The big lefty swinging first baseman suffered from a somewhat rare condition called  ankylosing spondylitis which is a form of spinal arthritis.  After posting as many as 22 HRs for the Mets in 1995, they dealt him away in 1996 to the Phillies over concerns that his health might indeed hinder his production.  He turned in three consecutive 20+ HR seasons for the Phillies, but his career was indeed hampered by his condition and he was forced to retire early.

2B –Bobby Valentine

While it would have been easy to select guys like Jeff Kent or Greg Jefferies who the Mets prematurely dealt away, the criteria here was about players whose careers were cut short.  For that former manager and player for the Mets Bobby Valentine played both sides of the diamond, but an ugly outfield wall collisions that broke his leg badly prematurely ended what was a promising career.  If you forgot the incident, he got his leg trapped in between a few of the centerfield poles and, well, ouch. 

SS – Jordany Valdespin

This one was probably not the story of a potential All-Star caliber player, but the fact is that Jordany Valdespin came up to the big club after posting some pretty gaudy numbers in the minors.  In 2011 between several teams he uncorked 17 HRs, 60 RBIs, a .294 AVG and 37 SBs.  That certainly opened up some eyes.  Unfortunately he did so during a period where young players did not get much in the way of opportunity with the Mets,  Of course, he later called his manager a “cocksucker”, took a pitch to his cupless privates, then did himself in with a PED suspension.  Now he finds himself toiling for the independent league Long Island Ducks. 

3B – David Wright

While David Wright certainly accomplished a lot during his short career, the various injuries and the spinal stenosis derailed what potentially might have been a Hall of Fame caliber career.

  

C – Mackey Sasser

This entrant is here not for a physical malady that caused a premature end to his career, but rather a mental one.  Sasser was a .307 career hitter in the minors and his early returns in the majors demonstrated that he could handle the next level of pitching as well.  Unfortunately he found himself unable to handle the routine throw back to the pitcher and found himself out of baseball when most players that age were settling into their big money contracts.

LF – Cesar Puello

Another guy who posted the type of numbers in the minors that get teams salivating, Cesar Puello was a top 100 prospect and in 2013 delivered a .326/16/73 with 24 SBs in just 331 ABs.  Wow!  He too had the misfortune of coming up during the veteran-oriented era but did himself no favor by demanding to be put on the DL with a mysterious injury.  Then he got popped for PEDs as well.  He’s been hanging around the fringes of the majors ever since but that potential was never realized.

CF – Brian Cole

I won’t belabor the very sad story of Brian Cole who was called a 6-tool player by his peers for the intensity with which he played the game.  After rising as high as AA he was on a road to sure stardom according to many who saw him who characterized him as the best player they’d ever seen (including Albert Pujols making that declaration).  He was in a fatal motor vehicle accident while trying to drive his car to let his family use it while he was going to be away for the season, swerved to avoid a car that was oncoming in his lane of traffic and flipped his Explorer 3 times. 

RF – Darryl Strawberry

A hero of the 1986 Mets World Series Championship team, the man never achieved what was anticipated due to his own personal demons.  He did have a long career, but the Mets shipped him out to the Dodgers for what would be his final full time season at just age 29.  How good was he?  He was Rookie of the Year at age 21 and followed that with 8 consecutive All Star appearances.  To have it end so soon was truly a waste of talent and potential.

SP – Dwight Gooden

The 19 year old Rookie of the Year went on to win a Cy Young Award with a phenomenal 24-4 sophomore campaign with an eye popping 1.53 ERA.  In the World Series year he delivered a solid 17-6 with a 2.84 ERA.  Then the news broke about his issues with cocaine.  Other off-the-field distractions followed and Gooden never delivered on the promise of his fast start.  He last was a regular contributing starter at age 31 for the Yankees making 29 starts after sitting out the entire 1995 season.  The results were not there with an 11-7 record and a 5.01 ERA.  He hung around several more years for bits and pieces with the Indians, Astros and Rays before ending with a Yankees reunion at age 35 as a scrap heap pickup. 

SP – Kevin Kobel

While his name isn’t spoken in the same revered tones reserved for the likes of Doc Gooden, Kobel was actually the Mets number one starter after converting from reliever.  He had arrived from the Brewers where he had parts of three seasons and as a 24 year old he delivered a 5-6 record with a tidy 2.91 ERA.  The following season proved it was not a fluke as he was 6-8 with a 3.51 ERA.  Take the won-loss records with a grain of salt since we’re talking about the late ‘70s here, not exactly the marquee period in the club’s history.  Unfortunately he was out of baseball at just age 26 due to arm injuries. 

SP – Buzz Capra

A lot of people thought the Mets had major egg on their face after dealing the little used reliever away to the Atlanta Braves in 1974 who converted him to a starter where he delivered a 16-8 season with a league leading 2.28 ERA.  Unfortunately, he too had a career derailed by arm troubles and he was out of baseball before age 30. 

SP – Gary Gentry

Part of the 1969 Miracle Mets, Gentry was overshadowed by the exploits of Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman.  He went 13-12 with a 3.43 ERA and was thought to be a major part of the team’s future.  In fact, when the Angels called wanting pitching, they specifically asked for Gentry but the Mets refused to budge, instead offering up some guy named Nolan Ryan.  They held onto Gentry a few more years and then traded him to Atlanta where he developed elbow problems requiring multiple surgeries.  He too was out of baseball before age 30. 

RP – Bob Apodaca

Although many remember him more for his tenure as the Mets pitching coach from 1996 through 1999, but those of us with some gray hair remember him fondly and tragically as a very effective reliever who for his five year Mets career delivered a 2.86 ERA.  Ligament damage in his pitching arm had him out of baseball at just age 27.

RP – Danny Frisella

The other pitcher sent to the Braves along with Gary Gentry after the 1972 season for Felix Millan and George Stone, Frisella was a high quality reliever who was the right handed counterpart to Tug McGraw saving games for the Mets.  His best season came in 1971 when he went 8-5 with a 1.99 ERA and 12 saves.  Frisella was involved as a passenger in a dune buggy accident on New Year’s Day of 1977 and succumbed to his injuries at age 30. 

RP – Jenrry Mejia

Another one in the mold of Valdespin and Puello, Jenrry Mejia had actually accomplished more on the major league field than the other PED abusers.  After Jerry Manuel jerked him back and forth between the rotation and the pen in 2010, Mejia returned to the majors 2 years later for a cup of coffee, repeating the pattern in 2013.  In 2014 he became closer by default and notched 28 saves with a 6-6 record and a 3.65 ERA.  He was not lights-out but the potential was definitely there to set the Mets up for the future with a solid closer.  Unfortunately he holds the dubious distinction of being the first player in major league baseball to have received a lifetime suspension due to being a three-time loser for PEDs.  The book is not closed on him and he can apply for reinstatement, but he’s squandered quite a bit of his young career.

RP – Neil Allen

When the Mets traded fan favorite Neil Allen people were sorry to see him go, but in an exchange of problem children the Mets received Keith Hernandez back from the Cardinals.  What came to light after the fact was Allen’s drinking problem which curtailed prematurely a very promising career.  He spent four years from age 21 through 24 with the Mets, saving as many as 19 games in a season and delivering a respectable 3.54 ERA, but his closing days never returned and by age 31 he was out of baseball. He reinvented himself as a pitching coach but had DUI issues surface again.

RP – Bobby Parnell

Joined at the hip to Jenrry Mejia was Bobby Parnell, the flame throwing righty who had become the closer of the future after delivering on 22 saves with a miniscule 2.16 ERA in 2013, his second consecutive season with a sub 2.50 ERA.  Then the injuries derailed his career and he never recovered, leaving the majors for good at age 31 in 2016.

 

RP – Ambiorix Burgos

The Mets thought they had obtained a hard throwing reliever who could help bolster their bullpen when they got Burgos from the Kansas City Royals.  As a 23 year old he appeared in 17 games for the Mets with a 1-0 record and a good 3.42 ERA before succumbing to Tommy John surgery.  However, it wasn’t the ill health that landed him on this list.  Instead it was his criminal activity, starting with an assault on his girlfriend in 2008, a hit and run incident in which he collided with two women, fled the scene and both subsequently died.  Then a year later he was arrested for kidnapping and poisoning his ex-wife. 

Did I miss anyone?