Tom Brennan - THE FINAL TWO YOUNG ARMS OF THE 1969 METS

THE FINAL TWO YOUNG ARMS OF THE 1969 METS

In my 4 recent articles that outlined the remarkable convergence of amazing young pitchers on the 1969 world champ NY Mets... Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Nolan Ryan, and Tug McGraw...those 4 were still not enough to make it all happen.

Thankfully, two more fine young arms joined the fray:

Jim McAndrew and Gary Gentry.

Jim McAndrew was an 11th round righty who kicked it into high gear in 1967,  after a fine 14-9 minors season in 1966.

In 1967, Jimmy Mac had a 13-10 minors record despite a microscopic 1.43 ERA...at which point he had earned a Mets No Support Badge of Honor.

In 1968 in AAA, he was 8-3, 2.54 and got a call up. He felt that no support pain, as he went 4-7 with the Mets the rest of the way in 1968 despite a 2.28 ERA. But he proved to be another piece ready to turn the Chumps into Champs in 1969.

MacAndrew went 6-7, with a fine 3.47 ERA, in 135 innings as a starter and reliever in 1969.  And was a vital cog for these World Champeen Mets.

Thereafter, he had very solid seasons in both 1970 and 1972 as well, but went 4-12 in 1973 and 1974 and was done at age 30.  He ended his Mets career with a 36-49 losing record despite a fine 3.54 ERA.  And, as I occasionally have to remind the reader, when he compiled most of that ERA, he did not have the advantage of pitching against the weak hitting Queens kids.

Gary the Great Gentry was a 3rd round selection of the Mets who, in his very first minor league campaign in AA...yes, AA...he went 4-4 In 79 innings, with an incredible 1.59 ERA.

In 1968, at age 21, Gentry watched Seaver and Koosman emerge as Mets co-aces as he finished his minors tutelage - Gentry went 12-8, 2.91 in 198 innings and 30 starts in AAA.

A Mets rookie at age 22 in 1969, after less than 280 minor league innings, Gentry gentrified and electrified the Shea Faithful, going 13-12, 3.43 in 35 starts and 233 innings!

He (over) pitched from 1969-72 with the Mets, and probably due to that workload, the slender righty broke down physically, and was done at 28, going 46-49, 3.57 for his career.

One could wonder how much better the hard throwing righty's career might have gone with current baseball era innings limits and the improved medical skills of the present.

Suffice it to say, though...the Mets likely miss the 1969 playoffs without the 19-19, 3.47 pitching of these two oh-so-timely pitchers, Jim McAndrew and Gary Gentry.

To recap the last several articles, with a focus on 1969, through a remarkable convergence of talent:

Seaver, Koosman, Ryan, McGraw, McAndrew and Gentry - at an average age in 1969 of slightly under 24 years of age, went:

76-41 (.650)

2.76 ERA 

1,073 innings 

47 CG

16 Shutouts.

Amazing! Simply Amazing!