Every team has a "top of the heap."
And Every team has a "bottom of the barrel."
Reese Kaplan recently did an article recapping the Mets’ best outfielders in their history.
Yep. Some very good ones.
Those very good ones were out of a whole lot of them...according to the Ultimate Mets Database, the Mets have had 322 players play the outfield at least once, 95 of whom had outfield cameos of 9 games or less.
On the flip side of the franchise’s best, this franchise has had its share of poor hitting teams.
Poor hitting teams have more than their share of marginal outfielders too.
Here’s are just 10 of the outfielders of Mets infamy...hitting stats are for all Mets plate appearances, not just outfield PAs:
Don Hahn in 1971-74 was in 283 Mets games in the outfield. In 800 at bats, he hit .234 with a .306 slug %. That’s a boatload of mediocrity.
Dave Schneck played 128 games in the outfield for the Mets in 1972-74 and in 423 at bats hit .199.
Rod Gaspar played 99 games in the Mets outfield in 1969-70 and hit .214 with a .262 slug %.
Matt den Dekker got into 76 outfield games recently and hit .219 with a .285 slug %. In 2018, he went put up 2/3 of a no hitter, as he went 0 for 18 as a Met.
Don Bosch got into 73 outfield games in 1967 and 1968 and hit just .157 as a Met.
Tommie Reynolds (the Mets’ other Tommie) played 72 outfield games in 1967 and hit .206. with a .257 slug %.
Jim Gosger was with the Mets in 1969 and 1970, and also in 1973, and got in 64 outfield games. He hit .193 in a Mets uniform.
George “Stork” Theodore was a Met in 1973 and 1974, got in 45 outfield games and hit .219 with a .276 slug %. Stork was for the birds.
Jeff Duncan in 2003-04 got in 56 outfield games and hit a pitcher-like .182 with a .227 slug %.
Billy Cowan in 1965 got in 61 outfield games and hit a measly.179.
I’m sure I could have come up with 10 more.
Any others that would have made your Futile 10?
I am glad this seems to be a non-existent problem with the 2020 Mets team’s fine hitting outfield.
If the COVID virus doesn't make the 2020 season non-existent.
Aaron Altherr should be on that list. Rick Ankiel is another.
ReplyDeleteMatt den Decker was once a writer for Mack's Mets.
ReplyDeleteHe lives in Savannah.
"While Rod Gaspar Gently Weeps"---George Harrison? No?
ReplyDeleteRodney is on the border of this category IMO if only because what seemed to be a HOF worthy RS/PR ratio. If he pinch ran, he scored. e.g. Game 4 WS.
I remember thinking during the 1973 World Series that no team with Don Hahn in center field deserves to win a World Series.
ReplyDeleteDon Bosch was the keynote player in a trade where the Mets gave up their best pitcher, Dennis Ribant. Even Bosch thought it was a mistake. He told Don Cardwell, who came with him, that Cardwell would make the deal make good.
Rod Gaspar, however, did his bit for the Mets success. After they clinched in 1969, he said the Mets could beat the Orioles. Frank Robinson replied with "Who the hell is Ron Gaspar?" (Yes, he got the name wrong.) Gaspar ended up scoring the winning runin the 4th game of the series (the J.C. Martin game) as a pinch runner.
Chuck Rothman, nice recollections.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree - Don Hahn in CF for the World Series? Ouch.
Robinson's Gaspar line reminds me of one of the female sports update voices on WFAN once saying, "Who the hell is Jerry Rekko?" That got replayed quite a bit.
I always liked Cardwell. Completed lots of starts.
Reese, neither Altherr and Ankiel got an A as a Mets, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteMack, is that a different Matt D, or the player himself?
Tom
ReplyDeleteThe player
In my minds eye, I remember my 11/12 year old self watching Don Hahn patrolling CF with incredible defense and a deadly arm. Just looked at his B-Ref stats page and, yeah, not what I remembered on defense. I remain ever the romantic about those early Mets teams, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI liked Don Hahn. How about Pat Howell and Ricky Otero from the 1990's Mets who couldn't hit a lick. Howell was strictly a defensive player. Jason Tyner as a first-round draft pick was a complete waste, also.
ReplyDeleteIVictor and Bob, I am an offense first, defense second kind of a guy. Most recently in that regard, I would take Nimmo over Lagares
ReplyDelete