82-592: William Charles Harris (born June 22, 1978) is an American professional baseball coach who recently served as the third base coach for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He is also a former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder and second baseman who played for the Baltimore Orioles , Chicago White Sox , Boston Red Sox , Atlanta Braves , Washington Nationals , New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds between 2001 and 2012. With
164-471: A berth to the 1963 All-Star Game. In 1964, the Mets hired Yogi Berra as a coach under Casey Stengel's coaching staff. In 1966, the Mets famously bypassed future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson in the amateur draft , instead selecting Steve Chilcott , who never played in the majors. But the following year, they acquired future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver in a lottery. Seaver helped the 1969 "Miracle Mets" win
246-684: A black player's head. Now, however, baseball is fully integrated, and there is little to no racial tension between teammates. Between 1943 and 1954, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League fielded teams in several Midwestern towns. New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens . The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as
328-458: A firecracker out of the team bus window and injured three people resulting in felony charges that effectively ended his Mets career; the Mets placed him on paid administrative leave for the remainder of the season, and announced less than a month before the end of the season that he would never play for them again. Only a few days later, Saberhagen was in trouble again, this time for spraying bleach at three reporters. The meltdown season resulted in
410-527: A frenzy by crushing a home run to give the Mets a 3–2 lead and the eventual win. The game is considered to be one of the greatest moments in the history of the franchise. In 2002, despite the off-season signings of Tom Glavine , Mo Vaughn , and Roberto Alomar , the Mets finished the 2002 season with a 75–86 overall record and last in the NL East. During that same season the Mets dealt with off field distractions when co-owners Wilpon and Doubleday were in
492-658: A game. But Harris' numbers in the second half of the season dropped precipitously. He had a .214 average, a .294 on-base percentage, and a .354 slugging average after the all-star break. On August 9, the Braves were beating the NL East-leading New York Mets 7-3 entering the bottom of the 9th at Shea Stadium . After Braves reliever Tyler Yates yielded three runs to bring the Mets within one, Óscar Villarreal came on to pitch. The first hitter he faced, first baseman Carlos Delgado , hit what appeared to be
574-441: A legal battle which was later settled with Wilpon becoming the sole owner on August 23 that year. In the aftermath of the 2004 season, the Mets hired a new general manager, Omar Minaya , who immediately turned the franchise around by signing pitcher Pedro Martínez and hiring a new manager, Willie Randolph . The Mets finished 2005 four games over .500, and the franchise's resurgence was complete by 2006 as they won 97 games and
656-854: A member club of the National League (NL) East Division . They are one of two major league clubs based in New York City, the other being the New York Yankees of the American League (AL). One of baseball's first expansion teams , the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed NL teams, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants . The team's colors evoke the blue of the Dodgers and
738-643: A one-year, split contract. He went to spring training camp as a non-roster invitee, but he was figured to have a strong chance to make the Opening Day roster. On April 20, Harris had his contract purchased by the Red Sox and was added to the 40-man roster . Harris was designated for assignment on July 18. Three days later, he cleared waivers and was assigned to the Triple–A Pawtucket Red Sox . The Atlanta Braves and Oakland Athletics completed
820-442: A player makes an error, I try to support them in whatever way I can. I don't run to the media to belittle them or to draw more attention to their difficult times. I can only hope that one day those teammates who have found it convenient to criticize me will realize that we are all in this together. If only we can concentrate more on the games, rather than complaining and bickering and pointing fingers, we would all be better off. This
902-473: A record amount at that time. Nelson Doubleday, Jr. was named chairman of the board while minority shareholder Fred Wilpon took the role of club president. In February, Wilpon hired longtime Baltimore Orioles executive Frank Cashen as general manager who began the process of rebuilding the Mets much in the same way he developed the Orioles in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The franchise turned around in
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#1732783238652984-766: A seventh game, but lost the series. Notably, 1973 was the only NL East title between 1970 and 1980 that was not won by either the Philadelphia Phillies or the Pittsburgh Pirates . Star pitcher Tom Seaver was traded in 1977 , on a day remembered as "the Midnight Massacre", and the Mets fell into last place for several years. In January 1980, the Payson heirs sold the Mets franchise to the Doubleday publishing company for $ 21.1 million,
1066-581: A solo home run to make it a tie game. Harris ranged back in left field, stopped just before the wall and jumped, robbing the home run and preserving the lead. Harris was designated for assignment on December 4, 2007. Harris was not offered a new contract by the Braves and became a free agent on December 12. On December 13, 2007, Harris signed with the Washington Nationals . He proved an effective insurance policy, playing second base , third base , shortstop and all three outfield positions over
1148-513: A three-year $ 130 million deal. On December 18, the Mets announced hiring Buck Showalter as their manager via owner Steve Cohen's Twitter account. On April 29, 2022, Tylor Megill , Drew Smith , Joely Rodríguez , Seth Lugo and Edwin Díaz pitched the second no-hitter in franchise history. At the trade deadline, the Mets added 1B/DH Daniel Vogelbach from the Pirates, OF Tyler Naquin from
1230-537: A trade on April 29, 2007, as the Braves sent outfielder Ryan Langerhans to the A's in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. To fill Langerhans' spot, Atlanta purchased the contract of Harris from the Triple–A Richmond Braves . Harris went on to have a career year in 2007. He hit near .400 during the month of May and went into the All-Star Break with a .342 average. He led
1312-658: A woman near the Mets' spring training facility; the charges were later dropped. Meanwhile, popular pitcher David Cone was dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays during the 1992 season for Ryan Thompson and Jeff Kent . While the move was widely criticized by fans of both teams, the Jays went on to win the 1992 World Series .Their descent was chronicled by the book The Worst Team Money Could Buy: The Collapse Of The New York Mets ( ISBN 0-8032-7822-5 ) by Mets beat writers Bob Klapisch and John Harper. The lowest point of
1394-517: The 1999 National League Championship Series to the Atlanta Braves , in six exciting games which included the famous Grand Slam Single by Robin Ventura to win game 5 for the Mets. The Mets were at one point down 3–0 in the series. The Mets struggled for much of the 1990s, finishing with a losing record for six consecutive seasons between 1991 and 1996. In 2000 , the Mets finished
1476-712: The Boston Red Sox before a series of hits and defensive miscues ultimately led to an error by Boston's Bill Buckner which gave the Mets a Game 6 victory. The Mets won their second World Series title in seven games. In 1987 the Mets declined to re-sign World Series MVP Ray Knight , who then signed with the Baltimore Orioles and also traded away the flexible Kevin Mitchell to the Padres for long-ball threat Kevin McReynolds . Weeks later Mets' ace Dwight Gooden
1558-477: The Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field . Harris finished the season with 13 home runs, six more than he hit in the previous seven years of his career combined. During the 2008–2009 offseason, he signed a two-year contract with the Nationals, worth 3 million dollars (1.5 million per season). On April 13, 2009, Harris was placed on the 15–day disabled list with a left oblique strain. On September 24, 2010, Harris hit
1640-402: The Chicago Cubs . The Mets finished third place in the NL East with an overall record of 77–85. On November 19, 2021, the Mets hired Billy Eppler as the new general manager. During the 2021–2022 off-season, the Mets signed free agents Nick Plummer , Starling Marte , Eduardo Escobar , and Mark Canha . On December 1, the Mets signed three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer with
1722-764: The Commissioner of Baseball . Operating outside the Minor League Baseball organization are many independent minor leagues such as the Atlantic League , American Association , Frontier League , and the feeder league to these the Empire Professional Baseball League . Japan has had professional baseball since the 1930s. Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and
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#17327832386521804-510: The Los Angeles Dodgers . In 2012, Mets owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz settled a lawsuit brought against them on behalf of the victims of Bernard Madoff 's Ponzi scheme for $ 162 million. As a result of this agreement the liquidator, Irving Picard , agreed to drop the charges that Wilpon and Katz blindly went along with the scheme for their personal benefit. Picard had originally sought to recover $ 1 billion from
1886-671: The Montreal Expos and won 98 games, but narrowly missed the playoffs. In 1986 , they won the division with a record of 108–54, one of the best in National League history. They then won a dramatic NLCS in six games over the Houston Astros . The sixth game of the series lasted sixteen innings, the longest playoff game in history until 2005. The Mets came within one strike of losing the World Series against
1968-607: The Montreal Expos at home and the Atlanta Braves on the road.Following the 1998 season the Mets re-signed Mike Piazza to a seven-year, $ 91 million contract, the Mets traded Todd Hundley to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Trades netted the Mets Roger Cedeño, Armando Benítez, and the Mets signed free agents Robin Ventura , Rickey Henderson , and Bobby Bonilla . The Mets started the 1999 season well, going 17–9, but after an eight-game losing streak, including
2050-730: The Pacific League , each with six teams. South Korea has had professional baseball since 1982. There are 10 teams in KBO League . Taiwan has had professional baseball since the 1990s. The Chinese Professional Baseball League absorbed Taiwan Major League in 2003. There are currently 6 teams in the CPBL. Other Asian leagues include three now defunct leagues, the China National Baseball League , Israel Baseball League , and Baseball Philippines . During
2132-835: The Pioneer Baseball League as the hitting coach for the Great Falls Voyagers in 2016. The Great Falls Voyagers at the time were affiliated with the Chicago White Sox . Harris was named as the Manager of the Richmond Flying Squirrels in the San Francisco Giants organization for the 2018 season. In 2019, Harris was named Cincinnati Reds baserunning and outfield coordinator. On December 8, 2020, Harris
2214-463: The United States and Canada consists of the National League (founded in 1876) and the American League (founded in 1901). Historically, teams in one league never played teams in the other until the World Series , in which the champions of the two leagues played against each other. This changed in 1997 with the advent of interleague play . The Philadelphia Phillies , founded in 1883, are
2296-412: The 2000 World Series occurred during the first inning of Game 2 at Yankee Stadium. Piazza fouled off a pitch which shattered his bat, sending a piece of the barrel toward the pitcher's mound. Pitcher Roger Clemens seized the piece and hurled it in the direction of Piazza as the catcher trotted to first base. Benches briefly cleared before the game was resumed with no ejections. During the 2001 season ,
2378-567: The 2005 playoffs, Harris went 2-for-2 in the postseason with an RBI, one stolen base, and one run scored. Harris' successful pinch-hit single in Game 4 of the 2005 World Series against the Houston Astros would prove to be decisive after Harris scored on an RBI single by Jermaine Dye . Not only was the run the game-winner, it was the only run which would be scored in the Series-clinching Game 4. The Boston Red Sox signed Harris to
2460-577: The 2018 season when the pitcher finished the year with a 1.70 ERA) and first-baseman Pete Alonso winning the 2019 Rookie of the Year Award and finishing the season with a major-league-leading 53 home runs, the most by any rookie in MLB history. On October 3, 2019, the Mets fired manager Mickey Callaway . On November 1, 2019, the Mets named Carlos Beltrán as the new manager replacing Callaway. On January 16, 2020, Beltrán stepped down as manager before
2542-750: The Cincinnati Reds 10–2. They defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS , three games to two, and swept the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS for their first pennant in 15 years. In the 2015 World Series , they were defeated by the Kansas City Royals in five games. The Mets returned to the postseason in 2016 , marking only the second time in franchise history that the team qualified for the postseason in consecutive years. With an 87–75 record,
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2624-414: The Mets after the 1986 championship, the Mets tried to rebuild using experienced superstars. They picked up Eddie Murray for over $ 3 million, Bobby Bonilla for over $ 6 million. They also traded McReynolds and Jefferies for one-time World Series hero Bret Saberhagen and his $ 3 million contract, along with signing veteran free agent pitcher Frank Tanana for $ 1.5 million. The rebuilding was supported by
2706-604: The Mets at all three outfield positions as well as second and third base. He had a .351 on–base percentage and an OPS+ of 88. On January 23, 2012, Harris signed with the Cincinnati Reds . On June 26, Harris was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to the Triple–A Louisville Bats . Harris was hitting at a .114 clip, with a .170 OBP, two RBI, and no home runs in 44 at–bats before being demoted. Willie Harris started his professional coaching career in
2788-401: The Mets finished in fourth place, with a record of 70–92 and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the third straight season. Mets players spent more than 1,480 days in the disabled list in 2009, more than any other team in the majors. Second-half turnarounds of Jeff Francoeur and Daniel Murphy helped the Mets finish the season with the best batting average in the National League, tied with
2870-489: The Mets finished with a record of 82–80 finishing third in the division. After the September 11 terrorist attacks Shea Stadium was used as a relief center and then saw the first sporting event in New York City since the attacks, in a game vs. the Atlanta Braves on September 21. In the bottom of the 8th inning the Mets were trailing 2–1 when Mike Piazza came to bat with a runner on first. Piazza dramatically sent Shea into
2952-412: The Mets have played their home games at Citi Field next to the site where Shea Stadium once stood. In their inaugural season , the Mets posted a record of 40–120, the second most regular-season losses since MLB went to a 162-game schedule. The team never finished better than second-to-last in the 1960s until the "Miracle Mets" beat the Baltimore Orioles in the 1969 World Series , considered one of
3034-509: The Mets, who failed to finish with a winning record between 2009 and 2014, this period coincided with a number of milestones for the franchise, including the first no-hitter in franchise history by Johan Santana in 2012. R.A. Dickey won the NL Cy Young Award pitching for the Mets that same season. On September 26, 2015, the Mets clinched the NL East division title, and thus their first postseason berth since 2006, by defeating
3116-560: The NL East title behind new acquisitions Carlos Beltrán and Carlos Delgado , as well as young superstars José Reyes and David Wright . The Mets eventually succumbed to the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series . In 2007, the Mets entered the final 17 games in the season with a seven-game lead in the NL East. But the team went on an ill-timed losing streak, losing 11 of
3198-505: The NL East title but suffered two painful losses. The first came on Seat Cushion Night where Tom Herr hit a walk-off grand slam. A greater loss came on September 11 in a game against St. Louis, 3rd baseman Terry Pendleton hit a homer to give the Cardinals a lead, and eventually the NL East title. One highlight of the year was Darryl Strawberry and Howard Johnson becoming the first teammates' ever to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in
3280-480: The National League, the highest amount by an NL player since 1930. In the off season, the Mets acquired first baseman John Olerud from the Toronto Blue Jays for pitcher Robert Person . In 1997, the Mets finally bounced back with an 88–74 record, missing the playoffs by only four games, and the team improved by 17 wins from 1996. On June 16, the Mets beat the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in
3362-531: The Phillies to pass them once again for the division crown. In 2009, the Mets moved into the newly constructed Citi Field . On April 17, Gary Sheffield , who just days earlier was signed by the Mets as a free agent, hit his 500th home run against the Milwaukee Brewers . Sheffield became the first pinch hitter to reach this milestone, as well as the first to do it in a Mets uniform. The season
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3444-566: The Reds, and OF Darin Ruf from the Giants. On September 19, 2022, Jacob deGrom set a new MLB record by allowing three or less earned runs in 40 consecutive games, breaking a record that was held by Jim Scott for over 100 years. On September 25, 2022 Pete Alonso broke the Mets single season RBI record which was previously set by former franchise stars Mike Piazza and David Wright . Also during
3526-469: The United States and Canada. The minor leagues are divided into classes AAA, AA, High-A, A, and Rookie. These minor-league divisions are affiliated with major league teams, and serve to develop young players and rehabilitate injured major-leaguers. "Affiliated baseball" (archaically, " organized baseball ") is often applied as an umbrella term for all leagues — major and minor — under the authority of
3608-556: The White Sox, he won the 2005 World Series against the Houston Astros . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He attended Middle Georgia State University and Kennesaw State University and lives in Cairo, Georgia during the off-season. He is the nephew of former third baseman and shortstop for the Milwaukee Brewers and San Francisco Giants , Ernest Riles . Versatility and speed are his biggest strengths, as Harris has
3690-562: The Wilpon family and Katz, but settled for $ 162 million along with the admission that neither the Wilpons nor Katz had any knowledge of the Ponzi scheme. In 2011–2012, Mets ownership sold twelve minority 4% shares (totaling 48%) of the franchise at $ 20 million apiece to provide a cash infusion of $ 240 million for the team. Though the first half of the 2010s saw limited success for
3772-454: The ability to play all three outfield positions as well as second base , where he started 28 games in 2005. He started two games at shortstop in 2005. He can also play third base . His most productive season came in 2004 , when he posted career-numbers in average (.262), RBI (27), runs (68), hits (107), doubles (15) and at-bats (409). Harris also notched a career high of 19 stolen bases . In 2005, he stole 10 bases in 56 games. In
3854-478: The bases loaded off Philadelphia closer Ricky Bottalico . During the season, the Mets acquired Mike Piazza in a blockbuster trade that immediately brought star power and credibility to the Mets that had been lacking in recent years. After the Piazza trade, the Mets played well, but missed the 1998 postseason by only one game. With five games left in the season , the Mets could not win a single game against both
3936-497: The biggest upsets in World Series history despite the Mets having won 100 games that season. The Mets have qualified for the postseason eleven times, winning the World Series twice (1969 and 1986 ) and winning five National League pennants (most recently in 2000 and 2015 ), and six National League East division titles. Since 2020, the Mets have been owned by billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen , who purchased
4018-414: The bottom completely fell out and Harrelson was fired with a week left to go in the season, replaced by third base coach Mike Cubbage for the final games. Gregg Jefferies , once considered a promising young player, became a distraction as he released a controversial statement to be read on WFAN radio: When a pitcher is having trouble getting players out, when a hitter is having trouble hitting, or when
4100-429: The course of the season. He was known for playing stellar defense, and made several outstanding athletic catches in the outfield. On August 22, 2008 , Harris hit his 11th and 12th home runs of the year, including his first career grand slam that gave the Nationals a 6–4 lead. He also hit a two–run home run, collected 6 RBI to give him 38 for the season, scored 3 times, and stole a base in the Nationals' 13–5 win against
4182-459: The emergence of pitchers Bill Pulsipher , Jason Isringhausen , and Paul Wilson . The trio were dubbed Generation K , a group of talented young hurlers who were destined to bring the Mets into greatness, much like Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman and Nolan Ryan did in the 1960s. However, all three players succumbed to injury, preventing them from reaching their full potential. Of the three of them, only Isringhausen would accomplish much of significance in
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#17327832386524264-452: The experiment was the 1993 season when the Mets lost 103 games. In April of that year, Coleman accidentally hit Gooden's shoulder with a golf club while practicing his swing. In July, Saberhagen threw a firecracker under a table near reporters. Their young pitching prospect Anthony Young started the 1993 season at 0–13 and his overall streak of 27 straight losses over two years set a new record. After Young's record-setting loss, Coleman threw
4346-432: The first ever regular-season game played between the crosstown rivals 6–0. Mets starter Dave Mlicki pitched a complete game shutout to pick up the win. In 1997, Hundley's great season was derailed by a devastating elbow injury and required Tommy John surgery . The Mets season in 1998 began with an unforgettable opening day game at Shea Stadium on March 31 against their division rival Philadelphia Phillies , marking
4428-565: The first inside-the-park home run in Nationals history against the Atlanta Braves. On January 14, 2011, Harris and the New York Mets agreed to a minor-league contract. According to reporter Anthony DiComo, Harris "is all but a lock to make the team in an arrangement that should net him between 250 and 400 plate appearances" in 2011. The deal included an invitation to major league spring training . Harris played in 126 games for
4510-699: The first time that a regular season baseball game was played in New York in March. Both of them were involved in the longest scoreless opening day game in the National League and the longest one in the MLB since 1926 when the Washington Senators beat the Philadelphia Athletics 1–0 in 15 innings. The Mets won the game 1–0 in 14 innings when backup catcher Alberto Castillo delivered a full-count, two-out, pinch-hit single to right with
4592-463: The largest city in the United States with no National League franchise and only one major league team, the New York Yankees of the American League (AL). With the threat of a New York team joining the new Continental League , the National League expanded by adding the New York Mets following a proposal from William Shea . In a symbolic reference to New York's earlier National League teams,
4674-473: The last two to the New York Yankees , the Mets fired their entire coaching staff except for manager Bobby Valentine .The Mets, in front of a national audience on Sunday Night Baseball , beat the New York Yankees 7–2 in the turning point of the 1999 season. Both Mike Piazza and Robin Ventura had MVP-type seasons and Benny Agbayani emerged as an important role player. It was a breakout year for Mets second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo and Roger Cedeño , who broke
4756-594: The late 19th and early 20th centuries, players of black African descent were barred from playing the major leagues , though several did manage to play by claiming to be Cubans or Native Americans . As a result, a number of parallel Negro leagues were formed. However, after Jackie Robinson began playing with the major-league Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, the Negro leagues gradually faded. The process of integration did not go entirely smoothly; there were some ugly incidents, including pitchers who would try to throw directly at
4838-437: The majors, but as a reliever, eventually reaching 300 career saves. The Mets dismal 1996 season was highlighted by the play of switch hitting catcher Todd Hundley breaking the Major League Baseball single season record for home runs hit by catcher with 41. Center fielder Lance Johnson set single-season franchise records in hits (227), triples (21), at bats (682), runs scored (117). Johnson's 21 triples also led
4920-402: The mid-1980s. During this time the Mets drafted slugger Darryl Strawberry (#1 in 1980) and 1985 Cy Young Award winner Dwight Gooden (#5 in 1982). Former National League MVP and perennial Gold Glove winner Keith Hernandez was obtained by the Mets in 1983 from the St. Louis Cardinals . This began a rivalry between the two teams that lasted throughout the rest of the 1980s, during which
5002-446: The new National League East division title, then defeat the Atlanta Braves to win the National League pennant and the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles to win the 1969 World Series . In 1973 , the Mets rallied from 5th place to win the division, despite a record of only 82–79. They shocked the heavily favored Cincinnati Reds ' " Big Red Machine " in the NLCS and pushed the defending World Series champion Oakland Athletics to
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#17327832386525084-437: The new team took as its primary colors the blue of the Dodgers and the orange of the Giants, both of which are colors also featured on the flag of New York City . The nickname "Mets" was adopted: being a natural shorthand to the club's corporate name, the " New York Metropolitan Baseball Club , Inc.", which hearkened back to the " Metropolitans " (a New York team in the American Association from 1880 to 1887), and its brevity
5166-440: The next 15 games, resulting in the Philadelphia Phillies winning the division by one game. The Mets held a more modest 3.5-game lead after 145 games of the 2008 season , their final season at Shea Stadium . On June 16, Omar Minaya fired Willie Randolph , Rick Peterson , and Tom Nieto . Jerry Manuel was named interim manager. While their 7–10 mark down the stretch was better than the previous season's 5–12, it still allowed
5248-399: The oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in both Major League Baseball and all of American professional sports. In addition to the major leagues, many North American cities and towns feature minor league teams. An organization officially styled Minor League Baseball , formerly the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, oversees nearly all minor league baseball in
5330-406: The orange of the Giants. For the 1962 and 1963 seasons, the Mets played home games at the Polo Grounds in Manhattan before moving to Queens. From 1964 to 2008, the Mets played their home games at Shea Stadium , named after William Shea , the founder of the Continental League , a proposed third major league, the announcement of which prompted their admission as an NL expansion team. Since 2009,
5412-516: The player the Mets expected, and a healthy Saberhagen, along with promising young starter Bobby Jones and John Franco, helped the Mets pitching staff along. In the strike-shortened 1994 season the Mets were in 3rd place behind first-place Montreal and Atlanta when the season ended on August 12. When the strike finally ended in 1995, the Mets finally showed some promise again, finishing in 2nd place (but still 6 games under .500) behind eventual World Series champion Atlanta. The 1995 season marked
5494-405: The same season. The Mets rebounded the following year to post a 100–60 overall record and win their division in 1988 , but lost in the NLCS that year to the Los Angeles Dodgers and declined into the 1990s. During the 1991 season, the Mets were actually in contention for much of the season, closing to within 2.5 games of the front-running Pirates at one point. In the latter half, however,
5576-453: The season with a 94–68 record andclinched a wild card spot in the playoffs. In the NLDS , the Mets defeated the San Francisco Giants 3–1 in the series and the St Louis Cardinals in the NLCS . After winning the National League pennant, the Mets earned a trip to the 2000 World Series against their crosstown rivals, the New York Yankees, for a " Subway Series ". The Mets were defeated by the Yankees in five games. The most memorable moment of
5658-479: The single season steals record for the Mets. After the regular season ended, the Mets played a one-game playoff against the Cincinnati Reds , Al Leiter pitched the best game of his Met career as he hurled a two-hit complete-game shutout to advance the Mets to the playoffs. In the NLDS , the Mets defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3 games to 1. The series-clinching victory included a walk-off home run by backup catcher Todd Pratt . The Mets would lose however in
5740-499: The slogan, "Hardball Is Back". The experiment of building a team via free agency quickly flopped as Saberhagen and Vince Coleman were soon injured and spent more time on the disabled list than on the field, and Bonilla exhibited unprofessional behavior towards members of the press, once threatening a reporter by saying, "I'll show you The Bronx". [1] . At the beginning of the 1991 season, Coleman, Gooden and outfielder Daryl Boston were named in an alleged sexual abuse incident against
5822-424: The start of the 2020 season due to his involvement in the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal . Two days later, the Mets hired Luis Rojas as manager. The team finished the shortened 2020 season with a 26–34 record and a last-place finish in the NL East. On October 30, 2020, Steve Cohen became the majority owner of the Mets, owning 95% of the team, making him the current richest owner in baseball. He bought
5904-419: The team for $ 2.4 billion. As of 2023, Forbes ranked the Mets as the sixth most valuable MLB team , valued at $ 2.9 billion. As of the end of the 2024 regular season, the team's overall win–loss record is 4,816–5,148 (.483). After the 1957 season, the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants relocated from New York to California to become the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants , leaving
5986-529: The team from the Wilpon family for $ 2.475 billion, with the Wilpons keeping the remaining 5%. On January 7, 2021, the Mets acquired pitcher Carlos Carrasco and all-star shortstop Francisco Lindor in a trade with the Cleveland Indians . On April 1, 2021, Lindor and the Mets agreed to an extension worth $ 341 million for the next 11 years. At the trade deadline, the Mets acquired All-star infielder & world series champion Javier Báez in trade with
6068-465: The team qualified for the wild-card game , only to lose 3–0 to the San Francisco Giants . The Mets failed to make the playoffs for the rest of the decade, finishing no higher than third place in 2019 when they finished with a winning record of 86–76 (the highest of any team not to qualify for the postseason). The end of the decade also coincided with David Wright 's retirement, Jacob deGrom being awarded two consecutive Cy Young Awards (including for
6150-548: The team with 17 stolen bases. On June 30, Harris tied a career personal record with 3 stolen bases in a 6–5 win over the Miami Marlins . He posted a remarkable night on July 21: In a 14–6 rout of the St. Louis Cardinals , Harris went 6-for-6 with four singles, two triples, six RBI, four runs scored, and a stolen base. He became just the second player in Atlanta history and the seventh in franchise history to have six hits in
6232-579: The teams would swap NL East titles between 1985 and 1988, Mets players openly trolled the Cardinals, and Cardinals fans nicknamed the Mets "pond scum." After finishing their first three campaigns of the 1980s decade in either 5th or 6th (last) place, in 1984, new manager Davey Johnson was promoted from the helm of the AAA Tidewater Tides . He led the Mets to a second-place, 90–72 record, their first winning season since 1976. In 1985 , they acquired Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter from
6314-427: The worst record for a Mets team since 1965. In addition, two of the three remaining links to the 1986 team, Howard Johnson and Sid Fernandez , departed after the season via free agency. The following season saw some promise for the troubled Mets, as first baseman Rico Brogna and second baseman Jeff Kent became fan favorites with their solid glove work and potential 20–25 home run power, Bonilla started to become
6396-426: Was admitted to a drug clinic after testing positive for cocaine. Despite Gooden struggling in the first few months of the 1987 season, "Dr. K" rebounded, as did the team. It was during the tough times that the Mets made a great long-term deal, trading Ed Hearn to the Kansas City Royals for pitcher David Cone . The rivalry with the Cardinals culminated in the 1987 season, when the Mets surged to challenge them for
6478-465: Was advantageous for newspaper headlines. The 1962 Mets posted a 40–120 record, the second most losses by a post-1900 MLB team behind the 2024 Chicago White Sox . During the 1963 season the team featured a pitcher, Carlton Willey, who was having a great year, pitching four shut-outs, when he incurred an injury and finished with a 9–14 win–loss record. The '63 squad also had Duke Snider , who hit his 2,000th hit and later his 400th home run and earned
6560-472: Was hired by the Chicago Cubs as their third base coach. On October 11, 2024, Harris and the Cubs agreed to mutually part ways. Professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Major League Baseball in
6642-408: Was mainly a tough one for the Mets which was marred by numerous injuries suffered by its players, with 20 of them having been on the disabled list at one point or another during the season and losing star (and also replacement) players like J. J. Putz , John Maine , Óliver Pérez , José Reyes , Carlos Beltrán , David Wright , Carlos Delgado , Johan Santana , and Gary Sheffield . As a result,
6724-473: Was seen as the end for Jefferies in New York as he would be traded to the Kansas City Royals in the offseason. The season ended on a high note, however, as David Cone pitched a one-hit shutout against the Phillies at Veterans Stadium , in which he struck out 19 batters, tying the National League regulation game record (first set by former Met Tom Seaver ). With all of the personal problems swirling around
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