New York Mets from Amazing downgraded to good
When it comes to losing, the Mets will always be able to look back and say that no one can do it quite like them. In their first season back in 1962 they lost an incredible- dare I say, amazing- number of games, 120 (the most of any team in the last century). Perhaps that is where the ‘amazing’ moniker stuck, because they were anything but amazing.
Over the next six years they still stunk, just not as bad. By 1968 they worked their way up to 73 wins (from 51, 53, 50, 66, and 61). Something happened in the 1969 season though. Suddenly the Mets did not stink anymore. They shattered the previous win record of 73 by winning 100 (a team record that would stand until 1986 and only be matched in 1988) and winning their first division pennant. It did not end there, however. After sweeping the Braves in the NLCS they defeated the Baltimore Orioles 4 games to 1 to win their first World Series title.
So maybe the ‘amazing’ moniker stuck after making such a dramatic turn-around from the team’s previous seasons. However the name came about, it has been sometime since the New York Mets have actually been amazing.
The last time
In 2006 the Mets had the team and it was the time. Some trades had helped solidify the roster with talent (i.e. Xavier Nady, Carlos Delgado, Paul Lo Duca, and John Maine). Nady would be traded during the season to bring in Oliver Perez and Roberto Hernandez. Shawn Green would be brought in towards the end of the season in late August.
The pitching staff was full of talented players, i.e. Pedro Martinez, Jose Lima, Mike Pelfrey, John Maine, Tom Glavine, Heath Bell, and Billy Wagner. As a staff they would combine for an ERA of 4.15, good enough for 6th best in the league. The offense was full of talent as well with the speed of Jose Reyes (who also batted .300 on the year), the power of David Wright (.311/ 26 homeruns/ 116 RBIs), Carlos Beltran (.265/ 41 homeruns/ 116 RBIs), and Carlos Delgado (.252/ 38 homeruns/ 114 RBIs). As a unit they would rank 21st in batting average (.264), but seventh in homeruns (200).
Sure enough the talent would result in a fine regular season. The ‘Amazing’ Mets would win 97 games, the most since the 1999 season. Good fortune would continue to shine down on them as they swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. However, the journey would end in the NLCS when the St. Louis Cardinals won Game Seven and the right to go to the World Series.
Since then…
The following two seasons would be okay (not amazing) with the Mets winning 88 and 89 games respectively. An ‘amazing’ collapse would lead to a less than stellar year in 2007; the Mets lost 12- of their last 17 games to squander a 7 game lead and finish out of the playoffs. In 2008 they were in contention, but ultimately finished three games behind the Phillies for the division title and one behind the Brewers for the wild card. Coming close and not getting it done must have affected their confidence because they fell to 4th in 2009 their first losing season since 2004 and fewest wins since 2003.
Statistically, the Mets had changed noticeably since their last ‘amazing’ year in 2006. The batting average actually improved to .269. The biggest change came in the pitching staff; in the three years following that season the pitching staff was still among the better in the league, but the ERA had fallen to 4.26 (13th).
The 2010 season has gone well, but is also not too amazing. Through 47 games they have won one more than they lost (24-23). The pitching staff is having one of it s best seasons in years currently ranked 5th in team ERA at 3.7. Their batting average leaves something to be desired (.250).
What happened to the ‘Amazing’ Mets? They got downgraded to good.
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