A Curious Stat About '80s World Series Champions

In 1983, Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr. helped lead the Baltimore Orioles to the World Series championship, their third since moving to Baltimore from St. Louis in 1954.  At the time, the Orioles were one of the best teams in the American League.  From 1966-1983, no team in baseball won more pennants than Baltimore's six.  Not the Yankees or the Big Red Machine (they each won four).  Not the Dodgers (they won five pennants, but only one championship).  Not even the Oakland A's dynasty (three titles) could surpass the pennant-winning success of the Baltimore Orioles for an almost two decade span.

Murray and Ripken probably expected more championships following their 1983 title, but in the past 28 years, the city of Baltimore has been left without a World Series championship or an American League pennant.  In fact, they're not the only team to win it all in the '80s and then win nothing since then.

Following the Orioles' run to the championship, the Detroit Tigers spent every day of the 1984 season in first place in the American League East, culminating their spectacular season with a World Series championship.  The Tigers won another division title three years later (1987), a pennant in 2006 and another division title this past season, but have not given Motown another championship since '84.

After Detroit's championship in 1984, the Kansas City Royals were the last team to spray champagne in 1985, albeit with a little help from Don Denkinger's blown call in Game 6 of the World Series.  The 1985 campaign marked the seventh playoff appearance for the Royals in ten seasons, but they have not sniffed the postseason since their one championship season.

We're Mets fans.  We know what happened in 1986.  We also know that the Mets haven't won another World Series in the past quarter century.  We can move on to the next team now.

The 1987 Minnesota Twins finally broke the streak of four consecutive World Series winners in the '80s who have failed to win it all since then.  The Twins repeated as World Series champions four years later when Jack Morris (a key member of the 1984 World Champion Tigers) pitched ten shutout innings in the seventh and deciding game of the 1991 World Series against the Atlanta Braves.  But we can talk about that '91 Twins team later (and we will).

The 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers rode on the coattails of Orel Hershiser's arm and Kirk Gibson's bat to stun the Mets in the National League Championship Series and the trying-to-start-another-dynasty Oakland A's in the World Series.  Unfortunately, the Dodgers have failed to reach the World Series, let alone win it, since then.

Mets fans should remember these faces very well, even if they'd rather forget the 1988 season.  (Photo of Orel Hershiser by Tom Gannam/AP; Photo of Kirk Gibson by Steve Dykes/LA Times)

Remember those "trying-to-start-another-dynasty" A's from the last paragraph?  Sure you do.  Well, they did follow up their loss to the Dodgers in '88 with a championship of their own in 1989, defeating their Bay Area rival San Francisco Giants in four games.  The World Series that was known for the devastating earthquake prior to Game 3 would also be known to A's fans as the last one they would win.

Even after the 1980s ended, the curious stat concerning World Series winners failing to win another title continued.  The 1990 Cincinnati Reds shocked the A's in that year's World Series, sweeping Oakland in four games.  The Reds have failed to win another pennant since then.  The following year, the Minnesota Twins won their second title in five seasons.  Although the Twins have won six division titles in the past decade, they have yet to win the World Series that has eluded them for twenty years.

The 1992 Toronto Blue Jays did win another championship following their six-game defeat of the Atlanta Braves in that year's Fall Classic.  However, that title came the following season (1993).  Toronto has failed to return to the postseason since their mini-dynasty ended.

The 1994 strike killed that year's World Series, but did not kill the streak of World Series winners failing to return to glory following their championship seasons.  That streak had one more season left in it, as the 1995 Braves won their first and only title in Atlanta, defeating the Cleveland Indians (who themselves have not won a championship since 1948, the longest title-less drought in the American League) in six games.

Seriously.  This is a Mets site.  Who authorized the use of this photo?

When the Yankees won the World Series in 1996, it ended a stretch in which ten teams won their final World Series championship in 12 seasons (not including the 1994 season, which had no World Series).  Only the 1987 Twins and 1992 Blue Jays were able to win another championship during those dozen seasons, and both of them have now gone approximately two decades since their last title.

For all the talk about parity in baseball in the 21st century, what with teams like the Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants and Tampa Bay Rays all competing for World Series championships over the past few seasons when very few experts predicted them to reach the Fall Classic, the real time for parity happened a generation ago.

One-third of the teams in major league baseball all won championships from 1983 to 1995.  None of those teams has been able to scale that mountain again.  It's a curious stat that has been overlooked over the past 20-30 years.  It makes you wonder if the teams that are winning championships now will go that long in search of their next title.

M.U.M.'s The Word (Most Underrated Mets): Roger McDowell

In 1982, the Mets selected three right-handed pitchers in the June amateur draft with their first three picks. In the first round, they chose a high school kid from Tampa who would become one of the franchise's all-time best pitchers (Dwight Gooden). In the second round, they selected Gooden's high school teammate who would become one of the prospects coveted by the Expos in the deal that brought Gary Carter to New York (Floyd Youmans).

When it came time for the Mets to announce their third pick, they took a skinny college kid from Bowling Green State University in Ohio (the same school that produced Orel Hershiser three years earlier). Although not as highly touted as Gooden and Youmans, the young right-handed starter worked his way to AA-Jackson in 1983, where he won 11 games. The following season, he suffered an elbow injury that limited him to two starts. Because of the injury, he had to come up with a new way to deliver his pitches and in doing so, developed a signature pitch that would help him make it to the major leagues.

For most pitchers, a severe arm injury in the minor leagues usually spells the end of their major league dreams. For Roger McDowell, his injury caused him to reinvent himself, and when he did, he became one of the best relievers in Mets history.

Roger McDowell was all about fun and games off the field, but on the mound, he was all business.

Despite missing most of the 1984 season and never pitching above the AA level, Roger McDowell impressed manager Davey Johnson so much during Spring Training that he became part of the 1985 Opening Day roster. It didn't take McDowell very long to reach the win column, as he was credited with the victory in his major league debut after pitching a one-two-three inning in relief against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 11, 1985. Two days later, he pitched two scoreless innings against the Cincinnati Reds to claim his second victory. The original 1962 Mets played 14 games before earning their second win. It took Roger McDowell three innings to do the same.

After appearing out of the bullpen in his first five appearances, the Mets decided to allow McDowell to start two games. That experiment failed miserably, as the righty allowed nine runs in 10 1/3 innings over the two starts. After suffering his first defeat in a 14-2 loss to the Reds on May 4, McDowell was sent back to the bullpen, never making another start in the major leagues. It ended up being one of the most important decisions the Mets made during their mid-80s heyday.

Once McDowell was relieved (no pun intended) from his starting role, he became virtually unhittable. For the remainder of May, the Jolly Roger pitched 21 scoreless innings, giving up six hits (all singles) and three walks. Statisticians needed a microscope to find his opponents' batting average against him (.088), a number that is comparable to Al Leiter's career batting average. During his Bob Gibson-esque month, McDowell earned three wins and three saves, dispelling any thoughts that his stint as a starting pitcher would affect him negatively.

With the Mets and Cardinals fighting tooth and nail for first place in the NL East, McDowell did not wilt under the pressure of his first pennant race. During a three-week stretch in September, McDowell held opponents at bay, allowing only one run in 20 2/3 innings (0.44 ERA). Alas, the Mets would fall to the Cardinals, who clinched the division title on the penultimate day of the season. Still, the Mets finished the 1985 season with a 98-64 record, which represented the second-best record in franchise history.

For the year, McDowell had six wins and 17 saves to go with a sparkling 2.83 ERA. His rookie season did not go unnoticed, as he finished sixth in the voting for National League Rookie of the Year. If 1985 was the year Roger McDowell hit the big scene, 1986 was the year he relished in it.

Just like the rain, Roger McDowell's sinker couldn't help but fall towards the ground.

After a slow start to the 1986 season, Roger McDowell went on a tear for two months. From May 4 to July 1, McDowell was undefeated (5-0), with six saves and five holds in 25 appearances. Over the two-month span, his ERA was 1.07. In 50 2/3 innings, McDowell gave up 35 hits (31 singles, four doubles), holding opposing hitters to a .193 batting average and a .215 slugging percentage. In addition to keeping his own runners from scoring, he was incredibly adept at stranding other pitchers' runners, allowing only one inherited runner to score in two months. (McDowell inherited 11 baserunners during that time.)

When the regular season ended, McDowell had set the franchise record for appearances (75) and wins by a reliever (14). His numbers almost resembled that of a starting pitcher (14-9, 3.02 ERA, 128 innings pitched). McDowell, along with Jesse Orosco, became the first teammates to save 20 games apiece in the same season, with Roger leading the team with 22 saves and Jesse finishing with 21. On a team that featured a starting quartet of Dwight Gooden, Ron Darling, Bob Ojeda and Sid Fernandez, it was McDowell who received the most votes of any Mets pitcher for the 1986 NL MVP Award, as he finished 17th in the voting.

McDowell carried his highly successful regular season into the League Championship Series against the Houston Astros. He made his first appearance in the NLCS in Game 4, coming into the game in the seventh inning after Sid Fernandez had fallen behind by three runs to eventual Series MVP Mike Scott. McDowell retired all six batters he faced, but the Mets fell short to the Astros, who had "the right scuff" with Scott on the mound. When he pitched again in Game 6, McDowell delivered one of the most crucial performances by any reliever in team history.

With the Mets trailing the Astros in the ninth inning of Game 6, they mounted a furious rally off starting pitcher Bob Knepper and closer Dave Smith, scoring three runs to tie the game. Roger McDowell was called upon to replace Rick Aguilera (who had pitched three scoreless innings in relief of starter Bob Ojeda) in the bottom of the ninth inning. McDowell was no stranger to multiple innings of work, pitching two innings or more in 36 of his 75 regular season appearances. The experience of all those multiple-inning performances paid off in Game 6, as McDowell pitched five near-perfect innings. The only baserunner he allowed (a 12th inning walk to Kevin Bass; more on him later) was quickly erased on a failed stolen base attempt.

The Mets took the lead in the top of the 14th inning, putting McDowell in line for the pennant-clinching victory. However, with Jesse Orosco now in the game for the save, Billy Hatcher hit a long home run that hit the left field fair pole. As the ball slid down the screen, so did McDowell's chances for the win. The Mets eventually won the game and the pennant in a frenetic 16th inning, where they scored three runs in the top of the 16th, only to see Orosco give up two runs in the bottom of the inning before striking out Kevin Bass to end the threat and the game. It was the second time Orosco struck out Bass in the game, as he got the Astros' rightfielder to swing at strike three to lead off the 15th inning.

McDowell's final line in the 1986 NLCS was nothing short of brilliant. In seven innings, he faced the minimum 21 batters, allowing no runs and no hits, walking one and striking out three. However, because Orosco failed to hold the lead in the 14th inning of Game 6, McDowell was denied the opportunity to secure the victory in a pennant-clinching game. The same could not be said for the World Series.

Although Roger McDowell did not pitch as effectively against the Boston Red Sox in the World Series, allowing ten hits and six walks in seven innings of work, none of his outings cost the Mets any games. McDowell did give up the go-ahead run in the seventh inning of Game 6, but that run scored on an error by Ray Knight, who later made up for his gaffe in the memorable tenth inning by driving in Gary Carter with a base hit and then scoring the winning run on Bill Buckner's error.

In Game 7, McDowell was called upon to pitch the seventh inning after the Mets had tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Roger responded by retiring the Red Sox in order. The Mets took the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the key blow coming on Ray Knight's tiebreaking home run. The Red Sox did score two runs off McDowell in the eighth inning, but this time Jesse Orosco was able to hold McDowell's lead. When Orosco struck out Marty Barrett to end the game, McDowell was given credit for the victory, joining Jerry Koosman as the only pitchers in club history to win a World Series-clinching game.

Roger McDowell would return to the postseason in 1988, but not before having a down year in 1987. He began the season on the disabled list, after having hernia surgery in late March. The Mets' bullpen struggled in McDowell's absence and the team did as well, losing 17 of their first 31 games before Roger returned on May 14. His return, which had originally been expected to be on June 1, was pushed up due to the fragile state of the pitching staff.

McDowell was not very effective upon his return, with an ERA just under 6.00 after his first 14 appearances. But as McDowell turned his season around, so did the Mets. For the next three months, McDowell was back to his old self. Over his next 35 appearances (spanning from June 12 to September 6), Roger won four games and racked up 17 saves. His ERA over the three months was 2.89. The Mets had gone from a fifth-place, 14-17 team before McDowell's activation from the disabled list, to an 80-59 team that was only 1½ games behind the St. Louis Cardinals on September 11. Then, with one swing of Terry Pendleton's bat, McDowell's resurgence was all but forgotten.

Roger McDowell gave up 22 regular season home runs as a Met. If only it had been 21...

With the Mets one inning away from pulling to within half a game of the first place Cardinals, Roger McDowell was beginning his second inning of work. He had ended the eighth inning by getting the speedy Vince Coleman to ground into a rare double play. After the Mets failed to extend their 4-1 lead in their half of the eighth, McDowell was left in the game to record the final three outs. After issuing a leadoff walk to Ozzie Smith, McDowell retired the next two batters to face him. With a three-run lead and one out to go, it appeared as if the Mets had wrapped up their 81st win of the season. But then the bottom fell out for McDowell at the same time that his sinker stopped sinking. First, Willie McGee drove in Smith with an RBI single. Then Terry Pendleton, who hit hit only ten home runs before that fateful night, drove a long fly ball over the 410' sign in center field. The Shot Heard 'Round Flushing had unexpectedly tied the game, and the Mets would eventually lose the game in ten innings.

Although the Mets had plenty of chances to catch the Cardinals over the final three weeks of the season, it was the home run by Terry Pendleton off Roger McDowell (everyone seems to forget the walk-off home run by Luis Aguayo off Jesse Orosco on September 30 that essentially put the nail in the coffin for the 1987 Mets) that served as the beginning of the end of the Mets' title defense. Still, despite the poor ending to the season, McDowell finished the 1987 season with a career-high 25 saves, which at the time was tied for the third-highest single-season total in franchise history.

In 1988, McDowell began the season healthy and it showed in his performance. He finished the season with his lowest ERA (2.63) as a Met, to go along with five wins and 16 saves. The Mets rolled to another division title in 1988, but once again, a home run given up by McDowell, this time in the NLCS, was crucial in defining the Mets' season.

McDowell pitched in four games of the seven-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowing three runs in six innings of work. However, the only run he will be remembered for was the one he gave up in the 12th inning of Game 4. The Mets had already blown a two-run lead in the ninth inning. Similar to Terry Pendleton's game-tying ninth inning homer in 1987, another unlikely source of power had erased a 4-2 ninth inning Mets lead, as Mike Scioscia (who had hit just three home runs during the regular season) connected for a game-tying blast off starter Dwight Gooden.

The game continued into extra innings, where Roger McDowell escaped an 11th inning jam by retiring Tracy Woodson on a groundout with the go-ahead run in scoring position. The Mets failed to score in their half of the 11th and McDowell was left in the game to pitch the 12th, retiring the first two batters to face him. That brought up eventual 1988 NL MVP Kirk Gibson to the plate, and he launched a long home run to right-center that gave the Dodgers the lead. Although the Mets mounted a rally in the bottom of the 12th, loading up the bases with one out, the two men who finished directly behind Gibson in the MVP vote (Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds) both popped out to end the threat and the game. It would be McDowell's only loss in 11 postseason appearances for the Mets.

The Mets were a different team going into the 1989 season. Jesse Orosco had already left prior to the 1988 season, winning a World Series ring with the Dodgers in '88. Wally Backman was traded to the Minnesota Twins during the off-season to allow Gregg Jefferies to play every day. Co-captains Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter were coming off their worst seasons as Mets and lost playing time to Dave Magadan and Barry Lyons, respectively. As a result of this transition, the Mets struggled out of the gate, and were around the .500 mark for most of the first half of the season. However, despite their slow start, the Mets found themselves only a game behind the first place Chicago Cubs when they woke up on Father's Day (June 18). Mets' Vice President Joe McIlvane felt that for the team to make a prolonged push to the top of the division, they needed an upgrade in the offensive department. Well, he succeeded in the "offensive" part, but not in the way he expected.

On June 18, general manager Frank Cashen orchestrated the trade that effectively ended the 1986 World Series after-party. He sent Roger McDowell and Lenny Dykstra to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Juan Samuel, who was now going to be playing center field for the Mets.

We gave away Roger McDowell and Lenny Dykstra for this guy? Juan Samuel wasn't fit to wear Ed Kranepool's jock strap, let alone his uniform number!

From 1984-1987, Samuel was one of the most complete players in the National League, averaging 35 doubles, 15 triples, 20 home runs, 50 stolen bases, 102 runs scored and 80 RBI per season. However, in 1988, Samuel's numbers dropped across the board. He finished the season with career-lows in batting average (.243), on-base percentage (.298), triples (9), home runs (12), RBI (67), runs scored (68) and stolen bases (33), while striking out 151 times. Of course, Mets' management thought moving him to center field and making him the club's new leadoff hitter was going to turn the team's fortunes around. Epic fail.

Samuel struggled after his trade to New York, batting .228 in 86 games. After finishing the 1987 season with 28 HR and 100 RBI, Samuel was a different player on the Mets, hitting only three home runs and driving in 28 runs in 1989 for New York. Meanwhile, McDowell and Dykstra flourished after the trade to Philadelphia, with McDowell registering a 1.11 ERA for the Phillies in 1989 and Dykstra going on to become one of the premier leadoff hitters in the game, helping the Phillies to an unexpected National League pennant in 1993.

Roger McDowell was one of the most beloved Mets in team history. With an effervescent personality to go with his killer sinkerball, McDowell was all play in the clubhouse but all business on the mound. At any moment, McDowell would burn a teammate with a cleverly placed hot foot, then burn an opponent by inducing ground ball after ground ball with his sinker.

Over his 4½ year tenure with the Mets, McDowell was 33-29, with 84 saves and a 3.10 ERA. At the time he was traded, McDowell was third on the franchise's all-time leaderboard with those 84 saves (he is now sixth), trailing only Jesse Orosco and Tug McGraw. His 3.10 ERA as a Met is lower than every other pitcher except for five (Tom Seaver, Jesse Orosco, Johan Santana, Jon Matlack, Jerry Koosman). Only 28 Mets pitchers have won more games than McDowell's 33, but none of them accomplished their victory total with as few innings as Roger's 468 1/3. In addition to the above, Roger also ranked in the Mets' top ten in winning percentage (.532, 9th), games pitched (280, 5th) and games finished (189, 3rd) at the time of his trade to the Phillies.

When Roger McDowell was traded to the Phillies, he was the team's all-time leader in saves for a right-handed pitcher. He also led the team in Hubba Bubba consumption and hot foots given.

Roger McDowell is still in baseball, serving as the pitching coach for the Atlanta Braves, but no matter what he does in the game, he will always be remembered for his time on the Mets as the club's top right-handed reliever and resident prankster. Whether he was wearing his uniform upside down, lighting firecrackers in the dugout or appearing as the second spitter on "Seinfeld", McDowell's antics off the field were just as fun to watch as his performances on the mound.

Simply stated, Roger McDowell was a big kid playing a kid's game. For four and a half years, he excelled at that game as a member of the Mets, yet he was always overshadowed by Jesse Orosco and his glove-flinging celebrations. McDowell may never have been the guy on the mound when the Mets were celebrating two division titles, a National League pennant and a World Series championship, but he was one of the guys who helped get them there.

Underrated? Yes. Underappreciated? No. Anyone who remembers McDowell solely for the Terry Pendleton and Kirk Gibson home runs missed out on what was truly a great Mets reliever and personality. Those who didn't appreciate his contributions to the Mets should stand on guard. There may be a hot foot coming your way.


Note: M.U.M.'s The Word is a thirteen-part weekly series spotlighting some of the best Mets players of all-time who never got the recognition they deserved because they weren't the biggest names on the teams they played for. For previous installments, please click on the players' names below:

January 3, 2011: John Olerud
January 10, 2011: Sid Fernandez
January 17, 2011: Jon Matlack
January 24, 2011: Kevin McReynolds
January 31, 2011: Bobby Jones
February 7, 2011: John Stearns
February 14, 2011: David Cone
February 21, 2011: Rusty Staub
February 28, 2011: Rick Reed
March 7, 2011: Ron Taylor
March 14, 2011: Turk Wendell

M.U.M.'s The Word (Most Underrated Mets): Kevin McReynolds

The 1986 Mets were perhaps the most beloved team in franchise history. They combined a great pitching staff along with veteran leadership (Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, Ray Knight) and youthful exuberance (Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra, Kevin Mitchell) to win their second World Championship.

However, after the season ended, general manager Frank Cashen decided that Kevin Mitchell had too much youthful exuberance, which was the polite way of saying that Mitchell was a bad influence on Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden. It was time for the versatile rookie to go, and so Cashen traded Mitchell (along with Shawn Abner, Stanley Jefferson, Kevin Armstrong and Kevin "No, not that one" Brown) to the San Diego Padres for pitcher Gene Walter, minor leaguer Adam Ging and a good ol' country boy from Arkansas named Walter, although Mets fans probably know him better by his middle name.

You can't call him Wally, but you can call him underrated.

Walter Kevin McReynolds was coming off a 1986 season in which he set career highs in batting average (.288), runs scored (89), home runs (26), RBI (96) and stolen bases (8). It was not his first good year in the majors, as he had a stellar 1984 season for the Padres, finishing 17th in the NL MVP voting and helping the Padres advance to their first World Series. However, McReynolds broke his hand in Game 4 of the 1984 NLCS and did not play in the World Series, which the Padres lost to the Detroit Tigers in five games.

Although McReynolds was the Padres' primary centerfielder, the Mets acquired him to play left field, a position he had only played for 43 games over his first four seasons in the majors. The Mets had gone through four and a half years of the underachieving malcontent, also known as George Foster, from 1982 until midway through the 1986 season, when they released him soon after he stayed glued to the bench during a bench-clearing brawl between the Mets and the Cincinnati Reds.

There's a better chance you'll find Waldo in this donnybrook than George Foster.

The Mets used four leftfielders after Foster's release, never starting Mookie Wilson, Kevin Mitchell, Danny Heep and the newly re-acquired Lee Mazzilli for more than five consecutive games at a time. The team needed a steady leftfielder, one that wouldn't be a cancer in the clubhouse (a la Foster) or a bad influence on the young stars (a la Mitchell). Kevin McReynolds fit the bill perfectly and gave the Mets quite the ballplayer in left field.

McReynolds' career as a Met didn't start off with a bang. After a loss to the Chicago Cubs on June 9, 1987, the Mets slipped to fourth place with a .500 record (28-28). One of the reasons for the poor start to the season was the hitting (or lack thereof) of Kevin McReynolds. Big Mac's numbers at the plate (.249, 9 HR, 26 RBI) weren't that much different than what George Foster was giving the Mets in 1986. All that changed the following afternoon (June 10), when McReynolds collected four hits (two singles, two doubles), scored two runs and drove in another. That began a two-month stretch where McReynolds and the Mets simultaneously caught fire.

From June 10 to August 7, McReynolds played in 53 games (52 starts). Over that time period, he batted .338, with 13 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 42 RBI. The 25 extra-base hits over the two months gave him an exceptional .572 slugging percentage. The Mets needed McReynolds' power in the lineup because Darryl Strawberry was not driving in runs at his usual pace (30 RBI over the same 53-game stretch). When McReynolds woke up from his early season slumber, so did the Mets, as the team went 35-18 during Big Mac's hot streak. In two months, the Mets went from a fourth-place, .500 team to a second place team that was within striking distance of the first place St. Louis Cardinals.

Then September 11 happened. No, not THAT September 11. On the night of September 11, 1987, the Mets and Cardinals squared off at Shea Stadium, with the Mets trying to close to within half a game of the first place Redbirds. Everything was going perfectly for the Mets. Ron Darling took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and the Mets had a 4-1 lead (St. Louis scored their run on two walks and two groundouts).

Then Vince Coleman dropped a drag bunt that not only ended Darling's no-hitter, but his season as well, as Ronnie injured his thumb while diving to make a play on the ball. Once Terry Pendleton hit a two-out, two-run game-tying homer in the ninth inning off Roger McDowell, the Mets' chances to catch the Cardinals in the standings vanished. The Cardinals went on to win the NL East, denying the Mets an opportunity to defend their World Series title.

Although the Mets failed to advance to the postseason in 1987, it was not the fault of Kevin McReynolds. In fact, McReynolds was one of the reasons why the Mets stayed in the division race for as long as they did. He batted .276, and set career-highs with 163 hits, 32 doubles, 29 HR and 14 stolen bases. He also picked up 95 RBI while showing great discipline at the plate, striking out only 70 times in 639 plate appearances. Big Mac didn't help the Mets to the postseason in 1987, but 1988 was a different story.

McReynolds started the 1988 season with a bang, going 4-for-5 with two homers on Opening Day in Montreal. The two blasts were part of a six-homer barrage by the Mets, which included a monster shot by Darryl Strawberry that hit the roof of Olympic Stadium. The Opening Day fireworks by McReynolds were just a prelude for what was to come. Over his first six games of the season, Kevin hit .565 (14-for-23). He slid back to reality after his dominant start to finish the first half of the season with respectable numbers (.281, 11 HR, 47 RBI, 11 SB). Once he returned from the All-Star Break, McReynolds took his game to another level, starting with the first game in Atlanta.

On July 14, the Mets and Braves were engaged in a seesaw battle. The Braves had an early 3-0 lead, but the Mets poured it on, scoring eight unanswered runs to take an 8-3 lead. The big blow was a three-run homer by McReynolds in the fourth inning. The Braves refused to lose quietly, storming back with five runs of their own to tie the game at 8. Darryl Strawberry led off the top of the ninth inning by reaching first on an error. Unfortunately, he was thrown out trying to steal second in the hopes that McReynolds would drive him in. Darryl's over-aggressiveness might have cost the Mets the go-ahead run, as McReynolds doubled into the gap in left-center. A ground ball double play by Gary Carter ended the Mets threat and the game moved on into extra innings, where the Mets won the game in the 11th inning on a base hit by...you guessed it...Kevin McReynolds.

For the game, Big Mac was true to his nickname, going 5-for-6, with three runs scored, two doubles, a home run and four RBI. July 14 wasn't the last time McReynolds had a big game in the second half. Two weeks later against the Phillies, he went 4-for-4, hitting another home run and driving in five runs. In August, he had another five-RBI game, this time against the Cubs. But he saved his hottest RBI streak for the most important time of the year.

Over a two-week stretch in September, McReynolds was a one-man wrecking crew. In 14 games, he batted .400, with six home runs and 18 RBI. While McReynolds was rockin', the Mets were rollin'. New York won 13 of those 14 games, including the game against the Phillies on September 22 which gave them their second NL East title in three years. Not surprisingly, McReynolds went 2-for-4 with an RBI in that game. It was the third of five consecutive multi-hit games for the leftfielder, who was now in the middle of everyone's MVP conversations.

Unfortunately, the MVP Award was not to be, as Kirk Gibson's performance for the Dodgers (.290, 25 HR, 76 RBI, 31 SB) was considered more valuable than McReynolds' season (.288, 27 HR, 99 RBI, 21 SB) and teammate Darryl Strawberry's year (.284, 39 HR, 104 RBI, 36 SB). It was widely agreed that voters who picked an MVP candidate from the Mets split their votes between Strawberry and McReynolds, allowing Gibson to sneak away with the award. However, had the voters noticed that McReynolds also led the league with 18 outfield assists (including seven runners thrown out at the plate) and set a major league record by having the most stolen bases in a season without being caught (later broken by Chase Utley in 2009 with his 23-for-23 season), perhaps they would have changed their vote to the player who was truly the most complete player in the National League in 1988.

McReynolds continued his dynamic 1988 season into the playoffs, where the Mets faced off against Orel Hershiser and the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team they had defeated 10 out of 11 times during the regular season. Hershiser had finished the 1988 season by pitching 59 consecutive scoreless innings and he continued to do the same in Game 1 of the NLCS, holding the Mets to zero runs through eight innings. But things began to unravel for "The Bulldog" in the ninth inning.

In 1988, the National League was schooled by Hershiser and his "Orel" exams.

After a leadoff single by wünderkind Gregg Jefferies, Keith Hernandez moved him to second base with a groundout. Darryl Strawberry then lined a double to right field, plating Jefferies and ending Hershiser's scoreless streak and his night, as he was removed from the game for closer Jay Howell.

Kevin McReynolds was the first batter to face Howell, and he was able to draw a walk. After Howard Johnson struck out, the Mets were down to their final out, but they still had their two MVP candidates on the bases and Gary Carter at the plate. With the Dodger Stadium crowd on their feet in anticipation of the final out, Carter silenced the ballpark by looping a double in front of a diving John Shelby. Strawberry had already scored the tying run as McReynolds was rounding third. The throw from Shelby to Mike Scioscia arrived at the same time as McReynolds' lowered shoulder did. The jarring home plate collision led to the go-ahead run for the Mets and they held on to that lead, taking Game 1 in their final at-bat, with the winning run scoring on the shoulders of Kevin McReynolds.

The Mets split the next two games of the NLCS, taking a 2-1 series lead into Game 4, the game forever known as the Mike Scioscia game. With the Mets about to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series, manager Davey Johnson left Dwight Gooden on the mound the start the ninth inning. At the time, the Mets led the game 4-2. Gooden stayed in the game even after issuing a leadoff walk to John Shelby. The reasoning for the non-move was simple. The next batter was light-hitting catcher Mike Scioscia, who had hit only three home runs in 408 regular season at-bats and was a prime candidate to hit into a double play. There was no double play, unless if you can start one from behind the outfield wall.

One former Dodger who wore #14 helped the Mets win the World Series in 1969. Nineteen years later, another one prevented the Mets from reaching the World Series.

With Mike Scioscia tying the game with his Pendletonian blast, the momentum shifted over to the Dodgers, especially after Kirk Gibson's two-out, solo homer in the 12th inning off Roger McDowell gave Los Angeles a 5-4 lead. The Mets fought back in their half of the inning, as the first two batters reached base against former Met Tim Leary. After retiring Gregg Jefferies, another former Met came into the game to face lefties Keith Hernandez and Darryl Strawberry. That man would be Jesse Orosco.

Orosco was able to induce a popup from Strawberry that could not score the tying run. The next batter was Kevin McReynolds. Orosco would not get a chance to face Big Mac, as future Met and current Bulldog Orel Hershiser would get the call to come in from the bullpen.

McReynolds had already contributed greatly to the game. His solo homer in the fourth inning had given the Mets a 3-2 lead, a lead that was extended to 4-2 in the sixth inning when McReynolds hit a ground rule double and scored on Gary Carter's triple. Big Mac had also drawn a walk in the 11th inning, followed by a stolen base to put his potential winning run in scoring position. However, that is where he was left stranded. Now the game was in the 12th inning, and it was up to him not to leave anyone stranded.

With the Shea Stadium crowd expecting another comeback victory, McReynolds lifted the third pitch from Hershiser into short center field. Everyone's thoughts went back to the ninth inning of Game 1, when John Shelby failed to catch Gary Carter's short fly ball, allowing the tying (Strawberry) and go-ahead (McReynolds) runs to score. That Game 1 moment would not be revisited in Game 4, as Shelby raced forward and tumbled onto the Shea Stadium grass, this time with ball in glove. Game 4 went to the Dodgers, as did Game 5.

You mean to tell me that the Mets were beaten by a guy wearing braces?

The series shifted back to Dodger Stadium for Game 6 with the Mets trying to stave off elimination. Their chances looked good with 20-game winner David Cone on the mound, although he had already been defeated by the Dodgers in Game 2. A repeat performance by Cone in Game 6 would mean that the hitters would have to come through to save the Mets' season. That's exactly what Kevin McReynolds did.

Batting with the bases loaded and one out in first inning, McReynolds hit a sacrifice fly to right field, giving the Mets the early 1-0 lead. In the third inning, after a leadoff single by Strawberry, McReynolds followed with a base hit of his own, moving Strawberry into scoring position, where he eventually scored on a double by shortstop Kevin Elster. The Mets still had a slim 2-0 lead in the fifth inning when McReynolds delivered the crushing blow, a two-run homer to left that knocked out starting pitcher Tim Leary. The blast gave the Mets a 4-0 lead and they went on to win the game 5-1, on the strength of David Cone's complete game and Kevin McReynolds' fireworks at the plate.

Alas, the Mets would not be celebrating a pennant after Game 7, as Orel Hershiser pitched a five-hit shutout to send the Dodgers to the World Series. McReynolds' 0-for-4 performance in the NLCS finale did not take anything away from his otherwise stellar series. Over the seven games, he collected seven base hits, including two doubles and two homers, scored four runs, drove in another four and stole two bases. For his efforts, he was rewarded with a three-year, $5.5 million contract during the off-season.

Although the Mets did not return to the playoffs in 1989 and 1990, it was not the fault of McReynolds. In fact, his two seasons were very similar:

• 1989: .272, 22 HR, 85 RBI, 74 runs, 25 doubles, 15 SB, 9 assists
• 1990: .269, 24 HR, 82 RBI, 75 runs, 23 doubles, 9 SB, 12 assists

Going into the 1991 season, things had changed for the Mets. The team McReynolds joined in 1987 was a shadow of its former self. Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, Lenny Dykstra, Mookie Wilson and Darryl Strawberry were no more. Those veteran players had been replaced by a new group of veterans. It's too bad the new cast of non-characters included Rick Cerone, Vince Coleman, Hubie Brooks, Garry Templeton and Tommy Herr, players who would have made a formidable team had they brought their DeLoreans with them with the time coordinates set for 1980-1985.

The Mets could've used 1.23 gigawatts of electricity in their bats in 1991.

The team was in disarray. There was no chemistry among the diverse group of players. As a result, performances suffered and the team fell apart, as they finished with their first losing season since 1983. McReynolds was not immune to the underachievement virus being passed around in the clubhouse, as he finished the 1991 season with his poorest numbers as a Met (.259, 16 HR, 74 RBI, 65 runs scored, 32 doubles, 6 SB, 9 assists). His only bad season in New York was also his final one, as McReynolds was traded to the Kansas City Royals (along with Gregg Jefferies and Keith Miller) for Bret Saberhagen and Bill Pecota (whose sole claim to fame as a Met was that he became the first position player to pitch in a regular season game when he did so in 1992).

Saberhagen had a Pedro Martinez-like Mets career, pitching four years in New York, with almost half of his victories coming in one of them (Saberhagen won 29 games as a Met, with 14 of them coming in 1994. Martinez won 32 games in New York, with 15 of them coming in 2005), while Bill Pecota only collected 269 at-bats in his one season as a Met.

The move to Kansas City did not help McReynolds' career, as he failed to hit .250 or pick up 400 at-bats in either of his two years there. In fact, his cumulative power numbers during the 1992 and 1993 seasons in Kansas City (24 HR, 91 RBI) were similar to what he produced in one average season during his prime with the Mets.

Despite the fact that McReynolds' career was on the downside, the Mets re-acquired him prior to the 1994 season. The main reason for McReynolds 2.0 was not to try to resuscitate his dying career. The Mets pulled off this deal in order to rid themselves of Vince Coleman (a.k.a. Vincenzo Grucci), who left his career in St. Louis, but brought his fireworks to New York.

Was Vincenzo Grucci responsible for this as well? (Photo by David G. Whitham)

Unfortunately, injuries took their toll on the 34-year-old McReynolds, as he was placed on the disabled list three times during the 1994 season. But before his second stint on the DL, McReynolds was showing signs of his former self. In his last eight games before his second trip to the disabled list, McReynolds hit .308, with a .400 on-base percentage and a .731 slugging percentage. He also scored seven runs, drove in nine and stole a base. Once he returned from the DL on July 8, he picked up right where he left off, batting .300 over his next nine games. His start on July 19 was vintage Kevin McReynolds.

The Mets were trailing the Dodgers 4-2 going to the bottom of the eighth inning. It was the second time the Mets had trailed by two runs in the game. In the fourth inning, the Mets were losing 2-0 when Todd Hundley cut the lead in half with a solo home run. With one out, Kevin McReynolds put himself into scoring position with a double off Dodger starter Kevin Gross. He later came around to score on a triple by Jeff Kent (who probably received a cheer or two from the 22,045 fans in attendance) that tied the game at 2.

In the sixth inning, with the Mets down 4-2, McReynolds delivered his second hit of the game, but was erased when Joe Orsulak followed Big Mac by grounding into a 6-4-3 double play. The next time Big Mac got an opportunity to hit, he would make sure the Mets would not go quietly.

With one out and two runners in scoring position, McReynolds came up to bat in the bottom of the eighth inning. A sacrifice fly would score a run, but a base hit would tie the game. Big Mac would come through with the latter, delivering a base hit to left that scored the tying runs. Later on in the inning, the Mets would load the bases against former Met Roger McDowell. First baseman David Segui hit a ground ball to his counterpart at first, Eric Karros, who threw home to force out McReynolds. But centerfielder Ryan Thompson followed that up by clearing the bases with a double to left, giving the Mets a 7-4 lead, a lead that John Franco protected in the ninth inning.

The Mets' five-run eighth inning, fueled by McReynolds two-run single, ended a two-game losing streak. But during his slide into home plate during the game-changing inning, McReynolds jammed his knee. It was later revealed that he had suffered cartilage damage in his right knee, necessitating a third trip to the disabled list. McReynolds did not start another game for the Mets, although he did come off the disabled list to appear as a pinch-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 11, the day before the 1994 players strike was set to begin. In his final turn at-bat, McReynolds pinch hit for starting pitcher Jason Jacome and flied out against Fernando Valenzuela (yes, El Toro was a Phillie then) in the eighth inning. The Mets went on to lose the game 2-1 in 15 innings, then went on strike an hour later.

During the players strike, McReynolds decided that baseball was no longer in his future, so he retired back home to Arkansas for a life as an outdoorsman and duck hunting entrepreneur.

Duck season? Wabbit season? In the late '80s, it was Big Mac season at Shea.

Kevin McReynolds played 12 years in the major leagues, six of those seasons with the Mets in two separate stints. His 122 home runs as a Met are good for eighth on the all-time club leaderboard, but at the time he retired in 1994, only three Mets had ever hit more home runs than McReynolds (Darryl Strawberry, Howard Johnson, Dave Kingman). Also, McReynolds remains in the top ten on the franchise's all-time RBI list with 456, but was sixth at the time of his retirement (surpassed only by Darryl Strawberry, Howard Johnson, Ed Kranepool, Cleon Jones and Keith Hernandez). In addition, he was one of the smartest baserunners in franchise history, stealing 67 bases in 83 attempts (80.7% success rate). He also registered 60 outfield assists during his six seasons in New York, making him one of the better defensive players among Mets outfielders.

When Kevin McReynolds became a Met prior to the 1987 season, he was supposed to be the player the Mets thought they were getting when they signed George Foster five years earlier. They got far more than that. They got a player who wasn't a cancer in the clubhouse and one who was consistently good in all aspects of the game. Yes, sometimes he seemed to have his mind on hunting a little too much, but that was just a little bit of Arkansas that he brought with him to the big city.

Kevin McReynolds might be the best leftfielder in Mets history (no offense to Cleon Jones), yet so many people forget how valuable he was to the Mets during his time in New York. No leftfielder had a better stretch as a Met than McReynolds did from 1987-1990. If a big hit was needed, you could count on Big Mac to come through. If you needed a runner in scoring position, a successful steal attempt would soon follow. Need a strong and accurate throw from the outfield to cut down a run at the plate? McReynolds was your man. Without question, Kevin McReynolds is one of the most underrated Mets of all-time. It's just that he was too quiet to let you know it himself.

Take Me To Your Leader (If You Can Find Him)

The Mets have had a number of fiery players over the years. With their performances on the field and behind the scenes in the clubhouse, these players have carried the Mets beyond the team's expectations.

From Tug McGraw's "Ya Gotta Believe" that gave hope and fired up the 1973 Mets on their way to the National League pennant to Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter's veteran presence that helped the Mets win the 1986 World Series, there have always been players who were ready to carry the team on their backs when they needed that push.

Players like Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry and Mike Piazza have all carried the team for long stretches and helped the Mets win pennants and championships. The 2006 team that fell one game short of a World Series appearance had numerous players (Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, David Wright, Carlos Delgado) carry the team for extended stretches.

However, if an alien spacecraft landed at Citi Field today and its inhabitants asked to be taken to the Mets' leader, who would they be directed to? Not only is there no clear cut leader, there are very few candidates who even appear to want the job of ambassador to the creatures from outer space.

David Wright is too busy trying to say the right things to be a true leader. Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran haven't learned how to lead from the trainer's room.

Johan Santana is the closest thing the Mets have to a true leader. On the next-to-last day of the 2008 season, he took the mound on three days rest with a later-to-be-revealed torn meniscus and pitched a complete game shutout against the Florida Marlins to keep the Mets alive in their attempt to make the playoffs. This was done after throwing a career-high 125 pitches in a victory against the Chicago Cubs. He took the struggling Mets and carried them into that final game. Without his gritty performances, the final game wouldn't have been relevant as far as postseason hopes went.

Even in the forgettable 2009 season, Johan displayed his leadership skills over the first two months. Carlos Delgado went down in early May, followed by Jose Reyes. Carlos Beltran was playing with an injury. Somehow, the Mets were in first place on May 27. How was that possible with such a depleted squad? Two words: Johan Santana.

Over the first two months of the 2009 season, Johan Santana made ten starts for the Mets. In those starts, he was 7-2 with a barely-there 1.77 ERA. He was on a Gooden-esque strikeout pace (86 Ks in 66 innings) and was practically unhittable. Opposing hitters were hitting a measly .208 against 'Han the Man and slugging .316 against the Smooth One. That slugging percentage would have been a poor on-base percentage, which, since we're on the topic, Santana held opponents to a .270 on-base percentage.

As a result, the Mets held a half-game lead over the Phillies after Santana defeated the Washington Nationals on May 27. However, since the gods above gave us The Four Rainouts to back up Santana in the rotation, not even Sir Smooth could keep the sinking ship afloat.

For as much as Johan Santana tried to lead the Mets, he can only lead them on the field once every five days. That leaves 125-130 games where he can only lead in the clubhouse. Unfortunately, pennants are won on the field and not in the clubhouse. (Only poker games are won there. Right, Mr. Bonilla and Mr. Henderson?)



In Dana Brand's book, "The Last Days of Shea", there is a chapter about Dr. Brand meeting Hall-of-Famer Reggie Jackson. The self-proclaimed "straw that stirs the drink" approached Dr. Brand and struck up a conversation on the 2007 Mets. According to Dr. Brand's book, Mr. October went on to say:

"What was it, they only needed to win one more game? You know, people used to call me egotistical , but I tell you, if I had been playing for (the Mets), I would have won that one game, even if I had to do it all by myself."

The Mets don't really have an everyday player who has the fire of a Reggie Jackson. They have players who can fill up a stat sheet, but can any of them truly carry the team? Can any of them be counted on to drive in the winning run when the team needs to win one game? Is there a pitcher on an opposing team who fears any hitter on the Mets?

The 1986 Mets had swagger. When they were down, you always expected someone, whether it was Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter or Darryl Strawberry to come through with a clutch hit. Even in 2006, David Wright seemed to come through with many a walk-off hit. (The Mets had 11 walk-off wins in 2006, but only had four such wins in 2009.)

The closest thing the Mets have to a leader is Johan Santana. But he can only lead on the field 34 or 35 times a season. Kirk Gibson won an MVP Award in 1988 by leading the Dodgers on the field and in the clubhouse. His numbers weren't typical MVP numbers (.290, 25 HR, 76 RBI) but he had the uncanny ability to come through when the game was on the line.

According to baseball-reference.com, when Gibson came to bat in a tie game situation in 1988, he hit .306 and had a .424 OBP. In 239 plate appearances in those situations, he didn't hit into a single double play, thereby not squelching potential rallies. In late and close situations (defined by baseball-reference.com as plate appearances in the seventh inning or later where the team is tied, ahead by one or with the tying run on deck), Gibson hit .321 and compiled a .423 OBP in 97 plate appearances. Since Gibson amassed 632 plate appearances in 1988, the above clutch situations made up for more than half of Gibson's appearances in the batter's box.

The Mets have never had an MVP. If they're ever going to get one, they need a team leader. He can't pad his stats by hitting home runs when the team is already up by six runs in the eighth inning. He must come through in the clutch. He must be fundamentally sound. He must be able to pick up his teammates when they fail between the white lines.

Do the Mets have someone who's willing to step up over the entire 162-game schedule? They're going to need one if they're going to reverse the trend that began when Carlos Beltran looked at Adam Wainwright's curveball. Otherwise, the fans will be doing the leading, but it'll be towards the exit gates at Citi Field.