Editing New York Mets (section)

===1990s: Struggles and return to the postseason===

====1991–1993: ''The Worst Team Money Could Buy''====

====1991–92====
During the 1991 season, the [[1991 New York Mets season|Mets]] were actually in contention for much of the season, closing to within 2.5 games of the front-running [[1991 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pirates]] at one point. In the latter half, however, 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 (AM)|WFAN]] radio:<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/25/sports/heartfelt-plea-vintage-whine-jefferies-writes-fans.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm Heartfelt Plea? Vintage Whine? Jefferies Writes Fans]</ref><blockquote>When a pitcher is having trouble getting players out, when a hitter is having trouble hitting, or when 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.</blockquote> This 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 [[1991 Philadelphia Phillies season|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]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/october-6-1991-mets-david-cone-strikes-out-19-in-season-finale/|title=October 6, 1991: Mets' David Cone strikes out 19 in season finale|last=Brown|first=Thomas|date=October 6, 1991|website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]]|access-date=December 18, 2023}}</ref> With all of the personal problems swirling around 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/11/27/Murray-signs-with-Mets/5464691218000/|title=Murray Signs with Mets|date=November 27, 1991|website=[[United Press International]]|access-date=December 18, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/03/sports/mets-sign-bonilla-for-29-million-making-him-richest-in-baseball.html|title=Mets Sign Bonilla for $29 Million, Making Him Richest in Baseball|last=Sexton|first=Joe|date=December 3, 1991|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=December 18, 2023}}</ref> 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 the slogan, "Hardball Is Back".<ref>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CEEDF1230F935A15750C0A965958260 THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING – ADDENDA; A New Approach For the Mets], ''[[The New York Times]]'', March 26, 1993</ref>

The experiment of building a team via free agency quickly flopped as Saberhagen and [[Vince Coleman (baseball)|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". [https://www.espn.com/page2/s/list/readers/signings.html]. At the beginning of the 1991 season, Coleman, Gooden and outfielder [[Daryl Boston]] were named in an alleged sexual abuse incident against 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 (outfielder)|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.

====1993====
{{Main|1993 New York Mets season}}

The lowest point of 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/04/27/sports/baseball-gooden-gets-hit-before-he-can-pitch.html|title=Baseball; Gooden Gets Hit Before He Can Pitch|last=Sexton|first=Joe|date=April 27, 1993|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=December 19, 2023}}</ref> In July, Saberhagen threw a firecracker under a table near reporters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/28/sports/baseball-saberhagen-admits-to-joke.html|title=Baseball; Saberhagan Admits to Joke|date=July 28, 1993|website=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=December 19, 2023}}</ref> Their young pitching prospect [[Anthony Young (baseball)|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 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-08-11-sp-22497-story.html|title=Saberhagan Apologizes for spraying bleach|date=August 11, 1993|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=December 19, 2023}}</ref> The meltdown season resulted in the worst record for a Mets team since 1965. In addition, two of the three remaining links to the 1986 team, [[Howard Johnson (baseball)|Howard Johnson]] and [[Sid Fernandez]], departed after the season via free agency.

====1994 shortened season====
{{Main|1994 New York Mets season}}
The [[1994 Major League Baseball season|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 the player the Mets expected, and a healthy Saberhagen, along with promising young starter [[Bobby Jones (right-handed pitcher)|Bobby Jones]] and John Franco, helped the Mets pitching staff along. In the [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike|strike-shortened]] 1994 season the Mets were in 3rd place behind first-place [[1994 Montreal Expos season|Montreal]] and [[1994 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta]] when the season ended on August 12.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2022/03/04/a-mets-favorites-stance-on-this-baseball-nightmare/|title=What Rico Brogna and 1994 Mets learned about MLB labor strife and it's sad relevance today|last=Puma|first=Mike|date=March 4, 2022|website=[[New York Post]]|access-date=December 18, 2023}}</ref>