Jump to content

New York Mets: Difference between revisions

From Niidae Wiki
imported>InternetArchiveBot
Rescuing 1 sources and tagging 0 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5
 
(No difference)

Latest revision as of 10:03, 16 May 2025

Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Pp-semi-indef Template:Pp-move Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox MLB 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 a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. They are one of two major league clubs based in New York City alongside the American League (AL)'s New York Yankees. 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The team's colors evoke the blue of the Dodgers and the orange of the Giants.<ref name="timeline1" />

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Since 2009, 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.<ref name="WorstRecord"/> 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 the biggest upsets in World Series history despite the Mets having won 100 games that season.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 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 the team for $2.4 billion.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As of 2025, Forbes ranked the Mets as the sixth most valuable MLB team, valued at $3.2 billion.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As of the end of the 2024 regular season, the team's overall win–loss record is Template:Win–loss record (Template:Winning percentage).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

[edit]

Template:Main

File:William Shea.jpg
William Shea was instrumental in returning National League baseball to New York City after five years of absence.

1960s: Founding and first World Series

[edit]

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 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, 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.",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which hearkened back to the "Metropolitans" (a New York team in the American Association from 1880 to 1887),<ref name="timeline1" /> and its brevity was advantageous for newspaper headlines.<ref name="Nickname">Template:Cite news</ref>

File:Shea stadium.jpg
Shea Stadium was the Mets' home field from 1964 to 2008.
File:Tom Seaver at Shea Stadium 1974 CROP.jpg
Tom Seaver, three-time Cy Young Award winner, led the Mets to victory in the 1969 World Series. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.

The 1962 Mets posted a 40–120 record, the second most losses by a post-1900 MLB team behind the 2024 Chicago White Sox.<ref name="WorstRecord">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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 a berth to the 1963 All-Star Game. In 1964, the Mets hired Yogi Berra as a coach under Casey Stengel's coaching staff.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Seaver helped the 1969 "Miracle Mets" win 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1970s: Second pennant and the "Midnight Massacre"

[edit]

In 1973, the Mets rallied from 5th place to win the division, despite a record of only 82–79.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They shocked the heavily favored Cincinnati Reds' "Big Red Machine" in the NLCS and pushed the defending World Series champion Oakland Athletics to 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Star pitcher Tom Seaver was traded in 1977, on a day remembered as "the Midnight Massacre",<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the Mets fell into last place for several years.

1980s: Success, Wilpon takes over and second World Series championship

[edit]

Template:Multiple image In January 1980, the Payson heirs sold the Mets franchise to the Doubleday publishing company for $21.1 million, 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The franchise turned around in the mid-1980s. During this time the Mets drafted slugger Darryl Strawberry (#1 in 1980)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 1985 Cy Young Award winner Dwight Gooden (#5 in 1982).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Former National League MVP and perennial Gold Glove winner Keith Hernandez was obtained by the Mets in 1983 from the St. Louis Cardinals.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This began a rivalry between the two teams that lasted throughout the rest of the 1980s, during which 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."<ref name="Ladson">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Crisafulli">Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He led the Mets to a second-place, 90–72 record, their first winning season since 1976.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1985, they acquired Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter from the Montreal Expos and won 98 games, but narrowly missed the playoffs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1986, they won the division with a record of 108–54, one of the best in National League history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They then won a dramatic NLCS in six games over the Houston Astros.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Weeks later Mets' ace Dwight Gooden was admitted to a drug clinic after testing positive for cocaine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The rivalry with the Cardinals culminated in the 1987 season, when the Mets surged to challenge them for 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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 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.

1990s: Struggles and return to the postseason

[edit]

1991–1993: The Worst Team Money Could Buy

[edit]

1991–92

[edit]

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, 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:<ref>Heartfelt Plea? Vintage Whine? Jefferies Writes Fans</ref>

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.

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 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>Template:Cite web</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>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</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>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 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 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 (Template:ISBN) by Mets beat writers Bob Klapisch and John Harper.

1993

[edit]

Template:Main

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>Template:Cite web</ref> In July, Saberhagen threw a firecracker under a table near reporters.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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 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>Template:Cite web</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 and Sid Fernandez, departed after the season via free agency.

1994 shortened season

[edit]

Template:Main 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 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1995–1997: Working Their Way Back

[edit]

1995 season

[edit]

Template:Main

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 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 the majors, but as a reliever, eventually reaching 300 career saves.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1996 season

[edit]

Template:Main

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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 the National League, the highest amount by an NL player since 1930.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1997

[edit]

Template:Main

In the off season, the Mets acquired first baseman John Olerud from the Toronto Blue Jays for pitcher Robert Person.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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 the first ever regular-season game played between the crosstown rivals 6–0.<ref name=FirstCrossTownGame>Template:Cite news</ref> Mets starter Dave Mlicki pitched a complete game shutout to pick up the win.<ref name=FirstCrossTownGame/> In 1997, Hundley's great season was derailed by a devastating elbow injury and required Tommy John surgery.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1998

[edit]

Template:Main 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 the first time that a regular season baseball game was played in New York in March.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=1998OpeningDay>Template:Cite news</ref> 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 the bases loaded off Philadelphia closer Ricky Bottalico.<ref name=1998OpeningDay/>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Trades netted the Mets Roger Cedeño, Armando Benítez, and the Mets signed free agents Robin Ventura, Rickey Henderson, and Bobby Bonilla.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1999

[edit]
File:Mike Piazza (1999) (cropped).jpg
Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza in 1999

Template:Main The Mets started the 1999 season well, going 17–9, but after an eight-game losing streak, including 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 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the NLDS, the Mets defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3 games to 1.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The series-clinching victory included a walk-off home run by backup catcher Todd Pratt.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Mets would lose however in 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Mets struggled for much of the 1990s, finishing with a losing record for six consecutive seasons between 1991 and 1996.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2000s: The Subway World Series and new ballpark

[edit]

In 2000, the Mets finished 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The most memorable moment of 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

During the 2001 season, the Mets finished with a record of 82–80 finishing third in the division.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2002, despite the off-season signings of Tom Glavine,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mo Vaughn,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Roberto Alomar,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the Mets finished the 2002 season with a 75–86 overall record and last in the NL East.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During that same season the Mets dealt with off field distractions when co-owners Wilpon and Doubleday were in a legal battle which was later settled with Wilpon becoming the sole owner on August 23 that year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Mets finished 2005 four games over .500, and the franchise's resurgence was complete by 2006 as they won 97 games and the NL East title behind new acquisitions Carlos Beltrán<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Carlos Delgado,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as well as young superstars José Reyes and David Wright.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Mets eventually succumbed to the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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 the next 15 games, resulting in the Philadelphia Phillies winning the division by one game.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name=randolph-fired>Template:Cite news</ref> While their 7–10 mark down the stretch was better than the previous season's 5–12, it still allowed the Phillies to pass them once again for the division crown.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2009, the Mets moved into the newly constructed Citi Field.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The season 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As a result, the Mets finished in fourth place, with a record of 70–92 and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the third straight season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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 the Los Angeles Dodgers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2010s: Wilpon sells the team and Fifth trip to the World Series

[edit]

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 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Though the first half of the 2010s saw limited success for 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> R.A. Dickey won the NL Cy Young Award pitching for the Mets that same season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:Jacob deGrom.jpg
Jacob deGrom, the 2014 Rookie of the Year and 2018 and 2019 Cy Young Award Winner

On September 26, 2015, the Mets clinched the NL East division title, and thus their first postseason berth since 2006, by defeating the Cincinnati Reds 10–2.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS, three games to two,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and swept the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS for their first pennant in 15 years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2015 World Series, they were defeated by the Kansas City Royals in five games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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, the team qualified for the wild-card game, only to lose 3–0 to the San Francisco Giants.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The end of the decade also coincided with David Wright's retirement,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Jacob deGrom being awarded two consecutive Cy Young Awards (including for the 2018 season when the pitcher finished the year with a 1.70 ERA)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On October 3, 2019, the Mets fired manager Mickey Callaway.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On November 1, 2019, the Mets named Carlos Beltrán as the new manager replacing Callaway.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2020s: Steve Cohen Era

[edit]
File:Francisco Lindor (52033114874) (cropped).jpg
The Mets acquired 4x All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor in 2021.

On January 16, 2020, Beltrán stepped down as manager before the start of the 2020 MLB season due to his involvement in the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Two days later, the Mets hired Luis Rojas as manager.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The team finished the shortened 2020 season with a 26–34 record and a last-place finish in the NL East.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He bought the team from the Wilpon family for $2.4 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On March 31, Lindor and the Mets agreed to a 10-year extension worth $341 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the trade deadline, the Mets acquired All-Star infielder & World Series champion Javier Báez in trade with the Chicago Cubs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Mets finished third place in the NL East with an overall record of 77–85.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On November 19, the Mets hired Billy Eppler as their new general manager.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> During the offseason, the Mets signed free agents Nick Plummer, Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar, and Mark Canha.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On December 1, the Mets signed three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer with a three-year, $130 million deal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On December 18, the Mets announced that they hired Buck Showalter as their new manager via owner Steve Cohen's Twitter account.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On April 29, 2022, Tylor Megill, Drew Smith, Joely Rodríguez, Seth Lugo and Edwin Díaz pitched the second no-hitter in franchise history in a 3–0 win against the Philadelphia Phillies.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On September 18, during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On the following day, the Mets clinched their first postseason berth since 2016, and their 10th in franchise history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On September 25, Pete Alonso broke the Mets single-season RBI record which was previously set by former franchise stars Mike Piazza and David Wright.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Also during the season, the Mets called up three of their top prospects Brett Baty,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mark Vientos,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Francisco Álvarez.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Mets won 101 games and tied with the Atlanta Braves for the best record in the NL East; however, the Mets were designated as a Wild Card team due to them getting swept by the Braves.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Mets lost the 2022 National League Wild Card Series to the San Diego Padres. They also became the first team in MLB history to produce only one hit in a winner-take-all playoff game.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the offseason, the Mets lost deGrom to the Texas Rangers via free agency,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but quickly replaced him by signing Japanese ace Kodai Senga to a five-year, $75 million contract,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander to a two-year, $86.7 million contract.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Despite this the Mets were unable to gain momentum from the previous season and missed the playoffs in the process. The team ended the 2023 season with a 75–87 record and finished fourth-place in the NL East.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On September 12, 2023, the Mets hired David Stearns as their new president of baseball operations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On October 1, after the final game of the season, the Mets fired manager Buck Showalter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They would then introduce their new president Stearns on the following day.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On October 5, Billy Eppler resigned as general manager.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On November 13, the Mets named former New York Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza as their new manager.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During the offseason, the Mets signed free agents Luis Severino, Joey Wendle, Jorge López, Harrison Bader and Sean Manaea.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the Template:Mlby season, the Mets started off with a dismal 22–33 record. However, after a players-only meeting was held by shortstop Francisco Lindor on May 29,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the Mets significantly improved the rest of the way, mainly from the McDonald's character Grimace putting the Mets on a winning path, and the song "OMG" by infielder Jose Iglesias under the stage name Candelita, becoming a rallying cry for the whole team.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Mets finished with a record of 89–73 and qualified for the playoffs for the second time in three years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They reached as far as the 2024 National League Championship Series before losing to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.<ref name="24mets">Template:Cite news</ref>

On December 8, 2024, the Mets signed superstar outfielder Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract in the offseason, the largest contract in professional sports history. It is also said that the contract has ushered in a new era in Mets history and in all of New York baseball.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

World Series championships

[edit]
File:1986 ny-mets-world-series-champions-celebration-city-hall.jpg
Mets' fans celebrating the 1986 championship team at New York City Hall

Throughout the 60-year history of the franchise, the Mets have won two World Series championships in total.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

style="Template:Baseball primary style;"|Season style="Template:Baseball primary style;"|Manager style="Template:Baseball primary style;"|Opponent style="Template:Baseball primary style;"|Series Score style="Template:Baseball primary style;"|Record
1969 Gil Hodges Baltimore Orioles 4–1 100–62
1986 Davey Johnson Boston Red Sox 4–3 108–54
Total World Series championships: 2

Culture

[edit]

Fan support

[edit]

In 1998, the Independent Budget Office of the city of New York published a study on the economic effect of the city's two Major League Baseball teams. The study found that 43% of Mets fans lived in one of the five boroughs of New York, 39% in the tri-state area outside the city, and 12% elsewhere. Mets fans were more likely to be found in Queens, Brooklyn, and the Long Island counties of Nassau and Suffolk. Mets, Yankees, and Toronto Blue Jays fans are shared in Western New York.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Notable fans of the Mets include Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin James, Julia Stiles, Ty Burrell, Bill Maher, Ben Stiller, Jimmy Kimmel, Hank Azaria, Jim Breuer, Jon Stewart, Chris Rock, Matthew Broderick, Dylan O'Brien, Glenn Close, Billy Joel, Ad-Rock, MCA, Nas, 50 Cent, Nicki Minaj, Chris Christie, Patrick Mahomes, and Donovan Mitchell.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The 7 Line Army

[edit]
File:The 7 Line Army Celebrating the Mets Opening Day Victory (33784698436).jpg
The 7 Line Army in 2017

Template:Main The "7 Line Army" are a group primarily consisting of passionate and die-hard Mets fans occupying the Big Apple Section of Citi Field during home games for the Mets. The group was founded in 2012 by Darren Meenan who owns The 7 Line, an apparel company that produces Mets-themed clothing.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Mascots

[edit]

Template:For

File:Mr-met-mrs-met.jpg
Mr. & Mrs. Met greeting Mets Fans.

Mr. Met is the official mascot of the New York Mets. He was introduced on the cover of game programs in 1963, when the Mets were still playing at the Polo Grounds in northern Manhattan.<ref name="Mr. Met">Template:Cite news</ref> When the Mets moved to Shea Stadium in 1964, fans were introduced to a live costumed version.<ref name="Mr. Met"/> Mr. Met is believed to have been the first mascot in Major League Baseball to exist in human (as opposed to artistically rendered) form.<ref name="Mr. Met"/>

Mrs. Met (formerly Lady Met) is the female counterpart to Mr. Met, and the couple sometimes appears with 2–3 smaller "children".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Mets have had two mascots other than Mr. and Mrs. Met at different points in its history. The franchise's original official mascot was Homer, a beagle trained by Rudd Weatherwax that lived at the Waldorf-Astoria, was sponsored by Rheingold Beer and had his own platform behind home plate at the Polo Grounds. The dog was not included in the transition to Shea Stadium.<ref>Rushin, Steve. "Bad Beyond Belief," Sports Illustrated, May 25, 1992. Retrieved September 4, 2019</ref><ref>Silverman, Matthew. New York Mets: The Complete Illustrated History. Minneapolis, MN: MVP Books, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2019</ref> The brainchild of team owner Lorinda de Roulet's daughter Bebe, Mettle the mule represented the Mets for only the 1979 season. The name was the result of a contest won by Dolores Mapps of Mercerville, New Jersey whose explanation was that it typified the team's "spirit, ardor, stamina and courage, all of which the Mets have in abundance." Mettle was not retained after the franchise was sold to Nelson Doubleday Jr. and Fred Wilpon the following year.<ref>Belson, Ken. "When the Mets Had Mettle," The New York Times, Friday, February 26, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2019</ref>

Theme song

[edit]

"Meet the Mets" is the Mets' signature song, written in 1961, one year before the first season, by Bill Katz and Ruth Roberts. It is played on the radio, during television broadcasts and at Mets' home games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Other songs traditionally sung at Mets home games include "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" and the Sicilian song "Lazy Mary" during the seventh-inning stretch and Billy Joel's "Piano Man" in the middle of the eighth inning.

"Let's go Mets" meme

[edit]

In 2021, an internet meme involving the fan chant "let's go, Mets" began spreading through social media, particularly Twitter and TikTok. The meme is largely based around fictional characters unexpectedly expressing support for the team, such as Kingpin from Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse and characters from the video game Genshin Impact.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Uniform and logo symbolism

[edit]

Template:Main

File:Jerry Koosman 2008-09-28.jpg
Jerry Koosman wearing his late-1960s' era Mets jersey, which served as an inspiration for the 2012–13 Mets pinstriped uniform.

The Mets' colors are blue and orange, originally chosen to honor the city's history of National League baseball; blue for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and orange for the New York Giants. Blue and orange are also the colors of New York City, as seen on its flag.<ref name="timeline1" />

In 1998, black was added to the color scheme. Beginning with 2012 the black elements in the uniform began to be phased out, and were eliminated in 2013. In 2021, the team reintroduced black in their alternate uniforms.

[edit]
File:New York Mets Insignia.svg
Cap insignia
File:New York Mets.svg
Team Logo

The primary logo, designed by sports cartoonist Ray Gotto, consists of "Mets" written in orange script trimmed in white across a blue representation of the New York City skyline with a white suspension bridge in the foreground, all contained in an orange circle with orange baseball stitching across the image. Each part of the skyline has special meaning—at the left is a church spire, symbolic of Brooklyn, the borough of churches; the second building from the left is the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Building, the tallest building in Brooklyn at the time of the team's founding; next is the Woolworth Building; after a general skyline view of midtown comes the Empire State Building; at the far right is the headquarters of the United Nations. The suspension bridge in the center symbolizes that the Mets, by bringing National League baseball back to New York, represent all five boroughs; many of New York's major bridges are suspension designs.<ref name="timeline1" /> In 1999, the logo received a slight alteration; a small "NY" originally placed to the left of the team script was removed.

With the introduction of black as an official color, an alternate team logo was created in 1999. It is identical to the original logo, but the skyline is black instead of blue and the "Mets" script is blue trimmed in orange and white instead of orange trimmed in white (the alternate black jerseys displayed the primary blue and orange logo on the left sleeves in 1998; in 1999 this was changed to the alternate black and blue logo). The logo fell into disuse after the Mets dropped the alternate black jerseys and caps in 2012. When the team brought back the black jerseys in 2021, they feature the blue and orange logo patch instead of the black and blue logo.

Toward the end of the 2014 season, the Mets made a slight alteration to their logo on their Facebook and Twitter accounts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The roof of the building to the far right was tilted, changing it from the United Nations building to the Citigroup Center. Negative fan reaction to this change resulted in the building being immediately reverted to the UN building.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> No other notable changes have been made to the logo since.

The cap logo consists of an orange, interlocking "NY" identical to the logo used by the New York Giants in their final years, and is on a blue cap reminiscent of the caps worn by the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Uniform color and design

[edit]

Template:Unreferenced section Currently, the Mets wear an assortment of uniforms.

The home uniforms are white with blue pinstripes and feature "Mets" in blue script with an orange outline across the chest, block letter player names and numbers also in blue with an orange outline and a sleeve patch with the team logo. The uniforms are paired with a blue cap featuring an "NY" logo in orange, plus blue undersleeves, belts and socks.

The road uniforms, introduced in its current form in 2025, are gray with blue, orange and blue stripes on the collar, sleeves and pants and feature a radially-arched "NEW YORK" in Tiffany-style letters across the chest in blue outlined in orange, block letter player numerals and names also in blue outlined in orange and the team logo patch.<ref name="2025Road">Template:Cite web</ref> Like the home uniforms, the road grays are worn with the same blue caps, undersleeves, belts and socks.

The black alternate home jersey, introduced in its current form in 2024, is a modified version of the one worn from 1998 to 2012 and reintroduced for Friday home games in 2021. They feature the "Mets" script and the block letter player names and numbers in blue outlined in orange and the team logo patch. The set is worn with an alternate black cap featuring the "NY" logo in blue trimmed in orange. Belts, undersleeves and socks worn with it are also black. The black alternate home jerseys are worn with plain white pants with blue piping.

The blue alternate road jersey, introduced in 2025, features a pullover jersey with "New York" in script across the chest and block letter player names and numbers in blue with orange outline, with blue, orange and blue stripes on the collar and sleeves and the team logo patch.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The blue alternate road jerseys are worn with the same road gray pants with blue, orange and blue stripes and with the blue caps, undersleeves, belts and socks.<ref name="2025Road" />

The dark gray City Connect jersey with black and purple accents was introduced in 2024. The uniform contains the "NYC" wordmark in black patterned after the team's road uniform, along with black pinstripes and a black subway token patch containing the purple "NY" logo. The dark gray cap features the "NY" logo in black trimmed in white, along with a silhouette of the Queensboro Bridge. The purple color was inspired by the 7 Line that runs to Citi Field.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Mets' standard blue batting helmet, with the "NY" in metallic orange, is currently used for games worn with the primary home, road and blue alternate jerseys. A black alternate helmet is used in games with the black jerseys, and a dark gray alternate helmet is paired with the City Connect jerseys. Template:Multiple image

Players of note

[edit]

Team captains

[edit]
File:Keith Hernandez 1986.jpg
Keith Hernandez served as Mets captain between 1987 & 1989.
File:David Wright at CitiField.jpg
David Wright was the most recent Mets captain before retiring in 2018.

Four players have been team captains for the Mets:

Hall of Famers

[edit]
File:Tom Seaver Mets.jpg
Hall of Fame Pitcher Tom Seaver (1967–1977, 1983)
File:Mike Piazza spring of 2004.jpg
Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza (1998–2005)

Template:Baseball hall of fame list

Template:Ford C. Frick award list

Retired numbers

[edit]

Template:See also The Mets have retired nine numbers in the history of the franchise.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Retired number list

File:New York Mets retired numbers at Citi Field, Oct 08 2022.jpg
The Mets' retired numbers at Citi Field, 2022

Major League Baseball retired Jackie Robinson's number 42 on April 15, 1997, when the Mets played the Dodgers at Shea Stadium. Butch Huskey wore the number throughout the rest of his Mets career because of a grandfather clause placed on the retired number by MLB.<ref name="Robinson #">Template:Cite web</ref> Mo Vaughn also wore 42 during his stint with the Mets, because of the same clause.<ref name="Robinson #"/>

On the final opening day at Shea Stadium, April 8, 2008, the Mets unveiled a sign bearing the name "Shea" next to the team's retired numbers honoring William Shea and his contributions to the franchise.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2014, a special memorial logo honoring broadcaster Ralph Kiner, depicting a microphone along with his name and the years 1922–2014, was displayed on the left-field wall adjacent to, but not as a part of, the Mets' retired numbers, from 2014 to 2016. In the 2016 Mets yearbook, a sidebar in an article on Mike Piazza's upcoming number retirement implies that Kiner has been "retired" next to William Shea. This was confirmed when the Mets' retired numbers were moved to the roof facade during the 2016 season to accommodate Mike Piazza's number 31;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the Kiner logo was placed next to the Shea and Jackie Robinson numbers, no longer separated from the others. On August 28, 2021, Jerry Koosman's number 36 was retired by the Mets.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On July 9, 2022, the Mets retired Keith Hernandez's number 17.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They retired number 24 worn by Willie Mays on August 27.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On April 5, 2023, the Mets honored broadcaster Bob Murphy with a microphone logo alongside Kiner.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Dwight Gooden's number 16 was retired on April 14, 2024. The Mets also retired Darryl Strawberry's number 18 on June 1.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On December 13, it was announced that they will retire David Wright's number 5 on July 19, 2025.<ref name="WrightRetire">Template:Cite web</ref>

Out of circulation but not retired

[edit]
  • 8: Not issued since Gary Carter was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2003 (as an Expo after requesting to go in as a Met).<ref name="Mets by the Numbers">Template:Cite web</ref> When the Mets honored Carter, they did not retire number 8, but instead gave him a replica of his Hall of Fame plaque depicting him as a Met instead of an Expo. Desi Relaford was the last Mets player to wear No. 8; Matt Galante, a coach, later wore the number. After Carter's death, the Mets honored him in a ceremony on Opening Day 2012, where they unveiled the "Kid 8" memorial logo (also worn on the uniform sleeve) on the outfield fence. However, the number 8 is still not officially retired.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Mets Hall of Fame

[edit]

Template:Main

Key
Year Year inducted
Bold Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
Template:Center Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame as a Met
Bold Recipient of the Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award
scope="col" style="Template:Baseball primary style;|Year scope="col" style="Template:Baseball primary style;| No. scope="col" style="Template:Baseball primary style;| Name scope="col" style="Template:Baseball primary style;| Position(s) scope="col" style="Template:Baseball primary style;| Tenure
rowspan=2 style="Template:Baseball secondary style;|1981 Template:Sortname Owner
President
1960–1975
1968–1975<ref name="Mets Hall of Fame">Template:Cite web</ref>
37 Template:Sortname Manager
VP
1962–1965
1965–1975<ref name="Mets Hall of Fame"/>
rowspan=2 style="Template:Baseball secondary style;| 1982 14 Template:Sortname 1B
Manager
1962–1963
1968–1971<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Sortname President 1961–1966<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
rowspan=2 style="Template:Baseball secondary style;|1983 Template:Sortname Chief Scout
VP
VP & GM
1961–1963
1964–1967
1968–1970
Template:Sortname Proponent
rowspan=3 style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 1984 Template:Sortname Broadcaster 1962–2013<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:SortnameTemplate:Sup Broadcaster 1962–2003
Template:SortnameTemplate:Sup Broadcaster 1962–1978
rowspan=2 style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 1986 3, 23, 53 Template:Sortname SS
Coach
Manager
1965–1977
1982, 1985–1990
1990–1991
4, 10 Template:Sortname RF / 1B 1972–1975, 1981–1985
style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 1988 41 Template:SortnameTemplate:Sup P
Broadcaster
1967–1977, 1983
1999–2005<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 1989 36, 47 Template:Sortname P 1967–1978
style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 1990 7, 21 Template:Sortname 1B 1962–1979
style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 1991 12, 21, 34 Template:Sortname LF 1963, 1965–1975
style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 1992 15 Template:Sortname C 1966–1977
style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 1993 45 Template:Sortname P 1965–1967, 1969–1974
style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 1996 1, 51 Template:Sortname CF
Coach
1980–1989
1997–2002, 2011<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 1997 17 Template:Sortname 1B
Broadcaster
1983–1989
2006–present<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 2001 8 Template:Sortname C 1985–1989<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 2002 20 Template:Sortname CF 1968–1972
rowspan=4 style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 2010 Template:Sortname GM & COO 1980–1991
16 Template:Sortname P 1984–1994<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
5 Template:Sortname Manager 1984–1990<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
18 Template:Sortname RF 1983–1990<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 2012 31, 45 Template:Sortname P 1990–2004<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 2013 31 Template:SortnameTemplate:Sup C 1998–2005<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
rowspan=3 style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 2020/2021 13 Template:Sortname 2B / 3B 1995–2002<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
12 Template:Sortname P
Broadcaster
1983–1991
2006–present<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
32 Template:Sortname P 1971–1977
rowspan=4 style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 2023 Template:Sortname Broadcaster 1989–present<ref name=MetsHOF2023>Template:Cite web</ref>
20, 44 Template:Sortname 3B / SS / LF / RF 1985–1993<ref name=MetsHOF2023/>
22 Template:Sortname P 1998–2004<ref name=MetsHOF2023/>
Template:Sortname Broadcaster 1987–present<ref name=MetsHOF2023/>
style="Template:Baseball secondary style; | 2025 5 Template:Sortname 3B 2004–2016, 2018<ref name="WrightRetire" />

Rivalries

[edit]

The Mets have notable rivalries with the Atlanta Braves, the New York Yankees, and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Braves rivalry is due to division realignment that put both teams in the National League East in Template:Mlby. Their rivalry with the Yankees has its roots in the histories of the New York Giants, Brooklyn Dodgers, and the Yankees and the fierce Subway Series matchups between the two teams. The rivalry with the Phillies stems from the geographic New York-Philadelphia rivalry, which is also seen in other sports.<ref name="NewYorkPhiladelphia"/>

Subway Series

[edit]

Template:Main

The Mets – New York Yankees rivalry is the latest incarnation of the Subway Series, the competition between New York City's teams, the American League New York Yankees and the National League Mets. Until Interleague play started, the two teams had only met in exhibition games. Since the inception of interleague play the two teams have met every regular season since 1997, and since 1999 they have met six times each season, playing two three-game series, one in each team's ballpark. From the 2013 season however the number of games was reduced to four, two at each ballpark with the Mets winning six of the last eight games in that span. They have made the postseason in the same year six times: 1999, 2000, 2006, 2015, 2022, and 2024, and faced off in the 2000 World Series.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Atlanta Braves

[edit]

Template:Main

The Braves–Mets rivalry is a rivalry between two teams in the National League East, featuring the Atlanta Braves and the Mets.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Although their first major confrontation occurred when the Mets swept the Braves in the 1969 NLCS, en route to their first World Series championship, the first playoff series won by an expansion team (also the first playoff appearance by an expansion team), the rivalry did not become especially heated until the 1990s, when a division realignment in 1994 put the Mets and the Braves in the NL East together (from 1969 to 1993, the Braves were in the NL West).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The two teams faced each other again in the 1999 NLCS, and the Braves won the series four games to two. However, they would go on to lose to the Yankees in the 1999 World Series.

Philadelphia Phillies

[edit]
File:PhilsMetsFight.jpg
Mets fans brawl with Philadelphia Phillies fans at Shea Stadium in September 2007

Template:Main The rivalry between the Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies from 2006 to 2008 was said to be among the "hottest" rivalries in the National League.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Aside from several brawls in the 1980s, the rivalry remained low-key before the 2006 season,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> as the teams had seldom been equally good at the same time. Since 2006, the teams have battled for playoff position. The Mets won the division in 2006 and contended in 2007 and 2008, while the Phillies won five consecutive division titles from 2007 to 2011.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Phillies' 2007 Eastern Division Title was won on the last day of the season as the Mets lost a seven-game lead with 17 games remaining while losing 12 of 18 games that season to the Phillies, including being swept at home in the first 3 games of the remaining 17, dropping their lead from 7 games to 3.5.

There is a long-standing rivalry between the sports fans from New York City and Philadelphia,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which are approximately two hours apart by car,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> which is also seen between New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League, and the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers in National Hockey League.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Games between the two teams at Citi Field and Citizens Bank Park are often very intense, hard-hitting affairs, as each home crowd does its best to create an unfriendly, sometimes volatile atmosphere for any visiting-team fans.<ref name="NewYorkPhiladelphia">Template:Cite web</ref>

St. Louis Cardinals

[edit]

The rivalry between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Mets peaked during the 1980s when both teams contended for National League East supremacy. The rivalry began with the 1983 trade that brought Keith Hernandez from the Cardinals to the Mets, essentially turning the latter into contenders.<ref name="Ladson"/> Between 1985 and 1988, the division was dominated by either of the two teams, and in three of those years, the NL East winner went on to the World Series. In 1994, the Cardinals were moved to the National League Central, and the rivalry faded soon after. The two teams would meet in the Template:Nlcsy and Template:Nlcsy National League Championship Series, briefly rekindling the rivalry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Crisafulli"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personnel

[edit]

Template:New York Mets roster

New York Mets Foundation

[edit]

A registered 501(c)(3) charity, the New York Mets Foundation is the philanthropic organization of the New York Mets. Founded in 1963, it funds and promotes charitable causes in the Mets community. One of these causes is Tuesday's Children, is a non-profit family service organization that "has made a long term commitment to meet the needs of every family who lost a loved one in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Mets host the annual Welcome Home Dinner, which raised over $550,000 for the Mets Foundation in 2012. All proceeds were distributed to Katz Institute for Women's Health and Katz Women's Hospitals of North Shore-LIJ Health System and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Owners and executives

[edit]

Template:Main

  • President of Baseball Operations: David Stearns
  • Special Assistant to the President of Baseball Operations: Carlos Beltran
  • Vice President: Eduardo Brizuela
  • Vice President, Player Development: Andy Green

New York Mets broadcasters

[edit]

Template:Main

Television

[edit]
File:SNY Broadcast Booth, May 2, 2019.jpg
Announcers Keith Hernandez and Gary Cohen in the SNY broadcast booth at Citi Field in 2019.

Most Mets games are carried by SportsNet New York (SNY), a joint venture of the Mets and NBC Sports Regional Networks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The team's over-the-air home is WPIX, where the team has broadcast games since 1999.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Games on WPIX are syndicated across New York and Connecticut to WCCT-TV (Hartford, CT), WCWN/WRGB (Albany, NY), WYCI (Saranac Lake, NY), WSYT-MY43 (Syracuse, NY), WPNY-LD (Utica, NY), WICZ-DT2 (Binghamton, NY), WQMY (Williamsport, PA), WOLF-DT3 (Scranton, PA) and WHAM-DT2 (Rochester, NY).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Longtime Mets radio announcer Gary Cohen does the play-by-play, having moved to television with the launch of SNY in 2006.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Former Mets Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling are the color commentators with Steve Gelbs being the on-the-field reporter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In early January 2016, Keith Hernandez re-signed with SNY. Reports indicate that Hernandez received a raise and three-year contract.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Radio

[edit]

As of late August 2024, Mets radio broadcasts are produced by Audacy, Inc.. Games air on WHSQ-AM, an affiliate of ESPN Radio, locally and over Audacy's streaming service nationwide under the branding Audacy Mets Radio. The Mets have aired games at WHSQ's 880 AM frequency since 2019, when the station was still known as all-news WCBS-AM.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Howie Rose is the main play-by-play announcer; Wayne Randazzo, who previously hosted the pre- and post-game shows, is Rose's partner.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> Longtime Mets beat reporter Ed Coleman took over the pre- and post-game role for most games.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> Since the 2023 Season, Rose has been partnered with Keith Raad.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Mets' previous radio flagship was WOR from 2014 to 2018.<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Mets were previously carried by WFAN, which inherited the team's broadcast rights from WHN when it took over its frequency in 1987, and in later years by WFAN-FM which simulcasts the AM signal.

Spanish-language broadcasts are aired on WINS-FM-HD2 featuring Max Perez-Jimenez and Nestor Rosario, along with MLB.tv and SNY's second audio program channels.<ref name="audacy2024">"Spanish Broadcasts of New York Mets Baseball to Be Available on Audacy App and 92.3 FM HD2". Audacy. March 1, 2024.</ref> They had previously been on WEPN 1050.<ref name="Audacy deal 2022">Template:Cite news</ref> It was formerly broadcast on WQBU-FM 92.7, Que Buena from 2020 to 2021.<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Both English and Spanish broadcasts are also aired on the Audacy internet radio service.<ref name="Audacy deal 2022"/>

Rose, who has spent much of his career covering the Mets, replaced Bob Murphy as Gary Cohen's broadcast partner in 2004 following Murphy's retirement. Cohen then left the radio booth for the SNY television booth in 2006 and was replaced by Tom McCarthy, who departed after two seasons and was replaced by Wayne Hagin. Josh Lewin joined the broadcast after the team parted ways with Hagin following the 2011 season; he departed when broadcasts moved to WCBS.

Coinciding with the move to WCBS, the Mets, abruptly and without public announcement (other than a brief e-mail to its affiliates days before the season began), stopped syndicating its games to other stations outside the New York City area, shutting down the New York Mets Radio Network.<ref>Mets abandon upstate radio network for 2019 season from the Times-Union of Albany, NY; April 1, 2019</ref><ref>New York Mets radio blackout a ‘middle finger’ to CNY fans, CEO says, from The Post-Standard of Syracuse, NY (April 1, 2019)</ref>

Minor league affiliations

[edit]

Template:Main

The New York Mets farm system consists of seven minor league affiliates.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

scope="col" style="Template:Baseball primary style"|Class scope="col" style="Template:Baseball primary style"|Team scope="col" style="Template:Baseball primary style"|League scope="col" style="Template:Baseball primary style"|Location scope="col" style="Template:Baseball primary style"|Ballpark scope="col" style="Template:Baseball primary style"|Affiliated
Triple-A Syracuse Mets International League Syracuse, New York NBT Bank Stadium 2019
Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies Eastern League Binghamton, New York Mirabito Stadium 1991
High-A Brooklyn Cyclones South Atlantic League Brooklyn, New York Maimonides Park 2001
Single-A St. Lucie Mets Florida State League Port St. Lucie, Florida Clover Park 1988
Rookie FCL Mets Florida Complex League Port St. Lucie, Florida Surprise Stadium 2013
DSL Mets Blue Dominican Summer League Boca Chica, Santo Domingo New York Mets Complex 2010
DSL Mets Orange

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Template:Reflist

Bibliography

[edit]
[edit]

Template:Commons categoryTemplate:Wikiquote

Template:S-start-collapsible Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-end Template:New York Mets Template:Navboxes Template:Portal bar Template:Authority control