Two Ways For Mets Fans To Remember This September

September has rolled around and the Mets will almost certainly be left out of the postseason party. Going into the final month of the season, the Mets find themselves 22 games behind the first place Phillies and 14½ games behind the wild card-leading Braves.



But although October is only a rumor at Citi Field, there are two events that are still visible on the horizon for the Mets and their fans - a winning season and a batting title for Jose Reyes.



The Mets have a 65-69 record as they begin play in the month of September. Although the climb back to (and hopefully over) .500 could be daunting, it's not an impossible task. In fact, the Mets have twice before entered September with a losing record, only to turn things around and finish of the bright side of .500 at season's end.



In 2001, the Mets began the month of September with a 64-71 record, seemingly out of contention in the NL East after winning the National League pennant the year before. But an 18-9 mark in September and October (the season was pushed back a week due to the tragic events of 9/11) kept Mets fans hopes up and more importantly, gave them a winning record for the season (82-80).



Similarly, the 1973 Mets appeared to be going nowhere fast in the NL East. With a 62-71 record after their final game in August, the Mets were on a one-way ticket to disappointment just one year after finishing ten games above .500. But all it took was a little "ya gotta believe" and a 20-8 mark in September and October, and the Mets found themselves in the playoffs (albeit with an 82-79 record), finishing one win short of their second World Series championship.



Both the 1973 Mets and the 2001 Mets were more games below .500 entering September than this year's model. A 17-11 record this month would make the 2011 Mets the third team in franchise history to achieve this feat.



Now, let's talk about Jose Reyes and his personal quest to become the team's first batting champion.



Entering September, Reyes was leading the National League with a .336 mark, just slightly ahead of Milwaukee's Ryan Braun and his .333 average. However, Braun went 1-for-5 in his first September game (a day game against the Cardinals this afternoon), lowering his batting average to .331.



Prior to this season, only three Mets players had ever finished within ten points of the batting title. Cleon Jones (.340) finished eight points behind Pete Rose (.348) in the 1969 National League batting race, with Roberto Clemente (.345) sandwiched between them. Dave Magadan (.328) finished seven points behind 1990 NL batting champion Willie McGee, with Eddie Murray's .330 average sliding in between the two. Finally, in 1998, John Olerud became the first Met to finish second in the league in batting, with his franchise-record .354 average. (Larry Walker finished nine percentage points ahead of Olerud with his .363 batting average.)



Of the above batting title contenders for the Mets, only John Olerud entered the month of September with the lead in the batting race. Prior to the games of September 1, 1998, Olerud's .344 mark was two points higher than Walker's .342. But an 0-for-3 performance by Olerud coupled with a 2-for-3 game by Walker on the month's first night caused a shift in the race, with Walker taking a two-point lead over Olerud (.344 to .342). Olerud retook the lead the following night, but Walker took it back on September 3 and never gave it up for the rest of the season, hitting .640 (16-for-25) from the 3rd to the 12th of September. Even Olerud's .621 average (18-for-29) over his final ten games wasn't enough to help him claim the franchise's first batting title.



Editor's note: In 1969, Cleon Jones was hitting .351 going into September, eight percentage points ahead of eventual batting champion Pete Rose (.343). But Roberto Clemente was the league leader in batting with a .354 mark on the morning of September 1, 1969.



In 1990, Willie McGee's batting average was frozen when he was traded from the Cardinals to the Oakland A's. Since he did not bat again in the National League following his trade, his .335 mark at the time of the trade remained intact. Dave Magadan's batting average never reached McGee's mark in September, peaking at .333 on September 5.







If Jose Reyes can keep his lead in the batting race past September 3, he will be the first Mets player ever to lead the league in batting that late in the season. Of course, should he manage to hold off Ryan Braun, he would become the team's first batting champion in their 50-year history.



So what if the Mets aren't even in the Phillies' and Braves' rear view mirror? There are still two reasons to root for the boys in orange and blue (especially if they wear those sweet "Los Mets" alternate jerseys). The Mets can finish with their first winning mark since the days of Shea Stadium and Jose Reyes can finally provide an answer to the decades-old question, "what will happen first, a Mets' no-hitter or a Mets' batting champion?".



Instead of thinking that there's only one month left to the off-season, think that there's one more exciting month of baseball to be played at Citi Field, a month that could give Mets fans a winning attitude and an unprecedented individual achievement for one of their heroes. You gotta believe, right?

Is Terry Collins 2011's Answer To Bobby Valentine?

Prior to the 2011 season, the Mets interviewed a number of potential candidates for their open managerial position before deciding to hire Terry Collins, a pick that was popular in the front office, but not immediately liked by the fans. Less than half a season later, Collins has made believers out of the skeptics who thought anyone not named Wally Backman would be able to manage the Mets. After a rough 5-13 start, the Mets have responded by going 28-21 (.571 winning percentage) and currently find themselves in third place in the National League East.

Collins has been able to piece together a team that has been without Johan Santana for the entire season and sans corner infielders Ike Davis and David Wright for the past month. His makeshift lineups have led to the emergence of various players who had been career minor leaguers or fringe players. Players such as Justin Turner, Ruben Tejada and Daniel Murphy have all contributed in the absence of Davis and Wright, and pitchers such as Dillon Gee, Chris Capuano and Jonathon Niese have all flourished while Santana has been rehabbing his surgically repaired shoulder.

The 2011 Mets have all the makings of a nice story in Flushing, after two lost seasons at Citi Field which immediately followed two heartbreaking seasons at Shea Stadium. But this is not the first time a manager has taken a downtrodden Mets team and turned them around faster than anyone ever expected. In fact, it was only 14 years ago when another former major league manager was given a chance by the Mets to bring respectability back to the franchise.

Still beloved by Mets fans, Bobby Valentine was the club's second winningest manager after Davey Johnson.

Bobby Valentine managed the Texas Rangers from 1985-1992, where he became the franchise's all-time leader in managerial victories. But after a slow start in 1992, Valentine was relieved of his duties by future president George W. Bush and did not manage again for three years. In 1995, Bobby V took his managerial talents overseas and led the Chiba Lotte Marines to a surprising second-place finish in the Japanese Pacific League. Valentine's success in Japan (he was fired due to a conflict with the team's general manager) led him back to the States and a job managing the Mets' Triple-A team in Norfolk.

After leading the Tides to an 82-59 record in 1996, Valentine was promoted to the Mets to replace the recently ousted Dallas Green. The Mets finished the season by winning only 12 of the 31 games under their new skipper. However, with a new season came new hope, and Valentine was the purveyor of that hope.

The 1997 Mets went into the season with little to no expectations. Their biggest acquisition of the offseason was John Olerud, a former batting champion in 1993 who had done little since winning that batting title, averaging 13 HR and 61 RBI from 1994 to 1996, and failing to hit over .300 in each of those three seasons. The rest of the infield consisted of the past-his-prime Carlos Baerga at second, light-hitting shortstop Rey Ordoñez and young Edgardo Alfonzo, who had been shuttled back and forth between second and third base for the better part of three seasons.

Although Bernard Gilkey and Lance Johnson were returning to the outfield, both were coming off career years in 1996 that did little to help the team in the standings. Rounding out the outfield was Butch Huskey, who had always shown power potential, but never quite fulfilled it. Todd Hundley (he of the record-setting 41 home runs in 1996) was yet again behind the plate catching a ragtag group of starting pitchers that included Bobby Jones, Rick Reed, Dave Mlicki, Mark Clark, Armando Reynoso and Brian Bohanon. Those six pitchers combined to win a mere 40 games in 1996 and were now being counted on to lead the 1997 Mets. It didn't start off the way Valentine would have liked.

The 1997 Mets lost 10 of their first 14 games and were already seven games out of first place just two weeks into the season. But Bobby Valentine did not let the poor start deter his team. By mid-May, the Mets had climbed back to .500, but then hovered around the mediocre mark until mid-June. It was then that the team took off, winning six straight against Pittsburgh and Atlanta. By September, the Mets were still alive in the Wild Card race, but their playoff hopes finally burst during the final week of the season, as the Marlins took the Wild Card on the way to their first World Series championship. Despite falling just short of the playoffs, the Mets still finished the year with an impressive 88-74 record.

Bobby Jones and Rick Reed emerged as solid starting pitchers for the Mets, with Jones winning 15 games and earning his first (and only) All-Star selection and Reed finishing sixth in the National League with a 2.89 ERA, to go along with 13 wins (after winning a total of 10 games from 1988-1996). The infield also surpassed all expectations, with John Olerud leading the way. The first baseman batted .294 with 22 HR and 102 RBI. He also led the team in on-base percentage with an even .400 mark. The left side of the infield impressed as well, as Edgardo Alfonzo hit a then-career high .315 and Rey Ordoñez won his first Gold Glove Award. Bernard Gilkey and Lance Johnson couldn't sustain their 1996 paces, but Butch Huskey made up for that by setting career marks in batting average (.287), hits (135), doubles (26), home runs (24), RBI (81), stolen bases (8) and slugging percentage (.503). In addition, Todd Hundley followed up his memorable 1996 campaign with another solid season, batting .273 with 30 HR and 86 RBI.

No one would say that the 1997 Mets were loaded with All-Stars. But Bobby Valentine took that group of individuals and turned them into a team. Valentine used 143 different lineups, utilizing all 25 players on the roster and going with the hot hand whenever possible. The final result was the first winning season for the Mets in seven years.

Fast forward to 2011. Terry Collins is now the former major league manager who was hired by the Mets after a layoff of several years. After spending time guiding young players in the Mets' farm system in 2010, Collins is now managing a number of them in the big leagues.

Not much was expected from the Mets in 2011, but after a slow start, the Mets are now playing very good baseball. They're coming together as a team, with veteran leadership (Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes), emerging talent (Justin Turner, Ruben Tejada, Daniel Murphy), and young pitchers developing into top starters (Jonathon Niese, Dillon Gee).

Like Bobby Valentine did with the 1997 Mets, Terry Collins is instilling confidence in the 2011 Mets. His goal is not to reach .500, but to surpass it. Mediocrity is not an option with the current Mets. It is a stepping stone. Terry Collins expects this team to perform on the field, regardless of who he puts out there. It is why the Mets have been able to leapfrog past the Nationals and Marlins in the NL East and why they are within 4½ games of the Braves for the Wild Card lead.

Bobby Valentine did wonders with a group of players that "on paper" shouldn't have performed as well as they did. He taught them how to believe in themselves and their ability to get the job on the baseball field. The players responded to their manager and made the fans believers as well. Fourteen years later, Terry Collins is trying to do the same thing with his group of Mets.

Will Collins succeed as Bobby Valentine did almost a decade and a half ago? That remains to be seen. One thing is certain, though. If the players continue to follow Collins' philosophy, then there's no reason to believe that this team can't surpass expectations. The Mets can go as far as they want to go. It's a good thing they have a manager who knows this and is willing to take them there.

Could Jose Reyes Follow In Willie McGee's Footsteps?

The year was 1990 and the world was a different place. The Mets said goodbye to Davey Johnson and Darryl Strawberry. The Yankees really did suck (and not just because Mets and Red Sox fans said so). Al Gore had not yet invented the internet. The Ramones were still together (and still breathing). And Jose Reyes was seven years old.

It was also a banner year for Willie McGee, who won his second National League batting title and played in the World Series with the Oakland A's. Yes, you read that correctly and no, you did not just enter a parallel universe where the A's played in the senior circuit.

So how in the world did Willie McGee become a batting champion in the National League while playing in the American League? Let me tell you a little story, and trust me, we'll get around to Jose Reyes faster than he can leg out a triple.

In 1990, Willie McGee was leading the National League in batting with a .335 average, but his performance was not helping his team, as the Cardinals were mired in last place in the NL East. Choosing to rebuild, St. Louis traded away the former NL MVP (1985) to the Oakland A's on August 29. However, since Willie McGee switched leagues in the deal, his American League numbers would not be combined with his National League numbers, meaning his NL batting mark of .335 would remain unchanged despite his .274 batting average with Oakland in 113 at-bats.

During his time in St. Louis, McGee made 542 plate appearances, or 40 more than the 502 required to qualify for the batting title. When the season ended, no National League player had been able to surpass McGee's .335 average (Dodgers first baseman Eddie Murray finished second with a .330 batting average and the Mets' Dave Magadan finished third at .328), so McGee was awarded the National League batting title, despite finishing the season in the American League. Eddie Murray won nothing but some lovely parting gifts despite leading the major leagues in batting, as his .330 mark was higher than McGee's combined .324 average with St. Louis and Oakland.

So why am I boring you with this history lesson and what does this have to do with the Mets?

Well, my fellow Mets fans, Jose Reyes is batting .337. That leads the National League entering tonight's game against the Brewers (Joey Votto is second with a .336 average). Jose Reyes' name is also being bandied about in trade rumor after trade rumor. You can probably guess where I'm going with this. What if Jose Reyes continues his hot hitting, ups his trade value, and gets dealt to an American League team at the trade deadline (July 31)?

Barring any rainouts, the Mets will be playing their 108th game on July 31. Jose Reyes has played in all but three of the Mets' 59 games. He has 265 plate appearances in those 56 games, an average of 4.73 PA per game. If Reyes plays in all 49 games left before the trade deadline, he would need 237 plate appearances (an average of 4.84 PA per game) to qualify for the National League batting title. So you see, it could happen.

Everybody clap your hands! (And while you're at it, don't trade Reyes.)

The Mets have never had a batting champion in their history. John Olerud came close in 1998, finishing second to Larry Walker. Cleon Jones and Dave Magadan also fell short, finishing third in 1969 and 1990, respectively. Could you imagine if Jose Reyes won the 2011 National League batting title after being traded to an American League team, a la Willie McGee over two decades ago? Stranger things have happened in Mets history, but this would probably be as strange as it gets.

Mets fans would have no problem with Jose Reyes becoming the team's first batting champion. But I'm sure they'd like to see him do it in a Mets uniform.

M.U.M.'s The Word (Most Underrated Mets): Edgardo Alfonzo

In 1991, the Mets signed a 17-year-old slick-fielding infielder from Venezuela and sent him to the Gulf Coast League. During his first two years in the minors, the teenager made excellent contact, hitting .331 and .350, but he was basically a singles hitter, collecting 12 extra-base hits (no home runs) in 1991 and 18 extra-base hits (one home run) in 1992.

Then in 1993, he finally flexed some muscle, rapping out 18 doubles and 11 home runs, to go with 86 RBI and 26 stolen bases for the St. Lucie Mets. When he followed that up with an even better 1994 season at AA-Binghamton (34 doubles, 15 HR, 75 RBI), the Mets couldn't help but bring him up to the major leagues for the start of the 1995 season.

Although the Mets already had Jeff Kent and Bobby Bonilla starting at second base and third base, respectively, it wasn't too long before both of them started to receive less playing time to accommodate the versatile new kid on the block. Splitting time between second base and third base would become something of a habit for one of the most underrated (and best) players in Mets history.

Fonzie's skills and knowledge of the game were that of a veteran player, leading people to believe that he was older than his reported age, a rumor that was denied by Fonzie repeatedly. Here he is on his Bowman baseball card in a shot taken on his 12th birthday.

Edgardo Antonio Alfonzo made his major league debut with the Mets on April 26, 1995. It was the first game of the 1995 season (because of the strike, the 1995 season was delayed and truncated to 144 games) and the first game in the history of Coors Field. In typical Coors Field fashion, no lead was safe, as the Mets blew a one-run lead in the ninth inning and twice in extra innings. Alfonzo was on the bench to start the game, but with so many pitching changes and double switches needed in the 14-inning affair, he found his way into the game in the tenth inning, flying out as a pinch-hitter for John Franco.

Because of Jeff Kent and the high-salaried Bobby Bonilla, it became difficult for the Mets to find an everyday role for Alfonzo. Over the first 25 games of the season, Fonzie started four games at second base, seven games at third base, appeared as a pinch hitter or defensive replacement eight times and remained on the bench for the entire game in the other six games. In those same 25 games, Bonilla was hitting the cover off the ball (.357, 5 HR, 18 RBI), while Jeff Kent was not (.209, 2 HR, 9 RBI). If anyone was going to lose playing time to Alfonzo, it should have been Jeff Kent. However, the Mets had another problem on their hands - left field.

The Mets went into the 1995 season with David Segui as their starting leftfielder, but before long, left field seemed to resemble a high-priced game of musical chairs, with players such as Segui, Joe Orsulak, Ricky Otero, Chris Jones and Bobby Bonilla all getting their turn to play the position. Finally, on May 24, manager Dallas Green moved Bonilla to left field on what was supposed to be a full-time basis and Alfonzo became the club's everyday third baseman. Of course, in the dictionary used by the 1995 Mets, "full-time" and "temporary" were synonyms.

For the first month of the Bonilla-to-left-field experiment, Alfonzo played mostly at third. Then he played a couple of games at shortstop as Bonilla was moved back to third base and Orsulak was given a few starts in left field. When Jeff Kent was placed on the disabled list with a right shoulder sprain, Alfonzo moved back to second base, before going back to third base in late July while Bonilla moved back to left.

With the Mets going nowhere in the NL East, they decided to unload some of their higher salaried players at the trade deadline, most notably Bobby Bonilla. That was supposed to clear the way for Edgardo Alfonzo to take over at third base (dare we say it) full-time. But in August, Fonzie was placed on the disabled list with a herniated disc in his back that almost ended his season. He did play again in 1995, but was used sparingly, compiling only 27 at-bats after August 10.

After a promising rookie season in 1995, Edgardo Alfonzo began the 1996 season on the bench, as Jose Vizcaino became the everyday second baseman, with Jeff Kent moving over to third base and rookie defensive wizard Rey Ordoñez taking over at shortstop. As a result, Alfonzo had nowhere to play regularly and his production suffered. Through July 26, Fonzie had only started 35 of the Mets' first 104 games and collected 174 at-bats, being used mostly as a pinch-hitter. At the time, his batting average was .236. With one home run and 16 RBI, it appeared as if the promising career forecasted by the Mets had been a case of wishful thinking and the 22-year-old Alfonzo had faded before getting a fair chance to truly shine. But just as the trade of Bobby Bonilla a year earlier had given Alfonzo an opportunity to prove to the Mets that he could take on the rigors of playing every day, another trade was in the works in 1996 that would open up a spot in the infield for Alfonzo. This time, he would make sure to take advantage of the opportunity.

On July 29, 1996, the Mets traded Jeff Kent and Jose Vizcaino to the Cleveland Indians for Carlos Baerga and Alvaro Espinoza. In true Dallas Green fashion, Baerga, who had played exclusively at second base since the last month of the 1991 season, played third base and first base for the Mets, while Alfonzo became the Mets' regular second baseman. With an everyday job secured, Fonzie wasted no time getting back on track and fulfilling the promise he showed in the minor leagues. In his first game following the trade of his infield roadblocks, Alfonzo belted only his second home run of the year, helping the Mets to a 5-0 victory over the Pirates. Over the final two months of the season, Alfonzo batted .284 with three home runs and 24 RBI. The numbers weren't eye-popping, but they were an improvement over what Alfonzo had produced when he had no definitive role. The final two months of the 1996 season would also serve as a stepping stone for the rest of Alfonzo's career.

With the arrival of Carlos Baerga at Shea Stadium in 1996, Edgardo Alfonzo switched positions from third base to second base, allowing Baerga to play third. It would not be the last time Alfonzo rode the infield shuttle at Shea.

The 1997 Mets were not your grandpa's Mets. They were vastly improved over the teams that finished below .500 for six consecutive seasons. With a new manager (Bobby Valentine) and a new first baseman (John Olerud), the Mets competed for a playoff spot until the last week of the season. Many players had their finest seasons to date in 1997, including Butch Huskey (.287, 24 HR, 81 RBI), Rick Reed (13-9, 2.89 ERA) and Bobby Jones (15-9, 3.63 ERA). Another player who improved by leaps and bounds was Edgardo Alfonzo.

Despite the presence of a former batting champion in John Olerud, it was Edgardo Alfonzo who led the team in batting average (.315) and hits (163) in 1997. Fonzie's other numbers (27 doubles, 10 HR, 72 RBI, 84 runs scored and a career-high 11 SB) helped keep the Mets in contention for the National League wild card until the final week of the season. Another forgotten aspect of Fonzie's game that he improved upon immensely was his ability to draw a walk. In 1995 and 1996, Fonzie walked only 37 times in 763 plate appearances. That number jumped to 63 in 1997 alone. As a result, his on-base percentage, which was .303 over his first two seasons with the Mets, climbed to .391 in 1997.

With so many great performances on the 1997 Mets, it was Edgardo Alfonzo who received the most recognition in the MVP voting. Fonzie was the only Met to earn consideration from the voters, finishing 13th in the 1997 National League MVP race with 10 votes.

After their return to contention in 1997, the Mets were poised to continue their resurgence in 1998. Unfortunately, one Met who didn't continue his success from 1997 early on was Edgardo Alfonzo. Through May 21, Fonzie appeared to have regressed to his early 1996 form by hitting .239 with seven doubles, two home runs and 13 RBI. But then the Mets made a stunning move, acquiring All-Star catcher Mike Piazza from the Florida Marlins in May. For the third time in four seasons, a trade made by the Mets ended up benefiting Alfonzo, as the third baseman (Baerga was back at second base now) took off.

With John Olerud (.354, 22 HR, 93 RBI) and Mike Piazza (.348, 23 HR, 76 RBI in 109 games as a Met) firmly locked in the middle of the order, it was Edgardo Alfonzo whose job it was to get on base for them as the second-place hitter, a spot in the order he took over on a full-time basis on July 1. In his first game as the regular No. 2 hitter, Fonzie hit two home runs against the Toronto Blue Jays. While other teams focused on Olerud and Piazza, it was Alfonzo who was quietly putting together a solid season. From July 1 to the end of the season, Fonzie hit .292 with 16 doubles, 13 HR, 44 RBI and 57 runs scored. Unfortunately, the Mets fell short at the end of the season, losing their final five games before being eliminated from the wild card race on the final day of the regular season. The 1998 season finished on a low note from a team standpoint, but after all the high notes (and baseballs) being hit by Edgardo Alfonzo, the Mets couldn't help but look forward to 1999, to see just how far the team and Alfonzo could go. And boy, did they go far.

This pose would be a familiar one for Edgardo Alfonzo in 1999, a year for the ages for the Mets' second baseman.

After two 88-win seasons in 1997 and 1998, the Mets were not going to be satisfied with anything less than a postseason berth. However, their hunger for excellence didn't produce results over the first two months of the season, as the Mets stumbled to a 27-28 start, leading to the dismissal of three coaches. After the pink slip party, the Mets won their next game to move back to the .500 mark, but Edgardo Alfonzo had still not produced to the level the Mets expected of him following his breakthrough second-half performance in 1998. Through the team's first 56 games, Alfonzo was hitting .290 with 13 doubles, 7 HR and 27 RBI. With a renewed sense of purpose, the Mets started to pile up win after win. Not coincidentally, Alfonzo began to rake at the plate, putting together a season that ranks as the best for any second baseman in franchise history. (Did I mention that Fonzie was now back at second base?)

Just like he did in 1998, Fonzie's resurgence began against the Toronto Blue Jays. In a three-game series swept by the Mets, Alfonzo collected five hits (including a double and a home run) and three RBI. The onslaught on opposing pitchers continued over the next 26 games, as Alfonzo hit .327 with 14 extra-base hits and 28 RBI (an average of over one RBI per game). Despite the pre-All-Star Game batting blitz, Alfonzo was not selected to represent the National League in the Midsummer Classic. Fonzie never needed any motivation to play the game, but after his All-Star snub, he played like a man who was out to show the selection committee what they had overlooked.

In the Mets' first 41 games after the break, Fonzie turned into Mike Piazza at the plate. He batted .367 with 14 doubles, 11 HR and 39 RBI. His on-base percentage over the six-week stretch was .418 and he slugged a whopping .645. During the streak, he had a five-RBI game on August 11 and a four-RBI game four days later. But his best game happened on August 30, when he put together the best single game by any Mets hitter in franchise history, going 6-for-6, with three home runs, five RBI and six runs scored.

As August turned to September, the Mets were determined not to let their late-season collapse of 1998 repeat itself in 1999. But a seven-game losing streak took the Mets out of the wild card lead going into the final weekend of the season. With three games to play, the Mets were two games behind Houston and Cincinnati, the wild card co-leaders. The Mets had to sweep the Pirates and hope for some help. They won the first two games against the Bucs and watched as the Reds lost two games against the Milwaukee Brewers. Needing to win the final game of the season to guarantee at least a 163rd game, the Mets struggled against Pirates' starter Kris Benson in the regular season finale. But with the game tied at 1 going into the bottom of the ninth, Edgardo Alfonzo was due to bat third in the inning. Fonzie was one of the team's most clutch hitters during the first 161 games of the season. That formula would not change for Game No. 162.

After Bobby Bonilla (the man whose trade gave Alfonzo his first shot as an everyday player with the Mets back four years earlier) grounded out to first base to start the inning, Melvin Mora got the Mets going by ripping a single to right field. That brought Edgardo Alfonzo to the plate, who kept the rally going by lining an opposite-field single, moving Mora to third base. With the winning run standing 90 feet away, the Pirates chose to intentionally walk John Olerud to load the bases for Mike Piazza. The Mets' catcher, who had already slugged 40 home runs that season, never got a chance to swing the bat, as Brad Clontz uncorked a wild pitch that brought Mora home with the winning run.

With the Cincinnati Reds winning their final game against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Mets needed to win a one-game playoff at Cinergy Field to earn their first trip to the postseason since 1988. Unlike the final game of the Pittsburgh series, the Mets wasted no time getting to Reds' starting pitcher Steve Parris. After Rickey Henderson walked to lead off the game, Fonzie cracked a two-run homer, giving starting pitcher Al Leiter all the runs he would need. Alfonzo also drove in the final run of the game with a sixth inning double, and the Mets went on to win the game and the National League wild card berth. The Mets didn't have much time to celebrate their victory, as they had to fly to Arizona to open up the NLDS against the NL West champion Diamondbacks. Although the team had every excuse to be tired, playing in their third city in three days, one Met who didn't feel exhaustion was Edgardo Alfonzo, and he showed it in Game 1 of the NLDS.

No one would confuse Randy Johnson with Steve Parris, but try telling that to Edgardo Alfonzo. Just as he had done the previous night against the Reds, Fonzie homered in the top of the first inning to give the Mets the early lead. The Mets extended that lead to 4-2, but the Diamondbacks tied it in the bottom of the sixth inning on Luis Gonzalez's two-run homer. The game remained tied until the bottom of the ninth inning when Randy Johnson loaded the bases with one out. Out came the intimidating Johnson. In came Bobby Chouinard, who had only logged 140 2/3 innings in the major leagues with a 4.54 ERA. The batter Chouinard was brought in to face was none other than Edgardo Alfonzo. One swing of the bat later, the Mets had taken an 8-4 lead on Fonzie's grand slam that just stayed fair near the left field foul pole. The Mets went on take the first game of the series, with Alfonzo registering his third five-RBI game of the season.

After taking Randy Johnson deep earlier in the game, the Diamondbacks thought Bobby Chouinard would have a better chance to retire Edgardo Alfonzo. Oops.

After the two teams split the next two games in lopsided affairs (Arizona won Game 2 by six runs and New York won Game 3 by seven runs), the Mets were trying to close out the series in Game 4 at Shea Stadium. It behooved the Mets to close out the series at home because lurking in the Arizona desert for Game 5 was Randy Johnson. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning when Edgardo Alfonzo led off with a home run to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. It was Alfonzo's third home run of the series, all of which gave the Mets the lead. This time, the Mets couldn't hold on to the lead Alfonzo gave them, as Armando Benitez allowed Arizona to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth inning on a two-run double by Jay Bell. The Mets were six outs away from having to travel back to Arizona for a do-or-die game against Randy Johnson. But Edgardo Alfonzo was due to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning, and he wasn't about to let the team down.

Facing Gregg Olson, Fonzie drew a leadoff walk. With John Olerud, a left-handed batter, due up next, manager Buck Showalter brought in the lefty Greg Swindell. The lefty appeared to do his job, inducing Olerud to hit a fly ball to right field. However, Tony Womack (who had just been moved from shortstop to right field prior to the bottom of the eighth inning) dropped the ball, allowing Alfonzo to reach third base and Olerud to coast into second. When Roger Cedeño hit a sacrifice fly to center field, Alfonzo scored the unearned run to tie the game. The game went into extra innings, where Todd Pratt won it with a walk-off home run off Matt Mantei.

For the series, Alfonzo only hit .250 (4-for-16), but all four of his hits went for extra bases (one double, three home runs). He also added three walks to give him a .368 on-base percentage over the four games. But the most important stat for Alfonzo in the NLDS was that he scored every time he reached base in the series, reaching base seven times and scoring all seven times.

The extra-base hit parade would continue in the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves, with Alfonzo banging out four more doubles in the six-game series. His fourth double, leading off the sixth inning of Game 6, helped start a rally for the Mets, who had already fallen behind the Braves by five runs. However, the Mets' rally eventually fell short, as the Mets lost the game and the pennant to the Braves in the 11th inning. Although the Mets failed to advance to the World Series, the team exceeded expectations, with Edgardo Alfonzo playing a key role in their successful season.

During the regular season, Fonzie hit .304 with 41 doubles, 27 HR, 108 RBI and a franchise-record 123 runs scored. In ten postseason games, Alfonzo added five doubles, three home runs, seven RBI and eight runs scored, with most of the extra-base hits coming at crucial points of the game. For his efforts, Fonzie earned his first Silver Slugger Award and finished eighth in the National League MVP vote, becoming one of three Mets to finish in the top ten (Mike Piazza finished sixth and Robin Ventura placed seventh).

Edgardo Alfonzo's transformation from solid player to elite hitter coincided with the Mets' rise to the top of the National League. The Mets still hadn't gotten to the World Series, and made that their goal for the 2000 season. Although Alfonzo had a near-perfect season in 1999, he still felt that he could take his game to another level by becoming a more patient hitter, thereby getting better pitches to hit and drawing more walks. By making that his goal for the 2000 season, he felt that the team would become more efficient and had a better chance for success. Alfonzo was able to achieve his goal and took the team with him for the ride.

Fonzie finished the 2000 season with career-highs in batting average (.324), on-base percentage (.425) and walks (95). He also added 40 doubles (becoming the first Met to record multiple seasons of 40 or more two-base hits), 25 HR, 94 RBI, 109 runs scored and his first selection to the National League All-Star team. However, in a year full of memorable moments, one of them stood out above all others.

On June 30, 2000, the Mets were in the midst of a crucial four-game series against their nemesis, the Atlanta Braves. The series was already one of the most eagerly anticipated regular season series since the mid-'80s Mets-Cardinals late-season clashes. However, this one had an extra appeal to it because it was Braves' closer John Rocker's first appearance in New York after his tell-all interview with Sports Illustrated during the off-season, where he discussed his opinion of New Yorkers. With the game almost secondary to the John Rocker circus, the Mets lost the first game of the series and were in danger of dropping the second game to the Braves after Brian Jordan's three-run homer off Eric Cammack in the top of the eighth inning gave Atlanta an 8-1 lead. The Mets did put runners at the corners with one out in the bottom of the eighth, but Robin Ventura grounded out (making the score 8-2), leaving the Mets one out away from ending the inning. They would wait quite some time for that last out to be recorded.

Singles by Todd Zeile and Jay Payton made the score 8-3 and left two runners on base. Benny Agbayani then walked on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Mark Johnson then drew another full-count walk to force in a run. It was now 8-4 and the tying run was at the plate in the form of Melvin Mora. He became the third consecutive batter to walk on a 3-2 pitch, making the score 8-5. After Derek Bell walked to cut the lead to 8-6, Edgardo Alfonzo came up to bat. Terry Mulholland, the third pitcher used by the Braves in the inning, was able to get ahead in the count, trying desperately not to make Alfonzo the fifth consecutive batter to draw a base on balls, especially with the dangerous Mike Piazza looming in the on-deck circle. One strike away from finally ending the inning, Mulholland tried to be too careful with Alfonzo. Fonzie drilled a ball through the hole to left field, driving in Joe McEwing (who had been inserted as a pinch-runner for Johnson) and Mora. One pitch later, Piazza scorched a line drive three-run homer off the padding above the left field wall near the foul pole. The Mets had scored ten runs in the eighth inning (nine of which crossed the plate after two were out) against their hated division rivals.

Although the biggest blow of the inning came off the bat of Mike Piazza, it was Edgardo Alfonzo's clutch two-out, two-strike, two-run single that pulled the Mets even, setting the stage for Piazza's heroics. The game personified everything that was right about the Mets in the year 2000. They were loaded with great individual players who could come up with clutch hits such as Edgardo Alfonzo and Mike Piazza, but also had their share of smaller role players, like Benny Agbayani and Jay Payton who would do whatever it took to help the Mets win.

The Mets did not have to sweat it out over the final days of the 2000 season to make the playoffs as they did in 1999, cruising to their second consecutive wild card berth. Once again, the Mets were going out west to begin the NLDS, this time against the NL West champion San Francisco Giants. The Mets would fall in Game 1, but Edgardo Alfonzo provided another big hit that loomed large after the final out was recorded in Game 2.

Game 2 of the 2000 NLDS will always be remembered for J.T. Snow's game-tying three-run homer off Armando Benitez in the bottom of the ninth inning. However, Snow's blast might have been a game-winning home run had it not been for Edgardo Alfonzo. In the top of the ninth inning, with the Mets clinging to a one-run lead, Fonzie hit a two-run homer off Felix Rodriguez to give the Mets a 4-1 lead, a lead that quickly evaporated once J.T. Snow connected in the bottom of the inning. The Mets went on to win the game in the tenth inning, when John Franco froze Barry Bonds at the plate, striking him out with the tying run on base to end the threat and the game.

The Mets won Game 3 on Benny Agbayani's walk-off home run off Aaron Fultz in the 13th inning, but the game would never have gone into extra innings if Edgardo Alfonzo had not tied it with a two-out, RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning off Giants' closer Robb Nen.

Just like in 1999, the Mets had to win Game 4 of the NLDS at Shea Stadium to avoid having to travel across the country for a fifth and deciding game. The Mets gave the ball to Bobby Jones, who won more games than any other Mets starter in the 1990s. However, this was a new decade and Jones was making his first career postseason start. The Mets took an early 2-0 lead and Jones retired the first 12 batters to face him. Then, things got a little shaky in the fifth inning, with the Giants loading the bases on a double by Jeff Kent and two walks. Jones was able to get out of the inning unscathed, but the Mets now had to worry that their pitcher was running out of gas trying to protect a small lead. That feeling of trepidation didn't last long, especially after Edgardo Alfonzo came up to bat.

This Fonz never jumped the shark, but he did jump all over opposing pitchers who dared to challenge him.

Mere minutes after Bobby Jones had escaped from from his first postseason jam, the Mets had put two men on base for Edgardo Alfonzo. Giants' pitcher Mark Gardner, who popped up with the bases loaded to end the rally in the top of the fifth inning, battled with Fonzie for seven pitches, getting him to foul off pitch after pitch. On the eighth pitch, Alfonzo got more than just a piece of the ball, launching a long double to center field, scoring both runners. The Mets now had a four-run lead, giving Bobby Jones his confidence back, which showed when he retired every remaining batter to face him. The Mets advanced to the NLCS for the second straight year, this time facing off against the St. Louis Cardinals.

In the relatively easy five-game series, the Mets won three games by four runs or more. Edgardo Alfonzo turned the series into a one-man wrecking crew, hitting .444 over the five games and reaching base an astonishing 13 times (eight hits, four walks, one hit by pitch) for an eye-popping .565 on-base percentage. Fonzie scored at least one run and drove in at least one run in all four Mets victories. Unfortunately, Alfonzo could not sustain his brilliance once the Mets got into the World Series, as he only reached base five times in 23 plate appearances (.217 OBP) against the Yankees. He did, however, have one clutch moment in the World Series, when he temporarily gave the Mets the lead in Game 1 with a two-out, RBI single in the top of the seventh inning.

The 2000 season represented the peak of the Mets' rise to the top of the National League, as well as the peak of Edgardo Alfonzo's playing career. In 2001, with the Mets slumping to an 82-80 record, Edgardo Alfonzo hit for the lowest average in his Mets career, finishing the year at .243. Chronic back problems, which put him on the disabled list and caused him to miss most of June, were believed to be the reason for his poor batting average, although he did manage to hit 17 home runs in 2001, despite missing 38 games.

Obligatory Fonzie fielding photo. After all, he wasn't just a great hitter. He could pick it on the field, too.

In 2002, the Mets attempted to rebuild their team with offense, acquiring first baseman Mo Vaughn and second baseman Roberto Alomar. Yet again, Alfonzo was asked to take the second base-third base shuttle, moving over to third base to accommodate Alomar. It was the fourth time Alfonzo had switched positions in his Mets career, going from third base to second base in 1996 after the acquisition of Carlos Baerga, back to third base in 1997 when Baerga was moved to second, back to second base when Robin Ventura was acquired to play the hot corner, and then back to third when Alomar became a Met in 2002.

Once again, Alfonzo spent time on the disabled list in 2002, missing three weeks in August with a strained oblique muscle. Although his run production from 1999 and 2000 was still M.I.A., Fonzie's high batting average and keen eye returned for one last hurrah in 2002. As late as September 1, Alfonzo was among the league leaders in batting (.332) and on-base percentage (.414), before finishing the season with a .308 batting average (good for 10th in the National League) and a .391 OBP. He also hit 26 doubles and 16 home runs, but only finished with 56 RBI.

The Mets had a decision to make following the 2002 season. Would they re-sign Alfonzo, who could still field and hit for average, but was not the run producer he used to be or would they choose to let him walk, going with other options at third base? During the 2002 season, the Mets had offered Alfonzo a three-year, $18 million contract extension, but after the season ended, the Mets reduced their offer to $11 million over two years. After not taking the three-year offer earlier in the year, Alfonzo would have signed for two years, but wanted $8.5 million per year, a number the Mets refused to match. Instead, Alfonzo chose to sign a four-year, $26 million contract with the San Francisco Giants, who offered him more money and security than the Mets did.

It was a bittersweet moment for Mets fans, having to watch the anchor of their infield for the past eight seasons leave the only team he had ever known. Alfonzo knew how passionate Mets fans were about their team and appreciated all the love and support they gave to him over the years. Therefore, to thank the fans, the normally quiet and reserved Alfonzo voiced his gratitude by purchasing ad space on New York City cabs (see photo, right).

Despite the numerous position changes between second and third base to accommodate other stars, Alfonzo always accepted the moves and did his job to the best of his ability. And oh, what ability he had. The slick-fielding infielder never won a Gold Glove Award for his defensive skills, but that was par for the course. After all, Alfonzo did everything well and never got the accolades that normally go with a player of his caliber.

Look at the Mets' all-time offensive leaders. Only three players are in the top ten in each of the following career totals: batting average, on-base percentage, runs scored, hits, total bases, doubles, home runs, runs batted in and walks. One of them is Mike Piazza. Another is David Wright. The third one is Edgardo Alfonzo.

In his eight-year Mets career (1995-2002), Fonzie finished with a .292 batting average (6th all-time), .367 on-base percentage (6th all-time), 614 runs scored (5th all-time), 1,136 hits (4th all-time), 1,736 total bases (6th all-time), 212 doubles (4th all-time), 120 home runs (9th all-time), 538 runs batted in (6th all-time) and 458 walks (7th all-time). Even sabermetricians would be impressed to find out that Edgardo Alfonzo is the only player to appear in the top five in both Offensive WAR (5th, 24.9) and Defensive WAR (tied for 3rd, 4.2). The four players ranked ahead of Alfonzo in Offensive WAR are Darryl Strawberry, David Wright, Howard Johnson and Mike Piazza. Those are also the top four home run hitters in franchise history. The three players tied or ahead of Alfonzo in Defensive WAR are Rey Ordoñez, Keith Hernandez and Carlos Beltran. Those three players are the only players in Mets history who have won at least three Gold Gloves apiece.

Fonzie never led the league in any offensive category, only won one Silver Slugger Award and was selected to play for the National League All-Star team once, yet his consistency in all facets of the game allowed him to finish among the all-time Mets greats.

Whether he was dressed in white or black, Fonzie always provided a consistent attack.

Edgardo Alfonzo was never the big star of the team. Even in some of his bigger moments, he was overshadowed by someone else. Everyone remembers the wild pitch in the 162nd game of the 1999 season that allowed Melvin Mora to score the winning run. No one remembers Alfonzo getting the hit that put Mora on third base to begin with. Everyone remembers Todd Pratt's walk-off home run to win the NLDS. No one remembers that before Pratt's heroics, it was Alfonzo's home run that gave the Mets the early lead or the run he scored to send the game into extra innings. Everyone remembers Mike Piazza's three-run homer to cap the 10-run inning against the Atlanta Braves in 2000. No one (well, maybe some of you do) remembers the game-tying single by Alfonzo that set the stage for Piazza's screaming line drive. Everyone remembers J.T. Snow's shocking home run in Game 2 of the 2000 NLDS. No one remembers that it was Alfonzo's home run in the top of the ninth inning that allowed the Mets to take a three-run lead into the bottom of the ninth. Everyone remembers Benny Agbayani's walk-off home run to win Game 3 of the 2000 NLDS. No one remembers that Alfonzo produced the tying hit that sent the game into extra innings. Everyone remembers Bobby Jones' one-hit masterpiece to win the NLDS in 2000. No one remembers Alfonzo's two-run double in the fifth inning that gave Jones the breathing room he needed to mow down the Giants for the rest of the game. Everyone remembers that Mike Hampton pitched two brilliant games in the 2000 NLCS, earning him the series' MVP Award. No one remembers that Alfonzo reached base 13 times in the five-game series in only 23 plate appearances.

Some people might not even remember his comeback attempt with the Mets in 2006, hitting .241 in 42 games with AAA-Norfolk or his desire to get one last crack at making the team in 2010, hoping to retire as a member of the Mets. That's okay with Fonzie. He was always the humble player, the player who'd rather lead quietly while the other players received the star treatment. It's why he will always be one of the most underrated Mets in franchise history. It's also why he will always be one of the best players to ever don the orange and blue.

One of the best in orange and blue? Fonzie could rock the black duds, too!

Note: M.U.M.'s The Word was 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. Did I say "was a thirteen-part weekly series"? That's right. This is the thirteenth and final installment of M.U.M.'s The Word. It's just a co-inky-dink that we chose our thirteenth player to be the man who wore No. 13, Edgardo Alfonzo. We hope you enjoyed the series. 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
March 21, 2011: Roger McDowell

M.U.M.'s The Word (Most Underrated Mets): John Olerud

Greetings, Earthlings! Welcome to the first installment of M.U.M.'s The Word, a feature that will focus on the most underrated Mets players over the years. In this inaugural episode, we will turn the spotlight on a man who was only a Met for three seasons, but was instrumental in the team's return to respectability in the late '90s. Ladies and Gentle-Mets, today's Most Underrated Met is John Olerud.

Underrated first baseman John Olerud

In 1996, the Mets had a triumvirate of stars in centerfielder Lance Johnson (.333 batting average, 50 stolen bases and a franchise record 227 hits and 21 triples), leftfielder Bernard Gilkey (.317, 30 HR, 117 RBI, 108 runs scored and a franchise record 44 doubles) and catcher Todd Hundley (41 HR, which at the time set the major league record for home runs by a catcher as well as the Mets single season home run record). Despite the trio's phenomenal success at the plate, the Mets struggled in the win column, finishing fourth in the NL East with a 71-91 record, leading to the dismissal of Dallas Green as Mets manager in August and the beginning of the Bobby Valentine era.

The Mets began the 1996 season with fan-favorite Rico Brogna at first base, but injuries limited him to 55 games. Butch Huskey took over for Brogna on an interim basis and performed well (.278, 15 HR, 60 RBI), but Huskey was a third baseman/outfielder. Entering the 1997 season, the Mets wanted a dependable sure-handed first baseman who was not susceptible to injuries like Rico Brogna. Enter John Olerud.

On November 27, 1996, the Mets traded Rico Brogna to the Philadelphia Phillies. They were now on the lookout for his permanent replacement. When the Toronto Blue Jays dangled John Olerud in front of the Mets and all they asked for in return was Robert Person, a starting pitcher who won a total of five games for the Mets in 1995 and 1996, the Mets jumped at the opportunity.

Olerud had won two World Series rings as a member of the Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993. His 1993 season saw him flirt with a .400 batting average for most of the season, before a late-season slump caused him to "settle" for a .363 mark, which was still good enough to win the American League batting title.

His next three seasons were a bit of a disappointment, as Olerud could not regain the batting stroke that made him one of the top hitters in the American League during his magical '93 season.

In 1993, Olerud led the league with 54 doubles and also set career highs with 24 HR and 107 RBI. However, from 1994-1996, despite having a respectable .287 average, Olerud's extra-base hit and RBI figures dropped dramatically. He averaged 29 doubles, 13 HR and 61 RBI per season over the three-year span, numbers which were not only well below his breakout 1993 figures, but were also far below the numbers expected from a corner infielder.

At the same time, Carlos Delgado was starting to break out in Toronto. Delgado had just come off his first full season as a Blue Jay in 1996. His 25 HR, 92 RBI season dwarfed Olerud's pedestrian numbers, making John expendable.

Once the Mets showed interest and offered Robert Person to the Blue Jays, the former AL batting champion switched leagues hoping the change in scenery would revitalize his career. Not only did the deal bring Olerud's production back from the dead, it did the same for the Mets in the NL East standings.

The 1997 Mets were not expected to do much in the NL East. Finishing at .500 would have sufficed for a team that had suffered through six consecutive seasons with a losing record. But then things started clicking in Bobby Valentine's first full season at the helm with John Olerud at the center of the Mets' rebirth.

After three consecutive subpar seasons in Toronto, Olerud found his batting stroke in Flushing. He produced the second 100+ RBI season of his career by driving in 102 runs. Also, his 34 doubles and 22 homers were the most he had produced since, you guessed it, 1993. In addition, his keen batting eye led to a .400 on-base percentage. Combine that with steady defense at first base, and you can see how his presence in the lineup and on the field led to the Mets' resurgence in the standings. The Mets finished the 1997 season with an 88-74 record, remaining in contention for the wild card until the last week of the season before eventually falling short by four games to the Florida Marlins, who went on to win the World Series.

Now that the Mets had established themselves as contenders in the National League, it was up to Olerud to continue his renaissance into 1998. What happened in his second season as a Met was far more than anyone could have expected.

In 1998, the Mets acquired Mike Piazza in a trade with the Florida Marlins (who had traded for the All-Star catcher a week earlier). The acquisition of one of the game's premier sluggers to serve as protection for John Olerud in the lineup elevated the first baseman's game to another level.

Prior to Piazza's first game as a Met on May 23, 1998, the Mets had played 44 games. In those 44 games, Olerud was hitting a lofty .345, but had only banged out 12 extra-base hits (seven doubles, five home runs), scored 19 runs and picked up 23 RBI. Those were all good numbers, but once Piazza was inserted behind Olerud in the batting order, John's numbers became otherworldly.

In his first seven games after the trade for Piazza, Olerud hit .500 and reached base in 18 of his 32 plate appearances (.563 OBP). He scored eight runs, drove in six and roped five doubles. The Olerud from 1993 was back and the Mets were more than happy to see him.

With Mike Piazza firmly entrenched in the middle of the Mets lineup, the hits just kept on coming for Olerud. John nearly registered the first 200 hit, 100 walk season in Mets history, falling just short with 197 hits and 96 walks. Still, the 197 hits were the second most hits in franchise history and the 96 walks were one short of the team record held by Keith Hernandez and Darryl Strawberry. At the end of the season, Olerud had racked up 36 doubles, 22 HR and 93 RBI. Of course, those numbers were nothing compared to these two numbers: .354 and .447.

The first number represented Olerud's batting average, which became (and still is) the Mets' all-time single season record. Olerud would have led the league in hitting if not for Larry Walker's .363 average for the Colorado Rockies. The second number was Olerud's on-base percentage for the year, also a still-standing Mets record and second in the league to Mark McGwire's .470 OBP. Of course, McGwire drew a ton of walks in 1998 to pad that on-base percentage. Seventy steroid-assisted home runs will tend to do that to a person's OBP.

Unfortunately, the 1998 season ended in disappointment for the Mets, as they lost a one-game lead in the wild card race by dropping their final five games of the season. Of course, Olerud was one of the few bright spots on the Mets during this season-ending slump, reaching base in 12 of his 22 plate appearances over those five games.

The Mets had something to prove in 1999. With the help of John Olerud, the Mets returned to contention in 1997. They failed to improve in 1998, falling short of the postseason on the final day of the regular season, despite a record-setting season by Olerud. The Mets' first baseman had already been quite successful in his first two years on the team. From an individual standpoint, Olerud had nothing left to prove. All that was left was for him to lead the team into the postseason.

The names might have been missing from the backs of the Mets' jerseys in 1999, but the mojo was risin' at Shea Stadium that year. Robin Ventura was added to the team and Edgardo Alfonzo was coming into his own. Both players had career years in 1999. Mike Piazza was his usual self, but this time he had a full season (and a new seven year, $91 million contract) in which to be that usual self. New acquisitions Rickey Henderson (signed as a free agent) and Roger Cedeño (acquired in the Todd Hundley trade) gave the Mets a speed combo at the top of the order they hadn't had since the days of Mookie, Lenny and Wally.

With the addition of these players, it was easy to overlook John Olerud. Then again, he never wanted the spotlight to be on him. Olerud just wanted to come in, do his job and help the Mets win as many games as he could. He saved his most clutch performances for his final season in New York.

On September 29, 1999, with the Mets in the midst of a seven-game losing streak that dropped them out of the wild card lead, John Olerud put on his cape and became Captain Clutch. The Mets were facing the NL East Champion Braves at Shea Stadium and their nemesis, Greg Maddux.

Is Greg Maddux about to throw a pitch or is he looking over his shoulder as he's running away from John Olerud?

The all-time leader in victories against the Mets (Maddux retired with a 35-19 record against New York in his career), Greg Maddux took the mound on that fateful night with the Mets trying desperately to stay alive in the wild card race. The Mets had already fallen behind 2-1 as they entered the fourth inning. But in that fourth inning, the Mets scored two runs on six hits to take a 3-2 lead on their arch-rivals. They had the bases loaded, nobody out and their first baseman coming up to bat. Captain Clutch had entered the building and no one, not even the nefarious Mr. Maddux, could stand a chance. With one swing of the bat, the Mets had an unscheduled Fireworks Night, capped by a John Olerud cherry bomb. The grand slam by Olerud gave the Mets a 7-2 lead, knocked Maddux out of the game under a sea of sarcastic tomahawk chops, and propelled the Mets back onto the wild card track.

The Mets started to win again after the Olerud grand slam, but they still needed to pull out a win against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the last day of the regular season to guarantee that Game No. 162 would not be the last game of the season for the Mets as it had been during the final week collapse of the previous year.

As he did in the previous two seasons, John Olerud always found a way to get on base. He delivered his share of hits but also knew how to draw a walk. In 1999, he became the first (and to this date, the only) Met in franchise history to draw 100 walks. He shattered the previous record of 97 by drawing 125 bases on balls. His biggest walk came in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game No. 162.

After Melvin Mora and Edgardo Alfonzo delivered one-out singles, the stage was set for Olerud to deliver the game-winning hit. Unfortunately, the Pirates had other ideas. They walked the slow-footed Olerud intentionally to load up the bases for Mike Piazza. Despite the fact that a ground ball by Olerud would have surely led to an inning-ending double play, the Pirates decided they had a better chance to get Mike Piazza to do the same. This was not the end-of-his-career, let's-move-him-to-first-base Mike Piazza. This was the in-his-prime Mike Piazza, who was finishing up a season in which he hit .303, with 40 HR and 124 RBI. John Olerud was intentionally walked to get to an offensive behemoth. As Aretha Franklin would say, that's what I call R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

You know what happened after that. Brad Clontz was called in to face Piazza, threw one pitch, gave a souvenir to a fan sitting in the loge level and Mora joyously scampered home with the winning run to set up the winner-take-all Game No. 163 against the Cincinnati Reds the following night, which the Mets won to earn them their first trip to the playoffs since 1988.

Upon reaching the big stage of the playoffs for the first time as a Met, Olerud continued to be a marquee player under the bright lights. The Mets played a total of ten games in the NLDS and the NLCS that year. Over those ten games, Olerud was an absolute beast. He hit .349 (15-for-43) over those ten games and reached base an astounding 20 times (15 hits, five walks).

Most people remember Edgardo Alfonzo as being the star of the first game of the NLDS. After all, he hit two homers in that game, including the go-ahead ninth inning grand slam off Bobby Chouinard. However, John Olerud played a big role in that game as well. His third inning two-run homer against Randy Johnson (a rare lefty vs. lefty shot against the Big Unit) gave the Mets a 3-0 lead. He also added two other hits in that game to help the Mets to the 8-4 series-opening victory.

After the Diamondbacks tied the series with a Game 2 victory, Olerud came up in big again in Game 3. His two-run single in the sixth inning was part of a six-run rally by the Mets, blowing the game wide open in the eventual 9-2 victory. It was his second run-scoring hit of the game, as his RBI single in the third inning had given the Mets a 2-0 lead.

It was then on to Game 4, with the Mets trying to close out the series at home. But the Diamondbacks were not going to go away easily. Arizona took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning, six outs away from forcing a fifth and deciding game to be played in their ballpark. The Mets did not want to have to fly to Arizona for Game 5, especially knowing that they would be facing Randy Johnson again.

The eighth inning began with a walk to Edgardo Alfonzo. Up stepped John Olerud to the plate. He delivered a long fly ball to right, which rightfielder Tony Womack (who had just been moved from second base prior to the start of the eighth inning) dropped for a two-base error. The Mets tied the game on a Roger Cedeño sacrifice fly and the game went into extra innings.

After Arizona failed to score in the top of the tenth inning, Todd Pratt (filling in for the injured Mike Piazza) became a household name with his walk-off home run over Steve "I'm no Endy Chavez" Finley's outstretched glove. It was on to the NLCS against the hated Braves for John Olerud and the Mets.

The photo may be small, but the moment was certainly big.

The Mets started out slowly against the Braves, losing three tight games to Atlanta. The team could have rolled over and played dead, but Olerud wasn't about to let them fade away. He took his game up a notch over the next three games, trying desperately to lead the Mets to an historic NLCS comeback. In those three games, Olerud reached base seven times (six hits, one walk). He banged out two home runs, drove in six runs and scored four more.

In Game 4, after Brian Jordan and Ryan Klesko had hit back-to-back home runs to give the Braves a 2-1 lead, it was John Olerud who played the hero by lashing a two-out, two-run single to center off fellow lefty and Public Enemy #1 John Rocker, scoring Roger Cedeño with the tying run and Melvin Mora with the go-ahead run. Olerud was responsible for all three runs the Mets scored in the game, as in his previous at-bat, he had homered off John Smoltz to break the scoreless tie.

Following his Game 4 heroics, John Olerud started off with a bang in Game 5. His two-run homer off Greg Maddux in the first inning (the same Maddux responsible for giving up Olerud's season-changing grand slam on September 29) gave the Mets an early 2-0 lead. Those were the only runs the Mets would score until the 15th rain-soaked inning.

Chicks may dig the longball, but apparently so did John Olerud.

With the Braves up 3-2, the Mets were trying to save their season in the bottom of the 15th. After Shawon Dunston led off the inning with an epic 12-pitch at-bat that ended when he singled up the middle, Matt Franco walked (Dunston had already stolen second base before the walk to Franco). Edgardo Alfonzo laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position for John Olerud. Braves manager Bobby Cox ordered pitcher Kevin McGlinchy to intentionally walk Olerud to load up the bases in an attempt to set up a potential inning-ending double play.

However, this also left the Braves with no room for error. They had no place to put Todd Pratt, who was the next batter up, and were hoping for a strikeout or a double play. They got neither, as McGlinchy walked Pratt to bring home the tying run, then gave up the Grand Slam Single to Robin Ventura that would have scored Olerud had Todd Pratt heeded Ventura's wish to keep running.

Todd Pratt's heave-ho of Robin Ventura after his Grand Slam Single denied John Olerud (bottom of photo) an opportunity to score yet another run in the 1999 NLCS.

The hard-fought series shifted to Atlanta for Game 6. However, the Mets did not fill up their tanks for the trip, running out of gas in the 11th inning when Kenny Rogers gambled on a 3-2 pitch to Andruw Jones and ended up walking in the pennant-winning run.

Of course, Olerud did his part to help the Mets get to extra innings after the team was down by five runs at one point. His sixth inning single and subsequent run scored was a key part of the Mets' three-run sixth inning. With the Mets down 7-4 in the seventh inning, Olerud laced an RBI single, scoring Rickey Henderson and bringing up Mike Piazza as the potential tying run. Naturally, Piazza homered to temporarily tie the game at 7, but the bullpen could not continue the momentum the hitters generated for them.

After the 1999 season ended, Olerud became a free agent. Instead of returning to the Mets, he opted to sign a three-year, $20 million deal with his hometown Seattle Mariners. From 2000-2002, Olerud continued to be the star player he was on the Mets. He hit for a high average (.296), was among the league leaders in on-base percentage (.399), drove in a ton of runs (300 RBI over the three years, an average of 100 per season) and continued to be among the league leaders in doubles (116 two-base hits from 2000-2002).

He also brought along the glove that helped him become the anchor of the best infield ever, according to Sports Illustrated. As a member of the Mariners, Olerud won three Gold Glove awards for defensive excellence.

In the 11 seasons that have passed since Olerud's departure to the Pacific Northwest, the Mets have used 46 men at first base, hoping that current first baseman Ike Davis will finally bring stability to the position.

Wherever John Olerud played, postseason success was sure to follow. He was a member of two World Series-winning teams (1992, 1993 Blue Jays) and made the playoffs eight times with five different teams (1991-93 Blue Jays, 1999 Mets, 2000-01 Mariners, 2004 Yankees, 2005 Red Sox).

John Olerud also has a rare distinction in the major leagues. As slow as he was, Olerud always seemed to have his share of "leg hits", most of them doubles. However, he is one of only two players in major league history (the other being Bob Watson) to have hit for the cycle in both leagues. He picked up a single, double, triple and home run for the Mets in 1997, then repeated the feat in 2001 for Seattle. What's odd about this accomplishment? Olerud only hit 13 triples over his 17-year career, but two of them came in games where he hit for the cycle.

The Toronto Blue Jays thought John Olerud was washed up when they traded him to the Mets prior to the 1997 season. Olerud had not performed at the level Toronto expected of him after he set the bar so high during his memorable 1993 season. Then something changed once the first baseman came to New York. Just as he helped bring the Mets back from the depths of the National League, he did the same thing to his career, revitalizing it to the point where he is now on the Hall of Fame ballot.

Olerud finished his career with a .295 career batting average and a .398 career on-base percentage. He also racked up 2,239 base hits, including a whopping 500 doubles (one of only 50 players ever to achieve that figure).

Despite the fact that Olerud never hit more than 24 home runs in a single season, he still managed to hit 255 career longballs. Over his 17-year career, which included two All-Star Game selections, Olerud scored 1,139 runs and drove in 1,230 more. As mentioned before, Olerud was not only a threat at the plate, but was also a stalwart defensive player, as evidenced by his three Gold Gloves.

Those numbers, although good, might not be enough to earn Olerud his way into Cooperstown. They might not even be enough to get him the necessary 5% of the votes needed to remain on the Hall of Fame ballot. But his three years as a member of the New York Mets will always be Hall of Fame-worthy in the eyes of Mets fans.

John Olerud's sweet swing at sweet Shea.

Olerud's .315 career batting average and .425 career on-base percentage as a Met are the highest marks in franchise history. In fact, before Olerud, no Met had ever compiled a .425 OBP in a single season. Olerud averaged that over three years! Perhaps even more surprising is that John Olerud has the franchise record for highest career OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) with his .926 mark. He is directly ahead of three genuine power hitters (Mike Piazza, David Wright, Darryl Strawberry) despite the fact that Olerud wasn't considered a power hitter himself.

In the eyes of Mets fans, John Olerud might have been the best first baseman (and perhaps the most clutch player) since Keith Hernandez. His stay in New York may have been abbreviated, but the memories of the first baseman who always wore a batting helmet on the field will always remain strong. John Olerud was never the star of the team and he was never in your face. However, he was the rock for some very good late '90s teams, and always seemed to come up with a big performance when the team needed it the most. John Olerud was truly an underrated Met and his time with the team will always be remembered as one of the most successful periods in franchise history.