One Season Wonders: Dave Magadan

In 1986, the Mets were rolling towards their first division title in 13 years.  Entering September, the Mets' lead in the NL East had increased to 20 games and the inevitable clinching was only days away.  As with any other team, the Mets called up a number of minor leaguers once the rosters expanded on September 1.  One of those players was a lanky first baseman from Tampa who was an excellent contact hitter, even if that contact produced mostly singles.

In four minor league seasons, the first baseman never hit lower than .309 and never had an on-base percentage lower than .411.  But of his 495 base hits, only 104 went for extra bases and a mere four left the ballpark.  Despite his penchant for collecting singles and drawing walks, the Mets didn't call him up to the big leagues until after he had amassed over 1,500 minor league at-bats.  But he made a name for himself quickly once he got his first start.

On September 17, 1986, the Mets were playing before a packed house at Shea Stadium, needing a win to seal the deal on the NL East crown.  However, team leader Keith Hernandez was unable to start because of the flu, so the start was given to the rookie with the singles bat.  Four plate appearances, three hits and two RBIs later, the September call-up took a seat so that Hernandez could take part in the on-field celebration.  Before September 17, no one had heard of the Mets' rookie, but after his performance in the Mets' first division clincher since 1973, everyone knew who Dave Magadan was.

Dave Magadan never met a single he didn't like.

David Joseph Magadan wasn't the only baseball player in his family.  The cousin of Lou Piniella, Magadan played the game much like his famous family member.  Just as Sweet Lou had done before him, Magadan carved out a nice résumé for himself in the minor leagues before getting an opportunity to play in the majors.  (Piniella was drafted in 1962 but did not become a regular in the big leagues until 1969.)  Also like his cousin, Magadan followed in the family tradition of lashing single after single.  (1,257 of Piniella's 1,705 hits went for one base.)  But the one difference in Magadan's game was his ability to draw a walk.  Piniella never walked more than 35 times in any of his 18 years in the big leagues, while Magadan had never walked less than 51 times in any of his four seasons in the Mets' minor league system.  And it was because of that ability that Magadan never returned to the minor leagues as a Met, even with Keith Hernandez still blocking his path to first base.

In 1987, Keith Hernandez was still the Mets' regular first baseman, but with the departure of third baseman Ray Knight, the Mets needed a backup at the hot corner now that Howard Johnson was taking over the position.  Unfortunately for Magadan, HoJo had a breakout season in 1987, so he was mostly relegated to pinch-hitting duties, appearing in only 85 games and collecting 192 at-bats.  But things began to change in 1988 when Hernandez started to show his age at first.

After a letdown in 1987, the Mets were back atop the NL East in 1988, although they were doing it without the help of their co-captains.  Gary Carter went through a prolonged power slump as he was seeking to hit his 300th career home run and Keith Hernandez injured his hamstring twice.  With the Mets needing a replacement at first base, Magadan stepped in, but for the first time in his professional career, failed to hit .300, finishing the year with a .277 batting average in 112 games.  The next year, Hernandez was hurt again and Magadan found himself playing more than he did in 1988.  But for the second straight year, Magadan was not able to maintain a lofty batting average, although it did improve slightly to .286 in 127 games. 

As the '80s turned into the '90s, Dave Magadan had been with the Mets for parts of four seasons.  However, he still had not become an everyday player, with less than 900 at-bats over those four seasons.  He mainly served a pinch-hitter or an injury replacement.  But when the Mets chose not to re-sign Keith Hernandez after the 1989 season, a full-time spot finally opened for Dave Magadan.  He responded with the best season of his career.

After four years in Keith Hernandez's shadow, Dave Magadan set his sights on a career year in 1990.

Dave Magadan appeared to finally have the everyday first baseman's job once Keith Hernandez signed a free-agent contract with the Cleveland Indians in early December 1989.  But two weeks after Hernandez was officially an ex-Met, the team swung a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers for reliever Alejandro Peña and first baseman Mike Marshall.  Dave Magadan was back on the bench and Mike Marshall was named Keith Hernandez's replacement at first base by manager Davey Johnson.

Marshall, who hit 137 home runs in nine years as a Dodger, was a complete disaster at first base, hitting .226 with four home runs and 20 RBI through May 27.  His performance at the plate mirrored the team's performance on the field, and on that date, the Davey Johnson era came to a close with the firing of the Mets' most successful manager.  Long-time Mets player and coach Buddy Harrelson replaced Johnson as skipper, immediately making the team his own.  After only two weeks on the job, Harrelson took Mike Marshall out of the lineup, replacing him with Dave Magadan.  This time, there was no one in Magadan's way to prevent him from breaking out.  And it all started with a windy day at Wrigley Field.

On June 12, 1990, the Mets were playing the second game of a four-game series at Wrigley Field in Chicago.  At the time, Magadan was hitting .307 in 75 at-bats, with one home run and six runs batted in.  By the time the game was over, those numbers had doubled.  In what became Dave Magadan's breakout week, the first baseman went 4-for-4 with a triple, home run and six RBI.  The next day, Magadan collected four more hits in a doubleheader against the Cubs.  The Mets then traveled to Pittsburgh.  Different venue, same result, as Magadan went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI in a 7-5 victory over the first place Pittsburgh Pirates.

In his first seven days as an everyday player, Magadan collected an astounding 18 hits, but what was more amazing was that he was collecting his share of extra-base hits as well.  For the seven-game period, Magadan hit .563 (18-for-32), with three doubles, a triple and a home run.  He also scored eight runs and drove in ten, all with an un-Magadan-like .813 slugging percentage.  By the time the week was over, Magadan was hitting .383, which would have led the league had he collected enough at-bats to qualify.  But with Magadan now firmly entrenched at first base, it wouldn't be long before his name appeared among the league leaders in batting average.

Every once in a while, Dave Magadan put on a glove, but it was his bat that did the talking in 1990.

From June 24 until the end of July, Magadan continued his torrid pace.  In 35 games (33 starts), Magadan hit .336 with 15 extra-base hits (ten doubles, three triples, two home runs), 25 runs scored and 19 RBI.  He also continued to show exceptional discipline at the plate, drawing 18 walks while striking out only 12 times.  By the time July was over, Magadan was officially among the National League's leading hitters, while Mike Marshall was on his way to Boston, traded for minor leaguers Ed Perozo and Greg Hansell (the same Greg Hansell who was the losing pitcher against the Mets in the 162nd game of 1999, the game that sent the Mets to Cincinnati for the one-game playoff to determine the National League wild card berth).

As hot as Magadan was, the Mets were even hotter.  In a two-month stretch from June 4 to August 3, the Mets' record was 40-15.  They had gone from a season-high 9½-game deficit on June 7 to a one-game lead on August 3.  The Mets had become Buddy Harrelson's team, a scrappy bunch that won games in every possible way.  And this feisty attitude had brought them back into division contention, with Dave Magadan leading the way.

On August 24, Dave Magadan was second in the league in batting, hitting .337 to Lenny Dykstra's .341.  Willie McGee was right on their tails with a .336 batting average.  Five days later, a trade was made that would influence the National League batting race when Willie McGee was shipped off to the Oakland A's.  Since McGee was switching leagues, his .335 batting average at the time of the trade would stay frozen and McGee's batting average in the American League would remain separate.  Therefore, regardless of what McGee did in Oakland, his season-ending batting average in the National League was locked in at .335.  At the time of the deal, Dykstra was still leading the league with a .340 batting average, but McGee had passed Magadan into second place, as the Mets' first baseman had dropped to .333.  There was one month to go in the season to see if Magadan was going to become the Mets' first batting champion, but more importantly, the Mets were down to their final month if they wanted to take the division from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Mets were still leading the division by a half-game on September 3, but a five-game losing streak, which included a three-game sweep at the hands of the Pirates, knocked them 3½ games back.  Magadan did his best to keep the team afloat, batting .350 with a double, two triples and a home run in the six games he played from September 4 to September 9.  But by then, his teammates had gone into a team-wide slump, and the Mets never took over first place again.  The only thing left to decide was the National League batting race, and one of the participants was also in the midst of a slump.

Lenny Dykstra, who appeared ready to win his first batting title for the Phillies, completely lost it at the plate in the month of September.  On the morning of September 8, Dykstra was still leading the league with a .343 batting average.  Eight days later, he had already fallen behind Willie McGee and his stationary .335 average.  By season's end, Magadan had also passed Dykstra.  The former Met had to settle for a .325 batting average, the result of hitting .213 over his final 20 games.  As cold as Dykstra was, it was a future Met who went on a tear of his own in September.  Eddie Murray, then a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, hit .411 over his final 30 games to insert his name into the batting race.  Murray's blazing finish raised his average to .330 by season's end, just five percentage points behind Willie McGee.  Unfortunately, Murray's average had also surpassed Dave Magadan, who settled for a .328 average and a third-place finish in the National League batting race.

Although Dave Magadan fell short in his quest to become the Mets' first batting champion, his .328 average was still the second-highest batting average ever recorded by a Met who qualified for the batting title (Cleon Jones set the franchise record of .340 in 1969).  However, since Jones was a right-handed batter, Magadan's average was the highest recorded by a left-handed hitter in Mets' history.  (Both Jones' and Magadan's marks were erased by John Olerud in 1998, when the sweet-swinging lefty set the new team standard with a .354 batting average.)

We're not worthy!  We're not worthy!  Such was life in Dave's World.

Dave Magadan's 1990 season was by far the best year of his career.  The first baseman set career highs in batting average (.328), slugging percentage (.457), OPS (.874), hits (148), doubles (28), triples (6), home runs (6), RBI (72) and runs scored (74).  It was also the only time in his career that he received MVP votes, as Magadan earned four votes to finish 22nd in the NL MVP vote.

As quickly as Magadan rose to the top, his star faded quickly.  In 1991, his average plummeted to .258 and in 1992, he played in only 99 games, batting .283 with 12 extra-base hits.  By then, the Mets had already signed Magadan's old batting champion rival, Eddie Murray, to be the team's first baseman, and Magadan was back to splitting his time between first base and third base.  The 1992 season would turn out to be Magadan's last season in New York.

After the 1992 season, Magadan became a journeyman.  Just as Don Zimmer became the first Met to play the hot corner, Dave Magadan became the first Florida Marlins' third baseman, playing the position in the Marlins' inaugural game in 1993.  Magadan's stay in Florida didn't last very long, as he was traded to Seattle in June.  Magadan returned to the Marlins in 1994, followed by stints with the Houston Astros (1995), Chicago Cubs (1996), Oakland A's (1997-98) and San Diego Padres (1999-2001).  Although he played for nine seasons after leaving the Mets, Magadan was never able to duplicate his successful 1990 campaign.  Still, Magadan's longevity made him the only position player from the 1986 team to extend his playing career into the 21st century.  (Pitcher Jesse Orosco hung up his spikes after the 2003 season.)

Dave Magadan was never a great player, but he was still good enough to play 16 seasons for seven different teams.  He was a decent hitter, finishing his career with a .288 batting average and had a great eye at the plate (.390 lifetime on-base percentage).  As a result, Magadan is still in the major leagues, serving as the hitting coach for the San Diego Padres from 2003 to 2006, before joining the Boston Red Sox in the same role in 2007.  Magadan won a World Series ring with the Red Sox 21 years after making his major league debut for another World Series winner.  He is now entering his sixth season as the Red Sox hitting instructor and his first under former Mets manager Bobby Valentine.

After spending four seasons in the minor leagues, Dave Magadan finally got a chance to play in the big show.  He waited four more years to become an everyday player.  It was his patience at the plate that first got him noticed and it was his patience on the bench that allowed him to have one of the most unexpected seasons in Mets history.  The Mets might not have won the division title in 1990, but Dave Magadan proved to be a winner that season.  He's still winning today.


Note: One Season Wonders is a thirteen-part weekly series spotlighting those Mets who had one and only one memorable season in New York.  For previous installments, please click on the players' names below:
 
January 2, 2012: Bernard Gilkey
January 9, 2012: Terry Leach 
January 16, 2012: George Stone
January 23, 2012: Roger Cedeño
January 30, 2012: Frank Viola
February 6, 2012: Joe Christopher

Dickeypedia Word of The Week: Hyperbole

Greetings, Mets fans!  It's time for another edition of the Dickeypedia Word of the Week, which is a misnomer since this is not really a weekly piece.  But it did give me the opportunity to use the word "misnomer" in a sentence.

For those of you new to this non-weekly segment, we use a quote by Mets' knuckleballer extraordinaire R.A. Dickey, define one of the words used in the quote, then have a former Met use that word in a sentence.  Of course, the former Met is usually someone who wasn't very popular with the fans or had a lexicon comparable to one used by the Incredible Hulk.

Last night, the Mets defeated the Washington Nationals by the final score of 7-3.  Our hero (no, I'm not talking about the Incredible Hulk) pitched six innings, allowing three runs on nine hits to pick up his second consecutive victory.  The win came on only three days rest, as Dickey started for the Mets on Monday during the doubleheader sweep of the Florida Marlins.

After the game, R.A. was giving his usual post-game interview, when he spit out this verbal nugget:

"It's not hyperbole to say that my knuckleball was putrid.  I had to find a way to eat up innings and keep us in it."






Forget about the fact that Dickey used the word "putrid" in a sentence, although that is also a word not usually uttered by a professional athlete in a sentence (unless if they're referring to what the bathroom smells like after Angel Pagan uses it, but that's another story).  He also used the word "hyperbole", which caused us to reach for our Dickeypedia for the definition:

hyperbole:

• 1. obvious and intentional exaggeration.
• 2. an extravagant statement or figure of speech not intended to be taken literally.

Even with the definition, some people still might have a tough time ascertaining what a hyperbole truly is.  Therefore, we found former Met and business expert Lenny Dykstra.  Although Dykstra has been in the news recently for many reasons, he is still quite excited about two things: the upcoming college football season and the privilege to appear in a Dickeypedia piece.

When we e-mailed Lenny to ask him if he would use the word "hyperbole" in a sentence for those who were confused by its actual definition, he was more than happy to oblige our request and share a little of his college football knowledge with us.  Take it away, Lenny!

"Last year, there were many high-scoring bowl games.  For example, Tulsa beat Hawaii 62-35 in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.  Also, Texas Tech edged Northwestern 45-38 in the TicketCity Bowl.  I think if the NCAA really wanted to give the fans something they'd enjoy, they would take the winners of the highest scoring bowl games and have them play on an Arena League field.  They'd each score 100 points easily!  And what would the NCAA call this game?  Why, the Hyper Bole, of course.  Now give me some more Twizzlers.  I'm starving!"

There you have it, Mets fans and vocabulary enthusiasts.  Straight from the mouth of Nails himself, yet another reason why you should stay in school.

R.A. Dickey stayed in school, and he translated his education into a schooling of major league hitters while performing his craft on the mound.  Lenny Dykstra?  Not so much.  But there is one thing we've learned from this exercise.

It wouldn't be hyperbole to say that Lenny isn't very good at anything anymore, including his master plan to improve the college football bowl season.  Like R.A. Dickey's knuckleball against the Nationals last night, Dykstra's pretty putrid at anything he gets himself into these days.  At least Dickey emerged victorious last night.  Too bad we can't say the same thing about Lenny Dykstra.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

25 Years Later: The Nineteen Innings of Fireworks Night (A Song Parody)

Twenty-five years ago today (and tomorrow), the Mets and the Braves hooked up in a 19-inning marathon at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium that ended at 3:55 AM.

The game featured multiple rain delays, was started by Dwight Gooden (in one of his rare poor pitching performances from his incredible Cy Young Award-winning campaign) and was closed out by fellow starter and current SNY analyst Ron Darling.

It featured a cycle by Keith Hernandez on a day when he also made six outs (The 'Stache went 4-for-10), eleven plate appearances for Lenny Dykstra (groundout, flyout, single, groundout, single, single, strikeout, walk, groundout, sacrifice fly, flyout) and winning pitcher Tom Gorman giving up two extra-inning, two-out, game-tying home runs. One was a 13th inning two-run shot by Terry Harper and the other was an 18th inning solo home run by reliever and one-time slugger Rick Camp (who slugged the ball one time in his career, much to the delight of Chief Noc-A-Homa) to send the game into the 19th and final inning.

Whereas many other noted journalists and respected bloggers have their own memories of this game, Studious Metsimus would like to celebrate it as only we can, with a musical tribute to the game. Of course, it's an "a cappella" song, meaning there's no music, but you know what we mean.

In honor of Independence Day, we can't think of a better song to use in a song parody than "The Twelve Days of Christmas". For all those who watched and/or listened to the game, (I did both. I was only twelve at the time and my parents would have killed me if they knew I was listening to the last ten innings of the game on a Walkman I conveniently hid under my pillow. Even after the game ended at 3:55 AM, I couldn't go to sleep for another nine hours. My mother never questioned me when I decided to take a "nap" a little before 1 PM. You'll hear more about this "nap" within the song.) I hope this song brings back memories of one of most Amazin' games in franchise history. If you never heard of this game, then just think of the song as Christmas in July for Mets fans. If you don't remember the game and you don't celebrate Christmas, ummm, well...

Anyway, here is "The Nineteen Innings of Fireworks Night" for your reading and singing pleasure:


On my first thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
a memorable victory.

On my second thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my third thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
three poor Doc frames,
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my fourth thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my fifth thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my sixth thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
six Gorman innings.
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my seventh thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
seven Metsies pitching.
Six Gorman innings.
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my eighth thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
eight hours of watching.
Seven Metsies pitching.
Six Gorman innings.
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my ninth thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
nine hours not sleeping.
Eight hours of watching.
Seven Metsies pitching.
Six Gorman innings.
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my tenth thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
ten extra innings.
Nine hours not sleeping.
Eight hours of watching.
Seven Metsies pitching.
Six Gorman innings.
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my eleventh thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
eleven times up for Lenny.
Ten extra innings.
Nine hours not sleeping.
Eight hours of watching.
Seven Metsies pitching.
Six Gorman innings.
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory.

On my twelfth thought of Fireworks Night, my Metsies gave to me,
twelve pitching changes
Eleven times up for Lenny.
Ten extra innings.
Nine hours not sleeping.
Eight hours of watching.
Seven Metsies pitching.
Six Gorman innings.
FIVE MILLION MOOD SWINGS!
Four hits by Keith.
Three poor Doc frames.
Two rain delays.
And a memorable victory!

Sure, this song was named "The Nineteen Innings of Fireworks Night" and I only went up to "twelve" instead of "nineteen" (as in the original "Twelve Days of Christmas" song), but honestly, if I had gone to nineteen instead of twelve, this song would be longer than the game the played 25 years ago today, on the night of July 4 (and the morning of July 5), 1985.



The 1985 Mets might not have won a championship, but they provided many memories that have lasted for a quarter century and will last for many more years.

As the 2010 Mets and Braves prepare for a second half that should provide more memories in this renewed rivalry, just remember one thing. Whenever you complain about a game seemingly lasting forever, it could always be worse. Just ask the players and the bloggers who still listen to Mets games on a Walkman (guilty...) who experienced the 1985 Fireworks Night game from Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta.

From the Studious Metsimus staff to our readers, we'd like to wish you all a Merry Independence Day and a Happy Second Half!

Shea Stadium/Fireworks photo taken by David Whitham (DGW Photography). Explosive photo, Dave!

Baseball And Father's Day Memories

As we reach another Father's Day, let's take a break from discussing the Mets' recent hot streak and why Francisco Rodriguez gives me heartburn to reflect on a special man in our lives.

He is the man who more than likely showed us how to throw our first curveball, took us to our first ballgame and showed us the proper way to order a ballpark hot dog (which I seem to have forgotten once prices passed the $4.00 mark). I'm talking about fathers.

As we have had many Father's Day memories, both pleasant and not so pleasant, the Mets and Major League Baseball have also had a number of noteworthy moments on Father's Day. Here's a small sample:

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

On Father's Day 2004 (June 20), Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. hit the 500th home run of his career at St. Louis' Busch Stadium. At the time, he was the youngest player to reach that milestone. Making it more fitting, Ken Griffey Sr. was in attendance to help celebrate his son's momentous occasion.

On Father's Day 1997 (June 15), Major League Baseball instituted its first Home Run Challenge to benefit prostate cancer research. Now in its 13th season, the Home Run Challenge has raised over $30 million in the hopes that a cure can be found for this devastating disease that affects millions of men worldwide.

Note to all men reading this. Please go to your doctors and get checked. Early detection can save your life, enabling you to share many Father's Day moments with your loved ones.

In one of the ill-fated trades in Mets history, beloved members of the 1986 World Championship team Lenny Dykstra and Roger McDowell were traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Juan Samuel on Father's Day 1989 (June 18). Samuel would have a tumultuous time playing centerfield for the Mets during his short stay at Shea and was later traded for another dud, Mike Marshall. Dykstra would become an All-Star in Philadelphia and helped lead the Phillies to the 1993 World Series. McDowell pitched seven more seasons after the trade and would become famous to Seinfeld fans for his role as the man who spit the magic loogie on Kramer and Newman when they confronted Keith Hernandez after a Mets loss.

Just as Tom Seaver's trade is known as the Midnight Massacre, this day should be known as The Day The Hotfoot Died. On a lighter note, sales of Jheri Curl products increased in the New York metropolitan area...by one.

Jim Bunning of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched a perfect game at Shea Stadium on Father's Day in 1964 (June 21) when he defeated the Mets by the final score of 6-0. Bunning struck out ten batters en route to becoming the first National League pitcher to pitch a perfect game in the 20th century and the first pitcher in the modern era to throw a no-hitter in both leagues. He pitched his first no-hitter in 1958 as a member of the Detroit Tigers.

Please forgive the abundance of Phillies pictures in this post. It is unintentional and is not meant to dampen your Father's Day festivities in any way. If so, the photo beneath the next paragraph should bring a smile to your face, especially if you are a long-time Mets fan.

Ralph Kiner has always been the king of malapropisms. From classic lines such as "if Casey Stengel were alive today, he'd be spinning in his grave" and "all of his saves have come in relief appearances", Ralph has mangled words and phrases with grace and dignity. One of his most famous quotes came on Father's Day as well, when during a Mets broadcast, he said "on Father's Day, we again wish you all a happy birthday!"

One final note before you go have a catch with your son or daughter. Mets fans are well aware of the fact that no pitcher in franchise history has pitched a no-hitter. They have had numerous no-hitters pitched against them, including the aforementioned Bunning in 1964. The Mets are not alone in this regard, as they are one of three teams who have never had the thrill of having one of its own pitch a no-hitter (Colorado was erased from the list this season when Ubaldo Jimenez pitched the first no-hitter in franchise history on April 17).

One of the other two teams to have never thrown a no-hitter is a recent expansion team (Tampa Bay Rays). However, the other team besides the Mets without a no-hitter has also been around since the 1960s. The San Diego Padres have gone 41 years since their inaugural season in 1969 and have never had a no-hitter pitched for them. Hmm, Padres. That's Spanish for Fathers. On that note, I can't think of a more fitting way to end this than by wishing all you fathers out there a Happy Birthday! (I mean, Father's Day!)

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Special postscript: As Studious Metsimus readers, you probably are all aware of Joey Beartran, the author of Joey's Soapbox. Today is a special day for your fav'rit teddy bear blogger, as it was on June 20, 2004 that Joey was "born" at Shea Stadium.

Yes, SMFs. Today is Joey's sixth birthday. That day was also Father's Day (technically making me a "father" as well), so in the words of Ralph Kiner, I'd like to wish Joey a Happy Birthday on Father's Day!

Where's Sidd Finch When You Need Him?

It was twenty-five years ago today that the April 1, 1985 issue of Sports Illustrated hit newsstands across the country (see cover, left). Amongst all the extensive coverage of the NCAA Final Four and the upcoming Opening Day of the baseball season was one particular article that caught the eyes of many Mets fans.

The late, great George Plimpton had written an article for that particular issue called "The Curious Case of Sidd Finch". In the article, Plimpton went on to discuss how Finch was a rookie who was invited to Mets' spring training because he possessed a 168 MPH fastball. The backstory on Finch was as incredible as the blazing fastball. Alas, the story was just an elaborate April Fool's Day joke.

Astute readers who paid close attention to the subheading of the article ("He's a pitcher, part yogi and part recluse. Impressively liberated from our opulent life-style, Sidd's deciding about yoga.") would have noticed that the first letter of each word in the subheading spelled out "Happy April Fools Day".

With references to former Mets pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre and former Mets centerfielder Lenny Dykstra, many readers believed the article to be a true story, when in fact, Plimpton and the Mets organization collaborated on the hoax.

Now it's time to jump into the DeLorean and come back from 1985 to the present day. The 2010 Mets are struggling with their starting rotation. After Johan Santana, the rotation is full of question marks. John Maine is pencilled in as the #2 starter behind Santana, but he's coming off an injury-plagued season and after "hurling" his final pitch, had to leave today's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals with a particularly bad stomach virus.

Jonathon Niese is unproven in the major leagues, but has shown enough to Jerry Manuel for him to proclaim Niese as his #3 starter. Is this a testament to Niese's ability or is this Manuel's way of saying he doesn't trust Mike Pelfrey (#4 in the rotation) and Oliver Perez (numero cinco) enough to insert them behind Santana and Maine? Both Pelfrey and Perez are coming off awful seasons and neither pitcher has performed well in Spring Training.

It's too bad Sidd Finch was only an imaginary character. With all the question marks surrounding the Mets rotation in 2010, I'd take my chances on an imaginary pitcher before sending anyone not named Santana out to the mound.

Side note: Although the Sidd Finch article was a hoax, something quite real also happened 25 years ago today. That event is now very important to the Mets...

On April 1, 1985, Mets first baseman Daniel Murphy was born. Unfortunately, due to his MCL injury, Daniel wasn't able to celebrate the momentous occasion with his teammates on the field, but at least he didn't aggravate his injury when he blew out his candles.

Studious Metsimus would like to wish a happy 25th birthday to Daniel Murphy! We hope you get back on the field soon. (Joey would also like some of your cake if there is any left over.) Good luck with your recovery!