Monday, March 21, 2005

All-Bum Met Team

A team of disappointments based on both past performance before coming to the Mets as well as performance and attitude with the Mets :

1B MO VAUGHN
2B ROBERTO ALOMAR
3B JIM FREGOSI
SS TONY FERNANDEZ
LF VINCE COLEMAN
CF JUAN SAMUEL
RF ELLIS VALENTINE
C The Mets have never really acquired a disappointing catcher; you can slot Hawk Taylor here based on his bonus to sign with the Braves, or Steve Chilcott, Butch Benton or John Gibbons, #1 draft picks who never made the major leagues, but the Mets have done better at this position than any other with Grote, Stearns, Carter, Hundley, and Piazza. Ron Hodges, Duffy Dyer and Mike Fitzgerald were farm system products who were very ordinary as first-string catchers, but none was highly touted. Did I forget anyone ?
SP MICKEY LOLICH
RP MEL ROJAS

Of all the above players, only Fernandez resurrected his career after leaving the Mets. All the others either retired as Mets or faded away after brief stints with other teams.