2008 New York Mets

Though hopes were high for the New York Mets in the 2007 season, they didn’t end up making the playoffs, losing the National League East title to the Philadelphia Phillies by only one game. Determined to make 2008 a winning season, the Mets traded 4 minor league prospects and paid a record-breaking $150.75 million for Johan Santana, a pitcher some think is the best in the league. Since Santana is joining an already solid line-up, his acquisition makes the New York Mets the team to beat in 2008. Get your tickets to Shea Stadium and see the New York Mets dominate in 2008!

Though often overshadowed by their cross-town rivals in the Bronx, the Mets have been a successful franchise in their own right. The Mets’ devoted fans have cheered the team’s stars fervently through good times and bad. Recently the Mets acquired Carlos Beltran, Pedro Martinez, and Johan Santana in an effort to win their 3rd World Series title.

A Rocky Start

The New York Mets Franchise got off to an inauspicious start when they were founded in 1962. The 1962 Mets set a modern day record for futility by winning only 40 games that first season. This was despite having Hall of Famer Casey Stengel managing the team. Unfortunately Stengel’s roster was filled with far past their prime stars and unwanted castoffs from other teams. The Mets floundered until 1969 when, led my Manager Gil Hodges and young pitchers Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Tug McGraw, they finally turned things around. Seaver won the Cy Young award and the Mets beat the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles in their first World Series appearance.

The Mets young core continued to prosper reaching the World Series again in 1973. Unfortunately beloved Manager Gil Hodges suffered a fatal heart attack prior to the season and was replaced by former Yankee great Yogi Berra. In 1973, Seaver once again captured the Cy Young award, but the Mets lost the World Series to the Oakland A’s.

1986 World Series

In 1986 the Mets won a franchise record 108 games capturing their 3rd NL pennant on the way. With stars like Darryl Strawberry, Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, and Dwight Gooden the Mets ran away with the Eastern Division before barely beating the Astros to reach the World Series. The 1986 World Series was one of the greatest and most dramatic ever played. The Mets were one strike away from elimination in Game 6 when two crucial Boston errors allowed the Mets to win forcing a crucial Game 7, in which the Mets came from behind to win. The Mets kept the nucleus of the 1986 team intact, but reached the postseason only once more with those players.

The early 1990’s were not kind to the Franchise but by the mid-90’s they began to improve after acquiring All Star catcher Mike Piazza, reliever John Franco, and starting pitcher Al Leiter. Those stars led the Mets back to the World Series in 2000 where they lost to the Yankees in 5 games.