Artist Tom Sarrantonio was an avid Mets fan as a teen in the late 1960s. He went off to school and lost the bug somewhat, but he does still play softball on Sundays in the Hudson Valley (sometimes with me!). His once beloved Mets books, bought and devoured in 1969 and 1970, remained for years in his beautiful artist’s studio. So he did what others have done when it is time to get rid of stuff like this: “Let’s get Matt to take them.” I gladly accepted the donation of a dozen Mets books from that era. I’ve written a few books on the team I grew up with—coming of Mets age after the glow of ’69 had dulled to something like a communicable disease in the late 1970s. One caveat: Tom expects book reports! This was one area I excelled in at school. So now I pull these books off the pile in my office in the order I originally placed them on the shelf. Keep in mind there are 100+ other unread books piled in my office. This could take some time.

Joy in Mudville by George Vecsey (New York: The McCall Publishing Co., 1970)

Reading baseball books 55 years after they were written, it’s easy to see a pattern: Mets bad, bad, bad, bad, less bad, bad, not so bad, and ends with Mets Amazin’! George Vecsey, still around at 86, and the first in a family of writers and artists, including New York Post pundit and younger bro Pete Vecsey, George grew up in Queens and was Hofstra Class of 1960. With the New York Times he covered everything from religion to soccer (in some parts of the world, these two topics are the same), but he made his bones with baseball.

Vecsey got the plum assignment to cover the brand-new Mets in 1962. They were lousy but they were cool in a way that your old man’s Yankees—though championship caliber—were not. The 1969 Mets ruined maybe the Cubs’ best chance at a world championship until they finally won in 2016. Another Chicago team swiped the Mets’ claim as the worst team since 1899 when the 2024 White Sox took that mantle from the Mets—though the White Sox won one more game than the ’62 Mets, who had two games not made up.

The book takes us from the dawn of the franchise to the 1969 victory parade and the weeks afterward. It ends with Johnny Murphy, the team’s GM, who died a few weeks after the champagne dried: “We realize it took hard work and spirit and luck—and that’s what it will take again.” Here we are, 56 years later, and that’s still the hard-to-find recipe. In 1969 the League Championship Series was brand new and it represented a new mountain for a team to climb on its way to a world championship. The ’69 Mets made it look easy, overtaking the stumbling Cubs, and then winning seven of the eight postseason games they played that fall. Even the one loss—the first game of the World Series in Baltimore—felt like it was tossed in for added drama. A moment where the naysayers could shake their head and say, “We told you. This team shouldn’t even be here.”

The Mets won four straight—as predicted by Rod Gaspar, mockingly called “Rod Stupid” by Frank Robinson in the Orioles’ champagne-soaked locker room after they swept Minnesota in the first ALCS the same day the Mets burned Atlanta in the NLCS. Gaspar just didn’t say which four they’d win in a row.

There are lots of good insights by a reporter who followed the team’s every move, and who’d just turned 30. Vecsey had his eyes on a life of writing about things other than locker rooms. He helped craft insightful autobiographies with country legend Loretta Lyn (Coal Miner’s Daughter), Stan “The Man” Musial, and a revelatory book on Bob Welch, a star World Series hero living a second life as a young All-Star alcoholic. And Vecsey certainly knew a good quote when he heard it. I love the quote from Tom Seaver about his time spent packing raisin crates in his native Fresno before college, earning plenty of wisdom on top of the $2.05 per hour in his pay envelope: “I realized how fortunate I was. It opened my eyes to see how so many people were messed up. People go through life thinking the world owes them a living. The world owes them nothing. They owe the world something.”

Not to put words in Vecsey or Seaver’s mouth, but there is plenty to learn from this today. Mets fans are spoiled. Not in championships, but in the idea that the world owes them pennants and every overpaid player on or off the market. The Mets have had some ownership lows—the end of the Payson regime after Joan passed and various points of embarrassment during the Wilpon ownership. The Mets built championship teams by going with their gut. The ’69 team was built from within as was the ’86 team, for the most part. There have been other NL pennant winners, but in each case the team soon fell on hard times. This is the team we’ve chosen, whether we got on board in the ‘60s, the ‘70s, the 2000s, or the day they signed Juan Soto.

I trust the people that own the Mets because… I have no other choice. I like to look back on the old days and see what I might glean from spending so much time following a team chasing a ball. One day they’ll get it right again. I hope George Vecsey is around to see it. And I hope that I’m here, too. In the meantime, we wait. And dream of parades while we hump raisin crates day after day.

So… I kind of hoped we’d have gotten these last day gaffes permanently out of the system after the last-day reversal in 2024. What do I know? It would be fitting if MLB allowed two teams with the same record to have a one-game playoff to determine the final playoff spot instead of using tiebreaker rules. But Rob Manfred knows better. The Mets know how the Diamondbacks felt getting left all alone with the same record as two teams that made it. Tiebreak this.

All that said, I will try to give honest grades based on both halves of the season. The first half was quite something. I put those grades out in July. Today I am doing the second half along with final grades. The final grade is the average of both marks (unless the player appeared in only one half). So even a lot of wholesale F’s won’t get us a lot of flunkings. The whole flunking year reminds me of a love child of 2007 and 2008, grandfathered in by 1998. It’s days like this where I feel like I may never see the Mets lift another championship trophy. Maybe the player who makes that happen is not yet even born. It’s a black thought, but this is a black day. Long life to you.

I’ll be OK. You will be, too. That’s why we try to have things in our life other than baseball. This is also why we can’t have nice things.

Here’s the rules: For the first grade period, batters had to have 50 at bats and pitchers 15 innings pitched to get a grade; so we’ll make it 80 at bats and 25 innings for the full year. My convoluted rules prevent handing out grades to outfielders/pinch runners Jose Siri and Travis Jankowski. Makes you wish Jose Azocar, who hit .278 in 18 at bats, had gotten a little more playing time.

Between injuries and ineffectiveness, the pitching was a disaster. For the first time I won’t list the pitchers who did not make the cut because 29 did reach 25 innings (including several mop-up position players). Typing their names in would be a punish assignment and this season proved to be one already. So if you wonder why this guy or that guy didn’t get an F, the answer is he wasn’t even good enough to fail.

Second-Half 2024 Report Card

                           1H 2H Final 

Juan Soto A- A: A For the haters… Soto led the NL in walks, Offensive WAR, and even steals, while having a record season… and salary

Francisco Lindor A- A-: A- A real team player, he’ll take this season pretty hard. Mets should make him captain. Or something.

Edwin Diaz A- A-: A- Don’t blame the closer for this el foldo. He was better in second half, but with many fewer chances. He will opt out of contract.

Pete Alonso A B: A- Slight drop off in the second half, but 126 RBI is quite a year. The Mets need him and he needs them.

Brandon Nimmo B- B: B Nimmo isn’t in the same class as the ones above, but he is on base when the big guys come up and drives in a few himself.

Clay Holmes B+ C+: B Pitched 102.2 more innings than in ’24, when he was a reliever. His arm went dead at one point, yet his best start was his last.

Brandon Waddell C+ B-: B- Long man would have been a savior as starters went kaput. He too went down with a hip issue.

Brett Baty C-  B: C+ Baty and Vientos are streaky. Brett is a better fielder and overtook Mark with bat this year. It’s time to decide which one to keep.

Tyrone Taylor C- B-: C+ With CF a wasteland, his stellar defense was crucial. And he hit 52 points higher in 2H.

Starling Marte C+ C+: C+ Actually a little better in 2H. His contract is up and I think another team should take on his veteran leadership.

Francisco Alvarez C- B-: C Started only 68 games all year. Handled staff well and handled himself well after demotion and injuries.

Luis Torrens D B: C Actually had more plate appearances than Alvarez. Much better offense in 2H. One of baseball’s top backup backstops.

Jeff McNeil B- C-: C  Played 6 different positions. At times was the only CF who could hit; ’26 will be last guaranteed year of contract.

Ronny Mauricio C C- C Kid has power and his defense isn’t bad. Rotted on bench in 2H. Switch hitter may push Vientos out of nest.

Huascar Brozoban C C: C He’s been either good or bad. He has shown a lot as a long man. Just when you count on him, though… “That ball is outta here!”

Kodai Senga A- D-: C Terrible and then injured down stretch yet still had best WAR of any Mets starter in ’25. Says it all right there.

David Peterson B+ F: C Where was the guy who saved the season with a gem on the final Sunday of ’24? Was a 2025 All-Star, then invisible.

Reed Garrett C+ C-: C Mendoza leans on him hard until his arm gives out. Happened again this year and it really cost the team.

Luisangel Acuna C- D+: C- Served as defensive replacement/pinch runner in 2H. If Little Acuna makes it, it may be somewhere besides NY.

Mark Vientos D+ D+: D+ The definition of a sophomore slump. Earned B+ last year. After a slight revival in 2H, he did nothing the last few weeks.

Ryne Stanek C- D-: D+ Occasionally comes in throwing smoke and getting outs. More often he enters issuing walks and surrendering hits.

Hayden Senger D D: D Rookie showed a good arm and got the rare hit. With all the catching injuries he snuck on the report card.

Only Appeared in One Half as Met

Nolan McLean A Only one of the three callup savior starters to qualify for a grade. He was a find. Fourth on staff in WAR in just 8 starts.

Griffin Canning B+ An unknown pitcher David Stearns dug up. Excellent! Then he got hurt. Crap! What they would have given for him in September.

Max Kranick B: Made the mistake of firing strikes and showing an ability to relieve a lot. Of course his arm was worn out before July.

Brooks Raley B Took the final loss of the season, but it wasn’t his fault. Three-year contract ends with a lot of what ifs about his health.

Jose Butto B I understand why Mets traded this multiple-innings eater. Tyler Rogers is more durable for Mendy’s daily abuse.

Tylor Megill C The Bobby Jones of the 2020s. He usually takes the ball and does OK. Great down the stretch in ’24; hurt at the end of ’25.

Tyler Rogers C- Five outings in the final week: Pitched in 3 wins, 1 blown save, 1 loss, tattooed in game 162. Giants win trade.

Jesse Winker D+ Amazed he had more than 80 plate appearances to make the list. Didn’t do much, though.

Sean Manaea D  From last offseason I wished they’d brought back Jose Quintana and let Manaea walk, as they did Severino.

Cedric Mullins F Failed acquisition from O’s. Hit .182, not good defensively, and felt like his purpose was to show how much better Taylor was in CF.

Jared Young F He made a token appearance or two in 2H, including a homer, but his F from the first half holds up.

Manager/President

Carlos Mendoza B F: C Gave him an A+ for the second half in ’24. This year he failed to deal with issues or help eke out wins down the stretch. You don’t win 83 games, lose out to the Reds, and pass. He’s back in ’26, but he’ll be gone after first long losing streak.

David Stearns B- F: C- .Finding reliable starting pitchers today isn’t easy. Their arms can and will give out at any time. He was creative with finding solutions, but it’s on him that Mets had no reliable starters at the end. While Stearns has a longer leash than Mendoza, this can’t happen again. Ever!

Coaches

People always want to fire coaches. Coaches don’t have that big an outcome on wins and losses. There is an exception: The third base coach’s asinine decision against Cleveland to hold a runner who would have easily scored a walkoff run. The Mets lost the next inning. It’s one of those things that aggravated me at the time and will continue to do so for months to come. I purposely forgot his name and will not look it up to prevent my last thoughts on winter nights being about him and the one game that could have changed it all. Sweet dreams.

Artist Tom Sarrantonio was an avid Mets fan as a teen in the late 1960s. He went off to school and lost the bug somewhat, but he does still play softball on Sundays in the Hudson Valley (sometimes with me!). His once beloved Mets books, bought and devoured in 1969 and 1970, remained for years in his beautiful artist’s studio. So he did what others have done when it is time to get rid of stuff like this: “Let’s get Matt to take them.” I gladly accepted the donation of a dozen Mets books from that era. I’ve written a few books on the team I grew up with—coming of Mets age after the glow of ’69 had dulled to something like a communicable disease in the late 1970s. One caveat: Tom expects book reports! This was one area I excelled in at school. So now I pull these books off the pile in my office in the order I originally placed them on the shelf. Keep in mind there are 100+ other unread books piled in my office. This could take some time.

The Year the Mets Lost Last Place by Paul D. Zimmerman and Dick Schaap

(New York: World Publishing, 1969: $5.95)

Back in 1976 The Year the Mets Lost Last Place was the first book on the Mets I recall getting my hands on. My mother probably found the book somewhere. Mom was always trying to get me to read—she succeeded. I have an eerie ability to recall not only what happened in Mets games many years ago but also what I was doing at the time. I have tried to use this power for good and not for evil. Hence all the Mets books under my name.

The Mets were playing the Cubs on a Friday afternoon in the summer of ’76. I was reading this book as I listened to the Mets blow out the Cubs behind Mike Phillips—my original Favorite NonPlaying Met—hitting for the cycle. (I am still furious that this game wasn’t on WOR-TV, as most Mets games from Wrigley were at the time.) The Cubs were bad, the Mets were a decent third-place team a mile behind the Phillies, and the Metties pounded the Cubs the last six times they played at Wrigley that year. That ’76 game was a good introduction to this book, which focuses on a much better Cubs team that spent much of ’69 dominating the National League East in the first year of divisional play.

The Mets, the unquestioned laughingstock of baseball from the franchise’s inception into the National League in 1962, suddenly found competency in 1969. It didn’t hurt that manager Gil Hodges had taken the Mets in hand, or that the team’s pitching staff comprised Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, a very raw Nolan Ryan, a wise-cracking Tug McGraw, and a host of lesser-known but strong arms. Jerry Grote was a rock behind the plate, the infield was adept if not overpowering, and the outfield was excellent: Cleon Jones was in the midst of a career year, Tommie Agee was never better, and right fielder and future writing partner Art Shamsky hit .300 in the cleanup spot against righties (autumn hero Ron Swoboda played right field against southpaws in the Hodges platoon system).

The Year the Mets Lost Last Place was written in the summer of ’69. The publisher felt confident that with the expansion Expos in the division the Mets wouldn’t hit bottom with a bad second half and make a liar out of World Publishing Co. Like the NL West expansion Padres, the Expos finished last and lost 110 games in ’69. Meanwhile, the Mets won 100, the first NLCS, and the World Series. A fall ’69 book release was prescient indeed.

Re-reading this book 56 years after it came out, I got the same giddy feeling I had in the summer of ’76. This tale of the heroes of ’69 was all new information to an 11-year-old kid. The book takes place over the course of “nine crucial days.” It begins with the Mets playing the Cubs on July 8, 1969—the first series of significance in team history. The Mets rallied in the ninth to win the series opener at Shea, Seaver’s Imperfect Game the next night was like a current of electricity, and Chicago took the ho-hum third game. In the next series the Mets stumbled in the opener against Montreal but scored late twice on Sunday to sweep a doubleheader at Shea from Canada’s fledgling club. The Mets traveled to Wrigley and took that series. Nine crucial days, six big wins, and a very readable book was good for basting a boy in Mets lore.

The book goes minute by minute, covering everything from the players at home, to fans, to random people, and includes drawn scorecards of each game, which in 1976 was a skill I was starting to master. Sometimes I wonder how the writers knew what occurred in the Koosman home at exactly 11:20 a.m., but poetic license is the backbone of literature. And you go with it, just like hitting to right on a hit-and-run.

It was great to recall the afternoon I curled up with a good book—my first descent into Mets lit beyond the scorecard and yearbooks I devoured along with regular helpings of the Daily News (also the first time I ever picked up a newspaper with purpose beyond cleaning dog poop). I was still reading and smiling from the Mets win and the ’76 cycle at Wrigley when my Dad came home from work that night. Since the Mets had already played that day at light-free Wrigley, I had the night free to watch whatever I wanted on TV. Yet I’m pretty sure I just kept reading The Year the Mets Lost Last Place. It certainly was worth savoring. The Mets would again find the bottom of the standings soon enough.

Overall Grade: B+

What a first-half of the season it has been for the New York Mets! Yes, sometimes it’s hard to focus on that amidst the whining that has taken over the Mets cyberverse. I miss the days when the only moaning you heard was from the person sitting near you at Shea Stadium or some odd sentiment scrawled on a bed sheet on Banner Day. I guess this is what we call progress.

These ’25 Mets are about winning streaks and losing streaks, timely hitting and frustrating slumps, fans getting on Juan Soto because he’s not hitting a home run every game and fans getting on the powers that be for not making him an All-Star. The Mets are right there with the Phillies, a half-game back at the All-Star break. If you can’t enjoy that, you really must find something better to do with your time.

Well, that’s enough complaining about complaining. Here is how to read this report card before Mom and Dad sign it.

The Mets have 54 names who have appeared in a game this season. That’s a new player on the roster every 1.8 games! I am only handing out grades for players who accrued at least 40 plate appearances or 15 innings pitched. (Usually the cutoff is 50 at bats, but I wrote up Hayden Senger and Jared Young before I realized that, so you get bonus criticism!) Hitters who didn’t reach the new minimum include Jose Siri, Oscar Azocar, and Travis Jankowski.

The Mets have endured a ton of injuries to their pitching staff, which isn’t new, but 37 different pitchers—including turns by otherwise worthless outfielders Jared Young and Travis Jankowski—means a lot of Band-Aids on a pitching staff. Those pitchers not staying long enough to reach the minimum include (in order of usage): Justin Hagenman, Jose Castillo, A.J. Minter, Dedniel Nunez, Chris Devenski, Danny Young, Genesis Cabrera, Dicky Lovelady (it pains me not to take a crack at this name), Justin Garza, Austin Warren, Rico Garcia, Sean Manaea, Alex Carillo, Ty Adock, Jose Urena, Kevin Herget, Tyler Zuber, Zach Pop, Jonathan Pintaro, and Colin Poche.

First-Half 2025 Report Card

Pete Alonso A Homegrown Mets slugger needs to stay put. They’d be in trouble without him.

Kodai Senga A- Wait, he’s healthy? His stats are astounding and confounding: 7-3, 1.39 ERA. Keep it up!

Francisco Lindor A- A true leader. He was clearly worth the investment and now an All-Star. Next captain?

Juan Soto A- Treated unfairly by some fans, Mets gave the money to the right guy. He is who he is: One of game’s best.

Edwin Diaz A- He is a gamer and a great teammate. Sugar will be worth a lot of money when he opts out.

David Peterson B+ The lefty has come into his own and earned his All-Star spot. Also deserved to start Opening Day.

Clay Holmes B+ Second in innings, first in winnings. Not bad for a compromised Yankees reliever.

Griffin Canning B+ He too was a pleasant surprise, but his arm gave out and you won’t see him for a year or more.

Reed Garrett B Not perfect, but at times he was. Mendoza has to avoid using Reed too much and getting him hurt.

Jose Butto B The way Mets starter rarely see past the fifth inning, Butto’s durable long-man role is invaluable.

Max Kranick B Mets fan like him would give his right arm to pitch for the team. He did. Mendoza pitched it off.

Brandon Nimmo B- Nimmo’s .361 OPB midway through last year was 40 points higher than now. Less whiffy, more walky.

Jeff McNeil B- A year ago McNeil had a D and earned it. This time he has shown versatility, patience, and pop.

Starling Marte C+  He has been injured a lot and his age is showing, but .270/.353/.387 doesn’t hurt.

Brandon Waddell C+ Versatile lefty will come in handy for Mendoza. Stearns needs to get him some southpaw help.

Ronny Mauricio C Of the 3B, he may be the best by year’s end. He’s big, strong, fast, and young. Let him play!

Tylor Megill C There is nothing fancy about Megill, but he has 14 starts, 5-5, 3.95 ERA. Not great, not bad.

Huascar Brazoban C  He is 5-2, 3.99 ERA, 0 WAR. He’s hard to figure, but when he’s on the other team’s off.

Tyrone Taylor C- People get on his .213 average, but there’s nothing average about his defense. Leads MLB in CF assists.

Brett Baty C- I love that the Mets are giving the kids a shot, but someone has to go for arms. If they’re wanted.

Francisco Alvarez  C- A year ago he had an A- at the break. Now he is MIA. The Mets need him back with his mind right.

Ryne Stanek C- He’s been pounded a few times, but he has had some superb outings. Mets need more of the latter.

Luisangel Acuna C- He does a lot not reflected by a .235 average. What he doesn’t have is power. Stop swinging for the fences!

Mark Vientos D+ He is the only Met with 50+ AB with negative WAR. Even if you hate the stat, that’s bad.

Jesse Winker D+  It’s hard to keep the mojo going from the trainer’s room. His HR total is 1 more than mine!

Frankie Montas D+ He is 32 and I still don’t think I’ve ever seen him pitch. Either that or he’s just not memorable.

Luis Torrens D I am all for defense, but you can plainly see he’s not an everyday catcher: .206/.276/.309.

Hayden Senger D Sure, he’s hitting .174. What do you expect from a backup catcher? Good arm and insurance.

Blade Tidwell D- Blade just made the cut. He gets a passing mark because he has 1 win and is only 24. But he is wild.

Paul Blackburn F This guy has been hurt. And he’s been bad. I try to be positive, but he’s tossing BP.

Jared Young F He showed pop and his .415 slugging is better than some regulars, but he’s been an outs machine.

Manager/President

Carlos Mendoza B Like most managers, he can make you crazy with in-game decisions. He’s juggled a lot and been all right.

David Stearns B- People get on him for not paying for every high-priced free agent (except for this Soto guy). He’s had someone there to fill in when injuries hit hard.

For those of you who don’t know, I have a new book out! Spring starts promotion for the book I co-wrote with Art Shamsky: Mets Stories I Only Tell my Friends, published through Triumph Books. Art is doing several signings on his own. I am doing some events with him, which I’ll try to keep updated on this site. Your support is appreciated.

This is my first baseball book in six years and Art’s first in nine. His first two books were really good and sold even better. We hope that number three sees us pull into third with a three bagger. (Art had 15 career triples, 11 with the Mets, putting him in 43rd place in team annals, ahead of John Stearns, Keith Hernandez, and speedster Roger Cedeno! Bonus fact not available in the book!!!)

Mets Stories I Only Tell My Friends talks about how he got to the Mets in 1967, how he adjusted to the team and its new manager and coaches, the camaraderie of the 1969 Mets, the post Miracle years, his affiliation with numerous media outlets and his time as a Mets broadcaster, the ties that still bind the ’69 Mets together, his time as manager in the Israeli Baseball League, and more. Art constantly reworked the stories to ensure there was always something new in his telling. His attention to detail and concern about his teammates and fans really shines through. He is among the best people I’ve met anywhere and I know you’ll enjoy knowing more about his Amazin’ life.

I am going to try to keep up with my events, with the most recent events first:

Who                When              Where/What                                      Details

Matt                7-10-25           Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, NY      Signed books still on sale at HOF

Matt                5-24, 25, 26     Walkway Over the Hudson, Highland, NY    3 Days at Mayfest, 12-5!

Matt                4-6-25              Blue Heron Books, High Falls, NY                 4 p.m. post time!

Matt & Art      3-30-25            Bookends Ridgewood, NJ                              Sunday fun day! Noon start.

Matt & Art      3-28-25            SABR NYC                                                       Scandinavia House, Park Ave.

Matt                3-10-25            WKNY Kingston, NY                                      Gabfest with Dan Reinhard!

Matt                3-6-25              National League Town Podcast                    Great talk with Jeff Hysen!

Matt & Art      2-27-25            Kiner’s Korner with Mark Rosenman            Art makes Ralph proud!

Reviews: Lloyd Carroll of Queens Chronicle

First, just stop. It is nobody’s fault the Mets are not going to the World Series. All the people your Mets instincts tell you to blame are the ones you should thank.

Disclaimer: This is what I wrote in my first draft after the Mets laid two eggs in a row at home against the Dodgers in the NLCS. But since they forced a Game 6 and showed some resolve, the response from the fan base seems like one of appreciation. Sure, the 10-5 season-ending loss in the Championship Series doomed me—and other fans of a certain age—to a World Series from hell, like the one we had to endure in a grammar school full of Yankees fans as the Dodgers and Yankees met in October in 1977, 1978, and 1981. So nobody is confused, I’ll be rooting for the Dodgers, of course. In my long line of least-favorite teams, the Dodgers are right there with the Phillies and Braves. But when you are hounded by Yankees fans as a kid during those aforementioned years, you know you never could root for that team under any circumstances. Now back to our report card…

Final Grade A- (find a way to beat the Dodgers and you get an A; beat the Yankees in the World Series and it’s A++++. The 2024 Mets got the best of the Braves, Brewers, and Phreakin’ Phils this fall! The Dodgers, right now, are better than the Mets. Shohei Ohtani’s play now-pay later contract is the main reason the Dodgers don’t have a higher payroll than the Mets. Ohtani is the best hitter in the National League and might be for some time. And if you pitch around him, you have to face former MVP and still elite player (at numerous positions) Mookie Betts. And then Freddie Freeman (when he can walk). Starting pitching might be L.A.’s weak spot, but over all those high-pressure games the Mets played from Good Monday in Atlanta to Black Sunday in October, Mets pitching started to fray. This was a great October. Rookie manager Carlos Mendoza outmanaged Pat Murphy in Milwaukee as well as Philadelphia’s Rob Thomson.

David Stearns did not get that big money free agent and it went pretty well. The hard work he did this year paid off. He decided to bring up Mark Vientos and cut bait on Bret Baty, who still may resurface. The organization’s minor leagues are brimming with top prospects they’ll need to find places for. After this season, I have confidence that Stearns and Mendoza will find ways to work these players in or spin them off to get the pieces that the team needs. Hard-throwing young pitchers are something a team can always use. Back in the 1980s, Frank Cashen made the Mets into a power by bringing along young studs and trading the overhyped duds for the veterans the team needed. Gary Carter comes to mind, as does Bob Ojeda, Tim Teufel, Ray Knight, Howard Johnson, and even his original masterstroke: Keith Hernandez, the first imported piece of the puzzle. Sid Fernandez and David Cone were somewhat young when the Mets acquired them, but Cashen’s staff fleeced both the Dodgers and Royals, respectively.

I know you are excited to get the final grades, but here are some ground rules. For the first half, batters had to have 50 at bats and pitchers 15 innings pitched; so we’ll make it 80 at bats and 25 innings for the full year—and postseason numbers will certainly count. Players who qualified in the first half or were acquired/promoted in the second half only need to meet the minimums for one half.  (This is the first time I have done both Midterm and Final Grades in a season since 2019, so we have to reset.) My convoluted rules prevent handing out grades to the likes of Brooks Raley, who was supposed to be the go-to lefty before he hit the IL in April and won’t return until ’25 (the last of a three-year deal). Also worth mentioning is Joey Lucchese, who went 4-0 in 2023, started once in the first six months of 2024, was DFAed, signed back with the team, and pitched a pretty solid game 162, which New York didn’t care about after beating Atlanta in the greatest doubleheader split in Mets history on September 30. Now we list the other pitchers who did not make the cut: Alex Young, Eric Orze, Tyler Jay, Josh Walker, Yohan Ramirez, Grant Hartwig, Cole Sulser, Ty Adock, Julio Teheran, Michael Tonkin, Matt Festa, and 2023 ace turned 2024 postseason opener, Kodei Senga.

Hitters who didn’t make the cut: Eddy Alvarez, Ben Gamel, Zack Short, Joe Hudson, Pablo Reyes, Joey Wendle, and Luisangel Acuna, Ronald’s little brother, who fell a few at bats short of qualifying. He hit .308 with three home runs and solid defense at short during Francisco Lindor’s late-season back issue.

Now here’s the gang that made the 2024 team so memorable.

Second-Half 2024 Report Card

                           1H 2H Final 

Francisco Lindor B+ A+: A He should be the next captain. Continually leads by example. The hero of 2024 at Citi.

Julio Iglesias A B+: A There would have been much less singing and winning without castoff turned standout. OMG!

Mark Vientos B+ B+: B+ After showing little in the past, he lit up Citi and kept improving all way through NLCS.

Sean Manaea B+ B+: B+ First half-second half, home-away were exactly same. Changed motion midseason and thrived.

Francisco Alvarez A- B-: B+ Not yet 23 and with much to learn, I anoint him Mets’ best homegrown catcher ever.

Jose Butto B+ B+: B+ Solid starter became multi-innings man when Dedniel Nunez got hurt. Don’t skimp on days off!

Pete Alonso B- B+: B In 2019, I said he’d be the next Mets captain. Time passes, but his power and passion are real.

Edwin Diaz C+ B+: B Gave him an F in 2019, 5 years later Sugar is a warrior with a hand in almost every crucial Mets win.

Jose Quintana C+ B+: B Overtook Severino as top pitcher down stretch. His 0.72 ERA in Sept. helped Mets make their run.

Luis Severino B B-: B Ex-Yankee was durable and threw the only complete game shutout by a Met. (Tied for MLB lead!)

David Peterson B- A-: B He’s legit. Got crucial win in Milwaukee on final Sunday; 4 days later clinching save in same place.

Brandon Nimmo B C: B- The best .224 hitter in the game! Injured but continually got on base. Huge HRs vs. Atlanta & Philly.

Tyrone Taylor C- B: C+ Hit almost 50 points higher in the second half and started every day in CF. Thrives in big situations.

Starling Marte C C: C Missed a lot of time with injuries, but came through late in games and in postseason.

Tylor Megill D+ B-: C Bounced back and forth to minors. Mets won each of his last 6 starts, ending in Atlanta.

Luis Torrens B D: C Arrival coincided with turnaround until Alvarez returned from hand injury. Hit 100 points lower in 2H.

Jeff McNeil  D B: C Despite brutal first half, he soared until he broke his wrist; showed that Squirrel gumption in NLCS.

J.D. Martinez B D: C A key leader and producer in first half; he hit .199 in second half but had a few Oct. hits (until he didn’t).

Reed Garrett C+ C-: C Garrett’s either on or off. Injured from overuse, he came back to get outs (or not) in the pinch.

Harrison Bader C D-: D+ Dropped off a cliff in the second half and morphed into a defensive replacement.

Adam Ottavino D- C-: D+ Was better in the second half. Pitched in some big games down stretch. At 38, near the end.

D.J. Stewart D- D: D Just 22 plate appearances in second half but was a little better. He can walk but does not hit enough.

Only Appeared in One Half as Met

Dedniel Nunez B+ Pitched great until injured in July. Hope he can anchor middle innings. Needed him in Oct.

Jesse Winker C+ Hard to believe he wasn’t a Met all season. Endured terrible slump in Sept; back with a vengeance in Oct.

Ryne Stanek C+ A 6.06 ERA after coming from Seattle, but had some great Oct. outings: 2.1 IP for W in Game 5 of NLCS.

Sean Reid-Foley C+ He somehow had a 1.66 ERA, despite a somewhat underwhelming first half. Injured and out in June.

Phil Maton C: People love to hate on some Maton. One of team’s top relievers (2.51 ERA), overused and useless in Oct.

Danny Young C For once, here’s a guy who did nothing for Braves and fanned 48 in 37.2 IP as a Met.

Drew Smith C This reliever has endured some tough luck. It might be awhile before you see him again. Godspeed, son.

Christian Scott C- Kid had good stuff and a great first start. Like Smith, surgery will keep him out of Flushing until 2026.

Paul Blackburn C- Starter arrived from Oakland and came on like a house of fire, but he got hurt and didn’t even log 25 IP.

Brett Baty D Once liked him over Vientos due to BB’s glove. Their fielding percentage in ’24 was similar. And Mark can hit!

Jake Diekman D- A lefty with 3 saves, who fanned Judge in a huge spot, and still no one took him after he was released.

Adrian Houser D- Expensive mopup guy Mets had to cut after July trading deadline to make way for useful relievers.

Huascar Brozoban D- Came highly recommended from Miami. At best he’s a work in progress; could bounce back in ’25.

Tomas Nido D- To complainers about Alvarez: Remember when Nido caught every day? Get on your knees & be thankful.

Omar Narvaez F When Nido wasn’t catching in May, this guy was. His ’24 totals: .151/.191/.185. And he can’t catch.

Jorge Lopez F OK numbers (3.18 ERA, 2 saves), but Mets excelled once they cut guy who ragged them. Feed him to Grimace.

Manager/President

Carlos Mendoza C+ A+: B+ Started off 0-5, a 9-19 May, injuries galore, integrated new players constantly, and beat the Braves to get in the postseason. And then there’s what he did in the postseason…

David Stearns C A: B A lot of people think they are smarter than the front office folks. This could have been an 89-loss team, he crafted them into an 89-win team, keeping us enthralled into late Oct. for the first time since 2015.

And now… taking in the win for the ages in Atlanta, it’s my duty to announce that we have a new No. 1 for the Greatest Mets Regular Season Win. This list originally appeared in the 2012 book Best Mets. There is no new version of the book and there was no reason to update this list until now, so I also included another game you might recognize from the year the book came out. So here is the update. You can tell the new ones because the others have been trimmed for your protection. Mets fans can sometimes jump the gun, so I am reiterating this is for regular season games only…

1. September 30, 2024

Mets 8, Braves 7

A hurricane, two rainouts, and a three-game losing streak resulted in the Mets and Braves having the same record after 160 games on the Monday after the season ended. Both teams desperately wanted to win that first game and play the second game knowing they’ve locked up a Wild Card spot. Given the Mets’ history of late-season torture in Atlanta, every Mets fan had something lodged in their brain that read: “The Braves will sweep and we’ll be left with nothing.” The Mets did nothing to quell this fear for the first seven innings of the first game as they trailed, 3-0. But Tyrone Taylor climaxed an 11-pitch at bat with a double to chase rookie Mets killer Spencer Schwellenbach. Jose Iglesias tied the game, Mark Vientos gave the Mets the lead, and Brandon Nimmo homered to make it 6-3. The Braves scored four runs in the botttom of the inning and were two outs from winning when Francisco Lindor—who’d missed much of the past two weeks with back issues—launched a home run to give the Mets the lead. Edwin Diaz, rocked an inning earlier, made like Jesse Orosco in October 1986 and pushed the Mets over the finish line. The Mets lost the second game. Who cares? Well, the Diamondbacks for one, who were left home despite having the same record as the Mets and Braves.

2. October 3, 1999

Mets 2, Pirates 1

Before 2024, can you name one other time the Mets actually won on the final day of the year when they needed to. (Give up? 1973, a year represented later on this list.) All seemed lost just two days before, but the Mets made up two games the final weekend and booked a one-day, one-way trip trip to Cincinnati.

3. October 4, 1999

Mets 5, Reds 0

Game 163 is considered a regular season game, and the Mets have had few bigger. Edgardo Alfonzo snaring a liner on Leiter’s 135th pitch ended the game and put the Mets in the postseason for the first time since 1988.

4. September 21, 2001

Mets 3, Braves 2

This game belongs in its own category, but it would be improper to omit the most emotional game in Mets history. In the first outdoor sporting event in New York following the September 11 tragedy, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Mike Piazza hit the game-winning home run in what truly was more than a game.

5. September 20, 1973

Mets 4, Pirates 3

The Mets ended August in last place and began October celebrating the division title. Winning on the last day got them in, Willie Mays Night made ‘em cry, but ’73 wouldn’t have happened without “The Ball on the Wall” play.

6. July 9, 1969

Mets 4, Cubs 0

Of Tom Seaver’s 25 wins in ’69, none was as dominating as his “Imperfect Game.” This game was better than the no-hitters eventually got… 40-plus years later.

7. September 15, 1969

Mets 4, Cardinals 3

The night belonged to Ron Swoboda, whose two homers ruined Steve Carlton’s night at Busch Stadium. Lefty became the first pitcher in history with 19 strikeouts in a nine-inning game—and the first to fan 19 and lose. The victory also increased the Miracle Mets’ lead to 4 ½ games.

8. September 24, 1969

Mets 6, Cardinals 0

Rarely has wanton destruction of public property felt so right. After striking out 19 Mets his last time facing them, Steve Carlton didn’t make it out of the first inning. Gary Gentry went the distance and the Mets clinched the first NL East title in history.

9. April 22, 1970

Mets 2, Padres 1

Tom Seaver tied Steve Carlton’s record of 19 strikeouts the hard way—by setting a new mark with 10 consecutive strikeouts—to end the game, no less. Seaver had been given his 1969 Cy Young earlier in the day—it would not be his last.

10. June 1, 2012

Mets 8, Cardinals 0

The No-han occurred weeks after Best Mets was published, so this is also new to the list. Never mind that replay challenge system (not instituted until 2014) would have overturned the ball hit down the line by ex-Met Carlos Beltran, this goes does as a no-hitter because the foul call stood. Johan Santana stayed on the mound for 134 pitches and finished the job against the defending world champions. He finally tossed the first no-hitter in Mets history despite many other pitchers—both great and obscure—who came close but could not climb Mount No No. Props to Long Island’s Mike Baxter, who threw his shoulder—and his career—into the left field wall to keep the no-hitter intact. Santana, who had missed all of 2011 with shoulder surgery, never pitched again in the majors due to injury after 2012.

Dear Melodramatic Mets Fan with social media issues,

It was quite a week! Even though the week isn’t over, it feels like it has lasted a month. A good month!

So why do I continually see on social media—sometimes minutes before the incredible rally, big hit, or key pitch—that some fan has decried “Typical loser Mets,” or “Why would you bring in [such and such reliever] right now?” or “Glad this is Pete Alonso’s last at bat as a Met.” So much for “Ya Gotta Believe!” I understand being pessimistic about the Mets. My entire life revolves around this philosophy. If I hadn’t been in a room full of Mets fans I probably would have been watching a Get Smart re-run during the bottom of the 10th inning in Game 6 in 1986 (either series).

But I don’t understand the need to say these things aloud and to make these proclamations before anything actually happens. Do you think if Pete Alonso struck out or banged into a double play, the world will recall: “Joe Blow sagely predicted this”? Sorry, they won’t. They’d barely remember if Stephen A. Smith said it much less you. And he’d at least be doing it for ratings. What is your motivation?

The moral here? Give it a rest. Wait for the pitch, the swing, the catch. The Mets are playing with house money. Sure, they could lose. But remember when they were 11 games under in May. That team is dead. This one is pretty damned fun. Stop typing long enough to enjoy it. As the ad says, “Taste the rainbow!”

Thanks,

Met