MLB Top 5: New York Mets Catchers and Managers

This is the first article in a series that looks at the five best players at each position for the New York Mets. In this installment are catchers and managers.

The New York Mets were born entirely out of the National League’s necessity to compete in American League cities. After the Dodgers and Giants moved to the West Coast, New York was left without an N. L. team to rival the Yankees, and city officials tried desperately to get existing franchises such as the Reds, Phillies and Pirates, to move to the Big Apple.

When those attempts failed, attorney William Shea, who was formerly on the board of directors for the Giants, worked secretly with legendary executive Branch Rickey to form a third major league, the Continental League. However, plans for the new circuit became public and the National League circumvented the situation by adding expansion teams in New York and Houston, using owners the new league had in place for teams in those cities. Both leagues also faced pressure from Congress to expand or lose their antitrust exemption.

New York’s new ownership group featured quite a bit of the city’s “old money,” including Joan Payson, the heiress to the Whitney family fortune (with many holdings in banking, tobacco and railroad companies). Additional owners included her husband, lawyer and businessman Charles Shipman Payson, banking executive George Herbert Walker Jr. (an uncle of future President George H. W. Bush), Dwight Davis Jr., the son of the founder of tennis’ Davis Cup, and M. Donald Grant, a stockbroker who was the only member of the Giants’ board of directors who voted against the move to San Francisco.

Payson announced the team’s new name, the Metropolitans, which was chosen in a fan poll, although she favored the Meadowlarks. The moniker hearkens back to a team that played in the American Association from 1883-87, featured future Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe and reached the 1884 World Series before being swept by the Providence Grays. The name was shortened to Mets, which pleased fans and the press, since they would not have to worry about fitting Metropolitans on a banner or in a newspaper headline.

The team needed a home until a new stadium could be built. The idea of sharing a stadium with their American League counterparts was squashed because the Yankees wanted a long-term agreement. Instead, the city delayed the destruction of the Giants’ old home, the Polo Grounds, which the Mets used for two years. Their new field at Flushing Meadows in Queens would be known as Shea Stadium after the man who was primarily responsible for bringing about the expansion team’s existence.

On the field, the Mets featured several legendary players in the twilight of their careers, including Gil Hodges, Don Zimmer, Clem Labine, Richie Ashburn, Frank Thomas, Duke Snider, Yogi Berra and Warren Spahn. However, the mix of aging veterans and untested young players did not work out, as the team finished at or near the bottom of the National League in its first seven seasons. New York set a modern-day record for futility with a 40-120 mark (and a .250 winning percentage) in its inaugural campaign. Overseeing the club were two Yankees greats, colorful manager Casey Stengel and the more buttoned-up general manager, George Weiss.

The Mets were finally able to break through in 1969. Using a platoon system throughout their lineup and relying on a group of good, young starting pitchers led by future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver, New York won 100 games, swept Atlanta in the first National League Championship Series and toppled heavily favorite Baltimore in the World Series to become the “Miracle Mets.”

Three years later, Hodges had a heart attack and died after a round of golf on Easter Sunday. Berra took over the Mets and led them to their second playoff appearance in 1973. New York went 82-79, the worst record by a division winner in major league history, but got hot at the right time, dispatching N. L. MVP Pete Rose and the Reds in the NLCS. This time, they fell in the World Series in seven games to the Athletics and A.L. MVP Reggie Jackson, who the Mets bypassed with the first pick of the 1966 draft.

The Mets fell off over the next decade, with the lowest moment coming when the team traded Seaver to the Reds in 1977. Although he came back five years later, he was not the same pitcher he was before. New York did not improve until the mid-1980s under new ownership. Joan Payson passed away in 1975 and her husband, Charles, was not interested in running the team. Control went to their daughter, Lorinda de Roulet, who ousted Grant for his refusal to spend money and letting their better players leave, either via trade or free agency.

In 1980, the Payson family sold control of the team for $21.3 million to real estate mogul Fred Wilpon and publishing company executive Nelson Doubleday Jr., a descendant of Abner Doubleday who, as the story goes, “invented” baseball in Cooperstown, NY, in 1839. Wilpon has his own ties to baseball history. He was a high school teammate of Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax in Brooklyn. In 1986, Doubleday sold the publishing company and became a 50-50 owner with Wilpon until selling his shares to his partner for $135 million in 2002.

The Mets had an all-time season in 1986, setting a franchise record with 108 wins thanks to a stellar pitching staff led by Dwight Gooden and a star-laden lineup. The group of wild players had a bit more trouble in the playoffs, needing six games (and 16 innings in Game 6) to dispatch the Astros in the NLCS. The Red Sox were up 3 games to 2 in the World Series and leading late in Game 6 when a Mookie Wilson ground ball went through first baseman Bill Buckner‘s legs, allowing the winning run to score. New York came from behind to win Game 7 and take home their second championship.

New York won 100 games two years later but fell to Cy Young Award winner Orel Hershiser and the Dodgers in the NLCS. They sustained a decade-long playoff drought until manager Bobby Valentine led them to back-to-back postseason appearances as a wild card team. The Mets lost to the division rival Braves in the NLCS in 1999 and fell to the Yankees the following year in the first Subway Series for the championship since 1956.

The team has had limited success in the 21st century, appearing in the playoffs four times and winning two division titles. The Mets lost a heartbreaking seven-game series to the Cardinals in the 2006 NLCS and fell to the Royals in the World Series in 2015. New York won 101 games in 2022 but took a disappointing loss to the Padres in the Wild Card round.

After taking full control from the team, the Wilpon family earned the ire and scorn of fans and the media for failing to spend money on the team, and what they did spend was used on bad contracts (see the whole Bobby Bonilla deferred contract fiasco). Fred Wilpon’s reputation was further tarnished by his role in multiple Ponzi schemes, including the infamous Bernie Madoff scandal, in which funds from the scam were used as part of the team’s finances. Hopes were rejuvenated when Wilpon finally sold the Mets to hedge fund manager Steve Cohen for $2.4 billion in September 2020.

Catchers

Honorable Mentions – Paul Lo Duca followed the same career path of the top player on this list, starting his career with the Dodgers before moving on to the Marlins and the Mets. He was a solid hitter and defender during his career, including his two seasons in New York (2006-07). Lo Duca earned the fourth and final All-Star selection of his career in 2006 and helped the Mets reach the NLCS, hitting .275 with five runs and six RBIs in 10 postseason games. He split 2008 between the Nationals and Marlins and, after sitting out in 2009, he retired the following year after being released by the Rockies. Lo Duca focused on horse racing after his baseball career, owning several horses and working as a racing analyst in New York.

After being acquired in the trade for Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey, Travis d’Arnaud was a 2012 MLB Futures Game participant in the Mets’ organization and spent parts of seven seasons in New York (2013-19). He played in 407 games but missed most of 2018 after tearing his ulnar collateral ligament and undergoing Tommy John surgery. d’Armaud was a starter during New York’s run to the 2015 World Series, totaling five runs, 10 hits, three home runs and seven RBIs in 14 games. He had his best days with the division rival Braves, winning a silver slugger in 2020, starting during Atlanta’s run to the title the following year and earning his only All-Star selection to date in 2022.

5. Todd Hundley – He was the son of Randy Hundley, an All-Star and gold glove catcher, who spent most of his 14-year career with the Cubs (and was a starter on the team the Mets passed in the standings on their way to title in 1969). Todd was not as good of a defender as his father, but was a much better hitter, especially in the power department. During his nine seasons with New York (1990-98), he ranked tenth in franchise history with 124 home runs.

Hundley had back-to-back All-Star seasons, including 1996, when he set career highs with 85 runs, 140 hits, 32 doubles, 41 home runs and 112 runs batted in. His homer total is tied for third in team history and is tied with Roy Campanella for the fourth-most among catchers in a season. Hundley followed that with 30 home runs and 86 RBIs in 1997.

In addition to the homers, the slugging catcher finished his Mets career with 612 hits, 118 doubles, 397 RBIs and 1,116 total bases in 829 games. When Mike Piazza came to New York, Hundley moved to left field and fans were hoping for a power show from the two. Instead, Hundley hit .161 and played just 53 games. He spent time with the Cubs and Dodgers before retiring in 2003.

4. John Stearns – He played one game with the Phillies in 1974 and spent the rest of his career with the Mets after coming over in the trade for Tug McGraw. Nicknamed “Bad Dude” for his toughness, Stearns was a stalwart for 10 seasons (1975-84) during some of the franchise’s worst seasons.

Although he was a four-time All-Star, his best offensive season did not earn him a selection. In 1978, he set career highs with 15 home runs, 73 runs batted in and 25 stolen bases while also finishing second among National League catchers in games, putouts and assists. Stearns batted .259 with 334 runs, 695 hits, 152 doubles, 46 homers, 312 RBIs, 91 steals and 1,005 total bases in 809 games.

Elbow injuries throughout the years wore Stearns down and led to a pair of surgeries. The Mets released him in 1984, and he retired after failed comeback with the Reds and Rangers. Stearns spent the next 30 years as a broadcaster, minor league instructor and manager and major league coach. He worked for the Mets for seven seasons in several roles, including as a third base coach during the 2000 season in which the team reached the World Series. Stearns passed away in 2022 after a battle with cancer.

3. Gary Carter – He was a solid hitter and fielder during a 19-year career, with 12 of those seasons coming as a member of the Expos. Carter won the NFL’s first Punt, Pass and Kick competition as a seven-year-old in 1961 and lost his mother to leukemia five years later. He came to the major leagues in 1974 and earned six All-Star selections, three gold gloves and three silver sluggers with Montreal.

Nicknamed “Kid” during his early career, Carter escaped the toxic atmosphere with the Expos when he was traded to the Mets before the 1985 season. He showed that he still had something left in the tank, hitting .281 with a career-high 32 home runs and 100 runs batted in. Carter earned four All-Star selections and two more silver sluggers during his five-year run with New York (1985-89).

Not only was Carter a star as a hitter, but he also proved himself invaluable as a game-caller, working with one of the best pitching staffs in baseball history. He had an off series in the 1986 NLCS against Houston but came up big against the Red Sox in the World Series, totaling eight hits, including two home runs, and driving in nine runs to help the Mets win their second title. With his team down to their final out in the tenth inning of Game 6, Carter smacked a single to start a three-run rally that is etched in baseball lore. After the Mets won the championship the following night, he found himself at the bottom of the pile on the field as his teammates streamed from the dugout.

Carter was an excellent defensive catcher and was adept at handling the Mets’ young pitching staff. He also was a bright spot morally for a team that featured quite a few players with personality issues. On the field, though, Carter played through injuries, especially to his shoulder, ankle and knee, which was worn down by playing on the turf in Montreal and resulting in him undergoing 12 surgeries.

“Kid” finished his Mets career with 272 runs, 542 hits, 89 home runs and 349 RBIs in 600 games. Knee injuries wore Carter down until he was released after the 1989 season. He spent one year each with the Giants and Dodgers before one final season where it began in Montreal.

Following his playing career, Carter was a color commentator for the Marlins and Expos before rejoining the Mets as a catching instructor in 2001. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his sixth try in 2003, with his father passing away less than a month after he found out the news. Carter continued to coach, especially in independent leagues until he developed brain cancer in 2011. The spots turned out to be aggressive glioblastoma, and, despite him battling the condition with the same competitiveness in which he played baseball, he passed away in February 2012.

2. Jerry Grote – The top spot on the Mets catching can be selected based on your view of the game. Although he was not an offensive threat, Grote’s quick reflexes, strong arm and ability to develop young pitchers made him more than valuable during his 12 seasons in New York (1966-77).

Grote came to the Mets from the Astros and earned two All-Star selections during his tenure in the Big Apple. He was known for his ability to throw out runners on the basepaths, and longtime stolen base king Lou Brock said he was the toughest catcher to run against. Grote also helped stars like Seaver and Ryan improve on the mound. One indelible image from the catcher’s career was Jerry Koosman jumping into his arms after the lefty won the deciding Game 5 of the 1969 World Series.

The aggressive Grote was behind the plate for every inning of the Mets’ 20 playoff games during his time with the franchise, and he recorded 18 hits, eight runs and four RBIs. He had 994 hits, 143 doubles, 357 RBIs and 1,278 total bases in 1,235 regular season games.

When the Mets began to dismantle their team, Grote was sent to the Dodgers for a couple of minor leaguers in 1977. He spent time with Los Angeles and Kansas City before retiring in 1981, Following his playing career, Grote ran several businesses in San Antonio, including a real estate company, a meat market and a cattle ranch, and he also was an instructor at Mets’ fantasy camps.

1. Mike Piazza – If offense is more your thing, then Piazza more than earns the top spot among Mets catchers. Originally drafted by the Dodgers in the 62nd round as a favor to former manager Tommy LaSorda, who was good friends with Piazza’s father, the Pennsylvania native more than proved he belonged in the major leagues.

Piazza was named Rookie of the Year in 1993 and earned five All-Star selections, six silver sluggers and five Top 10 MVP finishes with Los Angeles. He was traded to the Marlins early in the 1998 season but spent just five games in South Florida before he was sent to the Mets. Piazza became the face of the franchise, hitting at least 30 home runs and driving in at least 90 runs in each of his first four full seasons in New York. He matched career highs with 40 homers and 125 RBIs at batted .303 to help lead the Mets to the playoffs in 1999.

The following year, Piazza posted a .324-38-113 stat line and New York went to the postseason once again. The catcher hit four home runs and drove in eight runs to help his team, but the Yankees won the World Series in five games. A lasting moment in the series was Piazza hitting a ground ball against Roger Clemens and “The Rocket” throwing a piece of the broken bat in his direction, causing tempers to flare.

Piazza’s greatest memory occurred nearly a year later, when he hit a game-winning home run against the Braves in the first game played in New York City after the September 11 terrorist attacks. The blast brought life to a city that was still in shock from the tragic events, and the Mets, wearing their fire and police department caps, were energized by the performance.

Piazza was a seven-time All-Star and a four-time silver slugger in his eight seasons with the Mets (1998-2005). He batted .296 with 532 runs, 1,028 hits, 193 doubles, 220 home runs, 655 RBIs and 1,885 total bases in 972 games with New York. Piazza added 12 runs, 22 hits, five home runs and 12 RBIs in 22 playoff contests. Although Piazza spent more time at first base later in his career, he broke the all-time home run for catchers in early May 2004. He finished his career with 427 homers, including 396 as a backstop.

Following one year each with the Padres and Athletics, Piazza retired in 2008. Although he was poor at throwing out would-be baserunners, he was among the better catchers at framing pitches and keeping balls in front of him. Despite all of the offensive accolades, it took Piazza four years to get voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, which finally occurred in 2016. After doing so much for the city following its greatest tragedy, it was only fitting that Piazza’s plaque featured him wearing a Mets cap.

Managers

Honorable Mentions – Willie Randolph was a six-time All-Star during an 18-year playing -career as a second baseman mostly for the crosstown rival Yankees (although he did play his last season with the Mets in 1992). After spending another decade on the Yankees’ coaching staff, Randolph got his first managerial position with the Mets for the 2005 season. He led the Amazins to a winning record in his first year and skippered the team to a 97-65 mark the following year, tying the Yankees for the best record in baseball (with Randolph placing second in the Manager of the Year voting). The Mets won their first division title since 1988 and swept the Dodgers in the Division Series before falling to the Cardinals in seven games in the NLCS.

Randolph and the Mets were in position to make the playoffs again in 2007 but lost a seven-game division lead in the final 17 games. New York fired him in mid-June the following year, officially announcing the move during the night following a win in Los Angeles. The Mets went 302-253 during his tenure, which turned out to be Randolph’s only managerial experience. He was a coach for the Brewers and Orioles before working with Team USA in the 2013 World Baseball Classic and coaching with the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).

Unlike Randolph, William “Buck” Showalter has had PLENTY of managerial experience in the major leagues. He started with a four-year stint with the Yankees, helping to assemble a team that would become a dynasty under Joe Torre. Next, Showalter spent three years as the first manager of the Diamondbacks, leading the young squad to 100 wins in their second year of existence in 1999. Once again, the team won a championship the year after his departure, with Arizona taking the title in 2001. He also spent four years in Texas and nine in Baltimore before coming to the Mets in 2022.

Showalter seemed to be the right man for the job. He was respected but also expected a lot from his players, and his team responded by winning 101 games in his first season, which is the second most in team history. Showalter was named Manager of the Year for the fourth time for his performance. However, New York fell to San Diego in the Wild Card round and the injury bug hit in 2023, dropping the Mets to 75 wins. Showalter was let go after the season. He has a 1,727-1,665 record in 22 seasons and has led his teams to a 10-16 record in six postseason appearances.

5. Yogi Berra – His managerial career was not as successful as his time as a player, but that is almost an impossible task. Berra was a Hall of Fame player who played 19 seasons as a catcher and outfielder, 18 with the Yankees. He was also manager in 1964, leading the Bronx Bombers to 99 wins and the American League pennant, before playing four games with the Mets in 1965, his final season. He won three MVP awards, was an 18-time All-Star, was a member of 10 championship teams and held numerous postseason records at the time of his retirement.

Berra took over as manager of the Mets after the tragic passing of Gil Hodges in 1972 and led the team to a pair of winning seasons. The Mets went 83-79 in 1973 and won the National League pennant, registering the lowest winning percentage of any team to earn that honor. Berra and the Mets fell to the Athletics in seven games in the World Series, and then the team fell off and began to dismantle. Berra was fired in August 1975 thanks to poor play and issues with outfielder Cleon Jones. Berra returned to the Yankees in 1984 but was gone by the end of April the following year. He went 292-296 in four years with the Mets (1972-75) and led the team to a 6-6 playoff record.

4. Terry Collins – He is another longtime baseball man who spent seven years leading the Mets (2011-17). Collins was a coach and manager in the Dodgers’ and Pirates’ systems before being named the manager of the Astros in 1994. He also was a skipper with the Angels and coached in Japan, China and in the collegiate level Northwoods League before joining the Mets in 2011.

Under Collins, the Mets hovered around the .500 mark until breaking through in 2015. New York went 90-72 and made the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade. The Mets won beat the Dodgers and Cubs to win their first pennant in more than a quarter century before falling to the Royals in the World Series. Collins took New York back to the playoffs the following year but fell in the Wild Card game. He retired after the 2017 season with a 995-1,017 career record, including a 551-583 mark with the Mets. The 2016 All-Star manager spent five seasons as special assistant to the general manager with the Mets before becoming a consultant with the Marlins in 2023.

3. Bobby Valentine – He had a 10-year playing career, mostly as a reserve infielder, and spent two seasons with the Mets during their down years in the late 1970s. Valentine was a coach and minor league instructor for the Mets, then spent eight seasons as manager in Texas, leading the Rangers to three winning seasons. He returned to the Mets’ system and spent a year in Japan following the 1994 lockout. Valentine returned to New York, became manager in late 1996 and led the Mets to one of the most successful periods in franchise history.

Under Valentine, the Mets had five straight winning seasons, including back-to-back campaigns with at least 90 wins. New York went 97-66 in 1999 and reached their first NLCS in more than a decade. The following year, the Mets won 94 games and got to the World Series, where they lost to the Yankees in the first Subway Series in more than 40 years.

Valentine was a fun character who stressed fundamentals. His time in New York was punctuated by two notable moments. The first came in June 1999, when he was ejected from a game against the Blue Jays. Later, he returned to the bench wearing a fake mustache and glasses, an action that earned him a two-game suspension. Later that year, the Mets were struggling and had fired three of their coaches. Valentine came out to reporters and said that if the team didn’t improve, he shouldn’t be the manager. The team responded with a 39-15 record after the statement.

In addition to those moments, Valentine was a notable figure after the September 11 attacks, joining with Piazza, other Mets players, as well as city officials to lead cleanup efforts, run food and clothing drives and raise money for victims, all of which earned him the Branch Rickey Award. Valentine was fired after a poor showing in 2002 and managed in Japan for six seasons before managing the Red Sox in 2012.

Valentine ranks second in Mets history with a 536-467 record, and he amassed a 1,186-1,165 mark in 16 seasons overall. Following his baseball career, he was the athletic director at Sacred Heart University and made an unsuccessful attempt to become mayor of Stamford, Connecticut.

2. Gil Hodges – Like several others on this list, Hodges was a star player, earning eight All-Star selections, three gold gloves and two championships during an 18-year career spent mostly with the Dodgers. However, his final two seasons came with the fledgling Mets, who replaced “Dem Bums” after they moved to Los Angeles.

One of the most liked and respected players of his era, Hodges began his managerial career in 1963 with the “new” Washington Senators, a team the replaced a former franchise that moved from the Nation’s Capital to Minnesota two years prior and became the Twins. Hodges went 321-444 in five seasons, but his team never broke into the top half of the American League standings and would move to Texas and become the Rangers at the end of the decade).

Hodges joined the Mets in 1968 and oversaw their transformation into the “Miracle Mets.” The following year, the skipper benefitted from a fantastic young pitching staff and employed a platoon system that worked to perfection. The Mets went from lovable losers to winning 100 games, beating the Braves in the first National League Championship Series and toppling the heavily favored Orioles in the World Series for their first championship. Along the way, they won 38 of their final 48 games and the experience earned Hodges the Sporting News Manager of the Year Award.

The Mets had winning seasons in each of the next two years and expectations were high in New York. A players’ strike was disrupting the start of the 1972 season, and Hodges, along with three of his coaches, decided to play some golf on Easter in early April in Florida before heading to New York. Following the round, the four of them were walking back to their hotel when Hodges suffered a heart attack, collapsed, and died two days before his 48th birthday.

Hodges had a 339-309 record in four seasons with the Mets (1968-71) and a 660-753 mark overall. He had his number retired by both the Dodgers and Mets and was finally elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame 50 years after his death, thanks to his selection by the Golden Days Era Committee in 2022.

1. Davey Johnson – The son of a lieutenant colonel in the Army during World War II, Johnson was a four-time All-Star, a three-time gold glove winner and a two-time champion during a 13-year playing career spent mostly with the Orioles. He was the starting second baseman on the team that lost to the “Miracle Mets” in 1969 and had his best season with the Braves when he hit 40 home runs and drove in 99 runs in 1973.

Johnson worked as an instructor and manager in the Mets’ minor league system before taking over the big-league club in 1984. He led the franchise to unprecedented success, leading them to six straight winning seasons, including five with at least 90 wins. New York won 98 games but missed out on the playoffs in 1985, but Johnson made sure that wouldn’t happen the following year.

Johnson’s talents were tailoring the lineup to players’ strengths and taking star players and getting their egos to mesh. There were quite a few egos on that 1986 Mets team, but everything came together, resulting in a franchise record 108 wins and a division title by an incredible 21½ games. Things were a bit tougher in the playoffs, with a six-game win over the Astros in the NLCS (including a 16-inning affair in the deciding Game 6) and a classic World Series victory against the Red Sox that featured comebacks in the final two games at home.

The Mets won 92 games the following year and 100 in 1988. New York won its second division title in three years but fell to the eventual champion Dodgers in the NLCS. Johnson led the Mets to 87 wins in 1989 but was fired after a poor start the next year. He is the all-time franchise leader with a 595-417 record and a .588 winning percentage, and he also led the team to an 11-9 postseason record.

Johnson also had managerial stints with the Reds, Orioles and Dodgers during the 1990s. The two-time Manager of the Year winner led Team USA to the Bronze Medal in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and managed the American team during the World Baseball Classic the following year. Johnson ended his managerial career with a three-year stint leading the Nationals and finished with a 1,372-1,071 record in 17 seasons. In addition to his baseball exploits, he was a licensed pilot, was an avid golfer and fisherman, and also was a scuba instructor.

Upcoming Stories

New York Mets Catchers and Managers
New York Mets First and Third Basemen – coming soon
New York Mets Second Basemen and Shortstops – coming soon
New York Mets Outfielders – coming soon
New York Mets Pitchers – coming soon