Mets Walk-Offs And Minutiae

For an introduction, see the other "Best Games I Know" installments Arizona Diamondbacks St. Louis Cardinals (pre-2006 playoffs edition) It should be noted that these are difficult to write. The original draft of this installment was penned in November, but I've hemmed and hawed over these for a good while. Narrowing the field down to 10 games wasn't easy, nor was trying to figure out what to write for each contest. Hopefully it will stir up some thought and discussion. Best Games I Know Mets vs Braves #10 (May 12, 1962 G1 , G2 ) The First Walk-Offs Wins number 6 and 7 in Mets history were the first walk-off wins for this franchise in regular-season play. That they got a pair on the same date via walk-off home runs by Hobie Landrith (off Hall of Famer and future Met Warren Spahn) and (should-be Hall of Famer) Gil Hodges was rather neat and rather historic. It was the first time that both games of a doubleheader ended in that fashion, a feat that has only been repeat

It is my philosophy this season not to dwell on that which you do not possess, as right alongside "Ya Gotta Get Worse!" I've decided to embrace the belief "Enjoy what you have" simply because it makes my life a lot more pleasant to do so. And what the Mets do have is 341 walk-off wins (and yes, to the anonymous poster from yesterday, a walk-off triple (click on the link) is among them), which I plan to relish in this space on a regular basis. Besides, I'm not sure why everyone's moaning and groaning about no-hitters today. The Mets have had them before. Or do you not remember March 22, 1965? That was the day the Mets took down, as the New York Times called them, "the hottest spring training team in Florida." Credit for the ultimate pitching success goes to Gary Kroll and Gordon Richardson, who combined on nine hitless frames in blanking the Pirates, 6-0. Kroll worked the first six and Richardson closed with a strong last three. At one point the

Source: Baseball-Reference.com Play Index * Longest Hit Streaks Mets History David Wright 2006-07 24 Hubie Brooks 1984 24 Mike Piazza 1999 24 John Olerud 1998 23 Mike Vail 1975 23 Cleon Jones 1970 23 * Longest Hit Streaks From Start of His Season, Mets History David Wright 2007 12 Ed Kranepool 1965 12 Johnny Lewis 1965 11 * Longest Multi-Season Hit Streaks Mets History David Wright 2006-07 24 Jose Vizcaino 1995-96 16 Gary Carter 1986-87 16 Rusty Staub 1973-74 16 * The longest hit streak of a multi-hit variety in Mets history is 8 games, by Steve Henderson (1979). Thirteen players have reached 6 games, including Carlos Beltran (2006) and Jose Reyes (2003). * The longest hit streak by a Mets pitcher is held by Jerry Koosman, at 6 games (1974) * The longest hitless streak by a Mets position player is 20 games, by David Wright's good friend, Joe McEwing (2002). * The longest "reached base at least once" streak in Mets history is 47 games, set by John Olerud (1998-99). Jose Vi

As he approaches 300 wins, Mets pitcher Tom Glavine should be thankful for a handful of instances in which his team really helped him out. Of Glavine's 292 victories, four came in games in which his team won via walk-off and twice, his teams turned a potential Glavine defeat into victory in that final turn. The first of those instances was on May 7, 1994, against the Expos, a contest in which Glavine carried a two-hit shutout into the ninth inning. The problem was that as well as Glavine pitched, Jeff Fassero was just as good and he matched Glavine's zeroes into the 9th inning. With two outs and nobody on in the Montreal ninth, Glavine finally ran into trouble from which he could not escape successfully. A double by Larry Walker preceded an intentional walk to Moises Alou and an unintentional pass to Randy Milligan (aka the scout who signed David Wright). With the bases loaded and two outs, Glavine got ahead of Lenny Webster, 1-2, but Webster reached on an infield single. Walk

You're going to read a lot today about the start of Jackie Robinson's major-league career, but my focus will be on one particular game related to the conclusion of his playing days. Game 6 of the 1956 World Series took place a day following a perfect game by Yankees pitcher Don Larsen and it was a worthy follow-up to that masterpiece, though it's not anywhere near as heralded. The Yankees were one victory away from clinching the series, ahead 3 games to 2, but the Dodgers were determined to deny their championship and force a seventh game. It was a bright, sunny afternoon, and that would play a role in this contest. Both Dodgers starter Clem Labine and Yankees starter Bob Turley pitched masterfully, though Turley walked eight, two intentionally, matching shutout frame for shutout frame. Labine escaped jams by getting Mickey Mantle out in the third and Billy Martin in the sixth with two men on base. Turley survived two major threats, in the sixth and eighth, and both requir