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They Don't Make Em Like The Mook Any More

"There are certain things that stay with you, your whole life in sports. Mookie flying is one of those things."
-- Blogger's father, 1:10pm on Feb 9.

During the 1987 season, Mookie Wilson was on first base in seven instances in which the batter at the plate hit a double.

How many times do you think Mookie scored?

I'll give you a hint: Every time.

According to some recent reading I've done,

The average runner scores from first base on a double around 40-45 percent of the time.

Mookie's career percentage: 65 percent (45 of 69)

The average runner goes first to third on about 27 percent of singles hit.

Mookie's percentage: 50 percent (120 of 240)

The average runner scores from second base on about 58 percent of singles hit.

Mookie's percentage: 75 percent (162 of 215)

How good was Mookie Wilson? Let me put it to you this way.

The guy turns 54 years old today (and got an early present by being re-hired by the Mets as a minor league instructor). I'd take the current Mookie replacing Beltran for a few weeks in centerfield over any of our current options.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Mookie doesn't always get the credit he deserves. The guy defined "hustle" and he was one hell of a fine baserunner; fast, smart and aggressive. His career numbers don't fully convey how important he was to the 1980's Mets.
1:44 AM
Anonymous said…
Just wanted to add that every time Mookie went from first to third, his helmet flew off everytime too.
9:14 AM
ChrisKelsey said…
Your dad is right. One of my clearest and fondest baseball memories is of Mookie scoring from second base on an infield single (or was it a ground out?) in the division clincher at Shea in 1988. I had the best seats I'd ever had at a baseball game--field level behind third base--and I felt like I was running alongside him. The Mets' dominance officially ended the day they traded Mook to the Jays. Jeff Musselman, for chrissake ...
9:59 AM
Anonymous said…
Mookie was my favorite player on the team in the glory days of the late 80s. It wasn't just the Buckner ball and all that. And it wasn't because he was the best. It was just fun to watch him, and he always seemed to make the most of the ability that he had.
10:52 AM
dave crockett said…
I Always loved his feet-first pop-up slide he used to be on his feet quickly in case of an errant throw.

My clearest memory of Mookie is going in and taking out Cincy 2B Ron Oester on a play some thought dirty. It was the quintessential aggressive-but-not-dirty play. I loved watching him play.
11:31 AM
Anonymous said…
I've seen Mookie go from 1st to 3rd when the batter hit a ground ball out. How many guys do that????!!!
2:32 PM
Term Papers said…
Certainly There are some things that stay with us, our whole life in sports. Mookie flying is one of those things.
6:49 AM
john-e-be said…
"The guy turns 54 years old today (and got an early present by being re-hired by the Mets as a minor league instructor). I'd take the current Mookie replacing Beltran for a few weeks in centerfield over any of our current options."

Perhaps Mookie's new gig is the front office's thinly-veiled, incentive-laden offer to come to camp and make the major league roster after he grows tired of the constant scenario of: "No, no. Not like that. Here, let me show you."
3:42 PM
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