With Johan and Krod on this team, are we witnessing history as Mets fans?Â
When was the last time we had a dominant SP and Closer in the same season?
Lets take a look:
2009:
Johan: 1.50 ERAÂ 
1990:
Viola: 2.67 ERA 20-12
1988:
Cone: 2.22 ERA 20-3(Sometimes I forget how good he was)
McDowell: 2.63 ERA 16 saves 
1986:
Really a combination of starters doing very well as well as bullpen. No one was clearly better in the rotation or pen.
1985:
Gooden:Â 1.53 ERA 24-4Â (unbelievable)
McDowell: 2.83 ERA 17 saves
1984:
Gooden: 2.60 ERA 17-9
Orosco: 2.59 ERA 31 saves 
1975:
Seaver: 2.38 ERA 22-9 
1972:
Seaver: 2.92 ERA 21-12
1971:
Seaver: 1.76 ERA 20-10
Frisella: 1.99 ERA 12 saves (90 innings) 
1969:
Seaver: 2.21 ERA 25-7
In my opinion you the 1969 season was the most dominant season by a combination 1 SP and 1 CL. Will we see history this year? All I can say that there is no doubt that right now I feel more comfortable in these two pitchers than any two in my Mets fan-hood. To that, I say thank you to Omar. You may screw a lot up, but you got that one right.
7 comments
TheDirtySanchez
5/22/2009-11:45pm at 11:45 pm (UTC -4)
statistically you may be right…i always have a soft spot for franco. I can’t tell you how happy i am that we are witnessing a pitcher of Johan’s caliber on the Mets. The problem with me is being so young, i missed out on the Doc and Seaver and Strawberry. I cannot say those guys are my favorite mets because frankly i never grew up with them. For me my favorite mets were Piazza, Ventura, Leiter, and Franco. I cant express how happy i am to be witnessing what we are witnessing right now. Thanks god for Santana and Frankie…Here’s to you Venezuela, good job ;p
gravediggerhebner
5/22/2009-11:57pm at 11:57 pm (UTC -4)
It’s a great question, and thanks for all the memories inspired by the pics and stats. I first started watching in ’74, so I did get to see the last few years of Seaver’s majesty, but I have no memories at all of Apodaca (I was only 8), so I can’t put them forth as ‘most dominant.’
For me, the most palpable excitement I ever felt watching Met pitchers was the mid ’80′s era which you demonstrated above perfectly with Doc and Cone. They were both electric, and dominant, and by then I was old enough to get myself to some games, where you could feel the electricity in the stadium. The closers that finished games for them always worked in some sort of buddy system, so it’s hard to pick a pair, since it was more of a trio then.
The best way I can sum up my thoughts on it is to say that watching Santana and Rodriguez conjures up feelings that come closest to any I’ve felt since watching those mid ’80′s tandems, and since now it really is just a pair, assuming this season continues to unfold as it is so far for them, they will take the mantle.
metsfan4decades
5/22/2009-11:59pm at 11:59 pm (UTC -4)
Great stuff, TRS.
I forgot all about Apodaca and how good he was. But a personal favorite of mine will always be Tug McGraw. In an era where closers were just starting to be thought of as valuable, he was good for the Mets for several years. I hated to see him go to Philly, but the injuries made them nervous about his continued reliability.
And I think Seaver just made it that easy to pick up a save. I felt the same way about his starts that I did about Gooden in 84 and 85. If either were pitching, more than likely it was a win.
However, nothing beats the excitement of Santana and Frankie. I realize it’s a whole different era and mindset but it’s just that electric.
gravediggerhebner
5/23/2009-12:15am at 12:15 am (UTC -4)
TRS I was reading through some of the previous threads (Geez you guys are prolific – do you worry about running out of ideas?) and I noticed you mention your happiness with the Sportspyder thing. Do you have any idea about how to get “The Real Dirty Mets” listed on there? If that is doable, that would bring tons of eyes in (assuming that’s something you and Dirty are interested in).
gategem
5/23/2009-12:57am at 12:57 am (UTC -4)
Back in 1971Seaver started 35 games and completed 21 of them. The closer back then didn’t have the significance he does now. Everyday Newsday runs a boxscore of a 1969 game played on that date and a few days ago I noticed that Tug McGraw who had 12 saves that year started the listed game. He had 4 starts that year. BTW Bob Gibson, my all-time favorite pitcher, completed 28 games in both 1968 and 1969.
trs86
5/22/2009-11:48pm at 11:48 pm (UTC -4)
Yeh, I only go back to 1986 really my self. Nothing better than Gooden to the 2 headed monster. Seaver and McGraw HAD to be tough though.
TheDirtySanchez
5/23/2009-12:18am at 12:18 am (UTC -4)
i have no idea how to do that. I was promoting the site on the hotfoot bleachers today(i hope they dont mind). That would be great to get more eyes here.