Okay so lets get down to brass tacks, Number 41 on the top 50 Mets of all time countdown hit parade is none other than newest Met reserve infielder, Chin Lung Hu ! Okay, Okay I am just kidding. Today’s player to be immortalized in this countdown was one of their top rated rookies from the early ’60′s. Yes I am talking about none other than Mets second baseman from ’63-’66, Ron Hunt.
Ron Hunt was born in St Louis Missouri on on February 23, 1941 He made the Mets in ’63 as their starting second baseman. In his rookie year , Ron hit.272 with 10 homers, and batted in 42 RBIs. Ron was noticed by the Sports Writers of America year, when they voted him runner-up to Pete Rose for the National League Rookie of the Year honors. In 1964 Ron batted a career high of batted .303. He would be the first Met ever voted as a starting player at the All Star Game, which coincidentally was held at Shea Stadium . Ron was also also represented the Mets in the ’66 All Star Game. Throughout his career , Ron was known for his penchant for getting hit by pitches, and even held the record until Don Baylor surpassed him in the mid ’80′s.
In late ’67 Ron along with Mets outfielder, Jim Hickman were traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for star outfielder Tommy Davis.
In his three year career with the Mets, Ron would have a batting average of .282 with 20 homers and 127 RBIS.
He would make an appearance during the “Shea Goodbye ” ceremonies in ’08.
Tomorrow we will profile number 40, one of the grittiest players to ever wear the Mets orange and BLUE!!
And with that said….. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!!
Mets alumni celebrating birthdays today include :
Middle reliever from the ’67 team, Nick Willhite, would have been 70 today (1941) .
One time Rookie of the Year for the Kansas City Royals who came here as a back up during the ’09 season, Angel Berroa is 31(1980).
Sadly on this date two members of the Mets family passed away. First was the Mets general manager from the ’67 team, Bing Devine who passed in ’08. He will always be known as the man who drafted Tom Seaver , and third baseman from the ’62 team ( yes there were quite a few), Sammy Drake just last year.
The Atlanta Braves signed pitcher, Pete Falcone of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 27, 1983. I personally didn’t shed a tear.
New York Mets signed free agent reliever, Dick Tidrow of the Chicago White Sox on January 27, 1984. Tidrow spent less than a month on the Mets roster, sporting a ERA of over 9. . He was promptly in the begining of May.
New York Mets signed free agent Dan Wheeler of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on January 27, 2003. Wheeler put up decent numbers as a middle reliever in the two years he spent as a Met. He is currently considered one of the better relievers in the game today.
The Colorado Rockies signed pitcher, Tim Redding of the New York Mets as a free agent on January 27, 2010. Mets fans everywhere couldn’t contain their glee !!
And whle you spend your day digging out from under all this snow, just remember, there are just 64 more days until the Mets open the 2011 season against the Florida Marlins in Miami and only
71 days until the Mets 2011 home opener against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field.
Mo Vaughn loves all this snow. He like to make ” Mo Angels !!”
11 comments
kingman 26
1/27/2011-10:39am at 10:39 am (UTC -4)
Ah, knew Hunt would be here! Good one folks!
And he did get hit by lots of itches, and was also known for his penchant for scratching!
Keep up the great work Rusty!
Dave Mustaine approves!!
njstuckintx
1/27/2011-10:42am at 10:42 am (UTC -4)
Hello me, it’s me again.
rustyjr
1/27/2011-10:45am at 10:45 am (UTC -4)
Blogging is my business & business is good
njstuckintx
1/27/2011-11:05am at 11:05 am (UTC -4)
Man, remembering that song brought a laugh, for sure.
“As my icy fingers claw your back!” too freaking funny.
Those days were filled with listening to lots of the Angel Dust album by faith no more. Never was a huge Mustaine fan, but he did kick out a good tune or 2.
Sweatin’ Bullets!!!!!!
njstuckintx
1/27/2011-11:06am at 11:06 am (UTC -4)
Oh, and Rusty, you are tweeting #41 but the post says #42.
rustyjr
1/27/2011-11:19am at 11:19 am (UTC -4)
there happy now !!! and what do you mean I dont pay my bill!!>>!! why do you think i’m BROKE !?! HUH !!!!??
njstuckintx
1/27/2011-11:23am at 11:23 am (UTC -4)
Just didn’t know if you were doubling up on 42 to honor jackie robinson and his rotunda.
metsfan4decades
1/27/2011-11:05am at 11:05 am (UTC -4)
I included Ron Hunt on my list as well. Even though he was gone from NY by the time I became a fan (was old enough to start paying attention to my Dad’s obsession with the Mets in ’68), I still knew of him and his contributions while a Met.
When I think of Ron Hunt, I always think of his ‘ability’ to get on base from being hit by a pitch. Take that, Utley! Ron was the master.
saltygary
1/27/2011-1:42pm at 1:42 pm (UTC -4)
Law cam out with his top 100 prospects and here are the Mets:
48 Wilmer Flores
Age: 19 (DOB: Aug. 6, 1991)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Position: Shortstop Organization: New York Mets
Top ’10 Level: A (St. Lucie)
2010 ranking: 41
Wilmer Flores
2010 MINORS STATS
* GM133
* AB554
* HR11
* RBI84
* SB4
* SO77
* BB32
* AVG.289
* OBP.333
* SLG.424
Flores can rake, as you can see from his performance as a true 18-year-old (he didn’t turn 19 until four weeks before the end of the season) in two full-season, A-ball leagues in 2010. There’s zero chance he remains at shortstop despite a lanky build because his feet aren’t quick and overall he’s not very athletic. There’s a non-zero chance for him at third base, since he has enough arm strength and his hands work well, although right field or first base is probably a safer bet. But his bat should profile at any position because of his quick wrists, short path to the ball and strong follow-through with good loft for future power as he fills out.
He’ll eventually need to show more patience, but his 2010 walk total isn’t a big concern because of his youth — the next-youngest position player with more than a handful of at-bats in the Florida State League was 11 months older than Flores.
The most realistic long-term projection for Flores has him in a corner position, hitting for average with plus power and a league-average OBP, but he’s young enough to exceed even that level.
83 Matt Harvey
Age: 21 (DOB: Mar. 27, 1989)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Position: Pitcher Organization: New York Mets
Top ’10 Level: College (UNC)
2010 ranking: UR
Matt Harvey
2010 COLLEGE STATS
* GM14
* IP96
* W8
* L3
* ERA3.09
* SO102
* BB35
* H80
* HR6
* BAA.234
Harvey’s college career was strange: Awful for two springs and two summers, he showed up for his junior year with 4-5 extra mph, good sink on the fastball and the cleanest delivery he’d ever had, going from a Day 1 afterthought to a top-10 pick.
He hit 97 repeatedly this spring and would pitch at 91-94 deep into games, driving the pitch down in the zone to generate a lot of ground balls. His best secondary pitch is a 79-84 mph changeup with some fading action, and he’ll show a curve and slider. His arm works better than it did before 2010, but he still lands on a stiff front leg and drifts rather than driving off the rubber.
The fact that he was able to implement changes to his delivery before gives me hope that he can continue to improve it with the Mets’ coaches helping him, and he did at one point show a curveball that projected as plus, so there’s reason to believe he can stick as a starter. … But 95-97 at the knees with a good changeup would be a pretty dominant reliever, too.
metsfan4decades
1/27/2011-2:33pm at 2:33 pm (UTC -4)
Thanks. You would have thought Law would have at least mentioned these two in his 30 team farm system ranking. Even if he truly believes with these 2 the Mets are indeed #26 and crap, a mention of two good prospects would have verified he did his homework. Instead, we were treated to a one sentence dig on the Wilpons.
saltygary
1/27/2011-3:32pm at 3:32 pm (UTC -4)
Yea it was bad. I read through it again and he only saved that vitriol for the Mets. Usually when he goes there, he spreads the love around. It’s too bad especially for the crew over here that will now always connect Law to that comment. The guys really does his homework on prospects and he is not like many of the other schleps over at ESPN.