I don't recall any "official books" for that era. There were a number of season recaps in that period and NY newspaper books on the 98-99-00 seasons (though the only "insider" books by a beat writer were done after 96 by Harper/Klapisch and 98 by George King).
There were season highlight videos for the 96-98-99 seasons but MSG wouldn't do one for the 2000 season beacuse at that point they were in a lame-duck relationship with the Yankees as the YES network had been announced for 2002 and they clearly didn't want to give them publicity any longer.
Coates unfortunately for many years was unjustly maligned for allegedly not covering first base on an infield hit by Clemente prior to Hal Smith's home run that put the Pirates up 9-7 in Game 7 (the Yankees rallied to tie and then Mazeroski hit the walk-off homer). But in 2010, when the telecast of the game resurfaced in Bing Crosby's cellar, something amazing was revealed. Coates DID break to the bag and the play was a simple case of Clemente being fast enough to beat it out. I remember Bobby Richardson reacting to this during an airing of the game on MLB network and he acknowledged it let Coates off the hook completely.
That whole incident itself stands as a reminder of how when we read newspaper accounts of baseball games from prior to the television era or when its part of an era where the telecasts are lost and instant replay did not exist to be dissected endlessly, we may not actually be getting an accurate account of how things really happened because the observation was based on a one-time, real-time witnessing that couldn't be looked at over and over again.
I was unaware of the controversy surrounding the first base play and was thinking of the home run he surrendered.
The 1960 Series was a bizarre one, but I suppose many a World Series has its "theme." That one was the Yankees crushing the Pirates in their wins and the Pirates winning theirs in squeakers.
A Series For New York is one of those World Series books:
I remember there being similar volumes for 92-93; 95-98, but no further volumes afterwards. I always liked these books and looked forward to getting them every year, regardless of the champion.
Some day I'll frighten you by uploading Channel 5 theater/film critic Stewart Klein's tribute to the 86 Mets where to the Hallelujah Chorus he "sings", "Keith Hernandez! Sid Fernandez! Mookie Wilson! Mookie Wilson! Hallelujah!"
I've enjoyed reading the recent posts to this thread. Good stuff. Thanks to both you guys despite the fact that that 1980's Mets commercial sucked as bad then as it does now and I really didn't need to be reminded of it.
Well, this came out of nowhere yesterday. It appears that Mets minority owner and lifelong Mets fan Steve Cohen is about to take over 80% ownership of the Mets. Not sure what to think at this point but like a lot of Mets fans I certainly will be very overjoyed to see the decades of Fred and Jeff Wilpons uneven, confusing, frustrating, and oft times penny pinching majority reign of ownership of the franchise being significantly reduced and eventually coming to an end. The report is that the Wilpons will be transitioned out in 5 years time at that point turning full control over to Cohen but hopefully the two of them will be phased out of running things a hell of a lot sooner than that. Cohen is reportedly worth over 12 billion dollars and is not going to be restrained by spending considerations the way the Wilpons have (For a whole host of reasons discussed here) for many years.
Amazing to look back and remember that the Payson family sold the Mets franchise in 1980 to the group that included Fred Wilpon for what was then a whopping 21.1 million dollars. The Mets franchise in 2019 is now worth in excess of 2 billion dollars.
I actually liked those alternate black jerseys too. Better than the all royal blue ones they occasionally wear now. I'm glad the Mets have now gone back to and stayed with their classic 60's look home pinstripe and road greys. When they came into being in 1962 the Mets incorporated the orange and blue colors from both the departed Giants and Dodgers. Black was a NY baseball Giants color along with the orange so it worked. I wasn't a fan of the "shadow box" script on the uniforms of the 90's and early 2000's. And I was not a big fan of the blinding white "Good Humor Man" uniforms (Eric had a field day with those lol) worn during that same time frame that were an obvious awful attempt to somehow replicate the Dodgers home jerseys. Another reason I couldn't stand Fred Wilpon. He really wanted to own the Brooklyn Dodgers of his youth not the Mets. But that is for another day. This post is already going to be long.
As far as discussing the Cubs 2016 championship season is concerned, I think you'll find (if you care to look back and it's a long look back) that I wasn't posting here much during the Mets regular season run to the World Series in 2015. I haven't been around here much either this year. And the Mets had a whole host of good things to talk about. Jacob deGrom's second Cy Young Award season in a row and Pete Alonso's 2019 season just to name a few. We three (yourself, Eric, and myself) mostly went back and forth a bit during the playoffs and the WS in 2015. I have nothing against the Cubs personally. While I can't speak for Eric, life takes us to and away from this place from time to time and I really can't recall the reasons why I wasn't here to talk about the Cubs run in 2016. That was your moment to chip in Mr. Phelps! You could have put down your thoughts in here about the Cubs remarkable run in 2016.
I will admit I was not a fan of comments the late Cubs star Ron Santo had to say concerning the Mets 1969 club and I talked about it a few times here. Other than that I was very complimentary of the Cubs team and organization during the playoffs against the Mets in 2015. Perhaps there are some Cubs fans lurking around this board. I wish more baseball fans would post in here. I've welcomed them. I've seen comments made about baseball on this board by at least one longtime member yet he will not post here on this thread for whatever reason. And he has a wealth of knowledge about the game to offer and always expresses himself wonderfully when motivated. And there are others. Lukas is a big baseball fan. Where is he?? Many of the posters who originally posted here back in 2005 are now long gone from this place and at least one has been banned. Gary S, the Detroit Tigers fan who used to post here often was the latest to leave the board. I'm glad yourself and Eric have kept this thread going recently. 15 years later and still going!
The bloated contracts being handed out for 30 year old pitchers that go 5 or 6 innings now is getting beyond nuts. The oft injured former Met Zach Wheeler recently got 118 million from the Phils. Wheeler has missed huge chunks of time after his trade from San Francisco for now Mets manager Carlos Beltran. The prime years of his career really, and only very recently has he pitched well coming into free agency at age 29. Potential. That word has followed him around his entire career. This is why he got that contract. The Phillies certainly overpayed but they are banking on him having finally turned the corner after years of injuries. Here, I can understand why the Mets let him go. I don't think the resume is worth 118 million. We'll see.
Steven Strasburg, the longtime Nationals hurler got his contract renegotiated to the tune of 245 million for 7 years. He's 31 and had his career year last season when he finally pitched the Nats to their first World Championship and won an MVP. What will former Astro Gerrit Cole get? The Yankees and Angels will battle it out to see who can throw the most cash his way. And with Cole the price will most likely start at 300 million. The Yankees are already in the process of trying to shed some more payroll to soften the blow. And the Dodgers may also swoop in with stupid money as well. Are any of these guys going to be worth this kind of money beyond the next year or two? Buyers beware. Between injuries and off years you just don't know what you'll get for your money in the long run. David Price.
I have nothing against the Cubs personally. While I can't speak for Eric, life takes us to and away from this place from time to time and I really can't recall the reasons why I wasn't here to talk about the Cubs run in 2016. That was your moment to chip in Mr. Phelps! You could have put down your thoughts in here about the Cubs remarkable run in 2016.
You're right, Anz. However, my cherished Cubs memories are of the 2003 NLCS, back when the Marlins had a team and before the fire sale that soured me on baseball for many years. These days, I'm a fan without a team.
Well, well. FINALLY, they get a star pitcher that they've needed for years. And now they have no excuse if they fail to take this home next year.
Cole's $324 million contract over nine years makes his arm so valuable that Giancarlo "18 Games" Stanton will have to reach for the salt whenever Cole wants it.
I wonder how much more Cole could have had if the Astros had actually won the World Series!
Gerrit Cole will have to shave off that beard and cut that hair first...*then* the rest of MLB should beware.
We'll just have to wait and see if the addition of Cole can reverse the last three years of Yankees postseason failure. This team won 100 games without their $252 million dollar man, Giancarlo Stanton, so let's see what happens if Stanton is healthy in 2020 along with the addition of Gerrit Cole.
Love them or hate them, the postseason is much more interesting when the Yankees get to the World Series and they haven't been there in ten years, which is an eternity for Yankee fans. When they win, they add to their incredible history. When they lose, the team that beats them--and those who loathe them--will know they've beaten the most storied club in baseball.
After Cole's agent confirmed to him that he was a 324 million man he told him the scruff and the mullet had to go. 9 years for a pitcher, even one as good as Cole is now likely won't end well. They are going for it all in 2020 and they better win it all or you'll start hearing the Yankee fans calling for Aaron Boone's head. A few years down the road when Cole's production drops off the remainder of the 324 million will still be there to bite the Yankees in the ass just like A-Rod and now Stanton. Cole was brought over to Houston for the same reason he's now joining the Yankees. To get his team over the hump. He wasn't able to do that in Houston this year and he's really going to have the heat turned up on him in the Bronx. A lot will be expected. Remember, Paxton and Happ really heard it from the fans when they both struggled for stretches this year. And neither of them are making over 300 million.
But it's the Yankees, and they would not be denied this last stab at finally getting Cole in pinstripes. They originally drafted him in 2008 and the stars just never aligned to sign him until now. The obvious thing to keep in mind is that Cole was not the world beater he is today when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates. As a Pirate, he was a solid pitcher desired by teams but he was certainly not putting up the dominating numbers he did when he got traded to Houston. A lot of the credit for turning Gerrit Cole into the pitching monster he is today goes to Astros pitching coach and resident guru Brent Strom. Strom pitched on and off a few years with the Mets in the early to mid 1970's and supposedly was the second man ever to recieve Tommy John surgery.
