1992 New York Mets

1992 New York Mets / Franchise: New York Mets / BR Team Page

Record: 72-90, Finished 5th in NL Eastern Division (1992 NL)

Managed by Jeff Torborg

Coaches: Mike Cubbage, Barry Foote, Dave LaRoche, Tom McCraw and Mel Stottlemyre

Ballpark: Shea Stadium

History, Comments, Contributions

The 1992 New York Mets had an offense fitting for a 72-90 club, despite having the highest payroll of any major league team to that point. The club made a handful of notable moves prior to the season that indicated eventual success -- they traded for Bret Saberhagen, signed Bobby Bonilla, Eddie Murray and Willie Randolph and shed Gregg Jefferies and Kevin McReynolds. Nevertheless, the team's .235 batting average ranked last in the 12-team National League, while its .310 on-base percentage was 10th and its .353 slugging mark was 11th. The club also ranked last in at-bats, hits and triples and 11th in home runs, OPS and total bases. Bonilla paced the team with 19 home runs, while Dave Magadan led with a .283 batting average -- in just 321 at-bats. Speed was a strong point, with Vince Coleman stealing 24 bags and Howard Johnson swiping 22. Despite such a poor OBP, the team actually led the NL in walks with 572; Bonilla and Murray paced the club with 66 each. Chico Walker was an unsung hero off the bench, hitting .308 in 207 at-bats.

Despite strong showings from Sid Fernandez (14-11, 2.73) and David Cone (13-7, 2.88) the pitching also struggled, with the team finishing 10th in the league in ERA. Partway through the year, Cone was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for rookie Jeff Kent, who was not yet a dominant hitter. The bullpen was especially weak, with two of the team's primary relievers, Paul Gibson and Lee Guetterman, finishing with ERA+s under 70 (100 is considered an "average" season). Despite going 6-9, Jeff Innis had a season worth noting, as he appeared in 76 games and had a 2.86 ERA. Closer John Franco made just 31 appearances, saving 15 games and posting a 1.64 ERA. Anthony Young seized the closing role in Franco's absence, only to go 2-14 with a 4.17 ERA in 52 games -- though he managed 15 saves. Veteran Tom Filer was a cup of coffee addition that showed unexpected success, as he posted a 2.09 ERA in 22 innings, but that was the entirety of his Mets career -- and his final season as a major leaguer. In a continuation of the prior year's offseason, they traded for infielder Tony Fernandez, another star, following the campaign to bolster the team for 1993, but he would last only 48 games with New York. The team inspired the book The Worst Team Money Can Buy by Bob Klapisch and John Harper.

Awards and Honors

• All-Star: David Cone
• Silver Slugger Award: Dwight Gooden (P)
• Topps All-Star Rookie Team: Todd Hundley (C) and Jeff Kent (2B)

Further Reading

• Bob Klapisch and John Harper: The Worst Team Money Can Buy: The Collapse of the New York Mets, University of Nebraska Press, 2005.