Mets most disappointing seasons in franchise history

Mike Lecolant, Staff Writer: 1977

All these decades later, 1977 easily remains the most distressful and disappointing campaign I ever endured as a Mets fan. Perhaps I was too young and too naive at the time, but after the 1976 season I was very hopeful of things to come. That being said, the 1977 season couldn’t have gone more wrong. Instead of competing for a division title, the organization ushered in an era of Mets history labeled the Dark Years.

The Mets fired Yogi Berra as manager in 1975, then replaced him with Roy McMillan on an interim basis.  For the 1976 season, the Mets promoted Joe Frazier, whom managed the (AAA) Tidewater Tides to a first place finish in 1975. The Mets then went on to post the second best regular season in their fifteen year history. Their 86-76 record was outdone only by their 100 win season of 1969. Were it not for a thumb injury causing Dave Kingman to miss 39 games, I firmly believed the Mets could have given the Philadelphia Phillies a better run for their money.  But after a poor 15-30 start in 1977, Frazier was fired and replaced with Joe Torre (whom was still on the active roster).

The season continued deteriorating like wet toilet paper. But on June 15, the unfathomable happened. The Mets traded Tom Seaver! They traded Dave Kingman as well.  That evening will forever be known in Mets annals as the Midnight Massacre.

Wait…it got worse. On Aug 12, Mets all-star caliber second baseman Felix Millan engaged Ed Ott in a fight after Millan felt the Pittsburgh Pirates catcher slid into second base with overt and excessive force. Ott being the larger man, scooped up Millan (WWE style) and body slammed him to the ground, effectively ending Millan’s career.

By the end of the season, many more of my Mets heroes were gone. Jerry Grote, Bud Harrelson, Jon Milner, Wayne Garrett, Jon Matlack…all gone.

Next: Why does the 2017 season bother us so much?

The Mets finished last with a 64-98 record.

I was only 10 years old. Imagine the pain.

I’m all grown up now. I also have a brick at Citi Field with my name on it. The inscription reads, “1977 Still Hurts”.

Do you agree with our writers’ picks? What is your most disappointing Mets season? Comment below and/or tweet at us @RisingAppleBlog!