Three Mets players best known for one fantastic defensive catch

When it comes to memorable defensive plays, these three New York Mets players from the past are most remembered for one moment of glory with the glove.

Defense is a big part of winning in baseball. Unfortunately, it sometimes goes overlooked. New York Mets fans appreciate good glove work because of how few men have worn the team’s uniform and excelled on this side of the baseball.

Throughout the franchise’s history, however, three men stand out for one particular play on defense. They weren’t the best players by any stretch. In fact, they may have been forgotten if not for one fantastic catch.

I’m not sure there’s any other franchise in MLB history with this many memorable catches from otherwise innocuous players. These franchise-defining plays remain a big part of Mets history many years later. I don’t expect anything to change either.

Ron Swoboda in the 1969 World Series

The 1969 World Series will have its place in the hearts of Mets fans everywhere. It was the first victory for the franchise. The accomplishment was achieved by a likable group of men who may not have had the most talent, but certainly had plenty of heart.

One member of the team was Ron Swoboda. The outfielder had been with the team since 1965. In this year, he was more of a part-time player. As some may even recall, he didn’t play a single inning in the NLCS sweep versus the Atlanta Braves.

Things were a little different for Swoboda in the World Series. He participated in four of the team’s games, batting .400 in his 16 trips to the plate. His most memorable moment came in the ninth inning of Game Four.

In the ninth inning, Swoboda made a spectacular catch in right field to steal a hit away from future Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson.

Something not always mentioned with this catch is that it did allow the Baltimore Orioles to score the tying run. Fellow future Hall of Famer Frank Robinson scored from third base on the sacrifice fly. However, with Swoboda making such an amazing grab, the Orioles may have scored more. Instead, the game was tied after nine. The Mets would later win in 10 innings, making Swoboda’s catch even more important.

Endy Chavez in the 2006 NLCS

Endy Chavez joined the Mets for the 2006 season after a year where he hit .216 split between the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies. A light-hitting outfielder with some amazing speed, he put together a fantastic campaign in the regular season. Through 390 trips to the plate with the 2006 Mets, Chavez batted .306/.348/.431.

It’s Chavez’s defense, though, which made him a memorable part of this organization.

In the top of the sixth inning, Jim Edmonds of the St. Louis Cardinals stood on first with one out. The batter, Scott Rolen, drove what should have been a tie-breaking two-run home run into left field. Chavez picked up on the ball and raced toward the outer banks of Shea Stadium.

When he got to the wall, Chavez leaped up and snagged the baseball in a graceful yet reckless manner. Unlike many defensive plays we had seen in the past, many from Edmonds and Rolen, there was no time to think about the highlight reel. Chavez only had an opportunity to react.

Fortunately for New York, his speed was just enough to get there and make the catch. In what was only a few seconds, Chavez recorded the second out of the inning. He wasn’t finished yet.

Doubtful anyone could possibly make the play, Edmonds was caught off first base then doubled up on the throw to the infield. The inning was over and the two teams headed to the bottom half of the inning with the score still tied at 1 a piece in a deciding Game Seven of the NLCS.

Unfortunately, this catch didn’t have the same happy ending as Swoboda’s. Yadier Molina hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning a little too far for any of the outfielders to reach. The Mets famously went down in this game with the final at-bat belonging to Carlos Beltran whose bat didn’t even leave his shoulder.