Good NY Mets players best known for one real bad moment

These three New York Mets had good careers in Flushing but are best known for one bad moment.

Some players in New York Mets history managed to become notorious for one single great moment. Endy Chavez comes to mind. His amazing catch in the 2006 NLCS is legendary in the minds of Mets fans.

A similar sentiment could be said about Mike Baxter whose catch in Johan Santana’s no-hitter made him a guy we would never forget.

Unfortunately, there are some players in Mets history who are best known for one single bad moment despite having years of success. From all-time greats to just productive, these good Mets are unfortunately best remembered for coming up short when the team needed the most.

Good Mets known for one bad moment – Carlos Beltran

Carlos Beltran is known for a lot of things relating to his time with the Mets. Along with putting up some amazing numbers on the field, he also has the distinction of being the only Mets manager to never actually manage a game. We all remember why that is. Amazingly, it’s not what he is best remembered for.

Despite his place as one of the best outfielders in franchise history, it’s Beltran’s performance in 2006 NLCS that many remember him for most. Not long after Chavez’s game-saving catch, Beltran went down on three straight pitches from St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright. With the bat on his shoulder, Beltran struck out with the bases juiced in the bottom of the ninth.

The strikeout ended the game, put the Cardinals in the World Series, and laid down the groundwork for the Mets to miss the postseason every year until they went back in 2015.

Sadly, the Mets would see two more infamous moments in the 2015 playoffs that defined the careers of other quality players.

Good Mets known for one bad moment – Jeurys Familia

You know a moment is important in baseball lore when it has a name. Not many plays have a specific name, but this one does. You say it to a Mets fan and they know exactly what you mean. I’m referring to Jeurys Familia’s quick-pitch in Game One of the 2015 World Series.

The Mets had not been to the World Series since 2000 when they dropped the series to the New York Yankees. Their last trip to the playoffs ended with Beltran’s strikeout against Wainwright.

After narrowly defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS 3 games to 2, the Mets blazed by the Chicago Cubs with a sweep in the NLCS. Now it was time to take on the Kansas City Royals.

With the Mets leading 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Familia took the mound looking to close it out as he had successfully done many times before. Familia attempted to catch the batter, Alex Gordon, by surprise with a quicker than usual pitch. Gordon wasn’t fooled in the least. He drove the ball over the wall and tied up the game.

The Mets would go onto lose the game and the series.

Familia never really recovered from this one pitch. Although he put together another great year in 2016, he blew the 2016 NL Wild Card game versus the San Francisco Giants with yet another big home run allowed. The amazing thing about this 2016 home run is that he allowed only one in the regular season.

Anyone who looks at Familia’s numbers might see talent. If you were to actually go through the pain of watching him pitch, even in his best years, you might think otherwise. He is best known for blowing big games, not closing them.

Good Mets known for one bad moment – Luis Castillo

I saved the most controversial take for last. That’s right. I’m saying it. Luis Castillo was a good member of the Mets.

The light-hitting second baseman slashed .274/.366/.324 with the team which fell well below expectations. However, injuries are to blame for most of his shortcomings. Castillo only managed to reach 400 plate appearances once in his four years as a member of the organization. The year he did, the man hit .302.

Still, Castillo was a major disappointment and not someone we usually think of as “good.” The numbers, I believe justify this label. But yes, he’s the weakest of the bunch on this list.

We don’t really remember any of those good times by Castillo for what he did in a June 2009 game versus the Yankees. With two on and two out in the bottom of the ninth, Alex Rodriguez popped one up to shallow right field. Castillo looked to have an eye on it and I suppose he did. What he didn’t have was a ready glove.

The ball dropped from the Bronx air and into Castillo’s glove only to then pop right out of it again. Both runners scored and the Mets lost the game.

This flub by Castillo didn’t have nearly the same impact as the Beltran strikeout, Familia quick-pitch, or Duda throw. Somehow, it hurts just as much. Maybe it’s because of all 29 teams they could have been facing, this one took place versus the Yankees.

The 2009 Mets were the first to signify the club was headed in the wrong direction. The Castillo error to end this game represented well how the team was on the decline despite seemingly having a winning season within reach.

Want your voice heard? Join the Rising Apple team!

Write for us!

Which other Mets do you remember most for one bad play?