3 former NY Mets players who made it known they never wanted to be here

It’s hard to believe any player would not want to play in New York and not want to play for the New York Mets. But believe it or not, there ARE some players that are reticent about playing in New York City, and even more leery about playing for the Mets organization.

It’s hard to believe, but it’s true. The Mets have not always been known for having the greatest ownership to play for. Think about it. There was the infamous M. Donald Grant. Then there were the Wilpons. Just those names were enough to drive players away. And the losing. The Mets have done a lot of losing. Heck, even Keith Hernandez balked at coming to the Mets because of the perennial losing culture.

But at least Keith stayed, and helped turn things around. Some others, well, they just didn’t have the stomach, or heart, to stick it out and try to make a difference. Over the years, there were three players who really stand out as malcontents, who made it clear that they never wanted to put on the New York Mets uniform.

1) Mickey Lolich had to be bribed to spend a season with the NY Mets

Lolich was near the end of his career already when the Mets – M. Donald Grant really - were trying to rid themselves of Rusty Staub following the 1975 campaign. Lolich was a World Series hero for the Detroit Tigers in 1968 and annually started over 40 games and logged a LOT of innings. Lolich was comfortable in Detroit and was not exactly looking to re-start his career, and his life, in the big city, after 17 seasons in the Tigers organization.

And so he vetoed the trade. As a 10/5 player (10 years in the Major Leagues and 5 years with the same organization), Lolich had the right to put a stop to any trade he didn’t agree with.  

Then the Mets sweetened the deal by renegotiating his contract and making it seemingly more attractive for Lolich.

But Lolich never took to NYC and immediately alienated himself from his teammates when he insisted that he would never consider himself a No. 4 starter behind Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Jon Matlack. Not a great way to endear yourself to the rest of the rotation.

Lolich would go 8-13 with a decent 3.22 ERA in 30 starts for a bad Mets team. His innings would be way down, only 192 after having pitching over 300 innings multiple times in the recent seasons, as were his strikeouts. That would be his only season in a Mets uniform.

Lolich would sit out the 1976 season before attempting to resurrect his career and take advantage of the big money in free agency, spending two seasons with the San Diego Padres to finish his career. But Mets fans will always remember him as the one-year malcontent they got in return for Rusty Staub.