3 former Yankees players who became NY Mets fan favorites

There are quite a few players who spent time with both the New York Mets and the New York Yankees. And it would seem that more often than not, former Mets would fare better in the Bronx than former Yankees would fare in Flushing.

It seems like a number of star Mets, or former star Mets, would end up in Yankee pinstripes and get a whole new lease life. David Cone, Doc Gooden, and Darryl Strawberry each paid huge dividends for the Yankees. It was kind of rare to see it go the other way.

There were three players who became New York Mets fan favorites after they were dispensed by the Yankees.

1. Marvelous Marv Throneberry

Marv Throneberry was a huge hit with the fans in their very first year in 1962. Although it wasn’t because of his prowess as a player. It was more because of the almost comical occurrences that would happen to Throneberry on the field. Whether it would be a silly error on an easy fielding play, a gaffe while running the bases, or just some random mishap that earned him the nickname Marvelous Marv.

A lot of the reputation was unfair. Throneberry was a big prospect for the Yankees and had displayed a lot of power in the minor leagues. There was just no room for him on a team with a lot star power. So he eventually bounced around with the Kansas City A’s and Baltimore Orioles before ending up with the Mets in 1962.

Marvelous Marv really only had one good season for the Mets. He hit .244, with 16 homers and 49 RBI in 357 at bats and it would turn out to be his most productive season in the Major Leagues.

Although his stats were very respectable in that inaugural Mets season, he couldn’t replicate his production. As such, it was his mishaps that made him a legend. Throneberry didn’t last much longer and was released in 1964. But the legend of Marvelous Marv Throneberry has lived on.

He was back in the spotlight years later doing beer commercials, although he would let everyone know that he didn’t know what he was asked to do it.