3 gut-wrenching NY Mets trades that will forever turn the stomach of fans

In their history, the New York Mets have made some good trades, and they have made some bad trades. The tabloids and fans love to play general manager and concoct trades because that is a part of the fun. But you have to wonder how in the world the Mets hierarchy ever concocted some of those trades – the trades that just make you want to hang the GM in effigy.

While the bad trades are plentiful, here are three gut-wrenching trades that truly stand out in Mets history for making fans nauseated:

3) Lenny Dykstra, Roger McDowell, and Tom Edens to the Philadelphia Phillies for Juan Samuel on June 18, 1989

Gut-wrenching is the proper term here as this trade was a part of the Mets “gutting” the team that excited the fans and gave the opposing teams fits in the mid to late 1980’s. The problem was that the team was totally out of control, and Dykstra and McDowell were believed to be the main culprits. So off they went.

Juan Samuel was an All Star second baseman with the archrival Phillies and was coveted because he displayed both power and speed. He was also up there in the leaders in strikeouts in an era that wasn’t as strikeout-friendly as the league is today. And while Samuel had some pop in his bat, he didn’t have enough to warrant leading the NL in strikeouts. He actually led the NL in strikeouts in his first four seasons in the Majors, averaging 153 K’s during those seasons while at the same time averaging 19 home runs. His OBP was never very high because he rarely walked. But he did average 50 SB during that same time period. So bringing him into the fold looked like the Mets were gaining an offensive weapon in exchange for dumping a couple of “trouble makers.”

Well, that offensive weapon turned out to be a dud. Samuel was totally lost at the plate. And to make matters worse, there was no place for him to play as the Mets had Gregg Jefferies at second, Kevin Elster at shortstop, and Howard Johnson at third. And, of course, there was Tim Teufel in reserve as well as Keith Miller. They didn’t need another infielder but the Mets attempted to make him their everyday starting centerfielder. He was fast, he was athletic, he was an embarrassment.

While it wasn’t really Samuel’s fault, he did falter and he didn’t last past the end of the season and was unceremoniously traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the winter – in exchange for Mike Marshall (the first baseman not the pitcher) and Alejandro Peña.

Dykstra and McDowell would be productive with the Phillies. McDowell would move on to the Dodgers after a couple of seasons while Dykstra would have his best seasons with the Phils.  In reality, the Mets got Marshall and Peña in exchange for Dykstra and McDowell.

No matter how you look at it, the Mets got fleeced. They sent away two fan favorites and productive players for one, or two, and really all three, players who were basically useless.