3 players traded to the NY Mets after an All-Star season that were immediate busts

1) Roberto Alomar, 2B, 2002

On December 11, 2001, the Cleveland Indians traded second baseman Roberto Alomar along with pitcher Mike Bacsik and first baseman Danny Peoples to the New York Mets in exchange for Outfielder Matt Lawton, outfielder Alex Escobar, pitcher Jerrod Riggan, and two players to be named later. These two players would eventually become first baseman Earl Snyder and pitcher Billy Traber.

The word great is used far too often when describing an athlete’s talent and ability. When this word is used to describe the playing career of Roberto Alomar, it seems more than appropriate. He was traded to the Mets in 2002 not only coming of an All-Star season but coming off twelve straight All-Star seasons. That, along with his ten Gold Gloves, four silver sluggers, two World Championships, his one Rookie of the Year Award, you can also add his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011 on only his second year of eligibility. So, where’s the problem here?

Alomar came to the Mets coming off a season where he had hit 20 HR, 100 RBI and had a batting average of .336. The next year these numbers fell to 11 HR, 53 RBI, and a .266 BA. Some people blamed his decline on the pressures of playing in New York, but he was traded during the 2003 season and nothing changed. His career would continue with stops at the White Sox, D-Backs and Rays, but by the end of the 2004 season, he would be out of baseball.

In 2010, his first year of eligibility, Roberto Alomar missed election to the Baseball Hall of Fame by eight votes. His 73.7% of the vote was the highest percentage in any player's first year on the ballot without being elected. He was elected in his second year of eligibility, with 90% of the vote (523 of 581 ballots cast). On July 24, 2011, Alomar was inducted into the Hall of Fame, becoming the first inductee to be depicted as a Toronto Blue Jays player on his plaque.

Roberto Alomar comes from a MLB family with a long history and deep roots. Both his father, former second baseman Sandy Alomar Sr and his brother, former catcher Sandy Alomar Jr, have had long careers both as players and as coaches.