The most underappreciated season by a NY Mets player included an ERA title

If you weren’t around for the 1970s, you’d probably never believe the stories of the decade. My father longs for those days of freedom in New York City. A conversation with him always somehow leads back to how different the world was back in his childless 20s. Despite being around for the 1978 New York Mets season, he probably doesn’t recall what is probably the most underappreciated season by a player in the team’s history.

These were dark days for the Mets. A year removed from the Midnight Massacre in mid-1977, the 1978 team was in full misfit mode. Under the guidance of Joe Torre who’d drag them to a 66-96 finish, there were only a small number of accomplishments to lead the league.

Steve Henderson’s 24 double plays grounded into was tops. The 107 earned runs by Nino Espinosa was also the most in the league. Then there was Craig Swan who in his third year as a regular in the Mets rotation but sixth overall with the club led the entire National League with a 2.43 ERA.

Craig Swan kept runs off the board in 1978 for a miserable Mets team

We know Jacob deGrom had a reputation for keeping the score low but not winning. The same was true for Tom Seaver for a good part of his career. Between those two, Swan had a year where run prevention was a part of his game but wins were hard to come by.

At 9-6, Swan deserved far better. A 143 ERA+ also led the league, pointing out just how true his actual earned run average was even if the 3.00 FIP suggests otherwise.

Swan put together a strong 5.6 WAR, a statistic that wasn’t wildly discussed, if at all, back in 1978. Although big strikeout numbers weren’t present, one might think Swan would have at least garnered some Cy Young attention. Nope.

There might not be another year (I just jinxed it by saying this) where a league’s ERA leader didn’t receive a single Cy Young vote point. Ten different players were recognized. Gaylord Perry with a 21-6 record and 2.73 ERA run away with 22 of the 24 fist place votes. J.R. Richard and his 303 strikeouts finished fourth. Phil Niekro and his MLB-leading 10 WAR placed him in sixth place. It probably had something to do with him leading the league with 18 losses. Hey, he still won 19 games.

Life was more complicated yet so much simpler in 1978 when Swan won an ERA title. A lack of wins, playing for a bad team, and a different way of thinking all helped contribute to what has essentially become one of the best lost Mets player performances.