The only NY Mets pitcher to lead the league in home runs allowed and hit by pitches

Three New York Mets pitchers have ended the year as the league leader in home runs allowed. Only one did it in a full 162-game season with Pat Zachry in 1981 and Pete Smith in 1994 being two others. Only one Mets pitcher ever led the league in hit batters. It was the same guy who gave up more home runs than any other National League pitcher in 2002.

A 12-11 record, 4.79 ERA, and 31 starts doesn’t quite constitute an all-time bad year. Far worse seasons have been thrown by Mets hurlers.

It’s the uniqueness of leading the league in the most meatballs and beanballs that makes Pedro Astacio’s 2002 campaign one of the more unique seasons by a player without being an all-time tragedy.

The Mets had to know what they were getting into when they signed Pedro Astacio

A former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher who spent a few years with the Colorado Rockies and 4 starts with the Houston Astros, Astacio was a very middle-of-the-road kind of starter from the Steroid Era. He had a perfect 4.50 ERA upon signing with the Mets. The run per every other inning perfectly represented what he was: average or below.

Astacio was already familiar with the league’s best home run trots. He led the league in home runs allowed in 1998 and 1999 with the Rockies. If you dig up any of your old “best home runs of the decade” VHS tapes, you’re bound to find Astacio on there.

In 1998, Astacio gave up a career-high 39 home runs while hitting 17 batters. Both led the league. In 2002, he gave up 32 home runs with the Mets and hit 16 batters. Each led the league.

Astacio’s 4.79 ERA is kind of remarkable considering all of the home runs and hit batters. Walking 3 per 9 might’ve helped him.

It might surprise you to learn Astacio was worth 0.8 bWAR in 2002 despite all of the bruises on the backs of hitters and the ones they put on dingers. It doesn’t compare to 1999 when he was worth 5.9 bWAR with a 5.04 ERA. Winning 17 games in the prime of the Steroid Era seemed to help him in a stat that hadn’t gone mainstream.

The 2002 Mets signaled the end of an era. It was Bobby Valentine’s final year as skipper and the club was in a bit of a transition with the best days of Mike Piazza over with and a few seasons of failed past-their-prime additions coming to town. Astacio might’ve been the team’s most battered starting pitcher and yet the year wasn’t close to the worst.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow