The 3 best Mets General Managers in team history ranked

2. Steve Phillips was the GM of the Mets for the 2000 Subway World Series with the Yankees

Steve Phillips took over for Joe McIlvane during the 1997 season and was one of the longest tenured GM’s, lasting until 2003. The only GM to last longer was Frank Cashen.

Phillips built some of the most exciting Mets teams in the organization’s history. It all started when Phillips somehow stole Mike Piazza from the Florida Marlins days after they acquired him from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the middle of the 1998 season. And then, the Mets re-signed him long-term in that off-season.

The 1999 season sported what is known as the best fielding infield in Major League history with John Olerud at first, Edgardo Alfonso at second, Rey Ordonez at short, and Robin Ventura at third. And those guys could hit at well.

Oh…add in Mike Piazza behind the plate and the Mets were a powerhouse to be reckoned with. NEVER in Mets history had the Mets had such offensive firepower. The 2000 season would see Olerud replaced by Todd Zeile at first base, but the Mets didn’t miss a beat and had an even better year that culminated with a Subway World Series against the Yankees.

And while the Mets didn’t win that World Series, they would enjoy one of the most fun periods in their history.

Steve Phillips will always be remembered as the GM who delivered Mike Piazza and a Subway World Series to New York Mets fans.

1. Frank Cashen was the GM who put together the 1986 World Series Champions

Frank Cashen is the longest tenured New York Mets general manager spending 11 seasons – 1980 through 1990 – as the guy in charge. Cashen was the guy who built the great Baltimore Orioles teams and he was charged with doing that for the Mets. And he did just that.

Cashen came on board when the Mets were absolutely brutal. They were horrible on the field, and they had nothing on the horizon. They had one star, Lee Mazzilli. And after spending the first couple of years bringing back a couple of old fan favorites like Dave Kingman and Rusty Staub, and completely revamping the farm system and scouting department, he began to slowly craft an annual contender.

He began by hiring an old Oriole friend, Davey Johnson, and stashed him down at Tidewater to manage the younger players to get them ready for the kind of baseball the Orioles were known for. He started his wheeling and dealing by trading away Mazzilli. That yielded Ron Darling and Walt Terrell. Terrell would eventually be sent to the Detroit Tigers for Howard Johnson.

The following year he traded away closer Neil Allen and Rick Ownbey for Keith Hernandez. And then Cashen, needing a final piece, plucked Gary Carter away from the Expos for fan favorite Hubie Brooks and a few prospects. For the icing on the cake, Cashen would get Ray Knight from the Cincinnati Reds and Bobby Ojeda from the Boston Red Sox. And, of course, the successful drafts yielded Darryl Strawberry and Doc Gooden.

It all led to an era of dominance…from 1984 through 1988…the New York Mets were yearly contenders, constantly in a dog fight with the St. Louis Cardinals for the top spot in the NL East, and played hard-nosed, in your face, gut it out, entertaining baseball. Unfortunately, for various reasons, the Mets won only two Eastern Division titles (1986 and 1988) and a single World Series Championship (1986).

What should have, and could have, been a dynasty was quickly dismantled once Cashen’s reign was over.

Frank Cashen will always be remembered as the architect of the 1986 World Championship Mets.