5 best Mets who spent 1 year or less with the team

NY Mets one year wonder: Chad Bradford

Amongst all the offensive fire power on the 2006 Mets, it was a deep bullpen that rounded them into National League East champions. A lesser-remembered, but integral part of that pitching staff was side-arming veteran Chad Bradford.

The right-hander signed as a free agent after an injury-shortened 2005 season with the Boston Red Sox. Bradford rebounded with the Mets in a big way in 2006, posting a 2.90 ERA in 62 innings pitched with just one home run allowed all year. His impact stretched into the postseason as well, with 5.2 scoreless innings across six relief appearances.

Bradford primarily served as an option for the seventh and eighth innings, lengthening a bullpen that boasted closer Billy Wagner, righties Aaron Heilman and Duaner Sanchez, and lefties Pedro Feliciano and Darren Oliver. The Mets’ bullen that year posted a 3.28 ERA overall, almost a full run better than the league average for relief pitching (4.22).

Unfortunately, the Mets were unable to retain Bradford after 2006, as he signed a multi-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles. He enjoyed continued success with the Orioles before contributing to the Tampa Bay Rays’ run to the World Series in 2008, then retiring after the 2009 season.