15 worst trades in Mets history

4) NY Mets Worst Trades: Amos Otis to the Royals

The name Amos Otis might be one of the more obscure names on this list because of when he actually did play for the Mets. Believe it or not, he had 102 plate appearances for the 1969 club. After the season, he was traded alongside Bob Johnson to the Kansas City Royals for Joe Foy.

Foy was nothing spectacular. He joined the Mets for one year in 1970 where he hit .236/.373/.329 in 399 trips to the plate. The third baseman was then selected by the Washington Senators in the Rule 5 Draft, ending the story of this trade—expect for one factor. Otis was becoming a fast star in Kansas City.

It didn’t take Otis long. In 1970, he led the American League with 36 doubles, made the first of five All-Star teams, and took home a Gold Glove. Throughout the 1970s, Otis’ name would come up in the MVP conversation. In 1973, he finished third.

Something I’m not so sure people who weren’t around for it remember—the Royals were really good during many of Otis’ years. They lost to the New York Yankees in three straight ALCS from 1976-1978. In 1980, they finally won and got to the World Series. Otis put together one of the best World Series performances you could imagine. He hit .478/.538/.957 with 3 home runs against the Philadelphia Phillies in the losing effort. Had the Royals won, he would have been an easy MVP selection.