With the offseason underway and the MLB Project over, it felt right to start a concept that has been in my mind for several years now. As I grew older and the team became the sports franchise that matters the most to me, I became fascinated with the years that the team existed that I had no recollection of. The 60’s and 70’s were treasure troves of stories, games and players that were akin to figments of my imagination since, outside of some old clips from the 1969 and 1973 world series, I had no real life experiences with them, as I did with the mid to late 80’s Mets and all the years after. So to learn I buried myself in the statistics and stories of those years, all the way back to that inaugural draft in October of 1961 and when I studied it, I became fascinated with what could have been. Now I’ll get the chance to share it.
Throughout this offseason, I’ll let my other colleagues at Mets360 handle transactions, free agent signings and predictions for next year as I move as back through history to see what the Mets could have been if some adjustments were made. I won’t make the perfect team. No GM can as they have no foresight for what a player will do. This will be as realistic and human as possible. So, let’s begin.
The key moves the Mets made prior to the 1961 National League expansion draft was to hire former Yankee’s GM George Weiss and former Yankees manager Casey Stengel. These Mets will do the same thing, but will also develop some foresight for the future. Stengel had to be convinced to come out of retirement, so anybody looking at the leadership of the team had to know that Stengel wasn’t going to be there long term. This was a flaw the original Mets ignored that helped lead to a lack of on the field leadership that would plague them until Gil Hodges arrival in the offseason of 1967, prior to the 1968 season.
So the first move the reimagined Mets will make involves that same individual:
The Mets trade a player to be named later and 100,000 cash to the Dodgers for Hodges and a player to be named later.
This trade occurs immediately after the end of the regular season as the Dodgers were not in the playoffs and thus before the expansion draft occurs. Why? The Mets are looking towards the future here in terms of eventually turning the managerial reigns to the then 37 year old Hodges.
This is realistic for several reasons. One is that Hodges did become a manager in 1963, when the Mets traded him to the Washington Senators. Obviously he was considering doing this, which is confirmed by Rod Kanehl who in an interview in Peter Golenbock’s book, “Amazin’: The Miraculous History of New York’s Most Beloved Team” talked about how he, Hodges and another future manager, Don Zimmer, all talked strategy and managerial technique while in the locker room. Hodges was also an intelligent man, who still maintained a residence in Brooklyn and was coming off the worst season of his professional career. He was nagged by back and knee issues and had to know that, entering his age 38 season, his playing career was coming to an end. There is no evidence that the Mets ever reached out to Hodges in this way, but if they did, one would have to think he would have said yes, as long as he was in on the ground floor. The Dodgers would definitely have done this deal. The 1961 expansion draft was a money making bonanza for the other eight national league teams. This deal puts more money in the Dodgers pockets as they were still going to receive money in the expansion draft from the Mets and Colt 45’s (now Astros), while moving on from a player that had no role on their team outside of veteran leadership.
In the end, Hodges joins the budding franchise that was made to replace his Dodgers and the former New York Giants. Hodges would join as a player-coach, watching and assisting Stengel, but also having input into the players that would eventually make up the roster. This also isn’t out of the ordinary as the Mets would do a similar thing when they acquired Warren Spahn in 1965 by putting him in their rotation and naming him the pitching coach.
So with the braintrust in hand, Stengel, Hodges and Weiss, the Mets would enter the expansion draft and make the following selections, by team:
Chicago Cubs:
Ed Bouchee, Jim Brewer and Don Zimmer
Cincinnati Reds:
Gus Bell, Elio Chacon, Jay Hook and Sherman (Roadblock) Jones
Los Angeles Dodgers:
Roger Craig, Charlie Neal and Norm Sherry
Milwaukee Braves:
John DeMerit and Felix Mantilla
Philadelphia Phillies:
Dick Allen, Clarence (Choo Choo) Coleman, Bobby Gene Smith and Lee Walls
Pittsburgh Pirates:
Joe Christopher and Al Jackson
St. Louis Cardinals:
Craig Anderson, Chris Cannizzaro, Jim Hickman and Bob Miller
San Francisco Giants
Dick Dietz, Eddie Fisher and Dom Zanni
Many of these selections are similar. The major changes reflect Hodges’ influence. Brewer, Sherry, Allen, Dietz, Fisher and Zanni were not taken by the Mets in the original draft. Neal was acquired later, but was available in the draft as a premium selection. Neal replaced Hodges in the open selection part of the draft and the Mets would definitely have scooped him up. Dietz and Allen represent risks that the Mets with Hodges involved would most definitely have taken. Most likely selected in the second round of the draft and thus a little bit cheaper in price, Dietz and Allen were hard players to pass up for their offensive potential alone. The original Mets stayed away more than likely due to issues with the fact that neither player was going to impact 1962, if they did at all, but in a world where there was no draft and teams built from within as much as anything, the Mets of that time needed to take the risk to potentially bring in players that could be game changers down the road. Fisher and Brewer represent young pitchers with upside and Zanni was a hard thrower who just never could crack the Giants rotation. Sherry was an elite defensive catcher that Hodges was very familiar with. He had shown power in bursts and the Mets had to hope that, given a regular job, that power could manifest itself.
After the draft, the team made multiple moves. Only the players that made it to the club will be included:
Purchased:
Jim Marshall from the Giants
Richie Ashburn from the Cubs
Drafted via Rule V:
Bob Moorhead from the Reds
Rod Kanehl from the Yankees (Minor League portion)
Traded:
Lee Walls to the Dodgers for Willard Hunter (to complete the Hodges deal)
A player to be named later and Cash to the Braves for Frank Thomas and a player to be named later
A player to be named later, Zanni, Fisher and Cash to the White Sox for Billy Pierce
Walls was traded prior to the 1962 season for Neal, but Neal is already on the roster, so this deal completes the Hodges trade.
The Thomas one was an excellent get by the original Mets and stands pat.
The Pierce deal is basically what the Giants gave up to get Pierce as, originally, the Mets didn’t draft Fisher and Zanni. This deal also included Don Larsen, but the Mets don’t have enough to get both pitchers. Since the player to be named later is probably going to be of nominal talent, money is thrown in to even out the deal. The Mets wanted name players and giving up a knuckleballer and hard thrower that was entering his 30’s for a quality starting pitcher, would have worked for all involved.
During the ensuing season, several other moves would be made:
Purchased:
Harry Chiti from the Indians (to later return him)
Gene Woodling from the Senators
Joe Pignatano from the Giants
Sign:
Ed Kranepool as an amateur free agent
Traded:
Gus Bell to the Braves for Rick Herrscher (completing the Thomas trade)
Bobby Gene Smith to the Cubs for Sammy Taylor
Jim Marshall to the Pirates for Coot Veal
Don Zimmer to the Reds for Bob Miller and Cliff Cook
Norm Sherry and Cash to the Orioles for Marv Throneberry
All of these moves were made by the original Mets, with minimal tweaking. With Pierce and Brewer on the roster, the Mets wouldn’t have traded for Vinegar Bend Mizell, but instead acquire Veal to boost the infield defense. Since Hobie Landrith isn’t on the team, Sherry is substituted in for him as the Orioles were looking for a back-up catcher.
In the end, the team probably would have been nominally better. Pierce was a better pitcher than anyone the Mets had on staff originally in 1962 and Brewer, despite struggling at the start of his career, was still more productive than the likes of Mizell or Ray Daviault. Just those two would have made for a better pitching staff and Veal would have helped sure up the infield defense when Chacon got hurt. The original Mets moved Neal to shortstop and installed Kanehl at second base, which was disastrous defensively. Veal would have kept Neal at second base.
The team would still be one of the worst ever as it was a mish mash of badly combined parts, but there would have been some hope with this club. Kranepool was looked at as a big acquisition and Allen would have run roughshod through the minor leagues, making his debut in September, most likely in spectacular fashion. He also would have been placed at third base in the minor leagues, where he could have made the defensive miscues he originally made in 1964 with the Phillies, outside of the major league spotlight. Since the Mets also played Triple-A ball in Buffalo at the time, Allen wouldn’t have been forced to deal with the southern racism that he went through when the Phillies shipped him to their own Triple-A affiliate in Jackson, Mississippi in 1963. This might have changed Allen, but what definitely would have was the warm reception he would have received in September of 1962, when he had his first big league at bat.
This club probably wouldn’t have lost 120 games, but they wouldn’t have won much more than 45 or so either. In the end though, this team had some things to look forward to, with a decision to be made about Hodges. But we’ll get to that, and what will happen in the 1963 offseason, next week.
I forgot to complete the Pierce deal. My guess is that Bouchee would have been that player. The White Sox needed a bench bat with power. They originally acquired Charlie Maxwell to full that need, but with the Throneberry trade, Bouchee became redundant on the Mets and could have filled that need.
I’ll also open the next post with a roster, to follow the progression. Hope everyone enjoys the walk back down memory lane.
Scott, Scott, Scott. You disappoint me. Read Baseballs Lost Tradition by Eric Thompson and The Amazin’ Mets 1962-1969 by William J. Ryczeck. Steve Treders articles in The Hardball Times website are also very very interesting in regards to this particular study. The first mistake, in my opinion was not naming Branch Rickey, who was offered the job by the Mets, as GM. Apparently he wanted to operate out of Pittsburgh and he wanted an unlimited budget which Mrs. Payson was opposed to on both counts. Briefly, my choices would have been, Bob Aspromonte, Dick Allen, Elio Chacon, Roman Mejias, Roger Craig (reliever only!), Felix Mantilla, Bobby Shantz, Norm Larker, Frank Thomas, Eddie Fisher (would have kept him), Barney Schultz (available), Ted Abernathy (available), Chris Cannizzaro (as a defensive specialist, not as a starter), Robin Roberts, Frank Torre (available), Jim Brewer, Dick Dietz, Bill Henry, Hal Smith, Carl Sawatski (as a platoon partner for Hal Smith), Turk Farrell, Ken Johnson, Al Spangler, Richie Ashburn, Al Jackson, Charlie Neal. I do agree with you that Gil Hodges would have been purchased to manage. This team could have featured decent power with Thomas and Mejias along with Mantilla and Neal Sawatski and Smith providing secondary power. Ashburn and Spangler would have been very good on base guys, while Larker and Frank Torre would have contributed solid defense and excellent contact ability along with good pinch hitting skills. Farrell, Ken Johnson, Al Jackson and Robin Roberts would have been the starting rotation. The bullpen would have featured Barney Schultz, Ted Abernathy, Bobby Shantz, Bill Henry and Roger Craig. Eddie Fisher could have been a swingman. Schultz, Abernathy and Fisher most likley would have pitched often, but two knuckleballers and a rubber arm submariner could have handled the heavy load. Centerfield and shortstop probably would have been a defensive issue, but this team certainly would have won about 35 more games than the actual 62′ team did. Last thought. A lot of good veteran pieces could have been sold or traded off to contenders during a pennant race at the end of the year. Also, during the First Year Player Draft in the off season prior to 1963, The Mets passed on Jimmy Wynn three times. Wynn was the last player selected overall by Houston. Within a few seasons, Jimmy Wynn, Dick Allen and Dick Dietz could have been batting three, four and five in the Mets order.
A number of the players you mentioned were drafted by Houston. I decided not to effect the Houston roster much. Aspromonte and Johnson wouldn’t have been taken due to the Mets taking Neal (who replaced Hodges) and Craig. Neal would have replaced Landrith as the Mets first pick and Aspromonte was taken immediately after.
You also have three Dodgers being taken in the first round, which was against the rules. If the Mets had taken Aspromonte, they could only have taken Craig or Larker, not both. The same goes for Mejias, Shantz and Jackson who were all first round selections from the Pirates. The Mets could only have two.
Frank Thomas wasn’t available in the draft.
The rules for the draft were:
1st Round
2 players from each of the 8 existing teams were mandated to be selected by Houston and NY (16 players for each team.
2nd Round
NY and Houston could each take one more player from each team if they wanted (as many as 8 players each, but not mandatory).
3rd Round (premium players)
4 players taken each by NY and Houston (man dated), a maximum of one per team (if Houston took a player From LA, the Mets couldn’t).
Fair enough Scott. Whenever I imagine myself as The GM of the Mets during the draft this would be the team I would choose. Looking in the crystal ball makes me crazy sometimes when I think of what could have been. Great article Scott. Keep it coming.
Great piece. Enjoyed reading this and I like that it’s rooted in reality to a certain extent. This series will be a fun read.
Major props for creativity, very entertaining, one nitpick:
“Dietz and Allen represent risks that the Mets with Hodges involved would most definitely have taken.”
Hodges is spending 1960 and 1961 as a part-timer with the Dodgers, traveling with them, probably concerning himself mostly with providing, as you note, veteran leadership to that team in his part-time role.
Allen is playing 1960 in Elmira, NY, hardly an attention-getting locale, and 1961 in someplace called “Magic Valley” that I don’t even have the inclination to trace.
Dietz spends 1960 between Artesia and Fresno and 1961 in El Paso … certainly more recognizable than Allen’s hideaways but not places Hodges is likely to get a firsthand view considering his day job.
So essentially, Hodges will be relying on scouting reports. The problem is, so will his boss Weiss, who is old and probably not making many pilgrimages to Fresno or “Magic Valley.”
And Weiss is pretty much legendary for his contempt for ballplayers and their intellect. He was by most accounts a cold, mean, ruthless man who used intimidation, threats, trickery and anything else he could think up to shave a few thousand bucks off a player’s annual salary. Any reputable history of the Yankees during his years there will back this up. Most infamously, he offered Mickey Mantle a pay cut after Mantle batted .365 in 1957 … because he didn’t win the Triple Crown as he did in 1956. (Though Bill James believes Mantle was actually better in 1957.)
Pitcher Vic Raschi won 98 games for the Yankees from 1948-52. He was a very tough negotiator who held out to get his price routinely. After giving in one last time, Weiss threatened him, “Don’t you ever dare have a bad year.” (David Halberstam, “Summer of ’49”) Raschi had an OK year the next year but not great by his standards and was gone.
Long story short, I can’t picture Weiss valuing Gil Hodges’ take on the same information (scouting reports) that he had at his own disposal. Was Hodges a more respected intellect than Mantle or Raschi? Certainly. But this is Weiss. Players were all just meat to him.
Again though, fascinating concept, keep at it 🙂
Mind a suggestion? Since the Mets clearly wanted to be splashy in their manager-GM hires in 1961, how about they hire Branch Rickey as GM instead of Weiss? Yeah Rickey was 4 years from death in 1961 and not on top of his game anymore …. but neither was Weiss. Plus Rickey was champion of the proposed Continental League around that time that was short-circuited by MLB expansion … perhaps a deal between Rickey and Bill Shea in which Rickey ditches his advocacy of the Continental League in exchange for the Mets GM job? (with Mrs. Payson’s OK of course).
Rickey didn’t exactly have a high opinion of players’ brains either but he was softer on it than Weiss I think, and he had some relationship with Hodges, having signed Gil to his first contract in 1943 while Rickey was GM of Brooklyn. As an aging man in a job he probably couldn’t handle full-time by 1961-62 I could see him ceding some power to Hodges much more so than I can picture Weiss doing it.
Excellent points! My final installment will be this week. Read through and tell me what you think.
I thought long and hard about the Rickey angle, but realized it would have been too hard to judge player acquisitions. Rickey would have been all about the farm, the first year draft and Rule 5. I tried to find records of that stuff, like what players were available in both drafts or at least 40 man rosters, but was unable to do so. Maybe next offseason, because that would be unbelievably interesting.
Scott, I would suggest you look into obtaining the books The Amazin’ Mets 1962-1969 by William Ryczek and Baseballs Lost Tradition by Eric Thompson as well as looking into Baseball Reference .com. You will get a wealth of information concerning the questions about the expansion drafts of 1962 and the Rule 5 Draft following the 1962 season. The Mets lost Paul Blair in the Rule 5 draft but gained Amos Otis. Unfortunately, the Mets passed on Jimmy Wynn three times before he was selected as the last pick in the Rule 5 draft by the Colt .45’s. I personally feel that the Mets should have taken Rickey over Weiss as GM. According to Ryczeks book, Rickey who was living in Pittsburgh at the time wanted to operate out of Pittsburgh while the Mets wanted Rickey in New York. Rickey also requested an unlimited budget which Joan Payson would not agree to. Payson had more money than both God and the Catholic Church combined at the time so I don’t feel that either of Rickeys requests were totally unreasonable. George Weiss was an on the record racist while Rickeys story concerning advancement for black players needs not to be repeated here. I will make the following assumptions about Rickey as Mets GM. He would not have hired Casey Stengel as the manager. He would not have selected Hobie Landrith with his first pick when both Hal Smith and Carl Sawatski and Dick Dietz were available. It is very difficult to guess who else he might have drafted or traded for but George Weiss’ selections were idiotic and unfathomable. Stengel was ahead of the curve during the 1950’s with his platooning and his use of bullpen specialists but by the time expansion rolled around the Major Leagues had caught up to him and he no longer had the advantage. Joe Morgan had been scouted by the Mets and the scout who watched him wanted the Mets to sign him. Perhaps under Rickeys administration he might have been signed. As to Rickeys adavanced age, he did work as a consultant for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964, one year prior to his death and he did help push Bing Devine out of the GM seat in St. Louis. Rickey helped the Cardinals win in the 1930’s and 1940’s, the Brooklyn team in the 1950’s and he set up the Pittsburgh World Series championship in 1960. He helped repeat the St. Louis World Series victory in 1964. Casey Stengel wasn’t funny, he was a disaster as the Mets manager. Stengel was also instrumental in the choice of Steve Chilcott over Reggie Jackson, suggesting that the Mets take Chilcott over Reggie. After watching a high school kid get six hits against teen age kids Stengel the genius, felt he was a better choice than a college player in his twenties playing for one of the best college baseball programs in the country. Reggie and Seaver. What a combo they would have made!
With a bit of luck or foresight or a crystal ball, the Mets could have drafted Richie Allen and Dick Dietz in the expansion draft of 1961. They could have drafted Jimmy Wynn in the first year player draft after the 1962 season. Joe Morgan wrote in his biography that the Mets had offered him a contract in 1961 but there was some sort of disagreement that prevented his signing with New York. By 1966 Allen, Wynn, Morgan and Dietz would have entered the major leagues. With Allen and Wynn showing their offensive potential in the minors perhaps there would not have been the Kranepool and Swoboda signings. The Mets had an opportunity to grab Mike Cuellar off the waiver wire but they let him pass. With these players on the team, the Tommy Davis deal wouldn’t have been made. As a result of these dominoes falling the Agee deal would not have happened. Ron Hunt stays and plays third base, while Morgan, Bud Harrelson and Allen make up the rest of the infield. Add Cleon Jones to leftfield with Jimmy Wynn in centerfield either Art Shamsky or some other right hand hitting outfielder rounds out the rest of the outfield. Eventually Amos Otis and Ken Singleton are added to the team in a few seasons and with little or no turnover on the big league roster I seriously doubt the Oakland A’s win the 1973 World Series in seven games. Dick Dietz would represent an issue due to his somewhat hideous catching record in regard to his passed ball totals. All I am suggesting is that all of these different events occurring was more than possible. I have always found that the it-could-have-happened scenarios in baseball to be fascinating no matter which team we look at.