Posts

Bud Harrelson: All Time Mets Short Stop (The 1973 NL Pennant Season)

-
Image
1973 Mets NL Pennant Season: In the Mets' 1973 pennant-winning season, Felix Millan was Harrelson's new double play counterpart and their defense up the middle was spectacular. Bud was limited to 106 games, once again due to an injury. On June 4th in a game against the Cincinnati Reds, Johnny Bench's back up catcher; Bill Plummer, crashed into Harrelson at second base, fracturing his hand. He came back after three weeks on the DL only to have & the Pittsburgh Pittsburgh’s; Rennie Stennett crashed into him in rundown play. This injury resulted in a fractured sternum. Before the injures he was batting .259 & the Mets were struggling to stay out of the cellar in the NL East. Many of the Mets key regular players were hurt that season & all got healthy for the final stretch run which resulted in another Mets Miracle, although one game short of a total championship.  In Harrelson's return, he was another key to the Mets incredible September pennant run a...
Read more

Bud Harrelson: All Time Mets Shortstop: Part Three (1974 - 2024)

-
Image
After the Pennant  : The 1974 season, was a disappointing one for the Mets, as they would finish fifth, going 71-91. Harrelson had a great start to the season, gathering up three hits on Opening Day in a 5-4 loss at Philadelphia. When the Mets raised the pennant flag on April 10th, Harrelson had one hit in the 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. He hit safely in 13 of his first 19 games & was batting .300 at the end of the month. He also drew walks in 26 of his first 48 games as well, putting up good a .400 on base percentage. In mid-June he missed some time on the DL & then in September hi season was over by mid month. He drove in just one run from June through the end of the season.  On the year he dropped to a .227 average with nine stolen bases, ten doubles & for the first time in his career, no triples. He played in just 106 games, due to the injuries, but was solid defensively as usual, posting a .968 fielding % (fifth in the league) turning ...
Read more

Bud Harrelson: All Time Mets Short Stop (Part One: 1965 - 1972)

-
Image
Derrel McKinley Harrelson was born on June 6, 1944, in Niles, California, on the Oakland side of the San Francisco Bay. Historically that date was also the famous D-day invasion during World War II. His older brother couldn't pronounce his name Derrell so would call him brother, which eventually became Bud. In high school the skinny Harrelson played baseball, basketball & even football at the safety position. Growing up in Northern California, Harrelson wanted to play for the local San Francisco Giants, but they said he was too small.  The 160 lb. five foot eleven switch hitter, attended San Francisco State University, getting signed by the Mets in 1963. He was a scrappy hitter, with excellent speed but absolutely no power. He was a good base runner, with speed, but it was all about his glove. Harrelson was an outstanding short stop in a period when most shorts tops did not hit well. He would stop balls on either side of him, turn double plays & cut off anything in t...
Read more