Mets Third Base Experiments of the Early Seventies

Looking back to the late sixties, I can only dream of what might have been if they only would have settled on only settled on Wayne Garrett at third base.

After the Miracle 1969 season, the veteran Ed Charles retired. This left Wayne Garrett as the clubs sole third baseman, and Mets management was not satisfied. Believing they had the outfield locked up (and it looked that way at the time) with Tommie Agee in center, Cleon Jones in left, & Ron Swoboda & Art Shamsky in right, they traded they highly touted prospect Amos Otis to Kansas City.

Otis was drafted by the Mets while Whitey Herzog was running the minors. Not wanting to give Garrett the chance at third they tried converting the quick footed outfielder to a third baseman. He struggled mightily at third and it affected his hitting. He hit .20 in 1968 & .151 in 1969. The third base experiment was over quick. The Mets gave up on AO & traded him to Kansas City. In K.C. he became one of the best outfielders of the seventies. Winning three gold gloves, making five All Star Games and winning a stolen base title & four Royals AL West titles. In return the Mets got Joe Foy.

Joe Foy was the 1965 Minor league player of the year. He began his career with the Red Sox & was their third baseman for their 1967 AL Pennant season. He moved on to play third base for the Kansas City Royals in thier 1969 inaugural season. He hit 11 HRs 71 RBIs, batted .262 & stole 37 bases. In New York Foy batted only .236 with 6 HRs & 37 RBIs. Although the one bright spot was he stole 22 bases. He also struggled at third. It was said by players on the Mets that he was a big drug user. The Mets shipped him off to the Washington Senators n 1971, his last year in the majors. Coincidentally Foy was born in NY & died of a heart attack in the Bronx in 1989 at the age of 46.

In 1970 Wayne Garrett still managed to play in 114 games hitting a respectable .254 with 12 home runs. The Mets were not satisfied. In 1971 they traded for a Brooklyn born Italian American named Bob Aspromonte. He would hit .225 with 5 HRs and be released at the end of the season. Garrett would only play in 56 games & hit .213 because of injuries and a bruised ego because his team didn't believe in him.

This led to the famous "One of the Worst trades in Mets History" when on December 10th 1971 they traded Nolan Ryan to the California Angels for third baseman Jim Fregosi. As we know Ryan went on to be the all time strikeout leader, throw seven no hitters & go to the Hall of Fame.

Jim Fregosi was the first star of the California Angels franchise. He made the All Star Game every year from 1966 to 1970. He was sidelined in 1971 when a tumor was discovered on his foot. This didn't stop the Mets upper management. They made the trade and Fregosi bombed big time. First he got sidelined with injuries, in 100 games he hit a dismal .232 with 5 home runs and 32 RBIs. The next year he was hitting .238 without any home runs and was traded by mid season. He did later go on to have a successful managing career with the Angels, White Sox & Phillie's, leading them to the 1993 World Series.

After trading away two great players that could have made a major impact on the 1970's Mets, they still had old Red, Wayne Garrett at third. He would have his best season hitting .256 with 16 HRs & 58 RBIs as the Mets went to the World Series. He is the only Mets third baseman to play in two World Series.

One can only imagine a pitching staff that would have been Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Jerry Koosman & Jon Matlack. Especially if Amos Otis was patrolling center field at Shea Stadium. Remember how the Mets struggled with speed & a lead off hitter in those days. The main guy was guess who again?? Yep Wayne Garrett. Also after Tommie Agee the Mets went with Willie Mays at the end of his career, weak hitting Don Han, then Del Unser & Gene Clines before Lee Mazzilli came and became a steady center fielder.