Former Met of the Day: Todd Hundley (1990-1998)

Todd Randolph Hundley was born May 27, 1969 at Martinsville, Virginia, as his father Randy Hundley catcher of the Chicago Cubs was battling the Mets for 1st place. Hundley was highly touted prospect drafted in the 2nd round by the Mets. He arrived at Shea with a lot of fan fare, he showed great defensive abilities but dint hit right away. In 1990 he only hit .209 in 67 at bats, next year was worse hitting .133 in 60 at bats. By 1992 he was the Mets main catcher and hit a measly .209 with 7 HRs 32 RBIs in 123 games. He would gradually do better each year and by 1995 he was hitting .280 with 15 HRs 51 RBIs. He goes down in Mets history as hitting a home run for four Opening Days in a row from 1994-1997. In 1996 he had a career year, setting a single season record for most home runs by a catcher with 41. It was also a Mets single season mark , he drove in 112 RBIs, hit 32 doubles and played in 152 games, also a career high. He also played in the All Star game representing the Mets two years in a row.
It was a tough act to follow and although he hit for a better average .273, and still put up great numbers; 30 HRs 86 RBIs, 21 doubles. He played in 20 fewer games and was publicly criticized by his manager Bobby Valentine, for drinking, smoking & partying too late at night in New York night clubs. In 1998 he had a career threatening elbow injury that put him on the DL for a while. Next thing he knew the Mets acquired Mike Piazza, and although the team said Hundley was still in their plans the writing was on the wall. Piazza was here to stay and change the face of the organization. Hundley made a brief attempt to play left field but that didn’t work out. After playing in only 53 games with a .151 average he was traded to the Dodgers for Roger Cedeno & Charles Johnson.

In L.A. he did hit 24 HRs two years in a row, but only drove in 55 runs and batted a lowly .207 in 1999. In 2000 he brought his average up to .290 playing in only 90 games. Also that year he was the 1st visiting player to hit a home run ito McCovey Cove at San Francisco’s new Pac Bell Park. He went to his dad’s old team the Cubs and like father like son was their catcher. In 2 years at Wrigley he averaged 14 Hrs and only a .200 batting average. He angered the Wrigley fans at the friendly confines, when he gave them the finger after rounding 3rd base on a home run. He said he aimed it at Reds fans who were heckling him, no one seemed to buy the story. He had one final hurrah back in L.A. but was done after hitting .189. He was named in the Mitchell Report for steroid use in 2007. Lifetime he hit 202 HRs 599 RBIs 167 doubles with a .234 average. Behind the plate he has a lifetime .988 fielding percent in 1096 games caught.