2012 Mets Rally Cry: Remember How the "Experts" Wrote Us off in 1973?

Let's get one thing straight. I don't think that the 2012 New York Mets will win the pennant. But I'm not sure.

The chances are extremely slim that if there are two wild cards, the Mets will be one of them, but it might happen.

Even as a New York Yankees fan, I am tired of virtually all the "experts" writing the Mets off before the season has started. I remember 1969 and 1973. 1986 doesn't count because the Mets were favored going into the season.

In November, Baseball America listed the top 10 Mets prospects. They include pitchers Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler, outfielders Brandon Nimmo and Cesar Puello, and second baseman Reese Havens.

All one can say is, "Who knows if and who knows when?"

Baseball history is fascinating, especially when it involves the Mets.

The March 1969 issue of Baseball Digest presented the top Mets rookies. It really was amazing and it's worth reading the scouting reports.

Included were future major league pitchers Jim Bibby, Rich Folkers, Gary Gentry, Jon Matlack, Barry Raziano, Steve Renko and Les Rohr.

Without Gentry (13-12, 3.43), it is unlikely that the Mets would have won in 1969. Matlack was instrumental in the 1973 pennant, while Bibby, Folkers and Renko were effective pitchers with other teams.

Catcher Don Dyer (he was not yet Duffy), first baseman Mike Jorgensen, infielders Wayne Garrett, Bob Heise and Teddy Martinez, and outfielders Ken Singleton, Amos Otis and Rod Gaspar were included.

Dyer and Garrett were important parts of the 1969 world champions, while Matlack became a top left-hander for the Mets.

The present-day Mets are closer to the 1973 team than to the 1969 team. In 1972, the Mets finished third, winning only 83 games.

Going into 1973, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs were considered the teams to beat. Few individuals expected the Mets to win more than 83 games again.

They were right on one level. The 1973 Mets won only 82 games, but the second-place St. Louis Cardinals won only 81.

It's might not be too wise to mess with the current Mets.