New York Mets: The 1990s All-Decade Team

As we move through the Mets' team history, we come to the 1990s. By 1990, the Mets had been in the midst of their best stretch ever by finishing no lower than second place from 1984-1990. However, after the 1990 season, many things changed.

Star outfielder Darryl Strawberry chose to sign a long-term contract with the Dodgers and the 1991 Mets suffered, but that was mostly thanks to a bad second-half collapse. A new general manager and manager then came in and brought veterans, headaches and chaos to the Mets in 1992. As a result, the Mets became a laughingstock in 1992 and an even bigger bunch of underachievers in 1993 when they lost more than 100 games for the first time since the 1960s.

By the end of 1993, the Mets already had both another new general manager and a new manager.

The Mets began to turn the corner in 1994, but that season of course was cut short thanks to the players' strike that summer. Furthermore, longtime ace Dwight Gooden tested positive again for cocaine and his Mets tenure came to an end. In 1995, the Mets started to get younger by bringing up younger players, including "Generation K," which consisted of three starting pitchers that had a ton of potential, but they all ended up spending more time on the disabled list than the pitching mound.

While 1996 was not a good season overall for the Mets, it will be more remembered for the amazing seasons that Lance Johnson, Bernard Gilkey and Todd Hundley had that year. Finally, in 1997, the Mets really started to come together and surprised everyone by finishing in third place in the NL East. The Mets then finished in second place in 1998 with the exact same record they had in 1997, but this time, they barely missed the postseason.

In 1999 though, the Mets really put it all together and made it to the postseason for the first time since 1988.

Unlike the 1980s, the Mets did not have the very best players in the league during the 1990s. However, at times, the Mets were still able to compete and win a good number of games. With this being said, here is the Mets' 1990s All-Decade Team.

Catcher: Todd Hundley

While Mike Piazza is arguably the best catcher the Mets have ever had and also had two great seasons in 1998 and 1999 after coming to the Mets, the nod should go to Todd Hundley, who was the Mets' regular backstop from 1992-1997 and was one of the few offensive bright spots for the Mets during most of his tenure.

Hundley, the son of longtime Cubs catcher Randy Hundley, originally came up in 1990 but did not become the everyday starter until 1992. Originally known for his defense, he was a scrawny light-hitting catcher at first and did not start to turn the corner until 1994. He batted .280 and had a good season in 1995 before he really emerged as one of the best offensive catchers in the league in 1996.

During his career season, the switch-hitting Hundley set a new Mets' single-season record by hitting 41 home runs, while also driving in a career-high 112 RBI and making his first of two consecutive trips to the All-Star Game. At the time, his 41 home runs also set new MLB single-season records for both catchers and switch-hitters. However, both of those records have since been broken, while his Mets record was tied by Carlos Beltran in 2006. His 1996 numbers also helped him land a new four-year $21 million contract that even granted him the right to use a team logo in local endorsements.

Hundley then continued his offensive success during the last great season of his career in 1997. He finished the year with 30 home runs and 86 RBI, but both of those numbers would have probably been larger had it not been for a nagging elbow injury that eventually required surgery in September. During 1997, he also became the Mets' new offensive leader as he helped carry the team to their first winning record since 1990 and only a few games away from postseason contention.

However, this elbow injury became a major turning point in Hundley's career. With his 1998 season in doubt, the Mets ended up trading for Mike Piazza while Hundley recovered from surgery. He eventually returned in July, but as a part-time outfielder. This experiment did not work as Hundley looked awkward in the outfield. He also struggled at the plate and got traded the following offseason to the Dodgers as the Mets decided to sign Piazza long-term.

First Base: John Olerud

Although his time with the Mets was a lot shorter than everyone wanted it to be, John Olerud did so much for the Mets within just three years and became one of the best first basemen in franchise history.

Olerud was traded from the Blue Jays to the Mets prior to the 1997 season for Robert Person. Blue Jays' manager Cito Gaston predicted that Olerud would not be able to handle the New York pressure and criticized him for being too patient at the plate. All Olerud did with the Mets was prove Gaston wrong.

Olerud became one of the Mets' offensive leaders in 1997 and batted .294 with 22 home runs and a team-leading 102 RBI. He also got his first career "hit for the cycle" in September.

Olerud's 1998 season was even better and ranks among the best in Mets history. While Mike Piazza, the Mets' new catcher was considered the best hitter on the Mets, Olerud actually had the best season of anyone on the team. He demolished Cleon Jones' single-season batting average record of .340 by batting .354, which was good enough for second in the National League, and still a Mets record today. He also hit 22 home runs and drove in 93 RBI. His .447 OBP and 138 runs created that year are team records as well.

During his contract season in 1999, Olerud delivered another great season by batting .298 with 19 home runs and 96 RBI. He also set more team records that year with 125 walks. Furthermore, he became just the second Met to play in all 162 games that season. He was once again a dependable contributor to the team's success, as he played in the postseason for the first time since his Blue Jays championship years.

While many Mets fans wanted Olerud to stay, he ended up signing a three-year deal with the Mariners to be closer to home.

Second Base: Edgardo Alfonzo

Edgardo Alfonzo may have only played second base full-time during one season in the 1990s, but this should not take away from the fact that he was one of the Mets' best hitters in the late 1990s and played very well at both second base and third base throughout his time as a Met.

Alfonzo was originally a utility infielder, but he impressed everyone with his hitting in 1995 to stick around and not go back to the minor leagues. With second base and third base both blocked in 1996, Alfonzo did not play as much before finally getting his big break in 1997.

In 1997, Alfonzo finally got an everyday job at third base and had a breakout season by batting .315 with 10 home runs, 72 RBI, 27 doubles and a .391 on-base percentage. He followed this up by going .278 with 17 home runs, 78 RBI and 28 doubles in 1998.

In 1999, Alfonzo shifted to second base to accommodate the arrival of third baseman Robin Ventura. In order to complete the change, underachieving second baseman Carlos Baerga was not re-signed. Alfonzo then went on to have a career season. He set career highs with 27 home runs and 108 RBI and won his first and only Silver Slugger Award. He also had 123 runs scored, 191 hits, 41 doubles, a career-high 315 total bases and a .385 on-base percentage.

He had many clutch hits and set a Mets record by going 6-for-6 with three home runs and scoring six runs in a game against the Astros. He even appeared on a Sports Illustrated cover as part of the "Best Infield Ever."

Alfonzo continued to hit for the Mets as the new millennium began, but most of his best seasons were in the late 1990s.

Shortstop: Rey Ordonez

One of the best defensive shortstops in Mets history, Rey Ordonez was a mainstay for the Mets in the late 1990s.

In his first game in the major leagues in 1996, Ordonez wowed the crowd with an amazing throw from his knees to nail Royce Clayton of the Cardinals at home plate. He then went on to have an underachieving and free-swinging season at the plate during his rookie season. He batted .257 that year with one home run and 30 RBI. However, Ordonez was a known free-swinger and walked just 22 times (10 unintentional) in 151 games. Somehow, Ordonez finished fifth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Ordonez improved in 1997 despite only batting .216. He hit one home run, drove in 33 RBI and stole a career-high 11 bases. He also increased his unintentional walk total by 15 and won his first of three consecutive Gold Glove awards. Ordonez missed a month of the season with a broken bone in his glove hand, and as a result, Manny Alexander and later Luis Lopez got more playing time at shortstop. In September, after hitting his only home run of the season, he went on an 0-37 slump, which set a new team record. 

After the 1997 season, Ordonez decided to change his number from 0 to 10. This was a smart idea as the new Ordonez became certainly better than the old. Ordonez batted .246 in 1998 with 20 doubles, one home run and 42 RBI. He continued his familiar trend of hitting his only home run of each year in September. 

Ordonez improved a lot in 1999 as he had his career season. He batted a career-high .258 and also had a career-best 60 RBI and 24 doubles. As a result, this landed him a four-year contract that the Mets would later regret.

Third Base: Howard Johnson

Howard Johnson continued his offensive success of the late 1980s into the early 1990s as he asserted himself as one of baseball's premier third basemen during his prime.

After a decent 1990 season, Johnson had another career season in 1991 as he led the National League with 38 home runs and 117 RBI. He also added 34 doubles, 30 stolen bases and a .535 slugging percentage. He could have received more MVP votes if the 1991 Mets actually had done well, but unfortunately, Johnson was pretty much a one-man show for the team.

He made his second All-Star team that year and won his second Silver Slugger award. However, he also made 31 errors at third base, and as a result, he was shifted to center field in 1992.

1991 would be the last great season of Johnson's career. Johnson struggled at the plate and with injuries in 1992. His season ended in August after fracturing his wrist. 1993 was not much better for Johnson or the Mets. The Mets lost over 100 games that year and Johnson became a free agent after the season.

The 1990s portion of Howard Johnson's Mets career was not as good overall compared to the 1980s portion, but Johnson had a great 1991 season and even set a new Mets' single-season RBI record that Bernard Gilkey would tie in 1996 and Mike Piazza and Robin Ventura would break in 1999.

Left Field: Bernard Gilkey

Speaking of Bernard Gilkey, he was one of the best outfielders to wear a Mets uniform in the 1990s, despite the fact that he turned out to be a one-year wonder for the team.

After spending the first six years of his career with the Cardinals, Gilkey was traded to the Mets prior to the 1996 season in the walk year of his contract. Gilkey then went on to make the most of his contract season.

Gilkey emerged as one of the National League's top hitters in 1996 by finishing with a .317 average, 108 runs scored, 181 hits, a Mets-record 44 doubles, 30 home runs, 117 RBI, 73 walks, 321 total bases, a .393 OBP and a .562 slugging percentage. He also had 18 assists from left field. For some reason, Gilkey got snubbed from the 1996 NL All-Star team, but he still had one of a heck of a career season that year.

Thanks to his career season, Gilkey was rewarded with a new four-year $20 million contract from the Mets. He was expected to continue to put up similar numbers in 1997, but thanks to these expectations, his 1997 season looked more disappointing than it actually was. Gilkey struggled during the early portion of the season, but still had 18 home runs and 78 RBI. However, his average dropped significantly to just .249. Gilkey's 1998 season was much worse though and he ended up getting traded to the Diamondbacks in July. He never found his 1996 success again for the rest of his career. 

Although he was more or less a one-year wonder, Bernard Gilkey still had a great 1996 season and a better Mets tenure in the 1990s than any other left fielder in the decade.

Center Field: Lance Johnson

Another Mets outfielder that had a career season in 1996 was the "One Dog" himself, Lance Johnson.

After spending the first eight seasons of his career with the White Sox from 1988-1995, Johnson signed with the Mets prior to the 1996 season. Johnson was already known around the league as a speedster and someone that could really accumulate a lot of triples. Johnson had led the American League in triples from 1991-1994 and brought the same kind of success to the Mets in 1996.

Johnson finished the 1996 season with a .333 average, 117 runs scored, 227 hits, 31 doubles, 21 triples, nine home runs, 69 RBI, 50 stolen bases, 327 total bases and a .362 OBP. The runs scored, hits, triples and total bases all became single-season records at the time. The 227 hits and 21 triples records still stand today. Johnson made his only trip to the All-Star Game that year and even started in place of an injured Tony Gwynn.

Johnson was expected to continue his offensive success for the Mets in 1997, but he battled shin splints that year and ended up getting traded at the trade deadline to the Cubs in the deal that brought Brian McRae, Turk Wendell and Mel Rojas to the Mets. Before the trade, Johnson was batting .309 with 15 stolen bases. There were also rumors that he did not get along well with new manager Bobby Valentine.

Despite his Mets tenure ending up all too short, Lance Johnson had one heck of an amazing season in 1996 and that alone should make him the Mets' top center fielder of the 1990s.

Right Field: Butch Huskey

Although he was given a lot of criticism by many people, including fans, the media and even his own coaches, Butch Huskey was still a solid outfielder for the Mets in the mid-1990s, despite a disappointing end to his Mets tenure. When he was cold at the plate, he was ice cold, but when he was on fire, he could hit the ball a mile at any given moment.

Originally drafted by the Mets in 1989, Huskey made his major league debut in September of 1993. However, he, along with the rest of the lineup did not get any hits as the late Darryl Kile threw a no-hitter that day.

After spending all of 1994 in the minor leagues and only receiving a brief September call-up in 1995, Huskey finally got to spend regular time in the major leagues in 1996. He was originally going to compete with Edgardo Alfonzo for the third base job, but when Rey Ordonez emerged with his spectacular defense at shortstop, manager Dallas Green altered the defensive alignment by putting Jose Vizcaino at second base and Jeff Kent at third base.

To reward Huskey for his hitting, he was given the everyday right field job, despite barely ever playing in the outfield. Huskey ended up struggling in the outfield and being replaced by more natural outfielders, like Carl Everett and Alex Ochoa. However, after Rico Brogna's season ended due to an injury, Huskey started playing first base regularly for the rest of the season. Huskey finished the 1996 season with a .278 average, 15 home runs and 60 RBI.

In 1997, Huskey was originally the starting third baseman, but he struggled defensively, got benched in favor of Alfonzo and soon found himself back in right field. This season though would become his breakout and most successful season. He batted .287 with 24 home runs and 81 RBI. While 1996 stars Bernard Gilkey, Lance Johnson and Todd Hundley were expected to carry the Mets offense once again, Gilkey and Johnson did not find as much success and Hundley hit well until his elbow injury got the best of his season.

As a result, Huskey stepped up and became one of the better hitters on a Mets team that finished with a winning record for the first time since 1990. His average, home runs and RBI totals were all within the top three of all Mets hitters that year.

1997 was also a special year for Huskey as Jackie Robinson's No. 42 got retired across all of MLB. Huskey, who had been wearing 42 since 1995, was allowed to keep wearing the number as part of a grandfather clause. Huskey had always looked up to Robinson and was honored to be able to don the jersey number. Another highlight for Huskey that year occurred in September occurred when he became just the third player to ever hit a home run into the 600 level of Veterans Stadium.

At just 25 years old, scouts were already comparing Huskey to Mark McGwire. With Hundley expected to miss at least half of the 1998 season, Huskey was expected to carry the Mets offense for the time being. Huskey though did not live up to these expectations at all. He spent some time on the disabled list and finished his 1998 season with a .252 average, 13 home runs and just 59 RBI.

By the end of the 1998 season, the Mets' front office had given up on Huskey and decided to trade him to the Mariners in the offseason. Huskey's career was never the same after that. He spent time with the Mariners, Red Sox, Twins and Rockies before retiring prior to the 2001 season at just 29 years old. Nonetheless, Huskey delivered the Mets a great season in 1997 when the team desperately needed it.

The Bench

Mike Piazza

When Mike Piazza arrived in New York in May of 1998, everything changed within the team. The Mets offense that year was rejuvenated and in 1999, the Mets were back in the postseason. He instantly became a team leader and a superstar that the Mets needed to have.

After batting .348 with 23 home runs and 76 RBI in 1998, Piazza then delivered one of the best offensive seasons in Mets history by batting .303 with 40 home runs and 124 RBI.

Robin Ventura

Although he only spent one season with the Mets in the 1990s, Robin Ventura made some critical contributions to the Mets in 1999. He hit 32 home runs and drove in 120 RBI as he instantly became one of the most critical pieces of the Mets offense that year. He also won a Gold Glove award that year and hit one of most significant walk-off home runs in Mets history when he hit the infamous "Grand Slam Single" in Game Six of the 1999 NLCS.

Bobby Bonilla

He may not have been one of the most beloved players in Mets history, but Bonilla was one of the brighter spots during the forgettable 1992 and 1993 seasons. He hit 19 home runs and drove in 70 RBI in 1992 and hit 34 home runs and drove in 87 RBI in 1993.

However, most of Bonilla's Mets years will be remembered for him being a distraction and causing controversy with the fans and media. He was finally traded away in 1995 only to re-appear in 1999 as a reserve outfielder.

Roger Cedeno

Most of Cedeno's Mets years were in the 2000s, but his only good season with the Mets was his first in 1999. He batted .313 that year with 90 runs scored, 23 doubles, a .396 OBP and 66 stolen bases, which set a new Mets' single-season record. His 1999 season was good enough for him to become good trade bait when the Mets acquired Mike Hampton and Derek Bell from the Astros prior to the 2000 season.  

Carl Everett

Controversial and outspoken outfielder Carl Everett spent three seasons from 1995-1997 as a Met and became one of the most promising players on the team during those years. In 1995, he emerged midseason as the starting right fielder by finishing with a .260 average, 12 home runs and 54 RBI in just 79 games.

Everett had a terrible season in 1996 though, as he spent time on the disabled list and only had one home run and 16 RBI that year. He didn't get along with teammates and manager Dallas Green, and was nothing but trouble all year. He demanded a trade that year, but that didn't happen.  

Everett bounced back though in 1997 as he found a lot of playing time thanks to Lance Johnson's shin splints and Butch Huskey being a defensive liability. He led the Mets that year with 17 stolen bases and hit 28 doubles, 14 home runs and drove in 57 RBI.

This season was going much better for Everett until August when a Shea Stadium child care worker noticed bruises on Everett's five-year-old daughter. Both of Everett's children were placed in foster care, but later were returned to Everett and his wife, even though one daughter said she didn't want to live with Everett. This incident did not sit well with the Mets' front office and Everett got traded to the Astros in the offseason for John Hudek, who pitched for the Mets briefly in 1998.

Starting Rotation

Bobby Jones

Among all Mets pitchers from the 1990s, no one pitched more innings and recorded more wins than Bobby Jones. Jones was a mainstay in the Mets rotation from 1994-1998 and stayed with the team through 2000. After having a breakout out season in 1994 by going 12-7 with a 3.15 ERA, Jones had a career season in 1997 in which he finished 15-9 with a 3.63 ERA. He also made his first and only trip to the All-Star Game that year.

Jones was never a flashy superstar, but he was a consistent and steady force in the Mets rotation throughout the 1990s.

Al Leiter

Al Leiter was only on the Mets for two seasons in the 1990s, but he was arguably the Mets' most consistent left-handed pitcher during the decade. After getting traded to the Mets prior to the 1998 season, Leiter went 17-6 that year with a 2.47 ERA. He then won 13 games in 1999, and his last regular-season win that year was the biggest win of his career when he threw a complete-game shutout in the postseason-clinching game for the Mets that year against the Reds. Leiter would then continue his success in the 2000s.

Rick Reed

Another Mets pitcher that was consistent in the late 1990s was Rick Reed. Reed used his pinpoint control and durability to become one of the better control pitchers in the league during his time. A former replacement player, Reed was not treated as well as many other players at first. However, when the 1997 season began, Reed's pitching helped his teammates forget about his replacement player tag and focus on the success he had during his breakout season that year.

He went 13-9 and finished with a 2.89 ERA, which was good enough for sixth in the National League. He also had an amazing 113/31 strikeout/walk ratio that year.

In 1998, Reed won a career-high 16 games and made his first trip to the All-Star Game as well. He then went 11-5 that year with a 4.58 ERA. He pitched well during his two postseason starts by winning one and taking a no-decision during the other. He gave up just two runs in each of those outings.

Bret Saberhagen

A two-time AL Cy Young winner in 1985 and 1989, Bret Saberhagen pitched for the Mets from 1992-1995. The Mets made a brilliant trade to acquire him, but the results they got altogether were not up to par with the expectations. After going through a tumultuous year that saw him spray bleach and throw firecrackers at reporters, Saberhagen completely redeemed himself in 1994. That season was what saved his stay in New York from becoming a potential disaster.

In 1994, Saberhagen went 14-4 with a 2.74 ERA. What was even more amazing was his 143/13 strikeout/walk ratio that year and the fact that he had more wins than walks. Saberhagen finished third in the 1994 NL Cy Young award voting behind Ken Hill and the winner, Greg Maddux.

Saberhagen did not pitch as well in 1995 and got traded midseason, but his 1994 season was definitely one of the best pitching single seasons for the Mets in the 1990s.

Frank Viola

Rounding out the rotation is another former AL Cy Young winner in Frank Viola. Acquired from the Twins in 1989, Viola had a great bounce-back season in 1990 and he finished with a 21-12 record and a 2.67 ERA. He is still the most recent Met to win 20 games in a season. For his efforts, he finished third in the 1990 NL Cy Young award voting behind Ramon Martinez, and the winner, Doug Drabek.

Viola also got off to a great start in 1991 by going 11-5 before the All-Star break, but this was followed by him and the rest of the Mets completely collapsing. Viola did not help the team at all by going 2-10 in the second half. As a result, Viola did not get re-signed. Nonetheless, he is still the last Met to win 20 games in a season and that should not go unnoticed.

Bullpen

Right-Handed Reliever: Turk Wendell

Being that the Mets really only had one actual closer throughout the vast majority of the 1990s, the Mets' best right-handed reliever of the decade was a setup man. The most deserving pitcher for this honor would be Turk Wendell.

Wendell was one of the backbones of the Mets bullpen during his time and probably the most superstitious player to ever wear a Mets uniform. He was acquired in the very first trade that Steve Phillips ever made as a Mets general manager.

Originally considered an extra pitcher that the Mets acquired, Wendell turned out to be the steal of the entire trade. After becoming a Met in 1997, Wendell went 0-0 with a 4.96 ERA and one save in 13 appearances. He finished the whole season with a 3-5 record and a 4.36 ERA.

In 1998, Wendell went 5-1 with a 2.93 ERA and four saves that year, as he became John Franco's main setup man.

In 1999, Wendell was even better and went 5-4 with a 3.05 ERA and three saves. He set a then-team record with 80 appearances. He also had 77 strikeouts in just 85.2 innings. In the 1999 postseason, Wendell did not give up a single run during the NLDS but gave up three runs in 5.2 combined innings during the NLCS.

The energetic and superstitious Wendell also became a fan favorite during his time with the Mets and always brought some entertainment for the fans whenever he pitched.

Left-Handed Reliever: John Franco

The one consistent force for the Mets bullpen throughout the 1990s was closer John Franco. In fact, Franco was probably more of a superstar than any other Met for most of the decade. After being acquired from the Reds, Franco had two solid seasons as the Mets' new closer in 1990 and 1991 before missing parts of the 1992 and 1993 seasons with injuries. He then stayed healthy from 1994-1998 and consistently racked up one save after another. In fact, Franco saved 268 games for the Mets during the 1990s, which was by far the most of any Mets relief pitcher in the decade.

Franco's best season was 1997, when he went 5-3 with a 2.55 ERA and 36 saves. He then broke his own Mets record once again with 38 saves in 1998. Franco remained the Mets closer until an injury in 1999 led to Armando Benitez becoming the Mets' new closer. After returning from the disabled list, Franco became a setup man, a position he held for the rest of his career.

Franco was a fan favorite throughout his Mets years and was also very active within the Mets' organization. He represented the Mets in the players union and was very active during the 1994 MLB players strike. In 1998, Franco voluntarily gave up his No. 31 and switched to 45 in honor of Tug McGraw so Mike Piazza could have his usual number. This is just one example of the great kind of teammate Franco always was.

Despite being quite underrated throughout the 1990s, John Franco was one of baseball's best closers during his time and should also be considered the best relief pitcher in Mets history.

Manager: Bobby Valentine

One of the better Mets managers in franchise history, Bobby Valentine took a Mets team that had been through six straight losing seasons from 1991-1996 and helped turn the Mets from a laughingstock into a World Series contender from 1997-2002.

Valentine was originally promoted to Mets manager for the last month of the 1996 season. However, his charisma and leadership did not rub off on the team until 1997 when the Mets came out of nowhere to win 88 games and fall only a few games short of making the postseason. Valentine helped improve many players that year, such as Edgardo Alfonzo, Butch Huskey, Carl Everett and Rick Reed.

The year was not easy for Valentine, as he clashed with star catcher Todd Hundley and Opening Day starter Pete Harnisch at different points in the season. In August, he and the team also had to deal with Everett's child-abuse case. Nonetheless, Valentine made the most of what many had considered a mid-level team.

The Mets were expected to contend again in 1998, but this time, they fell just one game short of a postseason berth despite having the exact same record as they did in 1997. Mike Piazza also arrived in New York that year and gave the Mets the superstar they needed to carry the team to greater heights.

In 1999, the Mets finally put it all together and made the postseason for the first time since 1988. In one fascinating game that year, Valentine was ejected and reappeared infamously in the dugout wearing a fake mustache, which was pretty funny. The Mets outlasted the Diamondbacks in the Division Series before losing in six games to the Braves in the NLCS. Valentine would then lead the Mets onto even greater heights at the turn of the millennium.

Throughout his managerial tenure, Valentine interacted very well with most of his players and brought out the best that he could from everyone, whether it be a superstar or a reserve player. He had good judgment and decision-making skills during the games and dealt with the media very well. All in all, Bobby Valentine was one of the classiest managers the Mets have ever had.

General Manager: Steve Phillips

One of the most aggressive general managers in Mets history, Steve Phillips revitalized the team and helped bring better players to New York, especially at the beginning of his tenure.

Phillips was promoted to general manager in July of 1997 and at the trade deadline, he sent Mark Clark, Lance Johnson and Manny Alexander to the Cubs for Brian McRae, Mel Rojas and Turk Wendell. Many fans were initially disappointed to see Johnson go, but Wendell ended up becoming the steal of the trade as he became a reliable setup man.

In the 1997-1998 offseason, Phillips went to work and acquired Al Leiter from the Marlins. Leiter became the Mets' new ace and mainstay in the rotation through 2004. However, Phillips' biggest move occurred in May of 1998.

With Todd Hundley missing the first half of the season recovering from elbow surgery, Tim Spehr became the Mets' regular catcher on Opening Day in 1998. However, he got hurt after a month and the Mets had trouble finding a regular catcher during most of May. Phillips knew that he had to do something to improve the position.

Then, the Dodgers' premier catcher Mike Piazza declined a contract extension and was traded to the Marlins. Phillips then made every effort to get him to the Mets, even though at one point he claimed he was not pursuing Piazza. But on May 23, Phillips came through and delivered a Piazza that elevated the Mets to another level.

Phillips' 1998 trade-deadline deals were not the most productive, but he made up for it in the offseason by signing Piazza to a seven-year $91 million contract extension. He then signed third baseman Robin Ventura, legendary outfielder Rickey Henderson and veteran pitcher Orel Hershiser. He also traded for Armando Benitez and Roger Cedeno.

At the 1999 trade deadline, Phillips acquired veteran lefty Kenny Rogers, outfielder Darryl Hamilton and the veteran utility man Shawon Dunston, all of whom helped the Mets reach the 1999 NLCS.

All in all, Steve Phillips made some great trades and signings during the early portion of his time with the Mets. He made the moves that helped the Mets turn from a mere afterthought into a World Series contender.