Former Mets outfielder and probably fan favorite to many, Mookie Wilson is coming out with a tell-all book. (Because there’s so much to tell!) Of course it is filled with lots of things that caused a stir in the Mets organization including but not limited to, saying that this current regime doesn’t respect the 86′ Mets. Um, pretty sure Tim Teufel who is also the 3rd base coach was an 86 Met. Also Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling are in the TV both and Bobby Ojeda is screaming his face off after every post game. Oh and Wally Backman is the AAA manager. So yeah, I think the 86′ Mets are fairly well respected.
Part of Mookie’s beef is that he was dismissed as the Mets 1st base coach after one season without reason. To be fair is there ever a good reason to hire or fire a first base coach? He was fired as 1st base coach but then he was offered an ambassadorship within the organization. This of course sounds like a made up job but hey, he excepted it. So now three years later Mookie says in his book that he went from a hero to a hood ornament within the organization. Love ya Mookie but hero? The only reason you’re a hero is because you hit a groundball to a guy who was too old to bend down and field the ball properly. Every member of the 1986 will forever be held in the highest regard, sorry the Mets didn’t name the centerfield wall after you. What next, Ray Knight demands that the Jackie Robinson rotunda be re-named after him?
When is Tim Corcoran Appreciation Day!?
One other thing that Mookie mentions is that when Sandy Alderson and his boys took over in 2011, allegedly Paul DePodesta (Who can be a bit of a tool) said something to the affect of “I’m tired of hearing about the 1986 Mets.” Whether he said it or not, is he wrong? 1986 was magical and even though I was too young to remember it I learned everything I could about when I was a kid. Now it’s almost thirty years later and people need to let go. Yes it’s nice to be like “Hey maybe we can be great again like we were in 1986!” but sitting around in 2014 and yearning for those days, reeks of sadness. As uncertain as it may seem the Mets are building towards a winning future and it’s time to leave 1986 in the past. And if guys like Mookie Wilson and Bruce Berenyi are going to be offended by that fact then so be it.
Won 2 games in 1986! Retire his number!
