Catch the Rising Stars: A New York Mets Retro Podcast

The 86 Mets played some wild games but one in Cincinnati takes the cake. Dave Parker drops an easy fly ball, allowing the tying runs to score and taking the game to extras. THEN the Mets and Reds get into an insane on-field brawl with Ray Knight landing such an impressive punch on Eric Davis that Mike Tyson was impressed.  THEN with a glut of ejections, the Mets run out of players and resort to having Jesse Orosco and Roger McDowell trade places from pitching to the outfield.  Hear all about this nutty game and everything else happening in late July of 1986 on our newest episode!

Houston Police 4, New York Mets 0.  At least that’s what the t-shirts sold by Cooter’s Bar in Houston said after four Mets got into a confrontation there with a couple of off-duty police officers, got arrested, and spent a night in a Houston prison.  We’ve got the full breakdown of everything that happened on the worst night of the year for Tim Teufel, Ron Darling, Bob Ojeda and Rick Aguilera.  Plus, we talk about the 1986 All-Star Game and the beginning of the 1986 second half.  You don’t want to miss this one!

The first half of the 1986 baseball season wraps up.  Find out which Mets are selected for the All-Star Game.  Hear about their third on-field brawl of the year.  And join the 86 Mets in wearing a bright red wig to honor former teammate and new Mets Hall of Famer, Rusty Staub!

On the Third of July in 1986, the Mets played what many consider their most exciting regular season game of the year.  Down 5-3 in the tenth inning, home runs by Darryl Strawberry and Ray Knight give them a walk-off win on Fireworks Night at Shea.  Also this week, the Mets once again sweep the Cardinals, burying their 1985 rival.  And the team says goodbye to the second-longest tenured Met, Ed Lynch.  Listen on in as we near the conclusion of the season’s first half!

What is wrong with Dwight Gooden? That is the question that everyone is asking in June of 1986 as the Mets ace continues to struggle.  And elsewhere in the starting rotation, Bruce Berenyi is given one last chance to prove himself as the fifth starter, with Rick Aguilera waiting in the wings.  Listen on in!

With a 10 and a half game lead in the NL East, the Mets face off with the second place Montreal Expos in an opportunity to blow the division wide open.  One game features Doc Gooden going up against childhood friend and high school baseball teammate, Floyd Youmans.  But this is not the Gooden of 1984 and 1985.  And in movie theaters, “The Karate Kid, Part II” opens.  Tune on in!

This week’s episode highlights some major moments from some lesser-known ‘86 Mets.  Rick Anderson finally makes his major league debut, after SEVEN seasons at Tidewater.  Ed Hearn hits his first major league home run… in front of his father, on Father’s Day.  And Tim Teufel has his finest career moment yet by hitting a walk-off, extra-inning, pinch-hit grand slam.  Tune in for all this and more!

The Mets get into their second fight in two weeks!  This time it’s Mets first base coach Bill Robinson in one corner and Pirates pitcher Rick Rhoden in the other corner.  But plenty of others get involved too!  And in this episode, the Mets get their first look at a new, young rookie by the name of Barry Bonds.

FIGHT!  Fighting out of one corner, for the Mets, Ray Knight.  And fighting out of the other corner, for the Dodgers, Tom Niedenfuer.  Hear about the first of several bench-clearing brawls the Mets got into in 1986, and a whole lot more in our newest episode!

This week, the Mets continue their West Coast swing against San Francisco and San Diego.  Among this week’s storylines: Dwight Gooden has his worst outing yet, Davey Johnson rips into Ron Darling, Doug Sisk is recalled from the minors, Jesse Orosco has a redemptive weekend, and Darryl Strawberry’s thumb starts to hurt again.  Happy Memorial Day weekend!