1973 New York Mets season

1973 New York Mets
National League Champions National League East Champions
Mets equipment staffer John Sellers sits in the locker room of Payson Field in St. Petersburg, Florida in 1973.
League	National League
Division	East
Ballpark	Shea Stadium
City	New York City, New York
Record	82–79 (.509)
Divisional place	1st
Owners	Joan Whitney Payson
General managers	Bob Scheffing
Managers	Yogi Berra
Television	WOR-TV
Radio	WHN (Ralph Kiner, Lindsey Nelson, Bob Murphy)
Stats	ESPN.com Baseball Reference
← 1972 Seasons 1974 →

The 1973 New York Mets season was the 12th regular season for the Mets, who played home games at Shea Stadium. Manager Yogi Berra led the team to a National League East title with an 82–79 record and the National League pennant, though they were defeated by the Oakland Athletics in the World Series. Their .509 winning percentage is the lowest of any pennant-winner in major league history. Having won only 82 games during the regular season, they, along with the 2005 San Diego Padres, qualified for the postseason with the fewest regular season wins since Major League Baseball expanded to a 162-game season in 1961, and the fewest of any team since 1885 (excluding the strike-shortened 1981 season and the 2020 season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic). The season was well known for pitcher Tug McGraw's catchphrase "Ya Gotta Believe!!!"

• November 1, 1972: Danny Frisella and Gary Gentry were traded by the Mets to the Atlanta Braves for Félix Millán and George Stone.^[1]
• November 27, 1972: Brent Strom and Bob Rauch were traded by the Mets to the Cleveland Indians for Phil Hennigan.^[1]
• November 27, 1972: Tommie Agee was traded by the Mets to the Houston Astros for Rich Chiles and Buddy Harris.^[2]
• November 30, 1972: Dave Marshall was traded by the Mets to the San Diego Padres for Al Severinsen.^[1]
• March 28, 1973: Bill Sudakis was traded by the Mets to the Texas Rangers for Bill McNulty.^[1]

The 1973 Mets were much improved from their "miracle" 1969 team. They had a group of young proven stars—including Jon Matlack, Rusty Staub, John Milner, and Félix Millán—mixed in with veterans from the 1969 club, such as Jerry Grote, Cleon Jones, Wayne Garrett, and Bud Harrelson. Their pitching staff, led by Tom Seaver, was among the finest in baseball. But injuries hampered the Mets throughout the entire season.

The Mets got off to a 4–0 start to the season, and were still at first place by April 29 with a 12–8 record. But then, injuries to their key players caused turmoil. By July 26, the Mets were in last place, yet still only 7+1⁄2 games behind. On August 16, they were 12 games below .500, with 44 games to play.

On August 30, the Mets were in last place, with only a month left to play. However, the division was so tight-knit that the last place standing consisted of only a 6+1⁄2 game deficit. At the completion of August (one day later), the Mets were in fifth place, nine games under .500,^[3] but, in the balanced mediocrity of that year's Eastern Division, just 5+1⁄2 games out of first. The mathematical inequities of divisional play were beginning to show up. On September 11, the Mets were in fourth place, five games under .500, but just three games out. Ahead of them were the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Montreal Expos.

With Tug McGraw urging his teammates on and celebrating victories with what soon became the catch phrase of 1973, "You Gotta Believe!!!" the Mets clinched the most unlikely of pennants. Yogi Berra, veteran of many a pennant race, used a four man rotation down the stretch: Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Jon Matlack, and George Stone, with the suddenly unhittable McGraw coming out of the pen with boisterous - and justified - confidence. In his last 19 games, the screwball-throwing lefty recorded 5 wins, converted 12 saves and had an ERA of 0.88.

One of the most famous plays in Mets folklore occurred when their September 20 match-up against the Pirates at Shea Stadium went into extra innings. The Pirates had Richie Zisk on first base when Dave Augustine hit what appeared to be a two-run home run to left. Instead, the ball hit the top of the wall, and caromed directly into left fielder Cleon Jones' glove. Jones fired a strike to Wayne Garrett as the cut-off man, who in turn, fired a strike to catcher Ron Hodges to nail Zisk at the plate.^[4] The Mets went on to win the game in the bottom of the inning as part of a three game sweep.

After completing the three-game sweep of the Pirates on September 21, the Mets' record stood at an even 77–77, but that .500 record was good enough for first place and a half-game lead. Illustrating just how dense the crowd was at the top, fifth-place Chicago was just 2+1⁄2 out. The Mets won five of their last seven to finish as National League East Division Champions. The clinching took place at Wrigley Field on October 1 as the Mets beat the Cubs 6-4 as Tom Seaver won his 19th game of 1973 and Tug McGraw recorded the save. The Cardinals finished second, 1+1⁄2 games back, Pittsburgh third at 2+1⁄2, Montreal fourth at 3+1⁄2, and Chicago fifth, 5 games back.

This was the only NL East title between 1970 and 1980 not to be won by either the Philadelphia Phillies or the Pittsburgh Pirates.^[5][6]

• Duffy Dyer
• Jim Fregosi
• Bud Harrelson
• Cleon Jones
• Willie Mays
• Félix Millán
• John Milner
• Tom Seaver
• Rusty Staub

• June 5, 1973: Lee Mazzilli was drafted by the Mets in the 1st round (14th pick) of the 1973 Major League Baseball Draft.^[7]
• July 11, 1973: Jim Fregosi was sold by the Mets to the Texas Rangers.^[8]

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

October 6: Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati

October 7: Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati

October 8: Shea Stadium, New York City

October 9: Shea Stadium, New York City

October 10: Shea Stadium, New York City

• Cy Young Award – Tom Seaver
• Jerry Koosman – Player of the Month, April 1973

All-Star Game

• Tom Seaver
• Willie Mays

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Memphis

• Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1973 New York Mets season.

• 1973 New York Mets at Baseball Reference
• 1973 New York Mets team page at www.baseball-almanac.com