Project ShaqBox: Gant Stand Ya
Ron Gant isn't in the Hall of Fame, but if he played his entire career against the Mets, he just might have been, as one of a group otherwise perfectly solid and good players with the middle initial F
Editor’s note: This is the latest home for Project ShaqBox, previously a podcast and recurring writing series elsewhere. This time, I’m sending out cards to Willets Pen’s amazing contributors, and letting them take the cards in whatever direction they want. I had a whole spiel about one of the old cards I won’t be sending out, but I’ll save that for another day. This is a delightful read from Tim, and as nervy and emotional as this series in Atlanta is sure to be for Mets fans, it’s only going to get even more so, because the playoffs are coming… and we’re going to be busy around here, too. Stay tuned, and here’s hoping that this generation’s Ron Gant doesn’t make himself a Georgia legend this weekend.
By Tim Ryder
I admittedly had to look up what Project ShaqBox was when Jesse said he was pulling some cards from the pile and sending them my way with hopes of inspiring some thoughts. As a lifelong admirer of athletes’ photos printed on pieces of cardboard, my interest was piqued immediately. Like, checking-the-mail-daily excited.
At its core, this is pretty much what being a sports card collector is all about. Ripping open that foil packaging or old shoebox (or in this case, folded-up printer paper), getting those cards in your hand (ultimate nostalgia if you haven’t taken a spin in a while), seeing what’s inside, and letting the fan in you wander as you flip through.
Those cards have since arrived, and I’ve indeed found my angle.
We all know the Mets Killers. Always at the plate in the most dangerous spots and, more often than not, with damage delivered seemingly on demand. Soul-crushing stuff.
Originals like Willie Stargell and Willie McCovey receive nothing but reverence here, as does Vladimir Guerrero for his ridiculous exploits against the Mets and otherwise. But feel free to insert fun middle names for guys like Chipper Jones and the Philly trifecta of Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell, and Chase Utley.
The Mets have seen a nettlesome player emerge with the arrival of Jon Berti into Miami’s heavy rotation in recent years. Hits when needed, swipes a bag at will, whatever the situation calls for, doing his job. Just a pesky player, and fits the bill of Mets Agitator to a tee.
Lars Nootbaar worked his magic late last season. Conner Capel added his name to the list just last week. It’s a constant thing. Of course, how long these etchings remain legible depends on the player’s damage quotient—both micro and macro. There’s not a fan among us who won’t shudder at the mention of Conor Gillaspie's name. Wonder what he’s up to these days besides haunting my nightmares?
Anyway, for Mets fans of a certain age, the name that sends chills down spines is Ron Gant. Not quite a household name, but a ballplayer through and through, and uncannily ready to go when he saw those blue caps with orange buttons across the diamond.
Over the Victoria, Texas, product’s 16-year MLB career as a journeyman outfielder (most notably with Atlanta and St. Louis through the 90s), he played 122 games against the Mets. In 505 plate appearances, Gant hit .271/.331/.482 with 20 homers, 25 doubles, 22 stolen bases, and 83 RBIs. Yup, that’ll do the trick.
Never mentioned among Cooperstown hopefuls and only named to two All-Star teams during his career (1992 with Atlanta and his outstanding .940 OPS 1995 campaign with Cincinnati; click his Baseball-Reference page – today’s back of the baseball card – linked above and check out that 1990 season, whew), Gant was undeterred.
A well-balanced .260/.344/.481 line with 262 home runs, 235 doubles, and 202 stolen bases from 1990 through 2000 is proof-positive of his wide-ranging arsenal. In fact, only four players over that 11-year stretch racked up 200-plus home runs, doubles, and stolen bases, respectively:
Barry Bonds (410 HR, 327 2B, 354 SB), Sammy Sosa (382 HR, 236 2B, 224 SB), Ray Lankford (207 HR, 307 2B, 244 SB), and Ron Freaking Gant (that’s not his middle name, it’s Edwin; sound the trumpets!).
That’s some lofty company. Remembering stuff is fun. Until next time, sports fans.. oh, wait!!
Jesse likes trivia with these things. OK, here we go.
There’s only one player over the most recent 11-season span in the majors (2012-2022) with 200+ homers, 200+ doubles, and 200+ stolen bases. Who is it?
A note: Professional athletes are not assets. They are people at work being paid commensurate with the lucrative careers they’ve secured; ones that only a select few on the planet are capable of performing.
That being said, baseball players have a certain value attached to them within their intra-industry market, just as assets would, and even more so as the trade deadline approaches.
The Mets have decisions to make on this front. With obvious holes to plug and weak spots to reinforce as they build beyond 2022 (bullpen help, another bat, maybe a depth starter) and a cache of high-end prospects in their system, there will be lavish offers to consider.
Backstop phenom Francisco Álvarez, in the majors for this season’s memorable coda, is untouchable, as he should be. Though, for a win-now team, anyone else on the farm could likely be had in the right deal. Tense times for prospect-huggers. But then sometimes you wind up with the situation of Dominic Smith (who’s been refreshingly honest about his willingness to move on from New York) being blocked at first base, and J.D. Davis, there’s always the chance that these guys will be traded and really take off if and when they leave Flushing.
Short-sighted transactions are part of the game, as are late bloomers. No one can predict the future in these situations.
Though, Ya Gotta Wonder what M. Donald Grant & Co. were realistically expecting when he jettisoned Tom Seaver to Cincinnati in 1977 for the mostly forgettable foursome of Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson, Dan Norman, and Pat Zachry. The same could be said about St. Louis’ far-too-shabby asking price for future Mets cornerstone Keith Hernandez.
Or, for example, what the impetus was behind, well, I’ll let Mr. Costanza explain.
There could be a Keith Hernandez out there for the 2023 Mets. There could be a Ken Phelps. It’s all about finding the right one for your team and not sending off the future All-Star in the process. Good luck with that.