The Mets YouTube Superhack

When you need a win

The 2023 New York Mets have lost more games than they have won. It's, in a word, as Joaquín Andújar might put it, lame as hell. Fact is we are owed some more Ws.

I have a solution: find Met wins on YouTube! I'm not talking about the obvious ones, like "Game 6" or any other postseason game. I'm looking for a "random" game in the middle of the marathon. No fuss, no muss. And where the Mets happen to win. Those will help fill the void made by these expensive, disappointing contemporary Metsies. 

Pirates vs. Mets (6-5-1987)

Dwight Gooden's return from his drug suspension. If I remember right, Ralph Kiner, Tim McCarver and Steve Zabriskie were all cool about it, with McCarver saying something to the effect of blame the disease, not the person. This game was preceded by Spider-Man marrying Mary Jane, but WWOR never mentioned it! 

Mets at Cardinals (10-4-1987)

Last game of the disappointing '87 campaign. I like the final games of the regular season. It's usually a chill atmosphere. Besides, the Cardinals, like they would during the 80s without Keith Hernandez, would end up losing the World Series. 

Speaking of Keith and a relaxed attitude toward work…

This contest was the last game the Mets ever played in their New York script away uniforms. I'm the only person I know that liked those, though. (Editor’s note: No, you’re not.)

Mets at Pirates (9-5-1988)

A rain delayed Labor Day game at Three Rivers Stadium. Of course you don't have to sit through the rain delay watching Amazin' Finishes 2007 when you watch on YouTube. It's fun being a wizard from the future. At this point in the season Jim Leyland and the Pirates are trying to catch the Mets in the NL East standings, but it is not to be. They start to win division titles in 1990.

Mets at Dodgers (8-28-1989)

Frank Viola against Orel Hershiser at Chavez Revine. Excellent pitching matchups almost never live up to the hype. On that Monday night, night owl Sportschannel New York subscribers were witnesses to one of the exceptions. And that's with Juan Samuel patrolling center field for the Mets!

Mets at Pirates (10-1-1989)

Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, and Steve Zabriskie's last games as Met/Channel 9 employees. None of those men would play. Keith however displayed an interesting relaxed attitude toward work again.

Relievers Julio Machado and Randy Myers dicked around in the bullpen, tossing balls with their non-throwing arms and the like. Ralph, Tim, and Stevie Z all did a bit where they pretended to read a newspaper instead of watch the game. At least, I think they were pretending.

Mets vs. Expos (6-5-1990)

Bobby O with a 5 o'clock shadow and Ron Darling piggybacked toeing the rubber against the 'Spos. Time lord and jackpot resident Tom Hallion was behind the plate. Future 'Spos franchise manager Dave Martinez played for Montreal. It was actually an '86 World Series Game 3 rematch, with Oil Can Boyd still hurling away for the Expos. Bud Harrelson's sixth game as manager (au revoir, Davey). John Franco and Mackey Sasser, it turns out, were batterymates!

Mets vs. Giants (8-31-1990)

Zabriskie is back baby! Can never keep Stevie Z down! How? He's calling the game for the Worldwide Leader with Jim Palmer. It's the night of the waiver trade deadline and according to Tony Saunders at the Baseball Tonight studios, the Mets have added Tommy Herr, Charlie O'Brien and Pat Tabler to the cause! But for tonight, New York needs to play one more game without their reinforcements to keep apace with the Pirates (1.5 game lead) in the NL East. Frank Viola is decent; Don Robinson of the Giants is terrific. Until the very end. Bonus: plenty of live updates of other action throughout the frantic MLB universe.

Mets vs. Dodgers (5-7-1991)

Darryl Strawberry made his return to Shea after signing with the Dodgers. He mostly gets booed. Some dumbasses threw strawberries at him from the on-deck circle. It was the debut of hotshot third base prospect Chris Donnels, and he impresses both offensively and defensively! Plus, he joked before the game he was honored so many people were going to show up just to see him. I hope I can snag his rookie card! Bonus: Bobby Thomson and Ralph Branca randomly showed up in the broadcast booth to chat about how Thomson cheated . 

Mets vs. Cubs (8-2-1992)

Because Ralph Kiner is at the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies to witness Tom Seaver's induction, we have Bob Carpenter behind the mic with Tim McCarver. Totally different vibe. One of David Cone's last starts as a Met. Yes, the Mets actually did win a few games during The Worst Team Money Can Buy season. Hell, they were only 5.5 out of first place that Sunday afternoon.

Mets vs. Dodgers (8-20-1995)

The UPN9 broadcast opens with Gary Thorne and clearly the actual WWOR personnel usually in the truck working on the Sunday crossword puzzle. "Four letter word for phenom?" Nomo, naturally. "12 letter word for future?" 

"Isringhausen."

"That's not bad for Sunday."

Oh boy. 

Feel the pride and crack a wry smile as Izzy blows a fastball right by L.A.'s Mike Piazza for a strikeout. Witness Butch Huskey's first career hit and home run! Sarcastically gasp when Thorne says Mookie Wilson told him prospect Rey Ordonez might be the next Ozzie Smith. Feel the irony in your bones when they announce Ron Darling has been put on waivers by the A's, ending his career. Shake your head when Kiner calls him "Gary" Darling twice. How soon we forget…

Mets at Expos (9-10-1995)

While most New York sports fans were probably watching the Giants lose to Kansas City, Isringhausen and the Mets faced the Expos and their pitching phenom of the time, Carlos Perez. Perez was a ball of energy on the mound, a man ahead of his time. The Mets got to him. Tim McCarver went off on his arch nemesis Deion Sanders, who was in the news at the time for something or another. McCarver also implored fans to come back to Shea when the team returned to Queens, because they weren't the same Mets you remembered from the start of the season. Indeed, the only direction left to go was up. They just wouldn't get there with the youth Channel 9 repeatedly called "Izzy" in their graphics.