Post by Sha-Le Unique on Oct 15, 2015 15:01:05 GMT -5
Since being signed as a free agent in 1964, Roger Maris has been the leader of the Mets' offense since his first day in New York.
When baseball fans go to a baseball game, what is one thing they will usually look to see (in addition to their team winning, of course)? Home runs! Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants fans back then would watch quite a few home runs sail out of the ballpark. Duke Snider and Gil Hodges were the 2 leading sluggers for the Dodgers for many years, while Willie Mays was the Giants' best power hitter while they were in New York and has continued in that role since their move to San Francisco.
But when the Dodgers and Giants left for California in 1958, New York did not have a National League team until the Mets came into existence in 1962. There was not that much power within the Mets' lineup in their first 2 seasons, but the signing of Roger Maris in 1964 gave the Mets a star that they had never had. He hit 25 home runs and drove in 103 RBI in 1964 and then had 31 home runs and 106 RBI in 1965. This season, Maris belted 33 home runs and drove in 91 RBI. He made a trip to the All-Star Game this season as well.
Gene Oliver had a very solid career with the Giants and got traded to the Mets after suffering a season-ending injury. He hasn't missed a beat ever since.
But in the past 2 seasons, it wasn't just Maris providing the power for the Mets' offense. A 1965 trade brought slugging catcher Gene Oliver from the Giants to the Mets. But with the younger Joe Torre already entrenched as the catcher, Oliver was moved to first base. The position didn't matter though as Oliver picked up where he left off with the Giants and hit 38 home runs in 1965 and 32 more this season. He drove in 95 RBI in each of the 2 seasons and was an All-Star in 1965 as well.
And the fact that Maris is a left-handed hitter and Oliver is a right-handed hitter certainly will remind the former Brooklyn Dodger fans about the Snider and Hodges days. However, both members of this dynamic duo will be 32 at the start of the 1967 season (Maris recently turned 32) and will be on the final years of their current contracts. How much longer both will stick around remains to be seen, but hopefully, they will still be able to be offensive leaders by the time the Mets start to win a lot more.
Oh and look out for Tony Conigliaro by the time he finishes developing. He'll turn this power duo into a power trio soon enough!
