Major League Baseball

Mets have had no shortage of bad luck

Published Mar. 28, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

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Johan Santana’s injury is just the latest in a long line of misfortunes for the New York Mets franchise. From terrible trades to stars flaming out before their time, there hasn’t been a shortage of woes for Mets fans. Even Stewie can see it plain as day.

Trading Nolan Ryan

For a franchise that just last year collected its first no-hitter (ironically Santana threw it), trading away the guy who has the most in history was probably a bad idea. But that’s exactly what the Mets did in 1971, trading Nolan Ryan to the Angels for Jim Fregosi. All Ryan did was throw four no-hitters with the Angels and three more (one in Houston and two in Texas) in his career. The Mets are probably still begging for a re-do.

Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry flaming out

They had all the talent in the world. One was expected to hit 500 homers and the other win 300 games. Darryl Strawberry, the top pick in the 1980 draft, and Dwight Gooden, the No. 5 pick in 1982, hit the New York scene at a time when the Mets were on the rise and the Yankees were struggling. The duo helped the Amazin’s capture the ’86 World Series title, but just as they were ready to take off, drug problems derailed their journey to Cooperstown. Mets fans are left to wonder what could have been.

Johan Santana suffers major injury

Days before this year’s Opening Day, the Mets were hit with a huge blow. The team’s ace, Santana, is likely out for the season and his career could be finished because of a shoulder injury. It’s impossible for Mets fans not to think back to Santana’s no-hitter in 2012 as a possible cause. That night, the Mets ace left-hander threw a career-high 134 pitches en route to the Mets’ first no-hitter in franchise history. He struggled after that outing, going 3-7 the rest of the way and pitching eight innings just once during that span.

Free-agent busts

Where do we begin? How about with probably the most infamous Mets' bust — Bobby Bonilla. The star outfielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates signed a five-year, $29 million deal in 1991. Bonilla never drove in more than 87 runs with the Mets and eclipsed 30 homers once. Bobby Bo's most memorable moment with the Mets was when he confronted a reporter after a game, famously daring him to "make your move." The Mets are still paying Bonilla after agreeing to pay him more than $1 million a year for 25 years instead of a lump sum of $5.9 million that they owed him.

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