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As I travel around the New York area telling tales of Lee Mazzilli, I am finding that there are actual adults in their twenties who are big Mets fans and they’ve never heard of him.
Once upon a time there was something called the late seventies. Tom Seaver was gone and the Mets sucked. They were awful. Hopeless. Managed by a guy named Joe Torre that made Jeff Torborg look like a genius in comparison. The only question about every season was whether or not they would finish last or if the Cubs would. Meanwhile in the Bronx, well maybe you’ve heard of Reggie Jackson.
In this mess was a good looking kid from Brooklyn named Lee Mazzilli. He was #16 and the centerfielder. In his most awesome year he hit .303 with 15 HRs and 79 RBI. In post-steroid numbers that’s say 25 homers and 100 RBI in 1998. Amazing? No. But he was all we had. There would be one Met on the All Star team and he was it.
They traded Lee in 1982 but that trade eventually turned into Ron Darling and Howard Johnson, so it’s hard to complain.
In 1986 the amazing did happen and Lee came back and got a ring with the Mets!
You youngsters probably remembering him coaching for Torre’s Yankees for most of the good years, and Lee does have managerial experience with the Orioles.
It’s time for a change in Flushing. Lee works for the organization (the tv network) and is a fan favorite. There is no obvious heir apparent. It’s time to pacify the fans and the cranky bloggers and make the change…to a Brooklyn boy and a fan fave. It’s time for Lee Mazzilli
