Concerned over injuries to Bob Ojeda and Dwight Gooden, the Mets cast a lustful eye westward to Seattle and Mark Langston, the Mariners lefty ace. There were several scenarios, but the most-mentioned had the Mets sending Howard Johnson, David West and Sid Fernandez in return for Langston, who had won 46 games for some poor Mariners squads in the past three seasons.
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All was going well until the Mariners’ President Chuck Armstrong stepped in and overrode his GM Woody Woodward on the deal. The Mets where right: Ojeda’s career was essentially over and Gooden did get hurt during the 1989 season. With their ace on the shelf, the Mets instead moved West, Kevin Tapani and Rick Aguilera to the Twins for Frankie Viola. That deal did solidify a World Series winner, but it was for Minnesota!