Lenny Dykstra almost returns to the Mets, 1990. The Mets and the Phils made an in-season trade in 1989 that by the end of the season, nobody was happy about. Juan Samuel couldn’t play centerfield and shared a mutual dislike for New York and the fans, while the Phils didn’t care much for Lenny and his .222 batting average in their uniform, either. They offered him back to the Mets, who refused. The next year Lenny apparently bulked up on “vitamins,” and hit .325 for the Phils. Two years later he keyed their surprising 1993 NL Pennant winner. Meanwhile, the Mets struggled to find a replacement for him, both in the batting order and in center. Transpose Dykstra’s 1990 season from Philly to the Mets and our team likely surges past Pittsburgh and wins the NL East. Lenny is certainly no sweetheart, but that trade (and the no-return policy) is easily one of the worst in Mets history.
