These kids today probably have no idea who Jerry Koosman is. To you slightly older Met fans, old enough to be adults but young enough that you have no idea what it’s like to see the Mets win a World Series – he’s Ron Darling. To younger fans he’s…..I dunno…..John Maine someday if he turns out to be as good as we think he is. Never the ace, but always a solid clutch pitcher.
Where Are They Now Jerry Koosman
Koosman has always played Garfunkel to Seaver’s Simon; he’s quite at ease in the shade.
But when it comes to the game’s biggest stage, Koosman stands alone at Shea.
The Amazin’s won all six postseason games started by the lefty, including Game 2 and the clinching Game 5 of the ’69 Series, when he got future Mets managerDavey Johnson to fly out to left for the final out.
As one half of the Tom and Jerry Show, Koosman won 140 games with a 3.09 ERA in 12 seasons with the Mets.
“It was sad to leave New York, but New York was in a rebuilding process at the time,” says Koosman. “I wanted to move on and play for a club that had a chance to win.”
Koosman was sent to Minnesota in 1978 for Jesse Orosco – the only other Met to record the final out of a World Series – and proceeded to win 20 games for the second time in his career. He also helped the White Sox win the AL West in 1983.
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Koos was great in the late 60’s and then mediocre with the exception of 1976. Those 8-20 and then 3-15 seasons in 77-78 finished him with the Mets. But heck nobody would’ve won with those terrible teams.
He had a pretty lengthy career after NY though and he overcame arm problems to be a decent pitcher.