I’m so sad abut the news that Bud Harrelson has Alzheimers.
If you are of a certain age you lived at a time when the Mets Pantheon went like this – Seaver, Harrelson. I think the list ended there although sometimes it might include Koosman and occasionally Ron Swoboda because of one play. We didn’t have much.
I know this sounds strange to you younger folks who not only have David Wright and Mike Piazza but also all those 1986 folks – but back in the late 70s it went like this – Seaver, Harrelson.
Bud was the glue. The reliable one. You’ll look at his stats and not get it. You’ll meet him and he’s “short” and thin. Aaron Judge he is not. And yet he played 16 seasons despite a total of SEVEN career home runs. I will restate that lest you think I messed up – SEVEN career home runs. Not in a season. Career. 16 seasons. (Dwight Gooden has eight in his 16 year career which included time in the AL).
So I get it if you don’t get it but ask Tom Seaver about him and then you’ll understand.
Then Buddy was around for 1986. He was wearing a different number and he’s clearly out of the coach’s box as there comes Knight and the Mets win, but hey Buddy was a big part of that staff.
Then when the prehistoric version of Mets Twitter known as WFAN helped run Davey Johnson out of town for some reason, Buddy became manager and it all changed.
Buddy’s first season was fine, the second not so much. Listening to Mike & The Mad Dog rip the Mets for hours was a lot of fun. Then Buddy shut down from talking to the media. If I remember correctly he eventually stopped doing the pitching changes (or was that Torborg? Or both? I dunno, ask Greg Prince, but that’s how I remember it, which is the larger point).
Anyway we were mean to Buddy The Manager. Frat bro style radio where ripping the Mets made us laugh so we enjoyed it. In 2010 I wrote a post apologizing to Buddy as I realized the error of my ways. (Wow Mets Police has been around a long time now.)
And then Buddy left and never really came back. This guy who was always around was never around. He was close, with the Ducks, but never really back at Shea and less so at Citi.
The Post article even throws some shade at the Wilpons (man you guys were having a good week too) as yet another alumni from the pre-Wilpons days that doesn’t get any love. Who knows.
Anyway Buddy, I am sorry to hear this. I know the thoughts and prayers of all Mets fans are with you as you take this difficult journey that will only end badly. I am sorry.
