Casey Stengel was known to have said, "You have to have a catcher, because if you don't you are likely to have a lot of passed balls." This was referring to his decision to carry three catchers on the 1962 New York Mets opening day roster. On his catchers, Stengel said, "I got one that can throw but can't catch, I got one that can catch but can't throw and I've got one that can hit but can't do either." Among the problems the 1962 Mets had were deciding on a dependable MLB catcher. The Mets would struggle for a while to find an everyday catcher. In 1963, they would use 5 different catchers. In 1964, Jesse Gonder, who had come over from the Cincinnati Reds in a trade, would hit .270 in 131 games, with the Mets only using three catchers for the season. However, Gonder would struggle in 1965 and the Mets would use 6 catchers for the duration of that season. Jerry Grote was acquired from the Colt 45s for the 1966 season, but he struggled offensively. In fact, the 1966 Mets used another 6 catchers. The number decreased to 4 for the next season, before Grote emerged as the main backstop for the team starting in 1968.
The first player the Mets took in the 1961 expansion draft was catcher Hobie Landrith, from the San Francisco Giants. By June of that season, Landrith was wearing a Baltimore Orioles uniform as he was the player to be named in the deal that sent Marv Throneberry to the Mets a month earlier. In the expansion draft alone, the Mets had taken three catchers- the others being Cardinals C Chris Cannizzaro and Phillies C Choo Choo Coleman. For the season, the 1962 Mets would not have a catcher appear in more than 68 games, with the nod going to Sammy Taylor, who was acquired from the Cubs in the latter part of April.
Taylor would lead the charge, appearing in 68 games and getting 158 ABs. He would hit .222, 3, 20 with 4 2Bs, 2 3Bs and more walks (23) than Ks (17). Next would be Cannizzaro, who would appear in 59 games but would have just 133 ABs. He hit .241, 0, 9 with 2 2Bs and 1 3B. Then there was Coleman. Coleman appeared in 55 games, but had 152 ABs, hitting .252, 6, 17 with 7 2Bs and 2 3Bs. Joe Pignatano, who had come over mid season from the Giants, played in 27 games, getting 56 ABs. He hit .232, 0, 2 with 2 2Bs. Landrith, before he was traded, played in 23 games, getting 45 ABs and hit a respectable .289, 1, 7 with 3 2Bs. Harry Chiti, who was never traded for himself as so many have falsely reported, played in 15 games, got 41 ABs and hit .195 with 1 2B in between his stints with the Cleveland Indians. Finally, Joe Ginsberg got into a couple of games in April with the Mets, going 0-5 before calling it a career. Ginsberg made his MLB debut in 1948, before Stengel had signed on to be the Yankees manager.
As rough as the 1962 Mets catching mix seemed, it actually totaled up to be better than it seemed. The seven catchers combined to get 129 hits in 490 ABs, a .263 AVG. They also finished with a combined 19 2Bs, 5 3Bs, 10 HR and 56 RBI. Perhaps not All Star numbers but respectable numbers for a catching position without a star by any stretch of the imagination. As much better as that seemed, they still combined for 16 errors behind the plate and 26 passed balls! Casey was right about what was to happen if the team did not have a catcher.
The first player the Mets took in the 1961 expansion draft was catcher Hobie Landrith, from the San Francisco Giants. By June of that season, Landrith was wearing a Baltimore Orioles uniform as he was the player to be named in the deal that sent Marv Throneberry to the Mets a month earlier. In the expansion draft alone, the Mets had taken three catchers- the others being Cardinals C Chris Cannizzaro and Phillies C Choo Choo Coleman. For the season, the 1962 Mets would not have a catcher appear in more than 68 games, with the nod going to Sammy Taylor, who was acquired from the Cubs in the latter part of April.
Taylor would lead the charge, appearing in 68 games and getting 158 ABs. He would hit .222, 3, 20 with 4 2Bs, 2 3Bs and more walks (23) than Ks (17). Next would be Cannizzaro, who would appear in 59 games but would have just 133 ABs. He hit .241, 0, 9 with 2 2Bs and 1 3B. Then there was Coleman. Coleman appeared in 55 games, but had 152 ABs, hitting .252, 6, 17 with 7 2Bs and 2 3Bs. Joe Pignatano, who had come over mid season from the Giants, played in 27 games, getting 56 ABs. He hit .232, 0, 2 with 2 2Bs. Landrith, before he was traded, played in 23 games, getting 45 ABs and hit a respectable .289, 1, 7 with 3 2Bs. Harry Chiti, who was never traded for himself as so many have falsely reported, played in 15 games, got 41 ABs and hit .195 with 1 2B in between his stints with the Cleveland Indians. Finally, Joe Ginsberg got into a couple of games in April with the Mets, going 0-5 before calling it a career. Ginsberg made his MLB debut in 1948, before Stengel had signed on to be the Yankees manager.
As rough as the 1962 Mets catching mix seemed, it actually totaled up to be better than it seemed. The seven catchers combined to get 129 hits in 490 ABs, a .263 AVG. They also finished with a combined 19 2Bs, 5 3Bs, 10 HR and 56 RBI. Perhaps not All Star numbers but respectable numbers for a catching position without a star by any stretch of the imagination. As much better as that seemed, they still combined for 16 errors behind the plate and 26 passed balls! Casey was right about what was to happen if the team did not have a catcher.
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