Ultimate Mets Database: Game of June 6, 1999

Omid
April 28, 2011
This was the most important game of the 1999 season. Going into this game the Mets were enduring a tough losing streak that put them at 27-28 55 games into the season. To add to that, the night before Steve Phillips had fired 3 of the Mets coaches.

However, Bobby Valentine shouldered the load for the team and put his own job on the line; he promised that if the Mets did not play at least .600 ball over their next 55 games, he would resign as Mets manager. With their ace on the mound, the Mets not only won this game against the Yankees, but 40 of their next 55 games, good for a .720 winning percentage. The Mets would continue to battle the rest of the way, eventually taking the wildcard after a 1 game playoff vs the Reds, making their first post season appearance since 1988.

And this was the game that started that miraculous turnaround. LETS GO METS!

D.C.
September 26, 2013
Al Leiter saves the '99 season. Luminous times would follow this game, as would another Piazza home run off Clemens when the Subway Series came to Shea.

Dave VW
May 6, 2024
They showed a sign in the stands during the ESPN broadcast that read "Valentine's Day Massacre." It was an allusion to the 3 coaches that were fired after the previous day's game, as pitching coach Bob Apodaca was out in favor of Dave Wallace, hitting coach Tom Robson out for Mickey Brantley, and bullpen coach Randy Niemann out for Al Jackson. All 3 who were fired were also good personal friends of Valentine, and the manager claimed to not have been involved in the hiring/firing process at all, which I found really strange (and would serve as a precursor for the growing rift in between himself and GM Steve Phillips).

However, whether it was coincidence or not, you could point to that event and this game as what helped get the Mets right in 1999. They were all over Clemens, giving him his first loss since May 29 of the previous season -- a span of 30 starts. Clemens was far from his usual dominant form during his first couple months with the Yankees, as this was actually already the second time he had allowed 7 runs in a start. He also allowed 7 runs vs. Baltimore in April, but the Yankee offense bailed him out.

Of all people, it was Bobby Bonilla who drew first blood against Roger, smacking a 2-run ground-rule double in the 2nd inning (after nearly striking out on a borderline call the previous pitch). Benny Agbayani followed with a 2-run single (with Bonilla scoring after going through a stop sign at 3rd). The second inning could have been even bigger, too, but Roger Cedeno got doubled off first when he couldn't get back to the base after an Edgardo Alfonzo pop out. If he's back safely, then the 2nd inning continues as the 3rd inning began: John Olerud singles, and Piazza follows with a home run. That really would have been epic.

Somewhat worrisome was that the Mets bats again went quiet after Clemens left, as the combination of Todd Erdos and Dan Naulty held the Mets without a hit for the final 6 innings. Thankfully, Leiter was back to his 1998 form and went 7 solid innings. Armando Benitez came in for the 8th inning and made things interesting, as he allowed an RBI double to Bernie Williams and then walked Chili Davis to bring up Tino Martinez. This was the first time Benitez and Tino faced off since the pitcher, then a member of the Orioles, infamously plunked Martinez after the Yankees had just hit a big home run, which sparked a huge brawl. But this time Benitez threw it over the plate and got Tino to fly out to end the inning.

Dennis Cook pitched the 9th and got Chuck Knoblauch to fly out to center to end the game, which meant Derek Jeter's streak of 57 consecutive games reaching base also came to an end. Jeter would have been up next if Knoblauch got on.

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