Mets Pride

They started out as a joke, but the last laugh was on their foes. The New York Mets were birthed in a riotous jumble of errors, over-the-hill ballplayers, and Casey''s barely decipherable Stengelese. And then there was Marv Throneberry, a player destined for infamy for his head-scratching botches on the diamond. But just eight years later, the Amazin'' Mets were world champions, boasting a team of young athletes headed by near-bionic pitchers Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and a young Nolan Ryan; outfielders Cleon Jones, Tommie Agee, and Ron Swoboda; and catcher Jerry Grote. The chumps were now champs. The Miracle Mets of ''73 followed, before the "bad guys" of ''86, with Darryl Strawberry, Doc Gooden, Keith Hernandez, and Gary Carter, marched the team to its second world crown. Another run came in 2000, with a much-anticipated Subway World Series with the Yankees. Today''s Mets are a powerhouse team that sailed into the playoffs in 2006. The Mets are back. Mets Pride is their story as told by the players, managers, coaches, opponents, fans, and the media. It salutes the great stars, teams, moments, rivalries, fan stories, and origins of New York''s National League franchise. It also includes the Mets'' all-time team and world championship rosters. From Marv to Mookie, Backman to Beltran, Hernandez to HoJo, Piazza to Pedro, and Knight to Wright, it''s all Mets.