BINGHAMTON METS

The 'Binghamton Mets' are a minor league baseball team based in Binghamton, New York in the United States. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club. The Mets play in NYSEG Stadium, located in Binghamton.

Contents

History

Notable alumni

Current Roster

Coaching Staff

Season Records

Playoffs

External links

History

The current franchise began as the Williamsport Bills in 1987, but was affiliated with several different major-league teams during its five seasons. The parent New York Mets bought the Bills franchise in late 1990 and announced they would move the club a short distance north to Binghamton. The Bills played out their final season in Williamsport in 1991 while a new stadium was constructed. Then, in 1992, minor league baseball was back in the Triple Cities for the first time in 24 years. (The Binghamton Triplets, a New York Yankee affiliate, had played at Johnson Field in nearby Johnson City until 1968.)
In their first year as the Binghamton Mets, the team set a still-standing attendance record by drawing just over a quarter-million fans to the ballpark. They also proceeded to win the Eastern League championship
In 1994, the New York parent club sold ownership of the team to a group of local investors led by Michael Urda. That year, the team went on to another EL title and a league-best record of 82-59. Binghamton also hosted the double-A All-Star Game in July of that year.
The Mets alternated between 2nd- and 4th-place finishes for the next four years, and although they made the playoffs with their runner-up showings in 1996 and 1998, they were eliminated in the first round both times.
After a dreadful season in 1999 where the team finished 38 games out of first place, the Mets pulled off a "worst-to-first" turnaround in 2000, winning the EL Northern Division but losing to New Haven in the playoffs. Binghamton posted identical 73-68 records in both 2001 and 2002 but failed to make the postseason.
In 1993 now Red Sox manager Terry Francona received "Best Manager in Minor League Baseball", managing for the Mets.

Notable alumni

★ Outfielder Benny Agbayani

★ Third baseman Edgardo Alfonzo

★ Outfielder Jason Bay

★ Outfielder Jay Payton

★ Outfielder Preston Wilson

★ Pitcher Octavio Dotel

★ Pitcher Cory Lidle

★ Pitcher Jason Isringhausen

★ Pitcher Bobby J. Jones

★ Pitcher Scott Kazmir

★ Pitcher Paul Wilson

★ Pitcher Aaron Heilman

★ Shortstop Rey Ordóñez

★ Shortstop José Reyes

★ Third baseman David Wright

★ Catcher Alberto Castillo

★ First baseman Brian Daubach

★ Catcher/First baseman Jason Phillips

Current Roster

''Through August 12, 2007''
 

'Catchers' ★ 10 Rafael Arroya ★ 10 Mike Nickeas ★  7 Jose A Reyes'Infielders' ★ 20 Mike Carp ★ 13 Jose Coronadi ★ 34 Brett Harper ★  5 Wilson Batista ★  3 Enrique Cruz ★ 33 Vince Harrison ★  4 Mark Kiger'Outfielders' ★ 26 Jamar Hill ★ 19 Fernando Martinez ★ 18 Miguel Negroen ★ 27 Caleb Stewart

'Pitching Staff' ★ 16 Bryan Edwards ★ 26 Salvador Aguilar ★ 21 Marcos Carvajal ★ 22 Tim McNab ★ 38 Carlos Muniz ★ 26 Brandon Nall ★ 15 Marcelo Perez ★ 39 Bobby Parnell ★ 49 Robert Paulk ★ 45 Michael Devaney ★ 22 Kevin Mulvey ★ 32 Jose Sanchez ★ --  Michael Swindell ★ 23 Lino Urdaneta ★ 47 Raul Valdes

Coaching Staff

★ Manager - Mako Oliveras

★ Hitting Coach- Nelson Silverio

★ Pitching Coach - Ricky Bones

★ Trainer - Joe Golia

Season Records

(Place indicates finish in Eastern League 1992-93, in Northern Division from 1994)

★ 1992: 79-59 (2nd), manager Steve Swisher

★ 1993: 68-72 (5th), manager Steve Swisher

★ 1994: 82-59 (1st), manager John Tamargo

★ 1995: 67-75 (4th), manager John Tamargo

★ 1996: 76-66 (2nd), manager John Tamargo

★ 1997: 66-76 (4th), manager Rick Sweet

★ 1998: 82-60 (2nd), manager John Gibbons

★ 1999: 54-88 (6th), manager Doug Davis

★ 2000: 82-58 (1st), manager Doug Davis

★ 2001: 73-68 (4th), manager Howie Freiling

★ 2002: 73-68 (3rd), manager Howie Freiling

★ 2003: 63-78 (5th), manager John Stearns

★ 2004: 76-66 (2nd), manager Ken Oberkfell

★ 2005: 63-79 (6th), manager Jack Lind

★ 2006: 70-70 (3rd), manager Juan Samuel

★ 2007: 61-81 (6th), manager Mako Oliveras

Playoffs

★ 1992 season: Defeated Harrisburg, 3-1 in first round; defeated Canton-Akron 3-2 for league championship.

★ 1994 season: Swept New Haven, 3-0 in first round; defeated Harrisburg 3-1 to win second league title in three years.

★ 1996 season: Lost to Portland, 3-2 in first round.

★ 1998 season: Lost to New Britain, 3-1 in first round.

★ 2000 season: Lost to New Haven, 3-1 in first round.

★ 2004 season: Lost to New Hampshire, 3-1 in first round.

External links

★ Binghamton Mets official site

★ Binghamton Mets page at MiLB

★ Photographs of NYSEG Stadium, home of the Binghamton Mets - ''Rochester Area Ballparks''