Unofficial fan projectPiazza, Alfonzo, and the Return to October
John Olerud
First baseman · Mets 1997–1999
The part fans remember
What the numbers leave out.
Olerud’s calm approach and elite on-base skill anchored the late-1990s lineup. He was also the sure-handed center of the famous best infield ever.
The Mets acquired Olerud from Toronto before the 1997 season for pitcher Robert Person. He immediately gave a developing lineup a calm, patient center. Olerud rarely chased, used the whole field, and made first base look easy. His presence helped the club improve by 17 wins in his first year.
In 1998 he hit .354 with a .447 on-base percentage, setting Mets records at the time and producing one of the finest hitting seasons in franchise history. A year later he joined Alfonzo, Rey Ordóñez, and Robin Ventura in the infield Sports Illustrated called the best ever. Olerud then hit throughout the 1999 postseason, including important at-bats in the long NLCS battle with Atlanta.
The Mets let him leave for Seattle after that season, choosing Todd Zeile at first base while Olerud went home to play near his family. It was understandable and still painful. The 2000 Mets won the pennant without him, but many fans wondered how much stronger the lineup would have looked with his quiet left-handed bat still in the middle.
The honest version
The best stretch
Olerud’s entire Mets stay was basically one long peak. From 1997 through 1999 he brought an elite batting eye, a smooth left-handed swing, and excellent defense to first base. His .354 average and .447 on-base percentage in 1998 remain among the finest offensive seasons by any Met. He rarely looked hurried, even when the at-bat or the season was under pressure.
The part that got messy
The 1999 lineup depended on his calm. Olerud reached base in front of Piazza, drove balls into both gaps, and became part of the infield that Sports Illustrated famously called the best ever. In the playoffs he hit through difficult matchups and supplied a crucial home run against Atlanta. He did not have the loud personality of that club, but his reliability gave the lineup balance.
Why fans still care
His departure after only three years remains one of those choices Mets fans still replay. Olerud returned to Seattle to be closer to home, and Todd Zeile replaced him. The Mets won the next pennant, but the lineup was not better without him. His Mets total is short, yet the quality is so high that he belongs in this group without needing a longer stay.
Olerud never looked hurried, which made his production easy to take for granted. He controlled the strike zone, lined pitches all over the field, and turned first base into the calmest spot at Shea. His 1998 season was one of the best offensive years any Met has had. Letting him leave after 1999 remains one of those moves fans can still argue about without warming up.
Signature Mets momentHit .354 with a .447 on-base percentage in 1998.
The short list
The stuff worth remembering.
- 011999 postseason run
- 02Elite on-base hitter
- 03Outstanding first-base defense