In an article for Newsday, Jim Baumbach discusses why there is still an uneasy tension between the Mets and Ray Knight.
Baumbach writes:
“The relationship soured because of their failed negotiations that following off-season (of 1986), but after all these years there has been no reconciliation, no hug-it-out moment.”
“Twice, the Mets invited Knight back for events at Shea Stadium. Twice, Knight declined their invite.”
Knight, as quoted by Baumbach:
“I love the Mets. I pull for them.”
…i was one of the people hoping that knight would have been at the last game at shea, but again he did not show…i do not understand this situation fully, but i do think that some things should be just swept under the carpet and people should move on…
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He announces for the nationals (and is terrible) but when they play the Mets he always seems to talk about the 86 team.
Man does he sound like a hick though…
I dunno…he seems less terrible than the other Nats announcer
They should have signed him after ‘86 – bad move by the Mets
IIRC, he didn’t deserve what he was asking for.
He helped them win their last World Series – worh every penny..]
I know its hindsight but the team was never the same. He added a lot of soul.
I would’ve loved for him to come back … but there must be more to it than the 86 off season … Frank Cashen is long outta the picture.
I think this is overblown…what does it mean to “come back” aside from the few isolated opportunites like the two celebrations referenced here?
I for one hope they plan something cool for the citi opener that involved mets history…i loved the shea sendoff, but don’t leave those memories at shea1 We can invite Ray to that.
Since you yourself admit that you don’t understand the situation, you really have no right to encourage sweeping under the carpet.
here is the situation. firey average .270 hitting player, with “leadership” skills, that had a very good world series, wasn;t resigned because a better player named Howard Johnson was ready for every day starter. knights ego got hurt. waah waaah. i loved his temper. but whatever dude, get over yourself. it is a business, had you been a .300 hitting 30 HR guy and some other club offered you a ton of money you would have went there.
God bless Ray Knight. “The Mets win! The Mets win!” I can hear ol’ Bob’s voice as I type.
But now that you mention it, not knowing that the Mets and Knight had a rift, I would have loved had the Wilpons considered him for manager.
The Wilpon’s just announced that in 2009 they expect the Mets to play meaningful games at least into the last weeks of September…
Well, Ron Darling was interviewed by Mike Francesca on WFAN today and called it as it was: the core group of players — i.e. Delgado, Beftran and Reyes — did not play hard for Willie and if they had, we would have most likely been in the playoffs and that those players have to look at themselves in the mirror.
He also said we lacked toughness and agreed that we need a Ray Knight or Keith Hernandez type of player.
To listen to interview, go to wfan dot com.
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