Everyone talks about 1969. It's the legend. The "Miracle." But honestly, the 1970 New York Mets are a much more interesting study in how difficult it is to stay at the top of the mountain once you’ve crawled up there. They didn't have the magic of the year before, sure. They finished 83-79. Third place. But if you look at the roster, you could argue they were actually a more talented group than the one that sprayed champagne after beating Baltimore.
Baseball is weird like that.
Coming into the 1970 season, Shea Stadium was buzzing. You've got Tom Seaver coming off a Cy Young. You've got Jerry Koosman. The pitching was supposed to be bulletproof. And for the most part, it was. Tom Seaver had that legendary 19-strikeout game against the Padres in April—ten of them in a row to end the game. Think about that for a second. Ten professional hitters in a row just walking back to the dugout with their heads down. That’s the 1970 New York Mets at their peak.
But then the injuries started. And the hitting? Well, the hitting was a problem.
The Sophomore Slump That Wasn't Just One Guy
Most people assume the 1970 New York Mets failed because of a "hangover." It’s a lazy narrative. The truth is more about the specific breakdown of their offensive core. Cleon Jones, who hit .340 the year before, dipped to .277. That’s a massive drop-off for your primary catalyst.
Tommie Agee was still a star, hitting 24 homers and stealing 31 bases, but he couldn't carry the whole lineup. They were playing in a pitcher's park during an era where runs were already hard to come by.
Then you have the Jerry Grote situation. He was arguably the best defensive catcher in the National League, but he missed significant time with a fractured glove hand. When your "field general" goes down, the whole rotation feels it. Even Seaver, who was brilliant with a 2.82 ERA, couldn't single-handedly win games when the guys behind him weren't scoring.
The division was also much tougher. The "Big Red Machine" in Cincinnati was starting to rev up, and the Pirates—led by Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell—were becoming a powerhouse in the NL East. The Mets weren't just fighting their own inconsistencies; they were fighting a league that had finally figured out how to scout their young arms.
Seaver vs. The World
If you want to talk about the 1970 New York Mets, you have to talk about Seaver’s dominance. April 22, 1970. That’s the date.
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He struck out 19 Padres.
It wasn't just a win. It was a statement. He was "The Franchise." But even "The Franchise" had his limits. He finished the year with 18 wins and 283 strikeouts, leading the league in both ERA and Ks. Usually, that gets you another Cy Young. Instead, he finished fourth in the voting because the Mets didn't win the division. Bob Gibson took it home that year. It’s one of those historical snubs that Mets fans still grumble about at bars in Queens.
The Nolan Ryan Dilemma
We have to mention Nolan Ryan. This was his last "real" year as a full-time starter for the Mets before they famously (and disastrously) traded him to the Angels a year later.
In 1970, Ryan was an enigma.
He’d strike out the side, then walk the bases loaded. He went 7-11 with a 3.42 ERA. The potential was screaming at everyone, but Gil Hodges—the Mets manager—couldn't quite harness the lightning. Looking back, the 1970 New York Mets rotation of Seaver, Koosman, Gary Gentry, and Ryan is probably the greatest collection of raw power arms a single team has ever had at one time.
Yet they finished six games over .500.
Why? Because they were 11th in the league in runs scored. They were shut out 13 times. You can't win if you don't cross the plate, no matter how hard Nolan Ryan throws.
What Really Happened Down the Stretch
By August, the Mets were still in it. They were only a couple of games back. But the wheels started to wobble.
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Donn Clendenon was still hitting for power—he ended with 22 bombs—but the bench was thin. Ed Kranepool was struggling. Ron Swoboda wasn't hitting. The "Amazin'" part of the team had evaporated, replaced by a grind that they just weren't winning.
They finished 83-79.
It wasn't a "bad" season. In many eras, 83 wins keeps you relevant. But after 1969, it felt like a funeral. The fans at Shea were spoiled. They expected the magic to be a permanent fixture, not a lightning strike.
The tragedy of the 1970 New York Mets is that they were actually a statistically "better" pitching staff than the 1969 squad. Their team ERA was lower (3.14 vs 3.22). They struck out more batters. They allowed fewer hits per nine innings.
But baseball isn't played on a spreadsheet.
Timing is everything. In '69, they got the bloop hit when they needed it. In '70, they hit into the double play.
Gil Hodges and the Pressure of Queens
Managing in New York is a meat grinder. Gil Hodges was a saint in the eyes of the fans, but 1970 tested him. He was a disciplinarian. He didn't believe in the "Miracle" hype. He knew the 1970 New York Mets were talented but flawed.
He pushed Seaver. He pushed Koosman. But he couldn't push the bats to wake up.
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There's a lot of "what if" regarding this season. What if Jerry Grote stays healthy? What if Cleon Jones hits .300 instead of .270? If those two things happen, the Mets likely win the NL East again. And if they get into the playoffs with Seaver and Koosman at the height of their powers? They could have repeated.
The gap between a third-place finish and a World Series ring in 1970 was razor-thin.
Lessons from the 1970 Campaign
The 1970 New York Mets serve as a masterclass in the volatility of professional sports. You can have the best pitcher in the world and a future Hall of Famer in your bullpen, and still find yourself watching the World Series from your couch.
If you're looking to understand this era of Mets history, don't just watch the 1969 highlights.
Look at the 1970 box scores.
Study the way Tom Seaver adjusted his approach when the offense went cold. Watch how a young Nolan Ryan struggled with his command before becoming the greatest strikeout artist in history.
Next Steps for the Deep-Dive Fan:
- Analyze the Splits: Check out the home/away splits for the 1970 Mets. They were significantly better at Shea, which highlights how much they relied on that "pitcher-friendly" environment.
- Compare the Rotation: Look at the 1970 stats of Seaver, Koosman, and Gentry against the 1971 stats. You'll see the beginning of the "Seaverside" era where the pitching became elite while the team around them stagnated.
- Contextualize the Trade: Research the Joe Foy trade. The Mets gave up Amos Otis—who became a star for the Royals—to get Foy for the 1970 season. Foy flopped. It’s one of the biggest "what-ifs" that directly impacted the 1970 season's outcome.
- Watch the 19-K Game: Find the archival footage of Seaver’s 19-strikeout performance against San Diego. It is arguably the most dominant pitching performance in the history of the franchise, regardless of the year.
The 1970 New York Mets weren't a failure. They were a reality check. They proved that even in the "Amazin'" era, you still had to find a way to score runs.