Almost A Met: Barry Larkin (ft. Tim Ryder)
We spoke with Mets community member Tim Ryder about how All-Star SS Barry Larkin almost became a Met.
Today we’ve got something special for you! I spoke with Mets community stalwart —who writes the (very awesome) newsletter and is on the Simply Amazin’ podcast—about a perennial All-Star who was almost a Met.
Tim and I chatted for a while about this “what-if” scenario and both agreed that in an alternative universe, this trade had the the potential to change the history of the franchise.
Please go subscribe to Tim’s work, he really is a great follow and has been part of the Mets community for a while. It was a pleasure to chat with him.
P.S. — Know any Mets fans in your life who would like to read this newsletter? Forward it to them! They can subscribe easily by using the button below.
Now let’s get into it.
Andrew
Perpetual All-Star Barry Larkin almost helped the 2000 New York Mets
The 2000 New York Mets would end up in the World Series. But it’s kind of wild that they did.
In the middle of the season, the team dealt with a rash of injuries. Star player 3B Robin Ventura and defensive wizard SS Rey Ordonez were on the shelf. With a record of 52-43 on July 21, the Mets were still in the hunt for the playoffs and were in the search for some help.
They hoped to find that help in the way of renting one of the best players of his generation: Cincinnati Reds legend SS Barry Larkin.
When I asked Tim Ryder, a long-time Mets community member who writes the (very good) newsletter The Apple, who his favorite “Almost A Met” was, one of his answers was Larkin.
The whole situation is extremely interesting, and Larkin, a 12-time All-Star, had been on my list of players to write about for a while. But as I did more digging, I was surprised to learn just how close it really was.
Ryder agreed.
“It’s surprising how many don’t realize how close that was to happening, and how different things could have happened,” Ryder told me during a recent phone conversation. “The reason Larkin is such a ‘what-if’ kind of guy to me is ... if you get Larkin, the dynamic of the whole team changes. It’s within the realm of possibilities that you could knock off the middle-of-dynasty Yankees.”
The Mets wanted Larkin, but on their terms
Mets GM Steve Phillips approached the 2000 trade deadline frantically, but each of his attempts to improve the team seemed to sputter.
As Matthew Callan, the author of Yells For Ourselves: A Story of New York City and the New York Mets At The Dawn of the Millennium, wrote, the almost-deal for Larkin was his “most embarrassing misstep.” (Side note, the book is also very good, you should read it.)
On July 21, the Mets and the Reds reached a deal that would send Larkin to New York. However, the star shortstop had a right to block deals because he had been in the majors for over 10 years and spent the last 5 with the Reds. Larkin wanted to stay in Cincinnati, but did seem open to a trade if the Reds were not going to re-sign him.
"It's all based on his approval," Phillips said, according to ESPN. "We haven't had a chance to talk with him to get his lay of the land here."
On the surface, the deal made a ton of sense. With Ordonez out for the year, bringing in a player like Larkin to take over for the young SS Melvin Mora—and subsequently give the lineup some All Star pedigree—was intriguing.
This would be a headline grabbing move for a team that had aspirations to go deep into the playoffs. In 1999, the year before the almost-trade, Larkin had 5.1 WAR, a .293 batting average, hit 12 home runs, and drove in 75 RBIs.
The deal in place would have reportedly sent the Reds OF Alex Escobar, the Mets’ best prospect at the time, and two minor league pitchers Eric Cammack and Jason Saenz, the New York Times reported at the time.
Amid the announcement, the Mets were granted 72 hours to try and convince Larkin to play for them. Both Manager Bobby Valentine and star C Mike Piazza hoped to recruit the shortstop to play in Queens, according to the New York Times, with Piazza even quipping: “Does 1-800-FLOWERS deliver on the weekend?”
There was just one problem
While a deal was in place there did seem to be one hang-up: Larkin didn’t want to be a half-season rental, which is exactly what the Mets were hoping for. Instead, the Mets wanted to offer Larkin a bonus after the season.
Former Mets pinch-hitter extraordinaire Lenny Harris—and evidentiary a good friend of Larkin— acknowledged this, telling the Times: “I know he doesn't want to come here or anywhere else to visit for two months.”
For the Mets, Larkin really only fit as a rental. Ordonez had signed a three-year deal the year prior, and it was an open secret that they wanted to pursue SS Alex Rodriguez during the 2001 offseason. (Don’t worry, we will get to the whole A-Rod saga in this newsletter soon enough.)
The Mets offered to come to Cincinnati to try and smooth things over, but ultimately they never got the chance.
According to Callan’s book: “That is the last Steve Phillips hears about his proposed trade until the announcement that Barry Larkin has signed a three-year extension with Cincinnati.”
Talk about some whiplash.
Phillips seemed salty at the bait-and-switch, making a joke at Larkin’s agent Eric Goldschmidt’s expense: “I guess we helped Barry Larkin get a contract. I should call Goldschmidt back and see what kind of cut I get out of his fee.”
The Mets eventually pivoted and traded for Baltimore Orioles SS Mike Bordick.
Would Larkin have made the Mets better?
I asked Ryder what he thought Larkin would have brought the 2000 Mets and whether or not he would have helped their chances of winning a World Series.
“I always come back to what-if the Mets got Larkin. One, does he gel? Two, do they still steamroll through the playoffs? And of course three, can they knock off the Yankees? That always stood out to me. That could have been huge. That could have been franchise changing,” Ryder told me. “That always remains a big ‘what-if’ to me.”
Ryder added:
“I couldn’t say with certainty, but having a guy like Barry Larkin in the fold could have absolutely put them over the top, and knocked off a juggernaut like the late-90s, 2000 New York Yankees."
Follow Tim!
I want to once again thank Tim for chatting with me. It was a lot of fun to talk about one of the bigger Mets ‘what-ifs.’ I’ve been following Tim’s work for a long time and you should too!
You should definitely subscribe to The Apple and his podcast Simply Amazin’. Both are fantastic. You can also find Tim on X and Bluesky.
❓ Would you have traded for Barry Larkin?
Would you have traded top prospect OF Alex Escobar, the Mets top prospect at the time, and two other prospects for Barry Larkin? In this scenario, you would have to agree to a three-year extension.
Next newsletter we’ll share the results of the poll! So stay tuned.
Last week’s results: It was unanimous. 100% of Almost A Met readers said they would have traded OF Mike Cameron and top prospect OF Lastings Milledge for OF Manny Ramirez.
⚾ Mets news of the week
The Mets seem to always win when SS Francisco Lindor hits a home run. (@SNY_Mets/X)
1B Pete Alonso has had a great start to the year. But does it change his value on the free agent market? (@ZackScottSports/X)
3B Mark Vientos was injured in the first game of the Dodgers series, and called up top prospect INF Ronny Mauricio. (@JoelSherman1/X)
SP Sean Manaea is inching closer to returning to the Mets. (@AlbaneseLaura/X)
👀 Next time on “Almost A Met”
Next newsletter we’ll be look at how seemingly everyone thought 3B Kris Bryant was destined to become a member of the New York Mets. Stay tuned!
Got a suggestion for who you want us to feature in an upcoming newsletter? Shoot us an email at almostametnewsletter@gmail.com.