Game 163–1999 Mets

By Jay Horwitz

Our 1999 season could not have ended on a crazier note. It was a good kind of crazy, though. We had to sweep the Pirates in a series at Shea to put us in position for a postseason bid. Then we had to wait for the outcome of the Reds-Brewers game to determine our next step.

If the Reds won we would fly to Cincinnati for a one-game playoff for the Wild Card Spot. If Milwaukee was victorious we would fly directly to Arizona to begin a series vs. the Diamondbacks.

Then the chaos hit. The Reds-Brewers game was delayed by almost six hours because of rain. We had a team dinner in the Diamond Club and then decided to board our plan with our destination unknown.

During the flight we received word the Reds won and we knew who our opponent would be.

Well 22 years ago today (October 3) Al Leiter pitched one of the best games of his career. He tossed a 5–0, two-hit shutout and we advanced to the Divisional Series.

We beat Arizona in a four games on a Todd Pratt walk off home run. We did lose to Atlanta in six contests in the NLCS.

Still despite that loss I look back with fondness on the1999 season. It was the first tie in my career we literally had to change course in mid air to get to the right stadium.