Ever since making his MLB debut in 1988 until the 2001 season, former second baseman Roberto Alomar was a bonafide star.
He was phenomenal with the bat and fantastic with the glove.
He also had impact speed, winning pedigree, and smarts.
Alomar, who won the 1992 and 1993 World Series with the Toronto Blue Jays, was one of the stars of the game when he got to the New York Mets as a 34-year-old in 2002.
It’s fair to say the experiment didn’t work out.
“Roberto Alomar’s fWAR in three seasons leading up to his time with the Mets: 1999: 7.3, 2000: 5.0, 2001: 6.6. His 2002 season with the Mets? 1.4 fWAR. Dude fell off the Grand Canyon,” Mets Legends tweeted.
Roberto Alomar’s fWAR in three seasons leading up to his time with the Mets:
1999: 7.3
2000: 5.0
2001: 6.6His 2002 season with the Mets?
1.4 fWAR.
Dude fell off the Grand Canyon. pic.twitter.com/6qs7z7VVNN
— Mets Legends (@MetsLegends) January 5, 2023
The Grand Canyon would be an understatement.
Father Time usually ends up on the winning side, and Alomar was no exception.
Some players sharply decline at 30, others at 37, and others at 42.
There is no way to tell that.
In the specific case of Alomar, it happened in 2002 as a 34-year-old.
He went from hitting .336/.415/.541 with 113 runs, 20 home runs, 100 RBI, and 30 stolen bases with Cleveland in 2001 to slashing .266/.331/.376 with 11 blasts, 73 runs, 53 RBI, and 16 thefts with the Mets in 2002.
Yikes.
He wasn’t the same player since that year, and retired after the 2004 campaign.
Alomar’s career was rewarded with a permanent ticket to Cooperstown in 2011.
He was a 12-time All-Star (1990–2001), a two-time World Series champion (1992, 1993), the MVP of the 1992 ALCS, won ten Gold Gloves (1991–1996, 1998–2001) and four Silver Slugger awards (1992, 1996, 1999, 2000).
The Blue Jays retired his number.
The Mets?
Well, that experience was a rather forgettable one.
