Binghamton Mets

MiLB infobox
name = Binghamton Mets
founded = 1987
city = Binghamton, New York
misc =

uniform
class level = Double-A (1987-Present)
past class level=
current league = Eastern League (1987-Present)
conference = Northern Division
division =
past league =
majorleague = New York Mets (1991-present)
pastmajorleague = Seattle Mariners (1989-1990)
* Cleveland Indians (1987-1988)
uniform =
nickname = Binghamton Mets (1992-present)
pastnames = Williamsport Bills (1987-1991)
ballpark = NYSEG Stadium (1992-Present)
pastparks =
leaguechamps = 1992, 1994
divisionchamps = 1994, 2000
misc6 =
owner = David Maines, William Maines, George Scherer, Michael Urda
manager = Mako Oliveras
gm = Scott BrownThe Binghamton Mets are a minor league baseball team based in Binghamton, New York in the United States. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club. The Mets play in NYSEG Stadium, located in Binghamton.

History

Prior to Binghamton the franchise was the Williamsport Bills since 1989 and was affiliated with the Seattle Mariners 1989-1990 and the New York Mets in 1991. The Williamsport Bills of 1987-1988 were moved to Hagerstown, MD with the Pittsfield, MA franchise relocating to Williamsport. The often relocated franchise was based in Pittsfield, MA 1985-1988, Buffalo, NY 1979-1984, Jersey City, NJ 1977-1978, and Williamsport, PA in 1976 when it replaced the defunct Thetford Mines, Quebec franchise. The parent New York Mets bought the Bills franchise in late 1990 and announced they would move the club a short distance north to Binghamton. The Bills played out their final season in Williamsport in 1991 while a new stadium was constructed. Then, in 1992, minor league baseball was back in the Triple Cities for the first time in 24 years. (The Binghamton Triplets, a New York Yankee affiliate, had played at Johnson Field in nearby Johnson City until 1968.)

In their first year as the Binghamton Mets, the team set a still-standing attendance record by drawing just over a quarter-million fans to the ballpark. They also proceeded to win the Eastern League championship.

In 1994, the New York parent club sold ownership of the team to a group of local investors led by Michael Urda. That year, the team went on to another EL title and a league-best record of 82-59. Binghamton also hosted the Double-A All-Star Game in July of that year. Former Mets farmhand Blaine Beatty, who was the losing pitcher in that All-Star Game, would serve as the B-Mets' pitching coach in 2005.

The Mets alternated between 2nd- and 4th-place finishes for the next four years, and although they made the playoffs with their runner-up showings in 1996 and 1998, they were eliminated in the first round both times.

After a dreadful season in 1999 where the team finished 38 games out of first place, the Mets pulled off a "worst-to-first" turnaround in 2000, winning the EL Northern Division but losing to New Haven in the playoffs. Binghamton posted identical 73-68 records in both 2001 and 2002 but failed to make the postseason.

The B-Mets made it back to the postseason in 2004, winning the EL Northern Division with a 76-66 record before losing in the first round of the playoffs to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats who, like the B-Mets, would go on to win the EL championship in their inaugural season.

A new video scoreboard was installed at NYSEG Stadium in time for the 2007 season and, despite finishing in last place, the B-Mets drew 230,053 fans. This was the team's highest total attendance since it's inaugural season in Binghamton back in 1992.

Notable alumni

* Outfielder Benny Agbayani
* Third baseman Edgardo Alfonzo
* Outfielder Jason Bay
* Outfielder Jay Payton
* Outfielder Preston Wilson
* Outfielder Alan Watson
* Outfielder Esix Snead
* Pitcher Octavio Dotel
* Pitcher Cory Lidle
* Pitcher PJ Bevis
* Pitcher Jason Isringhausen
* Pitcher Bobby J. Jones
* Pitcher Scott Kazmir
* Pitcher Paul Wilson
* Pitcher Aaron Heilman
* Pitcher Matt Lindstrom
* Pitcher Jake Joseph
* Pitcher Brian Bannister
* Shortstop Rey Ordóñez
* Shortstop José Reyes
* Third baseman David Wright
* Catcher Alberto Castillo
* First baseman Brian Daubach
* Catcher/First baseman Jason Phillips
* Catcher/First baseman Mike Jacobs
* Outfielder Lastings Milledge
* Outfielder Carlos Gomez
* Catcher Justin Huber
* Outfielder Angel Pagán

Current roster

eason records

(Place indicates finish in Eastern League 1987-93, in Northern Division from 1994)
* Williamsport Bills
*1987: 60-79 (7th), managers Steve Swisher & Orlando Gomez
*1988: 66-73 (6th), manager Mike Hargrove
*1989: 63-77 (7th), manager Jay Ward
*1990: 61-79 (7th), manager Rich Morales
*1991: 60-79 (7th), manager Clint Hurdle
* Binghamton Mets
*1992: 79-59 (2nd), manager Steve Swisher
*1993: 68-72 (5th), manager Steve Swisher
*1994: 82-59 (1st), manager John Tamargo
*1995: 67-75 (4th), manager John Tamargo
*1996: 76-66 (2nd), manager John Tamargo
*1997: 66-76 (4th), manager Rick Sweet
*1998: 82-60 (2nd), manager John Gibbons
*1999: 54-88 (6th), manager Doug Davis
*2000: 82-58 (1st), manager Doug Davis
*2001: 73-68 (4th), manager Howie Freiling
*2002: 73-68 (3rd), manager Howie Freiling
*2003: 63-78 (5th), manager John Stearns
*2004: 76-66 (2nd), manager Ken Oberkfell
*2005: 63-79 (6th), manager Jack Lind
*2006: 70-70 (3rd), manager Juan Samuel
*2007: 61-81 (6th), manager Mako Oliveras

Playoffs

*1992 season: Defeated Harrisburg, 3-1 in first round; defeated Canton-Akron 3-2 for league championship.
*1994 season: Swept New Haven, 3-0 in first round; defeated Harrisburg 3-1 to win second league title in three years.
*1996 season: Lost to Portland, 3-2 in first round.
*1998 season: Lost to New Britain, 3-1 in first round.
*2000 season: Lost to New Haven, 3-1 in first round.
*2004 season: Lost to New Hampshire, 3-1 in first round.

External links

* [http://www.bmets.com/ Binghamton Mets official site]
* [http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/clubs/ip_index.jsp?sid=milb&cid=t505 Binghamton Mets page at MiLB]
* [http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks/binghamton/binghamton.htm Photographs of NYSEG Stadium, home of the Binghamton Mets - "Rochester Area Ballparks"]
* [http://digg.com/baseball/The_2008_Binghamton_Mets_The_Mets_Double_A_Eastern_League/ The 2008 Binghamton Mets]
* [http://mets.scout.com/ Inside Pitch Magazine Online]