Jerry Koosman, 1942-2026

[Edgy MD]

Jerry Koosman, Mets Hall-of-Famer, 1969 champion, all-time lefthander, and forever all-time #36 on your scorecards, has entered the hereafter at the age of 83.

[Frayed Knot]

Mom never liked Seaver. Kooz was her guy.

[metirish]

Rest in peace,  a true NY Mets great

[Edgy MD]

Koos, as recently as a few months ago, had made the news for selling off career memorabilia, suggesting he knew the end was near and was cleaning house.

I look at him as undervalued in basebal history, but klosing out an improbably World Series viktory with a komplete game win is a kareer in itself.

[Gwreck]

There’s a real good argument that Koosman should have been World Series MVP.

[Edgy MD]

5 minutes ago, Gwreck said:

There’s a real good argument that Koosman should have been World Series MVP.

Indeed.

There's possibly a stronger argument out there for Al Weis.

[Gwreck]

Who are the all-time greatest #2 starting pitchers?

Tom Glavine, ATL, 1993-2002

Don Drysdale, LAD, 1958-1966

Gaylord Perry, SF, 1962-1971

and then Koosman at #4?

[Edgy MD]

I like the question.

I imagine there are a lot of Red Ruffins and Ed Ruelbachs out there we wouldn't even think of, despite very strong cases.

[kcmets]

KOOZ! 

[metirish]

 

 

 

[whippoorwill]

Loved Jerry Koosman 😢 just seemed so regular and wholesome 

 

 

[Fman99]

RIP Kooz

 

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

RIP Koozie.

[ashie62]

In 1968 Jerry Koosman tosses 263.1 innings going 19-12 with a 2.08 ERA.

He also throws 17 complete games and seven shutouts. All of this however is not enough to beat out Johnny Bench for Rookie of the Year.

He was a Mets grown lefty who I think of as the other side of Tom Seaver 

RIP, Gone but never forgotten 

 

[MFS62]

4 hours ago, Frayed Knot said:

Mom never liked Seaver. Kooz was her guy.

Me, too. Koosman was a more “ regular guy” you could have a beer with. He showed humility. I always liked Jerry better. 
RIP

later

[Centerfield]

We’re nearing the time where we won’t have any ‘69 Mets left. Sad times. 

[Frayed Knot]

1 hour ago, ashie62 said:

In 1968 Jerry Koosman tosses 263.1 innings going 19-12 with a 2.08 ERA.

He also throws 17 complete games and seven shutouts. All of this however is not enough to beat out Johnny Bench for Rookie of the Year.

20 voters for awards in those pre-expansion days: 10 voters went with Bench, 9 for Koosman, and one guy split his vote between the two. So it was 10.5 for Bench to 9.5 for Kooz (only first place votes then, no seconds or thirds, etc.)

So close, yet so far.

Kooz may have lost out on two post-season awards due to following Seaver, as in maybe some voters didn't want to double up on one team two years running. One was that ROY award in '68 after Tom had won it in '67,  And then his 2nd place CY finish in '76 where the voters went with SD's Randy Jones just one season after Jones was runner-up to Seaver.

Although, in fairness, Jones did have an outrageous year that season: [(led league) 40 GS, 25 CG, 315 IP, 1,251 Batters Faced*, 2.74 ERA, 1.027 WHIP] while significantly trailing Kooz in only strikeouts (93 to 200). 

 

* Sandy Alcantara led MLB this year with 894

[Gwreck]

1 hour ago, Centerfield said:

We’re nearing the time where we won’t have any ‘69 Mets left. Sad times. 

A lot of deaths over the past few years:  Grote, Buddy, Kranepool, Ron Taylor, Jim McAndrew, Jack DiLauro, and now Koosman.

10 players are still with us from the WS team: Boswell, Garrett, Cleon, Swoboda, JC Martin, Al Weis, Art Shamsky, Rod Gaspar, Gary Gentry, Nolan Ryan.

[Benjamin Grimm]

The 1969 Mets

 

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

Koosman had one of the coolest signatures! 

[Edgy MD]

12 hours ago, Frayed Knot said:

Kooz may have lost out on two post-season awards due to following Seaver, as in maybe some voters didn't want to double up on one team two years running. One was that ROY award in '68 after Tom had won it in '67,  And then his 2nd place CY finish in '76 where the voters went with SD's Randy Jones just one season after Jones was runner-up to Seaver.

The deserving Mets Cy Young candidate who didn't get a sniff of the trophy in that era was Jon Matlack, who may have been the best NL pitcher in 1974, but had a losing W-L record, and failed to garner a single point.

[Edgy MD]

Koosman was the starter in the blackout game of July 13, 1977, putting him at Ground Zero in the moment we all left our original timeline and entered this one.

[Edgy MD]

"He would throw a curfball that would hit me in de face, y'know?"

Kooz Part 1

[Cowtipper]

All the living Mets from 1969, per the Baseball Reference Bullpen: 

• Ken Boswell
• Duffy Dyer
• Wayne Garrett
• Rod Gaspar
• Gary Gentry
• Jim Gosger
• Bob Heise
• Jesse Hudson
• Bob Johnson
• Cleon Jones
• J.C. Martin
• Amos Otis
• Bobby Pfeil
• Nolan Ryan
• Art Shamsky
• Ron Swoboda
• Al Weis

[Benjamin Grimm]

The graphic above says the same. Those who have died have their photos in a black border.

[Chad ochoseis]

20 hours ago, Gwreck said:

Who are the all-time greatest #2 starting pitchers?

Tom Glavine, ATL, 1993-2002

Don Drysdale, LAD, 1958-1966

Gaylord Perry, SF, 1962-1971

and then Koosman at #4?

His '69 O's counterpart, Mike Cuellar, has a pretty good case. And I also think about Johnny Sain, but that may simply be because he got a rhyme. Nothing rhymes with "Koosman".

[Edgy MD]

Well, there could be "Seaver and Koos, and hitting the booze."

But I take it that the rhyme was less about Johnny Sain being the terrifickest #2, so much as their #3, 4, and 5 starters representing a big dropoff.

And that rarely was particularly the case with the Mets, as the #3's behind Jerry included Gary Gentry and Jon Matlack.

[Edgy MD]

[Cowtipper]

There are some folks who think Koosman should be in the actual Hall of Fame and, as starters are used less and less and numbers like his look gaudier and gaudier, I have a hunch Koosman and pitchers like him will rise in peoples' evaluations in the future. His most similar list is solid. Only one Hall of Famer, but arguments can actually be made for quite a few of them: 

[The Hot Corner]

Koosman was a Mets legend and good man.  His passing was a sad day for Mets baseball.  RIP Koos.