1986 NLCS, Game 3: Astros @ Mets 

Ironically Joe West is the only surviving umpire from that series, and yet is still active. Bill Robinson also is gone.

Dave Smith and Aurelio Lopez. Also coaches Dennis Menkie and Les Moss.

Tim McCarver is gone too.

Bud Harrelson passed away last month (January 2024).

@@johnnyg2049he’s retired now.

Boston had them for dead

down in the series and down early in the games. They just kept fighting. What a squad.

Well Tim McCarver was there, too, making sure that idea of silence was going to die a very noise death. 35 years of that guy never letting any minor talking point pass him by.

i thought the call was terrible lol.....you can be quite but he doesnt even say mets win until way after....say GONE METS WIN 6-5!!! then shut up lol

@@cartwright77 Exactly- gotta says Mets win. (I love Bob Murphys call of this home run)

@@Cubroncs03 I think Cosell was worse than McCarver in that regard. I felt like Tim knew how to make his points quickly and concisely enough to let the game breathe. But Cosell was in this exact situation with Jackson in the '76 ALCS. Walk off HR, Jackson says gone and Cosell launches into his "Chris Chambliss has WON! The American League pennant. For the New York Yankees. In a dramatic, thrilling finish! What an incredible way for the American League season to end! etc etc etc" Although to be honest, I kinda liked the flavor Cosell added to that Chambliss HR. But he definitely really liked the sound of his own voice.

@billny33 people got annoyed by McCarver I recall my cousin annoyed how he would say " I was a catcher once " alluding to his catching Days of course but McCarver doesn't bother me. The bucks ugh. Joe & maybe as a Mets fan I listened to the " great " jack buck who called the Mets monumental moat watched all time come back when that famous ball went through Buckner I wanted to hear the national call & jack buck had all the enthusiasm of a may nothing game ender. So a bunch of people were commenting it was b/c jack was a st Louis announcer & hated the Mets b/c of the n.l. rivalry. So that sorta sux to have a bias announcer for a ws game for the entire country of baseball fans to hear a crappy call. I get a red sox announcer on radio being lackluster but a national radio game for everyone w/ a transistor radio in the 80s deserved better. Lol. Joe buck I think maybe pushed in this newer error to not stfu & immediately grab 20 players to interview from sideline reporters. Which is annoying. Everyone has add & must be stimulated. I'll say the best 2 game ending world series calls were Vin scullys call of the Buckner play as I think every baseball fan recalls it by heart it was so good & coincided w/ the most replayed ending of a game in history to scape goat poor victim Buckner who didn't lose the series! It was pretty much lost by the relief pitchers & the wild pitch tied it which just deflated the sox. Plus they still had a game 7. It wasn't the end of the series. Also the other call that gives me chills is the call of Joe carter's walk off home run to win the ws which is the moment every kid dreams of " touch em all Joe you'll never hit a bigger home run in your life " literally gives me chills.

We were denied the greatest series in baseball history when the Mets won Game 6 Would have loved to see Mike Scott in Game 7

@DanielSong39 well that's why we got won of the greatest games ever in game 6 , 16 innings b/c of just that the Mets wanted no part of the dreaded Mike scott. I'd never seen a pitcher dominate like that for an entire game. Scott was the reason Houston won only 2 games. Also rare to see a pitcher go 9 innings. If clemens pitched 9 innings in game 6 I don't think the Mets were winning Game 6 so it depends on who u believe McNamara who said clemens asked out & clemens said he never did they both agree on ge had a blister tear & couldn't throw a slider. So I think clemens Said he had the blister so McNamara took him out. I don't think clemens at 24 & throwing gas into 7 asked out. That was the problem for the red sox not poor scape goat Buckner. That game was lost when Stanley threw the wild pitch & it was tied plus it wasn't the end their was a game 7 !plus shiraldi blew it allowing 3 straight base hits & he also blew a 3 run lead in game 7 why isn't he the " goat" when it was a bad term. Now #goat is of course the highest compliment. I figured that when I saw so many posts years ago calling Jordan the # goat & I was confused lol. Now should we say the heel for the person who gets blamed or blows a big play?

3 of these games are the best baseball games I've ever watched.

I was there too..sitting to right of the right field foul pole. Two of the greatest homers in team history..I've never forgotten it.

@@tommyhendo I was also there behind the RF foul pole!! I has Sat/Sun plan tix in the Mezz (green seats) and the Mets stuck us up there for the playoffs.

Oh snap, I too was there sitting to the left of the left field fou...naaaaahh, I wasn't there but instead watched it from home.

My dad was there with my sister (I wasn’t born yet) and they were sitting behind first base.

@@terranceannese7772 me and my Dad (RIP) had a Thursday/ Sunday plan and they in the upper box behind home plate and I was SARDINED INTO THE RIGHT field FOUL pole upper deck in the middle on the end of the ROW by the stairs as you know the right fielder is blocked out when Dykstra hit the ball me and a FEW OTHER FANS RAN TO THE railing you look down and you see the bullpen when we saw Kevin Bass put his HEAD down we knew it was GONE and Ed Hearn the bullpen catcher caught the BALL!!!!! Good times THEN I'm a Yankees fan now When Darryl Strawberry left then Gooden and Dykstra and Hernandez ( Mex) left I was DONE !!!!!!!

Mike Darrah Mets in 1986 had 39 come from behind wins

For 30 years I say to myself every time.." in a New York Minute"

R.I.P. Keith Jackson

He cared a lot about the game. What are you talking about...

Naked women

The Real Captain James T. Kirk oof

Pizza.

+Michael Boles And it's not like these Yankees had bad teams. Hell, they had a lot of decent teams in the mid-80s and technically were the winningest team of the decade.They were stuck in an uber-competitive AL East

+Chris Kreager Very true...would've been a wild card if it existed in 1985 and 1986. Won 91 games in 1983 and 87 in 1984. They were hardly an also ran until Steinbrenner's meddling basically eradicated all of their resources by 1988

+Daniel Roberts Re-signing Cespedes can only help. It's just a matter of keeping those young arms healthy. The Cubs were set up to be the same way a decade plus ago, but Prior blew his arm out.

Nothing weird about that at all. NY is an NL town at heart.

@@Gorilla_Jones That was a poorly told myth... as you can clearly see the last 25+ years

Rob Jontay Mets should have never traded him.

@@travismcdonald6576 The trade of Mitchell hurt the heart of the team. McReynolds was a decent hitter but he lacked the fire that Mitchell brought. The Bonia and for Juan Samuel were train wrecks.

@@travismcdonald6576 Well at least they got a World Series with Dykstra and Mitchell, lots of talented teams never win one

+nymike06 It's too bad Bass was such a lousy clutch hitter. Seems like a cool guy.

John Smith I agree!

joeboo629 They shit the bed in the NLCS in 88. In 89, they started dismantling.

So true! Those guys were the heart & soul of the team. Knight left in free agency & the Bonia, Samuel moves were train wrecks too.

Damm damm damm why did he have 2 get hooked on that 🌨 1st ballot HOF if he didn't smh

The Straw's stroke was so smooth & natural. If only he & Doc had stayed clean. We probably win it all in 1988. But they were so young & suddenly stars in the media capital of the world on a dominating team. They needed someone to watch out for them and protect them from hoes and drugs. Not to mention "friends" & family hanging on like leeches for 💰💸 & 🍻🍺🍸

Bonkers in Yonkers

The Astros should have swept the Mets in the middle three NLCS games in New York but for Craig Reynolds error opening the floodgates in the 6th inning of Game 3 plus Dave Smith was never able to solve the Mets. Then Craig Reynolds beat the throw to first base in Game 5 but Keith Hernandez tricked Fred Brocklander into calling Reynolds out. Darryl Strawberry hit the game winning homer in extras. Hal Lanier removes Bob Knepper from the 9th inning of Game 6 far too late. To quote the late great Paul Harvey, Sr. " . . . . and now you know the REST of the story."

Louis Casas what the fuck are you talking about? Strawberry didn’t hit any game winning home runs in extra innings or any in general in this series. No need to make shit up

Louis Casas your facts are all true and with those alone, yes, the Astros should have won. But you're forgetting one very important factor here. It's very likely Mike Scott was scuffing balls in his two wins in this series. That throws a bit of a monkey wrench into that calculation.

@@ADEAL918 cheating Astros back then too.

Lucas McCain except then it wasn't a whole team effort, it was just Scott. Actually that Astros team was largely considered a bunch of choir boys (and super religious guys as well). Also included Nolan Ryan--a true gentleman who I guarantee you never cheated in any way. Very admirable characters, mostly--in large contrast to that Mets team for the most part. But Scott was a known scuffer and no one really knows why nothing was done about it.

BobcatJoeGutfeld You are 100% right. Back then they alternated home field advantage between division winners. It was the the Mets turn for winning the NL East because the Dodgers had it the year before when they won the NL West

BobcatJoeGutfeld I wouldn't say they got screwed. They won two of the most exciting playoff series in MLB history and their last two games are considered the greatest World Series games of all time.

In fact, 1986 marked the third consecutive year that the NL West champion had more home games in the LCS than the NL East champion had. What you mentioned about this series, with the Astros having four scheduled home games, compared to three for the Mets, as well as the Dodgers having four scheduled home games compared to three for the Cardinals in 1985 is true. But let's not forget that in 1984, the Padres also had the advantage of having three home games against the Cubs, compared to two games in Wrigley Field, an advantage that proved decisive as the home team won all five games in the 1984 NLCS. It ended up not mattering in '85 or '86, as the Cardinals and Mets won Game 6 in their respective LCS wins. When the Cardinals had four home games in the 1987 NLCS, it marked the first time since 1983 that the NL East team had home field advantage in the NLCS. And that would prove decisive in the 1987 NLCS, as the Cardinals beat the Giants in the full 7 games.

What ultimately screwed the Mets (and later the Oakland A's) in 1988 was the fact that the Dodgers had Orel Hershiser, who probably had the greatest second half of a season any modern pitcher has ever had, and nobody was going to beat the Dodgers when he pitched in that post-season. The Mets blew their big chance in Game 4 when Dwight Gooden walked John Shelby and then gave up a game-tying HR to Mike Scioscia in the ninth inning. And then the combination of Kirk Gibson and Orel Hershiser slammed the door in the 12th inning of that fateful game. The Dodgers then took Game 5 and Hershiser took over in Game 7.

Randy Myers should have closed that game against Scioscia...Mets up 3 games to 1, but it's history now

And this upload wasn't even the best game of the series...that was game 6, which was basically game 7 considering that Scott was all but untouchable. Even the Mets admitted they couldn't hit him.

VancouverChokers yeah but Scott was scuffing the balls. Wally Backman kept over a dozen balls after the game that were scuffed the same way.

ek347194 Scuffed or not, as the Mets said themselves, Chub Feeney wasn't going to do anything about it. And yeah, I'd say he probably scuffed. Just from interviews he gave, he probably knows it too.

86 the best postseason ever

Rick Lozano I'd say 2004 gives it a run for its money but yeah it's hard to beat 86.

There is NO WAY any umpire would have called Backman out for that. Not even with replay today. He was able to touch the bag without making any move back with his legs.

@@KnickKnack07 he still ran illegally outside the first base path. What also worked in the Mets favor was the fact that they were Dave Smith's daddies.

@@KnickKnack07 That and he was safe by a mile, no chance to make a tag

@@DrLuke49 No, he didn't run outside the base path. If you can touch the base in the path you are in, you are not outside the base path. At NO time in the entire history of baseball would that have EVER been called running out of the base path. It just always amazes me that there are people who say "I am a MUCH bigger expert n the baseball rules than ALL these professional Major League umpires who were so good at their jobs during that seasons that they were chosen to umpire the league Championship Season. Therefore, I know what constitutes running out of the baseline more than they do!" I mean...do you not realize how incredibly fucking stupid that sounds?

Shea stadium’s hot dogs & beer

The Redbirds suffered greatly from corrosion. I still remember when the R-36s still sported their original teal and white paint scheme.

I love Keith Hernandez, one of my top 3 favorite players of all time, but it really is not even a question that when it comes to the hall of fame, he falls far short. He simply does not have the numbers that are worthy of a hall of famer. He has almost 2200 career hits, 162 HRs, 1071 RBI, lifetime average of .296; not hall of fame numbers. What does he have going for him.....obviously people point to his 11 gold gloves and while Keith is often regarded as perhaps the best fielding first baseman of all time, that doesn't get you into the Hall. First base is not a defensive position like SS is. You can't compare him to someone like Ozzie Smith who is in the hall largely on his defensive abilities because SS is such an important defensive position. Keith does have an MVP as well but he just didn't put the numbers that get you into the hall. Having said all that, if there is a situation where I could chose 1 guy to get a hit or get on base for me in the most important of games, I would probably choose Keith. The guy was unbelievably clutch and rose to the occasion so often. What a player

rm1133 i think there's way too much emphasis on pure statistics. keith hernandez was always a good and clutch left handed hitter and we all know he's one of the best defensive 1st baseman ever. i hope he's still on the hall of fame ballot and eventually gets in.

Hernandez was the best 1st baseman of his ear...and possibly the best fielding 1st baseman of alltime....a true HOFer....sorta like Gil Hodges...ooops...

d'accordo

No doubt Hernandez should be in. He was clutch, consistent, won 2 rings, 11 Gold Gloves and an MVP. Perhaps even more importantly, he redefined 1B from the place you put big, unathletic Boog Powells to a dynamic, game-changing presence. Look at those who followed in his mold: Clark, Grace, Mattingly, Palmiero, etc. If Mazeroski got in on his leather and .260 average, then how is Keith NOT qualified?

Backman was safe by a mile, they almost never make the call in that situation If the fielder was right in front of him and he did a Billy Hamilton pirouette to avoid the tag it's a different story

+Thomas Henderson - - Backman should have been called out ! I truly despise the Mets since their playoff runs of 1969, 1973 and 1986 .

There as no tag attempt. Just a guy chasing him.

Cruise Control...yeah! How DARE a team be good once or twice a decade!

I believe they were actually the team groupies and mistresses since Kevin Elster was the biggest horndog on that 1986 Mets team.

@@DrLuke49 A lot of the players had side chicks. 🍓 had some and Doc too.

djn3131 weellll

djn3131 2015 dumbass and 2019

The Astros had no lefty relievers that year. I know that one of the Atlanta Braves team the Mets played in the 1980's had no lefty pitchers, period. That hurt them against the Mets as well.

Ben Stephenson I just checked and they did have different uniforms for home and away.

From 1975-1979, "rainbow guts" was the only uniform they wore. From 1980-1986, it was their home uniform only. They're wearing the standard gray uniform in this game.

He is kind of annoying but be brings a lot of knowledge to the game as a former player

He was actually the Mets' regular color man on WOR in those days.

75 aces Good question.

@@travismcdonald6576 ABC had a college football game following this and then had Game 4 of the ALCS that night.

The hell you say.

Citifield is another example of how the Mets simply don't get it. There will never be lasting memories with the Mets as long as they continue their current "Pitching wins championships!" delusions...which has NEVER been true, but is even less so in the says with every pitcher will go on the extended DL at some point and even when they are in, they pitch just 5-6 innings. If pitching won championships, then the Braves would have won more than one World Series in the 90s/early 00s.

Yes..but a simple score wouldn't have killed them!

But it is great that the camera no longer pans to show the players wives.

Not a big difference. The camera still shows the crowd way too often and at the most ridiculous times. It is amazing how sports directors think. TV is supposed to be the substitute for our eyes if we were actually at he game. And I guarantee that NO ONE after a big home run, or great play, or whatever, is looking around at their fellow fans in the stands cheering. They are focused on the players celebrating. Yet TV constantly cuts away to show fans. It is like when they show a fly ball by zooming in on the ball! Making it impossible to tell if it is a 460 foot home run, or a 180 foot popout. All we see is a baseball and sky. As before, I guarantee that no one is in the stands with binoculars watching just he ball in flight. (Golf telecasts are guilty of this too. Zoom in on the ball so we don't know if it is a perfect 325 drive down the middle of the fairway or a 180 yard slice that will end up in the water. Not until the ball actually lands. TV sports has become a matter of showing fans what they CAN do with modern technology..not what they SHOULD do to make the experience of watching the game the best of viewers. And don't get me started on dugout/sideline interviews taking place DURING LIVE ACTION! And they often actually cut to the interview or maybe put the live action in a small picture in picture. As if we need to SEE the people talking rather than just hear it.

Who?

- I'd LOVE to watch that one; only can see a few clips from it now.

There were at least two former Astros who won the 2001 World Series with Arizona (Steve Finley and Luis Gonzalez).

@@DrLuke49 the astros had a ton more than that, take a look at the 1-6 of the batting order of the houston astros in this game from 1991, www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ATL/ATL199110050.shtml if that core would have stuck together in the 90's and developed the way they did the 4 titles the yankees won would be in houston. They also had darryl kyle and curt Schilling on the 1991 roster too along with the manager of the moneyball era oakland a's art howe.