Benny Ayala - His Mets Career 1974,1976

Benny Ayala made his Mets as well as his Major League debut on August 27, 1974 against the Houston Astros. In the second inning he hit a home run off of Tom Griffin becoming the first Mets player to hit a home run in their first Major League at bat.. That would pretty much be the highlight of his career while playing with Mets.

Ayala would finish out the 74 season with the Mets playing in 23 games hitting 235 with 2 homers and 8 RBI’s. After failing to make the team out of Spring Training in 1975, Ayala would play the entire season with the Tidewater Tides, the Mets AAA affiliate. He returned to the big club in 1976 but would last only 22 games hitting just .115 with a homer and 2 RBI’s. He was sent back down to the minors and would not return to Queens. The Mets traded him to the St Louis Cardinals prior to the 1977 season for Doug Clarey.

In 45 games for the Mets Ayala hit .202 with 3 homers and 10 runs batted in.

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Bob Apodaca - His Mets Career 1974 - 1977

Bob Apodaca made his Mets debut on September 18, 1973 exactly four years later he pitched in his last big league game. In between Apodaca showed promise as a relief pitcher but was often injured which significantly hindered his career.

His best season with the Mets was 1975 when he led the team with 13 saves and posted a 1.49 ERA in 84.2 innings. In his five seasons with the Mets Apodaca pitched in 184 games winning 16 games while losing 25 and saving another 26. He also posted a very respectable 2.86 ERA over 361.1 innings.

After missing the entire 1978 and 1979 seasons with arm injuries the Mets released him thus ending his big league career.

Bob Apodaca also served as the Mets pitching coach under Bobby Valentine from 1996-1999, but was fired midway through the 1999 season.

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Jack Aker - 1974

Jack Aker was a journeyman pitcher who pitched for the Kansas City A’s (1964-68), Seattle Pilots (1969), New York Yankees (1969-1972), Chicago Cubs (1972-1973) and Atlanta Braves (1974). The Mets purchased him from the Braves on June 14, 1974 and he would pitch in 24 games for the Mets in 1974 all out of the bullpen.


Aker made his Mets debut on June 16, 1974 pitching one inning of relief against the Los Angeles Dodgers allowing 1 run and 1 hit in a game the Mets would lose 7-1.

Jack Aker won his first game as a Met on June 24th against the Chicago Cubs pitching two innings of scoreless relief as the Mets defeated the Cubs by a score of 5 to 4.

Jack Aker finished the season with the Mets with a 2 and 1 record along with 2 saves and a 3.48 ERA. The Mets released him following the season ending his playing career.

But Jack Aker stayed a member of the Mets organization managing in their minor league system with the Visalia Mets in 1975, Lynchburg Mets 1976-1980 and with the Tidewater Tides in 1981 and 1982.

Jack Aker wore number 22 with the Mets.


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