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So Many Ways to Lose: The Amazin’ True Story of the New York Mets—the Best Worst Team in Sports
The Mets lose when they should win. They win when they should lose. And when it comes to being the worst, no team in sports has ever done it better than the Mets.
In So Many Ways to Lose, author and lifelong Mets fan Devin Gordon sifts through the detritus of Queens for a baseball history like no other. Remember the time the Mets lost an All-Star after he got charged by a wild boar? Or the time they blew a six-run ninth-inning lead at the peak of a pennant race? Or the time they fired their manager before he ever managed a game? Sure you do. It was only two years ago, and it was all in the same season. The Mets have an unrivaled gift for getting it backward, doing the impossible, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, and then snatching defeat right back again.
And yet, just ask any Mets fan: amazing and/or miraculous postseason runs are as much a part of our team's identity as losing 120 games in 1962. The DNA of seasons like 1969, the original Miracle Mets, and the 1973 “Ya Gotta Believe” Mets, who went from last place to Game 7 of the World Series in two months, and the powerhouse 1986 Mets, has encoded in us this hapless instinct that a reversal of fortune is always possible. It’s happened before. It’s kind of our thing. And now we've got Steve Cohen's hedge-fund billions to play with! What could go wrong?
In this hilarious history of the Mets and love letter to the art of disaster, Devin Gordon presents baseball the way it really is, not in the wistful sepia tones we've come to expect from other sportswriters. Along the way, he explains the difference between being bad and being gifted at losing, and why this distinction holds the key to understanding the true amazin’ magic of the New York Mets.
In So Many Ways to Lose, author and lifelong Mets fan Devin Gordon sifts through the detritus of Queens for a baseball history like no other. Remember the time the Mets lost an All-Star after he got charged by a wild boar? Or the time they blew a six-run ninth-inning lead at the peak of a pennant race? Or the time they fired their manager before he ever managed a game? Sure you do. It was only two years ago, and it was all in the same season. The Mets have an unrivaled gift for getting it backward, doing the impossible, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, and then snatching defeat right back again.
And yet, just ask any Mets fan: amazing and/or miraculous postseason runs are as much a part of our team's identity as losing 120 games in 1962. The DNA of seasons like 1969, the original Miracle Mets, and the 1973 “Ya Gotta Believe” Mets, who went from last place to Game 7 of the World Series in two months, and the powerhouse 1986 Mets, has encoded in us this hapless instinct that a reversal of fortune is always possible. It’s happened before. It’s kind of our thing. And now we've got Steve Cohen's hedge-fund billions to play with! What could go wrong?
In this hilarious history of the Mets and love letter to the art of disaster, Devin Gordon presents baseball the way it really is, not in the wistful sepia tones we've come to expect from other sportswriters. Along the way, he explains the difference between being bad and being gifted at losing, and why this distinction holds the key to understanding the true amazin’ magic of the New York Mets.
400 pages, Hardcover
Published March 16, 2021
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November 16, 2020
Those who follow baseball, whether or not they are fans of the New York Mets, know that the team has a very interesting history that has more downs than ups. This book written by journalist Devin Gordon, who makes it known from the start that he is a die-hard Mets fan, is certainly one of the most entertaining books a baseball reader can read.
This book will grab a reader right from the start, as the introduction has two very important pieces one must know before diving in. One is mentioned above and that is Gordon's love of the Mets. The second is his definition of the "best worst team" and why the Mets are the perfect embodiment of that definition. Briefly, it means that when they lose, they will often do it in spectacular fashion. This goes well beyond games, standings or championships. He also explains why other teams that may fit the description of "best worst team" such as the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Vikings just don't do justice to that moniker – only the Mets will do.
That last sentence is written in a manner like much of this book is written – with plenty of humor and attitude that New York City is known to have. That is the charm of this book, even if one is taken aback with that "attitude" in real life. By writing in this style, Gordon gives authenticity to his claim about the Mets being that team. He also will describe a particular event as being "Metsy" many times in the book. This is another characteristic that makes this book so hard to put down.
As for what is covered in this book, it truly is a good source of the history of the team. From its beginnings in the Polo Grounds, the historic bad records and Casey Stengel at the helm to the record breaking 2019 rookie season of Pete "Polar Bear" Alonso and just about everything in between, this book covers a lot of Mets territory. Some of the more interesting parts of the book are the chapters on Joan Payson (someone that Gordon believes gets far too little credit for what she did to bring a National League team back to New York), "Bobby Bonilla Day", and Cleon Jones. That last chapter on the treatment he received from the team will really leave a reader wondering how any team can treat a player like that. Other good chapters include the "Midnight Massacre" when the Mets let Tom Seaver get away – twice, Mackey Sasser's yips and why Endy Chavez made "The Catch" instead of Willie Mays. These are all written with knowledge, humor and attitude.
Any baseball reader, from the biggest Mets fan to the team's biggest detractors will enjoy reading this book as it will give fuel to both sides of the coin. For those who aren't emotionally invested in the Mets, it's still a great book to get some perspective on the "best worst team in sports."
I wish to thank Harper Publications for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
This book will grab a reader right from the start, as the introduction has two very important pieces one must know before diving in. One is mentioned above and that is Gordon's love of the Mets. The second is his definition of the "best worst team" and why the Mets are the perfect embodiment of that definition. Briefly, it means that when they lose, they will often do it in spectacular fashion. This goes well beyond games, standings or championships. He also explains why other teams that may fit the description of "best worst team" such as the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Vikings just don't do justice to that moniker – only the Mets will do.
That last sentence is written in a manner like much of this book is written – with plenty of humor and attitude that New York City is known to have. That is the charm of this book, even if one is taken aback with that "attitude" in real life. By writing in this style, Gordon gives authenticity to his claim about the Mets being that team. He also will describe a particular event as being "Metsy" many times in the book. This is another characteristic that makes this book so hard to put down.
As for what is covered in this book, it truly is a good source of the history of the team. From its beginnings in the Polo Grounds, the historic bad records and Casey Stengel at the helm to the record breaking 2019 rookie season of Pete "Polar Bear" Alonso and just about everything in between, this book covers a lot of Mets territory. Some of the more interesting parts of the book are the chapters on Joan Payson (someone that Gordon believes gets far too little credit for what she did to bring a National League team back to New York), "Bobby Bonilla Day", and Cleon Jones. That last chapter on the treatment he received from the team will really leave a reader wondering how any team can treat a player like that. Other good chapters include the "Midnight Massacre" when the Mets let Tom Seaver get away – twice, Mackey Sasser's yips and why Endy Chavez made "The Catch" instead of Willie Mays. These are all written with knowledge, humor and attitude.
Any baseball reader, from the biggest Mets fan to the team's biggest detractors will enjoy reading this book as it will give fuel to both sides of the coin. For those who aren't emotionally invested in the Mets, it's still a great book to get some perspective on the "best worst team in sports."
I wish to thank Harper Publications for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
March 21, 2021
New York is unique in that it has two Major League teams. Back in the day when there were just 16 teams, this was not uncommon, with dual clubs in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and St. Louis. In fact, prior to 1957, New York supported three teams. The Mets were only born out of necessity after the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants departed for the west coast, leaving the National League without representation in the country’s most populous area. Not to mention the fans of those two rivals who were bereft and for the most part had no intention of rooting for the hated Bronx Bombers. Thus begins Devin Gordon’s wonderfully entertaining history, SO MANY WAYS TO LOSE.
At first, no one had any expectations that the Mets would actually be decent, let alone good. There were slim pickings among the players from which they and their fellow newbies, the Houston Astros, were allowed to choose. The Mets decided to go with name recognition rather than building for the future. The results were historically bad, and the Mets became the punchline for jokes about well-meaning shortcomings.
I’m sure that other teams with long histories of lousy performances managed to yank defeat from the jaws of victory in similar fashion, but there was just something about the Mets that added the adjective “lovable” to their “loser” tag. Maybe it was their skipper, Casey Stengel, who, along with general manager George Weiss, was fired by the Yankees for the sin of being too old despite a boatload of championships. Stengel charmed the media with his gift of gab, soothing the anxiety that would become the hallmark of future generations of fans once they got a taste of success thanks to the Miracle Mets of 1969.
Why weren’t they able to continue on that high level following that championship season, or in the mid-to-late ’80s when the roster featured surefire Hall of Famers like Darryl Strawberry and Doc Gooden? Mostly it came down to bad decisions by the front office with disastrous trades and signings (bye-bye, Nolan Ryan; hello, Joe Foy, Jim Fregosi and Vince Coleman).
Sometimes it was as simple as a player hitting his peak and unable to repeat, whether because of age or bizarre injury. As Gordon writes about a recent spring training, “They celebrate Groundhog Day a little differently around here: Every year at about this time, the Mets emerge from hibernation to see which player will be the first to need an MRI.”
SO MANY WAYS TO LOSE is not all fun and games. Gordon gets serious when he describes the decline and fall of some heralded players like Strawberry and Gooden (who, the author points out, were resurrected briefly by the damnable Yankees of George Steinbrenner) or Mackey Sasser, a promising catcher who developed a case of the yips that made it virtually impossible for him to throw the ball back to the pitcher, the underlying cause of which was truly heartbreaking. There are also instances when racism played a role in dealing with some of the Mets’ players of color. This included how some of those issues were reported by members of the press, who Gordon describes accurately as mostly middle-aged white men who might not be as sensitive as they could be.
This is not a complete history, lest anyone get the wrong idea. Gordon --- a veteran journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic and Newsweek, among others --- picks a few key eras as indicative of the franchise’s failings. For me these were the mid-’70s, when fortunately I was working as a counselor in a sleepaway camp near Montreal and was unable to follow the mundane events, and most of the ’90s, when they were, as per Bob Klapisch and John Harper’s book, THE WORST TEAM MONEY COULD BUY.
Even when they did approach some level of greatness, there was always a dark cloud looming around the corner, ready to rain down disappointment. A great example is “The Catch” made by Endy Chavez in the 2006 National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, judged by many (including Gordon) as one of the greatest defensive plays of all time. It would have been more satisfying if Carlos Beltran, perhaps the Mets’ best hitter that season, hadn’t taken a called third strike with the bases loaded to lose the game. Oh well, that’s what you get for plighting your baseball trough with this crew.
At one point late in the book, Gordon recalls talking with Gary Cohen and Ron Darling, two-thirds of one of the best broadcasting teams in all of baseball: “When I told [them], separately, that I was a lifelong Mets fan, they each said the same thing, ‘I’m sorry.’” Well, I have been a Mets fan since the early days, God help me. I have probably read 99 percent of the books written about the team. SO MANY WAYS TO LOSE is the funniest, saddest, most infuriating and most honest of the bunch.
Reviewed by Ron Kaplan
At first, no one had any expectations that the Mets would actually be decent, let alone good. There were slim pickings among the players from which they and their fellow newbies, the Houston Astros, were allowed to choose. The Mets decided to go with name recognition rather than building for the future. The results were historically bad, and the Mets became the punchline for jokes about well-meaning shortcomings.
I’m sure that other teams with long histories of lousy performances managed to yank defeat from the jaws of victory in similar fashion, but there was just something about the Mets that added the adjective “lovable” to their “loser” tag. Maybe it was their skipper, Casey Stengel, who, along with general manager George Weiss, was fired by the Yankees for the sin of being too old despite a boatload of championships. Stengel charmed the media with his gift of gab, soothing the anxiety that would become the hallmark of future generations of fans once they got a taste of success thanks to the Miracle Mets of 1969.
Why weren’t they able to continue on that high level following that championship season, or in the mid-to-late ’80s when the roster featured surefire Hall of Famers like Darryl Strawberry and Doc Gooden? Mostly it came down to bad decisions by the front office with disastrous trades and signings (bye-bye, Nolan Ryan; hello, Joe Foy, Jim Fregosi and Vince Coleman).
Sometimes it was as simple as a player hitting his peak and unable to repeat, whether because of age or bizarre injury. As Gordon writes about a recent spring training, “They celebrate Groundhog Day a little differently around here: Every year at about this time, the Mets emerge from hibernation to see which player will be the first to need an MRI.”
SO MANY WAYS TO LOSE is not all fun and games. Gordon gets serious when he describes the decline and fall of some heralded players like Strawberry and Gooden (who, the author points out, were resurrected briefly by the damnable Yankees of George Steinbrenner) or Mackey Sasser, a promising catcher who developed a case of the yips that made it virtually impossible for him to throw the ball back to the pitcher, the underlying cause of which was truly heartbreaking. There are also instances when racism played a role in dealing with some of the Mets’ players of color. This included how some of those issues were reported by members of the press, who Gordon describes accurately as mostly middle-aged white men who might not be as sensitive as they could be.
This is not a complete history, lest anyone get the wrong idea. Gordon --- a veteran journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic and Newsweek, among others --- picks a few key eras as indicative of the franchise’s failings. For me these were the mid-’70s, when fortunately I was working as a counselor in a sleepaway camp near Montreal and was unable to follow the mundane events, and most of the ’90s, when they were, as per Bob Klapisch and John Harper’s book, THE WORST TEAM MONEY COULD BUY.
Even when they did approach some level of greatness, there was always a dark cloud looming around the corner, ready to rain down disappointment. A great example is “The Catch” made by Endy Chavez in the 2006 National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, judged by many (including Gordon) as one of the greatest defensive plays of all time. It would have been more satisfying if Carlos Beltran, perhaps the Mets’ best hitter that season, hadn’t taken a called third strike with the bases loaded to lose the game. Oh well, that’s what you get for plighting your baseball trough with this crew.
At one point late in the book, Gordon recalls talking with Gary Cohen and Ron Darling, two-thirds of one of the best broadcasting teams in all of baseball: “When I told [them], separately, that I was a lifelong Mets fan, they each said the same thing, ‘I’m sorry.’” Well, I have been a Mets fan since the early days, God help me. I have probably read 99 percent of the books written about the team. SO MANY WAYS TO LOSE is the funniest, saddest, most infuriating and most honest of the bunch.
Reviewed by Ron Kaplan
May 10, 2021
Recommended by Jean. Read her review on the Cook Memorial Public Library blog, Shelf Life: https://shelflife.cooklib.org/2021/04...
Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore...
Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore...
August 10, 2021
This author captures what it means to be a tortured Mets fan and puts it into a hilariously funny book, if you are a Mets fan. Other baseball fans might enjoy reading about the history of the team but they won’t ever truly understand the roller coaster ride it is to be a Mets fan. Highly recommend for all Mets fans.
May 13, 2023
Even if you’re a life-long Mets fan who has heard these stories in one form or another during your life of pain, So Many Ways To Lose presents them in such a way that it’s still an engaging way to read them. And you’re sure to hear some stories you weren’t aware of, too, at least in the details. And if you are maybe a little fuzzier on Mets history, this is a great general overview.
The choice to write in an unabashed fan voice is a perfect one for a franchise like the Mets (though I could do with less “we” talk when referring to the team), and made for a good amount of levity (including constant asides taking potshots at the Yankees).
The writing itself was solid, simple and clean and with lots of humor throughout. It was also clearly well-researched. I especially appreciated it being clear-eyed about baseball’s myriad issues, especially with racism, which it addressed head on. One of my favorite chapters was all about the Black players on the Miracle Mets, tying together the histories of Jones, Agee and Clenndenon while also emphasizing their impact on the team and contrasting that with how they were treated. It was really stunning stuff.
My only real issue here was the organization was sort of all over the place. For example, the ‘86 Mets World Series win is contained in a chapter called “Fuck the Yankees Part I.” It was also a little light on the more recent history (no mention of Wilmer Flores!) but that’s to be expected for a book published in 2020.
The choice to write in an unabashed fan voice is a perfect one for a franchise like the Mets (though I could do with less “we” talk when referring to the team), and made for a good amount of levity (including constant asides taking potshots at the Yankees).
The writing itself was solid, simple and clean and with lots of humor throughout. It was also clearly well-researched. I especially appreciated it being clear-eyed about baseball’s myriad issues, especially with racism, which it addressed head on. One of my favorite chapters was all about the Black players on the Miracle Mets, tying together the histories of Jones, Agee and Clenndenon while also emphasizing their impact on the team and contrasting that with how they were treated. It was really stunning stuff.
My only real issue here was the organization was sort of all over the place. For example, the ‘86 Mets World Series win is contained in a chapter called “Fuck the Yankees Part I.” It was also a little light on the more recent history (no mention of Wilmer Flores!) but that’s to be expected for a book published in 2020.
April 17, 2021
This book gets me
August 2, 2021
If you like baseball (and I do), and especially if you’re masochistic enough to root for the NY Metropolitans (and I am), this book is a must read. With love & humor, the author chronicles the many, mostly self inflicted failures of the #LOLMets. He also hits the highlights, the moments of joy - the World Series wins, the CY Youngs and drops some wonderful (unbeknownst to me) stories of lesser known players. There are some beautiful, cutting one liners & a healthy dose of Yankee hatred to round out this most enjoyable book.
I could have read it in a day, but chose to savor it - as I watch the 2021 season unfold in typical Metsy fashion
I could have read it in a day, but chose to savor it - as I watch the 2021 season unfold in typical Metsy fashion
March 27, 2021
Subtitle: The Amazin’ True Story of the New York Mets, the Best Worst Team in Sports
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
This book tells the story of the New York Mets from a fan’s viewpoint. I have to admit that I have never liked the Mets – as a St. Louis Cardinal fan when both teams were rivals in the National League’s East division, I can’t bring myself to root for them. Despite my dislike of the Mets, I requested this book because I enjoy reading books about sports history.
The book naturally focused on the Mets World Series teams from the 1969, 1973, 1986 and 2000 seasons. Not much time was spent on the 2015 team, perhaps because of the rapid turnover of team rosters. I enjoyed reading the details of how important players on each team were acquired and about their careers with the Mets. I don’t agree with the vilification of Carlos Beltran for striking out to end the game that could have sent the Mets to the 2006 World Series, but that’s the position that a lot of the team’s fans take.
I would have preferred a more neutral presentation, but still gave So Many Ways To Lose five stars. I learned things about various players and games that I wasn’t aware of previously and had some laughs along the way. Recommended specifically for New York Met fans and for baseball fans of the 1960-2000 era as well.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
This book tells the story of the New York Mets from a fan’s viewpoint. I have to admit that I have never liked the Mets – as a St. Louis Cardinal fan when both teams were rivals in the National League’s East division, I can’t bring myself to root for them. Despite my dislike of the Mets, I requested this book because I enjoy reading books about sports history.
The book naturally focused on the Mets World Series teams from the 1969, 1973, 1986 and 2000 seasons. Not much time was spent on the 2015 team, perhaps because of the rapid turnover of team rosters. I enjoyed reading the details of how important players on each team were acquired and about their careers with the Mets. I don’t agree with the vilification of Carlos Beltran for striking out to end the game that could have sent the Mets to the 2006 World Series, but that’s the position that a lot of the team’s fans take.
I would have preferred a more neutral presentation, but still gave So Many Ways To Lose five stars. I learned things about various players and games that I wasn’t aware of previously and had some laughs along the way. Recommended specifically for New York Met fans and for baseball fans of the 1960-2000 era as well.
March 28, 2021
I don’t read sports books, I’m a Mets fan.
That is why this is essential reading for any Mets fan, and any true baseball fan who wants to understand the New York Metropolitans (which, let’s face it, is everyone but the damn Yankee people). This isn’t a sports book, it’s the history of a multi-generational cult of adolescents. It, simply put, explains the Mets.
That is why this is essential reading for any Mets fan, and any true baseball fan who wants to understand the New York Metropolitans (which, let’s face it, is everyone but the damn Yankee people). This isn’t a sports book, it’s the history of a multi-generational cult of adolescents. It, simply put, explains the Mets.
April 13, 2021
So perfectly Metsy!
May 21, 2021
It makes no difference if you're a Mets fan or not. So Many Ways to Lose is a chronicle of a team that, despite five World Series visits since 1969, has also had some real setbacks in bad trades, scandals, injuries and plain ol' baseball jinxes.
I'm a Minnesota Twins fan. I've been there.
Early on, Devin Gordon makes it clear he's a Mets fan and he hates the Yankees. And thus begins what at first seems a biased account of a team. But as the reader gets into it, he find Gordon is a passionate journalist who writes from the heart. He, like all fans, suffers truly when his team fails.
In some ways, this history book is akin to Whore of Akron, the brilliant Scott Raab book about team obsession. But rather than inject himself in nearly every page like Raab did, Gordon lets the team speak for itself. There's the 1969 Series, the Willie Mays 1973 team, the 1986 Series, the Keith Hernandez issue, the Subway Series, et al.
It's written well and has tons of anecdote and great reporting. This is a must for any sports fan, regardless of being a Mets fan or not. I wasn't a big Mets fan at all, having has some allegiance when working for the St. Louis Cardinals television network years ago. I've always been a die-hard Twins fan since I grew up there, and now, due to marriage, I;m a Cubs fan. But now, after reading Gordon's book, I see the Mets in a different light and will root for them, at least in the National League East division.
I'm a Minnesota Twins fan. I've been there.
Early on, Devin Gordon makes it clear he's a Mets fan and he hates the Yankees. And thus begins what at first seems a biased account of a team. But as the reader gets into it, he find Gordon is a passionate journalist who writes from the heart. He, like all fans, suffers truly when his team fails.
In some ways, this history book is akin to Whore of Akron, the brilliant Scott Raab book about team obsession. But rather than inject himself in nearly every page like Raab did, Gordon lets the team speak for itself. There's the 1969 Series, the Willie Mays 1973 team, the 1986 Series, the Keith Hernandez issue, the Subway Series, et al.
It's written well and has tons of anecdote and great reporting. This is a must for any sports fan, regardless of being a Mets fan or not. I wasn't a big Mets fan at all, having has some allegiance when working for the St. Louis Cardinals television network years ago. I've always been a die-hard Twins fan since I grew up there, and now, due to marriage, I;m a Cubs fan. But now, after reading Gordon's book, I see the Mets in a different light and will root for them, at least in the National League East division.
August 14, 2021
As a lifelong Mets fan, I’ve always had trouble putting into words what makes the team so special. Not even special in a good way, special in an “i know this is too good to be true but i still believe it anyway” way. This book put into words that feeling in such a humorous, descriptive way. As with any non-fiction book, of course it’s incredibly well-researched, with tidbits of information that even I, a die-hard Mets fan, had never known. But Gordon writes with so much untethered emotion, it feels like he’s one of us. Well, he is one of us, a Mets super-fanatic who can’t believe the ridiculous history of the franchise without writing it down. If you’re a Mets fan, this may be the most important book you’ll ever read. If you’re not a Mets fan, this book will make absolutely no sense. And that’s ok, it’s our book.
March 25, 2023
The 2023 baseball season is about ready to open, and Devin Gordon's "So Many Ways to Lose" is a good way to prepare for the upcoming ups and downs and downs of being a Mets fan.
Tracing the history of the Mets, the author (and lifelong Mets fan) does a nice job of chronicling Metsy moments on and off the field. Filled with memories and insights, the journalistic techniques of weaving a story fill the pages with unique individuals and events which make losing seem like a special birthright only Mets fans can share. The authors social conscience is also intertwined in the retelling of Mets lore.
It's definitely a must-read for Mets fans, but I think baseball fans in general would enjoy the ineptitude and endearing stories as well. Check it outl. Check it out.
Tracing the history of the Mets, the author (and lifelong Mets fan) does a nice job of chronicling Metsy moments on and off the field. Filled with memories and insights, the journalistic techniques of weaving a story fill the pages with unique individuals and events which make losing seem like a special birthright only Mets fans can share. The authors social conscience is also intertwined in the retelling of Mets lore.
It's definitely a must-read for Mets fans, but I think baseball fans in general would enjoy the ineptitude and endearing stories as well. Check it outl. Check it out.
April 14, 2021
I am not a Mets fan, but that didn't impede me from enjoying this book. The stories were funny and interesting, and Gordon did a great job of putting you back in the seats for key moments in their franchise's history, always providing just enough context.
With that said, I don't think the Mets lose any better than, say, the Pirates - my favorite team.
No-knees Sid Bream OUTRUNNING a throw to clinch the NL pennant?
No-error Chico Lind, making an error?
Drafting power-hitting John Van Benschoten 8th overall in 2001, and converting him to a reliever?
Hitting into SEVEN DOUBLE PLAYS in ONE GAME?
I am starting to think this may be a good idea for a sequel?
But still, great book.
With that said, I don't think the Mets lose any better than, say, the Pirates - my favorite team.
No-knees Sid Bream OUTRUNNING a throw to clinch the NL pennant?
No-error Chico Lind, making an error?
Drafting power-hitting John Van Benschoten 8th overall in 2001, and converting him to a reliever?
Hitting into SEVEN DOUBLE PLAYS in ONE GAME?
I am starting to think this may be a good idea for a sequel?
But still, great book.
March 8, 2022
The Mets have bungled their way through 60 years, so what’s another 400 pages? Magazine writer Gordon brings a snark to cataloging the team’s lowlights. But he catches them all—which is something the players don’t always do: Marvelous Marv Throneberry hitting a triple & missing both 1st & 2nd, Mackey Sasser’s yips, Madoff. And let’s not even start with Bobby Bonilla. The smart-alecky writing tries too hard. (The Mets don’t need his help looking bad.) Still, his Met-radar (Met-dar?) is spot on. And he captures the fans’ (misplaced) optimism. Play ball—or, in the Mets’ case, drop it.
August 20, 2025
A very detailed biography of the New York Mets all the way back from the formation of the team to the present day. I definitely laughed at the stories of the incompetence that surrounded the team on and off the field, and felt a sort of hope that one day this team can win a World Series. I do appreciate that there was a short backstory for some of the players throughout the decades like Seaver or even Mackey Sasser. Not sure why he skipped over the collapses of 2007 or 2008, but this is a must read for any Mets fan.
April 13, 2021
A dedicated Mets fan who is also a journalist recalls their history from their formation to the present day.
I enjoyed this book. I learned something new. I remembered some of the scandals he writes of during the '80's. I liked his remembrance of players and how he portrayed them. I laughed at times. Shook my head other times. Wondered what were they thinking many times. It was fun reading about it all. I'm not a Mets fan, just a baseball fan but this is a book worth reading just for the fun of the game.
I enjoyed this book. I learned something new. I remembered some of the scandals he writes of during the '80's. I liked his remembrance of players and how he portrayed them. I laughed at times. Shook my head other times. Wondered what were they thinking many times. It was fun reading about it all. I'm not a Mets fan, just a baseball fan but this is a book worth reading just for the fun of the game.
March 13, 2025
A must-read for any Mets fan and an equally enjoyable read for any baseball enthusiast. This book is excellently written, with self-deprecating humor that perfectly matches the spirit of this franchise. It serves as a great reminder of why we love this team so much:
"Because when it comes to losing in spectacular fashion, no one's ever done it better."
LFGM
"Because when it comes to losing in spectacular fashion, no one's ever done it better."
LFGM
May 2, 2021
There’s something cathartic as a lifelong, long-suffering Mets fan of the author’s age to read his chronicles of anticipatory joy, followed by inevitable heartbreak, interspersed between frequent reminders that these are the METS - and that their destiny as lovable losers, sometimes as not-so-lovable ones, is already baked into the s**tcake that Mets fans have been eating for almost 60 years.
A fun read that made me LOL (as in LOLMets) many times.
A fun read that made me LOL (as in LOLMets) many times.
June 5, 2023
i always appreciate it when people write about things that really excite them, and this hit a lot of the aspects that i love most about baseball
(and yes, i did read a lot of this while also watching baseball, which feels right)
(and yes, i did read a lot of this while also watching baseball, which feels right)
June 21, 2024
I’m a lifelong Atlanta Braves fan and absolutely adored this. For starters, it’s exceedingly well written and made me laugh out loud every few pages. And it’s just a great baseball book that taught me many new things about the history of the sport. It’s a love letter not just to the New York Mets but the game.
December 28, 2024
Every Met fan should read this
March 22, 2021
Just in time for baseball season comes a book that will have all fans of the New York Mets nodding along with it. Full confession: I have been a Mets fan for as long as I can remember and I came by it naturally, as my father started with them in 1962, going to the Polo Grounds with his Grandmother. Despite the family history, reading this I found there was so much I didn’t know about their early years… their original owner was a woman? Never knew it. In SO MANY WAYS TO LOSE, Devin Gordon writes about what all Mets fans know: They really are “The Best Worst Team in Sports” but are beloved by fans, no matter what “Metsy” thing happens next (and the history is long and varied…READ THE BOOK!). It was quite amazing to all read all of the ups and downs in their history. The only big thing missing, I think, is Johan Santana’s 2012 no-hitter, the Mets only no-hitter in their history, and its aftermath… again Metsy. Not just for Mets fans, this novel will entertain all baseball fans. It will leave you wondering: What’s next? I am truly afraid to ask, but, as a Mets fan, will never be surprised and will always keep the faith and hope for best, no matter how impossible, and this novel puts the “why” into perspective for not only Mets fans, but baseball fans as well. Informative, well-written, and entertaining, I highly recommend this one (not just because I am a Mets fan).
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#SoManyWaysToLose #DevinGordon #HarperBooks #metsbaseball #LGM #baseball
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#SoManyWaysToLose #DevinGordon #HarperBooks #metsbaseball #LGM #baseball
April 3, 2021
I'm a Yankee fan. I say that this first to annoy the author who, I'm sure, would rather I hadn't read the book. :-)
More importantly, this book is truly hilarious as in my wife asked me repeatedly to stop laughing. It's also well researched and filled with great interviews. It's up there with Nick Hornby's "Fever Pitch," for books about the frustration of sports fandom.
Highly recommended for any baseball fans (or anyone who likes good writing).
More importantly, this book is truly hilarious as in my wife asked me repeatedly to stop laughing. It's also well researched and filled with great interviews. It's up there with Nick Hornby's "Fever Pitch," for books about the frustration of sports fandom.
Highly recommended for any baseball fans (or anyone who likes good writing).
October 19, 2024
TDS and snide remarks make this very ordinary history an eye-roller.
March 24, 2021
This book is a goddamn laff riot. #LFGM
October 22, 2021
Mets' fans will love this book. Others will not, nor will they understand it.
February 4, 2021
If your team is as historically bad as the Mets, you should hope someone like Devin Gordon is a fellow fan. In “So Many Ways To Lose” Devin turns his encyclopedic knowledge and unabashed fandom into a hilarious account of a team that seems to shoot itself in the foot at nearly every turn. As Devin puts it: “when you choose to plant your team in a place called Flushing Meadows, you can only outrun your destiny for so long.”
While Devin is an amazing sportswriter, this book shouldn’t just be for sports fans. Every chapter is a story that you’d want to tell friends over dinner, stories of promise that inevitably take an absurd, often disastrous turn. If you cheered for Tom Seaver, Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, or Keith Hernandez you’ll revel in Devin’s retelling of their stories. But even if you cheered against them or even never previously heard of them, this book is worth a read. Beyond the Mets, beyond sports, “So Many Ways To Lose” deserves a mention as one of the great tragicomedies ever written.
While Devin is an amazing sportswriter, this book shouldn’t just be for sports fans. Every chapter is a story that you’d want to tell friends over dinner, stories of promise that inevitably take an absurd, often disastrous turn. If you cheered for Tom Seaver, Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, or Keith Hernandez you’ll revel in Devin’s retelling of their stories. But even if you cheered against them or even never previously heard of them, this book is worth a read. Beyond the Mets, beyond sports, “So Many Ways To Lose” deserves a mention as one of the great tragicomedies ever written.
January 10, 2021
Where do I begin? Mr. Met is on the cover. The title, so apt. The Mets have been a big part of my life since I met my husband in the early eighties. A history of the team, the unlikely, crazy, heartbreaking, exhausting, jubilant history of the Mets needed to be well documented, well organized, well written, honestly and still sympathetically explored. Devin Gordon has accomplished all of this and more. Keeping in mind that I have spent the last 30 years or so as an interested bystander to the rise and frequent falls of the NYM and my beloved fans (husband, son, mother-in-law, sister, nephew), I laughed, gasped, sighed, shed a tear or two, shook my head, and shared excerpts out loud with my family. Did they really do this, did this really happen, were you there....???? Each and every time "So Many Ways to Lose" was affirmed. Will it be updated before publication? I hear that there is so much more going on! Can't wait to buy this book!!
May 20, 2022
So Many Ways to Lose – by Devin Gordon
Ahh. The New York Mets. One could make the argument that the New York Mets are the most colorful major league team in the history of baseball. This is a book that you don’t have to be a fan of the Mets to enjoy. That’s a credit to author Devin Gordon, but it also needs to be pointed out that such a book about just about any other team in the history of the Major Leagues wouldn’t be nearly as interesting. No offense if you’re a fan of such teams, but I can’t imagine a book like this being written about the Seattle Mariners, the Pittsburgh Pirates, or the Minnesota Twins.
This book is not a comprehensive history of the New York Mets since their inception in 1962. There are huge chunks of history and personalities from this team that aren’t even mentioned. Instead, Gordon (who is a fan) walks his readers through some of the more memorable times in the history of team. Mostly (as the title implies) the Mets are underachievers and manage to lose an awful lot of games. Even when they DO win, say 1969 or 1986, they manage to quickly muck things up and quickly become losers once again.
The author is quite crass. Although it’s all meant to be humorous and fun, the writing can come across as quite sardonic at times. Example: Since he’s a Mets fan, he obliviously hates the Yankees. Therefore, we get two chapters with the pleasant titles “F___ the Yankees Part 1” and “F___ the Yankees Part 2”. Just so I’m clear, the literal word he uses isn’t “F___” but rather the actual word you’re thinking of right now. So, yes, it can be a bit much. However the book isn’t a giant gripe-fest, and Gordon manages to say many positive things and give credit where credit is due; even if the “credit” may still be obfuscated with plenty of holes. When he writes his chapter on the building and opening of Shea Stadium in 1964, for example, he manages to somehow paint the picture that the stadium is both a beautiful piece of modern architecture and an ugly monstrosity at the very same time.
There are also plenty of “bad” guys associated with the team according to the author, and he doesn’t pull any punches. He has a lot of vitriol towards original owner M. Donald Grant, and he’s not a big fan of manager Yogi Berra. Some history gets covered quite extensively and Gordon mostly manages to keep things interesting. His chapter on the Tom Seaver midnight massacre is well told, as is the chapter detailing issues with Cleon Jones and the (what the author felt) racist accusations that confronted him and probably somewhat damaged his overall contribution. Sometimes, though, the stories can get a bit tiring. His chapter describing the conflict between Mike Piazza and Roger Clemens seems to drag on too long, and a couple of the later chapters seem to highlight too much of the “business” side of the club as opposed to what was happening on the actual ballfield.
Despite the author’s tendency to come across as a Grumpy Gus, there were many times when I would laugh out loud for minutes (no seriously – minutes) at some of his observations and how he related them to the readers. The chapter detailing the mascot in the late 1970s “Mettle the Mule” (a real mule) was particularly amusing. Apparently the Mets used a real mule as a mascot in order to save money. A lot of the humor is hard for me to describe in a written review, but I’ll try to give one example. When the Mets made it to the NLCS in 1986, the author introduces us to Astro pitcher Mike Scott. The verbiage in the paragraph, verbatim, is as follows:
…all of a sudden, Mike Scott was unhittable. Boom. Just like that. He went from 5-11 with a 4.68 ERA in 1984 to 18-8 and a 3.28 ERA in 1985, and then in 1986 he took another quantum leap. His ERA dropped another full run, and his strikeout total went through the roof, from 137 to 306. In one year, he went from a junkballer to Sandy Koufax. In two years, he went from castoff to Cy Young.
Hmmm.
That last sentence. That last sentence that is only one word. Reading this caused me to nearly wake up my family while reading late at night because I laughed so hard and so long. That one word. Well, if you know the history of Mike Scott and the allegations against him that year, you know exactly where the author was going with this one-word sentence. (If you don’t, I won’t go into it here, a Google search can help.) This book has a lot of observations like this, and such humor manages to lift the book a few notches. Again, it can be harsh, but once you know where the author’s heart is, it makes it not so bad.
OK, I can’t resist. Here’s one more example where he’s critical of the current Yankee announcers such as Dave Cone and Al Leiter:
Almost all of them specialize in either vapid wisdom that begins with the phrase “All you young ballplayers out there….” Or homerism so acute that I once heard Ken Singleton, another former Met, whose velvet voice has the emotional range of Vladimir Putin, applaud Aaron Judge for striking out: “He took a chance and it didn’t work out.” The chance Judge took was swinging, which is his job.
Plus, he’s also obviously frustrated with his favorite team’s blunders year after year. You can almost imagine what he’s thinking when the Mets are having a good run. It’s probably never “This is it! This is our year!” but rather “I wonder how soon we’ll blow it again?”
A very enjoyable read for anyone who’s a fan of major league baseball. You don’t even have to be a “new” fan or an “old” fan to enjoy. Gordon does a great job providing detail that helps readers if they may not have followed the game, say, half a century ago. It also helps that there are masses of YouTube videos out there that illustrate many of the stories he wonderfully tells.
A colorful team indeed. A colorful book as well.
Ahh. The New York Mets. One could make the argument that the New York Mets are the most colorful major league team in the history of baseball. This is a book that you don’t have to be a fan of the Mets to enjoy. That’s a credit to author Devin Gordon, but it also needs to be pointed out that such a book about just about any other team in the history of the Major Leagues wouldn’t be nearly as interesting. No offense if you’re a fan of such teams, but I can’t imagine a book like this being written about the Seattle Mariners, the Pittsburgh Pirates, or the Minnesota Twins.
This book is not a comprehensive history of the New York Mets since their inception in 1962. There are huge chunks of history and personalities from this team that aren’t even mentioned. Instead, Gordon (who is a fan) walks his readers through some of the more memorable times in the history of team. Mostly (as the title implies) the Mets are underachievers and manage to lose an awful lot of games. Even when they DO win, say 1969 or 1986, they manage to quickly muck things up and quickly become losers once again.
The author is quite crass. Although it’s all meant to be humorous and fun, the writing can come across as quite sardonic at times. Example: Since he’s a Mets fan, he obliviously hates the Yankees. Therefore, we get two chapters with the pleasant titles “F___ the Yankees Part 1” and “F___ the Yankees Part 2”. Just so I’m clear, the literal word he uses isn’t “F___” but rather the actual word you’re thinking of right now. So, yes, it can be a bit much. However the book isn’t a giant gripe-fest, and Gordon manages to say many positive things and give credit where credit is due; even if the “credit” may still be obfuscated with plenty of holes. When he writes his chapter on the building and opening of Shea Stadium in 1964, for example, he manages to somehow paint the picture that the stadium is both a beautiful piece of modern architecture and an ugly monstrosity at the very same time.
There are also plenty of “bad” guys associated with the team according to the author, and he doesn’t pull any punches. He has a lot of vitriol towards original owner M. Donald Grant, and he’s not a big fan of manager Yogi Berra. Some history gets covered quite extensively and Gordon mostly manages to keep things interesting. His chapter on the Tom Seaver midnight massacre is well told, as is the chapter detailing issues with Cleon Jones and the (what the author felt) racist accusations that confronted him and probably somewhat damaged his overall contribution. Sometimes, though, the stories can get a bit tiring. His chapter describing the conflict between Mike Piazza and Roger Clemens seems to drag on too long, and a couple of the later chapters seem to highlight too much of the “business” side of the club as opposed to what was happening on the actual ballfield.
Despite the author’s tendency to come across as a Grumpy Gus, there were many times when I would laugh out loud for minutes (no seriously – minutes) at some of his observations and how he related them to the readers. The chapter detailing the mascot in the late 1970s “Mettle the Mule” (a real mule) was particularly amusing. Apparently the Mets used a real mule as a mascot in order to save money. A lot of the humor is hard for me to describe in a written review, but I’ll try to give one example. When the Mets made it to the NLCS in 1986, the author introduces us to Astro pitcher Mike Scott. The verbiage in the paragraph, verbatim, is as follows:
…all of a sudden, Mike Scott was unhittable. Boom. Just like that. He went from 5-11 with a 4.68 ERA in 1984 to 18-8 and a 3.28 ERA in 1985, and then in 1986 he took another quantum leap. His ERA dropped another full run, and his strikeout total went through the roof, from 137 to 306. In one year, he went from a junkballer to Sandy Koufax. In two years, he went from castoff to Cy Young.
Hmmm.
That last sentence. That last sentence that is only one word. Reading this caused me to nearly wake up my family while reading late at night because I laughed so hard and so long. That one word. Well, if you know the history of Mike Scott and the allegations against him that year, you know exactly where the author was going with this one-word sentence. (If you don’t, I won’t go into it here, a Google search can help.) This book has a lot of observations like this, and such humor manages to lift the book a few notches. Again, it can be harsh, but once you know where the author’s heart is, it makes it not so bad.
OK, I can’t resist. Here’s one more example where he’s critical of the current Yankee announcers such as Dave Cone and Al Leiter:
Almost all of them specialize in either vapid wisdom that begins with the phrase “All you young ballplayers out there….” Or homerism so acute that I once heard Ken Singleton, another former Met, whose velvet voice has the emotional range of Vladimir Putin, applaud Aaron Judge for striking out: “He took a chance and it didn’t work out.” The chance Judge took was swinging, which is his job.
Plus, he’s also obviously frustrated with his favorite team’s blunders year after year. You can almost imagine what he’s thinking when the Mets are having a good run. It’s probably never “This is it! This is our year!” but rather “I wonder how soon we’ll blow it again?”
A very enjoyable read for anyone who’s a fan of major league baseball. You don’t even have to be a “new” fan or an “old” fan to enjoy. Gordon does a great job providing detail that helps readers if they may not have followed the game, say, half a century ago. It also helps that there are masses of YouTube videos out there that illustrate many of the stories he wonderfully tells.
A colorful team indeed. A colorful book as well.
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