Baseball fans know that there are only four teams in Major League Baseball who haven’t had a no hitter in their franchise’s history. One of these teams are our own New York Mets. Not only do the Mets not have a no hitter or a perfect game on record, but they have a list of players who have either thrown one of these types of games or at least had a hand in them. Players have thrown a No-No before they’ve gotten to the Mets or after they were a New York Metropolitan. The following is a list of these 10 performances,  in order of how emotionally crushing they are to the mental state of Mets fans.

Billy Wagner- June 11th, 2003- Wagner combined with 5 other Astros pitchers to complete a no hitter against the New York Yankees. While Wagner only pitched 1 inning, he still played a role in a no hitter and this is why he is number 10 on this list, because it wasn’t really his own no hitter. Its pretty annoying that Wagner, who since becoming a Met hasn’t stopped criticizing his teammates, has experienced a no hitter while other players haven’t even sniffed one.

Pedro Martinez- June 3rd 1995, Martinez threw 9 perfect innings, however, the score at the end of the first 27 outs was 0-0 in a game against the Padres while he was pitching with the Montreal Expos. Martinez went on to give up a double in the bottom of the 10th inning, but he went on to win the game. While it is not recorded as a perfect game, it is hard not to recognize the outstanding effort Martinez gave that night. This outing can remind Mets fans of how good he used to be and unfortunately, how Pedro will never be that pitcher ever again.

Brett Saberhagen- August 26th. 1991, Saberhagen was pitching for the once meaningful Kansas City Royals and pitched a no hitter against the Chicago White Sox. Saberhagen finished the season with a an ERA just a shade above 3 and was traded to the Mets that off-season. Saberhagen was certainly a pitcher capable of throwing a no hitter with the Mets. However, since becoming a Met, his numbers declined comparatively to those as a Royal and he also endured injuries that affected his pitching. Saberhagen is a classic reminder of how the Mets have some poor luck when it comes to getting players who suddenly create injury problems for themselves.

Mike Scott- September 25th, 1986, Scott was pitching for the Houston Astros, the team the Mets defeated to make it to the World Series that season. Scott started his career with the Mets but then was traded to the Astros in 1982. This means if the Mets had held onto him, they would’ve possibly gotten that one outstanding outing from Scott, which he had against the San Francisco Giants in 1986. This is like dumping the nerdy looking girl freshman year of high school, and by senior year she is dating the captain of the football team and you’re just a backup safety on our high school squad, with a decent looking brunette. 

Hideo Nomo (1st one)- September 17th, 1996- Nomo had just arrived from Japan the season before and showed signs of living up to all the hype that was thrown upon him, though Nomo can only dream of Diasuke Matsuzaka money. Nomo was rookie of the year in 1995 and in 1996 pitched a no hitter in Coors field against the upstart Rockies. Nomo was signed by the mets a couple of years after that and flopped in Queens. Though Nomo’s story isn’t qute done… 

Nolan Ryan- Now there is no specific no hitter than Ryan through that really pierces the heart of Mets fans. It is just the fact that he threw 7 of them in his career, and not a single one came as a New York Met. Ryan only played on 4 teams in his career and started as a New York Met. Remember what i said about dumping the nerdy girl and her becoming the prom queen. Well the trading in Ryan of 1971 was the ultimate break up and not only was that girl the prom queen, but she also won became Ms. Texas in the Ms. America pageant. Ryan went on to become the best strikeout pitcher of all time and the Mets never got to taste any of those no hitters, and i think it was very serendipitous in that they didn’t get any of Ryan’s.   

David Cone- July 18th, 1999- Cone was pitching for the arch-rival New York Yankees, which is why Cone is number 3 on this list. Cone was in his prime with the Mets, throwing out one of the best careers a Mets pitched had ever had. By the late 1990’s Cone appeared to be losing his ability and was getting injured more often than before. But against the Expos that day, Cone was able to retire 27 straight hitters and leap off the mound in tears of celebration. This game hurts Mets fans so much because Cone meant so much to the Mets franchise in the 80’s and a bit of the 90’s. You can argue that him and Doc Gooden were the most important players for the Mets during this time, not named Mike Piazza. Cone, however, wasn’t the only ex-Met turned Yankee to do so…

Doc Gooden- May 14th, 1996- What hurts most about this no hitter is that Gooden was always deemed as the Mets “Golden Boy.” After a few outstanding years with the Mets, Gooden’s drug issues started to take control of his life and injuries started to plague him. It seemed as if a once bright young star nearing a tragic end. In 1996, the Yankees signed Gooden, who was off to an awful start that year with the team. Of course, Mets fans had to watch Gooden’s no hitter against the Seattle Mariners. Then Gooden went on to close the season at 11-7, helping the Yankees win their first World Series of 4 over the next 6 seasons. As a Mets fan, it is tough to watch the young phenom who was supposed to help the Mets win a couple championships help the “Evil Empire” start their own dynasty.

Tom Seaver- June 16th, 1978, Tom “Terrific” was and has been the face of the Mets organization since the team was established. He helped them win the World Seiries in 1969 and ended up recording 311 wins, most of them with the Mets. However, after he was traded to the Cincinatti Reds, Seaver pitched his only no hitter of his career. As a Met, Seaver recorded 5 one-hitters, and 3 of them were broken up in the 9th inning. There is no player throughout the history of the franchise Mets fans would have wanted to see pitch a no hitter more than Seaver. They got to see it, it was just in another teams jersey. 

Hideo Nomo (2nd one)- April 4th, 2001- This one is the biggest slap in the face to all Mets fans. Nomo was washed up, beaten down, and almost forgotten by the baseball world. But once he signs with the Boston Red Sox, Nomo has to pitch a no hitter in his first start against the Baltimore Orioles. He ended up having a decent season with the Red Sox and becoming respectable again until 2004. I think this no hitter is a sign from the heavens that the Mets are never meant to have a no hitter. If Hideo Nomo can come back and pitch a no hitter with Boston, why couldn’t he have one in Queens? These are questions we may never know the answer to and one day i hope to be watching some washed up journeymen come into Shea Stadium (cough Citifield cough) and pitch the game of his life.