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Robin Ventura

Robin Ventura
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 95 of 1218 players
Ventura
Robin Mark Ventura
Born: July 14, 1967 at Santa Maria, Cal.
Throws: Right Bats: Left
Height: 6.01 Weight: 198

Robin Ventura has been the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup 10 times, most recently on September 9, 2018.

3b 1b

First Mets game: April 5, 1999
Last Mets game: October 5, 2001

Share your memories of Robin Ventura

HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY:

Tessa
Aside from Gary Carter, Robin Ventura is my all time favorite Mets player. He's got more Gold Gloves than Chipper Jones, has done so much for the Mets, and has the best personality of any baseball player in the game. As a diehard NY Mets fan since I was 6 years old, I am so glad to see Robin and the Mets going to the World Series, and I have confidence they will win!

VenturasGrl
December 19, 2000
Robin is one of the best players on the team. He pulled through when we needed him and he's so determined. LET'S GO METS!! METS IN 2001!!

EG
March 17, 2001
Is there another player in the game that you want coming up with the bases loaded?

Seems to be one of the more decent people in the game.

Coach HoJo 20
March 22, 2001
Robin "The Body" Ventura, hit the longest single in the history of baseball. He is almost God like.

Coach HoJo 20
April 4, 2001
THE BODY IS BACK!!!! The road to the World Series has begun and the Mets have started the defense of their NL championship in grand fashion. Robin "the body" Ventura proved all his detractors wrong by hitting not 1 but 2 Home runs to put the Mets in the W column against the Braves in Billionaire Ted field.

The Mets and the Body are going to the World Series and HELL is coming with us.

Shea Stadium is the official home of the Body Shop!

Coach HoJo 20
April 25, 2001
This memory is from Ventura's days as a ChiSox and Ryan's days as a Ranger.

Does anybody remember when Ventura charged the mound when Ryan hit him with a pitch? I bet Ventura didn't expect to be humiliated by an "old timer." Ventura charged the mound, Ryan gets him in a headlock and pounds on his head and then boom he hits him with a powerful forearm shot.

Pretty embarrassing for Ventura. Just goes to show that you should never underestimate your opponent.

Won Doney
July 28, 2001
I just saw today's game. It was the bottom of the 9th with the score tied 3-3. Turk Wendell is making his first appearance as a Phillie with Todd Pratt catching against the Mets for the first time since he was traded. Robin Ventura, who was 0 for 3 at the time, is up at bat. He pulls Wendell's first pitch over the right centerfield wall at Shea to give the Mets the win.

Mr. Sparkle
July 29, 2001
His first year with the team was absolutely awesome. Last year he was hurt and didn't do all that much other than introduce LA Woman to the locker room (good to hear a rock tune rather than a rap tune being motivational)although he did have enough clutch hits to help out not to mention grannies in both ends of a double header. Was doing great this year in April and May but has slumped ever since other than his game winner off of Wendell. I do like this guy alot but in order to get competitive for next year he is a logical guy to salary dump despite his sub par year. He would be great in a stronger line up.

jonathan booth
July 31, 2001
my favorite memory of the great robin ventura was two years ago against the braves in the league championship series when he hit the longest single of his career I was there to witnesss the best memory in Mets history besides Mookies hit. that was great I loved it I stayed the whoile time. I hope that magic carries over to the rest of this year

Mike
August 15, 2001
Robin had been my favorite Met until recently; I can no longer tolerate his poor production. All the "great guy" stuff aside, as well as his occassional long ball, since his good first met season in '99, he has done so little. His power numbers are terrible, and he seems like a very very old 34 year old. Still one of my favorites, unfortunately I think he may be done, at least as a Met after this year.

Chris
September 3, 2001
Robin is clearly worn out from carrying that piano on his back all the time. He has gotta go, along with his opposite corner man Zeile. Desi Relaford would be a more than adequate replacement at a bargain price. I sure hope Ventura doesn't have a long term deal with the Mets; I mean, he's stopped playing but we're still paying him. Steve Philips is about a box of rocks...

Danielle VENTURA
September 15, 2001
Robin is just such a terrific player and person! Sure hes struggled immensly after his sparkling season in 99! But being a Mets fan is all about beliving!!!! Ventura obviously has shown he is a power hitter and a awesome fielder but lets not even get into fielding...he got more gold gloves that chiper jones.He is my most favorite player ever and it doesnt matter to me if he hits 230 or 240 because you just never knew. Before the Mets were a million games under .500 and now there just 2 games under in 3 place! I have a great feeling about the Mets reaching post season 2001. all the metys bats have sprung to life and his will too. If your a true Mets fan you believe! and baby I belive!!!!! Robin is the bomb..by the wya im his wife. =)

Joe Figliola
October 5, 2001
Hey, Danielle, even though your husband is struggling, he is still is DA BOMB to us Mets fans.

Everyone, of course, talks about the grand slams and the "grand single" he struck in the 1999 NLCS against the Braves. Here's a great personal memory: July 28--the Mets are deadlocked against the Phillies going into the bottom of the ninth. I had to leave in the middle of the 6th inning from Shea because I was going to my 20th high school reunion. I deliberately kept my car radio off because I was (of course) scoring the game and I had the VCR going at home. How great was it for this Met fan to hear the following call on FOX of Robin's game-winning blast:

HOME RUN HERO! BALL GAME OVER!

My other memory of Danielle's husband was at Photo Day 2000. Before I took his picture, I was wearing my 1980s White Sox jacket with the white block SOX lettering. I said to Robin that I was wearing his colors. "Wrong colors," he replied, referring to his present-day Mets uniform. "Yeah," I said. "But you gotta admit this is a cool jacket." "That's true," he said.

Yes, he may hit .230; but Robin Ventura will always hit 1.000 in class and graciousness.

Shannon
October 20, 2001
For years before I meet Robin.I heard a lot of nice things about him.The first year of Interleague play.When he was still a White Sox.I meet Robin at Busch Stadium.All the nice things I heard about him where true.I like Robin because the way he treats fans.But I like him more for the way he treats his teamates.His temate Todd Zeile is a acquantance of mine.Todd told me what a great teamate Robin is and I have seen for myself how true that is.

Mr. Sparkle
December 7, 2001
I certainly can't say I wish him well. After all he is going to the Yankees. Still, despite his two bad years, I still like thig guy. He's a class act and was great that one year. Kinda like Gilkey had one great year. Anyway, here's to a great 2003 with a team other than the Yankees.

Coach HoJo 20
December 11, 2001
Fare well Governor Ventura; Robin didn’t deserve the fate handed down to him by the baseball God’s. Robin may have hurt the team his last 2 years in Queens but he gave me something that I will never forget, the feeling of victory. Mets fans rarely get this feeling but when we do we never forget it and I will NEVER forget the longest single ever hit in MLB history. Thank you Robin “The Body” Ventura you are a class act!

Charlie
December 12, 2001
I hated to see Ventura go, but without jettisoning his salary, NO ROBBIE ALOMAR!

Jim
December 16, 2001
One of my favorite Mets ever. He will be missed a lot, but I understand why Phillips did the move - to make room for Robbie. I hope he does well for the Yanks, but it will be hard to root for him...

Cono Isernia
March 1, 2002
One of the classiest ballplayers around and genuine all around good guy. I put him in the same catagory as Adam Graves of the Rangers.He will be missed by all Mets fans and he gave me some unforgetable thrills. We'll miss you Robin.

Danny Erickson
March 10, 2002
I can't believe how lousy this guy hit the past two years. If he doesn't hit in Yankee Stadium, he better call it a career.

Shari
June 8, 2002
I know he had more bad seasons than good with us, but I have heard from a source close to the team when Robin was with the Mets that he was by far one of the nicest guys on the team. Of course we traded him and now he is on fire, but if it's true that he was that nice a guy I'm truly happy he's doing well (Even if it's for the Cross Town Rivals)

Larry Burns
June 17, 2002
A clean cut, classy guy. He usually started seasons strong, and then tailed off, but I think that was due to injury more than anything else. His movement to the Yankees hurts more than usual, because I really liked him as a professional ballplayer. I don't mind a dirtbag like Strawberry going there because it was hard to root for him on the Mets, but a good guy like Robin going to YankMe land--that's tough to swallow.

Robo
August 4, 2002
Robin Ventura is quite possibly the best Mets third baseman in the entire history of the team. He had the softest hands and a great bat. He was not only powerful on the field, but a great clubbouse leader. Had he not been hampered with two injury-plagued seasons, he would still be a fixture at the hot corner. So sad that he was traded to those cross-town bastards.

Jim Snedeker
August 22, 2002
I didn't follow the Mets TOO closely in the last few years--even thought they won a lot of games--but Robin seems to have been Da Man. And I feel nauseous when I accidentally tune in to a Yankees game on the radio and hear him announced. It just ain't right.

And you have to admire a rookie who tried to pick a fight with Nolan Ryan (and promptly got his head bashed in).

Elliott
September 23, 2002
I was at a spring training Met Vs Baltimore game in late March in Fort Lauderdale. Robin was up to bat in the 2nd inning I was chatting with the people behind me and from the corner of my eye I see a foul ball heading right for my 5 year old sons face. At the last second I stuck my left hand out and nailed the ball before it nailed my son. The crowd went wild on my one handed stab. My son started to choke on his food but I got him to take a drink and swallow it. The people behind me said I should go to the Medic. I said he was fine and they said not for him but for your pinkie. I didn't even realize it, I dislocated my pinkie when I caught the ball. It was pointing away from my hand, blown up fat and purple. So ended my day at the game. Thank goodness my wife works for Orthopedic Doctors.

Banger7
April 19, 2003
During a pregame segment in 2001 (I think) various Mets were asked what they would be doing for a living if they weren't playing baseball. Robin's response: "I would be a blimp pilot." Classic.

Excellent fielder, great hitter. It's a shame that he was hampered with injuries in his last two years with the Mets. Despite his struggles, he still came to play everyday with hustle.

Jim Snedeker
May 29, 2003
Still hurting from The Body being traded. But I still never understood what happened to David Justice. What did the Mets do, automatically trade Justice to someone else for a couple of minor leaguers and a player to be named later?

Don't know know why the suits felt the need to rid the organization of a classy star. It reeks of Rusty Staub being traded in 1975, right after he set the Mets club record for RBIs.

LenDog
July 10, 2003
I have mixed feelings about Robin. He could have been in my top 5 favorite Mets for all the memories other people have already covered (above)and for one of my own - I saw him hit an awesome grand slam at Candlestick in August of 1999. It's up there with a Strawberry blast I saw in '87 as the most impressive HR I've seen.

However, here's why Robin bugged me: 1)During that comeback in game 2 of the 2000 World Series, he was out at the plate on an grounder to the infield. That was the year Clemens drilled Piazza, and it was the World Series, so Ventura had two very compelling reasons to hit Jorge Posada with all the (clean) force he could muster. He really should have laid a ferocious hit on him, even hurt him if necessary, because that's what someone would do to Piazza if the situation were reversed. Instead, Ventura went into Posada like it was the family softball game and his little sister was catching. SO WEAK!!

The second reason I'm down on Robin is the way he prepped for his first season with the Yankees. Said he lifted and worked out during the offseason for the first time ever. GREAT!!!!!! So you took your Mets salary, which comes out of my pocket, with no regard for your physical fitness. Put in a lousy season for us. But he sure worked hard to get in top shape for the Yankees, and his numbers showed it!

In the end, I viewed Robin as Kevin McReynolds disguised as someone who cared.

Shannon Luke
April 14, 2005
Robin Ventura was an inspiration. He showed that with a little bit of HEART the METS could go a long way. His defensive skills would take us to the Series! We will always remember his Grand Single; Todd Pratt running at him and Robin screaming "NO, NO!" It was a classic moment in the history of baseball! It was sad to see him go, but sometimes injuries like that will not allow a great player to play the same!

Jonathan Stern
November 10, 2005
He was too good to be true in 1999! And so disappointing afterwards. If he had had even ONE more year like 1999, he'd have been our all-time 3B. And he's a funny guy, too. Unless David Wright proves me wrong, we are cursed at the hot corner (Thank you, Mr. Zimmer).

The "Grand-Slam Single" is a little overrated, in my opinion, since it did not, unlike Todd Pratt's blast, end a post-season series. But, what the heck! If you want to overrate it, go right ahead. If that wasn't New York Mets baseball at its best, what is? Besides, my brother was there that night, and he'll tell you.








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