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Rico Brogna
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 132 of 1252 players
Rico Joseph Brogna
Born: April 18, 1970 at Turners Falls, Mass.
Throws: Left Bats: Left
Height: 6.02 Weight: 200

Rico Brogna was the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup on March 31, 2010, September 20, 2022, and October 23, 2022.

First Mets game: June 22, 1994
Last Mets game: June 19, 1996

Share your memories of Rico Brogna HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY: murphy I loved Rico. I know the Mets were 1000 times better with Olerud, but don't you think we could have gotten just a little bit more than Toby Borland and Ricardo Jordan for Rico? Jim Alderson April 7, 2001 I remember when Rico got called up in 94 when the team was real crummy and he immediately started crushing the ball. I think a lot of fans started having hope again when they saw that this guy was for real and maybe things were going to start getting better. Of course they did, but too bad Rico couldn't stick around longer. Mr. Sparkle July 18, 2001 Rico retired today. Too bad. I really liked this guy. He really only had one good year with the Mets and was a part time player the other two but you had to like this guy. He was a solid citizen and fairly clutch as I remember. Olerud was defintely better but Rico was a class act, too bad he didn't stay around longer. lettuceboy March 1, 2002 I remember going to a game against the Phillies. The whole game we shouted in mock Puerto Rican accents "Hom on Rico, hit de ball and win de game, jew can do it!" Bottom of the ninth, two out, what does he do? Gets a game winning hit! bosslarry40 May 5, 2002 Yet ANOTHER case of a Met getting passed over for a gold glove. Rico was the best at first in 95..but lost out to (i Think) Mark Grace. Grace was good, but Rico was better...at least he was in THAT year. Gregory Gewirtz April 1, 2003 The reason we should be thankful we got more than two jockstraps back for Brogna is that he was suffering from a back condition called anklyosis spondylitis (spelling is probably off,) and there was always the chance that it would become worse and he'd be forced to retire from it. This only became public knowledge several months after we traded him. Miss Sparkle May 28, 2003 Rico has always been a class act, going back to his days in single A - Florida! He might have got in a "slump" with the batting game (very rare), but he always came out of his slumps, especially with a little help from his friends and team mates. I only regret not staying in touch with such a remarkable (in more ways, than time) individual and friend. Joe Figliola June 5, 2003 Had back problems not short-circuited his career, Rico would have been a John Olerud-type hitter. He could hit for average and power and played a great first base. I also think the Mets would have been a bit better in '96 with a healthy Brogna in the lineup. I remember the hype following that five-hit game he had against the Cardinals on national TV. And he was pretty decent to score, too. Actually, my favorite memory of Rico had absolutely nothing to do with me directly. He appeared at a baseball card shop out in Mastic Beach, NY and my longtime friend Jimmy Wells brought his son James (a big Brogna fan at the time) to see him. Rico, according to father and son was nothing but a class act. Big E January 21, 2004 Rico Suave! When the Mets were creeping back toward respectibility in '96, Rico was right there. Traded him for the god-awful Philly twins, Borland and Jordan. What a shame. A Connecticut guy who seemed to like being a Met. Shari January 23, 2004 Funny thing about Rico's trade was that the Mets knew he had medical problems so they got rid of him and he ends up being very successful with the Phillies and Braves, nowadays they trade for damaged goods on a semi-regular basis. Jeff February 21, 2004 Rico was one of the few bright spots during the otherwise depressing mid 90’s. Remember when he came up shortly before the strike in ’94 and the Mets started playing better? Like me, Rico was an Italian- American Lefty from Litchfield County, CT, so he’s not too far from Mookie and Carter on my list of all time favorite Mets. My friends and I went down to Shea when he came back for his first game with the Phils. Apparently, we were the only ones in attendance who recognized the occasion as “Rico Brogna Night”. Jonathan Stern September 11, 2005 Best defensive Mets first baseman since Keith, and an unbelievably nice guy. I got his autograph at a show at the Westchester County Center prior to the start of the 1996 season. He told to me to get ready because the Mets were going to be good. It didn't happen in 1996, but it did happen in 1997 - with John Olerud at 1B. Yeah, we replaced Brogna with Olerud, but I am still very sorry we let him go, especially since many veteran Philly fans believe that Rico was the best first baseman in PHILLIES history! I know he had health problems, but he played too well after he left here for me to be happy with the Mets for sending him packing. It would have been nice to have seen him in the 1999 and 2000 postseasons. Particularly 2000, which saw Olerud replaced by Todd Zeile. And I won't mention Toby Boyland and Ricardo Jordan. Returning to that day at the County Center, it was a telling measure of how beloved Brogna was at the time that he attracted a huge line of autograph-seekers... while Bill Walton and Muhammad Ali were ignored. Bonbolito December 21, 2005 I remember that the rap on Rico with the Tigers is that they wanted him to pull the ball to right for more home runs. The Mets encouraged him to his more natural style of line drives to all fields. I think Rico's success here made the Mets realize John Olerud could do the same thing here. I liked Rico and was sorry to see him go. I think he wanted to be here. Putbeds 1986 May 24, 2006 Rico Brogna is now working as a commentator for SportsNet New York and does a dependable job for them. Was a good power hitter in his days with the Mets. NYB Buff October 9, 2017 Rico led the Mets with 22 homers, 76 RBIs and a .289 batting average in 1995. In other words, he won the team triple crown that year. Only three other Mets (Tommy Davis ’67, Cleon Jones ’71 and Howard Johnson ’89) had accomplished this feat previously. Since then, just Mike Piazza (in both 2000 and 2001) has done so. Alex May 2, 2024 Rico Brogna was a bright spot during some topsy turvy times. The Mets were in rough shape, baseball seasons were being truncated due to strikes...no fun. But Brogna was good. He played only one full season with the team and excelled, hitting 22 homers with 76 RBI in 1995. The year before, he had a .351/.380/.626 slash line in 39 games. Even in his 'down' year of 1996, he still managed a 100 OPS+. So all told, his 162 game averages with NY were 26 HR, 90 RBI a .291/.342/.495 slash line and a 121 OPS+. Not bad! And all the Mets had to do to get him was trade Alan Zinter, who didn't even debut in the majors until 2002, when he was 34. Also, I've written him two autograph requests in my day, in 2005 and this year, both through his home address, but he hasn't responded.

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