By Brian Bohl
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y.- Bud Harrelson claims a unique link in Mets history. As a player on the famous 1969 championship team and a coach in 1986, the former light-hitting shortstop is the only man in uniform for both of the club’s World Series titles.
In his five decades in baseball and his experience as a major league player, coach and manager, Harrelson said he could tell Gary Carter would be able to manage a club when he finished crafting a Hall of Fame career.
Carter, a key member of the 1986 team, joined his former third base coach Monday afternoon. The 11-time All-Star was officially introduced as the fourth manager in Long Island Ducks history, donning a green-and-white home uniform with his signature No. 8.
“I came here to try and provide a championship for the Ducks,” Carter said. “I love to teach and to be in uniform and work with the kids. I’m here to provide my knowledge and experience.”
After playing five seasons for the Mets from 1985-89, Carter is coming back to New York to lead the Flock to the Atlantic League championship in 2009. The job could also be a stepping stone to another post. Harrelson, who managed the Mets from 1990-91, will act as his mentor in the meantime.
“Buddy’s not only a great coach but a great friend,” Carter said. “I can feed off of him for his expertise in the game of baseball. I’m going to pick his brain a lot.”
Harrelson, the Ducks co-owner and first-base coach, was on the field when Carter delivered his biggest hit of his career. Twenty-two years ago, when facing a 3-2 deficit in Game 6 to Boston, the Mets were down two runs in the bottom of the 10th.
Wally Backman and Keith Hernandez both made outs to start the inning, brining up Carter. Down to his final strike, Carter lifted a single and what happened next (with the help of Bill Buckner) became an indelible part of baseball history as the Amazin’s came back to win the series in seven games.
But Harrelson said he knew the way Carter studied opposing pitchers made him one of the best-hitting catchers of all time. After stints at two Single-A levels in the Mets organization, Carter won Manager of the Year honors in 2005 (Gulf Coast League) and 2006 (Florida State League). He now joins an independent minor league that is considered by many of the players to be near-Triple-A quality.
“The way Gary worked, if that rubs off on the Ducks, we’re going to be awesome,” Harrelson said. “I’m not surprised. He’s already won.”
Carter, who won five silver slugger awards with Montreal and Mets, was enshrined in Cooperstown in 2003 as an Expo. In 2,296 career games, he belted 324 home runs and recorded 1,225 RBIs while also winning two Gold Gloves. He became a star in Canada but won his only championship after coming to the Big Apple right before the 1985 season. The Mets acquired him in one of the best deals in franchise history, sending journeymen Floyd Youmans, Herm Winningham, Mike Fitzgerald and Hubie Brooks to Montreal.
The Culver City, Calif. native drove in 100-plus runs his first two seasons in Flushing, finishing in the top-10 in National League MVP voting both years.
“I feel like my identity came from being here in New York,” Carter said. “I spent the first 10 years of my career in Montreal, and you don’t get a lot of recognition up there past the border.
“Coming to New York was the best thing that could have happened to me. Managing out in California was OK. But if I were to have an identity of any sort now that the Montreal Expos are no longer, my identity would have to be here in New York.”
Carter was ostracized by the Mets organization when he expressed his interest in managing the Mets on a radio show after he was asked if would want the job. Embattled manager Willie Randolph still was employed at the time, and the comments were criticized by some as shameless campaigning for a job that belonged to someone else. Carter also turned down the Mets offer to manage its Double-A Binghamton affiliate, expediting his exit from the franchise.
The 54-year-old managed in the independent Golden Baseball League in his native California last season. He said returning to the East Coast will be a step up in class, especially playing in Citibank Park, where sellouts of 6,000-plus people are common most home games.
“I look at this ballpark and it’s a huge upgrade from where I was at Cal-State Fullerton this last year,” Carter said.
“This league is a very competitive league, and that’s what I’m excited about because I’ll gain more experience and knowledge towards handling players who have played at the major league level. That will hopefully lead on to bigger and better things.”