We will be running a segment called "We Remember" in an effort to honor old New York players, who may not have been the best, but were able to help their teams in different ways. Today, we remember Joe McEwing. Now, he's the hitting coach for the Charlotte Knights, the Triple-A affiliate for the Chicago White Sox. But before that, Joe McEwing was more than just a utility man. He was an integral player on the 2000 Mets team that won the pennant. His teammates called him 'Super Joe' as he played every position on the field throughout his illustrious career. In 2001, McEwing played every position on the field including designated hitter.
He had the best statistical year of his career in 1999 as a rookie and a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. McEwing hit .275 that season with nine homeruns, 44 RBI and seven stolen bases. He impressively finished fifth in the Rookie of the Year voting behind Scott Williamson. In 2001, partly because of injuries, the durable McEwing had 283 at-bats and made the most of them, hitting .283 and slugging a career-high .449. After a stints with the Royals and Astros and a short appearance in the Red Sox minor-league system, McEwing officially announced his retirement on January 16, 2008. You can find him in the dugout in Charlotte, trying to work his way to the show again, this time as a coach.
- D. Spell
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