Pete The Bat
First baseman Pete Alonso smashed a rookie-record 53 home runs, clicked with a city and its fans well beyond simply blasting moonshots, coined a slogan or two and perhaps inspired a comedy genius to reboot a classic sitcom.
Oh, and the 24-year-old also infused the Mets’ clubhouse with a sincere, caring spirit, mauled the club’s record book, made the All-Star Game, won the Home Run Derby, showed the scouting community he had been underestimated, bolstered his defense at first base and became the “Polar Bear.”
What a first season for Alonso, the unanimous selection as the Baseball America Rookie of the Year.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better rookie year,” Alonso said. “This is a fantasy come true.”
The reality, though, took hard work, scouting, player development and the guts to make a difficult
