UnforMETable, Episode 85: Steve Renko

Welcome to UnforMETable, an Amazin’ Avenue Audio show that looks back on less heralded, more obscure Mets players from the past.

A three-sport star at the University of Kansas, Steve Renko would choose the baseball path over the dangers of football. Drafted by the Mets as a pitcher/outfielder, he would start out as a hitting prospect before transitioning to pitching.

Renko would begin to zip through the minors as a pitching prospect, catching the eye and the favor of Gil Hodges. However, before he could make his debut in Queens for an up-and-coming 1969 Mets team, Renko would become a key piece in a deadline deal which would bring in future World Series MVP Donn Clendenon.

As always, you can listen or subscribe to this and all of our wonderful Amazin’ Avenue Audio podcasts through Apple Podcasts, where we encourage you to leave a review if you enjoy the show. It really helps! And you can find us on the Stitcher app, or listen wherever you get podcasts.

If you’ve got an idea for a player to be featured on UnforMETable, let us know in the comments.

Make sure to follow Rob on Twitter (@WolffRR), and you can now follow the show, too (@unformetable). Tune in next week for another tale from the Mets’ past.