A season filled with brawling, boozing, and bimbo chasing. It showcases championship baseball with Straw, Doc, Mookie, Nails, the Kid, and the rest wearing a New York uniform. They might be the best.
“Jeff Pearlman has captured the swagger of the ’86 Mets. You don’t have to be a Mets fan to enjoy this book—it’s a great read for all baseball enthusiasts.”—Philadelphia Daily News
Award-winning Sports Illustrated baseball writer Jeff Pearlman takes us back to an innocent time. The city worshipped a man named Mookie then. At that time, the Yankees were the second-best team in New York.
It was 1986. The New York Mets won 108 regular-season games. They won the World Series, capturing the hearts (and other assorted body parts) of fans everywhere. But their greatness on the field was nearly eclipsed by how bad they were off it. The team was led by the indomitable Keith Hernandez. The young dynamic duo of Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry joined him. Along with the gallant Scum Bunch, the Amazin’s left a wide trail of wreckage in their wake. They damaged hotel rooms and charter planes. There was also a bar in Houston, and most famously, Bill Buckner and the hated Boston Red Sox.
This book features an unforgettable cast of characters—including Doc, Straw, the Kid, Nails, Mex, and manager Davey Johnson. It presents an affectionate look at this exciting season. However, it is also critical. It celebrates the last of baseball’s arrogant and insane teams. These teams were rock-and-roll and partied all night. It explores what could have been, what should have been, and what never was.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“The Bad Guys Won is designed to delight any Mets fan—at least the less prudish ones. Pearlman…keeps a tight focus on the championship season.” — New York Times Book Review
“Pearlman has done his homework: he breaks down the wall that separates the ballplayer from the fan.” — Newsday
“As a reminder that most of us know absolutely nothing about the people we cheer for, except that they wear our hometown colors, this is a worthwhile read for any sports fan.” — Sports Illustrated
“Baseball aficionados, especially Mets fans, will enjoy this affectionate but critical look at this exciting season.” — Publishers Weekly
“Everything a diehard Mets fan…could want.” — Daily News
“A great read! Jeff Pearlman skillfully takes you deep into the silly and goofy and gross and slightly scary world that was the New York Mets clubhouse.” — Rocky Mountain News
“Jeff Pearlman has captured the swagger of the ’86 Mets. You don’t have to be a Mets fan to enjoy this book—it’s a great read for all baseball enthusiasts.” — Philadelphia Daily News
About the Author
Jeff Pearlman is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books. He is a former Sports Illustrated senior writer, a former ESPN.com columnist, and a former staff writer for Newsday and the Tennessean. He is a regular contributor to Bleacher Report and CNN.com.


