In 1967 the Winter Haven Sun Sox were renamed the Winter Haven Mets after the New York Mets

New York Mets

The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

 became the parent club for the Winter Haven, FL entry in the Florida State League

Florida State League

The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...

. The Mets were an amazing 94-46, but the St. Petersburg Cardinals were even better and beat them for the western division title by two and a half games - no other team was within 27. Managed by Pete Pavlick

Pete Pavlick

Peter Pavlick, Jr. was a minor league baseball manager who is notable for leading the Georgia State League's Sandersville Giants to a co-league championship in 1955...

, Winter Haven outscored their opponents 545-390 and allowed the fewest runs in the league. All-Stars were 1B Mike Jorgensen

Mike Jorgensen

Michael Jorgensen is a former Major League Baseball player drafted by the New York Mets in the fourth round of the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft...

 (.295/~.353/.407, 19 steals in 22 tries) and pitcher Ron Paul

Ron Paul

Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...

 (17-4, 1.74), who was third in the league in ERA and led in wins. Finishing fifth in ERA was Ed Figueroa

Ed Figueroa

Eduardo Figueroa Padilla , is a former Major League Baseball player. He holds the distinction of being the only pitcher from Puerto Rico to win twenty games in a season.-USMC:...

 (12-5, 2.05). Other fine hurlers included Dick Noe (13-7, 1.37), Steve Renko

Steve Renko

Steve Renko, Jr. is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Montreal Expos , Chicago Cubs , Chicago White Sox , Oakland Athletics , Boston Red Sox , California Angels and Kansas City Royals .He helped the Angels win the 1982 American League Western...

 (8-1, 1.61), Dennis Musgraves

Dennis Musgraves

Dennis Eugene Musgraves is a retired American professional baseball player, a right-handed pitcher who appeared in five Major League Baseball games as a member of the New York Mets. As a 21-year-old rookie, Musgraves was extremely successful in his Major League debut...

 (6-3, 1.87) and Jerry Bark (13-5, 2.01). The moundsman who went on to the finest career, though, would be Nolan Ryan

Nolan Ryan

Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....

 (one run in four innings, five Ks, one hit, two walks, two wild pitches). Renko even played some first base, hitting .218/~.290/.365 with 8 homers to tie for the team lead with OF Jerry Morales

Jerry Morales

Julio Ruben "Jerry" Morales Torres is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played from -.-Career:Morales was originally signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent at the age of 17 in 1966...

 (.248/~.332/.373, 27 steals in 31 tries, 14 triples). The prominent prospect was C Steve Chilcott

Steve Chilcott

Steven Lynn Chilcott is a former baseball catcher from Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, California, who was drafted by the New York Mets as the first overall pick in the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft, a spot ahead of Reggie Jackson...

, the #1 draft pick a year earlier. He hit .290/~.370/.467 and led FSL catchers in fielding (.991). He would have ranked 4th in the league in average had he been among the qualifiers. The other big name in this team loaded with abnormal talent for Class A was OF Ken Singleton

Ken Singleton

Kenneth Wayne Singleton is an American former professional baseball player and current television sports commentator. He played as an outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, and Baltimore Orioles.-Baseball career:Born in Manhattan, New York...

. Singleton hit .277/~.454/.388 with 26 steals and led the FSL with 87 walks in only 102 games.

The Winter Haven Mets only existed one year, but what a year it had been.

Source: 1968 Baseball Guide

Year-by-year record

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs
1967	94-46	2nd	Pete Pavlick Pete Pavlick Peter Pavlick, Jr. was a minor league baseball manager who is notable for leading the Georgia State League's Sandersville Giants to a co-league championship in 1955...