The 47 Greatest Individual Mets Seasons Ever (Nos. 25-1)

Wins- 5
Losses- 3
Games- 55
Innings- 67.2
SO- 56
BB- 21
SV- 33
ERA- 2.53

The kid from Brooklyn returned to his hometown team in 1990, and John Franco made the most of the opportunity.

Franco would lead the National League in saves with 33, and win his second NL Rolaids Relief Award. He made his only All-Star game as a Met.

Franco's 1990 season was sign of things to come for the future Mets captain.

Wins- 15
Losses- 6
Games- 34
Innings- 237
SO- 184
BB- 81
ERA- 2.81

The 1986 Mets pitching staff was great from top to bottom that season, and Ron Darling was no exception.

Darling won 15 games, and was fourth in the NL in winning percentage. His 2.81 ERA was good for third in the league. Darling also had a career high 184 strikeouts in 1986, and received his only top five Cy Young finish of his career.

Throw in his 1.53 ERA in the World Series, and that's a damn good season.

AVG- .259
H- 146
R- 108
HR-38
RBI- 117
SB- 30

Howard Johnson was a switch-hitting third baseman with the rare combination of power and speed. In 1991, HoJo lead the National League in home runs with 38 and RBI with 117, finished second in the league in runs scored, and posted his third and final 30/30 (HR/SB) season.

Johnson also was selected to the NL All-Star team for the second time, and finished fifth in the league in MVP voting.

AVG- .284
H- 151
R- 108
HR- 39
RBI- 104
SB- 36

Already one of the brightest young stars in baseball, 1987 was the year Darryl Strawberry took his game to the next level. Strawberry would hit 30 home runs and drive in 100 for the first time in his career. He would also set career highs in walks with 97, and stolen bases with 36, giving him his only 30/30 season.

Darryl would be selected to his fourth straight All-Star team, and would finish sixth in the MVP voting. 1987 is the season that cemented Darryl Strawberry as the most dangerous hitter in the NL.

AVG- .354
H- 197
R- 91
HR- 22
RBI- 93
SB- 2

With much of the attention on the arrival of Mike Piazza in 1998, John Olerud quietly had an outstanding season. His .354 batting average was good for second in the league, and is a Mets single-season record.

He also scored and drove in over 90 runs each, and played excellent defense. Olerud's all-around solid play and leadership was a big reason the Mets were contenders in 1998.

AVG- .324
H- 176
R- 109
HR- 25
RBI- 94
SB- 3

Edgardo Alfonzo played second base and batted second for the 2000 Mets. He had a stellar season as he batted a career best .324 and scored over 100 runs for the second straight season. "Fonzi" also hit 40 doubles and drew over 90 walks. His 25 homers and 94 RBI were second on the team.

Alfonzo would also finish 15th in the NL MVP voting, and make his only All-Star appearence in 2000. Alfonzo was a huge part of the Mets being NL Champs in 2000.

Wins- 18
Losses- 5
Games- 31
Innings- 217.1
SO- 148
BB- 52
ERA- 2.57

Four starters from the 1986 team make an appearence on this list, and Ojeda may have had the best 1986 season of them all.

Bob Ojeda had a career year in '86. He posted career bests in wins, winning percentage, strikeouts, and ERA.

Ojeda was equally as good in the postseason, going 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in the NLCS, and 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in the World Series against his former team.

Ojeda would end up with a fourth place finish in the NL Cy Young award voting, and even receive a few vote for league MVP.

AVG- .269
H- 146
R- 101
HR- 39
RBI- 101
SB- 29

Darryl Strawberry followed up a terrific 1987 season with an even better 1988. Strawberry would again score and drive in 100 runs, and his 39 homers would lead the National League.

Strawberry's play would again earn him an All-Star selection (his fifth straight at the time). He would lead the Mets to the playoffs, and would finish second to Kirk Gibson for the NL MVP award.

1988 proved to be Darryl's career year.

AVG- .303
H- 162
R- 100
HR- 40
RBI- 124
SB- 2

Mike Piazza's first full season in Queens was certainly a great one. He hit over .300 for the seventh straight season. He drove in 100 runs for the fourth straight season, and his 124 RBI was a team record.

He also was seventh in the NL in homers with 40, becoming only the second Mets player to reach the plateau. His dynamic offense and leadership helped lead the Mets to their first playoff appearance since 1988.

Wins- 15
Losses- 10
Games- 34
Innings- 244
SO- 169
BB- 71
ERA- 2.32

In his rookie season in 1972, Jon Matlack would win 15 games, throw 244 innings, and finish fourth in the NL with a 2.32 ERA. Even being touted as the next Jerry Koosman, Matlack didn't disappoint, becoming only the second Mets player to be named Rookie of the Year.

One year later, Matlack would help lead the Mets to their second World Series.

Wins- 17
Losses- 9
Games- 31
Innings- 218
SO- 276
BB- 73
ERA- 2.60

Dwight Gooden burst onto the baseball scene in 1984, immediately taking New York by storm. He won 17 games as a rookie, and set a then record for strikeouts by a rookie with 276.

Doc would finish in the top 10 in wins, winning percentage, strikeouts, WHIP, complete games, shutouts, and k/9 in. Gooden would make the All-Star team, win Rookie of the Year honors, and finish second in the NL Cy Young voting.

Dr. K's rookie season still stands as one of the best seasons ever by a rookie pitcher.

AVG- .304
H- 191
R- 123
HR- 27
RBI- 108
SB- 9

Edgardo Alfonzo had a breakout season in 1999. He put up career highs in hits, runs, home runs, and RBI, as well as hitting .300 for the second time. Alfonzo also won a silver slugger award and finished eighth in the NL MVP voting while helping the Mets reach their first playoff birth since 1988.

Alfonzo's 1999 season is arguably the best ever by a Mets second baseman.

AVG- .302
H- 189
R- 115
HR- 33
RBI- 124
SB- 15

David Wright cemented his status as an elite player in 2008. He hit .300 for the fourth straight season. He finished in the top 10 in games, hits, runs, home runs, RBI, walks, OPS, OBP, doubles, extra base hits, and batting average.

Wright was one of the most complete players in baseball, winning both a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove in 2008. He was also an All-Star, and finished seventh in the NL MVP voting.

The only thing that stops this season from being top 10 is the fact that Wright struggled down the stretch and hit only .243 with runners in scoring position, helping the Mets collapse for the second straight year.

Wins- 17
Losses- 9
Games- 32
Innings- 241
SO- 180
BB- 68
ERA- 2.28

The Miracle Mets of 1969 surprised the world by winning the World Series behind some stellar pitching. Jerry Koosman, the team's number two starter, was a huge part of that.

In just his second big league season, Koosman won 17 games, and his 2.28 ERA was fifth best in the league. Koosman also was an All-Star for the second time, and even earned a few MVP votes.

Plus, he was the man on the mound when the Mets clinched their first title.

Wins- 20
Losses- 10
Games- 36
Innings- 286.1
SO- 289
BB- 61
ERA- 1.76

By 1971, Tom Seaver had already been named NL Rookie of the Year, had won a Cy Young award, and a World Series. Seaver was one of the best pitchers in the game and continued that in 1971.

Tom Terrific won 20 games for the second time, as well as posting career highs in strikeouts, and complete games (21). His 1.76 ERA led the league, and would prove to be the lowest of his Hall of Fame career.

The only question about Tom Seaver's 1971 season: How did he finish second to Ferguson Jenkins in the NL Cy Young voting?

AVG- .275
H- 140
R- 127
HR- 41
RBI-116
SB- 18

Carlos Beltran is the Mets' five tool player. He does everything well, and after a down year in 2005, he proved it in 2006.

Beltran tied a Mets club record by belting 41 home runs, a feat not even accomplished by such name as Piazza and Strawberry. He also finished seventh in the league in RBI, and second in runs scored. Beltran finished fourth in the NL MVP voting, was voted to start in the All-Star game, and won both a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove, all while leading the Mets to the playoffs.

It may have been the best season by a Mets center fielder ever.

Wins- 20
Losses- 3
Games- 35
Innings- 231.1
SO- 213
BB- 80
ERA- 2.22

David Cone was a huge part of the Mets success in 1988. In his first season as a full-time starter, Cone was an amazing 20-3.

His .870 winning percentage was tops in the league. Cone would finish in the top three in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. He would also finish third in the NL Cy Young voting, as well as tenth in the NL MVP voting.

Cone would also be named an All Star for the first time, while helping New York to the playoffs.

AVG- .333
H- 227
R- 117
HR- 9
RBI- 69
3B- 21
SB- 50
Still reeling from the free-agent debacles of Bobby Bonilla and Vince Coleman, the Mets ventured back into free agency during the 1995 offseason. They signed Lance Johnson to play center field, and it turned out to be a great move.

Johnson would have a career year, leading the league in hits, and triples (bith still Mets club records), and finishing fourth in batting average and second in steals. Johnson would also make his only All-Star team, and even recieved a few MVP votes.

while he would be traded the next year, and never again came close to his numbers from 1996, Johnson was one of the few bright spots on a pretty poor 1996 Mets team.

AVG- .300
H- 194
R- 122
HR- 19
RBI- 81
3B- 17
SB- 64

Jose Reyes is the spark plug of the Mets offense, and he proved it in 2006. Reyes had his first .300 season in 2006. He lead the league in triples and steals, and finished in the top ten in runs, hits, extra base hits, and total bases. He also drove in 81 runs from the leadoff spot in the order.

Reyes would be an All Star for the first time, won a Silver Slugger award, and finish seventh in the NL MVP voting. He sparked the Mets offense all the way to the NLCS in 2006.

Wins- 22
Losses- 9
Games- 36
Innings- 280.1
SO- 243
BB- 88
ERA- 2.38

Tom Seaver had established himself as arguably the best pitcher in the entire sport by 1975. He had already won two Cy Young awards, a Rookie of the Year, and been to two World Series, winning one.

So it was no surprise when Seaver had another great year in 1975. He would win 20 games for the fourth time, and win his third Cy Young award—at the time a feat so rare only Sandy Koufax had accomplished it before him.

AVG- .325
H- 196
R- 113
HR- 30
RBI- 107
SB- 34

David Wright had one of the best all-around seasons of any Met ever. He finished in the top 10 in batting average, OPS, hits, runs, RBI, walks, total bases, extra base hits, doubles, and stolen bases.

Wright went 30/30 in 2007, becoming only the third Met to accomplish the feat. He won his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards, made his second All-Star game (including an awesome display in the home run derby), and finished fourth in the NL MVP voting.

2007 was the season that raised David Wright to elite player status.

AVG- .324
H- 156
R- 90
HR- 38
RBI- 113
SB- 4

That Sports Illustrated cover says it all. In 2000 Mike Piazza was "The Man."

Piazza put up his usual numbers of .300-30-100, but there was something different about this season. The Mets made the playoffs in 1999 for the first time since 1988, and seemed ready to take the next step.

The second half saw the Mets become the hottest team in the game, and the hottest player was Piazza. On an offense that was decent but not great, Piazza carried the team to the postseason.

He wore down a bit in September, due to the rigors of catching everyday, but still finished third in the NL MVP voting.

Piazza would pick it back up in the NLCS against St. Louis, where he would bat over .400 with four RBI in five games. While the Mets offense struggled in the 2000 Subway Series, Piazza played well belting two home runs and driving in four.

Despite losing the Series to the Yankees, Mike Piazza's 2000 season is arguably the best by any Mets hitter ever.

Wins- 19
Losses- 10
Games- 36
Innings- 290
SO- 251
BB- 64
ERA- 2.08

Tom Seaver was off to a "Terrific" career by 1973. He had already cemented himself as a legend in New York City sports lore by helping lead the Mets to a miracle World Series championship four years earlier.

Seaver almost duplicated the feat in 1973, guiding the Mets to their second World Series. He would win his second Cy Young award, finishing second in the NL in wins, and first in WHIP, strikeouts, and ERA.

Seaver also received his seventh straight All-Star nod, being selected to the team every year he had played.

Wins- 25
Losses- 7
Games- 36
Innings- 273.1
SO- 208
BB- 82
ERA- 2.21

The year after "The Year of the Pitcher", Major League Baseball made rule changes to encourage more offense and limit the dominance of it's pitchers. Somebody forgot to tell Tom Seaver that, as he had one of the most dominant seasons ever by a pitcher in the live ball era.

Seaver won 25 games, most in the NL, and finished in the top ten in strikeouts, WHIP, winning percentage, ERA, complete games, and shutouts. Seaver would win his first of three NL Cy Young awards, and would finish just 18 points from winning the NL MVP award.

Tom Terrific was the leader of what may be the most surprising, and beloved World Series champions of all time.

Wins- 24
Losses- 4
Games- 35
Innings- 276.2
SO- 268
BB- 69
ERA- 1.53

Dwight Gooden owned New York City in the mid-'80s. Fresh off his Rookie of the Year campaign, Gooden took the next step in 1985—not only having the greatest individual season in Mets history, but arguably the greatest season by any pitcher, ever.

He would lead the NL in wins with 24, innings with 276.2, strikeouts with 268, complete games with 16. His 1.53 ERA not only lead the league, it was a Mets record, and the second-lowest ERA by a starting pitcher post-dead-ball era. (It was almost a quarter run lower that Tom Seaver's lowest single season ERA.)

Gooden would again be named an All Star, would finish fourth in the NL MVP voting, and would be a unanimous choice for NL Cy Young—and he was still only 21 years old.

Mets fans all know how Doctor K's career would end up, but for the 1985 season at least, Gooden was the best around.