My Top 10 New York Mets of All Time

Mike  Kent by Senior Writer Written on April 05, 2009

Slide 1 of 12

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 28:  Former Mets Tom Seaver #41 and Mike Piazza #31 wave goodby to Shea fans from the field in a post game ceremony after the last regular season baseball game ever played in Shea Stadium against the Florida Marlins on September 28, 2
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

With opening night very close, I was trying to think what kind of Mets article I should write about the first game. I gave up and decided to make a list of the top Mets of all time

The Mets have a very rich history, ever since 1962 the Mets have been stunning the rest of baseball, sometimes even in a good way.

We all know that the Mets have had lots of talent on their teams. There are many players that have been great as Mets.

Here is a list of who I think are the top 10 Mets ever, I hope that you guys agree with me that these are the top ten and this is the right order.

Have fun, hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think please.

10. John Franco

21 JUL 1993:  NEW YORK METS PITCHER JOHN FRANCO RELEASES A PITCH DURING THE METS VERSUS SAN DIEGO PADRES GAME AT JACK MURPHY STADIUM IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.  MANDATORY CREDIT:  STEPHEN DUNN/ALLSPORT USA

Seasons with the Mets: 14

World Series winner with the Mets: No

Best season as a Met: 1997

A guy we forget a lot, but we all know was the best Mets closer in history (sorry Jesse). Hoping K-Rod will be the best Mets Closer in 10 years)

He is the All time Mets leader in Saves with 276 and No. 5 in ERA with 3.10 in 702.2 innings.

He was the bright spot In the bad times and the worse times of the '90s and then helped the Mets get to the World Series in 2000.

9. Gary Carter

Display_image

Seasons with the Mets: Five

World Series winner with the Mets: Yes (1986)

Best season as a Met: 1985

I know most of you people would not put Gary this high on the list, but I think he is one of the top 10 Mets players ever

In five seasons with the Mets he won two Silver Sluggers and was one of the leaders on the team together with Keith Hernandez.

He helped the Mets win the World Series in 1986 and even won the Silver Slugger that year.

He won the Roberto Clemente award in 1989, and that is what I think put him over the top to make the top 10 and the list. His stay with the Mets was short—the shortest of anyone on this list—but he was a key piece of that mid-'80s team, and a big reason they walked home with the title in '86.

8. Jose Reyes

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 25:  Jose Reyes #7 of the Mets celebrates as he runs to home plate to score the winning run off a Carlos Beltran #15 base hit in the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs during the MLB game against the Chicago Cubs at Shea Stadium Se

Seasons with the Mets: 6

World Series winner with the Mets: No

Best season as a Met: 2007

Jose Reyes is one of the Mets' up & coming stars. He has done a great job in his six seasons in New York.

Reyes has broken lots of records away from former Mets, including all the records for stolen bases and triples.

In 2007, he broke the single season stolen base record with 78, and then in 2008 he broke the all time Mets record for stolen bases.

He led the NL in stolen bases and triples in three seasons of his young career.

He helped the Mets win the NL East in 2006 by winning the Silver Slugger and making the All-Star team for the first time in his career. He did it again in 2007.

A great young man that will probably make it hire on the list in a few years.

7. Darryl Strawberry

Display_image

Seasons with the Mets: 8

World Series winner with the Mets: Yes (1986)

Best season as a Met: 1988

Everybody remembers all his drug problems and the bad about Darryl Strawberry, but this guy had an amazing career with the Mets

In his eight seasons with the Mets, Strawberry hit 252 home runs, a club record that still stands today. He hit at least 25 homers in each of his seasons with the Mets

He had two big home runs in the 1986 NLCS against the Astros, and then helped them win the World Series against the Red Sox, including a long home run in game seven of the World Series.

He also helped the Mets win the NL East in 1988, until they lost to the Dodgers in the NLCS. That year Strawberry finished second in MVP voting, and might have won had he not split votes with his teammate, Kevin McReynolds (who finished third).

He is one of the best Mets ever and deserves a spot on our top 10.

6. Keith Hernandez

1988:  Keith Hernandez of the New York Mets follows his swing during a game in the 1988 season. ( Photo by: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Seasons with the Mets: 6.5

World Series winner with the Mets: Yes (1986)

Best season as a Met: 1984

It hurts me to rank Hernandez so low, and had he played with the Mets longer he'd no doubt be higher on the list.

Hernandez was the man that gave the Mets fans hope in the 1980's, after coming in 1983 and giving the fans a new reason to think the Mets could turn it around.

He was a great hitter winning the Silver Slugger in 1984, and the Mets almost went from worst to first in the NL East. But the Silver Slugger was not the award Keith was regular to, he was more of a Gold Glove guy winning seven Gold Gloves at first base.

Hernandez's unconventional and signature defensive plays, most memorably the way he often took away the sacrifice bunt with his hard charging, went alongside his consistent greatness at first base.

And now he works for SNY and is still a Met, he is a great guy.

5. David Wright

PORT ST LUCIE, FL - FEBRUARY 26:  David Wright #5 of the New York Mets bats against the Florida Marlins during a spring training game at Tradition Field on February 26, 2009 in Port St Lucie, Florida. The Mets defeated the Marlins 9-0.  (Photo by Doug Ben

Seasons with the Mets: 5

World Series winner with the Mets: No

Best season as a Met: 2007

I think it's so cool that No. 5 is David Wright and he wears No. 5 has played five seasons with the Mets.

After only five seasons with the Mets David Wright is already considered the Mets captain .

Other then his first season with the Mets he has hit over .300 every year and has never had a season with fewer then 25 home runs.

The world's No. 1 David Wright fan Wendy Adair could tell you how good this young man really is.

4. Dwight Gooden

1990: Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets pitches during a game in the 1990 season. ( Photo by: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Seasons with the Mets: 10

World Series winner with the Mets: Yes (1986)

Best season as a Met: 1985

Doctor-K, he earned that nickname for his 1875 K's he threw as a Met. No. 2.

He is No. 2 to Tom Seaver in the K's record and wins with 157 as a Met.

He won the Cy Young in 1985, at age 20 in his second season in the Major Leagues.

He helped the Mets win the World Series in 1986 and win the division in 1988.

Other then his last two seasons as a Met all his seasons with the club he had more wins then losses

Most people were hoping that the Doc would win more World Series with the Mets and be there for longer, but his career with the Mets is still top 10 worthy.

3. Jerry Koosman

Display_image

Seasons with the Mets: 12

World Series winner with the Mets: Yes (1969)

Best season as a Met: 1976

I was not alive when this guy played, but my father told me great things about him. And after looking at his stats as a Met I can see why all fans over 40 years old loved this guy.

He had an amazing season in 1976 with 21 wins and a 2.69 ERA, and threw a complete game victory to clinch the 1969 World Series.

Just another amazing Met.

2. Mike Piazza

Display_image

Seasons with the Mets: 9

World Series winner with the Mets: No

Best season as a Met: 1999

We all knew that Mike Piazza would be one of the top two on the list. He has a amazing name, amazing bat and was a real fan favorite.

Piazza took the Mets to the World Series on his back, and was one of the only reasons to watch the Mets in those times.

He won five Silver Sluggers as a Met and was a great captain for the team. Thanks for all the good times Mike.

1. Tom Seaver

Display_image

Seasons with the Mets: 11

World Series winner with the Mets: Yes (1969)

Best season as a Met: 1969

Tom Seaver was the best Met ever, he is the main reason the Mets won the World Series in 1969.

He won the Rookie of the Year in 1967 and did not slow down

This man has won three Cy Youngs as a Mets (1969,1973,1975)

He won 20 games four times as a Met.

He set the club record for Most Consecutive Strikeouts at 10 and Most Consecutive Batters Retired at 25

This guy was unstoppable, just a great guy, great player and most impotently- Great Met

(2)
...
Share This  
Crop_45x45
or to post this comment

37 Comments

There are no comments yet. Get the conversation started by leaving the first comment

Loading more comments...
posted just now
  • Loading...
  • Nobody has liked this comment yet
Cancel

This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete

468
reads

37
comments

written on April 05, 2009 Rankings/List

The best Mets newsletter on the web

Subscribe Now

We will never share your email address


CBS Sports Official Partner
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Getty Images.
Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Getty Images is strictly prohibited.