All Time Favorite Best Mets Team The off season has just begun. Much is going to happen to our Mets team and many players will come and go before the 2014 season starts. Therefore I thought it would be fun to list my ‘All-time Favorite Best Mets Team’. Notice how my title includes the words favorite and best? That’s because this list is not just about black and white stats but also about my favorite players for each position…there are intangibles to be considered after all! Shall we start? Let’s begin at first base. Never in my lifetime has there been a better first baseman than Keith Hernandez. Keith was not only the best fielding first baseman the Mets ever had, he was also the best clutch hitter to play for the Mets. A perfect number three guy in the lineup. Second base. I have to go with Wally Backman. My memory goes back to 1973 when I was 13. The first baseman then was Felix Millan. Felix was a great fielder and a pure second baseman. His bat was also pretty good. Something about Wally Backman will always make him my favorite though. Again the intangibles. I think what pushes Backman to the top of the list is grit. He had grit and he balls. There was no fear in this guy and he knew how to win. At the plate he was a perfect number 2 hitter behind leadoff man Lenny Dykstra. Shortstop. There is no debate. Jose Reyes is the best short stop the Mets ever had. Amazing range, amazing arm and an offensive juggernaut. Reyes, if not already blessed with all the tools, had that other special thing – the intangibles. The Phillies hated Jose. That is nearly enough reason to give the vote to Reyes. Third base. Just like at shortstop, third base is an easy call. David Wright is the clear winner. Wright is going to have every offensive record (except stolen bases possibly) in the Mets books before his career is over. Defensively he’s an all-star and a golden glove fielder. I just love watching Wright come in on the infield balls and one hand them over to first base. I’ll never forget when David went back on a pop fly and caught it bare handed. Catcher. This is where I will get my detractors for sure. The best catcher that ever played for the Mets is Gary Carter. Not Mike Piazza. Gary Carter was the complete package. He was a field general, a great defensive catcher and a passionate team leader who seemed to always get that fantasy-like home run at a time when the Mets needed it most. While Piazza is one of the greatest hitters in Mets history, his defense and team leadership wasn’t similiar to Carter. Piazza was a hitter who played catcher. Gary was a great catcher, a very good hitter and a helluva team leader. Carter is the best catcher in Mets history. Left Field. This is easy. Left field belongs to Cleon Jones. Clean had a great bat and was the best fielding left fielder the Mets have ever had. Center Field. The Mets have had some awesome centerfielders. My favorites are Lenny Dykstra, Mookie Wilson and Carlos Beltran. Out of this list, Dykstra and Mookie fall from contention when compared to Beltran. Carlos could possibly be, at least up to now, the best player to ever play for the Mets. Unbelievable power – a great eye at the plate make him the best offensive center fielder in Mets history. But Carlos was not only the best hitter to play center field, he was the best fielder to play center field. Right Field. There is no competition here. Darryl Strawberry stands alone. So there you have it! My All Time Favorite Best Mets Team! Disagree? Agree? Starting rotation. The best 5 from worst to first: Ron Darling, Jerry Koosman, Johan Santana, Dwight Gooden andTom Seaver. My picks (I’ll pick two) for best closer are: Tug McGraw and John Franco. So there you have it! My All-time Favorite Best Mets Team’ Agree or disagree feel free to comment and give your favorites. Let’s Go Mets!
Posted on: Mon, 07 Oct 2013 13:16:11 +0000
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