Blogging Mets

Jerry Grote (1966-1977)

For some guy named Tom Parsons who never played in the majors again, the Mets got an All Star catcher who was able to bring the greatness out of a young pitching staff. Johnny Bench famously said if he and Grote were on the same team, Bench would have to play third base.

Tommie Agee (1968-1972)

The Mets gave up 4 players to get Agee, the best of whom was Tommy Davis, whose best years were behind him. Agee singlehandedly saved Game 3 of the 1969 World Series. As a bonus, the Mets also got Al Weis, another World Series hero, in the trade. 

Keith Hernandez (1983-1989)

For the price of pitchers Neil Allen, who never could harness his talent, and Rick Ownbey, the Mets got the man who led them to the 1986 World Series. Not a bad swap indeed.

Ray Knight (1984-1986)

The Mets sent three players of very little consequence to Houston for Knight, who went on to be the 1986 World Series MVP. 

Bob Ojeda (1986-1990)

Ojeda came over to the Mets in an 8 player deal with the Red Sox, and proceeded to go 18-5 in 1986. The only player of note the Mets sent away was Calvin Schiraldi, who helped the Mets more as a Red Sox than he ever did as a Met — he was the losing pitcher of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.

David Cone (1987-1992, 2003)

The Mets got Cone from the Royals for 3 players, the top one being Ed Hearn. Hearn was actually a very promising young catcher, but injuries and then a very serious disease cut his career short.

John Olerud (1997-1999)

For some reason Olerud fell out of favor with the Blue Jays, and the Mets were able to get him for medicore pitcher Robert Person. And if memory serves me right, Toronto also paid around $6 million of Oleurd’s $6.5 million 1997 salary.

Mike Piazza (1998-2005)

After spending a week in Florida, the Marlins turned around and dealt Piazza to the Mets for 3 players, the best being Preston Wilson. Wilson had a few good power years, but he was nothing compared to Piazza — the best hitter in Mets history. 

Carlos Delgado (2006-2009)

A year after spurning the Mets as a free agent, Omar Minaya finally landed Delgado, sending Mike Jacobs, Yusmeiro Petit and a minor leaguer to Florida. Jacobs had a couple of good years, but now both he and Petit are looking for jobs after being released by their teams.

Johan Santana (2008-Present)

The Mets landed the best pitcher in the game without giving up any of their top prospects. Carlos Gomez could still develop into a good player, but the Twins have already given up on him. Philip Humber has appeared in just 13 games in Minnesota in two seasons, and has not fared well. 

Mug Shots Courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php

Dave Kingman (1975-1977, 1981-1983)

Kingman was notoriously prickly with the media with the Mets. Things got worse when he left, once sending a rat in a box to a  female sportswriter when he was with the A’s. Read this really good article by Joe Posnaski on his feelings about Kingman. Despite it all, he’s still  one of my favorite all-time Mets.

Darryl Strawberry (1983-1990)

Another one of my all-time favorites, but you’ve got to admit, he was kind of a jerk. Famously punched Keith Hernandez while taking a team photo. After going through a lot of trials (literally) and tribulations, he has rehabbed his image and is now back in the Mets’ good graces.

Kevin Mitchell (1984, 1986)

Lets see, he allegedly fought with Strawberry during a basketball game in 1982 shortly after both were drafted and signed. He allegedly decapitated his girlfriend’s cat (he denies it). He was allegedly making plane reservations during the famous Game 6 comeback in the 1986 World Series before being called on as a pinch-hitter. In 1999 he was arrested for assaulting his father. And as a minor league manager in 2000, he was suspended for punching the opposing team’s owner in the mouth during a brawl.

Lenny Dykstra (1985-1989)

Dykstra earned his jerkdom for his post-baseball career. He earned lots of media attention for his business acumen, accumulating tens of millions of dollars. He started an investment fund for athletes that charged exorbitant fees. Now he’s bankrupt, and blames everybody else for his troubles. Check out this excellent article on Dykstra’s rise and fall.

Gregg Jefferies (1987-1991)

Jefferies came up to the Mets as a 20-year-old with a lot of hype. And apparently he believed it all. He was seen as extremely immature, and by all reports was hated by his teammates. 

Vince Coleman (1991-1993)

He injured Dwight Gooden’s arm by stupidly swinging a golf club in the clubhouse early in the 1993 season. Three months later, he threw a firecracker into a crowd of fans outside Dodger Stadium. An all around nice guy.

Bobby Bonilla (1992-1995, 1999)

His jerkdom has been well documented in these pages. No need to repeat. But man, was he a jerk.

Bret Saberhagen (1992-1995)

In 1993 Saberhagen sprayed bleach into a group of reporters. When he was found out, he apologized and donated one day’s pay to charity. So maybe he wasn’t a total jerk.

Jeff Kent (1992-1996)

Here’s my favorite Kent story. After coming over from the Blue Jays in a late-season trade along with Ryan Thompson for David Cone, the Mets staged their annual rookie hazing, in which the young players wear women’s clothing. Thompson went along, but Kent smugly refused, saying he had already done it earlier in the season in Toronto. Can you believe he’ll be in the Hall of Fame someday? Boy, those early 1990 teams were certainly jerky!

Lastings Milledge (2006-2007)

I actually had no problem with his high-fiving fans as he took the field after hitting his first home run. But the rest of his act quickly wore thin with his teammates, culminating with someone (reported to be Billy Wagner) hanging a note on his locker that read “Know your place, rook.”

Mug Shots Courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php

BEST:

Casey Stengel (1962-1965), 175-404

It doesn’t matter that Stengel’s .302  winning percentage is the worst in Mets history. The greatest showman in baseball history made the Mets relevant when they were simply awful on the field.

Gil Hodges (1968-1971),  339-309

Everybody who played for Hodges revered him, saying he was the driving force behind the 1969 Miracle Mets. It would have been nice to see how far he could have taken the franchise.

Davey Johnson (1984-1990), 595-417

Johnson’s .588 winning percentage is the best in Mets history. He led the team to the 1986 World Series title — a team should have won more than one, but it wasn’t Johnson’s fault.

Bobby Valentine (1996-2002), 536-457

Valentine is still beloved by Mets fans who are hoping he will some day return to the dugout in Flushing. His personality sometimes rubs people the wrong way, but he has a brilliant baseball mind.

Willie Randolph (2005-2008), 302-253

Yeah, I’m surprised, too. But you can’t ignore the fact that Randolph’s .544 winning percentage is second best in team history. It also shows how checkered the Mets managerial past is.

WORST:

Joe Torre (1977-1981), 286-420

Torre will go into the Hall of Fame as a manager, but not because of his work with the Mets. He was in way over his head. In Torre’s defense, he went right from the field to the dugout, and had to learn as he went.

George Bamberger (1982-1983), 81-127

Bamberger was like your kindly old uncle who wasn’t a very good baseball manager.

Jeff Torborg (1992-1993), 85-115

Torborg was pretty much clueless during his two years at the helm at Shea.

Dallas Green (1993-1996), 229-283

Green wasn’t much better, and he was kind of a jerk. That’s why he made the list over Joe Frazier.

Art Howe (2003-2004), 137-186

Ah, Art Howe. A nice enough guy by all accounts, but just a listless manager whose teams played with little fire. But hey, at least they battled.

Mug Shots Courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php

This decade with no name was an interesting one for the New York Mets. They started high, then quickly went down to the depths, only to rise again, and then another steep decline in a shocking fashion. Let’s take a look at the top 10 stories for the Mets this decade:

2000 Subway Series

The first year of the decade turned out to be the best for the Mets. They faced the Yankees in the World Seres — the team’s first appearance in the Fall Classic since 1986. Even though they lost, it was a sign that the rest of the decade was going to be a good one. A championship was assured. Sadly, it never happened.

2001 Off Season

The Mets followed the 2000 season with a disappointing 2001 campaign. So GM Steve Phillips moved agressively to fix what ailed the team. He traded for Roberto Alomar, Mo Vaughn and Jeromy Burnitz, and signed free agent Roger Cedeno. What were the odds all four moves would fail? Whatever they were, they did, and it sealed Phillips’ fate as GM.

Emergence of Jose Reyes and David Wright

Midway through the 2003 and 2004 seasons, the Mets called Jose Reyes and David Wright, respectively, up from the minors. They were both instant sensations, and have gone on to be the faces of the franchise. Reyes has battled injuries, and Wright had a very strange 2009, but it’s nice to see a couple of homegrown players starring for the team.

Scott Kazmir/Victor Zambrano Trade

The Mets were on the fringe of the wild card race in July 2004 when GM Jim Duquette sent highly regarded prospect Scott Kazmir to Tampa Bay for less-than-highly regarded pitcher Victor Zambrano. The trade was lambasted by everyone, except of course Tampa. Kazmir went on to be an All Star, Zambrano went on to nothing. The trade sealed Duquette’s fate as GM.

Omar Minaya Hired

Since being hired in the closing days of the 2004 season, Omar Minaya has shaped the franchise for the second half of the decade, for better or for worse. While he has many, many critics, don’t forget Minaya took over a terrible team and quickly built it into a winner, thanks in part to the Wilpons finally loosening the purse strings.

2005 Off Season

Minaya made a splash in his first off season, signing Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran to big bucks contracts. Martinez turned out to a very fun disappointment, while Beltran, after a horrible first year, has earned his sizable paychecks.

2006 East Division Champs

The Mets won 97 games in 2006, and easily won the National League East for their first division title since 1988. The loss to the Cardinals in the NLCS was like a punch in the face. But still, it was a great year. 

2007 and 2008 Collapses

2007 and 2008 were also good years, that is, until the last couple of weeks of September. The 2007 collapse was historic — they lost a 7 game lead with 17 games left to play. In 2008, the collapse was less dramatic (a 3 game lead with 17 play), but just as painful.

Johan Santana Trade

The Mets are probably still wondering how they were able to land Johan Santana, arguably the best pitcher in the game, for next to nothing, prior to the 2008 season. Whatever the circumstances, Santana is a Met in perhaps the best trade in franchise history. His performance on the mound in his 2 seasons has not disappointed.

Shea Hello to Citi Field

Shea Stadium dilapidated right before our eyes. Before it had a chance to collapse around us, the Mets came up with the cash to build Citi Field. The shiny new ballpark  has its issues, but the team is addressing them by adding much needed Mets history to the building. Let’s hope Citi Field is kinder to the Mets in the teens than Shea was in the 00s, or whatever the decade ends up being called.

Mug Shots Courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php

Tommie Agee (10/14/69)

Game 3 of the 1969 World Series was one for the ages for Agee. He is best remembered for those two sensational catches that saved five runs in a 5-0 win. But he also led off the game with a home run, setting the tone for the rest of the game, letting the Orioles know there was no way to stop this miracle.

Al Weis (10/16/69)

Weis’ 1969 regular season stats were not what you’d call impressive — .215, 2 home runs, 23 RBIs. Nowadays he probably wouldn’t make the post-season roster. Not only did he make the team, he played in all five World Series game, hitting .455. His solo home run in the 7th inning of Game 5 tied the game at 3, helping propel the Mets to their first World Series title. 

Dave Kingman (take your pick)

You can’t talk about Mets home runs without talking about Dave Kingman. He used to regularly launch homers over the bullpen at Shea and into the parking lot, a feat not often accomplished. He played on some pretty awful Mets teams, so none of his home runs was particularly historic, but they all were certainly long and memorable. Kingman was just really fun to watch — even when he struck out, which was often.

Darryl Strawberry (10/1/85)

This was the situation — with just 6 games left in the season, the Mets were 3 games behind the Cardinals in the NL East, and traveled to St. Louis for a 3 game series. They needed a sweep, so the tension began before the game even started. It only increased as Game 1 was scoreless into the 11th inning. Strawberry stepped up and hit a monster shot to right that slammed into a digital clock on the scoreboard. The Mets won the game 1-0 — one of the most tense, exciting games in Mets history.

Lenny Dykstra (10/11/86)

Pivotal Game 3 of the 1986 playoffs against the Astros at Shea. The Mets were down by a run in the bottom of the 9th, on the verge of going down 2 games to 1, when Lenny Dykstra hit a two-run homer to give the Mets a 6-5 win. It gave the Mets a 2-1 series lead, which they would go on to win in 6 games.

Todd Pratt (10/9/99)

Pratt was the Mets backup catcher who was only in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Diamondbacks because superstar catcher Mike Piazza was out with a bad thumb. So when he came to bat with the score tied 3-3 in the 10th inning, nothing much was expected of him. But he launched a long fly to dead center field that Steve Finley couldn’t come down with (although for a few heart-stopping seconds we all thought he did) that gave the Mets the 3-1 series win. 

Robin Ventura (10/17/99)

Pratt played a role in the greatest homer/non-homer in baseball history. It was 3-3, bottom of the 15th inning of Game 5 of the NLCS against the Braves. Ventura stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. He proceeded to hit a grand slam to right center to win the game. But did he? Pratt, the runner on first, intercepted Ventura as he tried to round the bases. The rest of the team piled on, and Ventura never did make it to second. He was credited with a single and an RBI. But the Mets still won the game, and the term “Grand Single” was born.

Mike Piazza (6/30/00)

With the Mets down 8-1 in the bottom of the 8th, most fans were chalking this up as another loss to the hated Braves. But not the players. They mounted a comeback that saw them score 10 runs in the inning, capped off by a 3-run home run by Piazza. Then-manager Bobby Valentine called it “one of the most unlikely things I’ve ever seen.” 

Mike Piazza (9/21/01)

A year later, Piazza hit an even more memorable, important home run. With the New York City still reeling from 9/11, the Mets hosted the Braves in the first sporting event since that horrible day. The Mets were down 2-1 in the 8th, when Piazza slammed a 2-run homer. The Mets won 3-2, and the city had something to feel good about for the first time in 2 weeks. 

Mo Vaughn (6/26/02)

Mo Vaughn’s time as a Met was less than memorable, but one moment does stand out. He slammed a home run to right field that hit midway up that big old hulking scoreboard, right into a Budweiser ad. It was estimated at 505 feet. Gary Cohen called it probably the longest he’d ever seen at Shea, and he probably saw most of them.

Mug Shots Courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php

Ralph Kiner (1962-Present)

Despite his penchant for misspeaking, Kiner is an excellent announcer. Unlike today’s breed of commentator, he rarely uses the word “I” when giving analysis. My favorite Kiner’s Korner moment was when he had Mookie Wilson and Danny Heep on the show, and Heep was wearing eye black. Kiner said, “Danny is wearing that to cut down on glare — he’s not trying to look like Mookie.” Classic.

Bob Murphy (1962-2003)

Murphy was just a “damn” solid old school, play-by-play guy.  He wasn’t spectaular, but always steady. “Oh, those bases on balls.” Mets fans miss that.

Lindsay Nelson (1962-1978)

From the crazy jackets to the high-pitched voice, Nelson was just a whole lot of fun to listen to.

Steve Albert (1979-1981)

Albert had the unenviable, impossible task of replacing Nelson. He was doomed from the start, although I remember him doing a great job. In the spirit of full disclosure, I worked with Steve at WABC-AM more than 20 years ago, and he’s one of the nicest guys I’ve ever worked with. He also gave me one piece of advice by which I still live — “Never trust a man who wears a bow tie.” Having worked for noted bow tie wearers Frank Cashen with the Mets and Bill Torrey with the Islanders, he must know what he’s talking about.

Tim McCarver (1983-1998)

While his habit of beating points to death is very annoying, McCarver is still the best color guy in the game. He drew out Kiner, making him an even better analyst. When the Mets fired him and replaced him with Tom Seaver (great pitcher, lousy announcer), he was told it was because Seaver was a big part of Mets history. McCarver’s response  — “I guess my 16 years doesn’t count as history.”

Rusty Staub (1986-1995)

I’ll be honest — I really don’t remember anything specific Staub’s work as an announcer.  But he was my favorite player as a kid, hence his appearance on this list. Also, he was intrumental in getting his pal Keith Hernandez into broadcasting. That’s got to count for something! 

Gary Thorne (1985-1988, 1994-2002)

Thorne is, in my opinion, the best play-by-play guy working today. He talks a great game, and doesn’t pull his punches. He was very critical of the Mets when the team was bad. I was actually shocked by some of the things he used to say, but everything he said was true. Management apparently didn’t agree, and they fired him. And the fact that he was replaced by the crummy Dave O’Brien added to Mets fans’ misery.

Gary Cohen (1989-Present)

Cohen moved over to the TV side in 2006, and although he looked a bit uncomfortable at first being on camera, the broadcast didn’t miss a beat. Cohen is excellent and has a wry New York sense of humor. Plus, his knowledge of Mets history is second-to-none, and that really adds a lot to the games.

Keith Hernandez (2002-Present)

Hernandez is just plain fun. He has his critics, but it’s hard to deny that when he’s not in the booth, the broadcasts feel a little off. He has no filter, which is dangerous for him, but fun for us. It’s kind of like sitting around talking baseball with your friends — anything could come out of his mouth.

Ron Darling (2006-Present)

Darling is geting better and better every year. His analysis is sharp, and so is his deceptively sly sense of humor. He had the line of the season this year, when Hernandez commented on an opposing manager’s manicure. After Cohen questioned why he noticed such things, Darling said, “You’re on your way to having your own show on Bravo.”

Mug Shots Courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php

Gil Hodges (1962-1963)

Not in the Hall of Fame, but he certainly should be. His 2 seasons with the Mets don’t help his case, hitting 9 homers in just 65 games.  For his career, Hodges hit 370 homers, and drove in more than 100 runs 7 years in a row.

Duke Snider (1963)

Snider hit 14 home runs and batted .243 in his one season with the Mets. It was a far cry from the rest of his Hall of Fame career, in which he slammed 407 homers, including 5 straight seasons of 40+ when 40 homers really meant something.

Warren Spahn (1965)

It’s easy to forget that one of the greatest lefties of all time pitched for the Mets. That’s because by the time they got him, Spahn was 44 years old, and went 4-12 before being released mid-season. Spahn won 363 career games (6th all-time), including an impossible 13 years of 20+ wins.

Yogi Berra (1965)

Yogi barely makes the list, appearing in just 4 games in his solo season with the Mets. But his Hall of Fame credentials were cemented in 18 seasons with the Yankees — 358 homers, 1430 RBIs and 3 MVP awards.

Nolan Ryan (1966, 1968-1971)

Ryan showed promise with the Mets — 29-38, but with a 3.58 ERA and averaging nearly a strikeout per inning. But it was after he left the Mets that he became  the Nolan Ryan we now know — 324 wins, a record 5714 strikeouts, and those incredible 7 no-hitters.

Tom Seaver (1967-1977, 1983)

Finally, a great player who actually had great years for the Mets! Seaver leads the Mets in virtually every pitching category, and finished his career with 311 wins, 3640 strikeouts and 2.86 ERA.

Willie Mays (1972-1973)

One of the greatest players of all time, Mays was a mere shell of himself when he returned to New York at age 41. For his career, Mays had 660 homers (4th all-time), 1903 RBIs (10th), 3283 hits (11th), and won 2 MVP awards.

Eddie Murray (1992-1993)

Murray actually had 2 pretty good years with the Mets, hitting a total of 43 home runs and driving in 193 runs. The rest of his Hall of Fame career was pretty good as well — 504 homers, 1913 RBIs (9th all-time) and 3255 hits (12th).

Mike Piazza (1998-2005)

Hey, another guy with actual Mets credentials. The best Mets hitter ever and the greatest hitting catcher of all-time, Piazza finished up his career with 427 home runs and a .308 batting average.

Rickey Henderson (1999-2000)

Rickey’s first year with the Mets was good — at age 40 he stole 37 bases and hit .315. He was released in May of the second year after a terrible start. Overall, he had 3055 hits, and holds the all-time marks with 2295 runs and an incredible 1406 stolen bases.

Mug Shots Courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php

Elliott Maddox (1978-1980)

The Mets sat out the first couple of years of free agency before taking the plunge with Maddox. A lot was expected of their first big signing, and all he delivered in 3 years was 7 homers and a .255 batting average.

Tim Leary (1981, 1983-1984)

Leary was the number 2 pick overall in the 1979 draft, and was touted as the next Tom Seaver. He lasted all of 2 innings in his first Mets start at a frigid Wrigley Field in 1981 before blowing out his arm. He missed the following year, and pitched just another 22 games over the next 2 seasons for the Mets before they gave up on him. 

Ellis Valentine (1981-1982)

Valentine was on his way to becoming one of the game’s better hitters when he got hit in the face with a ball in 1980, fracturing his cheekbone. He was never the same afterwards. The Mets were hoping he could find his old form, and traded Jeff Reardon to the Expos for him. But Valentine was done, hitting .261 with 13 homers in a season and a half.

George Foster (1982-1986)

When the Mets traded for Foster before the 1982 season and gave him a huge (at the time) 5 year, $10 million contract, they thought they were getting the slugger who hit 52 homers 5 years earlier. Instead, they got a 33-year-old on the downside of his career. Foster topped out at just 28 homers in 1983. He was released midway through the 1986 season after accusing the Mets of racism. 

Gregg Jefferies (1987-1991)

One of the most hyped prospects in Mets history, Jefferies was billed as a hitting machine. He was anything but, batting .276 in 5 years. He was also apparently despised by his teammates. Twenty years later, Keith Hernandez still groans when his name is mentioned during Mets broadcasts.

Bobby Bonilla (1992-1995, 1999)

No need to go into all the stories again. But people forget that when the Mets signed him to a 5 year, $29 million contract, he was the highest paid player in the game. A lot is expected of a player who carries that tag, and Bonilla, who was far from the best player in baseball, couldn’t deliver.

Paul Wilson (1996)

All 3 of the “Generation K” pitchers could have been on the list, but Wilson was by far the most disappointing. He was the first player picked in the 1994 draft, and he was expected to be the ace of the Mets staff for the next decade. Instead, he battled injuries and pitched just a single season for the Mets, going 5-12 with a 5.38 ERA.

Roberto Alomar (2002-2003)

Alomar was coming off a season of 20 homers, 100 RBIs, .336 BA when he was dealt to the Mets for Matt Lawton and prospects. Manager Bobby Valentine asked at the time “how could we get him so cheap?” That question was answered when Alomar got onto the field. He had nothing left. One writer called him “the cardboard cut-out of Roberto Alomar.” He lasted a season and a half in Queens, batting .265 with 13 home runs. 

Kaz Matsui (2004-2006)

The Mets waded into the Japanese waters before, signing such second-tier players as Masato Yoshii and Tsuyoshi Shinjo. But when they handed Matsui a 3 year, $21 million contract (and moved Jose Reyes to second base to make room for him), the Mets and their fans thought they were getting the next Ichiro Suzuki or Hideki Matsui. We got neither.

Pedro Martinez (2005-2008)

It pains me to put Pedro on this list, because he was so much fun to watch and have on the team. But his Mets career can only be categorized as a disappointment. For $52 million, he went 32-23, the final 3 years riddled with injuries in which he made only 48 starts. He never pitched in a post-season game for the Mets. What else can you call that except disappointing?

Dishonorable mention: Jim Fregosi, Juan Samuel, Carlos Baerga, Jay Payton, Mo Vaughn and Victor Zambrano.

Mug Shots Courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php

Cleon Jones (1963-1975)

2nd all time in hits, 4th in triples, 7th in doubles & RBIs. Batted .340 in 1969.  An underrated Mets career.

Tom Seaver (1967-1977, 1983)

Leads team in every pitching category. Won Rookie of the Year & 3 Cy Young Awards, and even had a save.

Jerry Koosman (1967-1978)

A career of almosts — almost won Rookie of the Year, almost won Cy Young. 3rd in wins & strikeouts.

Darryl Strawberry (1983-1990)

1st in homers, RBIs, runs, walks & strikeouts, 2nd in slugging. Won Rookie of the Year. Team’s best power hitter.

Dwight Gooden (1984-1994)

2nd in wins & strikeouts. Won Rookie of the Year & Cy Young. His 1985 season (24-4, 1.53, 268) best in Mets history.

Howard Johnson (1985-1993)

2nd in runs, 3rd in homers, RBIs, doubles & stolen bases. Nice moustache.

Edgardo Alfonzo (1995-2002)

3rd in hits & runs, 4th in doubles, 5th in batting average, 6th in RBIs. Hit .300 four times.

Mike Piazza (1998-2005)

1st in slugging, 2nd in homers & RBIs, 4th in batting average, 5th in doubles. Just the best Mets hitter ever.

Jose Reyes (2003-present)

Already the team leader in triples & stolen bases, with (hopefully) many more years ahead.

David Wright (2004-present)

3 doubles away from number one. 2nd in batting average, 5th in RBIs. Should be atop all categories when he’s done.

Mug Shots Courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php

Doug Sisk (1982-1987)

The standard by which all hated Mets are held.

Kevin McReynolds (1987-1991, 1994)

His lazy, lackadaisical style of play infuriated fans.

Vince Coleman (1991-1993)

He was just a jerk.

Bobby Bonilla (1992-1995, 1999)

What to hate most — the earplugs, the medicore numbers, threatening a reporter? I’ll go with the latter, because in the effort of full disclosure, the reporter, Art McFarland, was a former colleague at WABC-TV, and is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Watch the ridiculous confrontation:

Mel Rojas (1997-1998)

In a case of the lesser of two evils, was traded straight-up for Bonilla after the ‘98 season.

Armando Benitez (1999-2003)

Was great from April to mid-September, but famously choked in big games.

Braden Looper (2004-2005)

Deserves credit for absorbing the boos during his lousy second season, and not telling the media he was pitching injured all year.

Guillermo Mota (2006-2007)

He should have stayed on the steroids — he was actually really good when juiced. Clean? — not so much.

Scott Schoeneweis (2007-2008)

Was it just me, or were the Mets announcers late in 2007 always saying, “It’s Schoeneweis and Mota warming up in the bullpen?”

Luis Castillo (2007-present)

Is having a nice bouce-back 2009 season that has quieted the fans. He just might work his way off of this list, but the boos he got in 2008 were among the worst since, well, Doug Sisk.

Mug Shots courtesy Ultimate Mets Database, http://ultimatemets.com/mugshots.php