Mets Articles

A Century of Poor Outfielders

Is it any shock that the Mets can sorely use an upgrade in the outfield this off-season? This has been going on all century long. The Mets outfielders have been less-than stellar since 2000. The following is a list of starters at each position each season. In years where there are two players, it is because the starter failed to play 100 games due to injury or trade:

Year Left Field Center Field Right Field
2000 Benny Agbayani Jay Payton Derek Bell
2001 Benny Agbayani Jay Payton
Tsuyoshi Shinjo
Timo Perez
Matt Lawton
2002 Roger Cedeno Timo Perez Jeromy Burnitz
2003 Cliff Floyd Timo Perez
Jeff Duncan
Jeromy Burnitz
Roger Cedeno
2004 Cliff Floyd Mike Cameron Eric Valent
Richard Hidalgo
2005 Cliff Floyd Carlos Beltran Mike Cameron
Victor Diaz
2006 Cliff Floyd
Endy Chavez
Carlos Beltran Xavier Nady
Shawn Green
2007 Moises Alou
Endy Chavez
Carlos Beltran Shawn Green
2008 Moises Alou
Fernando Tatis
Carlos Beltran Ryan Church
Endy Chavez
2009 Daniel Murphy
Gary Sheffield
Carlos Beltran
Angel Pagan
Ryan Church
Jeff Francoeur
2010 Jason Bay Carlos Beltran
Angel Pagan
Jeff Francoeur
2011 Jason Bay Angel Pagan Carlos Beltran
Lucas Duda

What a collection of misfits and losers! A few observations:

— Can you believe the Mets won a pennant with that 2000 outfield?
— Right field as been a revolving door, with seemingly a different man each season.
— Over in left the only stability came during the Cliff Floyd years, and he only managed one injury-free season.
— Carlos Beltran was the one constant throughout these years.
— Only one player made an All-Star team — Beltran, five times.

Overall, not a great run of outfielders. Is it any wonder the Mets have only made the playoffs twice during this stretch? Injuries certainly played a role, but still, far too many players of dubious quality have roamed the outfields at Shea Stadium and Citi Field since the turn of the century. Do we have to wait until the next century before this is corrected?

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