New York Mets All-Time Team

We're back in the Big Apple for a second straight weekend. Let's head to Flushing Meadows for a look at the New York Mets All-Time Team.

The Mets won two World Series titles while Shea was standing - in 1969 and 1986. Fun fact: Braves legend Chipper Jones named his son Shea, based on his success in this stadium.

 

Manager Davey Johnson had some success here, too, guiding the 1986 squad to victory. Johnson's Mets finished first or second in the NL East every season with him at the helm.

New York's All-Time lineup has a good balance of speed, power, and defense.

Johnson gave Johnson an opportunity to compete for the starting DH spot, and brought in some more outfield depth:

The switch-hitting HoJo edged out Lucas Duda in a very close race.

	Mets stats	WAR	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
	*Lucas Duda	7.8	0.246	0.343	0.457	0.801	122
	*Howard Johnson	22.0	0.251	0.341	0.459	0.801	124
	*Rusty Staub	6.8	0.276	0.358	0.419	0.778	119

With all the new talent in New York, Rusty Staub was released to pursue a role with the Barnstormers.

Is the Polar Bear ready yet? Ed Kranepool played more games than any other player in Mets history but his replacement-level production can't match up to Lucas Duda or Pete Alonso. Jeff McNeil has played fewer games than Alonso, over one more season. His high batting average and versatility are enough to earn a spot over light-hitting defensive infielders like Bud Harrelson and Rey Ordonez. 

Nimmo and Conforto couldn't push Cleon Jones to the bench, but they squeezed Staub off the roster. Will Kevin McReynolds also get the axe?

	Mets stats	WAR	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
	*Kevin McReynolds	15.8	0.272	0.331	0.460	0.790	120
	Brandon Nimmo	17.3	0.268	0.386	0.440	0.826	130
	Michael Conforto	15.6	0.255	0.356	0.468	0.824	124

Nimmo's on-base percentage ranks fourth-highest in Mets history, but he's played 150 fewer games for the club than his competitors. Conforto can't add to his Mets totals; he signed with San Francisco in the off-season. Nimmo and McReynolds get the reserve outfield spot. Pete Alonso makes the team but he won't start at first base or DH. Think of him as a top draft pick or "bonus baby"; he's on the roster but needs more experience before he can play every day.

The Mets' starting pitching depth has enough quality arms for two five-man rotations.

Seaver, Gooden, deGrom, and Koosman are locked into the "A" rotation, while their "B" rotation would be top-tier for some franchises: Sid Fernandez, Jon Matlack, Noah Syndergaard, and Ron Darling.

And then there's the two aces in the middle: David Cone and Al Leiter. Which way do they go?

	Mets stats	WAR	ERA	ERA+	K/BB	WHIP
	*David Cone	19.4	3.13	112	2.72	1.192
	Al Leiter	28.0	3.42	124	2.03	1.300

Cone keeps his spot as Davey Johnson's fifth starter.

The Mets' bullpen could get a boost with some newly-eligible arms, including closer Edwin Diaz.

Don't bring out Timmy Trumpet just yet though. Diaz' Mets tenure has been a mixed bag: one awful year, one pandemic-shortened year, two great years, and now a lost year due to a knee injury he suffered at the WBC. Seth Lugo enters the mix and gives Davey Johnson another difficult decision:

	Mets stats	SV	ERA	ERA+	K/BB	WHIP
	*Skip Lockwood	65	2.80	126	2.73	1.114
	Seth Lugo	16	3.48	116	3.71	1.156

Lockwood locks it down. If these rosters expanded to 26 players [or I decided to do All-Time Teams 3.0] Lugo would almost certainly make the team. Overall, this was perhaps the toughest roster re-evaluation yet.

Looking ahead, Francisco Lindor has a chance to push for a spot on this roster in a few years. Like Diaz, his Mets tenure has been uneven so far. "Mr. Smile" is the Mets' only everyday starter under 30 - aside from Alonso.

Looking way ahead, catcher Francisco Alvarez and third baseman Brett Baty debuted for the Mets in 2022 and enter 2023 as two of the game's top-20 prospects. 

TL; DR: Three changes from the original roster. Duda, Kranepool, and Staub out. Alonso, McNeil, and Nimmo in.

 

Come back tomorrow for our next All-Time roster, the Philadelphia Phillies. 

 

Thanks for reading!

 

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