8
2011
After Strawberry, It’s Been 20 Years of Musical Chairs In Right Field
An article by 
Ask any Mets fan who the greatest rightfielder in franchise history is and before you get to the word “franchise”, you’ll get your answer – Darryl Strawberry. Now ask them who the best rightfielder is after the Straw Man and you’ll hear crickets.
It’s no surprise that no one can name the second best rightfielder in Mets history. After all, since Darryl planted his Strawberry Patch and claimed the position for his own, the Mets have auditioned a plethora of candidates for the job and none of them has been able to make the position his own.
Here’s a trivia question for you. Since Darryl played his last game as a Met in 1990, who has started the most games in right field for the team? Whatever answer you say, you’re probably wrong. The correct answer is… wait for it… Jeromy Burnitz!
Burnitz had two short stints with the Mets. He played for the Mets briefly in 1993 (86 games) and 1994 (45 games), but never made much of a splash. He showed some promise in 1993 by hitting 13 home runs in 263 at-bats, but his uppercut to end all uppercuts (except his own) led to many strikeouts and a poor batting average. He paid the price for those home runs by hitting .243 during his rookie season. He fared worse in the strike-shortened 1994 season, hitting three home runs and striking out 45 times in 143 at-bats. (Meanwhile, his replacement in right field, Joe Orsulak, struck out 21 times in 292 at-bats in 1994.)
The Mets gave up on the man they thought would replace Strawberry as their left-handed power-hitting rightfielder after the 1994 season, trading him to the Cleveland Indians for pitchers Paul Byrd, Jerry DiPoto and Dave Mlicki (whose claim to fame is the 1997 shutout of the Yankees). The three pitchers combined for a total of 38 wins during their time with the Mets. Burnitz did a little better than that after leaving New York.
Once Cleveland traded Burnitz to the Brewers in 1996, his career took off. In his first full season in Milwaukee, Burnitz hit 27 HR and drove in 85 runs. The 27 homers were two more than he had hit over his first four big league seasons combined. He then had a stellar 1997 season for the Brewers, collecting 38 HR and 125 RBI. The RBI total is higher than any Met has achieved in nearly half a century of the franchise’s existence (Mike Piazza had 124 RBI in 1999, a mark equaled by David Wright in 2008).
From 1997-2001, Burnitz averaged 33 HR and 102 RBI per season for Milwaukee, which made him a top target for the Mets in 2002. The Mets re-acquired the man they gave up on nearly a decade earlier to team up with fellow new acquisitions Mo Vaughn and Roberto Alomar in the hopes of pushing the Mets back to the top of the NL East. Let’s just say that once Jeromy returned to New York, his career crashed and burn-itzed.
Jeromy Burnitz played one and a half seasons for the Mets after his return to New York in 2002. The one-time sure bet for a 100 RBI season was only able to drive in 99 runs in his year and a half with the team. However, his tendency to strike out did not abandon him the way his other skills did, as he fanned a total of 190 times in 2002 and the first half of 2003.
Despite his two short unsuccessful stints in New York, Burnitz’s 290 starts in right field are the most since Darryl Strawberry left the Mets after the 1990 season to play for his hometown Dodgers. By comparison, David Wright has started 297 games at third base over the past two seasons. That’s seven more games than any Mets player has started in right field over the past 20 years! And David Wright actually spent time on the disabled list in 2009 after suffering a direct hit from Matt Cain’s head-seeking missile, yet he still started more games at third base over the past two years than any player has started in right field in 20 years.
Third base used to be the musical chairs position for the Mets. Through the end of the 2010 season, a total of 142 men had played at least one game at the hot corner. Third base has been replaced by right field as the position where long-term careers go to die. From 1962-2010, a total of 197 men have played at least one game in right field. If Carlos Beltran moves over to right field in 2011 (which he should), he would become the 198th Met to be player #9 on your scorecard.
Of those 197 men to play right field, only Darryl Strawberry (1,062 games) and Rusty Staub (535 games) have started more than 500 games at the position. Right field has been such a revolving door for players that the 290 starts made by Jeromy Burnitz in right field make him fifth on the all-time Mets leaderboard.
Finally, in the twenty seasons since Darryl Strawberry signed with the Dodgers, the Mets have used 102 players in right field, or more than half of the men who have played the position in franchise history. Now it’s Angel Pagan’s turn to be the Mets’ rightfielder. (Or is it Carlos Beltran?) Given the recent history in right field, neither Pagan nor Beltran will probably keep the position for long.
Most successful teams have stability in their everyday lineup. Since Darryl Strawberry last played for the Mets in 1990, right field has been anything but stable. Isn’t it time the Mets found someone they can feel comfortable with as their rightfielder? After all, twenty years is an awful long time to be conducting tryouts for the job.
About the Author: Ed Leyro
Ed Leyro was hatched in the Bronx, but spent most of his youth in Queens at Shea Stadium. Apparently, all that time spent at Mets games paid off as Ed met his wife (The Coop) for the first time at Citi Field during its inaugural season. Guess the 2009 season was good for something after all. In addition to his work at Mets Merized Online, Ed also owns, operates and is head janitor at Studious Metsimus, where he shares blogging duties with Joey Beartran. For those not in the know, Joey is a teddy bear dressed in a Mets hoodie. Clearly, Studious Metsimus is not your typical Mets blog.
28 Comments + Add Comment
NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 42 | 30 | .583 | - |
| Phillies | 35 | 37 | .486 | 7.0 |
| Nationals | 34 | 36 | .486 | 7.0 |
| Mets | 27 | 40 | .403 | 12.5 |
| Marlins | 22 | 48 | .314 | 19.0 |
Last updated: 06/19/2013
Recent Comments
- Donal: on The Future Is Here: Six Scoreless In Wheeler’s MLB Debut: 9 on 9 is new baseball?
- ReturnoftheKing: on Mets Acquire Eric Young Jr. For Collin McHugh, DFA Cowgill and Promote Brown: But the reason he didn't plug the...
- Alex68: on A Deeper Look At Zack Wheeler’s Debut: His wildness was to be expected in...
- vinnie papandrea: on Mets Acquire Eric Young Jr. For Collin McHugh, DFA Cowgill and Promote Brown: You guys are never happy. He gave...
- Alex68: on Mets Acquire Eric Young Jr. For Collin McHugh, DFA Cowgill and Promote Brown: Return, again, we have to start somewhere,...
Latest From Mets Minors
Check Out These Great MLB Links!
Photographs From Gordon Donovan
Fans Follow Us On Twitter!
1333 Fans Like Us On Facebook!
2341 Fans Read Our Feed!
1702 Fans Subscribe via Daily Email!
Cory Vaughn is a solid RF prospect in the minors so he has a chance other than that I can’t think of any other player who is an actual rightfielder that can play for the Mets other than a trade.
Vaughn had the kind of season that Sandy Alderson would love. He has power (14 HR in 264 at-bats), draws walks (.396 OBP) and makes good contact (only 63 strikeouts). It’s too bad he won’t be ready for the big leagues for another two or three years.
June 2014 – June 2015. It’s a long way from the Penn League to the Majors especially if you want them to be able to contribute when they get here. If he’s the real deal he’ll force his way up here sooner.
Vaughn had the kind of season any GM would love! 21 year old kid, with a .957 OPS, 6 outfield assists, batted .307. When you said only 63 strikeouts, that is a bit misleading, since he only played in 72 games, therefore, his strikeout total was a bit high, and his walk total (34) was a bit low. But, at 21, he will, most likely, improve in that area. Not to mention, this kid is 6’3 225 Lbs., and he stole 12 bases. This is the kind of guy we should be getting excited about in the farm system…forget about F-Mart! Considering that he went to 3 years of college playing for Tony Gwynn at San Diego State, he might be major league ready by 2012, no later than 2013, if he continues to progress.
Not saying he couldn’t do it but that would be flying up the ladder. Short season to the Majors in a year plus. Hey, if he’s ready to really play that would be great but I’d be happy with him playing great once he gets here whenever it is.
In Vaughn’s last 2 seasons in college he batted .328 and .378 respectively, and had an OPS of .959 and 1.062 respectively. Add that to his great first pro season, being taught by Tony Gwynn at SDSU, and the fact that he will be turning 22 in May…He SHOULD be ready for the show by 2012 or 2013 (at the latest). I can’t see this guy having to wait until he is 26 to be major league ready.
Can you imagine when they announce his name at Citi? Now batting Cory Vaughn no relation to Rick or Mo Vaughn. hahahahhaa
I went to two Cyclones games last summer and I saw one game where Vaughn went 2-3, both doubles and a walk. In the second game I saw he was a triple short of cycle, but he struck out with the base loaded in the 8th and the Clones lost. I think he’s something special, and I dont think he’s as far away from the majors as some may think.
The majority of the Mets farm system is garbage…but this kid is someone to be excited about.
I’ve never seen him play so I don’t really have an informed opinion. I’d like him here as soon as possible but I’m realistic enough to know that there are hurdles to jump before he gets here and I want him ready to play AND stay when(if) he does get here.
Anyone know where he’s starting this year? PSL? If so that will give us a good idea of how close he may be.
Hopefully double-A, considering the high level of college competition and the success he experienced as a pro last season. He is going to be 22, its not like he was drafted as a teenager.
That’s a quantum leap.
I think Matt’s right. Double-A looks logical because of Vaughn’s success and also because Bing doesn’t seem to have any RFs blocking him right now. Guzman is the only true RF on the roster, despite who they may try to turn into a right fielder, and Guzman’s numbers are nothing to write home about. Malo struggld mightily, as well. If they can fast-track a guy like Vaughn, I think they’d do it.
I just hope they don’t rush him like they did Tejada. He wasn’t ready and his talent and potenital weren’t able to translate because of it, and the Mets lost a year of control to what was really a very poor major league season.
I don’t see that happening to Vaughn, though, because it appears Pagan won’t be traded at all and June is the absolute earliest Beltran would be traded if he gets moved at all. In the unlikely event another outifelder is needed at the major league level this year, F-Mart is next on the list, and Kirk after him, so Vaughn doesn’t appear to be anywhere near the Mets right now. Given the pecking order in front of him, 2012 is very optimistic and 2013 is more likely, and probably better for the organization.
One thing that just about every Met prospects shares over the last number of years is struggling for months at a time to make adjustments to what pitchers are doing to them.
I’m not trying to portray myself as a scout, coach, development director or anything else but I have an idea that it comes from not having multiple games against the same pitchers.
Not only are the kids not learning to think along with their peers on the mound I think they come up here not even recognizing and anticipating pitching patterns.
Face it, hitting against professional pitchers even in the FSL is more advanced (overall) than hitting in College. Spending an entire year facing some of the same pitchers 6-8 times rather than 2 or 3 might speed up the development of this skill.
Spending 2011 in high A and 2012 in AA with a late season call up, if appropriate, and May and June 2013 in AAA would be as fast track as I would go.
If however he forced himself to be brought up sooner I would have no problems with him getting here before July 2013, as long as it was his performance and not our wishful thinking/hoping due to having no other options.
Till then I could easily deal with Fern and Evans once(if) Beltran’s traded.
197! Wow. and I thought 82 second basemen and 120 LFers was bad. It’s such a shame that despite spending billions of dollars we can’t come up with a few guys who play the same positions for 8 years in a row.
In doing my research, I noticed that the Mets have only had 12 outfielders in franchise history that have played at least 162 games at the position. Therefore, if they traded for someone right now and he played every game of the 2011 season in right field, he’d be among the franchise leaders in games played at the position. The Mets need a steady rightfielder NOW!!
Yanks have had 3 guys since 1962 play over 1,000 games in RF and 6 that have played over 500.
It’s crazy to think how unsettled RF has been for the Mets. I agree with Bayonne regarding Vaughn Someone also that may be of a more immediate impact is Capt Kirk. I recall reading during last season that while Capt Kirk is playing cf he may not be there long term and could see a move to a corner OF spot. Of course there is another RF I have yet to mention and that is FMart.
It would be nice to have one of the kids solidify that position.
BTW I believe even our current 1b has been mentioned regarding playing RF as well.
I read the same thing about Kirk but in that same article it said if he does go to a corner outfield spot, his offense becomes less than average from left or right field. That doesnt sound like a cure, just more of the same.
I wasn’t proposing a cure just an observation but what his offense will be is something that may or may not be less than average from left or right field so I will wait to see what in deed Kirk can or can’t do.
You have to hold yourself open to the possibility that Kirk is another Cory Sullivan, Jose Feliciano or Lastings Milledge. I’m not saying this is what he is but you have to provide competition in the minors for ALL your prospects in order to protect yourself from all the possibilities.
Let them sort themselves out and bring up the best one. The other guys can be depth, parts of a trade or part of your bench. Counting on one guy, prospect OR expensive free agent is not a sane strategy.
I’m not sure if you are saying this because I led you to believe otherwise or just that you wanted to make the observation but in any event I agree 100% for the record.
What do you mean MNJ? I almost never disagree with your postings and I NEVER disagree, just to disagree, or for your stance (or anyone else’s) on any other unrelated issue.
No I am sorry that is not what I was trying to suggest. Simply put is I just wasn’t sure if something I originally said may have been misinterpreted to mean counter what your reply was so since I wasn’t sure I wanted to just let you know I agreed with everything you said.
Again my apologies if you took that to suggest I may have been trying to suggest you would disagree just to disagree. On the contrary nothing could be further from the truth.
Got Ya MNJ, Thanks.
Love the Mets.
1 word.
duda.
RF is way too big for Duda plus he has no arm.