19
2012
Metsmerized Hall of Fame: David Wright, 3B
An article by Tie Dyed
Last month, Mets Merized Online began rolling out our Metsmerized Hall of Fame. We decided to begin with our FIVE FOUNDING MEMBERS just as they did when they got started in Cooperstown.
In the last four weeks we have selected Tom Seaver in week one, and Keith Hernandez in week two, Jerry Koosman in week three, and Dwight Gooden in week four. It is now, with great pleasure, that we announce our fifth founding member of the Metsmerized Hall of Fame… A drum roll please for…
Everything Is All Wright: David Wright, 3B
You can ask ten different Baseball fans “Who is the best all-around player of all-time?” and you’d get ten different answers.
Babe Ruth saved the game and hit more home runs than entire teams. But Ruth did not have the speed. Ty Cobb’s lifetime .367 career batting average has never even been approached in almost a century. But Cobb, due to the era he played in, didn’t hit for power. Ted Williams was a natural hitter with 15/20 eyesight. But Ted was bored playing defense, frequently standing in left field practicing his swing in between pitches.
Me? I always choose Willie Mays for one simple reason. He did it all. He hit for power, average, was the best defensive center fielder in the game, had speed and well…, simply put, how could you not love Willie?
Now, ask yourself who is the best all-around Mets player of all time? There are several names that come to mind.
John Olerud’s .315 batting average is the highest in team history. But Olerud didn’t have any speed. Who is the Mets’ best home run hitter? You can say Strawberry or Piazza. But Straw’s best batting average was .284. Piazza’s offensive numbers were downright frightening, but we all know that opposing base runners seemed to steal at will on him. When you think Mets defense, how can you not think Keith Hernandez? Mex won six consecutive Gold Gloves with us, but he was not a long ball threat. His biggest home run total was 18 in 1987. One can choose Jose Reyes for his speed. Single-handedly, Reyes could change the flow of a game. Like Keith, however, Reyes was not a home run threat.
Me? I’d choose David Wright. In the nine years he’s been wearing the blue and orange, Wright, like Willie Mays, can do it all. He may not be GREAT at one single facet of the game. But he is very, very, very good at all facets of the game.
Former hitting coach Howard Johnson said of David, “He’s the complete package. He uses the whole field with power all over the place. Defensively he makes all the plays.” Teammate Joe McEwing said, “He’s a special player and a special person.” “He has natural ability and a tremendous work ethic,” stated his former High School coach, Steve Gedro. “To have both these things in one athlete is rare.”
David made his debut on July 21, 2004. In 263 AB that season, he swatted 14 home runs, plated 40 RBI’s and batted .293. Along with teammate and friend Jose Reyes, 21 year-old Wright would become the face of the Mets, the players that a championship would be built around.
In 2005, his first full season, the Mets won 12 more games, finishing over .500 for the first time in four years. David’s line was .306 – 27 HR – 102 RBI. He also scored 99 runs and for good measure stole 17 bases. He was the Mets leader in over a dozen different offensive categories.
On August 9th against the Padres, Wright, with his back to the infield, made a bare handed catch over the shoulder. This Year In Baseball chose this as the Best Defensive Play of the Year.
In 2006, David showed no signs of a Sophomore Jinx and in fact he improved across the board. Wright hit 26 homers and knocked in 116 while posting a .311 batting average. To go along with this there were 40 doubles, a .531 slugging percentage and even stole 20 bases in what was a truly amazing all-around season. Wright was in the top 3 of all team offensive categories. Oh, and for good measure, he was the starting third baseman for the NL in the All-Star Game where he promptly hit a home run in his very first at-bat.
In 2007, David showed no signs of slowing down. If anything, he improved, having probably his best offensive season. He reached 30 HR’s for the first time and topped 40 doubles for the 3rd straight year. His .325 BA was third highest at that time in Mets history. He also set career highs in slugging (.546) and OBP (.416). On September 16, David became the 29th player in MLB history to join the 30-30 club, but only the third before turning 25. And while doing all of this, David also put together a 26-game hitting streak. But wait, there’s more… He won his first of two consecutive Gold Gloves and in 39 stolen base attempts, he was safe 34 times. For his incredible season, he finished 4th in the MVP voting.
Yes, he can do it all.
2008 saw David set career highs in HR with 33 and RBI’s with 124, the latter tying a Mets record for most in a single season. He also hit 42 doubles while posting a 534 slugging percentage. And in between David sending outfielders looking over their shoulder or racing into the alley, he achieved a 75% success rate of steals, 15 steals in 20 attempts. Oh, and yes, another Gold Glove, too.
On April 13, 2009, David became forever linked with Gil Hodges and Ron Hunt as the first Mets player to hit a HR in a new home stadium.
Since Citi Field opened, David’s numbers have dropped. He’s also been hit with injuries as well, However, while his stats have decreased since 09, they are still very respectable. In the last 4 seasons (including playing just 102 games in 2011), Wright has averaged 152 hits, 35 doubles, 82 RBI’s, 19 HR’s, a 288 BA and 467 slugging.
His career stats with the Mets are a 301 BA, 204 HR’s, 818 RBI’s, 381 OBP, 506 SLG, 322 doubles and has stolen 166 bases while being caught just 54 times, a 75% success rate.
He is the Mets all-time leader in hits (1426) Runs (790), doubles (322), RBI’s (818) and walks (616). He is 2nd in Batting Average (301) and At Bats (4742), 3rd in HR’s (204), tied for 3rd in slugging (506), 4th in OBP (381) and 5th in SB’s with 166.
In addition to the power, average, speed and glove, David is also the type of athlete that’s become a rarity. He is the consummate professional. When things are going bad for the Mets, he tips his hat to the opponent and makes no excuses. He’ll be the first to admit that the club, himself included, need to work on things. When some of his teammates avoid the media after a tough loss, David is always there, representing the team. He’s the type of ballplayer you can have your son or daughter look up to. In that respect he is like another one time Met, Tom Seaver. Mike Piazza one said, “He’s a good kid. You pull for someone like that.”
I don’t remember the exact date. I don’t even remember the exact year. I think it was about 1976. But I do remember we were playing the Phillies. I was at a game with my dad. I did my duty as a Mets fan, cheering for John Milner and Buddy and Grote and promptly booing Greg Luzinski and Garry Maddox and Steve Carlton. My father leaned over and pointed to the guy playing 3B for the Phillies and said, “You won’t realize what a great player he is until he retires.” Sure, Mike Schmidt was good and hit a lot of home runs, but he was no Dave Kingman! My dad was right. Schmidt went into the Hall of Fame and Dave Kingman? Well, I don’t know what ever happened to him.
Being the best all-around player in team history, it’s safe to say a player like David Wright comes around to the Mets only once every fifty years.
Metsmerized Hall of Fame
Congratulations, David!
Now that our Five Founding Members have been selected, next week we will roll out our 2013 Metsmerized Hall of Fame Ballot. We will ask you, our readers, to cast your vote for who should be selected for enshrinement in 2013. Learn more by visiting our Metsmerized Hall of Fame.
It will be fun playing baseball using solid hard wood bats and other high quality baseball equipments.
About the Author: Rob Silverman
It was 1973 when my dad introduced this 7 year old kid to Baseball and the Mets. It's been a love and passion that has lasted for 40 years, much longer than my first marriage. Since I was little, there've been 2 things I've always dreamed of: 1) Being a successful author and 2) playing right field for the Mets after Rusty Staub retired. Although 4 decades have passed and based on the current condition of the Mets, I have not given up on either dream
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well he deserves to be a met hall of famer , he is ours , andi still can say that with a smile on my face ….. BUT i thought Gary or Piazza would have choosen ahead of David for the 5th member
This should be interesting……
Well I would have put Beltran ahead of Wright in the best all around Met race….
He may not have been here long enough to qualify to some, but he has without a doubt been the best overall player we have had.
Behind Mays though….Mays had more speed than Beltran.
But I have no issues with Wright being considered…I am SURE the fireworks from those who do have a problem will arrive soon though…LOL
Beltran had three good years as a Met. Are you serious or trying to be provocative for the heck of it? That makes no sense whatsoever.
Yeah and how many years was Hernandez here? He got mentioned and tlked about too….
Like it or not but Beltran is one of the best overall players this team has ever had!
Hernandez was with the Mets for six seasons, and five of them were great! You’re going to equate Beltran’s stint with Keith’s? I don’t think so.
Hernandez was great from the mid-point of 1983-1987 thats 4.5 seasons, injuries cut short his career here
Beltran was great from 2006-2008, half of 2009 and half of 2011, thats 4 seasons, injuries cut short his career here
And how about John Olerud he was also mentioned how many years did he play for the Mets???????
CASE CLOSED!
Carlos Beltran hands down best all around player for the Mets…Wright is the best Homegrown all around player. We know youre a Wright fanboy through and through so I wont argue the point with you. Just saying my piece.
Olerud was a great guy, tremendous D 1Bman, too. His monster season was ’98. Again, three years–just ain’t enough.
My argument wasnt for Olerud I was pointing out the Beltran snub…you cant mention Olerud and not mention Beltran whom I think is the best all-around.
And for the Record Piazza HAS to get the nod over David Wright for Mets Hall of fame…lol….Piazza wasnt a bad defender pitchers loved throwing to him behind the plate and his defensive stats prove that….He just couldnt throw runners out, DW has his defensive flaws as well ironically throwing the ball…He can pick it but when he throws its kinda shaky….Although I must admit he played well defensively last year.
Fair enough.
You’re kidding me right? Baron and Cerrone will get a woody when they see this.
I thought they were neutered?
best all-around Met: Carlos Beltran
Conspiracy! Way to slide this one in when Alex and Bayonne are muted.
LMAO
no words necessary
There’s no disputing the facts and the stats.
Well deserved.
Awesome job on this, Rob. I’ve really got to hand it to you. Now that the HOF Page is starting to fill up, it looks fantastic! http://metsmerizedonline.com/metsmerized-hall-of-fame
You really hit a home run and your choices were all superb including Wright!
Next week the voting begins and we release the ballot for 2013. I’m looking forward to who our readers vote for.
Hmm, shall I tease them and tell them which five players are on the ballot? Nah, let them suffer!
.
Just a heads up you don’t have the Seaver Hall of Fame post tagged as part of the Metsmerized Hall Of Fame category.
http://metsmerizedonline.com/category/mmo-exclusives/metsmerized-hall-of-fame
Wow, thanks!
Fixed it… No wonder Seaver hasn’t been returning my calls….
Thanks Joe–I LOVED doing it.
Great job Rob. Really enjoyed reading this.
My daughter’s favorite player.
Thanks “Tommie” I appreciate the kind words
Looks like Piazza will be leading the class of the first inductees. I don’t agree with the pick of Wright over Piazza, though.
Excellent job with the whole series though, Rob.
Thanks Satish.
In all the years blogging for MMO, this was probably the most fun I’ve had.
Piazza was a VERY tough choice to leave out. In terms of pure numbers, what he did was downright frightening.
But, as I mentioned in the blog, I decided to go with DW cause of the ‘overall’ stats–defense, speed, power, etc…
If Piazza would have been even a little better behind the dish, yea, he’d be in. Just my opinion
I definitely see the argument against his defense and speed, especially compared to Wright. It is completely valid. I think it’s just a choice of preference for me.
Piazza was a better player in my eyes because he was that threatening presence in the middle of our lineup that nobody in the league wanted to face. If the game was on the line, I take Mike Piazza anyday. Wright doesn’t command the same amount of respect at the plate, but again, that is only one aspect of the game, and David is no slouch with the bat.
What? No Straw?
Are Alex and Bayonne really banned? Why? How Long? Bring them back!!! I disagree with nearly all their takes on things and really don’t subscribe to their never ending conspiracy theories about how our FO wants to loose. That being said, what’s the point in all of this if there is no differeing views? Besides I often find their insane and wildly off base views provacative and at least entertaining!!! As look as they don’t delve into the realm of personal attacks, I say BRING’EM BACK!!!
Sloatsburg: I wasn’t aware of the bans either until they were made public by those who got banned in the chat but I will say this in defense of Joe
There are plenty and I mean plenty of people who share the identical view point of those two on this site. However, not all of them are banned. Why?
It’s not the opinion that gets banned it’s the delivery of the opinion. I hope they return also but I can promise you the guts of their opinion is not why they are banned especially since much of how they feel about the Mets is shared by the site’s owner.
It’s ok, we still have Metsie.
ask yourself who is the best all-around Mets player of all time?
and no mention of Carlos Beltran
LMAO
then we wonder why certain guys go unappreciated
Beltran was great–no question. A huge bat and arguably the best centerfielder–neck and neck between him and Agee. But, as I pointed out, he really only had three great seasons. I just don’t think that’s enough.