How Good Were The 1986 Mets Compared To Other Great Teams?

I just finished reading Mark Simon’s latest post on ESPN New York entitled, Top 5: Best Mets Teams. It’s a fascinating series he’s been working on this month, and I’ve enjoyed each of his segments, particularly this one. You should check it out.

We all know how powerful that 1986 Mets team was, as they literally pulverized any team that got in there way on their way to a 108 win season. There’s no argument that they were the best Mets team ever. But what I didn’t know was how that ’86 team ranked among some of the best MLB teams of all time. Until now.

Their part-timers, such as Kevin Mitchell, Howard Johnson, and ace pinch-hitter Danny Heep, were better than most other team’s regulars. The stat that best illustrates what I’m referring to is OPS+, which combines on-base percentage and slugging percentage, and adjusts it for your primary home ballpark and the era played. An OPS+ of 100 is average. The higher above 100, the better.

The 1986 Mets had 10 hitters with at least 200 plate appearances and an OPS+ of 110 or better. No other team in major-league history can match that.

Wow. That’s all I have to say. Wow.