MMO Roundtable: Favorite Mets by Position - Shortstop

The MMO team will be going all around the field, sharing our favorite Mets players by position.

Now let’s take a look at shortstop.

Joe D.

Loved Jose Reyes, but my favorite was Rey Ordonez. He was a wizard at shortstop and dazzled with his glove. Easily the best defensive shortstop we ever had.

I was too young to really appreciate Rey Ordonez’s defensive wizardry, so I would have to pick the most electric leadoff hitter in Mets history, Jose Reyes. Reyes seemed to have the perfect combination speed and the ability to get on base anytime he wanted, and his defense at shortstop was some of the best I’ve for an everyday Met. Ultimately they should have never let him walk in free agency in 2011 and when he did return to Queens he was no where near the same player, but for me there was no better Mets shortstop in their prime than Reyes.

Rich Sparago

My favorite all-time Mets shortstop is Jose Reyes (version one). Reyes was the complete package. He was a solid defender with an incredible throwing arm, a dynamic offensive player with outstanding speed and some pop in the bat, and a colorful character on the team. His energy and quirkiness were qualities that drew the fans to him. While the reunion was nice to see and he did perform well in 2016 and 2017, the circumstances surrounding his being available forever ruined his reputation. It’s a shame that he won’t be remembered for the talented on-field presence he was.

Brian Wright

Bud Harrelson earned admiration for punching above his weight. No better proof came when he took on Pete Rose and the Big Red Machine during the 1973 NLCS. Harrelson was 5’ 11” and about 160 pounds, but it was hard to find anyone tougher. It was also hard to find a more valuable defensive shortstop. On a team which relied heavily on run prevention, Harrelson was the glue that kept the infield together. Bud’s skills in the field were rewarded with 1970 and 1971 All-Star selections and a Gold Glove Award in ‘71. From his call-up in 1965, through the battles in ‘69 and ‘73, and even now as he courageously faces Alzheimer’s, the only person to wear a Mets uniform for both world championships has proven he has plenty of fight in him.

Rob Piersall

My favorite shortstop is Rey Ordonez. No one made it look easier out there, and he had such soft hands on what felt like every single play. I know he was a light hitter, but man, seeing him out in the field was a show every single night.

Ryan Finkelstein

Is it too early to say Francisco Lindor? Probably, but that’s still my answer.

Lindor has been one of my favorite players to watch from afar for some time, as he is just one of the most electric players in the game today. It still doesn’t feel real that they acquired him and probably won’t sink in fully until we all see him run out to short in his Mets jersey.

If this transaction works out the way Sandy Alderson and Steve Cohen hope it does, most fans will be answering Lindor to this question for years to come.

Michelle Ioannou

As everyone above alluded to, Jose Reyes in his prime was everything you wanted in a shortstop. That speed! That defense! Those steals! Seeing him and David Wright together! A close second for me would have to be Bud Harrelson. I never got to see him play in person, but I wish I did!