Various MLB writers and editors at ESPN came together and submitted over 20,000 votes to rank the 100 best players in MLB history, with multiple former Mets and one current Met on a list that had Babe Ruth at No.1.
Here’s the methodology that ESPN used, “Based on career WAR, Hall of Fame status, peak performance and overall contributions to the game, we selected an initial pool of more than 200 players from both the major leagues and Negro Leagues, dating back to the late 19th century, plus a few of today’s biggest stars.”
Let’s take a look at the players that suited up for the Mets that are on the list.
Coming in at No. 95 was former Mets outfielder Duke Snider. Snider played for the Mets in 1963, putting together an All-Star season in which the future Hall of Famer put up a .746 OPS across 129 games. Snider is best known for winning two World Series with the Dodgers, in Brooklyn in 1955, and in the franchise’s second season in Los Angeles back in 1959. Snider retired following the 1964 season with a career .380 OBP, 407 home runs, and 2,116 hits.
The next player is one that Mets fans would probably like to forget with Roberto Alomar at No. 86. Alomar came to the Mets in December of 2001 in a trade with Cleveland. Alomar’s tenure with the Mets was short-lived as the team traded him in July of 2003 to the Chicago White Sox. In 222 games with the Mets between 2002-2003, Alomar had a .703 OPS with just 13 home runs and 75 RBIs. Alomar did hit .300/.371/.443 with 504 doubles, 210 home runs, and 474 stolen bases in his big league career. He was a 12-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner.
One of the best catchers, if not the best, in the history of the sport made it at No. 81 in Mike Piazza. Nearly two-weeks after being traded from the Dodgers to the then Florida Marlins, the Mets swung a rare division trade for one of the premier players in the game, and the rest is history. Piazza would go on to play eight seasons with the Mets, and put up quite the numbers for the record books. His 220 home runs, 655 RBIs, and .296 BA are third in franchise history. Piazza was a six-time All-Star with the Mets, and his 427 home runs are the most all-time by a catcher, with his 2,127 hits remaining sixth all-time.
Newest Met “Mad” Max Scherzer in at No. 65 and that comes at no surprise. Scherzer currently holds a 190-97 record with a 3.16 career ERA, and a whopping 3,020 strikeouts across 2,536 innings pitched. He’s on pace to become one of the last pitchers to reach 200 career wins and his dominance over the last decade is unmatched. He has won three Cy Young Awards, including being one of the only pitchers to win in each league. Seeing not only what him and Jacob deGrom will accomplish together by leading the rotation, but the whole team in general will be fun for all Mets fans to witness once the lock-out comes to an end.
One of the greatest left-handed pitchers of all-time made it at No. 47 in Warren Spahn. After his contract was purchased by the Mets following the 1964 season on November 23, Spahn made 19 starts for the team, before being released in July of 1965. Spahn was 4-12 with the second worst ERA of his career at 4.36. Spahn ended his career after the 1965 season with the Giants, with a 363-245 record, 2,583 Ks across 5,243 2/3 IP, and a 3.09 ERA. He was a 17-time All-Star and his 100.1 rWAR is 11th all-time among starting pitchers.
Unfortunately, one of the best starting pitchers of all-time was traded before he really developed into his dominant self, but Nolan Ryan landed at No. 42 on the list. Ryan’s historic career lasted 27 seasons, with one championship which came with the Mets in 1969. Ryan didn’t seem like he’d become a 324 win pitcher as well as holding the all-time record of 5,714 Ks when he was with the Mets from 1966-1971 when he posted a 29-38 record with a 3.58 ERA and 344 Ks in 510 IP. It just goes to show you that that you never know how a player will pan out, and the December 10, 1971 trade in which the Mets traded Ryan for Jim Fregosi will live in infamy.
The great Yogi Berra comes into the list at No. 39 with 18 All-Star appearances under his belt, 10 World Series rings, and three MVP awards. Berra played in four games for the Mets in 1965 when he was also a coach. He would later manage the Mets, including their 1973 World Series run. He would hit .285/.348/.482 with 358 home runs in his long career.
Coming in at No. 23 is the all-time stolen base leader (1,406) Rickey Henderson. Henderson signed with the Mets in December of 1998, and was released in 2000, six-weeks into the season. In 152 games with the Mets, the Man of Steal hit .298 with 159 hits, 12 home runs, 44 RBIs and 42 stolen bases. Henderson would go on to play three more seasons with the Mariners, Padres, Red Sox and the Dodgers before retiring in 2003.
Tom Seaver, the best player in Mets history, comes in at No.22. In his 20-year career Seaver went 311-205 with a 2.86 ERA, and 3,640 Ks in 4,783 IP. In 12-seasons with the Mets however, Seaver was a three-time Cy Young award winner and made 10 All-Star games, while also winning the Rookie of the Year award in 1967. Seaver once held the record by getting 98.8% of the vote for the Hall of Fame. The original Tom Terrific will forever be immortalized as his statue is scheduled to be revealed on Opening Day of the 2022 season.
At No.11 is where things get pretty controversial, was Pedro Martinez better than Tom Seaver? I personally don’t think so. Pedro’s stats say it all though as he went 219-100 with a 2.93 ERA to go along with 3,154 Ks in 2,827 innings. He’s also a three-time Cy Young award winner with a triple crown title and a World Series title from 2004 in Boston. Pedro signed with the Mets in 2004 and went 32-23 with a 3.88 ERA and 464 Ks in 486 2/3 innings. Pedro retired in 2009 with the Phillies.
The second best player (according to this list) is the Say Hay Kid himself, Willie Mays. Mays is a 12-time Gold Glove award winner, two-time MVP, and a World Series winner in 1954 with the then New York Giants. Mays came over to the Mets in 1972 and was with the team for part of the 1973 season as well. Mays appeared in 135 games with the Mets, and hit .238 with 14 of his 660 career home runs. Mays was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979, after putting up one of the greatest careers the sport has ever seen. The career 156.1 rWAR for Mays ranks sixth all-time and is third among position players behind Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds.
What do you think ESPN got wrong? Who is too high? Who is too low?
