Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

After winning five straight, the Mets sit atop the National League East with a 16-13 record. But it wasn’t all good news as Jacob deGrom left Sunday’s start with right side tightness.

An MRI revealed no structural damage, so the Mets will look to have deGrom back soon, and they will hope to keep their win streak alive against the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays this week.

Hitter Of The Week: Francisco Lindor 

Lindor made more headlines for the rat/racoon story, but his performance at the plate this week shouldn’t be overshadowed. In what was his first big week in a Mets uniform, Lindor batted .286/.407/476 with four RBI in 27 plate appearances.

While he started the week 0-for-7, he finished it with a flourish. He recorded hits in four straight games, and crushed a game tying home run in the eighth inning in Friday’s 5-4 win over the Diamondbacks.

Lindor still has a long way to go before his overall number’s fully turn around. He is still batting just .189/.315/.272 with an OPS+ of 69. However, Lindor’s performance over the last few games is an encouraging sign that he’ll soon start hitting like the top player he’s been over the past several seasons.

From 2016 to 2020, Lindor was sixth in the MLB in WAR (25.2) ahead of players such as Nolan Arenado (23.4), Jose Altuve (23.0) and Freddie Freeman (23.0). Given that Lindor is still at the prime of his career at 27-years-old, it’s likely that everyone will soon forget his poor start to the 2021 season.

Lindor’s stats for the past week: .287, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 SB, .844 OPS

Mandatory Credit: Kam Nedd-USA TODAY Sports

Pitcher Of The Week: Taijuan Walker

For the first time this season, a Mets’ starter not named Jacob deGrom is the pitcher of the week. Taijaun Walker is this week’s choice due to his seven-inning performance against the Cardinals on Thursday afternoon.

Despite two rain delay’s, Walker struck out eight batters while allowing just one baserunner and one unearned run in the Mets’ 4-1 win.

While Walker wasn’t expected to be a dominant starter for the Mets, he’s been excellent so far in 2021. Walker now has a 2.38 ERA and 1.02 over 34 innings pitched this season. He also has a 9.3 K/9 and is second on the team behind only deGrom with a 2.84 FIP among Mets’ starters.

It’s also worth mentioning the strong relief pitching the Mets got this week.

Jeurys Familia, Edwin Diaz, Trevor May, and Miguel Castro combined for 13 shutout innings, and Tommy Hunter pitched extremely well in his Mets debut, but Walker’s stellar start was so good that it makes him the clear choice for pitcher of the week.

Walkers start for the past week: 1-0, 7 IP, 0 ER, 8 K

The post Players of the Week: Lindor Heats Up, Walker Impresses appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Despite going 2-4 last week, the Mets still sit atop of the National League East with a 9-8 record. They lost all three to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, but they ended the week by winning the series against the Washington Nationals behind two shutout victories and key hits from their power bats.

There were certainly a bit more positives to take out of the past few games for the Mets in all facets of the game, but the two standout performers from this week were Pete Alonso, and yet again, Jacob deGrom.

Hitter Of The Week: Pete Alonso

After a somewhat slow start to the season, Alonso is starting to mash like the prestigious power hitter that he was when he took home the NL Rookie of the Year in 2019.

The slugging first baseman blasted three home runs with five RBI in 25 trips to the plate last week. Alonso continued his Wrigley Field success homering twice against the Cubs, and went deep for a third time on Sunday against the Nationals.

The impressive week increased Alonso’s OPS from.761 to .907. He now has five home runs, 12 RBI, and a .267 batting average on the season. He is on pace for 48 home runs and 114 RBIs over the full 162 game season.

Another top hitter of the week who we have to show some love to was J.D. Davis. Davis batted .474/.524/.895 with two home runs in 21 plate appearances last week.

However, it doesn’t seem fitting to name Davis as player of the week because the several misplays he made on defense that significantly hurt the Mets during the Cubs’ series. Davis’ hitting numbers for the week might be slightly better, but Alonso gets the edge because of his superior overall performance.

Alonso’s stats for the week. .300/.440/.750, three home runs, five RBI, 1.190 OPS, .494 wOBA

Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Pitcher of the Week: Jacob deGrom

For the third consecutive time, there’s no debate about the Mets’ pitcher of the week. Jacob deGrom was absolutely dominant once again to earn another player of the week distinction.

In a complete game masterpiece against the Nationals,  deGrom struck out a career high 16 batters. DeGrom held the Nationals to just two hits while walking none to lower his season ERA to 0.31, which leads all of baseball.

DeGrom also has 50 strikeouts in 29 innings to go along with a 0.55 WHIP and 16.67 K/BB ratio. It’s also worth noting that deGrom helped his own cause with two more hits on Friday to raise his batting average to .545 and raise his OPS to 1.182.

While no other pitcher came close to deGrom’s dominance, Taijuan Walker does deserve some recognition. Walker posted a 1.69 ERA over two starts with 11 strikeouts in 10.2 innings pitched. Even though Walker wasn’t at his best against the Cubs, he rebounded with a seven-inning shutout against the Nationals on Sunday to secure the series win.

But it looks like it would take a special kind of outing for any pitcher to top what deGrom is doing on the mound this year. When deGrom starts Wednesday against the Red Sox, it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see him pitch another incredible game.

DeGrom’s stats for the week. 1-0, 9 IP, 16 K, 0 BB, 0 ER

The post Players Of The Week: Alonso Heats Up, DeGrom Masterful appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

After going 2-3 last week, the Mets turned things around by sweeping the Phillies and taking two out of three against the Rockies. The Mets now sit atop of the NL East with a 7-4 record, and they will try to keep their momentum rolling against the Cubs and Nationals this week.

Given the many strong individual efforts over this 5-1 stretch, it wasn’t as easy to pick the two best players as it was last week. However, the standout performances of both Brandon Nimmo and Jacob deGrom make them the clear choice for players of the week for the second time in a row.

Hitter of the Week: Brandon Nimmo

Nimmo hasn’t slowed down after starting the year on fire. Nimmo batted .476/.522/.476 out of the leadoff spot with three runs scored and one stolen base.

The 28-year-old outfielder leads the MLB in batting average (.447) and on base percentage (.543). While it’s obviously a small sample size, it’s hard to not be impressed by the fact that Nimmo’s .543 OBP ranks ahead of stars like Mike Trout (.526), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (.507), and Ronald Acuna Jr. (.486).

Another contender for hitter of the week was Jonathan Villar. Villar had two of the week’s biggest hits with a walk-off single in extra-innings against the Phillies, and with a game tying double in the final inning of the Mets 4-3 win over the Rockies.

James McCann also hit a home run and had a .357 average in 14 trips to the plate. However, neither Villar nor McCann could match Nimmo’s elite production for the week.

Nimmo’s stats for the past week: .446 wOBA, 10 hits, 3 Runs, 3 RBI, 1 SB

Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Pitcher Of The Week: Jacob deGrom

On almost any other team, either David Peterson or Marcus Stroman would win pitcher of the week. Peterson tossed a six-inning gem against the Phillies, recording ten strikeouts while allowing just three baserunners and one run all night.

Meanwhile, Stroman shutdown the Rockies at Coors Field with eight innings of one run ball. He allowed just four baserunners, struck out five batters, while also making a slick backhanded play in the field. However, not even his dominating effort would be good enough to win pitcher of the week.

DeGrom was absolutely overpowering, yet again, with a tremendous 14 strikeout performance against the Rockies. While deGrom wasn’t his sharpest to start the game, he became locked in during the second inning and almost made MLB history.

With his blazing 100 MPH fastball and wicked slider, deGrom struck out nine consecutive hitters, which is one shy of the MLB record set by Tom Seaver in 1970.  The Rockies broke up deGrom’s strikeout streak when Josh Fuentes made contact in the bottom of the fifth inning and reached base on a throwing error by Jeff McNeil.

While Colorado scored three unearned runs that inning, that shouldn’t take anything away from deGrom’s brilliant outing. Degrom continues to prove why he’s the MLB’s best pitcher with every start, and he seems to get better every time he takes the mound.

DeGrom’s stats for the week: 1-0, 6 IP, 3 R, 0 ER, 14 K, 1 BB, 3 H

The post Players Of The Week: Nimmo And DeGrom Stellar Once Again appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The first week of the 2021 season didn’t go exactly as planned for the New York Mets. Five of their first ten scheduled games have been postponed, and they ended the week with a 2-3 record. But even with a disappointing start, there were two players that stood out with outstanding performances, so let’s take a look at the team’s two best players from last week.

Hitter Of The Week: Brandon Nimmo

It’s hard to have a better week than Brandon Nimmo did out of the leadoff spot. He got base more often than he made an out with a .565 OBP, which ranked second in the majors behind only the White Sox’s Yermin Mercedes.

Nimmo also added three doubles – and a steal – to finish the week with a 1.153 OPS, the highest mark among qualified hitters on the team.

Dating back to last season, Nimmo has a .291/.419/.493 triple slash line with a 150 OPS+ in 60 games. Nimmo might not keep up this pace over the course of a full 162 game season, but it’s hard to not be impressed by the early results.

Nimmo’s stats for the past week: .412/.565/.588, 7 H, 6 BB, 1 SB

Pitcher Of The Week: Jacob deGrom

Even though he didn’t get any support behind him, it was another stellar week for Jacob deGrom. The two-time Cy Young Award winner dominated, starting with a dazzling six shutout performance against the Phillies. He struck out seven and allowed just three hits, but after deGrom was pulled at 77 pitches, the Mets bullpen gave up five runs in the eight to lose the game.

Against the Marlins, deGrom was even better. He struck out 14 batters and allowed just five hits while not allowing a walk. He made just one mistake on an 0-2 pitch, which Jazz Chisholm belted for a solo homerun. That was all the offense the Marlins needed to win against the Mets slumping offense.

This should be the first of many times that deGrom gets awarded Pitcher Of The Week this year. He’s cemented himself as the best pitcher in baseball with his dominance over the past three seasons, and he seems to keep getting better with age. His 21 K’s lead the MLB as of April 12, and his 605 ERA + is also the best in the league. If deGrom keeps pitching at this level, he could very likely win his third Cy Young Award this year.

DeGrom’s stats for the week: 0-1, 14 IP, 21K, 2 BB, 0.64 ERA, 0.71 WHIP

The post Players of the Week: Brandon Nimmo Shines, Jacob DeGrom Dominates appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Unless Sandy Alderson and Steve Cohen have another surprise trade up their sleeves, it looks like the Mets will be staying with J.D. Davis as the team’s starting third baseman. Davis didn’t have the best year in 2020, but third base seems to be a weak position for a lot of NL East teams this year.

It was a difficult list to put together given that many of these players have yet to start for a full MLB season, so a lot of these rankings are open to debate.

No. 5 Austin Riley

After hitting nine home runs in his first 18 major league games, it looked like the Braves’ Austin Riley would be one of the most dangerous hitters in the division back in 2019. However, Riley finished that season in an ice-cold slump, batting .192 with just a .628 OPS the reason of the way.

Riley’s struggles continued in 2020 as he posted lackluster numbers at the plate and poor results in the field. He batted .239/.301/.415 with a 86 OPS+ in 51 games, and had -8 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in 383.1 innings at the hot corner.

Riley has just 0.1 WAR over 131 career games, so it’s tough to rank him ahead of the other third basemen in the division, even though the competition isn’t too challenging.

No. 4 Carter Kieboom

In most other divisions, Carter Kieboom would probably rank as the worst third baseman. But given how weak the position is in the NL East, he avoids the bottom of this list purely because of his potential.

Keiboom was rated the #15 overall prospect by Baseball America prior to the 2020 season. Scouts praised him for his discipline and ability to hit for contact as he batted .303 with a .902 OPS in Triple-A in 2019.

But Keiboom’s transition to the MLB did not go smoothly in 2020 for the Nationals. He posted a .556 OPS in 99 at-bats with only one extra-base hit. Since it’s a small sample size, he shouldn’t be judged too harshly. But he’ll need to prove that he can succeed at the MLB level before he could rank above the remaining third basemen in the division.

No. 3 J.D. Davis

J.D. Davis might be the best hitter on this list, but his defense is such a liability that it drops him to the third spot. In 88 career starts at third base, Davis has a -19 DRS. It’s hard to live with that kind of poor fielding even if Davis’ offer solid production on offense.

Davis batted .247/.371/.389 with six home runs and a 112 OPS+ in 2020. If given a full season of at-bats, it’s possible that his power numbers would have returned to his 2019 levels. In 2019, Davis slugged 22 home runs with a .527 slugging percentage and .895 OPS.

In order to make up for his significant shortcomings on defense, Davis will need crush the ball like he did in 2019. He’s projected to have a .254/.333/.441 batting line with 17 home runs and a 1.5 WAR this year according to Steamer projections.

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

No. 2 Alec Bohm

Alec Bohm’s rookie season was so good last year that it almost vaulted him to the top of this list. He batted .338/.400/.481 with four home runs and 23 RBI in 44 games for the Phillies. He finished second in the league in Rookie of the Year voting for his impressive efforts.

Bohm, a former top 30 prospect and third overall pick, seems to have a bright future ahead of him. But given that his 2020 numbers come in such a small sample, it’s difficult to rank him number one at the position. If he produces solid numbers over a full season this year, he would then solidify himself as one of the bright young stars in the division.

He’s projected to hit 22 home runs with a .282/.352/.475 triple slash line this year according to Steamer projections.

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

No 1. Brian Anderson

Brian Anderson gets the top spot because of his consistency over the past three seasons. Anderson’s 7.7 WAR since 2018, is more than double than the combined career WAR of all other NL East third basemen (3.7).

Anderson averaged a .266/.350/.436 triple slash line with a 113 OPS+ over this span. He posted a .810 OPS last year, and he had 4 DRS at third base. The Marlins’ third baseman might not be a superstar, but he’s proven to be a solid all-around player, which makes him top preformer at such a thin position in the the NL East.

Previous NL East Positional Rankings

NL East Positional Rankings: McNeil vs. Albies at Second Base

NL East Positional Rankings: First Base Edition

The post NL East Rankings: Where Does Davis Land At Third Base? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

In our first installment of this series, Freddie Freeman was the clear choice for the top first baseman in the division. Today’s rankings will be a lot more debatable as both Ozzie Albies and Jeff McNeil will be fighting for the top spot. So, let’s take a look at each of the division’s starting second basemen.

No. 5  Starlin Castro    

For the second straight week, the Nationals find themselves at the bottom of the rankings. Starlin Castro had a few solid seasons early in his career with the Cubs, but his subpar power and on-base ability limit his upside.

Over his 11-year career, the veteran second baseman owns a 280./.319/.414 career batting line with a 97 OPS+.  At this stage of his career, the 31-year-old veteran is no longer an impact player.

Steamer Projected WAR: 0.6 

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

No. 4 Jon Berti

Heading into 2020, Jon Berti wasn’t on a lot of people’s radars. However, Berti earned a starting role last season with the Marlins, batting .258/.388/.350 with nine stolen bases in 39 games.

While Berti’s speed and plate discipline will continue to be valuable, he doesn’t have enough power to rank higher on this list. He only hit seven extra base hits all season, so it will be difficult for Berti to out-produce the best second basemen in the division.

Steamer Projected WAR: 0.9 

No. 3 Jean Segura

After being traded to the Phillies in 2019, Jean Segura hasn’t been the stolen base threat that he was early in career. Segura averaged 27 steals per season from 2013-2018, but he stole just two bases last year and only ten in 2019.

Without steals being part of his game, there’s nothing that stands out about Segura’s statistics. He batted .266/.347/.422 with seven home runs in 2020, which puts his numbers slightly above the league average. His 106 OPS+ is decent, but it’s not outstanding either.

Segura should continue to produce respectable numbers across the board once again in 2021.

Steamer Projected WAR: 2.1

No. 2 Ozzie Albies

In 2019, Ozzie Albies swatted 25 home runs with 86 RBI and 15 stolen bases. His .295/.352/.500 triple slash line earned him the silver slugger award for second baseman, but 2020 wasn’t as kind to the 24-year-old All-Star.

Albies missed 30 games last season due to a bone contusion on his right wrist. His numbers also dropped as he batted just .271/.306/.466 in 124 plate appearances. More concerningly, his strikeout rate rose while his walk rate plummeted. Albies drew just five walks and struck out 30 times in 2020.

However, given Albies talent and track record, he should rebound in 2021. His injury no doubt hindered his production, and 29 games isn’t hardly enough of a sample size to write him off.

Steamer Projected WAR 3.6 

No.1 Jeff McNeil

This wasn’t an easy call, especially since the projections give Albies the edge. Both Steamer and ZiPS have Albies out-preforming McNeil in terms of WAR, but there is a strong case to be made for McNeil.

In both 2019 and 2020, McNeil produced significantly better hitting numbers than Albies.

Albies 2019 and 2020: 111 OPS +

McNeil 2019 and 2020: 140 OPS + 

In WAR, Albies comes closer because of his glove and base-running ability, but McNeil still beats out Albies over the last two seasons. McNeil has a 5.7 WAR over 185 games, while Albies has a 5.4 WAR over 189 games.

McNeil wasn’t a highly rated prospect like Albies was in the minors, but that shouldn’t matter that much at this point in their careers. McNeil has done nothing but hit since his MLB debut, despite never making any top prospect lists. In 248 career games, McNeil is a .319/.383/.501 hitter.

Maybe Albies still has some untapped potential given that he’s still only 24-years-old, but his on-base ability remains a valid concern. In two of the past three seasons, he has a .305 and .306 OBP. Even with 2020 being a shortened and injury plagued year, that OBP is still a red flag, especially for a player that lacks prestigious power and uses speed as part of his game.

A solid case can be made for either player, but despite the projections, McNeil ranks above Albies in this list because of his consistent hitting. McNeil can be fully trusted to have another solid year in 2021.

Steamer Projected WAR: 2.9

The post NL East Positional Rankings: McNeil vs. Albies at Second Base appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Now that the NFL season if officially over, it’s time to start looking ahead to baseball season. Today will be the first installment of MMO’s NL East Positional Rankings. We will start this series by looking at the division’s first basemen.

No. 5 Josh Bell

It doesn’t feel right putting Josh Bell at the bottom of this list after his All-Star campaign in 2019. He belted 37 home runs with a .936 OPS that season, but his inconsistency and poor fielding dampen his 2021 outlook.

Bell slashed just .226/.305/.364 in 57 games last year, and his numbers prior to 2019 aren’t all that spectacular. From 2016 to 2018, he posted a .784 OPS and 110 OPS+.

A fresh start in Washington might help Bell rebound this year, but he’ll probably produce more like the 110 OPS + hitter that he was for most of his career instead of the 142 OPS + hitter than we saw in 2019.

Additionally, Bell’s defensive limitations make it difficult for him to provide great value, even if his hitting rebounds from a rough 2020. In five MLB seasons, Bell has a -32 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) and a 2.6 bWAR.

No. 4 Jesus Aguilar

After struggling in 2019, Jesus Aguilar bounced back with a .277/.352/.457 triple slash line and eight home runs over 51 games for Miami. Sure, it’s a small sample size, but these numbers are in line with his career averages.

In 499 career games, Aguilar owns a slash line of .259/.336/.470 and 112 OPS+. While it’s doubtful that he can replicate his best season that featured 35 home runs with the Brewers in 2018, he should still be a solid contributor in the heart of the Marlins’ order.

Given that both Aguilar and Bell have similar career hitting numbers (Aguilar 112 OPS +, Bell 116 OPS +), Aguilar gets the edge because of defense. Aguilar’s career DRS at first base is 6, while Bell’s career DRS is -32.

No. 3 Rhys Hoskins

It’s easy to overlook Rhys Hoskins due to his career .239 average, but if you take a deeper look at his numbers, he’s a better hitter than he appears.

Despite his low average, Hoskins’ plate discipline allows him to get on base at a good clip. In 2018, he led the league in walks (116), and he owns a career OBP of .366.

Hoskins also ranks among the league’s better power hitters. Since his debut season in 2017, Hoskins’ Isolated Slugging Percentage (.255) places 17th among qualified MLB hitters, ahead of notable players like Luke Voit (.254), Jorge Soler (.252), and Eugenio Suarez (.251).

Hoskins blasted 18 home runs in 50 games as a rookie. He then averaged 32 homeruns per season in 2018 and 2017, and he would have likely exceeded the 30-home run plateau again if the MLB played a full season in 2020. He hit ten in 41 games last year.

Hoskins isn’t a perfect player, but he does two things well. He gets on base, and he hits for power. Those two factors are enough to place him third on this list.

No. 2 Pete Alonso

Even in a down season, Pete Alonso still hit 16 home runs in 57 games while also managing to post a higher OPS than two of the players on this list. Alonso’s .817 OPS is better than both Bell and Aguilar’s, despite being stuck in a slump for most of the shortened season.

The 2019 home run king would have no doubt turned things around if he had a full 162 games to play. While he wasn’t as locked in as his rookie season, a .242 BABIP likely dragged down his numbers, and he still pummeled the baseball. His barrel percentage ranked in the 84^th percentile of MLB hitters, and his exit velocity ranked in the 73^rd percentile.

Alonso should improve off his .231/.326/.490 triple slash line from last season, and he will continue to be one of the league’s most feared sluggers. In 2019, Alonso smashed 53 home runs, breaking the MLB rookie record.

No. 1 Freddie Freeman

As powerful as Pete Alonso is, there’s no way he could supplant Freddie Freeman as the top first baseman in the division. Freeman’s track record, consistency, and overall elite production make him the undisputed choice for the number one spot on this list.

Freeman, the reigning NL MVP, batted .341/.462/.640 while hitting 13 home runs and 53 RBI in 60 games in 2020. He also led the league in runs scored (51) and doubles (23).

And over his eleven-year career, Freeman owns a career .295 batting average with a .892 OPS and 139 OPS+. There’s no reason to think that Freeman won’t put up superstar numbers once again in 2021.

Stay tuned for next week as we rank the best second basemen in the NL East. Will Jeff McNeil beat out Ozzie Albies and others for the top spot?

The post NL East Positional Rankings: First Base Edition appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Voting began Friday afternoon for the Epic Mets Moments bracket. With great help from Lindsay Moran, Brian Wright, Marshall Field, Michael Mayer, Joe D, and Mojo Hill, MMO organized a bracket of the 64 best moments in Mets history. The readers will vote on which moment is the greatest in the history of the Amazin’s on Metsmerized’s Twitter account.

Voting remains open on the first round of the 2011-present day bracket. As expected, Johan Santana’s no-hitter, DeGrom’s Game 5 win against the Dodgers, and Murphy’s heorics in the NLCS, are cruising into the next round.

We included two Matt Harvey moments, but the once dominant flamethrower hardly received any support. His one-hitter against the White Sox earned just 8.5% of the vote against Santana’s no-hitter, and his 2013 All-Star appearance earned only 12% against DeGrom’s Game 5.

The closest matchup is between Wright’s World Series home run and the Mets Clinching the NL East in 2015. Wright’s home run currently leads 60.5% to 39.5%.

💥Epic Mets Moments!💥

2011 – Present Bracket

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) May 29, 2020

While the Mets would ultimately lose to the Royals, Wright’s home run stands out as an incredible moment. After waiting all his career to make it to the World Series, Wright blasted a bomb in the first inning to give the Mets a 2-1 lead in Game three. The Mets won the game 9-3, but would drop the series in five games.

Meanwhile, the Mets division clincher came during a 10-2 blowout over the Reds. Lucas Duda smashed a grand slam, while Wright also belted a home run during the lopsided affair. The win earned the Mets a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

The winner of this match will face the no. 1 seed in the 2011-present day bracket – Santana’s no-hitter. And in a battle of 2015 playoff moments, Murphy’s NLCS MVP performance will go up against DeGrom’s Game 5.

Make sure to cast your votes, and stay tuned for the next round of voting. We will be covering the 1996-2010 seasons, which will feature amazing moments like Mike Piazza‘s home run after 9/11 and Endy Chavez‘s catch in the 2006 NLCS.

The post Epic Mets Moments: Round One of Voting Begins! appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

For any championship roster, homegrown talent is a necessity. As the Mets have learned over the years, teams that build a solid foundation have a significant advantage over organizations with barren farm systems.

While the franchise has sometimes struggled in this area, they still developed many star players in their history. So, who are team’s best homegrown players at each position? This list will exclude any player that was originally drafted or signed by another team.

C Todd Hundley

Drafted by the Mets in 1987, Todd Hundley delivered two powerful seasons as the Mets catcher. While Hundley didn’t break out until 1996, his team record of 41 homeruns that season wouldn’t be broken until last year.

Hundley drove in 112 RBI with a .906 OPS in 153 games in 1996. He also posted a higher OPS the following year (.948) with 30 homeruns and 86 RBI in 1997, before struggling with a .161 batting average in 1998.

Mike Piazza, Gary Carter, and Jerry Grote rank as better overall players in team history, but since they were all drafted/signed by other organizations, Hundley is the clear choice for this list.

1B Pete Alonso

After a prolific rookie season, Alonso undoubtedly deserves a spot on this list. Alonso shattered the Mets’ record books with 53 homeruns, which led the MLB and broke the league’s rookie record.

Alonso slashed .260/.358/.583 with 120 RBI and a .941 OPS last year. When the MLB resumes play, it won’t be long before he climbs further up the franchise’s leaderboards and obliterates more records.

2B Edgardo Alfonzo

If Jeff McNeil continues to rake, he could one day supplant Edgardo Alfonzo on this list. But it would take an incredible effort to exceed what Alfonzo achieved in his prime.

From 1997-2002, Alfonzo slashed .296/.380/.464 with 112 homeruns and 42 steals. And during the Mets pennant winning season in 2000, Alfonzo batted .324 with a .967 OPS. He owns a career WAR of 28.8.

3B David Wright

As the franchise’s all-time leader in offensive WAR (51.9), Hits (1777), Runs (949),and Total Bases (2945), David Wright is not only the franchise’s best third baseman –  he is their best overall hitter.

Selected by the Mets with the 38^th overall pick in 2001, Wright became an immediate contributor, and he didn’t stop hitting until a spinal injury slowed him down and ultimately cut his career short.

SS Jose Reyes

Electrifying and dynamic, Jose Reyes energized the Mets with his game-changing speed. He stole 408 bases and legged out 113 triples – both franchise records. He also offered solid production at the plate. From 2006-2011, Reyes batted .297/.354/.458 with a .812 OPS. His 27.9 offensive WAR ranks fifth in team history.

LF Cleon Jones

During the Mets 1969 championship season, Cleon Jones was incredible. He batted .340 with a .904 OPS in 137 games and stole 16 bases with 12 homeruns. While that season stands out as Jones’ best, he was solid throughout his peak. From 1968-1971, Jones hit .308/.374/.456 with an OPS+ of 134.

CF Mookie Wilson

Known for his heroics in the 1986 World Series, Mookie Wilson’s Mets’ career is legendary. His epic at-bat in Game Six is one of the most iconic moments in team history, and his numbers are the best out of any homegrown centerfielder.

Wilson’s 20.8 WAR ranks ninth among hitters in team history. He stole 281 bases, and from 1985- 1988, Wilson batted .290/.345/.436 with a 118 OPS +.

RF Darryl Strawberry

With 252 homeruns, Darryl Strawberry still holds the franchise record for long balls. The first overall pick of the 1980 draft crushed at least 26 bombs in each of his eight Mets’ seasons. He also smacked a league leading 39 home runs in 1988 with a 165 OPS +.

Strawberry’s 36.6 WAR ranks second all-time among Mets’ position players. He also ranks second in RBI (733) third in Runs (662), and fifth in steals (191).

Stay tuned for next week as we will rank the franchise’s best homegrown pitchers. Expect to see several  Cy Young Award winners on that list…

The post Building The Mets All-Homegrown Team appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Throughout the history of the New York Mets, elite pitching defined the franchise. With aces like Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden, Jacob deGrom, the team enjoyed plenty of spectacular performances on the mound. But out of all the dominant seasons in Mets’ history, which one was the best?

We asked this question to our followers on the Metsmerized’s Twitter account last week. Was Seaver’s 1969, Gooden’s 1985, or deGrom’s 2018 the best season? Given that each of these pitchers won Cy Young Awards in overpowering fashion, the results were close.

💥MMO Poll💥

The Mets have has some spectacular single season pitching performances over the years.

R.A. Dickey, David Cone, Jon Matlack and Johan Santana all had some special seasons…

But which of these four did it the best?

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 28, 2020

As outstanding as Seaver and deGrom were, it’s hard to argue against the 44 percent of fans that selected Gooden’s 1985 season. At the age of 20-years-old, Gooden led the league in ERA (1.53), strikeouts (268) and wins (24). Not only was he the best pitcher in the league in 1985, but his dominant campaign ranks among the best seasons in MLB history.

Gooden’s 229 ERA+ is the 12th best mark of all time. The only pitchers in the last one hundred years to post better single-season marks are Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddux, and Bob Gibson – all first ballot Hall of Famers.

But deGrom doesn’t rank too far behind. DeGrom was also historically great in 2018, finishing with the 20th best ERA+ plus of all-time (218). DeGrom led the league with a 1.70 ERA and 1.98 FIP, while also striking out 11.2 batters per nine innings.

1. Gooden 1985: 229 ERA+
2.  DeGrom 2018: 218 ERA+
3.  Seaver 1969: 165 ERA+
4. Koosman 1976: 121 ERA+

While deGrom’s ERA+ is close to Gooden’s, there is still a key factor that separates them. Given that the two pitchers played in different eras, Gooden pitched deeper into games. Gooden fired 276.2 innings with 16 complete games, while deGrom finished with 217 innings and one complete game.

While this shouldn’t take anything away from deGrom’s dominance, it does highlight Gooden’s greatness.He could pitch all nine innings while still performing at an all-time great level. This made Gooden an incredibly valuable player. According to Baseball Reference, he finished with 12.2 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in 1985, which is the highest total for any pitcher in the past one hundred years.

This remarkable statistic should cement Gooden’s 1985 season as the best in team history, but this discussion can’t end without analyzing Seaver’s best years. As the most valuable player in team history, Seaver pitched multiple great seasons that can be considered.

Seaver went 25-7 with a 2.21 ERA in 1969, but that isn’t his best statistical year. In 1971, Seaver led the league with a 1.76 ERA and 1.93 FIP. These numbers are identical to deGrom’s 2018 season, but again, the major difference is Seaver that pitched deeper into games. Seaver fired 21 complete games and tossed 286.1 innings, producing a WAR of 10.2.

Seaver also posted a slightly higher WAR in 1973 (10.6). Seaver led the league again in ERA (2.08) and FIP (2.57) that season. So, when we break it down by single-season pitching WAR, here is how they stack up.

1. Gooden 1985: 12.2 WAR
2. Seaver 1973: 10.6 WAR
3. DeGrom 2018: 9.9 WAR
4. Koosman 1976: 5.0 WAR

The only season that doesn’t stack up to the others in the poll is Koosman’s 1976 season. While Koosman was very good that year with 21 wins and a 2.76 ERA, his overall numbers don’t compare to the other three aces. But could we find another season that compares better to the elite trio of Seaver, Gooden, or deGrom?

The pitcher with the next highest single-season WAR is Jon Matlack. While he posted only a 13-15 record in 1974, Matlack recorded 9.1 WAR with a 2.41 ERA. He also led the league with a 2.42 FIP and threw 14 complete games with seven shutouts.

After Matlack, Johan Santana follows with a 7.1 WAR in 2008, as he led the league with a 2.53 ERA over 234 innings. Pedro Martinez finished right behind Santana with 7.0 WAR in 2005. Both Santana and Martinez had better seasons for other organizations, but they still pitched at an elite level during their first seasons in Queens.

There’s many other seasons that could be discussed like David Cone’s 1988 campaign (145 ERA+), or R.A. Dickey’s Cy Young Season (139 ERA+), but Gooden’s amazing 1985 cannot be matched. We might not ever witness another season so dominant from a pitcher again. Pitchers today just don’t go deep enough into games to match what Gooden achieved in 1985. And the fact that Gooden produced such a historically great season at 20-years-old, when most other players his age were either in college or the minors, makes it all the more spectacular.

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