Entering the 2014 season, the Third Base position is the most stable position on the team. David Wright has been manning the hot corner since he was called up in 2004. You’d think there haven’t been that many playing Third since he was called up. Guess again. There have been 23 different players who have manned third at least one time during the David Wright era.
In all, there have been 152 different Third Basemen in franchise history. Some are well known. Some are downright obscure. There are some that even the most die hard fans out there may not ever remember.
1 – Don Zimmer – Don became the very first Third Baseman in franchise history on April 11, 1962. He played 14 games at third in 1962 and by May 7th, he was gone – having been traded to the Reds for the man who would be another Third Baseman and Pitcher Bob Miller.
2 – Rod Kanehl – Rod became #2 on April 21, 1962 when he entered the game in the 8th inning as a pinch hitter and stayed in the game, replacing Don Zimmer in a double switch. He played 30 games at 3rd in 1962, making 14 starts and made appearances in 62 games at Third between 1962-64.
3 – Felix Mantilla – He was the starting Third Baseman on April 23, 1962 after starting 8 starts at Short. 1962 was his lone season with the Mets during his 11 year MLB career. In 1962, he played 141 games for the Mets – 95 of them at Third with 88 starts.
4 – Elio Chacon – One of the most obscure Mets Third Basemen in history, Elio took Third on May 5, 1962 in the bottom of the 7th after entering the game as a pinch runner. He played two innings at Third with zero fielding chances. 1962 was his lone season with the Mets and the only two innings he played at Third in his 3 year MLB career.
5 – Cliff Cook – Cliff became #5 on May 8, 1962 after arriving from the Reds in the Don Zimmer trade. Cliff made 16 starts at Third in 1962 and appeared in 25 games at Third in 1962-63.
6 – Frank Thomas – Frank became #6 on June 17, 1962. While Frank made 126 starts for the Mets in Left Field, he also made 10 starts for the Mets in 1962 at Third. In his 3 seasons with the Mets (1962-64) he played in 13 games at Third for the Mets. In 16 MLB seasons, Frank played 1,766 games – 394 of them at Third. Frank was traded on August 7, 1964 to the Phillies for Wayne Graham, Gary Kroll, and cash.
7 – Rick Herrscher – He became #7 on August 2, 1962. 1962 was Rick’s only season in the Majors. He appeared in 35 games in the majors – 6 of them at Third with 3 starts. August 2nd was his 2nd MLB game and his first MLB start, going 0-3.
8 – Sammy Drake – He took Third on August 10, 1962. Sammy played 53 games in the majors from 1960-62. In 1962, he appeared in 25 games with the Mets, 6 of them at Third with 4 starts at the position. He entered the game in the bottom of the 7th as a replacement for Felix Mantilla.
9 – Charlie Neal – Charlie became the 9th Mets Third Baseman of the season on August 29th, 1962. He made 12 starts at Third in 1962 to go with 84 starts at Second and 37 at Shortstop that year. He appeared in 970 games over 8 MLB seasons 78 of them were at Third during his two Mets seasons (1962-63). He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds on July 1, 1963 with Sammy Taylor for Jesse Gonder.
10 – Ted Schreiber – Eleven different Mets played at Third for the Mets in 1963, 7 of them were first timers. Ted became #10 on April 14, 1963 when he got the start against the Milwaukee Braves. He was a Rule 5 pick acquired from the Boston Red Sox that appeared in 39 games for the Mets in 1963, his only season in the Majors. He appeared in 17 games at Third, 10 of them starts.
11 – Chico Fernandez – Chico became Third Baseman #11 on May 12th, 1963 when he started the first game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds. He had been acquired just days earlier via a trade with the Milwaukee Braves for Larry Foss. 1963 was the final season of his 8 year MLB career. He played 5 games for the Mets at Third, a position he only played 15 times in 856 career MLB games.
12 – Larry Burright – Larry was the second Mets Third Baseman to make his first appearance at the position on May 12th, 1963. Larry entered the game in the top of the 5th inning during the second game of the doubleheader, replacing Rod Kanehl. Larry played 3 MLB seasons (1962-64), the final two with the Mets. He played just 4 innings at Third that day, the only 4 innings he’d ever play at Third in 159 MLB games.
13 – Al Moran – Al became the Third First Time Mets Third Baseman on May 12th, 1963. He would only play 2 games and a total of 3 innings at Third in his career. On May 12th, he entered the 2nd game of the doubleheader as a pinch runner for Duke Snider and remained in the game at Third for the top of the 9th, the only inning he played there that year. Al played 2 MLB seasons, both with the Mets and was the player to be named later from the Boston Red Sox to complete an earlier trade for Felix Mantilla.
14 – Ron Hunt – Ron became #14 on May 13, 1963 when he got the start against the Houston Colt 45’s. Ron played 143 games for the Mets that season and finished 2nd in the Rookie of the Year balloting as the Mets Second Baseman. He made 140 starts in 1963, 139 of them at Second. Over a 12 year MLB career, Ron appeared in 1,483 games – 158 of them at Third, 20 of them as a Met. Ron led the league in being hit by pitches for 7 straight years after leaving the Mets (1968-74) including 50 times in 1971 as a member of the Montreal Expos. Ouch!
15 – Jim Hickman – Jim assumed the position on June 19, 1963. He made 54 starts for the 1963 squad at Third Base and also made appearances at Third in 1964 and 1965. He played in 1,421 games over 13 MLB seasons, primarily as an outfielder, but did make 77 career appearances at Third. He was later traded to the Dodgers along with Ron Hunt after the 1966 offseason.
16 – Pumpsie Green – His first appearance at Third for the Mets was on September 5, 1963. He made 16 starts at Third for the Mets down the stretch in 1963, the final year of his 5 year MLB career. He was also part of the December 11, 1962 Felix Mantilla trade with the Boston Red Sox.
17 – Charley Smith – The Mets used 10 Third Basemen in the 1964 season, 5 of them were First Timers. Charley was the first of the New Crew, becoming #17 on April 24, 1964 after being acquired a day earlier in a trade with the Chicago White Sox. Charley was the Mets primary Third Baseman in 1964, making 83 starts. During his two seasons with the Mets, he played 216 games at Third. Over 10 MLB seasons, he played in 771 games, 623 at Third. In December 1966, Charley was traded straight up to the New York Yankees for Roger Maris.
18 – John Stephenson – Primarily a catcher, John played the first 3 seasons of his 10 year MLB career with the Mets. On April 26th, 1964, he became #18 on the list when he stayed in the game to play Third for the bottom of the 9th after entering the game as a pinch hitter. This was his first appearance in the field after several pinch hitting appearances and proceeded to make an error on his very first chance, a sacrifice bunt attempt by the Pittsburgh Pirates Manny Mota with the game tied 3-3. In pure Mets fashion, they lost the game in the bottom of the 9th 4-3.
19 – Amado Samuel – Amado started 17 games at Third for the Mets in 1964 and became the Mets 19th Third baseman on May 8th, 1964 in a start against the St. Louis Cardinals. 1964 was his only season with the Mets and the final season of his 3 year MLB career in which he played in 144 games.
20 – Wayne Graham – Wayne played 11 games at Third for the Mets in 1964 with 5 starts. On August 8th, 1964, he became Third Baseman #20 when he entered the 8th inning of a blowout 12-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, replacing Ron Hunt. Wayne appeared in 30 MLB games over 2 seasons (1963 with the Phillies, 1964 with the Mets).
21 – Bobby Klaus – Bobby was acquired in a midseason trade with the Cincinnati Reds on July 28th for Tim Harkness. On August 15, 1964, he became Third Baseman #21. He made 53 appearances with the Mets over 2 seasons at Third and played in 215 MLB games in 1964-65.
22 – Danny Napoleon – The 1965 season saw 8 men man Third for the Mets, 4 of them for the first time. Danny became #22 on April 24, 1965 when he entered the game as a pinch hitter in the top of the 9th and remained in the game. He would only make 7 appearances and 1 start at Third during his 2 year and 80 game MLB career, entirely with the Mets.
23 – Chuck Hiller – Primarily a Second Baseman during his 8 year, 704 game MLB career, Chuck became #23 on August 22, 1965 when he entered the first game of a doubleheader as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 7th and remained in the game in the top of the 8th. He appeared in 17 games at Third during his career, 16 of them with the Mets.
24 – Gary Kolb – Gary spent 7 seasons in the majors, primarily as an outfielder. In his lone season with the Mets, he became Third Baseman #24 on September 1, 1965 when he made his one and only appearance at the position while with the team. It was the second game of a doubleheader and the Mets were up 7-1 in the 5th inning when Gary entered the game to replace Charley Smith, who had also started and played the complete first game.
25 – Kevin Collins – Nineteen year old Kevin Collins became Third Baseman #25 on September 11, 1965 when he replaced Ron Hunt in the top of the 7th with the Mets trailing 7-0 to the Milwaukee Braves. Kevin played 4 of his 6 MLB seasons with the Mets and was part of the Donn Clendenon trade with the Montreal Expos on June 15, 1969. He appeared in 201 MLB games, 61 of them at Third with the Mets.
26 – Ken Boyer – The Mets used only 5 different players at Third during the 1966 season. That season, the position was anchored by Third Baseman #26 Ken Boyer, who made 125 starts in 1966. The 1964 NL MVP was acquired in an offseason trade for Al Jackson and Charley Smith and made his debut at Third on Opening Day, April 15, 1966. Two of his 15 MLB seasons were spent with the Mets before being traded to the Chicago White Sox in a midseason 1967 trade.
27 – Eddie Bressoud – Eddie played 12 MLB seasons, and in his lone season with the Mets, he became Third Baseman #27 on May 14, 1966 in a start against the San Francisco Giants. Eddie played 133 games as a Met, 32 of them at Third.
28 – Jerry Grote – The longtime Mets catcher played in only 27 of his 1,421 games at Third Base over his 16 year MLB career. 18 of those games were with the Mets, including 10 starts. While 11 of those 18 games occured in 1977, he first appeared at Third on August 3rd, 1966 when he replaced Ken Boyer in the top of the 9th against the San Francisco Giants with the Mets getting blown out 10-1.
29 – Sandy Alomar – The Mets had a whole lot of different Third Basemen during their 1967 season. In all, 11 different players played Third – ten of them were new Mets Third Basemen, with the only holdover being Ken Boyer, who was traded to the White Sox on July 22nd. Sandy played only 15 of his 1,467 MLB games as a member of the Mets and on April 15, 1967, he became the 29th Third Baseman in Mets history in a start against the Philadelphia Phillies. Sandy was sent to the White Sox as the player to be named later in the Boyer trade and is the father of Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar and 20 year Major Leaguer Sandy Alomar, Jr.
30 – Jerry Buchek – Jerry became #30 on April 23, 1967 when he started the second game of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies. He spent the final two seasons of his 7 year MLB career with the Mets and played 54 games at Third for the Mets.
31 – Tommie Reynolds – Tommie played 101 games for the Mets in 1967, the only year of his 8 year MLB career with the team. He appeared in 5 games with the Mets at Third and on April 23, 1967 he became #31 when he moved to Third Base in the bottom of the 7th after starting the game in Right Field.
32 – Ed Charles – Ed was the team’s primary Third Baseman in 1967, appearing in 89 games, making 86 starts after being acquired on May 10th in a trade with the Kansas City Athletics for Larry Elliott and cash. On May 12th, 1967, Ed became the Mets 32nd Third Baseman, where he played 247 games for the Mets. Over 8 seasons, he appeared in 1,005 MLB games.
33 – Bob Johnson – Bob is another one of the obscure Mets Third Basemen. Bob played 874 games over 11 MLB seasons and 90 games with the Mets in 1967 after being purchased from the Baltimore Orioles on May 10th trade. His lone game at Third with the Mets was during the first game of a doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants on June 4, 1967 when he entered the game in the bottom of the 7th and played two innings as a replacement for Ken Boyer with the Mets losing 7-0.
34 – Phil Linz – Phil played 4 innings at Third Base as a Met and became #34 on July 19, 1967 after being acquired in a July 11th trade with the Phillies. He entered the game in the top of the 6th during the first game of a doubleheader against the Houston Astros with the Mets losing 7-1. He played 519 games over 7 MLB seasons, his last two with the Mets.
35 – Joe Moock – Joe was a 1967 September call up who appeared in 13 MLB games. He became Third Baseman #35 on September 1, 1967 when he entered the game in the bottom of the 8th. He would play 12 games at Third, making 10 starts.
36 – Amos Otis – Amos Otis played 17 MLB seasons and a 5 time All-Star with the Kansas City Royals. He started his MLB career with the New York Mets and played 19 games as a September call up in 1967. He became Third Baseman #36 on September 7, 1967 and entered the game in the 8th inning with the Mets winning 8-2, playing his only two innings of the season at Third. He would go on to play 57 games as a Met and 1,998 games in his MLB career that ended in 1984. He would play another 3 games at Third with the Mets in 1969 and would never play the position in the Majors again.
37 – Ken Boswell – Ken spent the first 8 of his 11 MLB seasons with the Mets. He became #37 on September 18, 1967 as a September call up when he got the start against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Primarily a Second Baseman, Ken played 41 games at Third with the Mets.
38 – Bob Heise – Bob played 26 games with the Mets over parts of 3 seasons (1967-69) and played in 499 games over parts of 11 MLB seasons. He played 2 games at Third for the Mets and became #38 on September 25, 1967 when he got the start against the San Francisco Giants.
39 – Al Weis – The 1968 season saw 4 different men play Third Base for the Mets. Al Weis was the only Mets newbie, becoming #39 on May 1, 1968, remaining in the game after pinch hitting in the top of the 9th. Al never started a game at Third during his MLB career and only appeared in 9 of his 800 MLB games over 10 seasons at the position. 5 of those games came with the Mets. Al was acquired on December 15, 1967 along with Tommie Agee from the Dodgers in exchange for Buddy Booker, Tommy Davis, Jack Fisher, and Billy Wynne.
40 – Wayne Garrett – 6 men played Third for the Mets in 1969. Wayne became #40 on May 4, 1969 when he started the 2nd game of a doubleheader against the Cubs. He made 63 starts at Third for the World Series champions as a rookie, more than anyone else on the team. He played 792 games at Third during a 10 year MLB career (8 with the Mets). In 1974, he made a career high 136 starts as the Mets Third Baseman.
41 – Bobby Pfeil – Bobby played 2 seasons in the Majors (1969 with the Mets and 1971 with the Phillies). He appeared in 49 games at Third for the Mets, making 40 starts and became #41 on June 26, 1969 in his MLB debut, getting the start against the Philadelphia Phillies.
42 – Joe Foy – Only 3 different players appeared at Third Base for the Mets in 1970, led by Third Baseman #42 Joe Foy. Joe was acquired prior to the season in a December 3, 1969 trade with the Kansas City Royals for Third Baseman #36 Amos Otis and Third Baseman #33 Bob Johnson. Joe only played 1 season with the Mets, and on April 7, 1970, he made the start on Opening Day. He was selected by the Washington Senators in the Rule 5 draft prior to the 1971 season, the last of his 6 seasons in the Majors.
43 – Tim Foli – Tim became #43 on September 12, 1970. Tim was the first overall selection in the 1968 amateur draft and had two stints with the Mets (1970-71, 1978-79) over his 16 year MLB career. Tim was a Shortstop during his career, having played 1,524 of his 1,696 career games there, but he did play 66 games at Third. The Mets traded Tim to the Montreal Expos on April 5, 1972 along with Mike Jorgensen and Ken Singleton for Rusty Staub. He was reacquired on December 7, 1977 after being purchased from the San Francisco Giants and later traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 19, 1979 along with Greg Feld for Frank Taveras. Over the course of his career, Tim was traded 6 times involving 8 players who have played at least 1,000 MLB games – Mike Jorgensen (1,633 games), Ken Singleton (2,082 games), Rusty Staub (2,951 games), Chris Speier (2,260 games), Frank Taveras (1,150 games), Brian Harper (1,001 games), Steve Kemp (1,168 games), and Jay Buhner (1,472 games.
44 – Bob Aspromonte – Bob was #44 and was the Mets primary Third baseman in 1971 when he started 94 games for that year’s squad. His first game at Third was on April 6th, 1971. 1971 was the final year of his 13 year MLB career in which he played 1,094 games at Third Base.
45 – Ted Martinez – Ted spent the first 5 of his 9 MLB seasons with the Mets, appearing in 31 games at Third as a Met and 97 of his 657 MLB games at the position. He became #45 on July 6, 1971 in a start against the Montreal Expos.
46 – Jim Fregosi – The Mets acquired Jim prior to the 1972 season in the trade that sent Nolan Ryan to the California Angels. While primarily a Shortshop during his 18 year MLB career, during his two seasons with the Mets he played 102 games at Third Base before his contract was purchased from the Mets by the Texas Rangers on July 11, 1973. He became #46 as the Mets Opening Day Third Baseman on April 15, 1972. Jim Managed 15 seasons in the Majors and won the 1993 National League Pennant as the Skipper of the Philadelphia Phillies.
47 – Rich Puig – It would be a year and a half before the Mets would have another First Timer at Third Base. #47 was Rich Puig, who was a 1974 September call up and 1971 1st Round Draft Pick who played 4 MLB games during his career and just two innings at Third Base. Those two innings occured on September 13, 1974 when he entered the game in the top of the 10th in the second game of a doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs.
48 – Joe Torre – The Future Mets Manager spent the final 3 seasons of his 18 year playing career with the Mets and became Third Baseman #48 on Opening Day – April 8, 1975. He would play 88 games at Third as a Met, 83 of them during the 1975 season. The Hall of Famer was a 9-time All-Star, the 1971 NL MVP, and managed 29 MLB seasons with the Mets, Braves, Cardinals, Yankees, and Dodgers, winning 4 World Series Titles and 2 American League Pennants with the Yankees.
49 – Jack Heidemann – Jack became #49 on May 7, 1975, getting the start against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played 426 games over 8 MLB seasons and 1975 was his only one with the Mets. He appeared in 4 games at Third Base and was primarily a Shortstop during his career.
50 – Roy Staiger – Roy’s First at Third was September 12, 1975. He played 4 seasons in the Majors, all with the Mets and appeared in 152 MLB games, including 146 games at Third. He made 87 starts for the 1976 team.
51 – Dave Kingman – Kong played 154 of his 1,941 MLB games at Third Base during his 16 year career. He became #51 on September 15, 1975 in a start against the Montreal Expos. Dave was a Three-time All-Star who slugged 442 Home Runs including a National League leading 48 with the Chicago Cubs in 1979. He played 6 seasons with the Mets (1975-77, 1981-83).
52 – Mike Phillips – During the 1976 season, the Mets had 5 players play Third Base – two of which were First Timers. Mike became #52 on May 16, 1976 when he switched from Shortshop to Third Base for the bottom of the 9th during the first game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds. He played 241 games for the Mets, making 19 appearances at Third. Over 11 MLB seasons, he played 712 games, splitting time at Short, Second, and Third.
53 – Leo Foster – Leo played 144 MLB games over parts of 5 MLB seasons, the last two of which were spent with the Mets. He became #53 on September 6, 1976 in a start against the Chicago Cubs.
54 – Lenny Randle – Lenny was the Mets primary Third Baseman in 1977 & 1978 and made his Mets debut at Third on May 8, 1977, getting the start during the first game of a doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants. He appeared in 1,138 games over a 12 year MLB career.
55 – Doug Flynn – Doug only appeared in 2 games at Third Base as a Met, making his first appearance on June 22, 1977, entering the game in the 8th inning against the Atlanta Braves as a replacement for Lenny Randle. Doug has the misfortune of being part of the Darkest Day in Mets history and was acquired form the Cincinnati Reds on June 15th, 1977 along with Steve Henderson, Dan Norman, and Pat Zachry in exchange for Tom Seaver. Doug played 5 of his 11 MLB seasons with the Mets and won the 1980 Gold Glove as the Mets Second Baseman.
56 – Joel Youngblood – Joel arrived to the Mets on the same Dark Day in Mets History, but in an entirely separate trade on June 15th, 1977 with the Cincinnati Reds for Mike Phillips. Joel became #56 when he took his position at Third on June 24, 1977, making the start against the Cubs in his first game with the Mets. He played 610 of his 1,408 MLB games with the Mets over his 14 year career with 52 appearances at Third Base for the Mets. Joel holds the distinction of being the only player in MLB history to get base hits for two different teams in two different cities on the same day. On August 4th, 1982, he singled for the Mets off Ferguson Jenkins of the Cubs in an afternoon game at Wrigley Field. He was traded to the Montreal Expos and made it in time to get a single off Steve Carlton later that evening in Philadelphia.
57 – Bobby Valentine – Bobby was another Met that came to the Mets via trade on June 15th, 1977 in a deal with the San Diego Padres that sent Dave Kingman packing. Bobby played 111 games for the Mets over 2 seasons and played 639 games over a 10 year MLB career. 13 of those games with the Mets were at Third Base and he became #57 on July 6, 1977, taking the field in the bottom of the 8th after entering as a pinch hitter. Bobby has managed 16 seasons in the majors, and was the Mets skipper from 1996-2002 and was at the helm of the 2000 National League Pennant winning team.
58 – Sergio Ferrer – The 1978 season saw four newcomers to the Mets Third Base family. Sergio became #58 on April 30, 1978 when he entered the game in the bottom of the 9th as a replacement for Joel Youngblood against the Cincinnati Reds with the Mets leading 6-4. Sergio never started a game at Third Base in his MLB career, but he did appear in 14 games there for the Mets in two seasons. He appeared in 125 MLB games over parts of 4 MLB seasons.
59 – Elliott Maddox – Elliott signed with the Mets as a free agent prior to the 1978 season and he became #59 on May 26th, 1978. He played the final three seasons of his 11 year MLB career with the Mets and played 230 of his 1,029 MLB games at Third. 169 of those games were played at Third for the Mets, including 110 starts at Third for the 1980 squad.
60 – John Stearns – John played 11 seasons in the majors and 819 of his 820 MLB games with the Mets. A career Catcher, he made 29 appearances at Third for the Mets, the first of which was on June 28, 1978 when he shifted from behind the plate to Third Base in the bottom of the 9th against the Cubs.
61 – Alex Trevino – Alex was another Catcher who appeared in 939 games over a 13 year MLB career. Over his career, made 53 appearances at Third Base – 43 of them with the Mets. The first of those appearances came on October 1, 1978. A September call up in his first season, Alex started the game behind the plate and shifted to Third Base in the 3rd inning of the final game of the season.
62 – Richie Hebner – Richie arrived to the Mets on March 27, 1979 just before the start of the season in a trade with the Phillies and traded to the Tigers after the season. He played 1,908 games over 18 MLB seasons, and in his lone season with the Mets, he appeared in 136 games and made 128 starts at Third as the primary Third Baseman. He became #62 as the Opening Day starter on April 5th, 1979 against the Cubs.
63 – Kelvin Chapman – Kelvin played parts of 3 MLB seasons, all with the Mets. He played 172 career games, 5 of them at Third. On May 10th, 1979 against the Dodgers, he entered the game at Third in the bottom of the 7th as a replacement for Richie Hebner with the team getting thumped 14-1. Kelvin did not return to the majors until 1984.
64 – Phil Mankowski – Phil became #64 on April 15th, 1980 in a start against the Montreal Expos. He was acquired in the offseason from the Tigers along with Jerry Morales in the trade for Richie Hebner. He played 16 games at Third and 21 overall for the Mets over parts of 2 seasons in his 6 year MLB career.
65 – Mario Ramirez – Primarily a Shortstop, Mario became #65 on May 22nd, 1980 when he entered the game in the top of the 9th against the Houston Astros. After the 1980 season, he was selected by the San Diego Padres in the Rule 5 draft, where he spent the next 5 seasons.
66 – Jose Moreno – Jose took Third Base on June 18th, 1980 when he got the start against the San Francisco Giants. Jose played 3 MLB seasons with 1980 his only year with the Mets. Only 4 of his 83 MLB games were played at Third, all with the Mets.
67 – Bill Almon – Bill had two stints with the Mets, the first in 1980 and later returning in 1987. He appeared in 9 games at Third Base for the Mets, none of them starts. He became #67 on July 27th, 1980 against the Cincinnati Reds after entering the game in the top of the 6th. Over 15 MLB seasons, he appeared in 1,236 games.
68 – Hubie Brooks – Hubie played 516 games at Third for the Mets, the first of which was on September 4, 1980. Not only did he have one of the best names in the game, he appeared in 1,645 games over 15 MLB seasons. Unlike the Dark Trade in 1977, Hubie was involved in one of the best trades in Mets history, going to Montreal Expos on December 10, 1984 along with Mike Fitzgerald, Herm Winningham, and Floyd Youmans for Gary Carter.
69 – Wally Backman – We all know Wally. Did you know what Wally was Third Baseman #69? He earned that distinction on April 18, 1981 when he stayed in the game for the top of the 9th after entering the game as a pinch runner. He only played Third 9 times as a Met and 111 times in 1,102 games over 14 MLB seasons.
70 – Mike Cubbage – Mike Cubbage played the last 67 games of his 8 year, 703 game of his MLB career with the Mets. 12 of those 67 games were at Third Base. He became #70 on April 26, 1981 when he started the second game of a doubleheader against the Montreal Expos. In 1991, he was the Mets interim manager for 7 games.
71 – Bob Bailor – Bob was a utility player who played six positions and played 955 games throughout his 11 year MLB career. During his 3 years with the Mets, he played 279 games for the Mets and 33 games at Third. He became #71 on September 24, 1981 when he entered the game in the 7th inning as a replacement for Hubie Brooks against the Cubs.
72 – Ron Gardenhire – Ron has been the manager of the Minnesota Twins for the last 12 years. Many may forget that he had a 5 year MLB career with the Mets where he appeared in 285 games primarily as a Shortstop. He also made 11 appearances at Third Base, the first of which happened on September 27th, 1981 when he shifted from Short to Third in the bottom of the 7th in a game against the Expos.
73 – Tucker Ashford – It wouldn’t be until May 6th, 1983 until the Mets would add another member to the Third Base club. Tucker became #73 when he got the start against the Cincinnati Reds. He appeared in 35 games in his lone season with the Mets, 15 of them at Third Base. Over 7 MLB seasons, he appeared in 222 games.
74 – Clint Hurdle – Clint is the current Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he was also #74 on the list. He played with the Mets in 1983, 1985, and 1987 and made 9 appearances for the team at Third Base, all in 1983. The first of these came on September 12, 1983 against the Phillies when he stayed in the game after entering as a pinch hitter for another future MLB manager, Jose Oquendo.
75 – Ross Jones – Ross is another Uber Obscure Third Baseman in Mets History. He appeared in one game for one inning and never had a fielding opportunity. He played just 67 games over three MLB seasons with 3 teams and appeared in just 17 games for the Mets. His lone appearance at Third was July 28, 1984 – his final game with the team, when he entered the game in the top of the 9th against the Cubs in a blowout 11-4 loss. Ross was involved in a pretty good trade, however – he was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers along with Sid Fernandez in a December 8, 1983 trade for Bob Bailor and Carlos Diaz.
76 – Ray Knight – Ray was acquired from the Houston Astros via trade on August 28, 1984 for two players to be named later. The MVP of the 1986 World Series became #76 in his first appearance with the Mets on August 29, 1984 when he got the start against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ray became the starting Third Baseman down the stretch, incumbent Hubie Brooks shifted to Shortstop and was traded that offseason to the Expos in the Gary Carter trade.
77 – Kevin Mitchell – Kevin’s rookie season was 1986 as a member of the 1986 World Series championship team. We often forget that the future 1989 NL MVP was a September call up in 1984 where he appeared in 7 late season games or the team before returning to the majors in 1986. He became #77 on September 13, 1984 against the Pittsburgh Pirates when he entered the game as a pinch hitter for Keith Hernandez and remained in the game to play Third in the 8th in a multiple position switch. Kevin played 1,223 games over 13 MLB seasons – 115 of them with the Mets and 12 appearances at Third Base. He was traded to the San Diego Padres after the 1986 season as part of the trade that brought in Kevin McReynolds.
78 – Howard Johnson – The Mets acquired HoJo prior to the 1985 season from the Detroit Tigers in a trade for Walt Terrell. He spent 9 of his 14 MLB seasons in a Mets uniform and played 1,031 of his 1,531 career MLB games at Third Base – 835 of them as a Met, second most in Mets History. He became #78 as the Opening Day Third Baseman on April 9th, 1985 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
79 – Tim Teufel – The current Mets Third Base Coach became Third Baseman #79 on April 12, 1986. Teufel only played 16 games at Third during his 6 seasons with the Mets. He played Third only 99 times in his 1.073 games over 11 MLB seasons. His first appearance at Third came in his first game as a Met when he shifted from Second Base to Third Base in the bottom of the 9th in a 14 inning game against the Phillies. Tim was acquired in January 1986 via trade with the Minnesota Twins in the trade that also featured MLB bust and current Oakland A’s General Manager Billy Beane.
80 – Gary Carter – The Hall of Fame Catcher played 2,296 games over a 19 year MLB career. He made 3 appearances at Third Base during his career, 2 of them while a member of the Mets. The first of which occured on July 22, 1986 in a crazy, brawl filled game against the Cincinnati Reds where he moved from Catcher to Third Base in the bottom of the 10th inning. That was the same game that the Mets had only 7 position players left and Roger McDowell and Jesse Orosco alternated pitching duties and shifted around the outfield.
81 – Dave Magadan – The 1987 Mets team only saw two players take the field at Third Base, the fewest in their history. One was Howard Johnson, the other was Dave Magadan, who became #81 on April 18, 1987 when he entered the game in the bottom of the 9th. He played 238 games at Third as a Met and 709 at Third over the course of his MLB career, which spanned 16 years and 1,582 games.
82 – Mackey Sasser – Mackey played all of 2 games and 4 innings at Third Base in his MLB career, which spanned 9 seasons and 534 games. Both of those games occured as a Met, the first was on May 11th, 1988 when he took the field in the bottom of the 9th inning against the Houston Astros after entering the game as a pinch hitter.
83 – Keith Miller – Keith spent the first 5 of his 9 MLB seasons with the Mets and appeared in 465 games. His Mets tenure ended when he was traded in December 1991 to the Kansas City Royals along with Gregg Jefferies and Kevin McReynolds for Bret Sagerhagen and Bill Pecota. He appeared in 10 games at Third for the Mets, becoming #83 on June 18, 1988 when he entered the game in the top of the 8th against the Phillies.
84 – Gregg Jefferies – A lot of Mets fans don’t like Jefferies. I liked the guy. He became #84 on August 28, 1988 when he was called up in time to make the postseason roster and became the Mets starting Third Baseman for the stretch run of the 1988 playoff team as HoJo shifted to Short. Gregg played 1,465 games over 14 MLB seasons.
85 – Jeff McKnight – Jeff played in 218 MLB games over 6 MLB seasons with 13 of those appearances at Third Base – all of those in a Mets uniform. He became #85 on June 10, 1989 in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He started the game at Second Base and shifted over to Third Base in the 6th inning.
86 – Craig Shipley – Craig is another obscure Third Baseman. He appeared in just 7 games for the Mets in 1989 and played two games and two innings for the Mets at Third Base. He became #86 on September 7, 1989 when he entered the game against the Cardinals as a pinch runner and remained in the game to play Third Base in the top of the 7th. Craig played 582 MLB games over 11 seasons.
87 – Tom O’Malley – Tom became #87 on September 7, 1989 when he replaced #86 Craig Shipley at Third Base in the top of the 8th inning. Tom played the final 2 of this 9 MLB seasons with the Mets, appearing in 466 MLB games and 41 games at Third Base for the Mets.
88 – Chris Donnels – Chris was a Mets First Round Pick that didn’t make it. He did play in 450 MLB games over parts of 8 MLB seasons, including two seasons with the Mets before being taken by the Florida Marlins in the expansion draft. He appeared in 40 games at Third for the Mets and became #88 on May 7th, 1991 in a start against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
89 – Garry Templeton – Garry’s MLB career lasted 16 seasons and 2,079 games. He played 1,964 of those games at Shortstop and was traded from the Cardinals to the San Diego Padres for Ozzie Smith in a swap of Shortstops in 1981. The Mets acquired Templeton on May 31, 1991 in a trade for Tim Teufel. Garry played the final 80 games of his MLB career in a Mets uniform and became #89 on June 7, 1991 against the Houston Astros, the first of his 2 games he played at the position for the team.
90 – Bill Pecota – Bill was acquired in the trade from the Kansas City Royals that brought Bret Saberhagen on the Mets and played just one of his 9 MLB seasons with the Mets. He played 117 games for the Mets, 48 of them at Third Base. He became #90 on April 6, 1992 as the Opening Day Third Baseman against the Cardinals. He appeared in 698 MLB games over 9 seasons.
91 – Junior Naboa – Junior was a waiver pickup who spent the 1992 season with the Mets. He became #91 on April 15, 1992 when he entered the game as a pinch runner against the Phillies and remained in the game to take the field in the top of the 9th. Junior appeared in 3 games for a total of 3 innings for the Mets at Third. Over 8 MLB seasons, Naboa played in 317 games – 21 of them at Third.
92 – Chico Walker – Chico spent 11 seasons in the Majors and appeared in 526 games. The last two of his career were spent with the Mets where he played 222 games, 60 of them at Third Base. He became #92 on April 25th, 1992 when he got the start against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
93 – Steve Springer – Steve is one of the most obscure Mets Third Basemen history, but not the most obscure on the list. He played in just 8 MLB games, 4 of them with the Mets in 1992. He played one inning at Third Base when he entered the game in the game to play defense in the bottom of the 9th on August 20, 1992 against the Los Angeles Dodgers with the Mets getting blown out 11-3. He never had a fielding opportunity.
94 – Jeff Kent – Before Jeff was the 2000 NL MVP with the San Francisco Giants, he was acquired by the Mets from the Toronto Blue Jays along with Ryan Thompson on August 27, 1992 for David Cone. He played 5 of his 17 MLB seasons with the Mets and while he is best known as a Second Baseman, he made 157 appearances at Third Base in 2,298 career games. 102 of those appearances at Third Base was with the Mets. The first of those appearances was on September 26, 1992 against the Pittsburgh Pirates when he replaced Chico Walker in the Third inning and stayed in for the remainder of the game.
95 – Tim Bogar – Tim played in 701 MLB games over 9 seasons, the first 4 of which were spent with the Mets. He appeared in 79 games at Third Base for the Mets, becoming #95 on May 29, 1993 in a start against the Cincinnati Reds.
96 – Bobby Bonilla – There are a lot of strong opinions about Bobby Bo. During his 16 year MLB career, he played 2,113 games and played 957 of those games at Third Base. He appeared in 205 games at Third Base for the Mets, the first of which was on June 25, 1993 against the Cardinals when he moved from Right Field to Third Base in the top of the 9th.
97 – Butch Huskey – Butch played the first 5 of his 7 MLB seasons with the Mets. He made 59 appearances at Third Base and became #97 on September 8, 1993 as a September call up when he got the nod for the start against the Houston Astros. He got 13 starts for the Mets down the stretch at Third Base, but would not return to the Majors until 1995.
98 – Doug Saunders – Doug appeared in 28 games for the Mets in 1993, his only season in the Majors. He made 4 appearances at Third Base for a total of 9 innings. He became #98 on September 24, 1993 when he entered the game to play Third in the top of the 9th against the Montreal Expos.
99 – Fernando Vina – Fernando was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the Rule 5 draft and later returned to the Mets on June 15, 1993. He played the 1994 season with the Mets before being sent to the Milwaukee Brewers that offseason as the player to be named later in a trade for Doug Henry. Fernando played 1,148 games over 12 MLB seasons. In 1994, he played 79 games for the Mets and made 12 appearances at Third Base. He became #99 on April 10, 1994 against the Houston Astros when he replaced Bobby Bonilla in the bottom of the 2nd inning.
100 – Edgardo Alfonzo – Fonzie became #100 on May 2, 1995 when he got the start against the Montreal Expos. Fonzie is both one of the best Third Baseman and Second Basemen in Mets history and over the course of 12 MLB seasons, he played in 1,506 games – 889 of them at Third Base. 515 of those games were as the Mets Third Baseman.
101 – Aaron Ledesma – Aaron played 21 games for the Mets in 1995, his only season with the team. He made 10 appearances at Third, and became #101 on July 6, 1995 against the Chicago Cubs when he remained in the game after entering as a pinch hitter in the 8th inning.
102 – Bill Spiers – Bill played 13 MLB seasons and 1,252 MLB games. He appeared in 63 games for the Mets in 1995, primarily as a pinch hitter, but became #102 on July 23, 1995 against the Colorado Rockies after remaining in the game after pinch hitting in the 7th. He appeared in 11 games at Third as a Met and 441 at Third over his MLB career.
103 – Carlos Baerga – Carlos arrived from the Mets in July 1996 in a trade with the Cleveland Indians. Over the course of 14 MLB seasons, he played in 1,630 games primarily as a Second Baseman. Carlos appeared in just 6 games at Third for the Mets, the first of which was on July 30, 1996 in the first game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates, remaining in the game after entering as a pinch hitter in the 8th.
104 – Alvaro Espinoza – Alvaro is best remembered in the New York market as the Yankees starting Shortstop from 1989-91. Over 12 MLB seasons, he played in 942 games. He spent his 11th season in a Mets uniform. In 1996, he appeared in 48 games for the Mets and made 38 appearances at Third Base, including 30 starts. He was traded to the Mets from the Cleveland Indians on July 29, 1996 along with Carlos Baerga for Jeff Kent and Jose Vizcaino. He became #104 on August 2, 1996 when he entered the game in the 9th inning against the Cardinals.
105 – Matt Franco – Matt played 5 of his 8 MLB seasons with the Mets with 94 appearances at Third Base for the Mets. He became #105 on September 8, 1996 when he got the start against the Atlanta Braves.
106 – Kevin Morgan – Kevin may be the most obscure Third Baseman in Mets history, having played in just one MLB game. His single day in the MLB sun was actually a Sunday Night Game on June 15, 1997 against the Boston Red Sox. Kevin entered the game as a pinch hitter for Mets pitcher Barry Manuel in the bottom of the 7th and proceeded to pop out to Nomar Garciaparra at Short on the first pitch he saw from Vaughn Eshelman. He remained in the game at Third for the final two innings.
107 – Jason Hardtke – Jason played 67 MLB games, 49 of them with the Mets. He played 1 game and 1 inning at Third Base, becoming #107 on June 21, 1997 against the Pittsburgh Pirates after remaining in the game after entering as a pinch hitter in the 8th.
108 – Luis Lopez – Luis played 11 seasons in the Majors, including 3 with the Mets. 263 of his 721 MLB games were played in a Mets uniform, and he appeared in 24 games at Third for the Mets. He became #108 on July 12, 1997 when he remained in the game after pinch hitting for Edgardo Alfonzo in the top of the 2nd.
109 – Manny Alexander – Manny played 54 games for the Mets in 1997 before being sent to the Chicago Cubs on August 14th as the player to be named later in the trade that brought Turk Wendell, Brian McRae, and Mel Rojas to the Mets. Manny played just 1 game at Third for the Mets, a July 13, 1997 start against the Braves. He appeared in 594 MLB games over 11 seasons.
110 – Shawn Gilbert – Shawn played 51 games over 3 MLB seasons, two of them with the Mets and didn’t make it to the Majors until he was 32. He played 4 games at Third Base in his MLB career, all of them while a member of the Mets. He became #110 on September 24, 1997 in a start against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
111 – Craig Paquette – Craig played all of 7 games for the New York Mets during his 11 year, 814 game MLB career. 4 of those 7 games were played at Third Base and he became #111 after entering the game in the 7th inning against the Colorado Rockies on May 3, 1998.
112 – Jim Tatum – Jim played parts of 5 seasons in the majors, appearing in 173 games. His final 35 MLB games were as a member of the Mets in 1998. He played 3 games at Third Base, and on May 16, 1998, he became #112 when he got the start against the San Francisco Giants. His final MLB game was on June 11, 1998.
113 – Lenny Harris – Lenny Harris had a long MLB career that lasted 18 seasons in which he played 1,903 games. 3 of those seasons were spent in a Mets uniform, and during his two stints with the team he made 37 appearances at Third Base. He became #113 on July 12th, 1998 with a start against the Montreal Expos.
114 – Mike Kinkade – Mike played 222 MLB games, 33 of them with the Mets. He became #114 on September 8th, 1998 when he made his MLB debut when he was one of 8 players switched out of the roster in the bottom of the 6th inning with the Mets getting blown out by the Phillies 11-3.
115 – Robin Ventura – Robin became #115 when he started on Opening Day, April 5, 1999. He signed as a free agent prior to the 1999 seasons and in his 3 years with the Mets, he played 436 games at Third Base. The current manager of the Chicago White Sox played 16 MLB seasons, playing 2,079 games.
116 – Melvin Mora – Melvin played most of his 13 year MLB career with the Baltimore Orioles, appearing in 1,556 MLB games. The first two were spent as a member of the Mets, where he played 145 games. 7 of those games were at Third Base, earning the distinction of #116 on July 6, 1999 against the Montreal Expos, remaining in the game after entering in the 7th as a pinch hitter.
117 – Shawon Dunston – Shawon was the #1 overall pick of the 1982 MLB amateur draft and spent the first 11 of his 18 MLB seasons with the Chicago Cubs. He appeared in 1,814 MLB games – 1,363 of them at Shortstop and just 11 at Third Base. While a member of the Mets in 1999, he played just 1 game and 3 innings at Third Base, becoming #117 on August 8th, 1999 against the Los Angeles Dodgers when he entered in the game in the 7th inning as a replacement for Robin Ventura with the Mets losing 9-1. The Mets acquired Dunston in a July 31 deal with the Cardinals in exchange for #111 Craig Paquette.
118 – Kurt Abbott – Kurt played 9 years in the Majors, appearing in 702 games. He came to the Mets via free agency prior to the 2000 season and played 79 games for New York in his lone season with the team. He made 2 appearances at Third Base, becoming #118 on April 26th, 2000 in a start against the Cincinnati Reds.
119 – Joe McEwing – Super Joe spent 5 of his 9 MLB seasons with the Mets. Of his 754 MLB games, 502 were played in a Mets uniform and 57 of those games were played at Third Base. His first appearance at Third was on May 20th, 2000 in a start against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
120 – David Lamb – David appeared in 69 games over parts of 3 MLB seasons, including 7 games with the Mets in 2000. He appeared in 3 games at Third for the Mets, becoming #120 on July 14, 2000 against the Boston Red Sox, entering the game in the 8th inning.
121 – Jorge Velandia – Jorge played 47 games for the Mets over parts of three seasons (2000-01, 2003) and 174 games over 8 MLB seasons. He appeared in 4 games at Third Base for the Mets, never making a start at the position. He became #121 on September 8th, 2000 when he entered the game in the 9th inning against the Phillies.
122 – Desi Relaford – Desi played 1 season with the Mets, appearing in 120 games in 2001 before he was traded in the offseason to the San Francisco Giants along with Tsuyoshi Shinjo for Shawn Estes. He appeared in 939 MLB games over 11 seasons, which included 20 games at Third Base for the Mets. He became #122 on April 22, 2001 against the Reds, remaining in the game after entering as a pinch hitter in the 8th.
123 – John Valentin – John played 10 seasons with the Red Sox before signing with the Mets as a free agent to play his 11th and final season in 2002. The veteran played in 1,105 games during his career – 114 of them as a Met, and appeared in 18 games at Third Base for the Orange and Blue. He became #123 on April 14, 2002 in a start against the Montreal Expos.
124 – Ty Wiggington – Ty has played 12 MLB seasons, the first 3 of which were spent as a Met. He was the Mets everyday Third Baseman in 2003 and the first part of 2004 until the Greatest Third Baseman in Mets History was promoted from the minors. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates along with Jose Bautista (yes, that Jose Bautista) and Matt Peterson on July 30, 2004 in exchange for Kris Benson and Jeff Keppinger. Through 2013, Ty has played in 1,362 games, including 235 at Third Base for the Mets. He became #124 on May 17, 2002 when he entered the game in the 7th inning against the San Diego Padres.
125 – Marco Scutaro – Marco has also played 12 MLB season. He appeared in 75 games for the Mets in 2002-03, including 3 games and a total of 7 innings at Third Base. He became #125 on July 28, 2002 against the Cincinnati Reds, entering the game as a pinch runner for John Valentin in the 7th inning and remaining in the game. He has appeared in 1,386 MLB games through the 2013 season and currently has two years remaining on a 3 year, $20 million contract with the San Francisco Giants.
126 – Jay Bell – Jay signed as a free agent prior to the 2003 season for the final one of his 18 year MLB career. He appeared in 2,063 games in his career – 1,515 of them were at Shortstop and just 67 games at Third Base. In 2003, he played 72 games for the Mets – 14 of them at Third Base. He became #126 on April 10, 2003 against the Florida Marlins, shifting from First Base to Third Base in the bottom of the 8th.
127 – Todd Zeile – Todd joined the club in his 2nd stint with the Mets in 2004, the final season of his 16 year MLB career. While he played 1,498 of his 2,158 MLB games at Third Base, his first run with the Mets was as a First Baseman. He became #127 on April 11th, 2004 in a start against the Montreal Expos. He would appear in 46 games at Third Base for the Mets that season.
128 – Ricky Gutierrez – Ricky played 24 games for the Mets in 2004 before being released on May 24th. Over 12 MLB seasons, he played in 1,119 games. He appeared in 2 games at Third Base for the Mets, becoming #128 in a start against the Montreal Expos on April 22nd, 2004.
129 – David Wright – David is without a doubt the Greatest Third Baseman in Mets history. Since being called up in 2004, he has anchored the position for 10 years and everyone who has played the position since knows they are merely a placeholder or fill in for our own Future Hall of Famer. David made his MLB debut on July 21st, 2004 against the Montreal Expos and since then, he has played 1,374 games for the Mets – 1,364 of them at Third Base.
130 – Chris Woodward – Chris played in the Majors for 12 years, playing 659 games. He appeared in 164 games over two seasons with the Mets and appeared in 17 games at Third Base, becoming #130 on April 13, 2005, entering the game in the top of the 11th as part of a double switch.
131 – Miguel Cairo – Miguel played 17 MLB seasons and appeared in 1,490 games. He spent the 2005 season with the Mets, playing 100 games for the squad, appearing in 3 games totaling 6 innings. He became #131 on April 21, 2005 against the Florida Marlins when he entered the game as a pinch hitter in the 8th and remained in the game at Third.
132 – Jose Valentin – Jose spent the final two years of his 16 year MLB career with the Mets. He played in 1,678 games during his career – 188 of them with the Mets. He became #132 when he made his lone appearance at Third on May 26, 2006 against the Florida Marlins when he got the start in a rare off day for David Wright.
133 – Eli Marrero – Eli came to the Mets in a June 9, 2006 trade with the Colorado Rockies for Kazuo Matsui. He only played 25 games for the Mets and appeared in 1 game for 2 innings at Third Base on July 2nd, 2006 against the New York Yankees, entering the game in the 7th inning of a 16-7 Mets loss. Over 10 MLB seasons, he appeared in 724 games.
134 – Julio Franco – Julio played 23 seasons in the Majors, including 2 years with the Mets. He appeared in 2,527 MLB games and collected 2,586 hits over the course of his career. He became #134 at age 48 on September 10, 2006 when he entered the game in the 8th inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played in 135 games for the Mets, making 5 appearances at Third.
135 – Damion Easley – Damion spent the last two years of a 17 year MLB career with the Mets, appearing in 189 games – 3 of them at Third Base. He became #135 on April 19th, 2007, entering the game in the bottom of the 8th with the Mets trailing 9-2 against the Florida Marlins.
136 – Ruben Gotay – Ruben played in 316 games over 4 MLB seasons, including 98 games for the Mets in 2007. He appeared in 2 games at Third Base for the Mets and became #136 on September 7th, 2007, entering the game in the top of the 8th against the Houston Astros with the Mets trailing 11-3.
137 – David Newhan – David played 56 games for the Mets in 2007, his only season with the team. Over 8 MLB seasons, he appeared in 413 games. He made just one appearance at Third Base for one inning for the Mets, becoming #137 on September 29, 2007, entering the game as a pinch hitter for David Wright in the bottom of the 8th with the Mets up 12-0 and remaining in the game to play Third for final three outs.
138 – Fernando Tatis – Fernando spent the last 3 years of his 11 year MLB career in a Mets uniform. He played 949 games in the Majors, 258 of them with the Mets. He became #138 on June 17th, 2008 when he got the start against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In all, he appeared in 35 games at Third Base for the Mets.
139 – Andy Green – Andy played 140 games in the majors over parts of 4 seasons. He only played 4 of them with the Mets over a 4 day stretch in August 2009. He became #139 on August 19th, 2009 in a 15-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves, shifting from Second Base to Third Base for the top of the 9th inning for his 1 inning as a Mets Third Baseman.
140 – Wilson Valdez – Wilson played 1 game and 1 inning as a Mets Third Baseman, becoming #140 on August 25th, 2009 when he entered the game in the bottom of the 8th against the Florida Marlins. He played 41 games for the Mets and 439 games over a 7 year MLB career.
141 – Justin Turner – Through the end of the 2013 season, Justin played 301 of his 318 MLB games as a member of the Mets. He has played 71 games at Third Base for the Mets including 31 starts in 2011. He became #141 on July 19, 2010 against the Arizona Diamondbacks when he entered the game in the bottom of the 7th to replace David Wright with the Mets losing 11-1.
142 – Mike Hessman – Mike appeared in 102 MLB games over parts of 5 MLB seasons, including 32 for the Mets in 2010. He appeared in 8 games at Third for the Mets and became #142 on July 29th, 2010 when the got the start against the St. Louis Cardinals.
143 – Luis Hernandez – Luis played 17 games for the Mets in 2010 and appeared in 2 games at Third Base for 3 innings. Over parts of 5 MLB seasons, he appeared in 122 MLB games. He became #143 on August 31st, 2010 against the Atlanta Braves, entering the game in the bottom of the 8th with the Mets losing 9-2.
144 – Willie Harris – Willie played 1,046 games over 12 MLB seasons and came to the Mets as a free agent for the 2011 season. He played 126 games for the Mets and appeared in 7 games at Third Base. He became #144 on May 16th, 2011 when he got the start against the Florida Marlins.
145 – Daniel Murphy – Daniel has played 630 games over his 5 MLB seasons with the Mets. 28 of those games were played at Third Base – all of them in 2011. He became #145 on May 31st, 2011 when he got the start against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
146 – Nick Evans – Remember him? He hasn’t appeared in the Majors since 2011 and he’s appeared in 159 MLB games over parts of 4 seasons, all with the Mets which included 2 games and 3 innings at Third. He became Third Baseman #146 on August 7th, 2011 against the Atlanta Braves when he started the game at First Base and shifted to Third Base as David Wright slid over to Shortstop.
147 – Josh Satin – Josh actually made his MLB debut in 2011 and has appeared in 91 games for the Mets over parts of 3 seasons. He has appeared in 18 games at Third Base, the first of which was on September 28th, 2011 against the Cincinnati Reds. It was the season finale and Josh entered the game as a pinch runner for David Wright in the 4th inning and remained in the game at Third Base.
148 – Ronny Cedeno – Through the end of the 2013 season, Ronny appeared in 868 MLB games over 9 seasons. He played the 2012 season with the Mets after signing as a free agent and appeared in 78 games. He played 3 games at Third Base and became #148 on April 10th, 2012 when he got the start against the Washington Nationals.
149 – Vinny Rottino – Vinny played 18 games for the Mets in 2012 before being selected by the Cleveland Indians off waivers on June 27th and has appeared in 62 MLB games over parts of 5 seasons. He appeared in 2 games at Third Base for the Mets and became #149 on May 28th, 2012 when he shifted from Left Field to Third Base in the 4th inning after David Wright shifted to Third Base.
150 – Zach Lutz – Zach has appeared in 22 MLB games with the Mets and became #150 on June 27th, 2013 when he got the start against the Colorado Rockies. He has played 3 games at Third Base.
151 – Wilmer Flores – Wilmer became #151 when he made his MLB debut on August 6th, 2013, getting the start against the Colorado Rockies. He appeared in 27 games last season, 26 of them at Third Base and made 25 starts while David Wright was on the disabled list.
152 – Omar Quintanilla – Does anyone remember Omar playing Third Base? You mean you weren’t watching a September extra inning game between the Mets and Miami Marlins that was going head to head with week two of the NFL season? I guess not. He became #152 and most recent Mets Third Baseman on September 15th, 2013 when he entered the game as a pinch runner for Wilmer Flores in the bottom of the 10th and remained in the game to play Third Base.
So there you have it – all 152 Third Basemen in Mets history.
