Ask Mets fans which team is the greatest in club history, and most answers will probably start and end with the 1986 squad. But how can you ever really know how players and teams from different eras would compare? How would that ’86 lineup fare against the trio of Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Gary Gentry (or Jon Matlack) or a relatively healthy 1-2 punch of Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer over 7 games?
The Metsmerized staff will attempt to answer the question throughout December as objectively as possible: by pitting the greatest Mets teams ever in a 16-team bracket with the help of our friends at Out of the Park Baseball.
We’re calling it… “Mets Madness”!
If you’re not familiar with Out of the Park Baseball, it is a baseball simulation game where you can play the role of GM and manager for any team in MLB history from the late 1800s to present day.
Details of Mets Madness
Let’s get down to the fun details – the bracket itself. To represent as many eras of Mets baseball and to not overly feature matchups of teams from one era like the 1980s, we took some liberties in choosing the 16 teams, created an unseeded bracket, and chose the matchups at random.
A fun wrinkle for Mets Madness is that 15 of the 16 teams will be managed by a Metsmerized staff/admin member. The 16th team will be managed by one of you – our loyal readers! Stay locked to our X/Twitter account for more details on a giveaway for the 16th managerial spot.
Mets Madness Matchups
Without further ado, your matchups for the first round:
1986 Mets vs. 1976 Mets
What sounds like a lopsided first-round matchup in favor of the 1986 team should not be taken lightly. The 1976 club won 86 games, led by Seaver, Koosman and Matlack, who all finished in the top 10 in NL Cy Young voting that season.
2022 Mets vs. 1999 Mets
An intriguing matchup in the first round. The 2022 squad won the second-most games in club history and the 1999 team scored the most runs in team history (not to mention that great infield).
1973 Mets vs. 2007 Mets
Two teams with seasons that went in opposite directions. The 1973 Mets struggled all year until a late-season run propelled them to the World Series. The 2007 Mets led the NL East most of the way before… well, you know what happened.
1998 Mets vs. 2015 Mets
Watching a prime Mike Piazza and 2015 Yoenis Céspedes square off will be fun to watch. Can the young and talented 2015 pitching staff keep Piazza and John Olerud, who hit .354 that season, in check?
2000 Mets vs. 2019 Mets
On paper, this looks like it could be an easy series win for the 2000 squad. But can Cy Young-winning Jacob deGrom and rookie home run hitter Pete Alonso be difference makers in a 7-game series?
1985 Mets vs. 2006 Mets
This may be the most exciting matchup of the first round. Two squads loaded with some of the best talent the Mets have ever had – from Doc Gooden and Darryl Strawberry to David Wright and José Reyes.
1988 Mets vs. 2016 Mets
This certainly looks like it’ll be an uphill battle for the 2016 Mets. While the pitching side of the matchup arguably could be close, the 1988 team has a clear advantage in their lineup.
1997 Mets vs. 1969 Mets
If the Miracle Mets of 1969 run into any trouble in the first round, it’ll be because they’re not scoring enough. The 1997 squad will need timely offense from the likes of Todd Hundley, John Olerud, and Edgardo Alfonzo against the great 1969 pitching staff.
Stay tuned to see how Mets Madness unfolds throughout December here and on Metsmerized Online’s social media accounts.
