The MMO team will be going all around the field, sharing our favorite Mets players by position.
Next up – starting pitchers.
Rob Piersall
It’s been a blessing to have seen so many good Mets pitchers in my lifetime. Al Leiter, Pedro Martinez, and Johan Santana growing up were all treats to watch. R.A. Dickey’s Cy Young campaign in 2012, the rise of Matt Harvey in the early part of last decade, and so many more in between. But I think my favorite has to be Jacob deGrom. It’s what I imagine Mets fans in the 80s got to experience with Dwight Gooden, and years before that, with “The Franchise” Tom Seaver. DeGrom is a generational talent and is at the apex of his game, so getting to see him toe the rubber every fifth day is a religious experience. We are watching history in the making, and I’ll tell my children and grandchildren about getting to watch deGrom dominate batters.
Logan Barer
It would be easy for me to say Seaver, deGrom, Gooden, etc. because, as a pitcher, it brings me so much joy to watch hitters get blown away by pure dominance. However, watching R.A. Dickey pitch from 2010 to 2012 was different. It’s not that the hitters were overpowered, it’s that they had absolutely no idea what to do. Nobody knew what the ball would do, so every pitch was an adventure.
That wasn’t exactly the “Golden Age” for the Mets, but I would never miss a Dickey start because it was such great fun to watch him pitch, and of course, win the Cy Young in 2012. He got us through some rough Mets seasons, and he’ll always be a part of “Mets lore” for being the reason Noah Syndergaard is a Met.
Marshall Field
For me, this is easy, but sad. My favorite starter is Tom Seaver. Once a week or so I re-read the article I wrote on MMO on his passing, and I still can’t believe he is gone. It’s hard to say goodbye to a hero, but that’s what I had to do last August. His fiery personality and desire to win made me the Mets fan I am today. His accomplishments are well known and need not be repeated here. His leadership and style are what I truly miss. I missed him at the Mets 50th Anniversary of the 1969 championship and I miss him now. I miss the domination, demeanor and drive. And I miss The Franchise, Tom Terrific and all his other nicknames. But most of all, I miss my first hero. RIP, hero.
Photo by Tim Healey, Newsday
Sal Manzo
One thing the Mets have been able to hang their hat on in their franchise history is developing great starting pitching. From Seaver and Koosman to Doc Gooden, Mets fans have been blessed to some amazing arms don the mound in Flushing over the years. When it comes to my favorite Mets starter, however, the answer is an easy one and it’s Jacob deGrom. Not only is deGrom my favorite Mets starter, but he’s the best starting pitcher I’ve ever had to pleasure of watching. His career up to this point sums up pretty quickly why deGrom would be my favorite, and somehow #48 seems to just keep getting better. Hopefully we will be watching him pitch in the postseason once again very soon!
Rich Sparago
The Mets organization has had many great pitchers (several of which home-grown) over the years. From Jerry Koosman to Jacob deGrom, from Johan Santana to Pedro Martinez, the mound has been the repository of a disproportionate percentage of the Mets’ talent. While deGrom may just carve his place as the best pitcher in Mets’ history (time will tell), for fans of a certain age, there can be only one favorite pitcher, Tom Seaver.
The man was nicknamed “The Franchise” for a reason. Seaver won a Rookie of the Year award, and three Cy Young awards as a Met. He led the team to its first world championship and its second pennant. He holds the franchise record for wins and strikeouts, among many others. His trade was the darkest day in franchise history, and the day he entered the Hall of Fame as a Mets was one of the proudest.
The team will wear a “41” patch this season to honor his memory after his passing in 2020. Let’s hope that Seaver will be permanently honored at Citi Field with a statue in the near future. Only one person can be “The Franchise”. The Mets have that person, and his name is Tom Seaver.
Michelle Ioannou
This is a tough one! From seeing Johan Santana pitch the no-hitter to hearing stories about The Franchise my entire life, the Mets have had some great starters. If I had to choose one though, it would be Jacob deGrom. How lucky are we that we get to see him pitch! From his back to back Cy Young wins to his absolute dominance on the mound (and the occasional home run, too), we are watching history in the making.
