What does it take to be a reliable everyday position player? At the major league level, it can be summed up in two words, consistency and durability. The player needs to be consistent in his performance; at or above league average in any of the five tools. A speedy guy with a great glove can make a living at the bottom of the order for years. A slow, lumbering corner guy can be a mainstay as long as he can find the seats with his bat.
There are many ways for a player to find his way onto the lineup card, but staying there is a whole other ballgame.
Players who can prove they are consistent at what they do well, usually find themselves a home until the consistency fades. If they prove to be durable and can keep up their good work while staying off the disabled list, they will probably find themselves on the same team at the same position for three or more years.
So how long does it take to find a legitimate starter? A player who can man a position for three or more years while playing 100 or more games each season? A ballplayer that we know exactly what to expect, because we are totally familiar with him?
When talking about the Mets, those questions are not so easy to answer.
Our position players, for the most part, have been a carousel ride. Digging into Mets history, it is surprising to see how many legitimate starters we have had at each position.
I was interested in refreshing my memory on who our mainstays were at each position going back to the good old days of ’86 when the Mets seemed to have everything under control. As a benchmark, I looked for players who had over 100 games played at the same position for three seasons or more with the Mets. This didn’t work out so well for guys like Eddie Murray and Paul LoDuca, but here’s a position by position look at players who have given the Mets some consistent playing time over the last 30 years or so.
Catcher
On the bright side, things are looking up. Travis d’Arnaud played 104 games in 2014 and it looks like he can possibly be our catcher for years to come. With Kevin Plawecki waiting in the wings and the light chatter of moving d’Arnaud to the outfield since suffering his third concussion last season, we can be slightly confident that either way we may have a legitimate starter on our hands. Looking back, it has been a rough ride at catcher for quite some time.
This was a position we did not have to worry about for more than a decade. Gary Carter played over 100 games four years in a row between 85-88. After three years of Cerrone, Sasser and Lyons, the Mets had Todd Hundley behind the dish for six consecutive years, wearing the tools of ignorance more than 100 times in four of them.
Hundley passed the torch to Mike Piazza in 1998 who crouched at Shea until 2002. In 17 years, the Mets had three stud Starting Catchers and three misses. It was an amazing time for the Mets behind the dish.
Since 2002, it has been a swing and a miss. Vance Wilson and Jason Phillips got a chance only to be taken over by Piazza again in 05. LoDuca looked promising, but only lasted two years in a Met uniform.
From there, the closest we have had to a consistent starting catcher was the Josh Thole Project. Buck, Barajas, Santos, Schneider, Wilson and Phillips (Insert “Hold On” joke here) filled in the gaps in the Mets attempt to fill the gaping hole left by Piazza. So in the 12 seasons since Piazza was the starting catcher, the Mets have auditioned eight players, nine including d’Arnaud.
Consistent Starting Catchers Since 1985
Carter 1985-1988
Hundley 1992-1997
Piazza 1998-2002, 2005
Honorable Mentions
LoDuca 2006, 2007
Thole 2011, 2012
The Rest
Lyons 1989
Sasser 1990
Cerrone 1991
Wilson 2003
Phillips 2004
Schneider 2008
Santos 2009
Barajas 2010
Buck 2013
First Base
Being a lefty myself, first base was always my favorite position. I always looked up to the first basemen of the Mets growing up and ended up playing it in high school before moving to the outfield in college. I remember getting Rico Brogna plaques (they made those?) for my birthday and wanting to wear a helmet on the field to be more like John Olerud. The first base spot has been more stable than catcher thanks to guys like Carlos Delgado and Olerud.
Lets start our journey in 1983 with the acquisition of Keith Hernandez. He played a magnificent first base until 1988, playing in over 90 games in all 6 years, and over 100 in four of them. He was then followed by Dave Magadan who Started there 89-91, eclipsing 100 games in two of the years. Then came the aging Eddie Murray for two more, which led to a slew of first base tryouts including David Segui, Rico Brogna, and Butch Huskey before finally landing Olerud in 97. Olerud went on to play in New York for three years playing over 140 games in each season during his tenure. Todd Zeile joins Murray in the almost group, playing first for two seasons. Then came Mo Vaughn, Jason Phillips, a Mike Piazza appearance and Doug Mientkiewicz for a year apiece.
The next guy set the bar pretty high for three years. Delgado was the real deal at the right corner of the infield. A year of Murphy led us to a promising year from a young Ike Davis. All Met fans know how that saga ended four years later with Lucas Duda finally winning the job. Duda had a strong showing in 2014 and much like d’Arnaud, has the ability to hang round for a few years if he continues to produce.
Consistent Starting First Baseman Since 1983
Hernandez 1983-1988
Olerud 1997-1999
Delgado 2006-2008
Honorable Mentions:
Magadan 1989-1991 (87 games in 89)
Murray 1992-1993 (154 games each year)
Zeile 2000-2001 (Over 140 games played both years)
Murphy 2009, 2011
Davis 2010, 2012-2013
The Rest
Segui 1994
Brogna 1995
Huskey 1996
Vaughn 2002
Phillips 2003
Piazza 2004
Mientkiewicz 2005
Second Base
Our second baseman from ’86 is still with the Mets organization waiting for his call-up much like he probably was as a player in Tidewater in 1980. Wally Backman controlled second base from 84-86 finding his way onto the field over 110 games in each. Teufel played 92 in 1987 and Wally matched that the following year giving him a forth year of being the Mets starting second baseman.
Gregg Jefferies followed with a three-year stint but did not make the cut due to his 75 games in 1991. Willie Randolph was the only layover before we were graced with a powerful second baseman in Jeff Kent for three solid years. There was a three-year gap before we found our next mainstay in Edgardo Alfonzo who played there until 2001.
Thanks to this past season, Daniel Murphy is the first Met to play over 100 games at second base for three consecutive seasons since Fonzie. Luis Castillo played for four years but only saw the field more than 100 times in 2009.
Consistent Starting Second Baseman Since 1984
Backman 1984-1988
Kent 1993-1995
Alfonzo 1999-2001
Murphy 2012-2014 (and beyond!)
Honorable Mentions
Jefferies 1989-1991
Baerga 1997, 1998
Alomar 2002, 2003
Castillo 2007-2010
The Rest
Randolph 1992
Vizcaino 1996
Garcia 2004
Cairo 2005
Valentin 2006
Turner 2011
Third Base
David Wright has been our third baseman since 2004, playing in over 100 games for nine straight seasons. Looking beyond Wright, third base has been pretty solid in our recent history, scattered with good ballplayers. The list for this position is short thanks to David. I went back to 1981 here to make sure Hubie Brooks got a mention. Howard Johnson controls six years, Alfonzo for four (non-consecutive) with Ventura being the last stop of consistency before Wright.
Consistent Starting Third Baseman Since 1981
Brooks 1981-1984
Johnson 1985, 1987-1991, 1993
Ventura 1999-2001
Wright 2004-2014
Honorable Mention
Alfonzo 1997, 2002
The Rest
Knight 1986
Magadan 1992
Bonilla 1994
Kent 1996
Wigginton 2003
Shortstop
Oh, to have a starting shortstop again. When I dream my baseball dreams I have a fast, switch-hitting leadoff man at shortstop. A guy who can hit line drives in the gaps and excite everyone as he rounds second and heads to third. We are entering our fourth season without a real shortstop.
Maybe we were spoiled by Jose Reyes, he did set the bar very high, but we have had nothing even close. When he left, so did our speed and excitement. Sometimes I would hate to see him excessively celebrate, but you truly don’t know what you have until it’s gone. I would do anything to have a healthy Reyes back in that leadoff spot.
Besides Reyes, Ordonez and Santana are the only 3 year/100+ game guys on the list. Kevin Elster played 4 consecutive years and had 100+ games in 3 of them. The problem is his 92 game season breaks them up and if I break the rules for Elster I’d have to break them for everybody.
Consistent Starting Shortstops Since 1985
Santana 1985-1987
Ordonez 1996-1999, 2001, 2002
Reyes 2003, 2005-2008, 2010, 2011
Honorable Mention
Elster 1988-1991(Just missed. 148, 150, 92, 107)
Vizcaino 1994, 1995
Tejada 2012, 2014
The Rest
Schofield 1992
Bogar 1993
Bordick 2000
Matsui 2004
Cora 2009
Quintanilla 2013
Left Field
Working backwards, left field is a weird position. The Mets have had limited success in the corner outfield spots. In left field, Eric Young Jr. played the most games for us the last two seasons, never nearing 100 games.
The Jason Bay project lasted three years, two of which were under 100 games. Cliff Floyd who barely missed making the cut, played four years straight but missed the 100 game mark twice (Barely). Bernard Gilkey just missed by 24 games in his final year at Shea.
Left field hasn’t produced very many 3 year/100 game players for the Mets. You have to go back to Kevin McReynolds and his five-year tenure from 1987-1991 to find the last player that did it. He played in over 125 games each season. You don’t have to go too far back before him to find George Foster who was the everyday guy for four years and playing over 120 games in each of those seasons.
One of our most famous and exciting plays in history took place in left field. Endy finds his name on the list for one year in 2008, two years after making our hearts stop.
Consistent Starting Left Fielders Since 1982
Foster 1982-1985
McReynolds 1987-1991, 1994
Honorable Mention
Gilkey 1996-1998 (151, 136, 76…so close!)
Agbayani 2000, 2001
Floyd 2003-2006 (95, 106, 150, 92 Close!)
Bay 2010-10212 (92, 122, 65)
Young Jr. 2013, 2014
The Rest
Reed 2009
Chavez 2008
Alou 2007
Cedeno 2002
Henderson 1999
Orsulak 1995
Coleman 1993
Boston 1992
Wilson 1986
Center Field
Lagares is on the verge this season of becoming a legitimate and consistent starter. He has played in 108 and 110 games the past two seasons. He is certainly not Beltran offensively but he is proving that he is an above average player in many ways.
Speaking of Beltran, he currently holds the title of the most recent centerfielder according to my made-up benchmark. From 2005-2008 we had nothing to worry about out there. Even 2009 was a decent showing from him in his 77 games. After him, however, you wont find another until Mookie from 1981-1987.
Hopefully 2015 will be filled with 150 games of Lagares making our jaws drop in centerfield, pushing Beltran farther into Mets History.
Consistent Starting Center Fielders Since 1981
Wilson 1981-1987
Beltran 2005-2009
Honorable Mention
Boston 1990, 1991
Thompson 1993, 1994
McRae 1998, 1999
Payton 2000, 2001
Pagan 2010, 2011
Lagares 2013, 2014 (Has a chance to do it this year.)
The Rest
Samuel 1989
H. Johnson 1984
Butler 1995
L. Johnson 1996
Everett 1997
Perez 2002
Duncan 2003
Cameron 2004
Torres 2012
Right Field
OK, I am going to cut to the chase here. We have not had a consistent everyday Right Fielder since Darryl Strawberry. We are embarking on our 25th year without a steady, dependable right fielder. The list in right field is scattered with failed projects, aging stars and one hit wonders. With Granderson possibly moving to left, and Cuddyer coming in; the future still does not look promising of ever having the same guy go out there with confidence for 3 years or more. If Grandy stays in right, he would have to play two more years to make the list. Until then, with 8 consecutive amazing seasons under his belt Strawberry is king.
Consistent Starting Right Fielders Since 1983
Strawberry 1983-1990
Honorable Mention
Bonilla 1992, 1993
Ochoa 1996, 1997
Cedeno 1999, 2003
Francoeur 2009, 2010
The Rest
Brooks 1991
Orsulak 1994
Everett 1995
Huskey 1998
Perez 2001
Burnitz 2002
Hidalgo 2004
Diaz 2005
Nady 2006
Green 2007
Church 2008
Beltran 2011
Duda 2012
Byrd 2013
Granderson 2014
That’s 19 different starting right fielders in 24 years since Strawberry. Hopefully one of our outfield prospects, Nimmo or Conforto, can end the drought and become a fixture for a decade or so.
Final Thoughts
It would be nice to get some consistency around here. As of right now, we are set at third and second. We have Lagares on the brink of joining them and Duda and d’Arnaud look like they may be around for a while. It is not news to any Met fan that the corner outfield spots and shortstop are still a problem.
This was fun to research and if nothing else, I hope you enjoyed seeing some old and familiar names you may not have thought about in a while like Carlos Baerga and Benny Agbayani. Now, can somebody find us a corner outfielder that will be around for a while? Lets Go Mets!
