In the infield for Team Shea will be Edgardo Alfonzo, Todd Zeile, José Reyes, Rey Ordóñez, and Carlos Delgado. Team Citi Field will trot out Asdrúbal Cabrera, Josh Satin, Rubén Tejada, Ike Davis, and Kelly Johnson.

Out of this group, Alfonzo, now 51, was notably selected to the Mets’ Latin American Hall of Fame on Saturday. He spent eight years in the Mets organization, slashing .292/.367/.445 while collecting 212 doubles and 120 homers.

Reyes, 42, has a personal reason to suit up.

“My youngest daughter has never seen me play,” Reyes told the Mets’ Jay Horwitz. “I want to do well in front of her and the rest of my family. I think I will have 10 close relatives there on Saturday.”

In the outfield for Team Shea are Endy Chávez, Carlos Beltrán, Benny Agbayani, and Jay Payton. For Team Citi, fans will get to see Juan Lagares, Mike Baxter, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and Curtis Granderson. Notably, Team Citi’s outfield includes three members of the 2015 pennant-winning club in Lagares, Nieuwenhuis, and Granderson.

Catchers for Team Shea include Mike Piazza and Paul Lo Duca, while Team Citi will feature Kevin Plawecki and Josh Thole.

Piazza has reportedly been taking batting practice to shake off some rust.

“I don’t expect to hit homers,” Piazza told Horwitz. “I just want to make contact and drive some balls to the outfield.”

On the pitching side, Team Shea boasts names such as John Franco, Mike Hampton, Al Leiter, John Maine, Rick Reed, Turk Wendell, and, in a late addition, Hall of Famer Pedro Martínez. Team Citi counters with Bartolo Colón, R.A. Dickey, Dillon Gee, Matt Harvey, Jon Niese, Mike Pelfrey, and Johan Santana.

“I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see my Mets family again,” Martínez said to Horwitz. “It will be great to see the fans again.”

Dickey, speaking to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, expressed his excitement to return.

“I’m ecstatic to get to do something like this,” Dickey said. “I can’t wait to get back and just reconnect with guys and see guys I haven’t seen in a while. Players, yes. But even clubhouse guys, the film guy, the security people underneath the stadium. … Getting to go back and see those guys, give them a hug, just talk to them for a minute, it’s going to be awesome.”

Asked whether he’ll throw his trademark knuckleball, Dickey laughed and said he hopes to “throw a few knuckleballs up there for people to see, if I can still get it to the plate.”

The Alumni Classic could also potentially showcase some special connections off the field. Darryl Strawberry and Mookie Wilson will appear as special guests and ambassadors, while Al Leiter could share the day with his son Jack, who might be in the Rangers’ dugout or bullpen for the regular game. Together, they help make the event a celebration of Mets history and a fun reunion for fans and players alike.

The post Former Mets Greats Set to Take the Field in Alumni Classic appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After years of being a divisional pest, former Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins agreed to a two-year, $34 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to report the agreement. 

The deal comes with an opt-out after the first season, according to Passan. 

Hoskins, 31, missed last season after suffering a torn ACL during spring training. Prior to the injury, he was a mainstay in the middle of the Philadelphia lineup. 

Hoskins hit 148 home runs, drove in 405 runs, and had an OPS of .846 over six seasons with the Phillies. 

Latest Mets News 

David Wright secured his spot on the 2025 Hall of Fame ballot, while Billy Wagner and Carlos Beltran improved from the previous year. Read Metsmerized’s coverage here. 

Jose Reyes did not receive a single Hall of Fame vote. Here’s how former Mets fared on this year’s ballot. 

Ken Rosenthal reported the Mets “do not seem inclined to spend on a DH.” Read more here.

The Mets reportedly have interest in reliever Ryne Stanek. Read more here. 

The Mets will debut their City Connect jerseys on April 26. More details can be found here.

Jay Horwitz conducted an in-depth interview with former Mets pitcher John Maine. Find the interview here. 

Latest MLB News

Adrian Beltre, Joe Mauer and Todd Helton were elected to the 2024 Hall of Fame. Read more here. 

The Los Angeles Angels signed pitcher Matt Moore, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

The Nationals agreed to a one-year contract with Joey Gallo, according to Andrew Golden of the Washington Post.  

The Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a contract with James Paxton, according to Heyman. 

The Durham Bulls, the Tampa Bay Rays Triple-A affiliate, announced Morgan Ensberg as its manager. 

Pitchers Michael Lorenzen and Noah Syndergaard threw for about 16 MLB Teams on Tuesday, per Robert Murray of Fansided. 

Latest on MMO 

Brian Wright outlines the Hall of Fame case for David Wright. 

Christian De Block profiles Matt Moore. 

On This Date in Mets History

1980: Publishing company Doubleday and Co. bought the Mets for $21 million. Part of the group was Fred Wilpon, who owned a majority of the team by 2002. 

Birthdays: Jose Quintana (35), Mike Glavine (51), Neil Allen (66)

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Watching him was all about anticipation—edge-of-your seat anticipation—eagerly awaiting what would transpire at the plate or on the base paths.

With gazelle-like quickness, José Reyes could turn ground balls into singles, singles into doubles, and doubles into triples. Any base ahead of him was there for his taking. By the time he left the Mets after 2011, he had shattered every meaningful speed merchant record.

It took until his second full season—following hamstring injuries, position switches, and base running technique adjustments—before Reyes was off and running. He led all National Leaguers in stolen bases with 60 and all of baseball in triples with 17. The ascent continued in 2006, when Reyes topped both leagues by tallying 17 triples and 64 steals. He developed even further as a hitter as he raised his average to .300, drove in 81 runs, and hit 19 homers.

Over the next five years, Reyes would be the majors’ best in three-base hits two more times and set a career-high for stolen bases with 74. The 2011 season would end up with Reyes holding the batting title and a bunch of leverage once his Mets’ contract expired.

Sure enough, the Miami Marlins had the money to lure him away from New York. He’d be back by July 2016, and in between showed that his best days were behind him. He never hit .300 or higher, he never had an OPS+ better than 113. When he returned to New York, it was not without baggage. A domestic violence charge was trouble he couldn’t outrun. With a damaged past and an uncertain future, some now didn’t even want him there—and justifiably so. The Mets signed him anyway.

That second stint was far less exciting than the first, and a lot less productive. He stole 38 bases over 315 games and had an OPS+ of 90. It’s tempting to put aside a rather forgettable second stint in New York and choose to remember the greatness of his initial nine-year stay—particularly, the recollection of an extra-base hit in the gap or a daring steal of third. Reyes might not have fulfilled every promise, but there’s no regret when it comes to the thrills he supplied for the better part of a decade.

The Case For

If dynamism was a statistic, Reyes would’ve been the leader in that for a stretch of seven years. not only was there not a more exciting player in Mets history during its 60-plus seasons, there wasn’t a more exciting player in the game in that period. That seven-year peak coincides with his prime as a Met (2005-11).  He made each of his four All-Star appearances, was the triples leader four times (averaging 13 a season), won the stole base title three times, and averaged 166 hits. He reached or exceeded 175 hits in a season seven times.

If we’re going on bold type, Reyes has plenty and more compared to a lot of people who are already in the Hall of Fame. His career WAR of 37.4 is higher than 21 Cooperstown, including Lou Brock, Jack Morris, and Harold Baines.

The Case Against

For as great a baserunner he was, the other offensive production wasn’t there. During that seven-year portion, his OPS+ was just barely above league average (109). Because of his lack of longevity, his final totals don’t measure up well in big-league history even in the categories he dominated for a short time: in triples, he’s 78th and in stolen bases he ranks 33rd all-time.

Comparing others at his position, that WAR which is higher than some Hall of Famers is lower than all shortstops. The next closest is Phil Rizzuto (42.1). While Reyes was a decent fielder, especially while he was a Met, it’s not a skill that would boost his resume.

On top of all that, the domestic violence charge certainly doesn’t help his cause—and deservedly so.

Final Thoughts

José Reyes has similarities to Kenny Lofton (aside from defensive position) in the sense that they were exiting game-changers who could do a multitude of things on the field. Lofton has the edge on longevity, accumulating 622 steals while Reyes had 105 fewer. Lofton somehow got less than five percent on his first try with the Hall and the feeling is that Reyes will get similar treatment if not staying on for at least one more year.

The post Hall of Fame Case: José Reyes appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Having recently gained approval from the Mets, Ronny Mauricio is set to play for the Tigres Del Licey, primarily at third base during the Dominican Winter League. The 22-year-old’s journey began last offseason when he earned the LIDOM MVP title, leading the league in various offensive categories. For his inaugural appearance for the Tigres, Mauricio was slotted in at designated hitter and penciled in the second spot in the batting order. In his LIDOM season debut, Mauricio went 0-for-4 but managed to draw a walk.

Now onto the morning briefing!

Ronny Mauricio. John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

The New York Mets officially announced the signing of infielder Joey Wendle. As reported by Joel Sherman from the New York Post, aside from the $2 million base salary, Wendle has the opportunity to earn an extra $100,000 for achieving milestones at 250, 300, 350, 400, and 450 plate appearances.

Jayson Stark of The Athletic advocates for a long look at former Mets infielder David Wright and his case for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This is Wright’s first year on the Hall of Fame Ballot alongside former infield mate Jose Reyes.

Michelle Margaux of SNY asked Mets legend Mike Piazza on how the Mets and Pete Alonso extension negotiations should play out. Piazza replied by saying, “He’s a great player and guys like him don’t grow on trees… I hope there is synergy there and they’re able to come to an agreement”

Latest MLB News

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Brewers and 19-year-old standout center field prospect Jackson Chourio are poised to finalize the most lucrative contract ever for a player yet to make his major league debut. The anticipated agreement is likely to span eight guaranteed years, approaching $80 million, and will feature two team options.

As reported by Eno Sarris of The Athletic, sources from Britt Ghiroli and him reveals that Sarah Gelles is set to join the Pirates as an Assistant General Manager. Gelles began her professional career with an internship at the Pirates before progressing through the ranks in Baltimore and Houston.

For the third consecutive season, Major League Baseball announced Shohei Ohtani as the recipient of the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award. This award, presented annually to the top designated hitter since the introduction of the DH rule in 1973, was renamed in honor of Edgar Martinez in 2004.

Former MetThomas Szapucki, left-handed pitcher, has been re-signed by the Giants on a minor league contract, as noted by the transactions tracker on MLB.com. Despite being non-tendered by the club just a couple of weeks ago, he has now been assigned to Triple-A Sacramento.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Arizona Diamondbacks have addressed their player development director position by appointing Shaun Larkin. Larkin, who served the last eight seasons with the Dodgers, holding the role of field director, steps in for Josh Barfield. Barfield departed the organization in late September to join the Chicago White Sox.

Latest on MMO

On the latest episode of MMO Weekly, our very own Rivka Boord joins the show to discuss the recently announced Luis Severino and Joey Wendle signings, Rivka lays out her dream offseason plan for the Mets (spoiler: it includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto), the latest on Pete Alonso, and much more!

Michael Mayer highlights the Mets latest front office moves.

On This Date in Mets History

1998: On December 1, 1998, Mets GM Steve Phillips orchestrated a three-way trade involving the Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles. Todd Hundley was sent to the Dodgers, along with Charles Johnson, in exchange for Roger Cedeño. However, Johnson was quickly traded to Baltimore for reliever Armando Benitez. The Mets, buying low on these players who had fallen out of favor with their original teams, saw both Cedeño and Benitez flourish. Benitez had a standout 1999 season, recording 128 strikeouts in 78 innings with a 1.85 ERA. Cedeño, given the opportunity to play regularly, set a Mets record with 66 stolen bases and contributed to the team’s success, ending a 13-year playoff drought in 1999.

Birthdays: Josh Walker (29), Javier Báez (31), Greg McMichael (57), Julio Machado (58), Herm Winningham (62), Tom Filer (67), Dan Schatzeder (69), Dan Warthen (71), George Foster (75)

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Of the 12 players appearing for the first time on the ballot, former Mets include David Wright, Bartolo Colon, Adrián González, José Reyes, and José Bautista.

Of the 14 holdovers remaining from last year’s ballot, former Mets include Billy Wagner, Gary Sheffield, Carlos Beltrán, Bobby Abreu, and Francisco Rodríguez.

David Wright’s first-time candidacy is sure to excite the Mets fanbase. But with only five All-Star caliber seasons, he may not garner enough votes, at least during his first appearance on the HOF ballot. 

The other seven players eligible for the first time include Adrián Beltré, Joe Mauer, Chase Utley, Matt Holliday, Victor Martinez, James Shields, and Brandon Phillips.

The other nine holdovers include Todd Helton, Andruw Jones, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, Omar Vizquel, Andy Pettitte, Jimmy Rollins, Mark Buehrle, and Torii Hunter.

To be eligible, a player must be retired for a minimum of five calendar years. 

Nominees must appear on at least 75 percent of the HOF voter ballots to win election. The HOF voting committee is comprised of past and present members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

The 2024 inductees will be announced on January 23 and inducted on July 21 at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, NY.

Players who do not receive at least 75 percent support from the HOF voting committee are permitted to remain on the ballot for a maximum of 10 years, provided they receive a minimum of 5 percent of the vote each year.

The post David Wright Among First Time Hall of Fame Nominees appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor made history yesterday, becoming the fourth player in Mets history to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season. Lindor entered Wednesday’s doubleheader with 27 home runs and 30 stolen bases on the season, needing just three more balls to leave the yard to hit the esteemed 30-30 mark.

Francisco got to work early as he sent a Braxton Garrett 2-2 fastball over the left field wall in the first game of the day to give the Mets a 4-0 lead. Lindor’s massive day did not end after the first matchup; Francisco went right back to work in the nightcap as he tagged Marlins starter Johnny Cueto for two bombs, one in the second and one in the fourth inning. The former gold glover’s impressive season made him the third to reach the 30-30 mark in MLB this season and the sixth single season 30-30 in Mets history, with Howard Johnson reaching the threshold three times with the club. 

The Mets split their doubleheader against the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, winning Game 1 11-2 and falling short in the second game by a score of 4-2. Joey Lucchesi and Kodai Senga both had impressive performances, going six and five innings, respectively, and only giving up two earned runs a piece. Lindor carried most of the offensive load for the Mets as he went 4-for-7 between the two games with three home runs and 7 RBIs.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

While the Mets won in blowout fashion in the first game, a Brett Baty error in the top of the ninth ended up costing them a sweep of the doubleheader. The Marlins’ win and the Cubs’ loss leave Miami in a virtual tie for the final wild card spot while owning the tiebreaker. 

The Mets will finish up their season series against the Marlins on Thursday as it will be a lefty vs. lefty matchup with David Peterson (3-8, 5.37 ERA) on the mound for the Mets, who will be going against Jesús Luzardo (10-9, 3.73 ERA). 

Mets News

Buck Showalter announced to the media before the first of Wednesday’s two games that Starling Marte would be shut down for the season. The Mets will be cautious with Starling as he had surgery on his groin last November; Showalter expressed confidence that the veteran outfielder will be healthy for the 2024 season. 

Between games of the doubleheader, Joey Lucchesi told reporters that he and his family had been in a car accident the night prior as they were preparing to head back to their hotel from Citi Field following the postponement of that night’s game. Lucchesi said that his Uber was one of four cars that was hit in a police chase; the perpetrator was then arrested on sight following the collision. The lefty assured reporters that everyone was fine as their car had not left yet and that he just had minor back soreness as he, thankfully, was sitting on the opposite side of the car. Luckily, Tylor Megill was around to give Joey and his family a ride to the hotel ahead of his start day, where he dazzled in his last appearance of the 2023 season. 

Along with Francisco Lindor, Kodai Senga also reached an impressive benchmark as he tallied his 200th strikeout of the season. Senga used his vaunted “ghost fork” as he struck out Jake Burger to end the third inning en route to another impressive start. Kodai finishes his outstanding rookie season with a 2.98 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and his eight strikeouts on Wednesday brought him to a total of 202 on the season. 

The Mets are holding free screenings for prostate cancer in the Piazza 31 Club at Citi Field today from 5:30-8:00 P.M. All ticketholders will have the chance to learn about their risk level for prostate cancer and how to maintain their own health from a “quick and easy” PSA (simple blood draw) test. 

MLB News

The Cleveland Guardians honored Terry Francona last night as he managed his final home game as the Guardians manager. The beloved Guardians skipper, who brought them to the 2016 World Series, was given a video tribute and was showered with applause both before and after the game from the Cleveland faithful. In a heartwarming moment, Guardians players, including José Ramírez, blocked the dugout steps as they forced the reluctant Francona to feel the love from the Cleveland crowd. 

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer threw a light bullpen session yesterday as he tries to make a comeback from his strained teres major injury, per Evan Grant of Dallas Morning News. The former Met was placed on the IL two weeks ago and was ruled out for the rest of the regular season, and Rangers’ GM Chris Young made it sound like a return for the playoffs was unlikely, too. While the veteran is progressing well in his rehab, when asked about timelines, Max said, “If you target dates, you get emotional & then you compete with the injury and that’s the worst thing you can do.”

Ronald Acuña Jr. keeps blowing through milestones in a record-breaking season, which could end in his first MVP award. The Braves All-Star reached the 40/70 mark on Wednesday. Acuña’s two stolen bases came in a Braves win against the Cubs last night, putting him at 70 on the season while already going into the game with 41 home runs. 

Latest on MMO

Chris Bello highlighted Jeff Passan naming the Mets as a ‘scary possibility’ to trade for Juan Soto. 

Jorge Eckardt reviewed the news of Christian Scott and Luisangel Acuña being named Double-A All-Stars. 

On This Date in Mets History

2022: It was Eduardo Escobar night at Citi Field as the veteran infielder single-handedly carried the Mets to a 5-4 win over the Marlins. In the middle of a battle for the NL East crown, the Mets were trailing the Miami Marlins 4-0 in the 7th inning when Escobar got the Mets on the board with a 2-run home run. Eduardo would then strike again as he plated two with a single to the right side of the infield to tie the game at 4 a piece in the 8th inning. The night of Eduardo would finally end as he poked a ball through a vacant shortstop hole in the 10th inning, sending Francisco Lindor home from second base to win the game. 

2019: Pete Alonso sets the major league record for most home runs in a season by a rookie as he hits his 53rd home run of the season in the bottom of the third inning off Braves pitcher Mike Foltynewicz. Alonso broke the record of 52, which was set by Aaron Judge of the Yankees just a couple of seasons prior in 2017. 

2018: David Wright took his first at-bat in a major league game in over two years as he grounded out in his fifth inning at-bat against Marlins pitcher José Ureña. Wright would get his well-earned send-off a night later as he played his last career game.

2011: José Reyes tallies a bunt single in his first at-bat of the game against the Reds. The Mets would then pinch run for him to solidify his place as the 2011 National League batting champion, becoming the first Met to do so. 

2008: The New York Mets played their final game at Shea Stadium as they took on the Marlins in a game where a win would force a game 163 against the Milwaukee Brewers for the final wild card spot. The Mets would go on to lose that game 4-2, but that did not stop the festivities, as former Mets from 1962 and on assembled along the foul lines as Tom Seaver threw the final pitch at Shea Stadium to Mike Piazza. Piazza and Seaver poignantly walked through the outfield wall and “closed the gates” on beloved Shea Stadium. 

Birthdays: Danny Mendick (30), Mike DeJean (53), Ronn Reynolds (65)

The post Morning Briefing: Francisco Lindor Becomes Fourth Met to Reach 30-30 Mark appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Dae-Sung Koo

Pitchers at the plate and on the base paths are all but extinct. That’s what makes this moment extra special — even if it was always unique.

There was a time in which even the best left-handed major leaguers found excuses to avoid facing Randy Johnson. Dae-Sung Koo, though, had no fear. Or he didn’t know any better. Whatever the reason, the 35-year-old relief pitcher stepped into the batters’ box from the left side.

The late Tim McCarver on the FOX broadcast said what everyone was thinking: “This is the biggest give-up at-bat.”

An instant after those words were stated, Koo connected. Not just contact, but to deep center field. It went out of the reach of Bernie Williams, landed on the warning track, and bounced off the wall. Koo ended up with a double to the incredible joy of David Wright, among others. Doug Mientkiewicz covered his amusement with a towel. Mike Piazza, realized his wallet was a bit lighter after he told Wright before the swing that he’d donate to charity if Koo managed to get a hit.

Some 55,800 at Shea Stadium and those in the dugouts had witnessed a miracle. But another miracle was in store. José Reyes bunted, seemingly to advance Koo 90 feet. With Yankees’ catcher Jorge Posada lingering from the plate, Koo (wearing a jacket and still having a weighted ball in his pocket, which only adds to the zaniness quotient) broke for home.

Showing baserunning intrepidness not seen in ages, he dove head-first to try and avoid Posada’s tag. Did Posada get him in time? Umpire Chuck Meriwether said no. That’s all that matters.

“I think he made the right call,” Koo said. “If he said ‘Safe,’ then I’m safe.”

Words don’t do it justice. It must be seen to be believed. Even if you’ve seen it, and still don’t believe it, you’ll certainly want to see it again.

It’s significant when any lefty got a hit off Johnson, much less a pitcher.

Koo’s Mets career, and his major league career for that matter, lasted just one season. He made 33 appearances with a 3.91 ERA. But with all due respect, those pitching numbers are otherwise irrelevant. What he did on May 21, 2005, made him an instant Mets legend.

The post OTD 2005: The Adventures Of Dae-Sung Koo appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The newest members of baseball’s hall of fame are Scott Rolen and Fred McGriff. They will be enshrined in Cooperstown this summer. A preview of the 2024 hall of fame candidates shows a few former Mets on the ballot, as well as one former star who seems to be a lock to be elected in his first year of eligibility.

Adrián Beltré

Let’s start with Adrián Beltré, the former Dodger, Mariner, and Ranger (who also spent one season with the Boston Red Sox in 2010). He had 3,166 hits, 477 home runs and 93.5 Wins Above Replacement (WAR)–third-most among third basemen behind only Mike Schmidt and Eddie Mathews.

While it’s not common for a player to receive the necessary 75% of the vote in his first year on the ballot, Beltré dominated at his position for many of his 21 seasons. He was a four-time all star, and won five gold gloves. He likely will get the votes for induction in 2024.

Billy Wagner

One former Met to watch when the 2024 votes are counted is closer, Billy Wagner. Wagner jumped from 51% of the vote in 2022 to 68.1% in 2023. The fireballing lefty from Virginia was one of the dominant closers of his era with 422 saves, a 2.31 ERA and 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings. He will be in his ninth year on the ballot next year, meaning he has two chances remaining at election. Wagner ranks sixth on the all-time saves list, and from the late 1990s through 2007 was one of the best in the game.

Todd Helton

Todd Helton, the former Colorado Rockie, barely missed getting “the call” in 2023, netting 72.2% of the vote.The Rockies’ great slugging first baseman, who had 369 home runs and 2,519 hits, was a .316 lifetime hitter, and the 2000 MLB batting champion. He needs only 2.8% more of the vote in his sixth year. With 11 more ballots with his name next year, and he’ll be in. Helton, despite “Coors Field bias”, deserves to be in Cooperstown and will likely have his day next January.

Carlos Beltrán, David Wright, José Reyes

Three of the core players from the mid-2000s Mets will be up for election in 2024, with Carlos Beltrán in his second year of eligibility, and David Wright and José Reyes both in their first year. Beltran had nine all-star seasons, 435 home runs, 2,725 hits and a cumulative 70.1 WAR as great switch-hitter. In 2023, he received 46.5% of the vote. His connection to the Astros’ cheating scandal clearly factored into this percentage, but as time goes on, the sign-stealing caper may fade more into history, and Beltrán may be able to secure his rightful spot in the baseball shrine.

Wright, the sentimental choice of Mets fans, had a very good career that was cut short by spinal stenosis. Wright was a seven-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glove winner, and two-time Silver Slugger who hit .296 with 242 home runs. He head a career WAR of 49.2. Had Wright been able to play at full strength from 2015 (when he was first sidelined and missed most of the season) through 2020 (when he would have turned 38 years old), he would have had a very good chance at induction in Cooperstown.

Reyes, though he will be on the ballot, will not have a chance at being elected into the hallowed hall. Reyes had 517 stolen bases, and posted a 37.5 career WAR. He won the 2011 batting title while he with the Mets. He left via free agency after that season, and returned in 2016 after stints in Miami, Toronto, and Colorado. Reyes also was involved in a domestic violence incident, which contributed to his release by the Rockies.

Other Notables

Alex Rodriguez, who belted 696 home runs and had over 3,00 hits, received just 35.7% of the vote in 2023, his third year of eligibility. A-Rod, who had multiple issues with performance-enhancing substances, is active in baseball, working on ESPN Sunday night telecasts with Michael Kay. He seems to be in decent standing with MLB, but not so with the writers who hold his Hall of Fame fate.

Joe Mauer and Chase Utley (ever popular with Mets fans) will be on the ballot for the first time in 2024. Mauer’s achievements include three batting titles, three Gold Gloves, four All-Star selections and the 2009 AL MVP award. Mauer was a .306 career hitter, with a 55.2 career WAR. His WAR number ranks favorably against that of other catchers in the hall.

The post Preview of the 2024 Hall of Fame Candidates appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

This offseason, we’re looking at the Mets’ history with free agency. The regrettable list includes names such as Jeurys Familia, James McCann, and most recently Jed Lowrie. Next was the Mets’ failed attempt at finding the next superstar from Japan.

If only every game could be like his first. Kaz Matsui led off Opening Day 2004 as the prized addition of the Mets offseason hyped and the latest Japanese hitting talent coming over to North America.

The initial pitch he saw went off his bat and 429 feet over the center-field fence at Turner Field. It was the beginning of a 3-for-3 night in which he reached based on each of his five trips to the plate.

Whatever high expectations were laid upon Matsui coming into this game went up tenfold after it.

From 1995-2003 with the Seibu Lions, he hit .300 or better in seven consecutive seasons, averaged more than 26 home runs and stolen bases over a five-year stretch, and won the league’s Gold Glove Award four times.

The Mets were hoping he’d follow in the likes of Ichiro Suzuki with the Mariners and Hideki Matsui with the Yankees as players whose success in Japan translated into immediate impact with their respective major-league clubs.

To be fair, not many in baseball history are like Ichiro. But Kaz Matsui, who signed a three-year contract worth $20 million, was well below any hopes the Mets or Met fans had for him.

Like most things that take place on Opening Day, they turn into overreactions. For Matsui, it was all downhill from that night on. In two-plus seasons, he batted .272 with 125 hits, 11 homers, and an OPS+ of 75. Not only did his performance hurt the team, but his insertion as the starting shortstop hindered the progress of José Reyes — who was forced to transition to second base for his first full year in the majors.

It might have been more tolerable if Matsui was a solid fielder, but he wasn’t. Actually, he was a total liability. And it’s what took this experiment from a failure into a disaster.

By comparison, his first season in New York was his best. He slashed .272/.331/.396 and stole 14 of 17 bases. It was his defense that was a determent as he committed 23 errors while seemingly like he’d never played shortstop.

The Mets rightfully decided to move Reyes into his natural position while Matsui would play second. And in a whack-a-mole-like scenario, Matsui’s defense improved but his offense regressed significantly. In the first three months, Kaz appeared in 58 games, hitting .234/.284/.321. By midseason, he was replaced as the starting second baseman. A combination of injuries and poor play resulted in him appearing in just 29 games during the second half.

Matsui made the Mets’ roster out of spring training in 2006, but playing time was scarce. After 139 plate appearances hitting .200/.235/.269 with one homer, the Mets cut ties with a player they once envisioned as a future cornerstone. In June, he was dealt to the Colorado Rockies for Eli Marrero.

The only consistent aspect of Matsui’s Mets career was how he began each of his three seasons. After the 2004 home run, he took ex-Met Paul Wilson deep as the year’s second batter. And then in 2006, following a three weeks’ absence because of a knee injury, Matsui (batting eighth) got another homer — this one of the inside-the-park variety at San Diego’s Petco Park.

When a reporter asked him to gauge his chances of hitting a home run prior to his big-league debut, Matsui responded: “No chance.” That would’ve only been true if he was forecasting that his time in New York would be a success.

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Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

After David Wright signed his seven-year, $122 million contract, we knew he was going to re-write the New York Mets record books, and he did. If not for spinal stenosis, he would have put all the records well out of reach. Unfortunately, he did get injured, and as a result, he did put the records in play.

Other than Tim Healey of Newsday jokingly referring to Brandon Nimmo putting the hit by pitch record completely out of reach, we have not heard the same of Nimmo when he signed his eight-year, $162 million contract extension on Thursday. However, that is very much in play.

Remember, Nimmo is now in his prime coming off a career year (in terms of WAR), and now, he has eight years to be able to accumulate stats. Here are the Mets records and how far Nimmo trails:

Nimmo trails by a good number in most of these categories, but again, he has eight years to make up the difference. Here is what Nimmo would have to average over his eight seasons to go atop the leaderboard in each of the respective categories:

Well, right off the bat, we can say Jose Reyes‘ team records will remain in tact. While both are leadoff hitters, they are completely different ones. As a result, while Nimmo can steal you a base, and he did lead the league in triples this past season with 7, he’s simply never catching Reyes even if we may eventually view Nimmo as the best leadoff hitter in team history.

We can come close to saying Ed Kranepool‘s one remaining team record will remain in tact. With his injury history, it’s safe to say there is just no way we can reasonably expect Nimmo to play 156 games per season. If he plays 151 like he did this past season, that is a win.

Finally, we can be assured Nimmo will not threaten Darryl Strawberry. Certainly, Pete Alonso may eventually destroy that record, but he is going to have to sign his own extension in the future to do that.

Credit: USA TODAY

While the aforementioned Mets legends are safe, Wright’s position atop the leader-boards is a little tenuous. On the bright side for Wright, Nimmo shouldn’t be in a position to surpass him in RBI. It also looks like Wright’s doubles lead may be safe but is far from secure.

One thing to remember going forward is Major League Baseball has banned the shift. That creates chances for more hits, and Nimmo should be one of many beneficiaries of this change. As a result, we may see him make a real run at Wright’s hits lead. With Nimmo’s ability to draw walks, he should claim that record as well, and with all of his times on base, Wright’s runs scored record may also fall.

In a circuitous way, that brings us to WAR or, put it another way, Wright’s standing as the best position player in Mets history. When Nimmo has played at least 140 games in a season he has surpassed that 4.0 WAR mark. The caveat is he’s only done that twice in his career. However, Nimmo will be a beneficiary of the Mets’ investments in player health, which is something we saw play out with him playing 151 games this past season.

Nimmo averaging a 4.0 WAR over the next eight seasons is very much in play. With some big seasons early in this contract, he may very well surpass Wright. Of course, who will be seen as the best position player in Mets history is usually more subjective than objective. For example, Wright is universally seen as being a better Met than Strawberry even though Strawberry averaged a higher WAR than Wright, had a better higher wRC+ than Wright, and has a World Series ring which Wright doesn’t have.

The key for Nimmo is health. That is something that has eluded him most of his career, and health is the reason why many of Wright’s records are even in reach. In the end, it will be great to see Nimmo try to surpass Wright in all of these categories, and if he does that’s a good thing because it will mean success for him and the Mets.

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