It’s hard to believe that we’re only a few seasons removed from some of the best offensive seasons in Mets history (hard to argue they haven’t been offensive lately, just in a different sense).
So what are the 10 best Mets seasons in terms of offensive production over the last 34 seasons? (I’m using 1980 because I’ve been following the team since the 80s)
Runs Scored Per Game
1. 1999 – 853 scored – 5.23
2. 2006 – 834 scored – 5.15
3. 1987 – 823 scored – 5.08
4. 2000 – 807 scored – 4.98
5. 2007 – 804 scored – 4.96
6. 2008 – 799 scored – 4.93
7. 1986 – 783 scored – 4.83
8. 1997 – 777 scored – 4.80
9. 1990 – 775 scored – 4.72
10. 1996 – 746 scored – 4.60
We can see that from 2006-2008, the Mets produced some of their best offensive clubs since the 80s. Yes, they collapsed in 2007 and 2008, but they had some of their best run producing seasons those three years. From 1996-2000, we saw 4 of the top 10 best offensive seasons (with the exception of 1998, which did not make the list). 1986-1987 also produced another two top 10 seasons. The only season that isn’t clumped together was 1990 – which was at the tail end of their dominance and followed the 1988 and 1989 seasons which included some of their top pitching clubs.
So who made up these typical lineups during these seasons of offensive plenty?
2006-2008
C – Paul Lo Duca / Brian Schneider
1B – Carlos Delgado
2B – Jose Valentin / Luis Castillo
SS – Jose Reyes
3B – David Wright
OF – Cliff Floyd / Moises Alou / Fernando Tatis
OF – Carlos Beltran
OF – Xavier Nady / Shawn Green / Ryan Church
Where was there continuity over those three seasons? Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, David Wright, and Carlos Beltran. Four pretty good names.
1996*-1997
C – Todd Hundley
1B – Butch Huskey / John Olerud
2B – Jose Vizcaino / Carlos Baerga
SS – Rey Ordonez
3B – Jeff Kent / Edgardo Alfonzo
OF – Bernard Gilkey
OF – Lance Johnson
OF – Alex Ochoa / Butch Huskey
* Edgardo Alfonzo made 85 starts in 1996 at 2B/3B/SS
1999-2000
C – Mike Piazza
1B – John Olerud / Todd Zeile
2B – Edgardo Alfonzo
SS – Rey Ordonez / Mike Bordick
3B – Robin Ventura
OF – Rickey Henderson / Benny Agbayani
OF – Brian McRae / Jay Payton
OF – Roger Cedeno / Derek Bell
1986-1987*
C – Gary Carter
1B – Keith Hernandez
2B – Wally Backman
SS – Rafael Santana
3B – Ray Knight / Howard Johnson
OF – Mookie Wilson / Kevin McReynolds
OF – Lenny Dykstra
OF – Darryl Strawberry
* Tim Teufel made 70 starts in 1986 and 72 starts in 1987 as part of a platoon with Backman, Mookie Wilson made 76 starts in 1987
1990
C – Mackey Sasser
1B – Dave Magadan
2B – Gregg Jefferies
SS – Kevin Elster
3B – Howard Johnson
OF – Kevin McReynolds
OF – Daryl Boston
OF – Darryl Strawberry