Top 56 Seasons Of All-Time

[Zvon]

dgwphotography wrote: I think 1986 left a sour taste in my mouth, because I look at it as if it should have been more.

I assume you mean more success in 87, 88, 89, 90........

I really thought we had a dynasty in the working. Kinda still was, as far as good Met teams go, but the end results did not meet my expectations.

[Edgy MD]

[Guest Mets Willets Point]

My favorite seasons include 1985, the first season in which I was actively interested in following baseball (and the Mets were fun but fell short), 1997 when I got back to watching baseball after a few years of collegiate indifference (and the Mets were fun but fell short), and 2015 because that team was just so much fun and likable and did so many unbelievable things. I'm also much more fond of 1987 than Greg because I see it more as another reason to hate the f'in' Cardinals than to be disappointed in the Mets.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Once you start making rules as to winning percentage governing things it interferes with my perception.

I'd probably rank 84 as my favorite year. I also have a fondness for 99, 76, and 05 among the non-pennant years.

[Benjamin Grimm]

My favorite years in which the Mets didn't win the pennant would probably be, in order, 1985, 1999, and 2006. And then 1988, I guess.

That 1999 post-season made me feel like a kid again. And the 2015 post-season did the same. So much fun.

[G-Fafif]

In crafting the Top 56, I went with the concept that seasons are better when your team a) clinches something; wins more than it loses. Think how happy you were at the moment last outs were secured the twenty times the Mets ran toward each other to embrace and douse one another. The goal is to get to those moments. On a more basic level, winning simply beats losing over ~162 games.

On a more personal level, I maintain a different order of preference: 1999 and 1985 at the very top, with 1986, 1997, 1980, 1975 and 1970 filling the next tier of full-season experience, and special places reserved for the stretch drives and postseasons of 1969 and 1973. A lot of honorable mentions as well.

[Guest 41Forever]

I was working as a reporting intern in the summer of 1986, and one of the reporters who was a Mets fan was talking about that season verses 1985. He said he was actually enjoying 1986 less while it was happening because it was a foregone conclusion that the team was going to win the division, whereas the year before it seemed like he was hanging on every game, and every game mattered and he couldn't wait for the that day's game to start.

I get what he was saying. I also enjoyed clobbering the competition. I loved that cocky team.

[batmagadanleadoff]

G-Fafif wrote: On a more personal level, I maintain a different order of preference: 1999 and 1985 at the very top, with 1986, 1997, 1980, 1975 and 1970 filling the next tier of full-season experience, and special places reserved for the stretch drives and postseasons of 1969 and 1973. A lot of honorable mentions as well.

I thought this piece was the most enjoyable one of the year, and that's saying a lot.

I would have liked to read your "personal level" list. The way I figure it, it's your subjective list, so tell us how you really feel. Why paint yourself into a corner by imposing self-constraints with rules about these kind of seasons having to be ranked over those kinds of seasons which in turn need be ranked higher than the ones over here? Anything unexpected or counter-intuitive would make for an interesting read and you, of all people, have the expertise and credibility to pull off any "crazy" take on the rankings.

[Zvon]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: On a more personal level, I maintain a different order of preference: 1999 and 1985 at the very top, with 1986, 1997, 1980, 1975 and 1970 filling the next tier of full-season experience, and special places reserved for the stretch drives and postseasons of 1969 and 1973. A lot of honorable mentions as well. I thought this piece was the most enjoyable one of the year, and that's saying a lot. I would have liked to read your "personal level" list. The way I figure it, it's your subjective list, so tell us how you really feel. Why paint yourself into a corner by imposing self-constraints with rules about these kind of seasons having to be ranked over those kinds of seasons which in turn need be ranked higher than the ones over here? Anything unexpected or counter-intuitive would make for an interesting read and you, of all people, have the expertise and credibility to pull off any "crazy" take on the rankings.

WHAT HE SAID!^

[ashie62]

Nymr83 wrote: Ashie62 wrote: 1999 was best for me. Had a corporate for all home game and was about fifteen yards from Chipper in the Ventura game. I was barely aware it was drizzling. I thought Octavio Dotel would become the next Mariano Rivera. Saw Ventura's ball moving through the raindrops like a star. The moment Finley turned around with his head down and then it was all confetti and Gary Glitter. I have the unused WS ticket sheet. I was 16 and I've learned since growing up and having kids that sports will never be as meaningful to you again as they once were. 1999 will forever be my top Mets season. Damn you, Kenny Rogers.

WORD

[Edgy MD]

I guess I was 16 in 1983, and damned if that wasn't my favorite.

And for Pete Flynn's sake, it was 1983.

[G-Fafif]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: On a more personal level, I maintain a different order of preference: 1999 and 1985 at the very top, with 1986, 1997, 1980, 1975 and 1970 filling the next tier of full-season experience, and special places reserved for the stretch drives and postseasons of 1969 and 1973. A lot of honorable mentions as well. I thought this piece was the most enjoyable one of the year, and that's saying a lot. I would have liked to read your "personal level" list. The way I figure it, it's your subjective list, so tell us how you really feel. Why paint yourself into a corner by imposing self-constraints with rules about these kind of seasons having to be ranked over those kinds of seasons which in turn need be ranked higher than the ones over here? Anything unexpected or counter-intuitive would make for an interesting read and you, of all people, have the expertise and credibility to pull off any "crazy" take on the rankings.

Much, much appreciated. "Top" vs. favorite has always been an intriguing delineation for me, dating to the Top 79 Songs of 1972 referenced in the article. This time top (constraints, rules and all), next time, perhaps, the fave raves from going on 57 years of swingin' Met hits.

[Zvon]

G-Fafif wrote: G-Fafif wrote: On a more personal level, I maintain a different order of preference: 1999 and 1985 at the very top, with 1986, 1997, 1980, 1975 and 1970 filling the next tier of full-season experience, and special places reserved for the stretch drives and postseasons of 1969 and 1973. A lot of honorable mentions as well. I thought this piece was the most enjoyable one of the year, and that's saying a lot. I would have liked to read your "personal level" list. The way I figure it, it's your subjective list, so tell us how you really feel. Why paint yourself into a corner by imposing self-constraints with rules about these kind of seasons having to be ranked over those kinds of seasons which in turn need be ranked higher than the ones over here? Anything unexpected or counter-intuitive would make for an interesting read and you, of all people, have the expertise and credibility to pull off any "crazy" take on the rankings. Much, much appreciated. "Top" vs. favorite has always been an intriguing delineation for me, dating to the Top 79 Songs of 1972 referenced in the article. This time top (constraints, rules and all), next time, perhaps, the fave raves from going on 57 years of swingin' Met hits.

That'b great. And you have next years article topic already penciled in! A Yay! for the both of us.

[G-Fafif]

Was invited on the Talkin' Mets podcast to dive in to the Top 56 countdown, with detours into basically every Mets era. Listen here should the Super Bowl pregame show run out of steam over the next several hours.

[Zvon]

Was invited on the Talkin' Mets podcast to dive in to the Top 56 countdown, with detours into basically every Mets era. Listen here should the Super Bowl pregame show run out of steam over the next several hours.

OOOOh, I like the jazzy/Shaft version of Meet The Mets.

I linked all my bros to that article and they really dug it.

We need to chip in and get that guy a mic that don't *POP*.
What a devious chuckle you have Greg.