NY Mets Hall of Fame Class of 2026

[metirish]

[TWEET]

[/TWEET]

 

Lee Mazzilli

Bobby Valentine

Carlos Beltran

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

I like that list!

[Edgy MD]

All worthy.

All sexy.

Nice to see the Mets remember that that HoF exists after going from zero to number retirement with David Wright. They seem to have been in a pattern for a long time of skipping a bunch of years and then trying to catch up by putting several folks in at once. The best run they had was from 1998 to 1993, putting one figure in per season each year. Since then, it has been skip-a-bunch-of-years/enshrine-a-bunch-of-folks.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I agree with Beltran and Bobby. Not so sure about Maz.

[Frayed Knot]

Wait, this means no number retirement?!?

I think all three should feel insulted and boycott the proceedings.

Not so sure about Mazz either.

[Gwreck]

I’ll go a step further and say that Mazzilli is both *not* worthy and the weakest player inductee into the Mets HOF.

The only retired-but-not-yet-inducted players I’d consider for the Mets HOF are: Reyes (a complicated case) and John Stearns.

(Obviously deGrom, Alonso, Lindor, and Nimmo will all get in after their careers are over).

[Gwreck]

Wait, this means no number retirement?!?

I think all three should feel insulted and boycott the proceedings.

 

Unlike several of the recent retirements, a retirement for Beltran’s number would be appropriate if/when he is elected to the Hall of Fame.

The cynical among us would note that occasion would provide the opportunity for a separate celebration/increased ticket draw day. Which, I recall, is what happened with Piazza — he was inducted into the Mets HOF a couple years before his MLB HOF induction (after which his number was retired).

[MFS62]

I’ll go a step further and say that Mazzilli is both *not* worthy and the weakest player inductee into the Mets HOF.

 

Plus, I don't forget that incident as an MFY coach against the Mets. From that moment on, he lost his Metliness to me.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

If they want to honor a representative from that era, the Joe Torre years, John Stearns would be my choice. I wonder if he would have been the guy if he wasn't dead at the present time.

Being dead shouldn't be a disqualification. I'm looking at you, Rube Walker.

[Edgy MD]

Rube Walker and John Stearns are both excellent candidates — probably among the best of currently available candidacies.

Would Lee Mazzilli have the weakest playing legacy of any HoF enshrinee? I do not know, but if he did, Ed Kranepool would be relieved to hear it.

Like Ed, Lee has his playing record augmented by some cultural cache, face-of-the-franchise juice, homeboy status, and a World Series ring.

[G-Fafif]

Three “aye” votes here.

[stevejrogers]

If they want to honor a representative from that era, the Joe Torre years, John Stearns would be my choice. I wonder if he would have been the guy if he wasn't dead at the present time.

Being dead shouldn't be a disqualification. I'm looking at you, Rube Walker.

 

FYI the only posthumous induction since the 2010 relaunch was Al Jackson getting the achievement award in 2021 (passed away in 2019)

Others

Casey Stengel 1981, died 1975

Joan Payson 1981, died 1975

Gil Hodges 1982, died 1972

George Weiss 1982, died 1972

Johnny Murphy 1983, died 1970

Tommie Agee 2002, died 2001

[stevejrogers]

Rube Walker and John Stearns are both excellent candidates — probably among the best of currently available candidacies.

Would Lee Mazzilli have the weakest playing legacy of any HoF enshrinee? I do not know, but if he did, Ed Kranepool would be relieved to hear it.

Like Ed, Lee has his playing record augmented by some cultural cache, face-of-the-franchise juice, homeboy status, and a World Series ring.

 

Yeah, but no one is clamoring that Lee’s boyhood home be kept as a shrine and tourist attraction museum!

[Edgy MD]

That Nancy Seaver candidacy isn't going to fuel itself.

[Cowtipper]

Good crew. Means I'm getting old since guys I watched in my teens are being elected now.