All-Time Mets Lineup

[Centerfield]

Some good numbers in 2006 lead to changes in my All-Time Mets lineup:

1. Jose Reyes (2006) SS
2. Edgardo Alfonzo (2000) 2B
3. John Olerud (1998) 1B
4. Mike Piazza (2000) C
5. Carlos Beltran (2006) CF
6. Darryl Strawberry (1987) RF
7. David Wright (2006) 3B
8. Bernard Gilkey (1996) LF

Prior to last year, I would have led off with 1996 Lance Johnson, put 1989 HoJo in the middle somewhere, and I guess I would have gone with 2005 Reyes near the bottom of the lineup.

Your mileage may vary.

[Centerfield]

Oh, and my rotation would be:

Dwight Gooden (1985)
Tom Seaver (1971)
David Cone (1988)
Frank Viola (1990)
Pedro (2005)

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I think I'd take a 1968 Koosman over a 1990 Viola.

[Centerfield]

My rotation is obviously skewed by those I got the chance to watch in person. Some of that can be seen by my taking '71 Seaver over his '69 counterpart. All the numbers suggest Seaver was better in '71, but fans who were around in '69 say the Franchise was at his best that year.

[Guest iramets]

I'd like to read the "all-time" list of some pisher who first started watching Mets baseball in 2002.

Can it be an "all-time" list if you're only going to write about the players you've actually seen?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Johnson 89 was on a different planet from Wright when you look at context.

[Centerfield]

I didn't see '71 Seaver either (born in '75). My rationale was that I would be more inclined to take a player I had seen play over a player whose performance I can only base on stats. So where as Viola and Koos may have been similar pitchers, (similar W/L, both ERA's about a run below league averate), I'm more inclined to take the guy I saw.

Those who saw his performance in the '69 World Series might be more inclined to take Jerry.

On a related note, I had always suspected I would take '85 Keith over Olerud because my memory of him was that he was fantastic that year. But looking at the numbers, I realized taking him over Olerud would be foolish.

Besides, as far as lineup goes, I can't think of anyone pre-1983 other than '70 Agee who might possibly crack that lineup.

[metirish]

Started watching in 1996.....so going on players I have seen play...

1. Jose Reyes (2006) SS
2. Edgardo Alfonzo (2000) 2B
3. John Olerud (1998) 1B
4. Mike Piazza (2000) C
5. Carlos Beltran (2006) CF
6. Benny Agbayani (2000) RF
7. Robin Ventura ( 1999) 3B
8. Cliff Floyd (2005) LF

1. Pedro Martinez -( 2005)
2. Al Leiter ( 1999)
3. Tom Glavine (2006)
4. Rick Reed (1998)
5. Bobby Jones ( 1997)

[Guest sharpie]

I saw Koosman in '68 and Viola in '90 and Koosman is the winner.

[Guest iramets]

I started watching last night and here's my all-time great Mets lineup

Reyes (ss, 2007)
LoDuca (c, 2007)
Beltran (cf, 2007)
Delgado (1B, 2007)
Wright (3B, 2007)
Alou (LF, 2007)
Green (RF, 2007)
Valentin (2B, 2007)
Maine (RHP, 2007)

[nymr83]

metirish- instead of Agbayani's 2000 I'd try (within your time frame) Henderson's 1999 or Cedeno's 1999.

[metirish]

Nymr83 wrote: metirish- instead of Agbayani's 2000 I'd try (within your time frame) Henderson's 1999 or Cedeno's 1999.

I did think about Roger,but really apart from the stolen bases was it really a great year,not saying that Benny's was better but still.

[Vic Sage]

1. Jose Reyes (2006) SS
2. John Olerud (1998) 1B
3. Mike Piazza (2000) C
4. Darryl Strawberry (1987) RF
5. Carlos Beltran (2006) CF
6. Bernard Gilkey (1996) LF
7. Howard Johnson (1989) 3B
8. Edgardo Alfonzo (2000) 2B

Wright's 06 was very close, but did not top Hojo's 1989.

Hojo (89): OPS+ = 169 / TB = 319 / RC = 119
Wright (06): OPS+ = 136 / TB = 309 / RC = 118

Dwight Gooden (1985)
Tom Seaver (1971)
Koosman (1968)
David Cone (1988)
Pedro Martinez (2005)

I'd consider Matlack(72,74), Ojeda and Sid (86,88), Leiter (98,00) and maybe Saberhagen (94) before Viola (90). Frankie was a workhorse, and got to 20 wins, but he wasn't a dominating pitcher.

[Guest Edgy DC]

169 vs. 136 doesn't seem all that close, and, while I'm not big on runs created, I think 319 of them goes well further in 1989 than 318 today.

[Vic Sage]

Edgy DC wrote: 169 vs. 136 doesn't seem all that close, and, while I'm not big on runs created, I think 319 of them goes well further in 1989 than 318 today.

That's true, but i was being deferential to the new golden boy.

Wright's season, actually, was almost identical to Ventura's excellent 1999 season:

Ventura (1999): OPS+ = 132 / TB = 311 / RC = 118
Wright (2006): OPS+ = 136 / TB = 309 / RC = 118

Neither of them was as good as Hojo at his peak, even if you factor in defensive superiority of Ventura and Wright.