All-time, All-Mets Team

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

So I was thinking to myself what an all-time team of baseball players who played their entire major league baseball career in a Mets' uniform. David Wright is a shoe-in for 3rd base, but then it seems that every other Met great has played on another team at one time or another. I suppose Ed Kranepool would make the team due to longevity. But who else?

[Edgy MD]

Pedro Feliciano is an obvious choice.

Ron Hodges is your catcher. Mike Nickeas may end up being his backup. Maybe John Gibbons?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Jeff Innis and Ron Gardenhire are both "pure", I think.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Mike Glavine? {ducks}

[Guest sharpie]

David Wright and Pedro Feliciano can't make the team yet. I think you have to be retired as they could pull a Cleon Jones or John Stearns and have a few meaningless at-bats elsewhere at the end of their career.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Mets players who never played for another big league team:

Rod Kanehl 1962-1964
Ed Kranepool 1962-1979
Bob Moorhead 1962, 1965-1965
Rick Herrscher 1962
Ray Daviault 1962
Ted Schreiber 1963
Al Moran 1963-1964
Don Rowe 1963
Grover Powell 1963
Steve Dillon 1963-1964
Ron Locke 1964
Bill Wakefield 1964
Jerry Hinsley 1964,1967
Danny Napoleon 1965-1966
Jim Bethke 1965
Dennis Musgraves 1965
Billy Murphy 1966
Shaun Fitzmaurice 1966
Dick Rusteck 1966
Bill Hepler 1966
Al Schmelz 1967
Joe Moock 1967
Les Rohr 1967-1969
Jessie Hudson 1969
Francisco Estrada 1971
Dave Schneck 1972-1974
Lute Barnes 1972-1973
Bob Rauch 1972
Bob Apodaca 1973-1977
Ron Hodges 1973-1984
George Theodore 1973-1974
Brian Ostrosser 1973
Greg Harts 1973
Randy Sterling 1974
Brock Pemberton 1974-1975
Bruce Boisclair 1974, 1976-1979
Rich Puig 1974
Rick Baldwin 1975-1977
Randy Tate 1975
Jay Kleven 1976
Leon Brown 1976
Bob Myrick 1976-1978
Luis Rosado 1977, 1980
Mike Bruhert 1978
Mardie Cornejo 1978
Kelvin Chapman 1979, 1984
Scott Holman 1980, 1982, 1983
Ron Gardenhire 1981-1985
Mike Howard 1981-1983
Brent Gaff 1982-1984
Mike Bishop 1983
John Gibbons 1984, 1986
Jeff Innis 1987-1993
Blaine Beatty 1989, 1991
Dave Liddell 1990
Kevin Baez 1990, 1992, 1993
Chris Jelic 1990
Terry McDaniel 1991
Joe Vitko 1992
D. J. Dozier 1992
Eric Hillman 1992-1994
Pat Howell 1992
Mike Draper 1993
Doug Saunders 1993
Tito Navarro 1993
Juan Castillo 1994
Don Florence 1995
Takashi Kashiwada 1997
Kevin Morgan 1997
Joe Crawford 1997
Jorge Toca 1999-2001
Eric Cammack 2000
Grant Roberts 2000-2004
Satoru Komiyama 2002
Esix Snead 2002, 2004
Pedro Feliciano 2002-2004, 2006-2010
Pat Strange 2002-2003
Jeff Duncan 2003-2004
Jason Roach 2003
Edwin Almonte 2003
Joe DePastino 2003
Prentice Redman 2003
Danny Garcia 2003-2004
Mike Glavine 2003
David Wright 2004-2012
Joe Hietpas 2004
Dae-Sung Koo 2005
Alay Soler 2006
Mike Pelfrey 2006-2012
Willie Collazo 2007
Carlos Muniz 2007-2008
Nick Evans 2008-2011
Argenis Reyes 2008-2009
Daniel Murphy 2008,2009,2011,2012
Eddie Kunz 2008
Jon Niese 2008-2012
Bobby Parnell 2008-2012
Ken Takahashi 2009
Josh Thole 2009-2012
Tobi Stoner 2009-2010
Ruben Tejada 2010-2012
Jenrry Mejia 2010, 2012
Ike Davis 2010-2012
Jesus Feliciano 2010
Lucas Duda 2010-2012
Mike Nickeas 2010-2012
Dillon Gee 2010-2012
Brad Emaus 2011
Josh Satin 2011-2012
Chris Schwinden 2011-2012
Kirk Nieuwenhuis 2012
Jeremy Hefner 2012
Jordany Valdespin 2012
Zach Lutz 2012
Robert Carson 2012
Elvin Ramirez 2012
Josh Edgin 2012
Matt Harvey 2012
Collin McHugh 2012
Jeurys Familia 2012

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

sharpie wrote: David Wright and Pedro Feliciano can't make the team yet. I think you have to be retired as they could pull a Cleon Jones or John Stearns and have a few meaningless at-bats elsewhere at the end of their career.

I'm doing this as an up-to-now team, but they would be removed from the roster should they join another MLB team later in their career.

[Edgy MD]

Argenis Reyes. This team is going to kick some serious ass.

[MFS62]

I realize it will only be an American League team, but I'm guessing that Josh Thole will drop off that list in about a week.

Later

[stevejrogers]

MFS62 wrote: I realize it will only be an American League team, but I'm guessing that Josh Thole will drop off that list in about a week. Later

Ditto Mike Pelfrey, whom is due to pitch against the Mets when they head up to Minnesota.

[Farmer Ted]

The infamous Frank Estrada resurfaces. Played in only one major league game in his entire career in 1969 and the first-ever Mexican-born catcher in the bigs. His baseball card will show he finished with a lifetime batting average .500! Also part of the Nolan Ryan trade. He needs to make the all-Mets 40-man roster fo sho.

a fun read: http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/4d5bebf7

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I've completely expunged from my memory that Tom Seaver player for other teams. Except for the no-hitter. And the 300th win.

[Vic Sage]

C - Ron Hodges 1973-1984
1B - Ike Davis 2010-2012
2b - Daniel Murphy 2008,2009,2011,2012
SS - Ron Gardenhire 1981-1985
3b - David Wright 2004-2012

LF - Lucas Duda 2010-2012
CF - Dave Schneck 1972-1974
RF - Bruce Boisclair 1974, 1976-1979

RSP - Mike Pelfrey 2006-2012
LSP - Jon Niese 2008-2012
RHRP - Bobby Parnell 2008-2012
LHRP - Pedro Feliciano 2002-2004, 2006-2010

[u:r5tzmxm4]retired players only:[/u:r5tzmxm4]

C - Ron Hodges 1973-1984
1B - Ed Kranepool 1962-1979
2b - Kelvin Chapman 1979, 1984
SS - Ron Gardenhire 1981-1985
3b - Rod Kanehl 1962-1964

LF - George Theodore 1973-1974
CF - Dave Schneck 1972-1974
RF - Bruce Boisclair 1974, 1976-1979

RSP - Bob Myrick 1976-1978
LSP - Eric Hillman 1992-1994
RHRP - Bob Apodaca 1973-1977
LHRP - Rick Baldwin 1975-1977

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

I'm now a little sad that I brought this topic up.

[seawolf17]

So when Pelf becomes a Twin, the best all-time only-Met RHSP from the team that brought you Seaver and Doc... is Bob Myrick.

[RealityChuck]

My sentimental choice is Shaun Fitzmaurice.

[Guest sharpie]

Josh Thole has been sent to the minors by the Jays along with other ex-Met Mike Nickeas in favor of yet another ex-Met Henry Blanco so Josh might make that team yet.

[Vic Sage]

i'd still rather have Ron Hodges, if only for sentiment's sake.
on edit: on further review, Hodges actually had a better career OPS+ compared to Thole so far. so its not just sentiment.

[Edgy MD]

Hodges could work a walk.

[Vic Sage]

Mets � Willets Point wrote: I'm now a little sad that I brought this topic up.

yeah, when i started going through the list, it became clear we would not be fielding an all-star team. But i think with most franchises, the guys who end up as "career" guys are either marginal players with short careers (they get a shot and then they're gone), or limited playing time over a long period (bench players), or face-of-the-franchise superstars. I think the mid-tier guys, the productive guys with market value, tend to price themselves out with their first team and move on for a bigger mid-career contract.

Where i think the mets have come up short is that they don't lock down their stars, with Wright being the only exception (so far). That all-stars Seaver, Koosman, Cleon, Harrelson, Ryan, Matlack, McGraw, Ken Singleton, Amos Otis, Craig Swan, Hubie Brooks, Mookie, Mazz, Doc & Daryl, Dykstra, Darling, Orosco & McDowell, Fonzie, Hundley, Jeffries, Reardon, Isringhausen and ReyRey (to name a few) weren't career mets is where we suffer (historically speaking) as a franchise.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Singleton and Brooks, at least, were traded for veteran players (both from the Expos!) who helped the Mets win a pennant.

From your list, it's guys like Mookie and Cleon who came closest to having an exclusive Mets career, and would have if they hadn't been needlessly dispatched.

[Edgy MD]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Singleton and Brooks, at least, were traded for veteran players (both from the Expos!) who helped the Mets win a pennant.

Mazzilli, too, if you take out the Expo clause.

Mets can't be too blamed for Cleon Jones and Craig Swan shlubbing it over to the American League for a few pointless appearances it at the end of their careers.

[seawolf17]

I'd honestly bet that not too many franchises can field a much better team, especially any of the other ones who predate free agency.

A quick glance, for example, at the OnlyPadres career HR leaders, not counting 2012 players:
Tony Gwynn 135
Edgar Gonzalez (2008-09) 11
Tim Flannery 9
Dave Staton (1993-94) 9
Dave Hilton (1972-75) 6

The OnlyPadres career IP leaders, not counting 2012 players:
Mike Corkins (1969-74) 459 1/3
Brian Tollberg (2000-03) 307 1/3
Joe McIntosh (1974-75) 220 1/3
Rich Troedson (1973-74) 171
Floyd Chiffer (1982-84) 130

So let's not beat ourselves up too much.

[seawolf17]

OnlyAstros HR Leaders:
Bagwell 449
Biggio 291
Tony Eusebio 30

OnlyCardinals HR Leaders:
Musial 475
Whitey Kurowski 106
Terry Moore 80
Yadier Molina 77
Mike Shannon 68
Pepper Martin 59
Chris Duncan 55

[Guest sharpie]

The Padres at least have Tony Gwynn; the Astros Bagwell and Biggio. At this point, excluding non-retired players, we got nobody who objective observers would cite as a "good player."

[Edgy MD]

Well, Wright. He's signed through the apparent end of his career. He's approaching five-and-dime status. So, hopefully the organization is putting that behind them.

[Guest sharpie]

I said retired players. Wright could play out the contract and then have some broken-down DH appearances for the Indians.

[Chad ochoseis]

sharpie wrote: I said retired players. Wright could play out the contract and then have some broken-down DH appearances for the Indians.

The "All-Mets" idea is a neat bit of trivia, but if Wright ends his career batting .260 in 100 at bats as an AL DH, it wouldn't make him less Metly in any meaningful way.

Letting a star go near the end of his career beats the alternative. I wouldn't say Hank Aaron's Braveness was diminished by the fact that he ended his career as a Brewer.

[Guest sharpie]

Nor I but the condition for this exercise was players who played for no other team but the Mets.

[Vic Sage]

Edgy MD wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: Singleton and Brooks, at least, were traded for veteran players (both from the Expos!) who helped the Mets win a pennant. Mazzilli, too, if you take out the Expo clause. Mets can't be too blamed for Cleon Jones and Craig Swan shlubbing it over to the American League for a few pointless appearances it at the end of their careers.

To be clear, i'm not suggesting the Mets are to blame here for anything. just an observation that we've never had a good Met retire as one (for whatever the reasons).
Wright has a chance to do so, but he might not either.