Mets All-Time World Series Team

[G-Fafif]

Just read the wire service story on the Mets' all-time World Series roster in advance of the Fall Fantasy Classic versus their American League opponents. I know Hodges was sort of constrained, having to pick five guys each from the 1969, 1973, 1986, 2000 and 2015 teams, but he wound up leaving off a lot of good players. Still a pretty talented bunch.

NEW YORK METS FALL FANTASY CLASSIC ROSTER PITCHERS Koosman, Jerry (LHP) – 1969 Leiter, Al (LHP) – 2000 McGraw, Tug (LHP) – 1973 Ojeda, Bobby (LHP) – 1986 Reed, Rick (RHP) – 2000 Ryan, Nolan (RHP) – 1969 Seaver, Tom (RHP) –1973 Stone, George (LHP) – 1973 Syndergaard, Noah (RHP) – 2015 Wendell, Turk (RHP) – 2000 CATCHERS Carter, Gary (R) – 1986 Piazza, Mike (R) – 2000 INFIELDERS Alfonzo, Edgardo (R) – 2000 Backman, Wally (S) – 1986 Clendenon, Donn (R) – 1969 Harrelson, Bud (R) – 1973 Hernandez, Keith (L) – 1986 Uribe, Juan (R) – 2015 Weis, Al (S) – 1969 Wright, David (R) – 2015 OUTFIELDERS Agee, Tommie (R) – 1969 Cespedes, Yoenis (R) – 2015 Granderson, Curtis (L) – 2015 Staub, Rusty (L) – 1973 Strawberry, Darryl (L) – 1986 MANAGER: Gil Hodges COACHES: Yogi Berra (Pitching), Terry Collins (Bullpen), Davey Johnson (First Base), Bobby Valentine (Third Base) NOTE: Fall Fantasy Classic roster must consist of five players apiece from each New York Mets World Series roster. If a player is injured during the Classic, he may be replaced, but only by a member of his year’s World Series roster.

[Edgy MD]

INFIELDERS Alfonzo, Edgardo (R) – 2000 Backman, Wally (S) – 1986 Clendenon, Donn (R) – 1969 Harrelson, Bud (R) – 1973 Hernandez, Keith (L) – 1986 Uribe, Juan (R) – 2015 Weis, Al (S) – 1969 Wright, David (R) – 2015

Man, this week is just not breaking well for Ray Knight.

[G-Fafif]

Edgy MD wrote: Man, this week is just not breaking well for Ray Knight.

Yeah, judging by the reaction he gave in the story, he was pissed.

[Guest sharpie]

Juan Uribe is happy and surprised to be on the team.

[Centerfield]

Saw Timo Perez slamming his locker and stomping out of the room in anger.

[Chad ochoseis]

Somewhere, it's 1973 and Jon Matlack and his 0.900 WHIP in 16+ innings are pissed that George Stone was picked over him.

A first pass at Earl Weaver's picks for the opposition:

Pitchers:

Dave McNally (1969)
Mike Cuellar (1969)
Bruce Hurst (1986)
Roger F. Clemens (2000)
Johnny Cueto (2015)
Andy Pettitte (2000)

Darold Knowles (1973)
Rollie Fingers (1973)


Infielders:
Bert Campaneris (1973)
Eric Hosmer (2015)
Ben Zobrist (2015)
Mike Moustakas (2015)
Wade Boggs (1986)
Marty Barrett (1986)
Boog Powell (1969)
Mark Belanger (1969)

THIRD BASEMAN
Derek F. Jeter (2000)


Outfielders:
Reggie Jackson (1973)
Joe Rudi (1973)
Paul O'Neill (2000)
Jim Rice (1986)
Dwight Evans (1986)
Frank Robinson (1969)

Catchers:
Salvador Perez (2015)
Jorge Posada (2000)

If you think I need another pitcher, add Jim Palmer (who had a crappy Series) and cut Mark Belanger.

Mets sweep, of course. The Steinbrenners fire Weaver at the end of the WS.

[Guest cooby]

I'd have picked Grote

[Vic Sage]

where can you find the WS rosters for each of those years? I can find the rosters for those seasons, but not specifically the WS rosters.

[Chad ochoseis]

Baseball Reference has the pitching and hitting stats, though not the actual rosters.

[Edgy MD]

Centerfield wrote: Saw Timo Perez slamming his locker and stomping out of the room in anger.

Knowing Timo, he probably stomped out at half speed, and Zeile wasn't exactly riding up his tail.

[Benjamin Grimm]

cooby wrote: I'd have picked Grote

Grote was terrific, but he's not nearly at the level of Gary Carter and Mike Piazza.

[Centerfield]

Edgy MD wrote: Centerfield wrote: Saw Timo Perez slamming his locker and stomping out of the room in anger. Knowing Timo, he probably stomped out at half speed, and Zeile wasn't exactly riding up his tail.

This memory hurts.

In both of our last Game 1's, we made asshead plays and blew 1 run leads in the 9th. Stupid Mets. We should have 4 WS Championships.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'd also like to buy back those last two games in Oakland in 1973.

[Guest 41Forever]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I'd also like to buy back those last two games in Oakland in 1973.

Would have been a very sweet victory!

[Centerfield]

So of the three we lost, which one do you reverse?

If it were me, alone, I'd pick 2000. No question about it. But I think now, I'd pick 2015, so my kids could feel the joy of a World Series victory at the point in their lives where it means the most.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I think I'd reverse 2000, only because of the opponent.

I'm not sure that 2015 would mean the most to your kids. (It would mean more than 2000 would, of course, but perhaps not more than 2023 would. Or will.) I was 10 in 1973, but I don't think a win in that Series would have meant as much to me as 1986 did, when I was 23. At that age, I was old enough to appreciate how special it was, but young enough to have it mean the world to me.

[Guest d'Kong76]

1973 was when I really was getting into this whole life-long Mets obsession
and for some reason for many years them winning the pennant seemed like a
much bigger deal to me that it did in 2000 and 2015.

Most disappointing for me was 2000 (I had season tickets and went to a lot
of both regular and post-season games/and it was the Yankees), 2015, and
then 1973.

[G-Fafif]

The Mets who were on World Series rosters but didn't see action...

1969: DiLauro, Koonce, McAndrew, McGraw
1973: Capra, Dyer, McAndrew
1986: Hearn, Niemann
2015: Plawecki

McGraw was a big part of the 1973 Series and Dyer got an AB in 1969. Jim McAndrew was a spectator both times he was named.

Bobby V used all 25 of his men in 2000.

[Vic Sage]

i'm not sure if this exercise is about naming the guys on those world series rosters (5 from each team) who played the best in that series (like Weis), or in that season (like deGrom), in their Met careers (Strawberry), or based on their entire careers (Staub). He's got guys from all of those categories, so its unclear to me what is trying to be accomplished.

If i were just to pick the "5 best Mets" from the rosters of those WS teams (5 per team), my 25-man roster would be:

C - Piazza (00)
1b - Hernandez (86)
2b - Alfonzo (00)
SS - Harrelson (69) [Reyes not on a WS roster; Hojo = `86 team]
3b - Wright (15)
Lf - Jones (69)
Cf - Cespedes (15) [beltran not on a WS roster]
RF - Strawberry (86)

C2 - Carter (86)
Of - Agee (69)
Of - Granderson (15) [Dykstra, Wilson = `86]
IF/of - Staub (73)
UT - Garrett (73) [Hojo, Mitchell = `86]

Sp - Seaver (69)
Sp - Kooz* (73)
Sp - Gooden (86)
Sp - Leiter* (00)
Sp - Matlack (73) [Darling, Fernandez, Ojeda = 86]

Cl - McGraw* (73)
Cl,Set - Benitez (00)
Cl,Set - Orosco* (86)
MI - Familia (15) [McDowell = `86]
MI - Franco* (00)
Sp/Rp - Ryan* (69)
Sp/Rp - DeGrom or Syndegaard (15) [Darling, Fernandez, Ojeda = 86]

The "5 per team" rule really screws the `86 team

[Guest 41Forever]

G-Fafif wrote: The Mets who were on World Series rosters but didn't see action... 1969: DiLauro, Koonce, McAndrew, McGraw 1973: Capra, Dyer, McAndrew 1986: Hearn, Niemann 2015: Plawecki McGraw was a big part of the 1973 Series and Dyer got an AB in 1969. Jim McAndrew was a spectator both times he was named. Bobby V used all 25 of his men in 2000.

Was Matt Reynolds on the 2015 World Series roster, or was that just the LCS? I remember thinking that it would have been cool for him to make his Major League debut in the postseason!

[Edgy MD]

Yes, he was.

The funny thing was that Kansas City instead had a player make his MLB debut in the World Series. I think he was the first player to do so in like 85 years or something.

[seawolf17]

Edgy MD wrote: Yes, he was. The funny thing was that Kansas City instead had a player make his MLB debut in the World Series. I think he was the first player to do so in like 85 years or something.

Raul Mondesi Jr., yes.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I may not be remembering correctly, but I think Reynolds was on the 2015 NLCS roster, but not on the World Series roster because Uribe was activated.

Unless Uribe displaced someone else...

[ashie62]

Poor Ron Swoboda!

[Gwreck]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Reynolds was on the 2015 NLCS roster, but not on the World Series roster because Uribe was activated

Accurate.

[Guest cooby]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: cooby wrote: I'd have picked Grote Grote was terrific, but he's not nearly at the level of Gary Carter and Mike Piazza.

Wasn't jerry Grote on two Ws teams?

[ashie62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: cooby wrote: I'd have picked Grote Grote was terrific, but he's not nearly at the level of Gary Carter and Mike Piazza.

Yeah, but Piazza didn't do anything.

[Guest cooby]

Pretty GD sure I mentioned Jerry Grote's TWO WS appearances here but I don't see it

Blind moment

Edited October 28, 2017 by Guest

[Guest cooby]

Thank you ashie. Quality in memories

[Frayed Knot]

Ashie62 wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: cooby wrote: I'd have picked Grote Grote was terrific, but he's not nearly at the level of Gary Carter and Mike Piazza. Yeah, but Piazza didn't do anything.

Not sure that I'd consider 6-for-22 incl. 2 doubles & 2 HRs with 3 runs scored and 4 batted in over 5 games to be "not anything"