Gwreck

How long can you go in order for? [th]Name[/th][th]WAR[/th][td]Tom Seaver[/td][td]109.9[/td][td]Nolan Ryan[/td][td]81.3[/td][td]Jerry Koosman[/td][td]53.7[/td][td][/td][td]53.0[/td][td][/td][td]49.1[/td][td][/td][td]47.9[/td][td][/td][td]42.8[/td][td][/td][td]42.4[/td][td][/td][td]42.2[/td][td][/td][td]40.2[/td][td][/td][td]39.4[/td][td][/td][td]37.0[/td][td][/td][td]32.7[/td][td][/td][td]29.2[/td][td][/td][td]28.8[/td][td][/td][td]28.3[/td][td][/td][td]26.1[/td][td][/td][td]23.3[/td][td][/td][td]23.2[/td][td][/td][td]23.0[/td][td][/td][td]22.7[/td][td][/td][td]22.4[/td][td][/td][td]21.9[/td][td][/td][td]21.8[/td][td][/td][td]21.1[/td][td][/td][td]20.8[/td][td][/td][td]20.3[/td]

As requested in the other quiz: Can you name the all-time best players (as per WAR) whose first major league game was with the New York Mets? Degree of difficulty: there are some layups here, but also several harder ones. This list goes through anyone who had at least 20 career WAR. We'll take the two Hall of Famers off the board to start: [th]Name[/th][th]WAR[/th][td]Tom Seaver[/td][td]109.9[/td][td]Nolan Ryan[/td][td]81.3[/td][td][/td][td]53.7[/td][td][/td][td]53.0[/td][td][/td][td]49.1[/td][td][/td][td]47.9[/td][td][/td][td]42.8[/td][td][/td][td]42.4[/td][td][/td][td]42.2[/td][td][/td][td]40.2[/td][td][/td][td]39.4[/td][td][/td][td]37.0[/td][td][/td][td]32.7[/td][td][/td][td]29.2[/td][td][/td][td]28.8[/td][td][/td][td]28.3[/td][td][/td][td]26.1[/td][td][/td][td]23.3[/td][td][/td][td]23.2[/td][td][/td][td]23.0[/td][td][/td][td]22.4[/td][td][/td][td]21.9[/td][td][/td][td]21.8[/td][td][/td][td]21.1[/td][td][/td][td]20.8[/td][td][/td][td]20.3[/td]

McReynolds is the guy who spent the majority of his career with the Mets. Jose Valentin is also correct, joining his 2007 Met teammate Shawn Green on this list. Conine (also a 2007 Met) finished with 19.7 WAR and just missed the list -- as did his teammates Orlando Hernandez (23.1), Aaron Sele (20.1), and Sandy Alomar Jr. (13.7). A whole lotta careers ended with the 2007 Mets but Julio Franco was not one of them -- because he was released July 16 of that year and was picked up by Atlanta, playing another 15 games that year to end his career with the Braves. One name remains. [th]Name[/th][th]WAR[/th][td]Willie Mays[/td][td]156.2[/td][td]Willie Randolph[/td][td]65.9[/td][td]Richie Ashburn[/td][td]64.3[/td][td]David Cone[/td][td]61.6[/td][td]Gary Sheffield[/td][td]60.5[/td][td]Bobby Abreu[/td][td]60.2[/td][td]Yogi Berra[/td][td]59.5[/td][td]Joe Torre[/td][td]57.7[/td][td]Francisco Lindor[/td][td]55.7[/td][td]Johan Santana[/td][td]51.1[/td][td]David Wright[/td][td]49.1[/td][td]Rusty Staub[/td][td]45.8[/td][td]Carlos Delgado[/td][td]44.4[/td][td]Gil Hodges[/td][td]43.8[/td][td][/td][td]43.6[/td][td]Juan Soto[/td][td]42.6[/td][td]Bob Friend[/td][td]40.6[/td][td]Moises Alou[/td][td]39.9[/td][td]Starling Marte[/td][td]39.3[/td][td]Shawn Green[/td][td]34.7[/td][td]Jay Bell[/td][td]37.2[/td][td]Jose Reyes[/td][td]37.2[/td][td]Gene Woodling[/td][td]33.3[/td][td]John Valentin[/td][td]32.5[/td][td]Jose Valentin[/td][td]31.6[/td][td]JD Martinez[/td][td]30.8[/td][td]Kevin McReynolds[/td][td]30.1[/td]

John Valentin and Jay Bell were, to me, the two hardest answers. I did not remember either of them having that good of a career. [th]Name[/th][th]WAR[/th][td]Willie Mays[/td][td]156.2[/td][td]Willie Randolph[/td][td]65.9[/td][td]Richie Ashburn[/td][td]64.3[/td][td]David Cone[/td][td]61.6[/td][td]Gary Sheffield[/td][td]60.5[/td][td]Bobby Abreu[/td][td]60.2[/td][td]Yogi Berra[/td][td]59.5[/td][td]Joe Torre[/td][td]57.7[/td][td]Francisco Lindor[/td][td]55.7[/td][td]Johan Santana[/td][td]51.1[/td][td]David Wright[/td][td]49.1[/td][td]Rusty Staub[/td][td]45.8[/td][td]Carlos Delgado[/td][td]44.4[/td][td]Gil Hodges[/td][td]43.8[/td][td][/td][td]43.6[/td][td]Juan Soto[/td][td]42.6[/td][td]Bob Friend[/td][td]40.6[/td][td]Moises Alou[/td][td]39.9[/td][td]Starling Marte[/td][td]39.3[/td][td]Shawn Green[/td][td]34.7[/td][td]Jay Bell[/td][td]37.2[/td][td]Jose Reyes[/td][td]37.2[/td][td]Gene Woodling[/td][td]33.3[/td][td]John Valentin[/td][td]32.5[/td][td][/td][td]31.6[/td][td]JD Martinez[/td][td]30.8[/td][td][/td][td]30.1[/td]

Vaughn: 27.1 career WAR. Just missed this list. Zeile: 19.3

Marte is our last active player. Alonso’s career WAR is still in the 20s. One player still here spent the majority of his career with the Mets. The other three had one, one, and two seasons in NY, respectively — all in the 21st century. [th]Name[/th][th]WAR[/th][td]Willie Mays[/td][td]156.2[/td][td]Willie Randolph[/td][td]65.9[/td][td]Richie Ashburn[/td][td]64.3[/td][td]David Cone[/td][td]61.6[/td][td]Gary Sheffield[/td][td]60.5[/td][td]Bobby Abreu[/td][td]60.2[/td][td]Yogi Berra[/td][td]59.5[/td][td]Joe Torre[/td][td]57.7[/td][td]Francisco Lindor[/td][td]55.7[/td][td]Johan Santana[/td][td]51.1[/td][td]David Wright[/td][td]49.1[/td][td]Rusty Staub[/td][td]45.8[/td][td]Carlos Delgado[/td][td]44.4[/td][td]Gil Hodges[/td][td]43.8[/td][td][/td][td]43.6[/td][td]Juan Soto[/td][td]42.6[/td][td]Bob Friend[/td][td]40.6[/td][td]Moises Alou[/td][td]39.9[/td][td]Starling Marte[/td][td]39.3[/td][td]Shawn Green[/td][td]34.7[/td][td]Jay Bell[/td][td]37.2[/td][td]Jose Reyes[/td][td]37.2[/td][td]Gene Woodling[/td][td]33.3[/td][td][/td][td]32.5[/td][td][/td][td]31.6[/td][td]JD Martinez[/td][td]30.8[/td][td][/td][td]30.1[/td]

Easley's a good guess. Only 20.5 total WAR though.

That's 113 innings in 2025. 285 total Mets innings. Senga's contract is for $14 million/season. By comparison, the Mets are paying Manaea $25M/year for 2026 and 2027; Montas was signed for $17M/year; the Tigers signed Flaherty last offseason for $17.5M/2 years; the Rangers signed Eovaldi for $75M/3 years. Listen to trade offers? Sure. But there seems little incentive to sell low.

Neither Seaver nor Tanana finished their careers with the Mets. Seaver was with Boston in 1986. Tanana was traded in September 1993 to the Yankees, who needed extra pitching and at the time were only 3 games back of the Blue Jays in the AL East race. (When we do the next quiz, best players to debut with the Mets...yes, Seaver will be #1).

Alonso is not on this list, he's only at 23.3 WAR. Great idea. Will pull that together after this one is done.

I do think there's something there with respect to the length of a deal Alonso can expect to receive. Anything more than 5 years is less likely with Naylor only getting 5 despite being younger. Of course, as you note, Alonso is likely to be looking for a higher AAV anyway. That said, there is probably some perceived benefit -- even if largely ephemeral -- to a team not committing itself for as many years. Giving Pete $150M over 5 years instead of 8 might be (mostly) a wash financially but the shorter deal still somehow more palatable.

Thanks, Edgy. [th]Name[/th][th]WAR[/th][td]Willie Mays[/td][td]156.2[/td][td]Willie Randolph[/td][td]65.9[/td][td]Richie Ashburn[/td][td]64.3[/td][td]David Cone[/td][td]61.6[/td][td]Gary Sheffield[/td][td]60.5[/td][td]Bobby Abreu[/td][td]60.2[/td][td]Yogi Berra[/td][td]59.5[/td][td]Joe Torre[/td][td]57.7[/td][td]Francisco Lindor[/td][td]55.7[/td][td]Johan Santana[/td][td]51.1[/td][td]David Wright[/td][td]49.1[/td][td]Rusty Staub[/td][td]45.8[/td][td]Carlos Delgado[/td][td]44.4[/td][td]Gil Hodges[/td][td]43.8[/td][td][/td][td]43.6[/td][td]Juan Soto[/td][td]42.6[/td][td]Bob Friend[/td][td]40.6[/td][td]Moises Alou[/td][td]39.9[/td][td][/td][td]39.3[/td][td]Shawn Green[/td][td]34.7[/td][td]Jay Bell[/td][td]37.2[/td][td]Jose Reyes[/td][td]37.2[/td][td]Gene Woodling[/td][td]33.3[/td][td][/td][td]32.5[/td][td][/td][td]31.6[/td][td]JD Martinez[/td][td]30.8[/td][td][/td][td]30.1[/td]

Abreu was the other major inspiration for the quiz when I realized how high he is on this list. BG is correct that players active in 2025 were considered. WAR does not look kindly upon Mr. Cuddyer’s defense. 17.8 for the career. [th]Name[/th][th]WAR[/th][td]Willie Mays[/td][td]156.2[/td][td]Willie Randolph[/td][td]65.9[/td][td]Richie Ashburn[/td][td]64.3[/td][td]David Cone[/td][td]61.6[/td][td]Gary Sheffield[/td][td]60.5[/td][td]Bobby Abreu[/td][td]60.2[/td][td]Yogi Berra[/td][td]59.5[/td][td]Joe Torre[/td][td]57.7[/td][td][/td][td]55.7[/td][td]Johan Santana[/td][td]51.1[/td][td]David Wright[/td][td]49.1[/td][td]Rusty Staub[/td][td]45.8[/td][td]Carlos Delgado[/td][td]44.4[/td][td]Gil Hodges[/td][td]43.8[/td][td][/td][td]43.6[/td][td]Juan Soto[/td][td]42.6[/td][td]Bob Friend[/td][td]40.6[/td][td]Moises Alou[/td][td]39.9[/td][td][/td][td]39.3[/td][td]Shawn Green[/td][td]34.7[/td][td]Jay Bell[/td][td]37.2[/td][td]Jose Reyes[/td][td]37.2[/td][td]Gene Woodling[/td][td]33.3[/td][td][/td][td]32.5[/td][td][/td][td]31.6[/td][td]JD Martinez[/td][td]30.8[/td][td][/td][td]30.1[/td]

I had forgotten about Bob Friend when counting up pitchers. So there's 3, not 2. Randy Jones only had 17.8 WAR. And what did Jay Bell ever do to you? [th]Name[/th][th]WAR[/th][td]Willie Mays[/td][td]156.2[/td][td]Willie Randolph[/td][td]65.9[/td][td]Richie Ashburn[/td][td]64.3[/td][td]David Cone[/td][td]61.6[/td][td]Gary Sheffield[/td][td]60.5[/td][td][/td][td]60.2[/td][td]Yogi Berra[/td][td]59.5[/td][td]Joe Torre[/td][td]57.7[/td][td][/td][td]55.7[/td][td]Johan Santana[/td][td]51.1[/td][td]David Wright[/td][td]49.1[/td][td]Rusty Staub[/td][td]45.8[/td][td]Carlos Delgado[/td][td]44.4[/td][td]Gil Hodges[/td][td]43.8[/td][td][/td][td]43.6[/td][td][/td][td]42.6[/td][td]Bob Friend[/td][td]40.6[/td][td]Moises Alou[/td][td]39.9[/td][td][/td][td]39.3[/td][td]Shawn Green[/td][td]34.7[/td][td]Jay Bell[/td][td]37.2[/td][td]Gene Woodling[/td][td]33.3[/td][td][/td][td]32.5[/td][td][/td][td]31.6[/td][td]JD Martinez[/td][td]30.8[/td][td][/td][td]30.1[/td]

Cone is 1 of only 2 pitchers on the list. [th]Name[/th][th]WAR[/th][td]Willie Mays[/td][td]156.2[/td][td]Willie Randolph[/td][td]65.9[/td][td]Richie Ashburn[/td][td]64.3[/td][td]David Cone[/td][td]61.6[/td][td]Gary Sheffield[/td][td]60.5[/td][td][/td][td]60.2[/td][td]Yogi Berra[/td][td]59.5[/td][td]Joe Torre[/td][td]57.7[/td][td][/td][td]55.7[/td][td][/td][td]51.1[/td][td][/td][td]49.1[/td][td]Rusty Staub[/td][td]45.8[/td][td]Carlos Delgado[/td][td]44.4[/td][td]Gil Hodges[/td][td]43.8[/td][td][/td][td]43.6[/td][td][/td][td]42.6[/td][td]Moises Alou[/td][td]39.9[/td][td][/td][td]39.3[/td][td][/td][td]37.2[/td][td][/td][td]32.5[/td][td][/td][td]31.6[/td][td][/td][td]30.8[/td][td][/td][td]30.1[/td]

I did not know that was Willie's full name, and that neither Willie nor Larry is short for anything. Torre is the last HOF member not yet named on this list. [th]Name[/th][th]WAR[/th][td]Willie Mays[/td][td]156.2[/td][td]Willie Randolph[/td][td]65.9[/td][td]Richie Ashburn[/td][td]64.3[/td][td][/td][td]61.6[/td][td]Gary Sheffield[/td][td]60.5[/td][td][/td][td]60.2[/td][td]Yogi Berra[/td][td]59.5[/td][td]Joe Torre[/td][td]57.7[/td][td][/td][td]55.7[/td][td][/td][td]51.1[/td][td][/td][td]49.1[/td][td]Rusty Staub[/td][td]45.8[/td][td][/td][td]44.4[/td][td]Gil Hodges[/td][td]43.8[/td][td][/td][td]43.6[/td][td][/td][td]42.6[/td][td]Moises Alou[/td][td]39.9[/td][td][/td][td]39.3[/td][td][/td][td]37.2[/td][td][/td][td]32.5[/td][td][/td][td]31.6[/td][td][/td][td]30.8[/td][td][/td][td]30.1[/td]

[th]Name[/th][th]WAR[/th][td]Willie Mays[/td][td]156.2[/td][td][/td][td]65.9[/td][td]Richie Ashburn[/td][td]64.3[/td][td][/td][td]61.6[/td][td]Gary Sheffield[/td][td]60.5[/td][td][/td][td]60.2[/td][td]Yogi Berra[/td][td]59.5[/td][td][/td][td]57.7[/td][td][/td][td]55.7[/td][td][/td][td]51.1[/td][td][/td][td]49.1[/td][td]Rusty Staub[/td][td]45.8[/td][td][/td][td]44.4[/td][td]Gil Hodges[/td][td]43.8[/td][td][/td][td]43.6[/td][td][/td][td]42.6[/td][td]Moises Alou[/td][td]39.9[/td][td][/td][td]39.3[/td][td][/td][td]37.2[/td][td][/td][td]32.5[/td][td][/td][td]31.6[/td][td][/td][td]30.8[/td][td][/td][td]30.1[/td]

[th]Name[/th][th]WAR[/th][td]Willie Mays[/td][td]156.2[/td][td][/td][td]65.9[/td][td]Richie Ashburn[/td][td]64.3[/td][td][/td][td]61.6[/td][td]Gary Sheffield[/td][td]60.5[/td][td][/td][td]60.2[/td][td]Yogi Berra[/td][td]59.5[/td][td][/td][td]57.7[/td][td][/td][td]55.7[/td][td][/td][td]51.1[/td][td][/td][td]49.1[/td][td][/td][td]45.8[/td][td][/td][td]44.4[/td][td]Gil Hodges[/td][td]43.8[/td][td][/td][td]43.6[/td][td][/td][td]42.6[/td][td]Moises Alou[/td][td]39.9[/td][td][/td][td]39.3[/td][td][/td][td]37.2[/td][td][/td][td]32.5[/td][td][/td][td]31.6[/td][td][/td][td]30.8[/td][td][/td][td]30.1[/td]

Larry finished with only 22.8 career WAR. List was created with a cutoff of 30 WAR, roughly corresponding to the top ~900 players of all time.

This is what happens when one uses form tables and doesn't proofread the headings... [th]Name[/th][th]WAR[/th][td]Willie Mays[/td][td]156.2[/td][td][/td][td]65.9[/td][td][/td][td]64.3[/td][td][/td][td]61.6[/td][td]Gary Sheffield[/td][td]60.5[/td][td][/td][td]60.2[/td][td][/td][td]59.5[/td][td][/td][td]57.7[/td][td][/td][td]55.7[/td][td][/td][td]51.1[/td][td][/td][td]49.1[/td][td][/td][td]45.8[/td][td][/td][td]44.4[/td][td][/td][td]43.8[/td][td][/td][td]43.6[/td][td][/td][td]42.6[/td][td]Moises Alou[/td][td]39.9[/td][td][/td][td]39.3[/td][td][/td][td]37.2[/td][td][/td][td]32.5[/td][td][/td][td]31.6[/td][td][/td][td]30.8[/td][td][/td][td]30.1[/td]

Inspired by the recent release of the Hall of Fame Ballot and the recent recollection that Rick Porcello (!) finished his career as a Met. Can you name the all-time best players (as per WAR) whose last/most recent major league game was with the New York Mets? Degree of difficulty: easy for some (there are 4 members of the HOF here besides Mays) and basically impossible for others. Hints will be forthcoming if this proves too difficult. [th]Name[/th][th]WAR[/th][td]Willie Mays[/td][td]156.2[/td][td][/td][td]65.9[/td][td][/td][td]64.3[/td][td][/td][td]61.6[/td][td][/td][td]60.5[/td][td][/td][td]60.2[/td][td][/td][td]59.5[/td][td][/td][td]57.7[/td][td][/td][td]55.7[/td][td][/td][td]51.1[/td][td][/td][td]49.1[/td][td][/td][td]45.8[/td][td][/td][td]44.4[/td][td][/td][td]43.8[/td][td][/td][td]43.6[/td][td][/td][td]42.6[/td][td][/td][td]39.9[/td][td][/td][td]39.3[/td][td][/td][td]37.2[/td][td][/td][td]32.5[/td][td][/td][td]31.6[/td][td][/td][td]30.8[/td][td][/td][td]30.1[/td]

I believe Santana earned that right after the 2012 season (he was hurt and never pitched again in the majors, of course) but he was under Mets control through 2013. And before Beltran: Trachsel, 2006 Piazza, 2003 John Franco, circa 1995

The full article had the arguments built out a lot more, but basically it came down to: -the internal options to replace Diaz aren’t nearly as good -external options are either several years older (Robert Suarez, Rasiel Iglesias) or have had some recent challenging times in New York (Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley) and thus probably unlikely to sign with the Mets. -this is the sort of player a team like the Mets should sign given their financial advantage. -Even if Diaz ages poorly and loses the closer role by the end of the contract, he can still be a useful part of the bullpen and wouldn’t just be dead space on the roster. I think all of these are good points, but I also agree with The Hot Corner’s analysis: the Mets would have been happy for Diaz to not opt-out and stay for 2 more years. Giving Diaz what is effectively a 2 or 3 year extension isn’t exactly outrageous, and we know Uncle Stevie’s got the cash.

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).

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).