This isnt easy, cuz all 3 were great in my book, but Ill break it down. Gil was great, almost my favorite, but he wasnt around long enough. The Mets didnt simply hire Hodges, they traded Bill Denehy (known for sharing a spot on Tom Seaver's rookie card) to the Washinton Senators for his services. He was a great field manager who got the most out of the team he had. He did turn the Mets from lovable losers into a team that could contend and were taken seriously from then on. The way he carried himself eluded respect from his players and peers. And his fans,.....he was that cool. He made complex managing look effortless. He was practically flawless in his one post season stint, going 7-1. He was 339-309 as manager of the Mets, the highlight being the amazing '69 season. Bobby Valentine was a great Met manager, and he did make the game fun and always interesting. He was something special, and I liked Bobby V alot. He knew how to handle players and play the press in the modern day game, and created an environment that took alot of pressure off his players, and onto him. He welcomed it. He was 15-9 in post season. He did get us to the big show, but never brought home the ring. ( Davey Johnson was also a great Met manager. A tactical strategist who played by the numbers, and was fortunate to be at the helm of possibly the best all around Met squad of all time, up to now. That cant be held against him. He may have fallen short in terms of playoff/world series expections, but what he did cannot be denied. He won 90 games or better 5 years in a row (and 6 of his 7 years as manager), including the Mets best single season record of 108 wins in '86. If Gil Hodges turned the Mets from jokers into champs, Johnson turned the Mets from the 'other New York team' into kings of baseball. The Mets of the 80's were a team to be feared and reckoned with, and dont sell Davey short as to the part he played as manager of that team. He was 12-8 in the postseason and his hilight would be going on to win a total of 116 games in '86 when his Mets became World Champs for the 1st time since 1969. That was the last time they went all the way. Dave Johnson was 595-417, and Davey gets my vote.