There are many ways to rank the greatest players in a Major League Baseball team’s history, such as ranking them by their WAR, SLG%, innings played/pitched, etc. But the uncommon way to rank players… is by the number they wore. In this article, I will be naming the greatest Mets ever to wear the numbers 1 through 10. Uniform numbers date back to 1907, so every Met to ever play the game has worn a number. There have been 73 numbers worn by Mets’ players, which do include numbers 00 and 0, but I will only be focusing on 1 through 10 in this article.
Number 1: Mookie Wilson
In 1980, Mookie Wilson began his Major League career with the New York Mets. In 1981, Wilson played his first full season with the Mets, and finished seventh in Rookie of the Year voting. He played nine and a half seasons with the Mets, and played for the 1986 World Series Championship team, in which he hit one of the most famous ground balls in the history of the game. He also hit 60 homeruns with the ball club, and hit a total of .227/.318/.392.
Number 2: Mackey Sasser
Not exactly a house hold name, but Mackey Sasser is hands down the greatest Mets player to ever wear the number 2. Sasser played five seasons, and 420 games while wearing number two for the Mets. He hit 15 homeruns, 133 RBI’s, and .283/.309/.403. Since he played on the team between 1988 and 1992, Sasser only played in one playoff stint, and hit a surprisingly even .200/.200/.200.
Number 3: Vance Wilson
Wilson played for the Mets from 1999-2004, and made the playoffs twice with the team. In his six seasons with the Mets, Wilson only made 14 total errors, and had three seasons with a FLD% of 1.000. Since Wilson, six players have worn number 3 on the Mets, the most current one being Omar Quantanilla, and none of them have been quite able to match his level in defense.
Number 4: Robin Ventura
There is no question that Robin Ventura is the greatest Met to ever wear the number 4. Ventura, who is now the Chicago White Sox’ manager, played three years on the Mets, and hit a total of 77 home runs, 265 RBI’s, and .260/.360/.468 in that span. But most amazingly, he made the playoffs twice with the Mets, and finished sixth in the 1999 MVP voting results.
Number 5: David Wright
Lucky for Wright, managers were not allowed to make an appearance on this countdown, or Davey Johnson might have made it a close race. However, David Wright would probably still beat him out, as the 10 year veteran has a career .301 batting average, and holds the record for the most hits, bases loaded walks, RBI’s, etc. In his career so far, he has 222 home runs, 876 RBI’s, and a 46.6 WAR, making him an obvious choice for the greatest Met to ever wear number 5.
Number 6: Timo Perez
From 2000-2003, Timo Perez played in the outfield for the Mets. He hit 18 total home runs on the Mets, which was more than half of the home runs he would hit in his career. He also was a huge contributor to the Mets 2000 playoff stint, as he hit .301 in the NLCS with two doubles.
Number 7: Jose Reyes
A lot of Mets fans do not like talking about Jose Reyes, but we cannot forget about him, especially when choosing the greatest Met to ever wear number 7. Reyes holds the Mets record for stolen bases with 370, and is the only Met to ever win a batting title. Along with that, he had a total batting average of .292 while on the Mets and had an even 1300 hits.
Number 8: Gary Carter
The late Gary Carter holds the position of the greatest player ever to wear number eight as a New York Met, and he is also one of the best, if not the greatest, catchers in Mets’ history. Carter wore number 8 for five years, in which he hit 89 home runs, and had 349 RBI’s. He also had a total WAR of 11.3 with the Mets, and an oRAR of 112.
Number 9: Jim Hickman
While on the Mets, John Hickman hit 60 home runs, 210 RBI’s, and .241/.306/.698. Hickman was an original Met, as he began his career with the Mets in 1962. He was one of the nicest guys in the sport, so there is no doubt that he earned his nickname, Gentleman Jim, while playing on the Mets.
Number 10: Rusty Staub
“Le Grand Orange”, Rusty Staub, hit 75 home runs while playing for the Mets, and had a total Post Season batting average of .341 in the Mets 1973 playoff run. He played both right field and first base for the Mets, and only made 25 errors in his nine-year career with the team. Outside of baseball, Staub owned two restaurants, and wrote the book Hello, Mr. Met.
So there it is, the greatest Mets numbers 1 through 10 to ever play for the organization. Before questions are asked, this list was open to pitchers, but none seemed to make the cut. Some of these choices were obvious, but others took a little more effort to find. None of these numbers have been retired by the Mets, but “you gotta believe” that numbers 5 and 7 will be retired when both Wright and Reyes are retired.
3 – Bud Harrelson
4 – Rusty Staub
6 – Wally Backman
9 – Todd Hundley
10 – Duffy Dyer
I’ll be pretty surprised if they retire Jose Reyes’ number.
I echo your list Brian. Vance Wilson? Timo? C’mon Dan!
Nice article, and good alternates BJ. I also doubt they will retire #7, but #5 will never be worn again.
Ventura and Staub … a push. Staub was with us longer, so fine.
Buddy Harrelson was, at one point, considered by no less than Bill James as one of the 100 best shortstops to ever play the game. (New Historical Baseball Abstract) – and he’s only barely behind Reyes as the best Mets SS ever.
Two trivia questions (no cheating):
Buddy Harrelson and Jerry Grote were two of the five position players to have been in two World Series as a NY Met. Who were the other three?
And, minimum of 20 PA, Lenny Dykstra was the best Mets post season player ever. I’m second best. Who am I?
Oops. Six were in two WS. Name the other four.
Cleon Jones
Big Ed Kranepool
Dyer?
???
1. still thinking
2. Donn Clendenon?
3 Buddy Harrelson
4 Rusty Staub
6 Wally Backman
7 Ed Kranepool (7 will never be retired for Reyes)
10 TC, oops, I mean Rey Ordonez (and I love Duffy too, so this was close)
Rey Ordonez? Wow. While he was probably the greatest defensive shortstop in Mets history, his tenure ended by calling Mets fans “stupid.” I’m not sure he is the best choice.
2 world series position players were Jones, Boswell, Kranepool, Garrett
Yeah, I’m gonna suggest some alternatives:
3 has to be Harrelson
6 has to be backman
7 Kranepool
9 Theodore
10 Kanehl
This is scientifically ranked by “Metness”
Do NOT mess with Jon when it comes to the digits…
ding ding ding … (Dyer/Clendenon only played for the 69 version).
but does anyone know the 2nd best hitter in post season play?
Hint: Not Clendenon (who only got to the plate 16 times. I know I forgot he sat out the Atlanta series)
Al Weiss? Not sure what is meant by “2nd best hitter…”
Weiss fails on minimum AB; I don’t think he even had as many plate appearances as Clendenon.
Answer: Ken Boswell. Played in 4 playoff series, got to the plate 20 times, put up a 1.187 OPS. (8 for 19, 1 BB, 2 HR).
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/weisal01.shtml
al weiss
Reyes’ number will not be retired unless he returns and helps win a championship. Mets, thankfully, hold very high standards for retiring a number.
I agree regarding Wright tho pending he continues another few years at same level
Unless they need to sell tickets to boost sagging attendance!
Put Hubie Brooks in for consideration at number 7.
Lets all hope that Granderson becomes the best Met to wear #3