This third matchup of the “Best Single Season by a Met” bracket will feature two of the greatest Mets position players in their 52-year history: David Wright and Darryl Strawberry. Last week, the matchup featured Dwight Gooden’s 1985 season and Jesse Orosco’s 1998 season, Gooden won by a substantial amount. Now, with Wright’s 2007 season going up against Strawberry’s 1987 season, what may be the closest matchup will commence. The winner of this week’s matchup will move on to face John Olerud’s 1983 season, so there is a lot riding on the winner.
David Wright, 2007: In 2007, Wright was entering his fourth season in the majors, and just completed his first, and to this point his only, playoff run with the New York Mets. Therefore, all eyes in New York were on him, and he did not fail to meet expectations. Wright had his first and only 30-30 season (with 30 home runs and 34 stolen bases) in 2007, and also hit a career high .325. Wright had just shy of 200 hits that season, but made up for it by walking less than nearly 100 times. Although his strikeout numbers were high, Wright still managed to hit nearly 457 42 doubles, and had a total of 73 extra base hits, and 330 total bases. He also had 107 RBI’s, which went nicely with his 7.1 oWAR (offensive Wins Above Replacement). In total, his WAR was just shy of 8.5, and had a WAA of 6.2. Wright would make an All Star Game appearance, finish fourth in the National League’s Most Valuable Player race, and win his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards. Needless to say, 2007 was a career year for the man Mets fans now call their Captain. It is a shame the Mets did not get him to his second consecutive post season.
Strawberry entered his 1987 season after completing his first postseason appearance the year prior…except Strawberry was coming off a 1986 New York Mets World Series title! Strawberry was entering his fifth season with the ball club, and was determined to improve on his numbers from 1986…and that is exactly what he did. Strawberry hit .284/.398/.583 in 1987, and hit 39 homeruns. Strawberry also had 104 RBI’s, and 151 base hits in 1987, 76 of which were extra base hits. He had 310 total bases that season, and had a 7.2 oWAR, which contributed to a 6.4 WAR and a 4.2 WAA. Strawberry would finish sixth in the National League’s Most Valuable Player race, and made an All Star Game appearance in 1987…which was coincidentally the first year in which he made over $1 million (which was a lot of money back then).
Both of these players had phenomenal seasons in their respective years, and both are all time great Mets. But, only one will advance to face Olerud in two weeks, so chose wisely. Next week, the final matchup of the first round of the bracket will be presented, and will be between Tom Seaver and R.A. Dickey. But until then, please take the time to vote on which of these Mets had the better season, because every vote counts! Voting will end next Tuesday, and please remember to only vote once so it can be a fair competition.
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Pretty amazing that David had 457 doubles in 2007…
Also the sentence “Wright had just shy of 200 hits that season, but made up for it by walking less than 100 times,” doesn’t really make any sense. Perhaps “…by walking nearly 100 times.”
But tough decision between the two seasons!
I have to give it to Wright for that monstrous .325/.416/.546 line.
On paper, I think Strawberry slightly had the better year. In the clubhouse, Wright overwhelmingly had the better year. I will take Wright any day.
To me it’s Straw. Those numbers were a lot bigger in relation to the rest of the league than Wright’s season. Wright had a great year that year, but he was eclipsed by two of his own teammates. Straw had one of the best years in the entire league.
Yep Scott,totally different level of offense in 87 compared to 2007.Straw’s 88 was nearly as good,and again I lament that that team didn’t win a World Series!