For some reason, the other day I came across a photo of Mount Rushmore, and it made me think about who would be on my Mount Rushmore for the Mets.
Obviously, it needs to be four guys who stand head-and-shoulder above the rest. It wasn’t as easy as I thought. In my mind, there are eight guys in the conversation, although the top four have an edge over the second-tier, which doesn’t include any slouches. That’s for sure. Let’s get down to the order in which I made my decisions.
Drumroll please…
- Tom Seaver: This one doesn’t require much explanation. He’s the best pitcher the Mets have ever had, and until Mike Piazza is inducted this summer, he’s the only Mets player who’s a Hall of Famer. In 12 years as a Met, Tom Seaver was 198-124 with a 2.57 ERA. He is the elite of the elite in Mets’ history.
- Mike Piazza: I may be biased here, as he’s my all-time favorite player, but not many people will argue he’s the best hitter the Mets have ever had. In eight years as a Met, Piazza hit 220 homers and drove in 655 runs. This summer, he’ll finally take his place among the greats in Cooperstown.
- Dwight “Doc” Gooden: While he had an excellent career, one could only wonder what could’ve been for Doc had he stayed out of trouble. Either way, he was extremely valuable for the 1986 World Series-winning Mets, and he was the best pitcher not named Tom Seaver they’ve had to this point. In 13 years as a Met, Doc Gooden was 157-85 with a 3.10 ERA. And he’s still a big Met fan and a big Matt Harvey supporter, so despite playing for the Yankees, he’s still A-okay in my book.
- Darryl Strawberry: The guy had one of the most beautiful swings there was, and he also had power that was unmatched, as he hit the ball to places other players could only dream of. Straw might be the best all-around player the Mets have ever had. In eight years as a Met, Strawberry hit 252 homers and drove in 733 runs.
Honorable Mention: Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, David Wright, Jerry Koosman
Do you agree with my rankings? Would you make any changes? Tell us in the comments section below.
