JSBL Presents the All-Time Mets Roster

From my home to yours: A very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa (Habari Gani) and a Happy and Healthy New Year to all of The Daily Stache readers. This year in an effort to save paper and postage, we sent out a video Holiday Card. Check it out here. You’re welcome.

From this grinch, here are some snapshots of the holidays:

• Heavy, heavy traffic on the highways
• Fighting for a parking spot at the crowded mall
• Losing out on that last copy of the PS4 version of Michael Bolton’s Holiday Hand Grenade Hootenanny
• The family gathers at the house for a huge meal
• After dinner, football (or basketball) on the TV as the kids open presents or put together a Lego while Uncle Sal snores away on the Barcaounger with the lit cigar precariously dangling from his mouth
• The perennial argument

So call this my gift to you, our readers, as I give you fodder for an argument. This is the third entry in the Jordan Silver Baseball League. Or as I choose to nickname it: JSBL (trademark pending) world of lists. Still coming up with a rule book, but for now I continue to go old school and call my rules “Commandments.”

1. Men Love Lists
2. Men Love to Debate
3. I make the rules

So send your comments and arguments as I consecrate today’s list:

The All-Time Mets Roster

                Many players have suited up for the blue and orange. Two of those players represent the Mets in the Hall of Fame (Mike Piazza and Tom Seaver). Several went on to glory for other teams (Jeff Kent). Some had glory before coming to Queens (Roberto Alomar). A handful came to the Mets while still in their peak (Carlos Beltran). I have analyzed every roster dating back to 1962. I have consulted sports writers and baseball fans and wrote draft after draft of this entry. With a lot of careful consideration, I have come up with a list of players that had great Met years or -and this is an important point- Hall of Fame (or borderline Hall of Fame) careers elsewhere. You will see several players including our starting lineup who all – with one exception – contributed to Mets’ post-season success. Other players may not have been great as Mets but were dominant elsewhere.

The team is made up as follows:

• 8 starting position players
• 5 starting pitchers (must have been starters who are either righties or lefties)
• 1 closer (had to be a closer)
• 1 back-up catcher
• 2 utility infielders (any position)
• 2 back-up outfielders (any position)
• 1 pinch hitter (this is a position player who may not necessarily have been someone who was actually a pinch hitter or a designated hitter)
• 5 bullpen pitchers (who may have been starters or relievers)

So before I reveal the team let me tell you some players who didn’t make the team:

Jeromy Burnitz                  Mo Vaughn        Lenny Dykstra           Dave Kingman

Orel Hershiser   John Olerud       Todd Zeile           Robin Ventura          Bobby Bonilla

Mike Scott          Vince Coleman                  Jason Bay                 Roberto Alomar

Duke Snider                 Don Zimmer                 Joe Torre                 Todd Pratt

Claudell Washington                 Joel Youngblood                 Ellis Valentine

Elliot Maddox                 Skip Lockwood                 Ron Hodges                 Sid Fernandez

Ed Lynch                 Craig Swan                 Charlie O’Brien

Introducing the JSBL
All time Mets Roster

                So there you have my list of the all-time Mets roster. Agree? Disagree? Who was left out? Who shouldn’t have been included? Is there a list you’d like to see? Leave your comments.

Have a great holiday season!

—

Rookie lefthander, Steven Matz is donating to Angela’s House with every strikeout he throws. Purchases of this shirt will also result in donations to this vital charity. Click here:
http://www.mondomonsterwear.com/products/mets-aces
Jordan Silver has been a journalist and marketing/multimedia consultant for over twenty years. He has produced documentaries and television productions both nationally and internationally. Aside from his own blog which observes politics and modern culture, he has been published in the Miami Herald, ABCNews.com and various other publications. His company Ag Media Solutions, Inc. (www.agmediasolutions.com) represents several boutique firms and religious organizations as their outsourced marketing department. In addition, his apparel line, Mondo Monster Wear (www.mondomonsterwear.com), features designs that parody sports and pop culture. He enjoys wine, cooking, golf, vintage movies and researching history and politics. In addition, he shares his love of the Mets, NY Giants, NY Rangers and music (The Beatles, RUSH and 80s Heavy Metal) with his two children. He lives on Long Island and can be found most summer weekend days on the beach or boat with his girlfriend and their blended families.