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Most Beloved Mets of All Time

Valadius Nov 28 2005 08:05 AM

The New York Mets have been around for 44 seasons. Since they first took the field as a major league franchise, 771 players have appeared in a game as a Met (As diligently tabulated by the UMDB). Only a select few, however, will remain in the hearts of the Mets fans who rooted for them. Who are your most beloved Mets of all time? Who would you tell stories of, and add to Mets legend? Who is a true Met in your eyes?

Elster88 Nov 28 2005 08:07 AM Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Nov 28 2005 08:10 AM

I like Kevin Elster, Lenny Dykstra, and Mike Piazza. I don't like the expression "true Met." An interesting thread idea, Val, though I'm guessing the older members here have had something similar in the past. (Older meaning, longer CPF-tenured, not necessarily older in Earth years) I'll probably post more when I have more time.

Edgy DC Nov 28 2005 08:09 AM

Edgardo Alfonzo Ed Kranepool Ed Glynn

ScarletKnight41 Nov 28 2005 08:10 AM

Tug McGraw, who was the only person in history truly beloved in both New York and Philadelphia.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 28 2005 08:11 AM

As soon as I saw the title of this thread, one and only one name popped into my head: Mookie Wilson.

Elster88 Nov 28 2005 08:11 AM

ScarletKnight41 wrote: Tug McGraw, who was the only person in history truly beloved in both New York and Philadelphia. What about Nails?

ScarletKnight41 Nov 28 2005 08:13 AM

Dykstra isn't nearly in the same league. He's liked, sure. But not truly beloved. Not in the same way.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 28 2005 08:13 AM

ScarletKnight41 wrote: Tug McGraw, who was the only person in history truly beloved in both New York and Philadelphia. Tug was the second name I thought of. He's less "pure" than Mookie though, because so many think of him as a Phillie. As for the New York/Philadelphia thing, the only other name I can think of is Lenny Dykstra. (And maybe Julius Erving?)

sharpie Nov 28 2005 08:14 AM

Todd Pratt --- kind of liked in both New York and Philly.

metirish Nov 28 2005 08:14 AM

Piazza, Turk Leiter Bobby V

Edgy DC Nov 28 2005 08:19 AM

New York Philly guys Rich Kotite --- equally despised. Joe Pisarcik --- equally depressing thought. Frank Thomas --- equally interesting footnote. Nino Espinosa --- equally celebrated afro.

OlerudOwned Nov 28 2005 08:20 AM

As a younger fan, my first real favorites were Hundley, Johnny O, and Fonzie.

seawolf17 Nov 28 2005 08:20 AM

A case could be made for Gary Carter, Mike Piazza, and Keith Hernandez.

sharpie Nov 28 2005 08:23 AM

Marv Throneberry

Edgy DC Nov 28 2005 08:24 AM

I always had a soft spot in my heart as well for Ed Bressoud, Edwin Nuñez, and Ed Bauta.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 28 2005 08:25 AM

I'm seeing a pattern here in Edgy's picks. They were all Capricorns, I think.

metirish Nov 28 2005 08:25 AM

Edgy likes guys named Ed....

HahnSolo Nov 28 2005 08:26 AM

Mookie Wilson Rusty Staub Wally Backman

ScarletKnight41 Nov 28 2005 08:31 AM

Irish - I love all of your choices ;) Pratt is someone who is well liked but not quite beloved. It takes an awful lot to be beloved. Julius Erving? Perhaps. But he was more Long Island than New York, and I think that reduces his New York belovedness factor. As for Tug, he was a unique case. He was traded away be evil management, but he ultimately remained close with both of his teams. He's the only person I know of who would regularly appear in New York for a Mets-appearance one weekend day and then be in Philly the other day. Both cities credit his "Ya Gotta Believe" mantra, and he has World Series rings from both teams. He was one of a kind, for sure.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 28 2005 08:36 AM

1. Mookie 2. Tug 3. A virtual tie among about fifty other guys.

Vic Sage Nov 28 2005 08:44 AM

Kooz Mex Mookie Hojo Kranepool ...with a special mention to Tim Leary, for teaching me a valuable lesson about the cruelty of fate.

MFS62 Nov 28 2005 08:45 AM

Terry Leach - my all time favorite Met. I've probably told why in other posts. Later

Elster88 Nov 28 2005 08:46 AM

Ty Wigginton 101 in the all-time Met rankings? I wouldn'ta thunk it.

Valadius Nov 28 2005 08:52 AM

Mike Piazza is probably my favorite Met. Other Mets I have fond memories of: John Olerud Edgardo Alfonzo Robin Ventura Todd Pratt Turk Wendell Al Leiter John Franco Bobby Valentine Joe McEwing Benny Agbayani Lenny Harris Tsuyoshi Shinjo

Nymr83 Nov 28 2005 08:53 AM

Bobby Bonilla, Mel Rojas, Kenny Rogers, Rickey Henders... oh, wrong thread.

Elster88 Nov 28 2005 08:53 AM

Where's the love for Armando? _____________________________ This post had the designation 116) Nino Espinosa

sharpie Nov 28 2005 08:55 AM

Ken Boyer and Donn Clendenon. The 2 "my favorite players" as a kid that I remember. Both are dead now.

metirish Nov 28 2005 08:58 AM

]Where's the love for Armando? I'm sure a few people remember Armando Reynoso fondly

Nymr83 Nov 28 2005 09:01 AM

didn't he come off the DL in august and have a final 2 months like Seo did this year?

Johnny Dickshot Nov 28 2005 09:13 AM

Young Johnny was into the Jo(h)n's: Milner and Matlack.

MFS62 Nov 28 2005 09:15 AM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: Young Johnny was into the Jo(h)n's: Milner and Matlack. What did Young Johnny think about the cleanliness of the men's johns at Shea Staduim? Later

ScarletKnight41 Nov 28 2005 09:16 AM

Young Scarlet was very into Tom Seaver, but over time I've discovered that he's eschewed belovedness in favor of surliness. Young Adult Scarlet was enamored of Ron Darling. He may not be beloved, but he was (and still is) pretty hot!

Willets Point Nov 28 2005 09:45 AM

ScarletKnight41 wrote: Young Adult Scarlet was enamored of Ron Darling. He may not be beloved, but he was (and still is) pretty hot! I bet you voted for "Up on the Hill and Far Away."

ScarletKnight41 Nov 28 2005 09:46 AM

I'll never tell ;)

smg58 Nov 28 2005 10:44 AM

I'd have to start with Lenny, but Piazza has to be on the list, and so does Mookie. Seaver, of course. Murph and Ralph Kiner, if you want to extend the list beyond players. Wally Backman, Doc for all his flaws, Pedro with a few more years like this one. Honorable mention to Fonzie, Robin, and Olerud, with Piazza the core of the best Met line-up ever.

G-Fafif Nov 28 2005 11:22 AM

Universally speaking, Ralph Kiner has said for 20 years that Mookie Wilson is the most popular/beloved player in Mets history. Of course one could never tell if Mookie was being booed. Personally and chronologically speaking, it begins and ends with Tom Seaver. Growing up, the Mets were a 24 + 1 proposition for me. I liked everybody but I loved Tom. Doc and Fonzie are the only other two to reach that level in their time. At the next tier are three first basemen of the first order: Mex, Oly and Mr. Good Fit himself, Rico. Tremendously honorable mention: Darryl, Wally, Reeder, Melvin, the reigning champ Jose (Reyes, not Offerman) and, because everybody needs a guy like this on his list, Joe Orsulak.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 28 2005 11:43 AM

Rico? Really?

Edgy DC Nov 28 2005 11:48 AM

Yeah, I was thinking that G- had more guys who were at least summat like Orsulak than he'd care to admit.

G-Fafif Nov 28 2005 11:57 AM

]Yeah, I was thinking that G- had more guys who were at least summat like Orsulak than he'd care to admit. I have to admit I'm pretty shallow when it comes to favorite players. I tend to revolve toward good ones, at least in the context of good as it applies to the Mets at a given moment. Ask me this 25 years ago, I'd tell you my favorite Mets "are" Mazz, Hendu, Flynn and Stearns. In 1980, that would be the Met version of front-running. I have my share of Keith Millers, Ray Sadeckis and Marlon Andersons, too, I suppose, but they're not quite in the pantheon. Same could be said for Mike and the Kid. Loved them, just not excruciatingly. ]Rico? Really? Rico Brogna came along when I was vulnerable, just as Doc was falling into the abyss, just as baseball was taking a powder, just as the Mets were slipping off the surface of the Earth. His was the face that represented what I missed during the extended winter's nap of 1994-95. End the strike so I can see Rico Brogna. I never stopped rooting for him, not as a Phillie, not as a Brave. Just struck me as a great kid.

seawolf17 Nov 28 2005 12:04 PM

Kevin McReynolds will always be number one for me, but I know that's a personal ranking, not a general Mets fanbase one. How about Al Leiter?

ScarletKnight41 Nov 28 2005 12:08 PM

In our household, we would always point out Al Leiter to a young MK, because there was a lefthanded pitcher from New Jersey who grew up rooting for the Mets and who was, then, pitching for the Mets. So we'll always have a warm spot for Alois. Plus, hearing how we had a 9-year-old lefty at home who grew up rooting for him, Leiter graciously signed a ball for MK at last week's Tug McGraw Foundation fundraiser. I can't dis people who are good to my kids.

DocTee Nov 28 2005 01:17 PM

Stoins

sharpie Nov 28 2005 01:28 PM

Cal Koonce.

Benjamin Grimm Nov 28 2005 01:37 PM

Dwight Bernard.

Zvon Nov 28 2005 01:48 PM

My list would be sooooo long. But when I played ball in the playground, the 1st player I ever emulated and made believe (in my mind) I was was Tommie Agee. But there have been so many thru the yrs. My list would contain at least 50 players, and I could probly go more.

Edgy DC Nov 28 2005 01:49 PM

]Dwight Bernard. C'mon!

Benjamin Grimm Nov 28 2005 02:00 PM

Well, since just about every Met is being listed in this thread, I didn't want old Dwight to be left out. I think this thread has gotten way off course. It isn't "Mets that I've liked a lot or a little" it's "Most beloved Met of all time." I take that to mean "Who does the assembled ranks of Mets fandom love more than anybody else?" There really shouldn't be more than a half dozen names in the conversation.

Elster88 Nov 28 2005 02:02 PM

I was going from the initial post, which doesn't ask who is the most beloved Met, but who is your most beloved Met. ]Who are your most beloved Mets of all time? Who would you tell stories of, and add to Mets legend? Who is a true Met in your eyes?

Valadius Nov 28 2005 02:07 PM

That's one part of the discussion. The other part of the discussion is about our own individual beloved Mets, and why we're endeared to them. It could be certain qualities they had, stats they put up, things they said, things they did, where they're from, personal experiences... whatever made you like them so much. Tell your stories about these players.

cooby Nov 28 2005 04:28 PM

Sid Fernandez, Keith Hernandez, Rey Ordonez. Mookie Wilson. John Milner. Sid: For that brokenhearted look in his eyes when Davey Johnson would yank him yet AGAIN him in the sixth. I coulda killed him every time. Johnson, not Sid. Keith: Let's see. I don't think I need to elaborate. Rey: Loved him anyway, but the look on his face when he broke his arm, I will never forget. I can't believe he had to beg the Dodgers' trainer to xray it. Lameasses. Dodgers, not Rey. Mookie: Not just for the 1986 thing. Mookie was one of my favorites right from the start because he was close to my age. Loved his face, loved his voice, loved his body (yep, he was hot!), loved his personality. Even loved his barn-painting summer stories. John Milner: One of very first favorites. Born in the 1950's, just like me! Watching him on Kiner's Korner, he always looked so nervous. And he hit homeruns everytime I sat there and pleaded to the TV for him to hit one! He and I were a team! God rest his dear soul. I seem to pick favorites for their emotional moments, don't I?

Willets Point Jan 19 2006 11:41 AM

My all time favorite Mets (alphabetical order): Benny Agbayani Edgardo Alfonzo Lenny Dykstra Sid Fernandez Butch Huskey Howard Johnson Bobby Jones (1993 - 2000) Ray Knight Lee Mazzilli John Olerud Tom Paciorek Roberto Petagine Rick Reed Tsuyoshi Shinjo Rusty Staub Tim Teufel Bobby Valentine Turk Wendell Mookie Wilson

cooby Jan 19 2006 11:48 AM

Wow, Willets, that is a nice list...you must have really put some thought into that (two months' thought)

MFS62 Jan 19 2006 12:21 PM

Al Jackson Later

Zvon Jan 19 2006 04:50 PM

See, this is tough to do for me because my favorite Met had always been such a fluid thing. I mean, if your wearin blue and orange you have a chance to reach that plateau. Your like 1/2 way there,lol. But Ill say this, and its an odd thing, but its the truth. Looking back now, Tom Seaver is up there top 5, but then, in the 70s, I,..... I took him for granted. He was Tom Terrific and he was there when i climbed aboard and he was always going to be there. And he was just so.......good in everyway. Even in his personal life, he was just.....I hate to say boring, but that may be how I felt. Now, with the wiseness of age, Ill say exemplary. My favorite pitchers at the time were Koosman and Matlack and Tugger. And its not that I didnt realize Tom was great. There was no question he was one of the best in all of MLB. Seaver was almost bigger than the Mets. So, I hate to say this, bit during Toms primo days with the Mets, I took him for granted. I didnt realize how much he truly meant to me as a Met until the moment he was gone. And that was a rude awakening.

ScarletKnight41 Jan 19 2006 04:55 PM

The thing about Seaver is that, if he had wanted to be, he could have been the most beloved Met ever. But over the years we've heard enough stories from credible sources to indicate that, to put it kindly, he is not a fan-friendly kind of person.

Bret Sabermetric Jan 19 2006 05:03 PM

And to put it unkindly that he's a puffed-up, mean-hearted, self-centered, condescending prick.

Zvon Jan 19 2006 05:09 PM

ScarletKnight41 wrote: The thing about Seaver is that, if he had wanted to be, he could have been the most beloved Met ever. But over the years we've heard enough stories from credible sources to indicate that, to put it kindly, he is not a fan-friendly kind of person. Maybe he feels fans have......taken him for granted. ;) lol

OlerudOwned Jan 19 2006 05:23 PM

Olerud and Alfonzo were my two favorite players on the first succesful Mets team I witnessed. They're my favorites. But David Wright is gonna have something to say about that.

Zvon Jan 19 2006 05:41 PM

ScarletKnight41 wrote: .... he is not a fan-friendly kind of person. Im sure he wasnt as accessable to the fans as some. I remember one time 3 players came up to the rail together along the 1st base line and talked with my buddys and me for at least ten minutes, well before game time. I cant remember who the third was, but two were Jon Matlack and Buzz Capra. And they were very funny and really regular guys. I was already a fan of matlacks, but this moved him up notches in my fan book and put capra on that list. I also remember Jerry Grote, during a fan picture day, being soooooo rude to a little kid (little'r than I, and I must have been around 12) who leaned around to poke his head into the dugout to say hi, that from that day on I held no respect for the man. For the Met catcher, yes, for the man, no. He shouted something like "get the hell outta here kid!" and the poor kid was just crushed. Ill never forget that.