No one, not even Sandy Alderson himself, knew the Mets were getting this Yoenis Cespedes when they acquired him at the trade deadline last year.  In Cespedes’ first three seasons in the majors, he was a .263/.316/.464 hitter who averaged 24 homers and 87 RBI.  He was a guy had a lot of power, but he didn’t quite hit for enough power to compensate for his low OBP.  However, with the Mets, Cespedes has been a completely different player.  He might’ve just put together the best “season” any Mets player has ever had.

After last night’s game, Cespedes played in his 162nd game with the New York Mets.  In those 162 games, Cespedes has hit .294/.358/.584 with 96 runs, 34 doubles, five triples, 44 homers, and 112 RBI.  Other than Mike Piazza, Carlos Beltran, or possibly Darryl Strawberry, there are no Mets players that you expect to put up these types of numbers over the course of a season.  In fact, no one has really put up these types of numbers in a season as a Met.

If Cespedes had put these numbers over the course of one season instead of parts of one season, he would hold the Mets single season home run record topping Beltran’s 2006 season and Todd Hundley‘s 1996 season.  His .584 slugging only trails Beltran’s 2006 .594 slugging percentage (minimum 500 at bats).  His 112 RBI would rank 11th all-time.

Keep in mind, this only refers to the kind of impact you can quantify.  These numbers do not speak to how he has energized both the team and the fanbase.  It only alludes to how each and every Cespedes at bat is a must see event; how you don’t leave the room when he steps up to the plate.  It only gives a glimpse to how Cespedes has taken the Mets from a team in the postseason mix to a team that is in the discussion to win the World Series.   Overall, Cespedes’ 162 game run is among the greatest, if not the greatest, we have seen in Mets history.

This speaks to how much the Mets need to have him on the team and in the lineup.  Over this past “season” he has shown just how important he is.  If Cespedes does indeed choose to opt out after the season, the Mets must do everything they can do to make sure he stays with the team.

Editor’s Note: this was first published on Mets Merized Online