Mets Fan Favorite Tournament
(2) Edgardo Alfonzo – Best second baseman in Mets history in addition to being one of the best third baseman. Part of the best defensive infield in history. First Mets player to ever go 6-for-6. Homered in the first inning of the Mets first ever NLDS game, and he hit a grand slam off Bobby Chouinard in that game to give the Mets the victory. All-Star in 2000. Hit .444/.565/.611 in the 2000 NLCS. Last Mets player to ever record a World Series base hit in Shea Stadium. Led the 2019 Brooklyn Cyclones to their first ever outright New York-Penn League title.
(15) Armando Benitez – One of the best Mets relievers of all-time and arguably the most dominant. Second all-time on Mets saves list. Fifth all-time in Mets history in WPA among pitchers. Once held Mets single-season save record. Still holds single season record for games finished. Despite being known more for his blown saves, Benitez actually had a 2.00 ERA and held batters to a .221/.299/.294 batting line in postseason play.
(7) Todd Hundley – One time owner of the Mets single-season home run record and MLB single-season home run record for a catcher. Moment was featured as a hologram on the 1997 Mets Yearbook. Drew first walk of Subway Series play and would have the first stolen base with a steal of home. Two time All-Star and popular player who had fans in the stands known as the Todd Squad
(10) Benny Agbayani – Like Sid Fernandez, the native Hawaiian wore the number 50. Set a record in 1999 with 10 homers in his first 73 at-bats. Outlasted the competition to not only stay on the 2000 roster but become an everyday left fielder. That began with his Sayonara Slam in the first regular season series ever played in Japan. Hit a walk-off homer in the 13th inning of Game 3 of the NLDS. Hit a game winning double in Game 3 of the World Series. Greeted with chants of “Benny” and Mets grasped onto the “Benny and the Mets” riff on the Elton John hit.
(3) Al Leiter – Was a 1 or 1A during most of his Mets tenure, and he gave his all battling tough when the Mets needed him most. Had arguably the single greatest pitching performance in team history with his two hit shut out of the Reds in the Wild Card play-in game. Won the Roberto Clemente Award in 2000. Became the first ever pitcher to beat all 30 teams. Wore the caps for each and every first reponder agency during his complete game on the one-year anniversary of 9/11. Trails only Tom Seaver and Jacob deGrom in ERA+ among Mets pitchers with at least 1,000 innings arguably making him the best left-handed pitcher in team history.
(14) Bobby Jones – Handled weight of expectations of being a Mets first round draft pick who went to the same high school as Seaver fairly well. Finished in the top 10 in Rookie of the Year voting and was an All-Star in 1997. Was an Opening Day starter three times for the Mets. Like Leiter, arguably had the greatest pitching performance in Mets history with his one hitter to clinch the 2000 NLDS.
(6) John Franco – Mets all-time leader in saves and appearances. Has the most saves out of any left-handed pitcher in Major League history. Gave up his 31 for Mike Piazza and began a season long effort to ensure Piazza would remain a Met. Switched to 45 to honor Tug McGraw. Earned key save in Game 2 of 2000 NLDS striking out Barry Bonds, and he was the last Mets pitcher to win a World Series game in Shea Stadium. Wearing an FDNY cap, the Brooklyn born Franco was the winning pitcher for the Mets first game back after 9/11. Inducted into Mets Hall of Fame in 2012.
(11) Turk Wendell – Known and loved best by Mets fans for the shark tooth necklace and spiking of the rosin bag at the back of the mound. Key and primary right-handed set-up man on the 1999 and 2000 teams which were the first Mets teams to make the postseason in consecutive years. Had a 2.84 postseason ERA for the Mets.
(5) John Olerud – Had the Keith Hernandez like effect where is acquisition was what helped turned the franchise around. His .354 batting average in 1998 is the Mets single season record, and his .315 career average is the best in Mets history. That 1998 season stands as the best season a Mets first baseman has ever had. Holds the Mets first and second best single season records for OBP and is Mets all-time OBP leader. By OPS+ second best hitter in Mets history. Name littered all over single season and career top 10 lists. Hit RBI single off John Rocker in Game 4 of NLCS. First baseman for greatest defensive infield in team history.
(13) Lance Johnson – Had the single greatest season a Mets lead-off hitter has ever had. In 1996, he posted what was then the second highest single-season WAR in Mets history. Now, it is fifth best, and it is still the best any Mets lead-off hitter has ever had. In that season, he set team single-season records for at-bats, runs, hits, total bases, triples, and singles. His hits, triples, and singles records still stand. Was having a similarly impressive 1997 season before being traded to the Cubs in a trade which netted the Mets, among others, Turk Wendell.
(5) Robin Ventura – Forever known through baseball history for the Grand Slam Single. In his Mets career also became the first player to hit a grand slam in both ends of a doubleheader. Won a Gold Glove in 1999 and was a member of the best defensive infield in baseball history. In 1999, set a then Mets single season record for RBI in a season (surpassed by Mike Piazza in that same season). By WAR, top player on 1999 team which returned to postseason. His rain delay impersonation of Piazza is still one of the most popular rain delay bloopers.
(12) Todd Zeile – Played for 11 MLB teams in his career with the Mets being the only team he played for twice. Came to the Mets originally in 2000 as a replacement for John Olerud. Helped that Mets team win a pennant with a great postseason. By OPS was the Mets best hitter in that World Series and might’ve been remembered differently if the ball obeyed the rules of physics or Timo Perez ran it out. Was the player who spearheaded wearing the first responder caps post 9/11. Returned to Mets to be a post game analyst on SNY.
(8) Rick Reed – Replacement player who pitched to help pay for his mother’s medical bills. Once had a chilly reception only to win people over with his pitching. His emergence in 1997 helped the Mets become an 88 win team. Was a two time All-Star. Was 1-1 with a 3.81 ERA in five postseason starts. Started last World Series game Mets won in Shea Stadium.
(9) Bernard Gilkey – Came to Mets in 1996 and had one of the greatest seasons in team history. Still single season record holder for doubles in a season. Recorded the first ever hit, run scored, and homer in the Subway Series when Interleague play began in 1997. Due to the way his eyes opened when he saw a pitch to hit, he had a cameo in Men in Black.
(1) Mike Piazza – greatest offensive catcher in Major League history who decided to wear a Mets cap on his Hall of Fame plaque. Second player to have his number retired by the Mets. Hit a number of big homers for the franchise including one capping off the 10 run inning against the Braves and the one post 9/11. Mets all-time leader in slugging and second in OPS. All over the single season and career top 10 offensive categories. Took those late 90s Mets teams over the top. Caught final pitch at Shea Stadium and first pitch at Citi Field.
(16) Rico Brogna – Local kid Rico Suave was an instant fan favorite after a big 1995 season. In that season, he became the first ever player to homer at Coors Field. Had difficulty building off that very good 1995 season due to his suffering from ankylosing spondylitis. Would go on to become a national spokesperson for the disease. With Mets making efforts to reach out to alumni last year, he was one of the first players to return to Citi Field.
The first round of voting in the Amazin’ Bracket is now complete, and this went completely chalk. What was perhaps the most surprising was there wasn’t really a close match-up. That was different than the Miracle bracket when Tommie Agee had a mild upset over Jon Matlack.
The second round of this bracket has some very interesting match-ups. The first match-up is Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling in a battle of the famed GKR color commentators. After that, it is Gary Carter who started the Game 6 rally against Mookie Wilson who capped it off. Howard Johnson and Darryl Strawberry is a match-up of the Mets first 30/30 players.
Coming up next is the Mojo Rising Bracket with Mike Piazza, one of two Mets players in the Baseball Hall of Fame, against local legend Rico Brogna.
(2) Dwight Gooden – Had the greatest season a rookie pitcher ever had and the greatest rookie season a Mets player ever had. Remarkably, he was even better in 1985. Won the Triple Crown and was the unanimous Cy Young that year. Was such a great pitcher that for nearly a decade there was a massive poster of him in Times Square. Is all-over the top 10 rankings for Mets single-season and career records. By WAR is the third best Mets player in history.
(15) Wally Backman – Throwback middle infielder and second spot hitter who led NL in sacrifices in 1985. Fiery personality matched the 1986 perfectly. Started a game winning rally in Game 3 of the NLCS with a drag bunt. His run in the 16th inning of Game 6 of the NLCS proved to be the pennant winning run. After being fired from the Diamondbacks, he returned as a minor league manager who had an impact on much of the Mets core, including but not limited to Brandon Nimmo.