THE SPORTIE FAN

Hello ladies and gents this is the viking telling you that today we are talking about

METS TOP 5

5. Keith Hernandez

While Keith Hernandez had a very successful career as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, he didn't slow down one bit after being shipped over to the Big Apple.

Keith was one guy who could not only give you quality at-bats, but he could pull it off with the leather as well. As an 11-time Gold Glove winner, Keith was truly one of the best fielding first baseman to ever play professional baseball.

His best year was most likely the year he won MVP in 1979. He absolutely raked, leading the league in runs, doubles and batting average. He didn't slow down there though, as he went on to play 11 more years as one of the best at his position. 

Keith was another key contributor to the '86 run, and without him, things would have been a lot more difficult. He contributed on both ends, solidifying himself as one of the best Mets to ever play. For that reason, he earns the No. 5 spot on my list.

Career:

Batting Avg: 296

RBIs: 1071

Runs: 1124

BB: 1070

OBP: .384

Home Runs: 162

4. Jerry Koosman

Often left in the shadows of "Tom Terrific", Jerry Koosman is not always given the credit he deserves.

His stellar work helped turn arguably the worst team in history into World Series Champions. In the 1969 championship season, Koosman went 17-9 with a blistering 2.28 ERA.

Those great stats were nothing though compared to the prior year where he went 19-12 with an amazing 2.08 ERA. He also finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting in '68 behind Stan Bahnsen of the New York Yankees.

Not to long ago, I was reading an article on the most underrated players in history and Jerry's name was brought up any times as he is one man who isn't usually known by the average fan. It is disappointing that he is often forgotten but understandable when your stuck behind the greatest Mets pitcher of all time.

After a 12-year career in New York, Koosman went on to play for the Minnesota Twins, White Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies. While he stayed a phenomenal pitcher during that span, he never truly captured the magic he had as a part of the Miracle Mets. Nonetheless, his awe-inspiring resume notches him the No. 4 spot on the list.

Career: 

W/L: 222/209

ERA: 3.36

Strikeouts: 2,556

WHIP: 1.259

Innings Pitched: 3,839.1

3. Dwight Gooden

Gooden's career was phenomenal. He was one of the most talented pitchers in history, and he proved it for the majority of his career. However, when I look back at Dwight, I simply ponder what could have been.

Gooden often struggled to concentrate completely on baseball, as he repeatedly got into trouble with the law. After a promising start to his career, many thought he was destined to be arguably the best to ever play the game of baseball.

But, Dwight wasn't necessarily dedicated the way most ballplayers were, as he failed to live up to those lofty expectations. While Gooden had an absolutely fantastic career, I can't help but think it could have been just that much better.

Gooden's best year was certainly in 1985, as he followed up his Rookie of the Year season with absolutely dominant stats, easily taking home the Cy Young Award. He lead the league in wins, ERA, complete games, strikeouts and innings pitched. However, things didn't slow down much after that, as he was a key asset in the machine that took the Mets on the road to their second World Series Championship.

Dwight's absolutely dominant start to his career easily takes him up to No. 3 on the list, but it can be argued that without outside distractions, Gooden could find himself at the very top of my list.

Career:

W/L: 194-112

ERA: 3.51

Strikeouts: 2,293

WHIP: 1.256

Innings Pitched: 2,800.2

Complete Games: 68

2. Darryl Strawberry

Strawberry is another guy who had all the skills in the world and despite having an amazing career, he couldn't seem to stay out of trouble. Nonetheless, his time as a Met will never be forgotten in the fans' hearts, as he was part of that magical 1986 team.

Known for being a great power hitter, Darryl's best year was 1988 when he lead the league in home runs with 39. He also managed to top the league in both OPS and Slugging Percentage.

However, his production wouldn't drop much until 1992 in his second year as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. His stats dropped across the board, and he only played in 42 games. After that rough season, Darryl only had one other year where he managed to play over a hundred games, just cracking the century mark with 101. 

While there are so many positives that coincide with Darryl's career, he will always be shadowed by his issues off the baseball field. His stats are terrific, but one question still lies: How good could he have been?

Career:

Batting Avg: .259

Home Runs: 335

Runs: 898

RBIs: 1000

Slugging Percentage: .505

OBP: .357

1. Tom "Terrific" Seaver

When thinking about Tom Seaver, one word pops into my mind: Terrific (Hence the nickname). However, words can't describe his value to the Mets franchise. As a Hall of Famer, Tom is simply the greatest Met of all-time. He helped turn a drowning joke of a franchise into World Series Champions, and that can't be understated. 

When looking at Seaver's track record, it is hard to choose one year that stood out above the rest. He stayed consistent, never faltering much throughout his long career. When Tom Seaver stepped on the mound, it was nearly a fact that you were going to get a quality start.

While Tom went on to have success elsewhere, his best years were definitely in New York, where he won Rookie of the Year and all three of his Cy Young Awards. He is one of the most decorated pitchers to ever play the game and for those reasons, he is #1 on my list of All-Time Mets.

Career:

W/L: 311/205

ERA: 2.86

Strikeouts: 3,640

WHIP: 1.121

Innings Pitched: 4,783

Shut Outs: 61

I hope you liked this post and as always have a chilled day from the Viking.