While working on the newsletter last night I re-read the press release about the All Time Mets Team and started thinking how many of the nominees will be obvious.
Shall we…
at the 92nd Street Y on Sunday, June 17th. “The Mets All-Time Team” — presented by Citi – will feature its own blue ribbon panel discussing the very best Mets players in team history at each position: 1st base, 2nd base, shortstop, 3rd base, left field, center field, right field, lefty and righty starting pitchers, lefty and righty relievers, catcher, and manager. As the best player at each position is unveiled, he will join the panel on-stage . Expected attendees include: Tom Seaver, Mike Piazza, Keith Hernandez, Darryl Strawberry, Jerry Koosman and many others. The All-Time team selection panel includes Mets play-by-play announcers Gary Cohen and Howie Rose, columnists Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post, John Harper of the New York Daily News and Marty Noble of MLB.com and a senior member of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
RHP. To quote the great Bruce Springsteen…do I have to say his name? Do I have to say his name? The one, the only, The Franchise.
LHP. If Koosman is going to be there they will honor him, no?
C. Piazza will be there. They’ll somehow honor Carter but I don’t think you are inviting Piazza to not give it to him.
1B. Keith will be there.
RF. Darryl will be there.
Here’s where it gets interesting.
I think Gil will get the manager nod. Tom Seaver will insist on it and nobody will argue with him. The only other possible choice manages the Nationals. So manager is done.
Second base? Well, that’s what the comments section is for. I’ll guess they go with Alfonzo and make Generation Piazza justifiably happy.
Third Base they will give to David Wright.
Shortstop. Hmmmmmmmm. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. My money is on Bud Harrelson. They wouldn’t open a can of worms at this event would they?
Left Field. Again that’s what the comments are for but to add balance to the force I think some more ’69 loving is needed (no not that kind) and Howie and Noble will insist on Cleon Jones.
Center Field will go to good soldier Mookie Wilson.
LH Reliever: John Franco is around town these days. 276 saves as a Met to Jesse Orosco’s 107. We can debate who we want on the hill in the 9th some other time, but I say Franco will get the nod.
RH Reliever: I dunno. Armando Benitez? 160 saves as a Met, and a link to the 2000 club?
That gives you (if I added right) five from ’69, three from ’86, five from 2000 and David Wright.
Your opinion is as valid as mine. Shoot…
Depends how they feel about current players, because Beltran and Reyes are both the deserving players.
I like the list Shannon only differences are I would put Reyes at short and Beltran in center. I also would put Tug McGraw in over Franco and if you put Harrelson in over Reyes you could make an argument for Backman or Boswell over Alfonso but I would stick with Alfonso
It’s hard to get comments in context on the internet but I don’t think they “will give to David Wright”. He’s earned it. There isn’t another third baseman in this franchise in his league. Knight and Ventura are up there, but not as good as Wright.
They HAVE to do something to honor Carter. If not Citi will be torn down brick by brick, possibly by Hernandez, Wright and Strawberry.