Mets Police Decade In Review: Should the Mets retire 16, 17, 18?

In Newsday this morning, Jim Baumbach proposes that the Mets retire the numbers of Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry

My initial reaction was, “No way!  Teams retire too many numbers as it is!  Let’s not retire everyone!  It’s a special thing!”

Then I thought more.

The top two complaints about Citi Field are obstructed views (which hasn’t even begun to reach the levels of complaining it will once people sit in their “real” seats) and that there’s not enough Mets stuff at Citi Field.

About that he’s right, and so I agree – let’s hang some numbers on the fence.   I just think he has the wrong numbers.

Let’s start with the first choice.   17.

I cringe any time I see someone else wearing Keith Hernandez’s number.   He was The Captain.  He was the one who taught us how to win.   He was a great player, a great New Yorker, and has a constant long-term presence with the club.   He’ll never make the Hall of Fame, but he’s one of the greatest Mets of all time.   17 should be next.

Doc Gooden’s #16.   My initial reaction was no.   Gooden had a few great years, and some ok years later – but he never won 300 like was destiny.  He didn’t even win 200.

However, Gooden is like the ex-girlfriend you just can’t get out of your system.  No matter how much he hurts us, we always long for what could have been.

It has been 23 years since the 1986 Mets, it’s time to start honoring them.   Later in the summer, after Keith Hernandez day, let’s welcome back Gooden and hang the 16 on the fence.

Plus, I can pretend it’s for Lee Mazzilli.

Finally, Strawberry’s 18.  I’m going to say no.

Even when Darryl was here, he was talking about how he couldn’t wait to get to LA.  It was all he talked about.   I can’t do this revisionist history and pretend he loved us.  When I think of him today I actually picture him as a Yankee!    He’s one of our heroes…but he doesn’t deserve to be on the fence.

Mike Piazza’s #31.   We all know this one’s coming.  Let’s just get it up there.  We can tell Fred Wilpon he was a Dodger.

Baumbach makes a good case.  Check it out.