The Best Mets Teams In Franchise History
He's not wrong. This might be the best Mets team in decades and it might be time to have the conversation of where it ranks among the greatest Mets teams ever.
Here's my list of the five most talented Mets teams coming into this season:
1.1986
Won World Series
108-54 (.667)
This is the best team in franchise history and it's not even close. How talented was this team? I'm not even going to mention the obvious greats. On the bench, they had a future MVP (Kevin Mitchell) and a future home run leader (Howard Johnson). This was such deep squad, major league ready players like Randy Myers, Dave Magadan and Kevin Elster spent almost the entire year in AAA. The only way this team would be better is if the 1985 version of Dwight Gooden was pitching on this team.
There is no chance the 2022 team will be better than this team even if they sweep the playoffs.
2.1969
Won World Series
100-62 (.617)
As good as the 2022 pitching staff is, this one is better. You had Tom Seaver (25-7, 2.21), Jerry Koosman (17-9, 2.28) and a young Nolan Ryan. A big reason they improved so much from the year before was a rookie named Gary Gentry made 35 starts and went 13-12 with a 3.43. It wasn't just the amazing starting pitching. Before many teams really had a handle on bullpen effectiveness, manager Gil Hodges used these relievers, led by Tug McGraw and Ron Taylor brilliantly.
If the 2022 team did win the World Series, they could end up being better than this team. As great as they pitched, the 1969 Mets had a pretty weak offense. They had the 2nd worst OBP in the National League that year. From everything I've read, they had great clutch hitting but this wasn't a feared lineup and it would be their Achilles' heel in the early 1970's.
3.1988
Lost NLCS
100-60 (.625)
This is the best Mets team I've personally seen. I was too young to remember anything in 1986 except for the World Series. Maybe some of you think a team needs to at least make a World Series to qualify for a list like this but I don't think that's necessarily the case when discussing the sheer talent of a team. The 1988 Mets had the most complete rotation in team history.
David Cone: 20-3, 2.22
Dwight Gooden: 18-9, 3.19
Ron Darling: 17-9, 3.25
Sid Fernandez: 12-10, 3.03
Bob Ojeda: 10-13, 2.88
Only four starts were made by any pitcher outside of that quintet. The 1988 Mets had the best ERA in the Natonal League that season and they weren't just pitching dominant. With Darryl Strawberry, Howard Johnson and Kevin McReynolds, they also had the best team OBP and slugging percentage in the NL. To be beat in the LCS by one of the worst World Series champions over the past 50 years, I still can't make sense of it. I'm sure fans of the 1988 Oakland A's fans feel the same way.
That's something I love about the 2022 team. They are very well rounded. Obviously the strength is the pitching rotation but not many great Mets teams had as many talented offensive players as the current version does.
4.2006
Lost NLCS
97-65 (.599)
Here's the exception to the rule I just mentioned. This team is the best hitting great Mets team (although you could make a case for the 2016 team although that team was just good and not great). The core of David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado and a future HOFer in Carlos Beltran was as good a foursome as they've ever had in Queens.
For this bizarro Mets team, the issue was the starting pitching which consisted of four starters who were 34 years old or older. No one was too shocked when they started to break down before the playoffs. If the 2022 Mets can make a little run in the playoffs, they will be better than this team.
5.2000
Lost World Series
94-68
This was a coin flip between the 1999 and 2000 teams. The 1999 squad had John Olerud but the 2000 Mets had Mike Hampton. That 1-2 punch with Al Leiter gives the 2000 team the edge in my mind. Both were very good and did everything well but I am not sure either was great. There were great elements (Mike Piazza, infield defense) but the outfield production and bullpen wasn't consistent enough. That 2000 World Series pitted the worst of those Yankee Dynasty teams against the Mets. The Series only went five games but the games were very close. I'd love a rematch this October.
If deGrom and Scherzer can stay healthy the rest of the way and they can at least make the NLCS, I'd have no problem putting the 2022 squad ahead of either the 1999 or 2000 teams. Although I don't think they are great teams, you can make a case for the 1985 or the 2015 teams to be on this list as well.
I know a lot of Mets fans are always waiting for the other shoe to drop and I don't think that's an unfair thought process. The Mets have a lifetime winning percentage of .482 and since they've been a team, the Yankees have won eight titles. The Mets only have two. It's ok to be skeptical. But this season is also something to be celebrated as well. Mets fans know they don't come around every year.