Keith Hernandez had worn out his welcome with the St. Louis Cardinal’s Manager, Whitey Herzog, and the 1979 National League MVP and 1982 World Series Champion started new with the New York Mets.  Luckily for New York, there was a lot left in his tank when he got there.

From the infielding factory of the Dominican Republic, Jose Reyes debuted for the Mets at age 20 in 2003.  Two years later, he was cemented as the team's starting Shortstop.

Reyes used his speed expertly on the basepaths.  On four different occasions, Reyes would lead the Natinal League in Triples, and he would have at least 50 Stolen Bases in each year from 2005 to 2008.  The first three of those league-leading SB seasons saw Reyes finish first with phenomenal totals of 60, 64 and 78 repectively.  He wasn't known for his power, but he did have a 19 Home Run year in 2006 which would earn him a Silver Slugger.  In 2011, Reyes would win his lone Batting Title.

After that year, he was traded to the Miami Marlins.  He came back in 2016 for three final seasons as a Met.  With the team, he would have 1,534 Hits, batted .282 and had 408 Stolen Bases.

Like Dwight Gooden, the story of Darryl Strawberry should have been greater, but we know the drug issues that he had that affected his career.  Still, it cannot be forgotten what a major star that Strawberry was and the incredible athleticism that he displayed on the field.

Granted, there are many who when they hear the name of Dwight Gooden, they think of what might have been.  Saying that there should be (and hopefully are) people who when the Doc’s name comes up remembers the dominating pitcher who for a two year stretch was considered the best in the game and a must watch phenomenon.

Two players have entered the Baseball Hall of Fame wearing a New York Mets hat.  Fittingly, Tom Seaver was the first.

Prior to the recent induction of Ken Griffey Jr., Seaver entered Cooperstown with the highest percentage from the voters, which considering he was one of the greatest Starting Pitchers that ever lived was fitting.  While he did not play his entire career in New York, “Tom Terrific” was at his Hall of Fame best during his years in the Big Apple. 

Spending his entire career with the New York Mets, Third Baseman, David Wright would go to seven All-Star Games earning two Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers.  Wright would be viewed as a complete player during his career and is the all-time New York Mets leader in multiple offensive statistics.  This would be a great career, but he never seemed to be considered among the elite in the National League.

It cannot be disputed that Tom Seaver was the ace of the New York Mets staff during the 1969 Miracle Mets season and beyond, but Koosman was the far more effective hurler in the ’69 World Series (he went 2-0 with a 0.623 WHIP) and was also a large reason they got there in the first place. 

Recently the Seattle Mariners announced that Ken Griffey Jr. will have his number retired by the organization; this following his selection to the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Ken Griffey Jr. was not the only 2016 inductee as former Major League Catcher, Mike Piazza will be joining him.  Piazza will also enjoy a similar accolade, as the New York Mets have announced that they will be retiring his number.

Piazza joined the New York Mets following a trade from the Florida Marlins in 1998 and over a nearly 1,000 Game Career with the Mets, Piazza earned six All Star nods and three Silver Slugger Awards.  He would accumulate 1,028 Hits, 220 Home Runs, with a Slash Line of .296/.373/.542 Slash Line with a bWAR of 30.5.

The retirement of Mike Piazza’s number #31 will be the fourth Met to have his number retired.  This follows Tom Seaver, Gil Hodges and Casey Stengel to have this accolade.

The ceremony will take place prior to a game against the Colorado Rockies on July 30th.

We would like to congratulate Mike Piazza for achieving this latest accolade.

Just what would Keith Hernandez be most famous for?  Could it be for his eleven consecutive Gold Gloves?  How about his 1979 MVP?  The two World Series rings, perhaps?  Maybe his tenacious play as a Met?  It could also be for his association with cocaine.  Likely, many think of Keith Hernandez and remember that Seinfeld episode instead.  Just as long as it isn’t for those terrible Just for Men commercials.

Although Keith Hernandez had a longer tenure with the Cardinals and won a World Series and MVP there, it can be easily argued that his best days were as a New York Met.  He embodied the party hard, play harder attitude, and quickly became the leader of his second franchise.  Hernandez did not just win Gold Gloves; he reinvented the position.  It was virtually impossible to bunt on him, and his judgments on the field were rarely wrong.  Hernandez was not a power hitter, but a very good contact hitter, and showed a high On Base Percentage when it wasn’t the vogue statistic to have.

What has hampered Hernandez’s Hall of Fame case was the allegations in St. Louis that he was not a hustler (mostly made by his manager, Whitey Herzog) and was a drug abuser.  The latter proved to be true, though the former was accurate as well; it can only be imagined what numbers he would have put up.  Keith Hernandez likely left the ballot after nine years because of those issues, but with the recent surge of sabermetrics, a look at Keith Hernandez should make him an interesting case for future consideration.

If the main criteria for the Hall are perseverance and effort, then Rusty Staub should have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer.  His hard work resulted in over 2,700 hits in a Major League career that many people who saw him early on would never have pegged him for.

Nobody could ever accuse Staub of not giving everything he had, regardless of the endeavor.  Those efforts included cooking, history, and, of course, baseball.  They called him eccentric for these things, but his meticulous nature turned him into a pure hitter and gained him respect throughout the league.  He made six All-Star Games but did so without showing much power (though he hit 25 homers twice) and without any real speed.  What he did do was hit for average consistently and walk frequently, which enabled him, even late in his career, to be a solid pinch-hitter.

Staub may have been freakishly consistent, but he was never dominant and was never a serious contender for any postseason award.  Six All-Star appearances were impressive, but rarely has the Baseball Hall of Fame rewarded longevity without at least a flash of immortality.  If they did, Staub would be a good place to start.

David Cone may not be best remembered for winning a Cy Young Award. He may be best known as a true hired gun that baseball teams coveted in their stretch drives.

Cone had the coveted label as a big game pitcher. Cone was at his best during high-pressure situations and showcased his abilities as a member of five World Series-winning teams. He was a very smart pitcher who used a variety of skills to defeat opposing batters. Cone was the subject of various sex scandals, yet was able to shut out those distractions and often had his best outings while the target of public ridicule. As such, he shook off those labels and kept only one: winner.

What prevented David Cone from making a serious run at the Hall of Fame was a few bad seasons that really brought down his overall career numbers. He failed to make the 200-win milestone, though had he had more offensive run support, he could have made it. His “hired gun” status also gave him a label that was unsatisfactory to some, though he was one of many to receive it. Flat out, David Cone was one of the top pitchers of the ’90s, and that should not be denied.

 

One of the more consistent hitters in his era, Carlos Delgado was only named to two All-Star teams due to the glut of top-tier first basemen in his time. He had great power numbers (473 Home Runs and 1,512 Runs Batted In) and a very good career OPS of .929, which sounds like Hall of Fame numbers, but his career WAR of 44.3, although good, is not on par with many of the current players they are looking at.

You would think it would be hard to rank a Pitcher who once lost 20 games in a season on a list for Hall of Fame consideration. Actually, it wasn’t that hard at all.

In the year that Jerry Koosman lost twenty games, his stat lines were actually decent. In fact, he led the National League in Strikeouts per Nine Innings that season; however, the run support that he received from his woeful Mets was virtually non-existent. It wasn’t always that way, as he was the lefty half of a powerful combination (with Tom Seaver) that propelled the “Miracle Mets” to the 1969 World Series. Considered to be the best lefty that the Mets ever had, Koosman won 140 games for them, which was impressive considering that New York was not particularly good for half of that tenure. With what was perceived as an up-and-down season, Koosman was resurrected in Minnesota and won 20 games, making a solid charge for the Cy Young, but again, he was saddled with a mediocre team, this time one out of the National spotlight. 

Jerry Koosman was a very good pitcher who always seemed to be in the shadow of (Seaver) or in a small market. Sabremetrically, his career has enjoyed a better look (Career WAR of 58.8), but it probably won’t be enough to get him a serious look on a Veteran’s Committee Ballot. At least Mets fans knew how good Koosman really was.

Should Jerry Koosman be in the Hall of Fame?

Definitely put him in! Maybe, but others deserve it first. Probably not, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. No opinion. No way!

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Definitely put him in! - 67.6%

Maybe, but others deserve it first. - 13.1%

Probably not, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. - 12.2%

No opinion. - 0%

No way! - 7%