New York Mets Top Ten: A New York Groove
By Tab Bamford
The Mets went from awful to amazing, losing more than 100 games in five of their first six seasons (1962-1967) before winning the 1969 World Series title. The expansion 1962 Mets featured Puerto Rican Felix Mantilla and Venezuelan Elio Chácon on the left side of their infield. A number of Latinos passed through Queens, such as second baseman Felix Millan and pitcher Nino Espinosa in the 1970s, but Mets fans had to wait until 1983 to see Jesse Orosco become the first Latino on the Mets make an NL All-Star team.
Jesse Orosco was a vital part of the Mets success of the 1980s, whose celebration on the mound following the Mets clinching the 1986 World Series is forever etched in their memory. Other Latinos became key contributors in the 1990s and 2000s. Venezuelan Edgardo Alfonzo contributed with his bat, steady glove at second base, and clubhouse presence during the late 1990s and early 2000s, including a 1999 World Series appearance against crosstown rivals Yankees. While the free agent signing of Bobby Bonilla in 1991 didn’t produce a playoff appearance, the signings of Carlos Beltrán and Pedro Martínez in 2004 off-season did produce results, with the Mets dropping a classic seven game NLCS to the Cardinals.
Which Latino players made the biggest impact on the Mets? As a reminder, we’re trying to keep it simple with these rankings by using WAR (as calculated by Baseball-Reference.com) to determine the Top 10 list.
Let’s take a look to see where your favorite Latino on the Mets land on their all-time Top 10 list.
New York Mets
1. Carlos Beltrán
7 years with the Mets, 31.1 WAR, 5-time All-Star, three Gold Glove awards
Puerto Rico
Beltrán signed with the Mets as a 28-year-old in 2005 and became a household name in all five boroughs. His 149 home runs still rank sixth in Mets history and he took home two Silver Slugger awards while playing at Shea Stadium. Beltrán also stole 100 bases and drove in 559 runs in 839 games with the Mets.
2. Edgardo Alfonzo
8 years with the Mets, 29.7 WAR, one All-Star Game, one Silver Slugger
Venezuela
Alfonzo finished eighth in the MVP voting in 1999 when he won the Silver Slugger Award for his 27 home run, 108 RBI performance. He was named an All-Star the following season when he hit 25 homers and drove in 84. He played 1,086 games with the Mets, making him one of only ten position players to appear in 1,000 contests.
3. José Reyes
11+ years with the Mets, 27.9 WAR, 4-time All-Star, one Silver Slugger
Dominican Republic
The first current member of the Mets to make the list, Reyes appeared on the scene as a 20-year-old in 2003 and brought a speed element to the Mets they hadn’t seen in years. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in triples and stolen bases; he led the league in steals three straight years (2005-07). He ranks second all-time in runs scored for the Mets behind only David Wright and only three players – Ed Kranepool, Wright and Bud Harrelson – have appeared in more games for the Mets.
4. Johan Santana
4 years with the Mets, 15.3 WAR, one All-Star Game
Venezuela
After appearing in three consecutive All-Star Games with the Twins, Santana signed a huge contract with the Mets before the 2008 season. He led the league with a 2.53 ERA, 234.1 innings pitched and 34 starts that first season but the decline sadly had begun. He never threw 200 innings in a season again, finishing his career sooner than hoped with a 46-34 record while wearing the orange and blue of the Mets.
5. Jesse Orosco
8 years with the Mets, 12.3 WAR, 2-time All-Star
US / Mexico
Orosco was one of the centerpieces of the great Mets teams of the 1980s. Orosco appeared in two All-Star games in his 24 season career – 1983 and 1984. He appeared in 372 games with the Mets – a total that still ranks fifth in team history – including only four starts.
6. Juan Lagares
5+ years with the Mets, 11.8 WAR, one Gold Glove award
Dominican Republic
Lagares is the second current member of the club to make the list. He won a Gold Glove in 2014, his second year in the league – the same season he drove in a career-high 47 runs. He hasn’t appeared in more than 94 games the last two years but is still only 29 years old.
7. Ángel Pagán
4 years with the Mets, 10.8 WAR
Puerto Rico
Pagán was acquired from the Cubs before the 2008 season and went on to steal 87 bases and score 214 runs in 393 games before he was traded to San Francisco. His best season came in 2010 when he stole a career-best 37 bags, hit 11 home runs and drove in a career-high 69 runs.
8. Armando Benítez
5 years with the Mets, 9.8 WAR, one All-Star Game
Dominican Republic
Benítez still ranks second in Mets history with 160 saves. In 2000, he finished an NL-leading 68 games and saved 41 contests. Benítez struck out 456 in 347 innings with the Mets.
9. Bob Ojeda
5 years with the Mets. 9.6 WAR
US / Mexico
Acquired in an eight-player trade with Boston in November 1985, Ojeda paid huge dividends for the Mets. Ojeda went 18-5 with a 2.57 ERA during the 1986 campaign that finished with the Mets defeating the Red Sox in seven games. The left-handed Ojeda never quite recaptured that magic, winning a total of 51 games in 5 seasons with the Mets.
10. Bobby Bonilla
5 years with the Mets, 8.2 WAR, 2-time All-Star
US / Puerto Rico
Is Bobby still getting paid by the Mets? He signed there before the 1992 season after a terrific run with Barry Bonds in Pittsburgh and he struggled to stay healthy enough to contribute anywhere near the level he did with the Pirates. In 515 games with the Mets, Bonilla hit 95 home runs and drove in 295 runs.
WHO DID WE MISS? WHO’S YOUR FAVORITE? TELL US IN THE COMMENTS!
Featured Image: Ronald C. Modra / Getty Images Sport
Correction: A previous version of this article identified Johan Santana’s country of origin as Panama. He is from Venezuela.