FanPost

Mets Retired Numbers?

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via www.bloggingmets.com

Hey guys- crossing the line from PSA to get the Mets fan opinion on something. I actually just posted this in a comment at Beyond the Boxscore. Someone was wondering when Willie Mays's number 24 would be retired by the Mets since they don't issue it. I don't really think they should- after the jump is my comment, where I then thought out loud about the Mets' other retired numbers and potential honorees.

I know the Mets don’t issue #24 to anyone (except Rickey Henderson in ‘99-’00) but I don’t see any reason for them to retire it. He didn’t really do anything for the Mets franchise, he was washed up by the time he joined the club. Maybe if they retire it in recognition of his contributions to New York baseball in general, but remember he also only played 4.5 seasons with the New York Giants too. So even then I don’t know about it.

I do appreciate that the Mets don’t whore out their retired numbers like some franchises do to undeserving players (lookin’ at you, Astros). It’s truly an elite club to have your number retired by the Mets (though I would argue against having Casey Stengel’s number retired but he was so central to their first few years I guess I can see it). But Tom Seaver is the best player ever to don the orange and blue and Gil Hodges was a brilliant manager whose career was sadly cut short. Of former Mets who are retired, I would argue that maybe Gooden & Strawberry should have their numbers retired too- their sabre numbers are higher than you’d think- they were really good in their time in NY (PS- Dwight Gooden 1985- 11.7 rWAR? ridiculous). Though Carter & Piazza have their numbers out of circulation too, I’m not sure if either merits a number retirement. Of the two, Piazza has much better credentials though and I could buy it if they want to honor what he did for those late 90s and early 2000s Mets teams.

Oh and they should just clear a path for number 5 because David Wright is still really fucking good. He could end up being the best position player in Mets history.

Thoughts?

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