John From Albany - The All Time, All NY Born, Mets Team

Here’s an idea for a post that Mack’s Mets reader Bob W. came up with, the All Time, All New York Born Mets Team.

Luckily, the Ultimate Mets Data Base site has the full listing of Mets Players by state of Birth which makes the task easier. 

First there are four obvious choices such as Hempstead Born Frank Viola, Brooklyn’s John Franco and Eddie Kranepool and Lee Mazzilli who were both born in Manhattan.  Still, there are not some obvious choices.

For example, Joe Foy has a higher Mets OPS than Joe Torre (only by 1 point – but it surprised me that it was even close).

Also, I am going by each players Mets’ numbers or else Buffalo born Warren Spahn or Manhattan born John Candelaria would make it. 

My Starting Pitchers are led by Frankie V, 82 Games, 38-32 3.31 ERA over 3 years including a 20 win season in 1990. 

Two pitchers from Brooklyn are next, Pete Falcone, 145 Games, 26-37 3.91 ERA, 8 Complete Games, 2 Shut Outs and Ed Lynch, 167 Games, 38-40, 3.82 ERA, 7 Complete Games, 1 Shut Out.

Stony Brook’s Steven Matz, 103 Games, 31-36, 4.05 ERA, 1 Complete Game, 1 Shut Out.  He has a real shot at being the winningest NY born Mets pitcher if he keeps going a few more years. 

The Bronx’s Bob Shaw from the 1960’s, 49 starts over 2 years, 14-19, 4.06 ERA, 10 Complete Games, 3 Shut Outs. 

In one year, Buffalo’s Orel Hershiser went 13 -12 with a 4.58 ERA in 32 games which puts him near the top in wins of NY born Mets pitchers. 

John Franco pitched more games than any other New Yorker for the Mets, 695, has the most wins, 48, loses, 56, and saves, 276, with a 3.10 ERA over 14 Mets seasons. 

Manhattan’s Larry Bearnarth has the second most games pitched, 171 for a 13-21 record, 4 ERA.

In 2002, Buffalo’s Mark Guthrie pitched in 68 games, 5-3, 2.44 ERA, 1 save. 

Buffalo’s Kevin Kobel, 12-18, 76 games (36 starts), 2 Complete Games, 1 Shut out.

The Flushing Flash, Ed Glynn, 84 games, 4-7, 3.53 ERA, 8 saves.

I counted only 5 NY born catchers for the Mets.  Paul Lo Duca from Brooklyn would be my starter, 243 games, 14 HR, 103 RBI, .297/.334/.404, .739 OPS.

The next most games caught were from Manhattan’s Norm Sherry 63 in 1963, 2 HR, 11 RBI, .136/.205/.184, .389 OPS.  Johnny Monell from the Bronx and Brooklyn’s Joe Pignatano just 27 games caught each.  Manhattan’s Joe Ginsberg, just two games caught. 

Speaking of the Bronx, Bobby Bonilla is my NY born Right Fielder, 515 games, 95 HR, 295 RBIs, .270/.356/.495; .851 OPS.

Lee Mazzilli is in CF, 979 games, 68 HR, 353 RBIs, 152 SBs, .264/.357/.396; .753 OPS.

In Left Field, I have Brooklyn’s Tommy Davis, he had a good year in 1967, 16 HR, 73 RBIs, .302/.342/.440; .782 OPS.

Backing up in the Outfield there is Manhattan born Ken Singleton, 18 HR, 72 RBIs, 252/.369/.387; .756 OPS and Queens native Mike Baxter, 185 games and one No Hitter saving catch, 4 HR, 25 RBIs, .232/.340/.354, .694 OPS.

I also have Utica’s Chris Jones, 168 games, 12 HR, 49 RBIs, .263/.318/.423; .741.

In his 18 years, Ed Kranepool racked up more games, 1,853 (most in Mets history), hits, 1,418 (3^rd most in Mets History behind Wright and Reyes), HRs, 118, RBIs, 614 (5^th in Mets history) than any other NY Born player.  Gotta be the First Baseman on this team.

At 2B, I am going with T.J. Rivera from the Bronx, 106 games, 8 HR, 43 RBI, .304/.335/.445; .780 OPS.

SS, Franklin Square’s Al Weis, yes he slashed .191/.245/.253 with a .498 OPS but he hit over .400 in the 1969 WS. 

Manhattan’s Damion Easley hit a lot better than Al Weis but was more of a utility player by the time he came to the  Mets, 16 HR, 70 RBI, .273/.336/.407, .742 OPS.

3B?  Joe Torre, 254 games, 12 HR, 75 RBIs, .267/.327/.374, .701 OPS or Joe Foy, 99 games, 6 HR, 37 RBIs, 22 SBs, .236/.373/.329, .702 OPS. 

In the next few years we will probably see Medford’s Marcus Stroman and Manhattan born Dellin Betances stick around long enough to make an impact on this list.

Here’s hoping for more NY born players to make it to the Mets in the coming years.