New York Mets: All Decade Team

The New York Mets have had a very up and down decade in the 2010s. As it finally comes to an end, here is a look at the 25 men who are deserving of their spot on the roster. One thing will be different about this team. Most will give you the best of the best, which will leave out the lesser-known guys who play significant roles in winning teams.

For example, instead of putting a starting player in a bench role, we will have a list of the best bench players the Mets had during the decade. It makes my life harder to compile a list, but it gives a more in-depth list. That said, let us start with the pitchers.

The starting pitchers were ranked based on baseball reference’s 1-5 category: (Years in uniform, years listed in spot)

1. Jacob deGrom (2014-19, 17-19): This one is pretty easy; the man had back to back Cy Young award wins.
2. Jon Niese (2010-16, 2012 and 2014): Niese was one of the more consistent pitchers the Mets had. 3.99 ERA during his nine seasons in Flushing.
3. Zack Wheeler (2013-19, 2014 and 2019): Wheeler always did a stable job of holding down the middle of the rotation. He only had one season where his ERA was above four.
4. Steven Matz (2015-19, 2016 and 2018-19): Matz always showed glimpses of how talented he can be, but has not thoroughly put it together yet. In 103 career games, he has a 4.05 ERA.
5. Dillon Gee (2010-15, 2012 and 2014): Gee was never dominant by any means and was often injured. In 114 games, he had a 4.03 ERA as a Met.

Bullpen (Years in uniform, years in role):

The bullpen will layout similarly to the starters. There will be two mop-up/long relief men, two middle relief guys, two setup men, and a closer.

Long Relief: Carlos Torres (2013-15, 2013): Seemed like this guy could pitch every day. He even started a few games as well during his time with the Mets.

Long Relief: Logan Verrett: (2015-16, 2015-16): Verrett was another pitcher who could eat innings and make a spot start when needed. Cannot forget his dominant start in Colorado to save the Mets bullpen in 2015.

Middle Relief: Jerry Blevins (2015-18, 2016-18): Blevins originally came in as a lefty specialist, but ended up emerging as a critical reliever in the Mets bullpen. He had three straight season of 60+ appearances with the Mets.

Middle Relief: Tim Byrdak (2011-13, 2011-12): Another lefty specialist, Byrdak, spent his last three season with the Mets. Mostly over the first two seasons, he pitched in 136 games and has a 4.32 ERA.

Setup: Seth Lugo (2016-19, 2018-19): Originally a starter, Lugo found his niche in the bullpen. He has a 2.68 ERA with nine saves over the last two seasons.

Setup: Bobby Parnell (2010-15, 2013-14): Parnell reminds Mets fans of darker days. Before injuries derailed his career, he had become one of the better relievers in baseball. 2.79 ERA from 2010-13.

Closer: Jeurys Familia (2012-19, 2015-16 and 2018): Speaking of dark days, Familia created some of those, but it is hard to argue with his dominance as closer. Two 40+ save seasons and a 3.14 ERA as a Met, even including his rough 2019 season.

Starting Lineup:

This one is pretty simple, the best of the best position players who were starters for a majority of their time as a Met.

Catcher: Wilson Ramos (2019): Yes, Travis d’Arnaud was also a candidate, but Ramos production at the plate was hands down better than anything d’Arnaud ever put together.

First Base: Pete Alonso (2019): Lucas Duda fell into the same situation as d’Arnaud. Also, it is hard to argue with 53 home runs.

Second Base: Daniel Murphy (2011-2015): For all of his defensive shortcomings, Murphy was a good hitter. He hit .288 with 967 hits as a Met alone with his impressive run in the 2015 postseason.

Third Base: David Wright: (2010-2018): We all wish we could have seen more of the captain.

Shortstop: Jose Reyes (2010-11, 2017-19): Tough choice between him and Amed Rosario, but Reyes has a good then dominant year to start the decade. Plus, it is hard to keep Wright and Reyes separate.

Left Field: Yoenis Cespedes (2015-2019): Despite missing the last two and a half seasons, his competition was Jason Bay, Eric Young Jr., and one year from J.D. Davis.

Center Field: Juan Lagares (2013-2019): Despite never hitting much, his defense was top notch and kept him on the roster for all these years.

Right Field: Curtis Granderson (2014-2017): Always a fan favorite and hit 95 home runs over his four years with the Mets.

Bench Players:

This will consist of guys who were known for filling roles of the bench but made a vital contribution and filled their roles adequately.

Backup Catcher: Rene Rivera (2016-17, 19): Rivera was your typical backup catcher. Handled the pitching staff very well, excellent defensively, and popped out a homer once in a while. He was the catcher for Noah Syndergaard in the 2016 Wild Card game.

Backup Infielder: Ruben Tejada (2010-15, 16): Tejada’s role fluctuated over the years but played all around the infield and emerged as a starter during the 2015 playoff run.

Backup Infielder: Justin Turner (2010-13): Unfortunately, the Mets gave up on him before he became an All-Star. Hit .265 during his tenure as a Met

Backup Outfielder: Kirk Nieuwenhuis (2012-15): Known for his long swing and defensive play, his home run against Jonathan Papelbon and three home run game in 2015 will not be forgotten.

Backup Outfielder: Brandon Nimmo (2016-19): Outside of 2018, Nimmo’s work has come as a platoon or back up role. He has a .387 on-base percentage in his career.

Just by looking at the list, it is evident the beginning half of the decade was not kind to the organization. The list was compiled to create a different look at the team and possibly bring up some names you may have forgotten about.