This started the way that many things do, as a Twitter argument. The question was simple: Who was the better New York Met, Johan or Pedro? While this got resolved relatively quickly (as its obviously Johan), it led to a more interesting question: Who are the top 10 Mets pitchers of all time?
This is a heck of a question to answer, given that you have to compare eras and different types of pitchers, so I've simplified a little bit. First, this is only going to be about starters, as comparing them to relievers (or comparing relievers given the change in usage) is unlikely to be helpful; though, for the record, Franco is the best and everyone else is light years behind. Second, to be eligible, you need to have pitched at least 450 innings. This means R.A. Dickey is eligible, but Jonathan Niese is not. With a nod to @jenconnic, @8kpower, and Baseball Reference, here we go.
#1: Tom Seaver
Absolute no brainer. Tom Terrific is the all time leader in pretty much every counting stat: IP, Wins, Strikeouts, SHO. The more shocking thing, and the one that sets him apart, is that he's also the all time leader in ERA and WHIP. To be that good for that many innings is truly rare.
#2: Dwight Gooden
Another less than controversial choice. Pretty much every list you're going to find on the topic will have Seaver first and Doc second. But just because it's cliche doesn't make it wrong. Doc is 2nd all time in WAR and K's, and his 1985 season is one of the best in the history of baseball. The only guys to have better seasons since 1960 are Gibson (playing on a higher mound), Pedro, and Maddux. Pretty elite company.
#3: Sid Fernandez
Now we're getting into more controversial territory; theres a pretty big gulf between the top two and everyone else. El Sid's counting stats are good: 5th in Wins, 4th in Strikeouts, but in each of those categories, the guys ahead of him pitched significantly more innings. The average stats are what puts him here: 3rd in OBP against, 3rd in K/9, 2nd in BAA, and only Nolan Ryan gave up fewer H/9 (and in 1/3 of the innings). Add a Series ring to that, and he's a solid choice to round out the top 3.
#4: Al Leiter
We all knew Leiter was good, but it was easy to overlook how good. Most of his stats are just solid: he's top 10 in wins and strikeouts, but falls well outside the top ten in ERA and WHIP. Its the advanced stats that give Leiter the edge. He's 4th among Mets starters in ERA+, and has the 4th best career WAR, despite pitching over 800 fewer innings than anyone above him on the list. Add a bunch of very gutsy performances for some successful teams, and he JUST edges out...
#5 Johan Santana
Last night's forgettable outing was Johan's 100th career start as a Met. His 99th was pretty memorable as well. But Johan's impact has been more than just the no-no. Already he ranks 8th all time in WAR, and he's pitched over 500 fewer innings than David Cone, the next guy above him. His averages are unbelievable: top 10 all time in ERA and WHIP, plus the Mets win 60% of his starts (and he has been on some bad teams). Just think how insane his numbers would be had he stayed healthy. Suffice it to say that the deal that brought him might be the most lopsided in Mets history.
#6 Rick Reed
My personal favorite Mets pitcher of all time. Didn't get a starting job until age 32, but made up for lost time. Twice an All-Star, and some pretty impressive numbers. What stands out is the control: he ranks top 40 in baseball history in BB/9 and K/BB ratio. But among Met pitchers, his WAR is a standout: he's #9 all time, higher than Ron Darling, who pitched nearly double the innings. An excellent pickup, and severely underrated.
#7 Jon Matlack
Matlack is an interesting one; I'd never heard of him before I embarked on this assignment. He threw a ton of innings for some pretty bad teams, hence his .500 lifetime record. But his ERA, ERA+, Ks, and WHIP are all top 10. If he'd had better players behind him, he'd probably be higher on the list.
#8 David Cone
A mainstay of the early 90s Mets, Cone's place on the list comes from a bunch of numbers that are somewhere between 5th and 10th overall: Ks, ERA, BAA, and WAR. The number that does jump out, and what puts him this high is his K/9, which is higher than any pitcher in Mets history, Nolan Ryan included. An above-average Met to be sure, but not enough to pass any of the guys ahead of him.
#9 Jerry Koosman
Putting Koosman this low feels like it might be controversial. As a Mets fan, you hear a lot about Seaver and Koosman in the late 60s and early 70s. However, the main thing that Koosman has going for him is his longevity. He pitched more innings for the team than anyone except Seaver, and this has led to high totals in the counting stats. However, his BAA, WHIP, and ERA+ are all outside the top 10. While the longevity is impressive, the overall package doesn't measure up.
#10 Bret Saberhagen
This was a heck of a spot to fill. Glavine got some consideration, as his WAR is #10 all time, as did Pedro. However, Saberhagen beats them out due to some stellar performances on some bad early 90's teams. His ERA+ is 5th all time, better than either Leiter or Gooden. He's also the best control pitcher the team has ever had: he's the all time leader in WHIP, BB/9, and K/BB ratio.
That wraps it up, but let me know in the comments if you disagree.
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