Fans select Hernandez No.1 in second MetsRewind Hall of Fame class

New York Mets fans have voted Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, Dwight Gooden, Rusty Staub and Darryl Strawberry in to the MetsRewind Hall of Fame. Hernandez received 86.2% of the vote followed by Carter (66.7%), Gooden (57.2%), Staub (54.3%) and Strawberry (51.4%).

The second class of inductees will join Tom Seaver, David Wright, Gil Hodges, Mike Piazza and Jerry Koosman in the Mets Rewind Hall of Fame.

Hernandez, who now serves as an analyst for SNY, the Mets television affiliate, played 6 1/2 seasons with New York (1983-1989), batted .297 and won five Gold Glove Awards. He was a member of the 1986 World Series Championship team and the 1988 National League Eastern Division champs. Hernandez was selected team captain in 1987 by then Mets manager Davey Johnson, a first in franchise history.

Carter, who ranked second in voting on the latest ballot, received 2/3 of all fan votes. The Kid as he was affectionately known, was acquired by the Mets in the winter of 1984, played five seasons in New York, winning two National League Eastern division titles and a World Series championship in 1986. During his five-year tenure, Carter batted .249 with 89 home runs and 349 RBI. He was selected to the N.L. All Star team four consecutive years (1985-1988) as a member of the Mets.

Gooden pitched 11 years with the Mets, winning the N.L. Rookie of the Year (1984), Cy Young Award (1985), a World Series ring (1986) and four All Star appearances (1984-1986, 1988). His most dominant season was 1985 when he finished 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA, pitching 276 innings and recording 268 strikeouts (both tops in the league). Gooden finished third in the voting appearing on 57.2% of all of the fans ballots.

Staub, who ranked fourth in the vote, had two tenures with the New York Mets (1972-1975 and 1981-1985). He was a member of the 1973 National League Championship team. Over his nine-year run with the Mets, Staub batted .276 with 75 HR and 399 RBI. He passed away at age 73 just days before the opening of the 2018 season.

Strawberry beat out Ed Kranepool by less than one percent of the vote to earn induction into the hall. Strawberry, a member of the 1986 World Series champs and 1988 division winner, still holds the Mets all-time home run record (252). Over eight seasons in New York (1983-1990), Strawberry was named Rookie of the Year (1983) and was selected to the N.L. All-Star team seven straight years (1984-1990) as a member of the Mets.

Completing the Top 10 were:

• Ed Kranepool: 50.7%
• Joan Payson: 39.8%
• Tug McGraw: 39.1%
• Davey Johnson: 27.5%
• Casey Stengel: 23.9%

The next ballot will be an “open” ballot, meaning Mets fans will have the opportunity to write in the five candidates (players/managers/coaches/front office personnel/owners/media) they feel most deserve the honor. Voting will be open February 1 for the third class of inductees. The next class will be announced on July 4, 2020.