David Wright was the topic of conversation tonight on Beyond The Booth Live on SNY. Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, Ron Darling and Steve Gelbs discussed where Wright ranks among position players in Mets history.
Gary Cohen: “There have been so few players like David who have spent so long at a high level in a Mets uniform. I was looking at this today, and there are only six players in Mets history who have played as many as 1200 games for the team. That is not a lot. Most of the better players the Mets have had have had shorter tenures … from the time he came up in 2004 through 2008 was on a Hall of Fame track, but then … he got hit in the head and that set him back … he really was never quite the same player after that. There’s no question in the fact that he is up amongst the Mount Rushmore as far as the position players.”
Keith Hernandez: “I think if he never got hit in the head, he would have been in the Hall of Fame. He was never the same after he got beaned. He got clobbered, and I just felt he was never the same. He had a hard time with the outside corner from that point … Overcoming mentally getting hit in the head like he was, it’s very difficult. I can’t relate to it.”
In team history, Wright ranks among the Top 5 in almost every offensive category:
- WAR (position players): 49.2 (#1)
- Batting Average: .296 (tied for #3 place with Mike Piazza)
- On-base percentage: .396 (#4)
- Hits: 1,777 (#1)
- Singles: 1,119 (#1)
- Doubles: 390 (#1)
- RBI: 970 (#1)
- Total Bases: 2,945 (#1)
- Extra Base Hits: 658 (#1)
- Sacrifice Flies: 65 (#1)
- Walks: 762 (#1)