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The Mets' shortstops of the 1960s won't go down in history as the strongest players to play the position for the team. That probably would come decades later. However, some solid players filled the role, back when the position was considered more of a fielding spot than a hitter's. The inaugural opening day shortstop in 1962 for the Mets was Felix Mantilla. He was a solid hitter, so he stayed in the lineup, playing most of his games at 3rd base that year. Elio Chacon took the

David Wright, arguably the best New York Met of all time, ended his career in the 2010s. He suffered from a chronic spinal issue that limited his participation in the second half of the decade. From 2015-2018, he only played 75 total games for the Mets, making his exit a quiet one. He'll always be remembered as "Captain America" to the fans who cheered for him, and for what could have been a Hall of Fame lock if the injury hadn't consumed him. He did provide some "Amazin'" mo

We write about the positions by decade every week, but it's super rare to run into a decade where it was all about one person. The 2000s 3rd basemen for the Mets will be all about David Wright. He's a legend for Mets fans, and he ranks at the top of almost every statistical category for the team in the 2000s. "Captain America" was a hero to an entire generation of fans, so he deserves all the kind words. The 2000s started with Robin Ventura at 3rd base for 2000 and 2001. Vent

The 1990s saw the end of an era for a beloved Mets third baseman, and the beginning of an era that still hasn't ended. That era is still shelling out just over $1 million a year until 2035, so we still got a ways to go. The decade ended with a legendary bat, who came through NYC and provided one of the best walk offs in team history. The Early 90s started the way the 80s ended, with the speed and the pop from the fan-favorite, Howard Johnson. In '90 he hit 23 HR and drove in

In the early 1980s, Shea Stadium was a place of echoes — echoes of past glory, echoes of empty seats, echoes of a fan base waiting for something to believe in again. The New York Mets were rebuilding not just a roster, but an identity. Nowhere was that transformation more clearly reflected than at third base. Over the course of the decade, the Mets’ hot corner evolved from a position of stopgaps and hard-nosed placeholders into one of the most productive and symbolic spots on

The 1969 Miracle Mets hangover seemed to come in and out through the next decade for the franchise, trying to hold onto relevance, identity, and winning baseball in the 1970s. It was indeed a decade marked by transition, grit, and improvisation. No position reflected that reality more clearly than third base — the hot corner — where a rotating cast of players mirrored the Mets’ shifting fortunes throughout the decade. At the center of it all was Wayne Garrett, the most endu

1962 was a year of tweaks, trials, tribulations, and tomfoolery for the inaugural Metropolitans. So the hot corner wasn't going to be an exception to the chaos; it was just going to add fuel to the dumpster fire. In the 60s, third base became a revolving door of veterans, stopgaps, and late bloomers, mirroring the club’s journey from lovable losers to world champions. Don Zimmer did the honors of being the first third baseman in franchise history. He started opening day in 19

The 2010s were yet another decade of transition for the New York Mets, and few positions reflected that churn more clearly than first base. From early promise and unmet expectations to a thunderous finish that redefined the franchise’s power identity, the Mets’ first basemen told a story of trial, error, and, ultimately, transformation. The decade opened with Ike Davis, a former first-round pick and the heir apparent to the position. Davis burst onto the scene in 2010, showin

With John Olerud leaving Queens for Seattle after the 1999 season, the Mets had to get creative in filling their first base position. Todd Zeile, whose natural position was originally catcher but who had played nearly 2,000 Major League games at third base, was chosen to man first base for the Mets in 2000. Zeile knew he had a lot of work ahead to master the footwork and nuances of first base. So he reached out to one of the best to ever do it—a Mets legend. "I worked with Ke

The 90s at 1st base for the Mets started as the 80s ended. The contact-hitting, maybe a little boring, Dave Magadan was named the team's full-time player at the position. There were no other real competitors on the team for the position. Magadan had a backup, journeyman Mike Marshall, who played 42 games at 1st base that year. But it was Magadan's job, and he played tremendously in 1990. Magadan batted .328 with 6 HR and 72 RBI, and a .878 OPS. Not too shabby for a player no

While the 70s featured some good 1st basemen for the New York Mets, it wasn't exactly a great decade for the team. The end of the decade was a very dark time for the team. The 80s, however, would provide great players at the position and some historic moments for the team. The 80s started off with a fresh face at 1st. Lee Mazzilli, 25 years old at the time, started the 1980 season at 1st, after being moved from the outfield. Mazzilli was one of the few bright spots for the te

Last week, we decided Ed Kranepool was the best Mets 1st baseman of the 1960s. He was a solid fielding option who could also hit for average. The 1970s, however, did not start the way Kranepool or anyone else had planned for the life-long Met. Kranepool started in 1970, probably trying way too hard, after a humbling 1969 season. The Mets organization went out and traded for a slugging first baseman in '69, Donn Clendenon, who ended up being World Series MVP. Clendenon returne

As we wait to see who'll be starting at 1st base in 2026, the editors and writers here at the Korner thought it would be interesting to turn back the clock and see all the great (and not-so-great) 1st basemen in Mets history. We'll break the list down by decade. For example, we know undoubtedly that Pete Alonso is the best 1st baseman to play for the Mets in the 2020s; that's going to be easy to write once we get to the present. However, when you turn back the clock to the 19