For some baseball players, uniform numbers are a meaningful designation, while for others, they're just a part of the jersey, or even a bargaining chip.
When Mike Piazza came to the Mets, John Franco gave up his #31 in order to make the transition a little easier for the future Hall of Famer. In return, Piazza gifted him with a one-of-a-kind LeRoy Neiman portrait of the lefty closer.
Just last month, new Mets outfielder Juan Soto, was so thankful that Brett Baty gave him his #22 that he rewarded him with a new truck.
When Soto takes his first steps as a Mets starter on Opening Day, he will be the thirty-second Mets player to wear #22 in Mets history (thirty-third if you include coach Tom Goodwin). So this got us thinking...how has that number fared in Mets history?
At first glance, most of those 32 players had short and often nondescript tenures with the Mets. If you take a closer look though, you'll see that some truly important players in Mets history were wearing #22 when they made their mark. There was an underrated free agent pickup, a runner-up for NL MVP, one of the most successful lefty pitchers in Mets history, and BOTH of the Mets World Series MVPs.
So let's take a look at The 5 best Mets players to wear #22:
5. Brett Butler (1995)
If you blinked, you might have missed Brett Butler's time with the Mets. That, however, would be a shame. Historically, it's been pretty common for Mets free agent signings to have underwhelming careers in Queens, especially when brought in late in their previously impressive careers. In 1995, the Mets signed Butler after four successful years with the Los Angeles Dodgers. At 38 years old, he was considered ancient, especially for a player who relied on speed.
Still the Mets handed him the starting job in center field and the leadoff spot in the lineup. Butler repaid their faith with a .311 batting average, an impressive .381 on-base percentage, and 21 stolen bases in just 90 games. This was one of the best 90-game spans of any Mets center fielder, no matter the age.
Unfortunately, that is literally where Brett Butler's Mets story ends. With the team nosediving towards a 69-75 record (in the strike-shortened 1995 season), the Mets traded Butler back to Los Angeles for two minor league outfielders who never got past AAA.
4. Kevin McReynolds (1987-1991, 1994)
Few players from the 1980s Mets were as polarizing as Kevin McReynolds. For starters, in order to obtain McReynolds, the Mets traded away the young, talented, and popular Kevin Mitchell. That Mitchell went on to hit over 40 home runs and win the NL MVP just a few years after the deal didn't help things. Additionally, while the 1980's Mets were generally considered a fun-loving group hungry to dominate, McReynolds approach was much more nonchalant, often to the point of indifference.
On the flip side, McReynolds was good, sometimes even very good. In 1987, his first year in Queens, McReynolds hit a career-high 29 home runs, with 95 RBIs, and a solid .813 OPS. The following season, his 27 home runs, career-high 99 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases (in 21 tries) helped the Mets lead the NL in wins with 100, and earned McReynolds 3rd place in the NL MVP race. While his productivity dipped a bit in 1989, he was still a reliable outfielder and middle of the lineup guy. By 1991, however, McReynolds' career seemed to be on enough of a downturn that the Mets included him in a trade to the Kansas City Royals for star pitcher, Bret Saberhagen.
He did return to the Mets for a bit in the strike-shortened 1994 season in a deal with the Royals for outfielder Vince Coleman. McReynolds retired after the '94 season.
3. Donn Clendenon (1969-1971)
June 15th is a remarkable date in Mets transaction history. Mention that day to most Mets fans, and they'll immediately shriek back in horror with memories (or stories) of the Midnight Massacre, the night in 1977 when they traded away Tom Seaver (and in a separate deal, Dave Kingman). Six years later, June 15th was the day when they traded to get eventual team captain, Keith Hernandez, who is still a vital part of the Mets family, 42 years later. These June 15th trades, however, all came after a 5-for-1 deal on with the Montreal Expos on June 15, 1969, that netted the Mets the player who would become their first World Series MVP, Donn Clendenon.
A talented first baseman who came up in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, the then second-place Mets saw Clendenon as a potential missing piece to their postseason hopes. As it happens, they were right. After joining the Mets in mid-June, Clendenon provided a reliable right-handed bat in the middle of the lineup, and helped propel the Mets to a first place finish. His contribution to the team took a significant step up in the '69 World Series, where he played in 4 of the 5 games against the Orioles, batted .357 (5 for 14) with 3 home runs and 4 RBIs, earning him the award.
In game 5 of the series, with the Mets down 3-0, Clendenon followed Cleon Jones famous shoe polish-hit by pitch with a 2-run home run to bring the Mets within 1, a deficit they would soon overcome to win the game and the series.
Clendenon would go on to play another 2 seasons with the Mets before ending his career in St. Louis after the 1972 season.
2. Ray Knight (1984-1986)
When the Mets acquired Ray Knight for 3 prospects late in the 1984 season, it was something of a head scratcher. Knight was nearing the end of the 9th season in what had been an inconsistent career. He was a two-time All-Star, and had also had two sub-.600 OPS seasons. The Mets were bringing him to New York to be their every day third baseman, a role they had trouble filling since their inception in 1962. Then again, Knight had spent most of his previous two seasons splitting time between first base and third base for the Houston Astros.
Almost immediately the plan seemed to backfire. Prior to the 1985 season, Knight underwent shoulder surgery, inspiring the Mets to get another third base option, switch-hitting Howard Johnson. Neither Knight nor HoJo did much in 1985 to cement a role as a starter. The Mets history of inconsistency at the hot corner seemed destined to continue. And then came 1986...
Right from the beginning, the 1986 Mets were on track to do big things, and Ray Knight was at the heart of it. The team was 13-3 by the end of April, and Knight was batting .306 with 6 home runs and 12 RBIs. His muscle wasn't just evident at the plate, either. That Mets team was known for their rowdiness (or some other words, depending on what team you rooted for), which led to more than a couple altercations. Knight, a member of the Golden Gloves boxing association, was often the first player ready to take on a disgruntled opponent.
While his regular season numbers in 1986 may not stand out, Ray Knight's contributions to the 108-win Mets were certainly notable. And it was his role in the 1986 World Series against the Boston Red Sox that made him an unforgettable figure in Mets history. After an underwhelming showing against the Astros in the NLCS, Knight's bat came alive in the Fall Classic. He batted .391 with 5 RBIs and 4 runs scored over the 7-game series.
Knight's heroics in the iconic 10th inning of game 6 included an RBI-single that brought the Mets within a run of the Sox, and then his famous celebratory stomp on home plate, scoring the winning run after Mookie Wilson's grounder went through Bill Buckner's legs. His October success didn't end there, however. Knight followed up his game 6 moments with a different bit of magic in game 7. Leading off the bottom of the 7th in a 3-3 tie, Knight drove a Calvin Schiraldi pitch into the left center alleyway and over the fence to give the Mets a lead they would never relinquish. Ray Knight's clutch moments earned him a World Series MVP trophy and his play throughout the season garnered him a Comeback Player of the Year award
Unftortunately, this also marked the end of Ray Knight's time in New York. He was a free agent after the '86 season, and when he and Mets GM Frank Cashen were unable to agree on a deal, Knight chose to take his talents to Baltimore. He played for one season with the Orioles, followed by his lone season in Detroit, after which he retired.
1. Al Leiter (1998-2004)
In 1997, the Florida Marlins won their first-ever World Series. They celebrated this achievement by trading away a majority of their roster, especially their higher-priced ones. The Mets benefited from this clearance sale by obtaining accomplished lefty starter, Al Leiter. While it took a few seasons with the Yankees and Blue Jays before Leiter to get his career in gear, by the time the New Jersey-born southpaw arrived in Queens, he had two world championships and an All-Star game appearance (and win) under his belt.
Leiter's first year with the Mets was one of his, with a career-high in wins (17) and complete games (4), and a career low in ERA (2.47), helping him reach 6th in the 1998 Cy Young Award voting. While his 1999 season was something of a statistical setback (13-12, 4.23), Leiter came up big when the Mets needed him most, tossing a 2-hit shutout in a one-game playoff against the Reds in Cincinnati. The Mets won the game 6-0 and played in their first postseason since 1988.
One year later, Al Leiter made his second All-Star Game appearance while anchoring the Mets pitching staff en route to their first World Series appearance since 1986.
Leiter remained a key figure in the Mets starting rotation through the 2004 season. He won at least 10 games in each of his 7 seasons with the Mets. Off the field, Leiter won multiple awards and accolades for many philanthropic efforts.
After the Mets declined his 2005 option, Leiter player for one more season, splitting his time between the Marlins and the Yankees.
While never winning any pitching awards, Al Leiter's name shows up on the Mets leaderboards for just about all of the worthwhile starting pitching statistics.
When Juan Soto dons the #22 on his jersey, he'll have some pretty nice-sized shoes to fill in Mets history. The team is hoping that by the time he's done wearing the number, he will be at the top of the next version of this The 5 list.
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