New York Mets: Five best center fielders of all-time in franchise history

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 06: Carlos Beltran #15 of the New York Mets makes a running catch in centerfield against the Atlanta Braves September 6, 2006 during the second game of their doubleheader at Shea Stadium in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 06: Carlos Beltran #15 of the New York Mets makes a running catch in centerfield against the Atlanta Braves September 6, 2006 during the second game of their doubleheader at Shea Stadium in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
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1989: Lenny Dykstra of the New York Mets swings at the pitch during a game in the 1989 season. ( Photo by: Getty Images/Getty Images)

4) Lenny Dykstra

Next up on the list, we have a guy who could have been a couple of spots higher considering the production they put up after leaving Queens with Lenny Dykstra. With that being said, Dykstra’s time with the Mets was still good, as he finds himself as the fourth-best center fielder in team history.

Dykstra spent four and a half seasons with the Mets and was part of the World Series Championship team in 1986. In his four and a half seasons with the Amazins, he compiled 493 games played in center field with a .278/.350/.413/.763 batting line with 30 home runs, 153 RBI, and 116 stolen bases in 544 total games.

His best season came in his second year where he finished 19th in MVP voting while slashing .295/.377/.445/.822 with 8 home runs, 45 RBI, 31 stolen bases, and a 4.7 WAR in 147 games played.

Dykstra’s defense was nothing to ignore either. While in New York his total zone fielding runs above average (The number of runs saved based on the number of plays made) was 20 in center field, with his best season being 1989 where he was plus seven.

In addition to Dykstra’s contributions in the field and at the plate, he was a huge piece to the 1986 Championship team. In the NLCS in 1986 he slashed .304/.360/.565/.925 with 1 home run, 3 RBI, 3 runs scored, and 1 stolen base in 6 games. In the 1986 World Series, he was just as good. He hit .296/.345/.519./863 with 2 home runs, 3 RBI, and 4 runs scored in 7 games.

Dykstra was without a doubt a solid player in the orange and blue, if his production that he found after leaving was found earlier, he could have found himself even higher on this list. With that being said, he is still currently seventh in stolen bases in franchise history and one of the better defensive center fielders the team has had.

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