Mets: 15 best starting pitchers all-time in franchise history

9) Mets Best Starting Pitcher – David Cone

Too many Mets fans forget about what David Cone did with the team in the late 1980s. Many of those fans are probably from a different generation. We remember him mostly for his time with the New York Yankees where he accomplished even more.

Well before his time in the Bronx, Cone was a darn good Mets pitcher. I don’t believe he gets enough credit for it either.

Cone’s first full year in the big leagues was in 1988. Anyone who knows a thing about Mets history recalls how special that year was. The club came a win away from making it to the World Series. Cone was a big reason for this. In his first All-Star campaign, he went 20-3 with a 2.22 ERA. He finished third in the Cy Young while helping the Mets capture the National League East.

Although the 1988 season was easily his best with the Mets, Cone did have some more solid seasons with the club. He stuck with them through the middle of 1992 before a trade to the Toronto Blue Jays ended his tenure with the team.

His overall numbers as a member of the Mets include an 81-51 record and 3.13 ERA. He ranks eighth in WAR for pitchers, tenth in ERA, and eight in wins.

Cone’s excellence often gets forgotten because of how much the Mets seemed to underachieve after the 1988 season. Although competitive in some years, the team failed to make its mark on MLB history and reach the postseason in any other season during his time calling Shea Stadium home.