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Best Mets starting position player on every World Series team we don’t talk about enough

ByTim Boyle|
NEW YORK - CIRCA 1973: Felix Millan #16 of the New York Mets throws over the top of Johnny Bench #5 of the Cincinnati Reds during an Major League Baseball game circa 1973 at Shea Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. Millan played for the Mets from 1973-77. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - CIRCA 1973: Felix Millan #16 of the New York Mets throws over the top of Johnny Bench #5 of the Cincinnati Reds during an Major League Baseball game circa 1973 at Shea Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. Millan played for the Mets from 1973-77. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK – CIRCA 1986: Ray Knight #22 of the New York Mets tracks a pop-up on the infield during a Major League Baseball game circa 1986 at Shea Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. Knight played for the Mets from 1984-86. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Best 1986 Mets position player we don’t talk about enough – Ray Knight

Ray Knight?!?! That’s the choice here? I could have gone with Wally Backman, yet another second baseman. He was awesome for the Mets in the 1986 regular season.

Instead, I decided to go with third baseman Ray Knight. Best known as the World Series MVP, I’m not so sure people realize how well he played before October rolled around.

Coming off a season in which he hit just .218 in 290 plate appearances for the Mets, Knight turned his career around with one final awesome campaign in 1986. He slashed .298/.351/.424 in the regular season and added 11 home runs and 76 RBI.

There was nothing truly brilliant about Knight’s year especially when we compare it to other offensive numbers by 1986 Mets players. Still, there’s no denying how overlooked his regular season is.

You wouldn’t believe it today with how many great third basemen the team has had since but there was a team when the position seemed cursed. From everyone who played the position in the 1960s through Jim Fregosi and many others, third base was never a reliable source of production for the Amazins.

Knight helped change this in the 1986 regular season. Of course, he eventually etched his name into history with his World Series performance.

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