The next 3 NY Mets players who should have their number retired after David Wright

David Wright will finally have his number retired by the New York Mets.

But you have to wonder why it took so long when it has been so deserved. I mean, after Tom Seaver, David Wright is the only other Met deserving of a statue outside that stadium.

I know, I know, people will say Mike Piazza deserves one because he went into the Hall of Fame as a Met. But let’s be real. Piazza’s best years were with the Los Angeles Dodgers. True he had some nice seasons as a Met, but we got the tail end of his brilliance.

What sets Wright apart is that he was drafted by the Mets and totally home-grown, came up through the system and spent his entire career with the New York Mets. Not even The Franchise, the great Tom Seaver, would be able to say that.

Wright last played in 2018, a courtesy appearance, for an opportunity to say good-bye to the fans, good-bye to baseball. Why has it taken seven years to honor the captain of the Mets, while the organization honored several others with lesser credentials and much lesser loyalty to the organization?

And how long will it take to finally honor three other players who deserve to have their numbers taken out of the rotation?

1) Gary Carter

Keith Hernandez, a player whose presence was so very important to the resurgence of the organization, has repeatedly said that it was the acquisition of Gary Carter that put the team over the top. The Mets had become relevant again, and were becoming a force to be reckoned with. But the addition of Carter solidified everything.

Carter had the exuberance of a kid, an unbridled enthusiasm that quite often rubbed opponents the wrong way, but was a driving force behind the dominance of the Mets, especially during that 1986 campaign.

Carter, just like Mike Piazza, had much better numbers for an extended period of time with his prior club. Carter was an All Star for years with the Montreal Expos and was a middle of the lineup bat. Just like Piazza.

The only difference is that the Mets won a World Series title with Gary Carter behind the plate. They did not win a World Series title with Mike Piazza behind the plate. So…if you are honoring Piazza, why are you not honoring Carter? And after you put Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden up there?

Three players have worn the No. 8 since Gary Carter last wore it in 1989 – Dave Gallagher, Carlos Baerga, and Desi Relaford…last worn in 2001. It’s been out of circulation for a long time. Perhaps it is finally time to put it up in the outfield of Citifield?