3 Mets who are bigger franchise icons if the team wins the 1988 World Series

2) Kevin McReynolds

How do Mets fans view Kevin McReynolds all of these years later? Three and a half decades from his third-place MVP finishing season, us youngsters not old enough to remember him only have what others tell us or what we read online.

McReynolds was quiet and didn’t enjoy the spotlight like many of his teammates and was sometimes perceived as aloof by fans. Some even thought of him as lazy.

The numbers tell a far different story. In a lot of ways, he felt like a perfect piece the team needed out in left field during the beginning stage of a transitional period. Gary Carter and Keith Hernandez were now leaders in the locker room in 1988 and less so in the box score.

Consistent numbers from McReynolds in his first four years with the Mets included 20+ home runs and 80+ RBI. He ran, too, especially in 1988 when he swiped 21 bases in as many attempts.

Instead of champion, McReynolds is remembered with different labels. Among the best left fielders to ever suit up for the orange and blue, he’d be up there with others if only he was able to win a World Series with the team.