5 Mets players who have earned a statue outside Citi Field

The New York Mets 2022 home opener started with a bang when they revealed their long-awaited Tom Seaver statue. The 10 feet high statue sits beside the Shea Stadium Home Run Apple that greets fans outside the stadium.

Considered by many one of the greatest Mets players in franchise history, Seaver changed the narrative for the Mets from being considered a laughing stock to World Champions.

The history of the Mets has a lot of heartbreaks and headaches. However, the organization has produced many great players that have a special place in the hearts of the fans, and they would love to see a statue of them for the next generation to follow and learn about.

5) NY Mets pitcher Jerry Koosman

In the shadows behind Seaver was Jerry Koosman. It is upsetting how some Mets fans aren't familiar with how amazing he was on the 1969 team. However, when the greatest pitcher at the time was on your team, it's understandable why the average fan would forget about Koosman.

In his 1968 rookie campaign, he went 19-12, earning him a 2.08 ERA for the season and his first trip to the All-Star Game. Despite his stellar first year, he finished second place in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. 

In 1969, Koosman finished 17-9 with a 2.28 ERA and 180 strikeouts, as well as another trip to the All-Star Game.

His season didn't end there as Koosman and Seaver were the Mets' 1-2 punch that led them to their first championship in '69. Seaver would struggle in the series, leaving it to Koosman to help seal the deal. He won Game 2 and Game 5, which would be the game that won them the World Series.

4) NY Mets catcher Gary Carter

Gary Carter, or "KID," was the final piece to the puzzle for the 1986 championship team. During the 1985 off-season, he was traded from the Montreal Expos to the Mets. Despite short tenure with the team, Carter is a top-five catcher in Mets history.

Carter had one of the most memorable debuts in baseball with his new ball club. He hit a walk-off home run in the 10th against former Met Neil Allen on Opening Day 1985 in Queens. He finished sixth in the MVP race in his first year with 32 home runs and 100 RBIs.

Game 6 of the 1986 World Series saw the Mets down to their final out, and champagne bottles were waiting for the Boston Red Sox in the dugout to celebrate. Carter refused to make the last out to end the Mets' season. A single to left would set the most remarkable comeback in baseball history. Base hits from Kevin Mitchell and Ray Knight would bring home Carter. What came next was a wild pitch from Bob Stanley and an error by Bill Buckner that won the Mets the game and eventually the World Series.

If it wasn't for Carter's heroic act, the Mets would most likely have just one World Series trophy in their display room.

3) NY Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez

Not many players are fortunate enough to play for the team they rooted for as a kid. Keith Hernandez did just that. He played for 10 years with the St. Louis Cardinals. Hernandez won a batting title, league NL MVP, six Gold Gloves, and a World Series championship in his tenure,

In the summer of '83, he was traded to the Mets. The team was getting a World Champion Gold Glove winner to play first base. However, Henandez considered quitting the game because he "didn't want to be here (Queens with the Mets)." Can you imagine if Hernandez were to leave the game of baseball because he was traded to Queens? Neither can I or the Mets.

Hernandez was the heart and soul of the Mets team during the 1980s. His best year with the Mets was in 1984, his first full year with the team. He batted .311 with 15 home runs and 94 RBIs. After the '84 season, Hernandez won his first Gold Glove with the Mets. He would then win five consecutive Gold Gloves in Queens and finish with 11(six with the Cardinals) altogether.

In the 1987 season, Hernandez was named the first-ever captain in franchise history alongside Carter as co-captain.

1) NY Mets catcher Mike Piazza

When the Mets acquired Mike Piazza in 1998, they knew they were getting the game's most feared power hitters. But they didn't realize they were also getting a player who would become one of their biggest superstars in franchise history and an American icon.

In 1998, he batted .348 with 23 home runs and 76 RBIs. Earning him a $91 million deal for seven years. Piazza was very much still in his prime and continued putting up similar numbers when he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Florida Marlins.

Piazza led the Mets to their first postseason since 1988 in 1999, when he hit .303 with 40 home runs and 124 RBIs. His batting average would continue to rise as he finished the following season batting .324, knocking out 38 home runs and 113 RBIs. In 2000, the Mets' season didn't end in the regular season nor the playoffs; it ended in the World Series. Unfortunately, they fell short when they went against their cross-town rival, New York Yankees.

Piazza will always be remembered being one of the best offensive catchers to wear the Mets uniform. Piazza had a Hall of Fame career and rightfully is in Cooperstown for it, with many remarkable moments to talk about for the next generation. None more remarkable than his two-run home run in the 8th inning on Sept. 21, 2001, the first game played in New York City after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Not only did Piazza's home run lift New York, but lifted the nation. I call the home run a shot to the face to the terrorists. New York and the United States are still standing tall, more unified than ever.