The best Mets player to wear number 20
Number 20 has been one of the more stacked numbers in New York Mets history. Right now Pete Alonso is wearing it and the way things are going, he might end up as the best player to wear the number when all is said and done. Alonso already has the single season home run record of 53 home runs in a season, and has developed into one of the better first basemen in the game.
Tommie Agee wore number 20 from 1968-1972, so he wore it when the Mets won the World Series in 1969 and for the best season of his career in 1970. Neil Walker and Shawn Green are other notable Mets who wore number 20 during their short stints in New York.
Howard Johnson is the best Mets player to wear number 20
Howard Johnson is one of the best switch hitters in franchise history. In his nine seasons as a Met he slashed .251/.341/.459 with 192 home runs and 629 RBI. He had three different 30 home run 30 stolen base seasons as a Met. The only others to have a 30 home run 30 stolen base season as a Met are David Wright and Darryl Strawberry. They only did it once.
Johnson was a rare third baseman who had the ability to steal 30 bags a year. In fact, he stole at least 22 bases for six consecutive seasons. He had at least 23 home runs in five of those seasons.
Johnson's overall numbers as a Met aren't super eye-popping because he got off to a slow start as a Met and finished poorly as well. However, his peak was outstanding and he was one of the best third basemen in the game from 1987-1991. In that span, he slashed .258/.347/.492 with 157 home runs and 475 RBI. He averaged 32 home runs and 95 RBI per season along with 31 doubles and 32 stolen bases.
That span of seasons saw Johnson finish in the top 10 in National League MVP voting three different times including two top-five finishes. He made two all-star teams and won two Silver Slugger Awards as well.
HoJo ranks tenth in Mets history in hits, third in stolen bases, and fourth in home runs, RBI, and runs scored. While he was only a pinch hitter in those days, Johnson was a member of the 1986 Mets as well and is one of the best infielders in franchise history.