Where Mets players should have ranked in a New York sports athlete poll

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso should have been ranked three spots higher in 5th, as his home run prowess makes it happen.

Pete Alonso may already be the most feared slugger in Mets history, and he is only 28 years old, as he has been the best hitter on the team since his debut in 2019. Alonso has clubbed 156 home runs, the most in the majors since his big league debut in 2019, and it ranks fifth on the franchise’s all-time home run list, and will likely pass Darryl Strawberry’s mark of 252 home runs as a Mets if he gets the contract extension many expect him to have.

Alonso has also thrived on big stages as well. He won the Home Run Derby in each of his first two tries, set the rookie home run record with 53 round-trippers in 2019, and hit a go-ahead home run in the only playoff win of his Mets’ career last year.

Alonso’s positive energy and team-centric play has captivated New York sports fans, especially those that root for the Mets, and he knows how to embrace the spotlight in New York and developed himself as a leader behind the scenes following the retirement of David Wright in 2018, thanks to his proclamation of “LFGM” in a postgame interview during his rookie season.

Much of the leadership responsibilities have shifted towards Francisco Lindor because of his defensive talents, but Alonso has also developed the clutch gene, as he co-led the major leagues with 131 RBI’s last year.

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor ranked 7th on this list is fair game.

Francisco Lindor was the big-ticket position player that ushered in a new era of New York Mets baseball under owner Steve Cohen, who took over from the Wilpons in late 2020. He was a perennial All-Star in Cleveland for half a decade before taking his talents to Flushing and eventually agreeing to a $341 million extension that should take him to the end of his career.

Lindor has been a difference maker in multiple facets for the Mets, and the ripple effects of his presence are felt throughout as Steve Cohen wanted to bring in players that could change the culture in Flushing.

We’ve seen the leadership he brought to the defense. For about a decade, the Mets were one of the most defensively challenged teams in baseball, but it felt like everyone else on the team got better defensively (looking especially at Brandon Nimmo) when Lindor arrived.

We saw in 2022 what he can do offensively. He drove in 107 runs, hit 26 home runs, scored 98 runs, and stole 16 bases and is one of the two most productive shortstops in Mets history (alongside Jose Reyes). And he is one of the most indispensable players in the sport and it is hard to replace him.

Here is the rest of the response list of King of New York Sports athletes that don't feature Mets players:

12. Mikal Bridges, Brooklyn Nets: Credit the Nets for making the playoffs even without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and Bridges was the reason the Nets stayed afloat, but in no way should he have been ranked 3rd on GQ's list.

11. Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders: Where would the Islanders be without Ilya Sorokin. Take last night as an example, as he played his best game when his team needed him most in Carolina last night.

10. Brian Daboll (yes the head coach), New York Giants: 2022 AP NFL Coach of the Year Brian Daboll led the Giants to the Divisional Round in the NFC playoffs with a bad roster and changed the culture in the process. The future is bright with the Giants, and he doesn't have to deal with much media noise. Daboll is not an athlete, but in the NFL, coaching matters, and coaching is why the Giants overachieved.

9. Julius Randle, New York Knicks: Randle was the face of the Knicks' rebuild, and his two great seasons have resulted in the Knicks being a top-5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs twice in the last three years.

8. Daniel Jones, New York Giants: Daniel Jones was one of the best game managers in the NFL last season and protected the football, and he is the only Giants quarterback not named Eli Manning to win a road playoff game in the last 30 years.

6. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants: Saquon showed the hype as a rookie, and two years following an ACL tear, led the 4th ranked rushing offense in the NFL.

4. Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers: Shesterkin is one of the best playoff performing goaltenders ever. In fact, he has allowed no more than three goals in 19 straight playoff games dating back to last year and was the face of the Rangers' stunning trip to the Eastern Conference Final.

3. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks: The Knicks have waited an eternity for a legit point guard, and he delivered the goods this season for the Knicks and into the playoffs.

2. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees: 62 home runs in one season and $360 million later, what else is there to say?

1. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets: Imagine how different the Jets franchise would have been portrayed if they had sustained success at the QB position. 4-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers will demonstrate that as his arrival in New York instantly makes them Super Bowl contenders.