All-time New York Mets roster based only on WAR

All-time NY Mets bullpen based only on WAR

Before starting, let’s set a few ground rules. If any Mets player spent a significant amount of time as a reliever, they’re an acceptable option for this roster’s bullpen. Back in the day, pitchers would often flip between being a starter and reliever which means a couple of guys have an advantage in WAR over others who might be more deserving. WAR is largely about longevity and starting pitchers get more of it due to the number of innings they pitch.

Make sense? Anyway, here are the eight players who would make the Mets bullpen.

RP1-Tug McGraw (12.8)
RP2-Jesse Orosco (12.3)
RP3-John Franco (11.2)
RP4-Armando Benitez (9.8)
RP5-Seth Lugo (8.4)
RP6-Skip Lockwood (7.7)
RP7-Ray Sadecki (7.4)
RP8-Jeurys Familia (6.8)

We did actually have a tie between Jeurys Familia and Jim McAndrew in WAR. McAndrew was used as a starter and reliever. He wouldn’t be a very bad long-man to have in this bullpen. It’s kind of the same role Ray Sadecki could have as well. Needing a tie-breaker, the more traditional reliever, Familia, gets the nod instead.

As expected, it’s a bullpen with a lot of closers. Only Seth Lugo and Ray Sadecki don’t fit the bill. We’d probably want to do some sort of a closer by committee with this bullpen. Tug McGraw and Jesse Orosco can handle the bulk of those opportunities.

Of course, as with any bullpen, there’s going to be a lot of angst. Imagine watching Armando Benitez and Jeurys Familia toss back-to-back innings. Nobody’s heart is strong enough to get them through it.

Putting a bow on this roster, here’s how a 26-man roster would look:

C – Mike Piazza (24.6)
1B – Keith Hernandez (26.6)
2B – Edgardo Alfonzo (29.6)
3B – David Wright (49.92)
SS – Jose Reyes (28.2)
LF – Mookie Wilson (20.8)
CF – Carlos Beltran (31.1)
RF – Darryl Strawberry (36.6)
DH – Howard Johnson (22.0)
C-John Stearns (19.6)
INF-Bud Harrelson (18.7)
OF-Brandon Nimmo (18.7+)
UT-Jeff McNeil (18.2+)
SP1-Tom Seaver (76.1)
SP2-Dwight Gooden (41.6)
SP3-Jacob deGrom (41.2)
SP4-Jerry Koosman (39.5)
SP5-Al Leiter (28.0)
RP1-Tug McGraw (12.8)
RP2-Jesse Orosco (12.3)
RP3-John Franco (11.2)
RP4-Armando Benitez (9.8)
RP5-Seth Lugo (8.4)
RP6-Skip Lockwood (7.7)
RP7-Ray Sadecki (7.4)
RP8- Jeurys Familia (6.8)