Mets starting lineup of the all-time greats

Giving the NY Mets some power from the six-hole, RF Darryl Strawberry

Remember that whole tidbit about hitting below where they belong? That’s where Darryl Strawberry fits in.

Surprisingly the first from the 1986 Mets to make this lineup, Strawberry is the franchise’s best right fielder of all-time. Considering his 252 home runs is more than any other Mets player has hit, some can even argue he’s their greatest slugger.

Strawberry never had a year with the Mets that didn’t include at least 25 home runs. Twice he hit 39, leading the league with this total in 1988. He was still a young kid at the time at only 26-years-old. Immensely powerful, his career .263/.359/.520 slash line as a member of the Mets is heavy on power, a little lacking in the hits department.

Despite being more home run focused than anything else, Strawberry tremendous base thief as well. In 1987, he had a 30-30 season with 39 home runs and 36 stolen bases. Each was a personal high for his career.

To reiterate: I hate having Strawberry bat this low in the lineup. But how do you put him ahead of guys like Wright, Piazza, and Beltran? They hit for a higher average during their tenure with the Mets and had just as much potential to go yard.

If opposing pitchers can somehow get the guys out ahead of Strawberry, the Mets lineup gets a whole lot dangerous again when he steps to the plate.