You Say It’s Your Birthday

Quick note to point out that today marks the 19th birthday of the Mets by the Numbers project, which went live for the first time on Feb. 22, 1999.

It’s worth pointing out that when I started this project a list of all numbers the Mets ever wore didn’t exist, at least that I knew of, and in its early days was more of a research project than a blog. Today you can click nearly anywhere and find this info so if you still come by I really appreciate it since what you get here is mostly my observations on the team through a uni-number perspective and if I may say so myself, a pretty impressive archive drop-down.

I haven’t planned much for this birthday — maybe we’ll do more for the 20th anniversary — but here are my rankings of the Met-liest 19s in club history:

There have been 35 36 (I was right the first time) different guys who wore 19 for the Mets including several (Roger Cedeno, Lenny Harris, Hawk Taylor and Tim Foli) to have taken it in non-consecutive periods. The below ranking is on Met-liness as judged by me, though I’ll say after 10 or 11 they’re all pretty much in a tie.

Rank Name Notes
1 Bob Ojeda After heartbreaking ’85 division loss to Cardinals, Davey Johnson wanted his own John Tudor — a crafty lefty to break up the hard-throwing starters. Key acquisition for ’86 champs.
2 Anthony Young Provided lesson in dignity and class while absorbing dubious record
3 Ken McKenize Charter member of 19 club, lefty was the only pitcher for the 1962 Mets to have a winning record
4 Jay Bruce Can’t believe he’s already this high
5 Roger Cedeno Terrific 1999, awful upon big-money return
6 Ryan Church Good player whose career was destroyed by concussions. Club’s poor reaction to it helped to spark awareness
7 Lenny Harris Nifty pinch hitter, well-liked by fans and opponents, compiled a record in a Met jersey
8 Tim Foli Would-be shortstop of the 70s couldn’t displace Harrelson or keep emotions in check
9 Ron Gardenhire Would-be shortstop of the 80s slowed by too many hamstring injuries; went on to a good career as manager
10 Heath Bell Heavyset reliever with a weird delivery who rollerbladed to work, felt underappreciated and never let us forget it while becoming a top closer elsewhere
11 Scott Erikson Disaster veteran bolt-on starter who painted his shoes black and insisted on wearing 19. Famous for injuring himself warming up before first scheduled Met start.
12 Johnny Stephenson Lives in infamy as last batter in Jim Bunning’s perfecto
13 Jason Hardtke Switch-hitting bench warrior had some clutch hits and spanned Green/Valentine era
14 Mike Hessman Minor-league HR champ finally got his big-league shot with forgettable Mets of 2010
15 Leo Foster “Bananas” Reserve infielder
16 Daniel Ray Hererra All we had to show for Francisco Rodriguez. Undersized screwballer with a good head of hair
17 Jim Tatum I remember him as one of several guys auditioned to catch prior to Piazza acquisition. Not really a catcher.
18 Zach Lutz Pretty good minor league hitter and high school teammate of Anthony Recker, did little as Met reserve
19 Jim Gosger Journeyman gets credit for presence on, if not not contributions to, 1973 pennant winners
20 Brian Ostrosser Also gets credit for ’73 connection. Canadian infielder. Good bio of him here
21 Kevin Collins Wore 4 different numbers this was his shrt in 1968
22 Tom Hall aka “The Blade” slender reliever from the Big Red Machine
23 Gary Matthews Jr. Career sputtered to an end wearing 19 for the Mets
24 Lino Urdaneta Nabbed for juicing
25 Butch Benton 1st round draft pick catcher who never quite made it
26 Jeff Conine “Mr. Marlin” was a too-little, too-late acquisition to help ’07 Mets
27 Sandy Alomar Jr. Veteran catcher put aside 19 when Conine arrived.
28 Cory Sullivan AAA outfielder wound up with way too much playing time when entire ’09 Mets went on the disabled list
29 Ed Bauta First Met from Cuba (I think?)
30 Hawk Taylor Reserve catcher
31 Johnny Monell Free-swinging catcher had a good spring training once
32 Luis Alvardao Remember his thick mustache and afro, but not him
33 Tommy Moore RHP, September call up in 1972
34 Jeff Gardner September call up in 1991, one of those names who I can’t remember is a pitcher or a position player (he was a infielder)
35 Shawn Hare Reserve outfielder in 1994
36 Bill Spiers I left him off original list
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6 comments

  1. Gordon says:

    Johnny Stephenson not Stevenson

  2. Jim A says:

    No love for Bill Spiers? To continue with the Beatles theme – “So let me introduce to you the one and only Billy Spiers!”

  3. Happy birthday! It’s amazing to find a site with this kind of interest in numbers that I have. Here’s to the next 19!

  4. Rest in peace, Tommy Moore

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