Tom Seaver (1967-1977, 1983)
One of the greatest pitchers that the game had ever seen, Tom Seaver was the first superstar for the New York Mets.
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The 1967 NL Rookie of the Year, Seaver was one of the keys to the Mets finding their way to contention. He was an All-Star in each of his first seven seasons, and ten times overall during his time in New York.
Seaver won three Cy Young awards, and in that improbable 1969 campaign, finished second in the MVP vote, just 22 points behind Willie McCovey.
Seaver was an impressive pitcher throughout his time with the Mets. he led the National League in wins twice, was a three-time ERA leader, and led the league in strikeouts five times.
He led in two of the Triple Crown categories four times during his early run of dominance but never had all three in the same season.
Seaver was also the source of some frustration for Mets fans. He threw five one-hitters, including his performance on July 9, 1969, when he came within an out of a perfect game. Naturally, Seaver ended up throwing a no-hitter, but it came in 1978 after he was traded to the Reds. He did return for one more season in New York in 1983 but was no longer the pitcher he once was.
Next: Remembering Herb Washington
Tom Seaver was one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history. His time with the New York Mets helped carry them from the basement into contention.