David Wright: (Part One) All Time Mets Third Baseman (2004 - 2009)
Wright attended Hickory High School in Chesapeake, Virginia, and was the 2001 Gatorade Virginia High School Player of the Year. He also earned All-State honors in 1999, 2000 and 2001 and was named Virginia All-State Player of the Year in 2001. Over his four-year career at Hickory, Wright hit .438 with 13 home runs and 90 RBI.
In 2003 he won the Sterling Award for best Player at A ball St. Lucie with 15 HRs & 75 RBIs batting .270. The following year he batted ..363 in 60 games at AA Binghamton hitting 10 HRs with 40 RBIs. He was promoted quickly to AAA Norfolk where he hit .298 with 8 HRs & 17 RBIs in 31 games before getting called up to the Mets. The David Wright era began with a lot of hype as he was being called the franchise player of the future.
He began to hit well in August gathering up nine multi-hit games, including his first four hit game on August 21st in San Francisco, where he hit three doubles. On September 2nd he had his first multi-HR game, coming at Florida as he drove in four runs with a pair of HRs against the Marlins. He had a good September driving in 19 runs, while raising his average to .293.
On the last day of the season, he hit a two run HR & drove in a third run in the Mets 8-1 win over Montreal, in the team's last game as the Expos, before moving on to Washington D.C as the Nationals the next season. Wright ended the year with 14 HRs 17 doubles 40 RBIs 6 stolen bases a .332 on base % in 69 games (263 at bats).
2005: The 22-year-old Wright took over as the Mets starting third baseman, a position he would hold into the next decade. Wright hit two HRs during the first week of the season.
In May he drove in 18 runs, including a stretch where he drove in runs in four straight games &
another where he drove in a run in every other game over a ten-day period. He put together a 15-game hit streak in July & remained consistent in the first half of the year batting above .290.
After the break he drove in nine runs in the final week of July.
In August he had his best month, in the first two weeks he hit safely in 10 of 12 games.
Six RBI Day: The next day he had a huge day at the plate, collecting four hits with a three run HR off Brian Lawrence. He also hit his 30th double of the year & had an RBI single. Overall, he drove in a season high six runs in the 9-1 Mets win.
He had a big month batting .378 with 37 hits, six HRs & 27 RBIs. From August 19th - August 30th he also had an eleven-game hit streak raising his average to .313 for the year.
Grand Slam: On September 24th Wright came to bat in the 1st inning, with the bases loaded, facing the Nationals' Livan Hernandez in Washington DC. Wright hit his second career grand slam HR leading New York to a 5-2 win.
Wright hit .306 (9th in the NL) with 42 doubles (7th in the NL) 102 RBIs (10th in the NL) 176 hits (10th in the NL) 70 extra base hits (10th in the NL) & 14 HRs (second on the club to Cliff Floyd).
In the Sunday night series finale', Wright went back-to-back with Carlos Delgado hitting HRs off Aaron Small in the Mets 4-3 win.
The next day he hit a two run HR leading the Mets to a 6-5 win. He stayed hot as the year ended hitting 4 HRs with 7 RBIs in the last five games of the year. At bat for the year, he was all he was hyped up to be. Coming in the league's top ten in many offensive categories.
He also led the team in runs scored (99) on base % (.388%) & walks (72), his 17 stolen bases were tied for second behind Jose Reyes.
He struggled on the field making 24 errors tied with Troy Glaus for the MLB lead. Wright did lead all NL third baseman in games played (160) assists (336) & helped turn 24 double plays
2006 NL Eastern Champion Season: As the season began, Wright sealed the Mets Opening Day 3-2 win over the Washington Nationals with a 6th inning HR. He drove in runs in his first six games, including having back-to-back three RBI games against the Florida Marlins on the tail end.
He struggled on the field making 24 errors tied with Troy Glaus for the MLB lead. Wright did lead all NL third baseman in games played (160) assists (336) & helped turn 24 double plays
2006 NL Eastern Champion Season: As the season began, Wright sealed the Mets Opening Day 3-2 win over the Washington Nationals with a 6th inning HR. He drove in runs in his first six games, including having back-to-back three RBI games against the Florida Marlins on the tail end.
Walk Off Hit: On April 9th, with the Mets down 2-0 in the 7th inning, Wright hit a two-run triple off the Marlins Dontrelle Willis to tie the game. In the bottom of the 9th, with Carlos Beltran on third, Wright hit a sac fly to win the game 3-2.
On April 28th he hit two HRs in Atlanta, the first a 5th inning solo shot off John Smoltz. He later hit one off Chris Reitsma, he also had an RBI sac fly, leading Pedro Martinez to a 5-2 win.
Walk Off Double: On May 5th Wright had another walk off hit, a double off the Atlanta Braves Jorge Sosa to win the game in the bottom of the 14th inning. In the game he also had two other hits & drew three walks, one with the bases loaded.
Subway Series Walk Off Hit: On Friday May 19th in the Opener of the three-game regular season subway series at Shea, Wright collected three hits. In the bottom of the 9th inning with two out & the scored tied at seven, Paul Loduca on second base.
Subway Series Walk Off Hit: On Friday May 19th in the Opener of the three-game regular season subway series at Shea, Wright collected three hits. In the bottom of the 9th inning with two out & the scored tied at seven, Paul Loduca on second base.
David Wright stepped in against Mariano Rivera & blasted a shot to deep center field. The ball went over the centerfielder's head & LoDuca scored with the game winning run. The win sent a message that the Mets were the best team in New York in 2006.
Walk Off Single: On Memorial Day, May 29th, the Mets entered the bottom of the 9th inning down 7-6 to the Diamondbacks. Endy Chavez led off with a double & scored the tying run on Jose Reyes' single. Paul LoDuca singled & Carlos Beltran was walked intentionally. David Wright followed with a walk off game winning single off Jose Valverde, giving the Mets an 8-7 win.
In June he won the co-Player of the Month Award hitting ten HRs with 29 RBIs, batting .327 with 15 extra base hits. He also had a ten-game hit streak, while hitting safely in 15 of 17 games to start the month.
Grand Slam: On Sunday June 18th, Wright came to bat with the bases loaded in the 6th inning in an inter league game at Shea Stadium with the Baltimore Orioles. hit a grand slam off the Orioles Adam Loewen. Earlier he had an RBI single for a five RBI Day, leading New York to a 9-4 win.
On July 9th, the Mets were down 5-3 to the Marlins in the bottom of the 8th inning. Carlos Beltran brought the Mets within a run with an RBI single. Wright blasted his 20th HR of the year, a three-run shot to lead the Mets to a 7-6 win.
Grand Slam: On August 30th in an 11-3 win over the Rockies, Wright hit a grand slam off Josh Fogg at Colorado. Overall, he drove in five runs in the Mets win. It was his fourth career grand slam HR.
Wright would have two multi-RBI games, driving in three runs each time in games against the Nationals.
He finished the regular season batting .311 (tenth in the NL) second on the club to Paul LoDuca (.318). He led the team with 40 doubles, tied with Carlos Beltran with 116 RBIs (7th in the NL) was third on the club with 26 HRs. He also had 181 hits; 96 runs scored 20 stolen bases & a .381 on base %. Many believed he was the Mets best candidate for the NL MVP Award.
Post Season-NLDS: In Game #1 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wright doubled
home Paul LoDuca & Carlos Delgado in the 6th inning, putting the Mets up 4-1.
2006- NLCS: He struggled in the NLCS loss to the St. Louis Cards going hitless in the first three games. In Game #4 he homered off Anthony Reyes in the Mets 12-5 win. Carlos Beltran hit two HRs & Carlos Delgado added one as well.
He came in fourth in the years MVP voting & made another All-Star start.
Family Scare: That month his younger brother Stephen, was enrolled at Virginia Tech. University, attending classes at Norris Hall, which was the scene of the tragic shooting events at the Virginia Tech. Massacre. David eventually got hold of his other brother & found out Stephen was safe.
Walk Off Double: On June 23rd, in an interleague game against the Oakland As in front of
52,000 at Shea Stadium, Wright drove home the game's only run in the bottom of the 9th inning with a double off A's pitcher Santiago Casilla.
On July 4th Wright had three hits with a three run HR & four RBIs off Josh Fogg at Coors Field in a Mets 17-7 Independence Day victory. On July 7th Wright hit a solo HR off Houston's Woody Williams to tie up a game in the 6th inning. The game lasted into the 17th when Carlos Beltran & Wright both drove in runs giving the Mets a 5-3 win.
On the California road trip, on a stretch from July 18th -24th he drove in a total of eleven runs in a five-game span, while also hitting two HRs.
2007 All Star: Wright started at third base for the NL All Star team at San Francisco's AT & T Park. Jose Reyes & Caros Beltran also started for the Mets, as Billy Wagner got a bullpen spot on the team. He went 1-3 on the night in the 5-4 AL victory.
He would drive in runs in five straight games in August to bring his average back up to .320. He had 14 multi-hit games that month batting .394 while driving in twenty-one runs.
Wright had a good September hitting safely in 20 of 24 games. He hit six HRs from September 1st through the 16th but no more the rest of the way.
On September 2nd he hit a solo shot off the Braves John Smoltz in a 3-2 Mets win at Atlanta & then another the next day in Cincinnati. On the following home stand, he hit four HRs, including two against the surging Philadelphia Phillies.
30/30 Club: On September 16th, Wright homered off the Phillies Geoff Geary to become the third Met in team history to join the 30-30 club joining Howard Johnson & Daryl Strawberry. He is the third youngest player in MLB history to reach the milestone.
He closed out the 2007 season with a sixteen-game hit streak, with 28 hits driving in ten runs in the last two weeks. Wright batted .352 in the month of September.
As for the Mets, they collapsed during the final two weeks of the season. Midway through September they had a five-game lead in the NL East over Philadelphia in which they blew by losing six of their last seven games.
Gold Glove: Defensively Wright won his first of two straight gold gloves as well as being named the third baseman of the NL Silver Slugger team.
On June 4th he hit a pair of HRs in San Francisco in a 7-6 Mets loss to the Giants. On a long road trip from June 5th to June 15th, Wright drove in runs in eight of the ten games.
He drove in runs is six straight games. In Philadelphia, he hit HRs in all three games of the series, driving in six runs in the Mets sweep of the Phillies.
On June 22nd Wright had his third multi-HR game, hitting two against the Cincinnati Reds in a 6-2 win at Shea Stadium. The next day the club traveled to Toronto & Wright hit a three run HR off the Jays' Casey Janssen, driving in three of the six Mets runs in the 6-1 win.
In the second game of the subway series across town, he drove in two runs in the Mets 8-3 Saturday win. He had two more multi RBI games in a series against the Pirates at Shea.
2006 All Star: Wright represented the Mets at the All-Star Game along with teammates Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Tom Glavine & Paul LoDuca.
Wright made his first All Star Game start that year at the 3-2 AL win in Pittsburgh. In the 2nd inning, Wright hit a HR in his first at bat off AL pitcher, Kenny Rogers.
The previous night he participated in the HR derby coming in second place. His second half wasn't as strong & many people blamed the HR derby as cursing him in the second half.
In August Wright signed a six-year $55 million contract extension, donating 1.5 million to the David Wright Foundation through the course of its lifetime.
On August 8th he tied up a game with a single & then put the Mets ahead in what would be the winning run in a Shea game against the San Diego Padres.
In August Wright signed a six-year $55 million contract extension, donating 1.5 million to the David Wright Foundation through the course of its lifetime.
On August 8th he tied up a game with a single & then put the Mets ahead in what would be the winning run in a Shea game against the San Diego Padres.
In September he had three multi-RBI games where he drove in at least three runs.
On September 9th, with the Mets down 2-1 to the Dodgers at home, Wright put the Mets ahead for good with a two-run single off Brett Tomko.
Mets Clinch the East: On September 18th, the Mets clinched the NL Eastern title at Shea Stadium, their first since divisional title 1986. Wright went 1-4 in Steve Trachsel's combined 4-0 shut out of the Marlins. It was a long time coming, Wright & Jose Reyes were now the faces of a new Mets post season club.
Mets Clinch the East: On September 18th, the Mets clinched the NL Eastern title at Shea Stadium, their first since divisional title 1986. Wright went 1-4 in Steve Trachsel's combined 4-0 shut out of the Marlins. It was a long time coming, Wright & Jose Reyes were now the faces of a new Mets post season club.
Wright would have two multi-RBI games, driving in three runs each time in games against the Nationals.He finished the regular season batting .311 (tenth in the NL) second on the club to Paul LoDuca (.318). He led the team with 40 doubles, tied with Carlos Beltran with 116 RBIs (7th in the NL) was third on the club with 26 HRs. He also had 181 hits; 96 runs scored 20 stolen bases & a .381 on base %. Many believed he was the Mets best candidate for the NL MVP Award.
Quotes- Tom Glavine: "He's probably been our most clutch hitter over the first half of the season, and he's certainly thrown his hat into the MVP talks."
TV Celebrity: That year Wright appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman as well as MTV's all request Hour with teammate Cliff Floyd.
home Paul LoDuca & Carlos Delgado in the 6th inning, putting the Mets up 4-1.
The Dodgers tied the game in the top of the 7th inning as Guillermo Mota blew a three-run lead. But in the bottom of the 7th, Carlos Delgado put New York up 5-4 with an RBI single & Wright doubled to bring home Carlos Beltran with the 6th run, in the 6-5 Mets win.
He went 1-4 in Game #2 & again in the final clinching Game #3. He drove in the Mets first run in the 1st inning with an RBI single off Greg Maddux. The Mets went on to a 9-5 victory.
Wright batted just .160 (4-25) in the series, overall batting .216 in ten post seasons games.
2007: Wright led the team in hitting with a career best .325 average (7th in the NL). He was tops on the club in doubles (42) on base % (.416-5th best in the NL) walks (94-7th in the NL) & hits (196-4th in the NL). He was second on the club to Carlos Beltran in HRs (30) & RBIs (107-9th in the NL). That year he also stole 34 bases (7th in the NL) & got on base the most times of any one in the league (296).
2007: Wright led the team in hitting with a career best .325 average (7th in the NL). He was tops on the club in doubles (42) on base % (.416-5th best in the NL) walks (94-7th in the NL) & hits (196-4th in the NL). He was second on the club to Carlos Beltran in HRs (30) & RBIs (107-9th in the NL). That year he also stole 34 bases (7th in the NL) & got on base the most times of any one in the league (296).
Mets Hitting Streak Record: Wright began the year with a fourteen-game hitting streak. He had ended the previous year with a 12-game hit streak at the end of the regular season. The 26-game streak marked a new Mets record breaking the previous streak of 24 games held by Mike Piazza & Hubie Brooks. He then fell off to finish April with a .244 average.
Family Scare: That month his younger brother Stephen, was enrolled at Virginia Tech. University, attending classes at Norris Hall, which was the scene of the tragic shooting events at the Virginia Tech. Massacre. David eventually got hold of his other brother & found out Stephen was safe.
$$$: 
At that point one of David's many endorsements included Vitamin Water in which he was the spokesperson. That May when the company was sold to Coca Cola, Wright netted $20 million dollars in the deal, overnight.
In the Saturday afternoon, May Subway series 10-7 Mets victory at Shea Stadium, Wright hit a pair of two run HRs off Mike Meyers. The next day he hit a HR off Tyler Clippard.
At that point one of David's many endorsements included Vitamin Water in which he was the spokesperson. That May when the company was sold to Coca Cola, Wright netted $20 million dollars in the deal, overnight.In the Saturday afternoon, May Subway series 10-7 Mets victory at Shea Stadium, Wright hit a pair of two run HRs off Mike Meyers. The next day he hit a HR off Tyler Clippard.
In the month of May he hit eight HRs with 22 RBIs. He drove in twenty or more runs in four months of the season.
He entered June with an 18-game hit streak & hit a HR in each game of a three game inter league set at Detroit against the Tigers.
52,000 at Shea Stadium, Wright drove home the game's only run in the bottom of the 9th inning with a double off A's pitcher Santiago Casilla.
On July 4th Wright had three hits with a three run HR & four RBIs off Josh Fogg at Coors Field in a Mets 17-7 Independence Day victory. On July 7th Wright hit a solo HR off Houston's Woody Williams to tie up a game in the 6th inning. The game lasted into the 17th when Carlos Beltran & Wright both drove in runs giving the Mets a 5-3 win.
On the California road trip, on a stretch from July 18th -24th he drove in a total of eleven runs in a five-game span, while also hitting two HRs.
He would drive in runs in five straight games in August to bring his average back up to .320. He had 14 multi-hit games that month batting .394 while driving in twenty-one runs.
Wright had a good September hitting safely in 20 of 24 games. He hit six HRs from September 1st through the 16th but no more the rest of the way.
30/30 Club: On September 16th, Wright homered off the Phillies Geoff Geary to become the third Met in team history to join the 30-30 club joining Howard Johnson & Daryl Strawberry. He is the third youngest player in MLB history to reach the milestone.
He closed out the 2007 season with a sixteen-game hit streak, with 28 hits driving in ten runs in the last two weeks. Wright batted .352 in the month of September.
Gold Glove: Defensively Wright won his first of two straight gold gloves as well as being named the third baseman of the NL Silver Slugger team.
2008: The Mets tried to put aside their disappointing season collapse of 2007 & looked forward to a new season. Big things were once again expected in the final season of Shea Stadium as the new Citi Field loomed in the background getting its finishing touches nearing completion.
Starting on April 12th, he homered in three straight games, his April 12th HR off Milwaukee's Jeff Suppan was the 100th of his career.
Five RBI Day: On April 15th in a Mike Pelfrey combined 6-0 shut out of the Washington Nationals, Wright hit a two run HR off Odalis Perez then two RBI doubles off Luis Ayala & Joel Hanrahan. He totaled a season high five RBIs in the game.
Walk Off Single:
On April 29th, Wright added a walk off game winning single off the Pirates
John Van Benschoten in a 5-4 win over Pittsburgh.
On April 29th, Wright added a walk off game winning single off the PiratesJohn Van Benschoten in a 5-4 win over Pittsburgh.
He closed out April with 23 RBIs. In May he started out the month with a two run HR, staring on May 7th in Los Angles he began a stretch where he drove in runs in five straight games & began a seven-game hit streak. After an o for game, he started an eight-game hit streak.
On May 29th he hit two HRs in an 8-4 win over the Dodgers at Shea Stadium. In June he would drive in 24 runs his highest monthly output of the season.
Managerial Change: With the Mets struggling at .500 in mid-June, the team fired manager Willie Randolph & gave coach Jerry Manuel the position. The whole thing took place while on a road trip to Anaheim, Wright drove in two runs in Randolph's last game a 9-6 Mets win. After losing the first game under Manuel, the Mets won the second game 5-4 with Wright gathering two hits with two RBIs.
month's subway series, Wright drove in runs in three of the four games. In the first game of a June 27th twin bill, he had a four-hit day, including three RBI singles in the Mets 15-6 win.
On July 7th, Wright hit his 17th HR of the season, having a four RBI Day in a 10-9 win over the Phillies at Philadelphia.
In the top of the 13th Wright singled off George Sherrill. He went 1-3 with a walk overall in the 4-3 AL win.
On July 17th, he had another four RBI Day, including a two run HR at Cincinnati in a 10-8 Mets win. On that day he started a streak where he drove in runs in 9 of 12 games.
The next day as the Marlins came to town, Wright hit a two run HR off Ricky Nolasco as Oliver Perez & Aaron Heilman shut out Florida 3-0 on a combined two hitter.
Overall, for August he hit seven HRs with 20 RBIs batting .310.
On September 10th, the Mets had an important win at Shea, against the Washington Nationals. In the 13-10-win, Wright led the charge with three runs driven in, keeping New York 3.5 games up on the Phillies.
He also homered in back-to-back games later in the month as well. From September 21st through
September through the 25th Wright drove in runs in five straight games, with the first three being multi-RBI games.
September through the 25th Wright drove in runs in five straight games, with the first three being multi-RBI games.
He also had a nine-game hit streak which ended on the last day of the season where he was 0-4. The Mets lost six of their last eight.
In September Wright had batted .340, as he contributed to the Mets who were in first place as late as September 19th.
Gold Glove: At third base he won his second straight Gold Glove Award. Wright led the league in assists (286) & games played (160) posting a .962 fielding %.
For 2008 Wright batted .302 (tenth in the NL) leading all Mets regulars, as well as leading the club
in most offensive categories: on base % (.390- 7th in the NL) RBIs (124- second most in the league) hits (189- also second in the NL) doubles (42-7th in the NL).
in most offensive categories: on base % (.390- 7th in the NL) RBIs (124- second most in the league) hits (189- also second in the NL) doubles (42-7th in the NL).
He was second to Carlos Delgado in HRs (33) which was 9th in the NL. Wright came in 7th in the MVP voting & may have done better if the Mets had won the NL Eastern title. At third base he played 160 games, most in the league, led in assists (286) & was second in put outs (114) with a .962 fielding %.
Wright started out the year with a ten-game hit streak.
His next HR didn't come until May 4th, a two-run shot off the Braves Javier Vazquez in a 6-4 Mets win. That month he had a dozen multi-hit games. During a thirteen-game hit streak, Wright had three straight multi-hit games, collecting three hits in each game, while driving in nine runs in the series.
Mets Losing Season: During this west coast road trip the Mets fell out of first place. They would get back in for two more days but then quickly fell of dropping to fourth place & finishing their first season at the new Citi Field 70-92, twenty-three games out.
They would have losing seasons for the next five years.In May, Wright batted .378 & then batted .365 in June. He put together a big 12 game hit streak that month & was batting .350 in late June.
At the All Star break the Mets were in fourth place, 6.5 games back. One of the few bright spots on the bad team was Wright.
2009 All Star: That year he made his fourth straight All-Star team, starting at third base going 1-2 in the NL's 4-3 loss in St. Louis. In the 2nd inning he singled off the Jays Roy Halladay.
He was still batting .324 at the break, but only had five HRs & his power numbers were down in the new large Citi Field dimensions. He began to take criticism as the team fell further down in the standings.
He was still batting .324 at the break, but only had five HRs & his power numbers were down in the new large Citi Field dimensions. He began to take criticism as the team fell further down in the standings.
Hit By Pitch: On August 15th, in the 4th inning of a game against the San Francisco Giants, Wright was hit in the head with a pitch from Matt Cain. He was taken to the hospital where a CT scan was negative. The next day he was diagnosed with post-concussion symptoms & placed on the DL for the first time in his career. He would miss two weeks of action going.He returned on September 1, wearing a new style Rawlings batting helmet, to help the impact of getting hit. After one game he went back to his old helmet.
In the month he hit two more HRs. The two HRs came on a big three hit, six RBI Day at Philadelphia in a rare happy occasion during the last month of the dismal 2009 season.
In 144 games Wright hit .307 with just 10 HRs leading the injury ridden club in hits (164) RBIs (72) & doubles (39). He posted a .390 on base % & a .837 OPS.
At third base he led the league in put outs (119) & was third with 18 errors posting a .950 fielding %.
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