With today's win against Arizona, R.A. Dickey improved his season record to 14-2. He threw seven strong innings, striking out eight and allowing one unearned run, which dropped his ERA on the year to 2.83. Clearly, Dickey has been phenomenal this year. But Dickey has been outstanding throughout his entire Mets career. In fact, he ranks right up there with the best pitchers in franchise history.
In three seasons as a Met, Dickey has pitched 529⅓ innings. In that body of work, he has gone 33-24 (.579 winning percentage) and has a 3.01 ERA and 1.160 WHIP. Dickey's 33 wins put him in a tie for 29th place on the Mets' all-time wins list with Roger McDowell. However, only one of the 28 pitchers ahead of Dickey has more wins in fewer innings (Rick Aguilera won 37 games as a Met while throwing 473 innings).
Dickey's 3.01 ERA is surpassed by only two former Mets. One is them is the greatest pitcher in franchise history and the other is one of the greatest relievers in club annals. Tom Seaver has the lowest ERA in team history. His 2.57 ERA in 11½ seasons will probably never be surpassed by a starting pitcher, but Jesse Orosco (2.73 ERA in 595⅔ innings) came close as a reliever. Dickey's 3.01 ERA is third on the Mets' all-time leaderboard behind Seaver and Orosco. He ranks ahead of some of the greatest pitchers in team history, such as Johan Santana (3.03), Jon Matlack (3.03), Jerry Koosman (3.09) and Dwight Gooden (3.10).
Dickey also ranks in the top five in WHIP. His 1.160 WHIP is fifth in franchise history behind Tom Seaver (1.076), Bret Saberhagen (1.079), Sid Fernandez (1.113) and Rick Reed (1.155). Players who are in the top ten behind Dickey include Dwight Gooden, Bob Ojeda, Johan Santana and David Cone.
Finally, Dickey's .579 winning percentage as a Met also places him in the top ten. However, if he wins his next decision, he will pass four former Mets in winning percentage to jump up to sixth place. If all goes well, Bret Saberhagen (.580), Pedro Martinez (.582), Al Leiter (.586) and Ron Darling (.586) might all be looking up at Dickey on the winning percentage leaderboard by the end of his next start.
R.A. Dickey is in the top five all-time in ERA and WHIP. The only other Met who can claim that honor is "The Franchise" himself, Tom Seaver. He is also in the top ten in winning percentage. The only other Mets besides Dickey who rank in the top ten in all three categories are Seaver, Gooden and Cone.
Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden, David Cone, R.A. Dickey. Prior to 2010, one of those four names would not have belonged with the others. But after three seasons, R.A. Dickey has not only established himself as one of the best pitchers in the National League, he has become one of the best pitchers in franchise history. The numbers don't lie.
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