Ranking the 5 Most Memorable Mets Opening Day Moments

As winter turns to spring, baseball fans everywhere check days off their calendars, waiting for Opening Day to roll around once again. Teams all across baseball have their iconic moments on the first day of the season, but most franchises are hard-pressed to compete with the New York Mets in that category. The Mets have had endless memorable moments in season openers, the best five of which we'll highlight for you below.

The April 5, 1993, opening contest had everything a New York fan could want: an all-time franchise great leading the charge, a home game, and a win. Pitcher Dwight Gooden was on the mound against the newly created Rockies, setting the stage for a solid outing from "Doc." He certainly did not disappoint, working a complete-game shutout while allowing only four hits and a single walk. Gooden had plenty of elite outings in a Mets jersey, but this one sticks out as one of the most memorable, given that it drew massive viewership at the start of the season.

Offensively, New York's lineup was not anything to write home about, doing just enough to secure a victory. Left fielder Vince Coleman got on base three times in five at-bats, and first baseman Eddie Murray drove in a run while going 2-for-4 to spearhead the 3-0 victory.

Another Mets legend replicated Gooden's excellent Opening Day start on March 31, 2008. Pitcher Johan Santana cost a pretty penny, but New York made the move to acquire him in the offseason, attaching massive expectations to his first start in Citi Field to open the 2008 campaign.

The lefty did not disappoint. Santana pitched seven electrifying innings, striking out eight batters while only allowing a couple of runs. Unlike the lineup in Gooden's 1993 start, New York's batters were constantly on the basepaths, amassing 10 hits, five walks, and seven runs to lock up a 7-2 win. A blowout win behind a prized trade acquisition is about as good as it gets on Opening Day.

With two elite pitching performances from Opening Day, it is time to highlight some of New York's offense. Two years removed from a legendary 1986 season, expectations were still sky-high for the Mets in 1988, a team led by outfielder Darryl Strawberry and Gooden. The latter struggled against the Montreal Expos in the April 4, 1988, season opener, allowing four runs over five innings before manager Davey Johnson went to his bullpen. 

Luckily for the New York faithful, the bats had Gooden's back. Strawberry led a monumental effort with two home runs, and left fielder Kevin McReynolds added a pair of his own, leading the two outfielders to account for four of New York's six homers on the day. The shelling outpaced Montreal's offense, capturing a 10-6 New York victory.

New York's roster throughout the early 1970s featured a handful of beloved players, headlined by franchise legend Tom Seaver. However, Seaver left the team after 12 years of service; he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in a blockbuster deal in 1977. Aside from the loss of an excellent pitcher, Seaver's absence was a major blow to club morale, both in the stands and in the clubhouse. 

All of that buildup made the April 5, 1983, season opener all the sweeter. The Mets traded for the 38-year-old Seaver, allowing him to open the campaign in front of his home fans. In classic Seaver fashion, he dealt six scoreless innings, keeping the Mets in a game in which they failed to score until the seventh, ultimately winning 2-0. While the righty did not get a win on his record, his homecoming was a triumphant moment for Mets fans, reminding them of the glory days nearly a decade past.

It is hard to conjure scenes more dramatic than those that New York's April 7, 1970, season opener provided. A few months after the Mets had secured their first World Series in franchise history, they opened the season on the road against the Pirates with none other than Seaver on the hill. Despite posting what is now considered an excellent outing, the righty did not live up to his own standards, giving up a run in the first, second, and sixth innings to allow the Pirates to tie things up before managing to work through the eighth inning without any further damage. 

Unfortunately, the Mets also failed to get to Pittsburgh's pitching, sending the game into extra innings. Donn Clendenon, 1969 World Series MVP, finally broke the tie when he was called up to the plate to pinch-hit in the 11th inning with two runners on. He delivered in a big way, sending both runners home with a single. Reliever Tug McGraw worked around a walk to secure a save and a 5-3 win, securing an electrifying win to open New York's campaign. 

There are sure to be more games that deserve to be featured on lists like this one as the Mets move forward. With New York poised to contend for the World Series for the next few years, a couple of worthy new additions may pop up sooner rather than later.