David Wright, the former captain of the New York Mets, expressed his support for Juan Soto and the team’s pursuit of a World Series victory that had eluded him. During a recent Zoom news conference following the announcement of his jersey retirement on July 19, Wright commended the Mets organization for its strong desire to win, noting their recent investment in players like Soto with a record-breaking contract.
Under new ownership by Steve Cohen, the Mets have adopted a win-at-all-costs mentality, aiming not just for one title but multiple championships. Wright praised this approach, emphasizing the city and fan base’s shared passion for success. He will be the 10th player to have his number retired by the Mets, a milestone he shares with legends like Tom Seaver.
Reflecting on his own career and the importance of loyalty to one team, Wright offered advice to current Mets player Pete Alonso, urging him to remember the pride of playing for the team that drafted and developed him. Despite acknowledging the financial considerations in professional sports, Wright emphasized the value of staying with one organization throughout a player’s career.
Wright, a seven-time All-Star, attributed his success to his upbringing and work ethic instilled by his parents. Despite facing injuries that impacted his later years in the game, Wright maintained a blue-collar mentality that guided his performance on the field. He humbly acknowledged his upcoming jersey retirement, expressing gratitude for the recognition among other esteemed Mets players.
As Wright transitions from playing to coaching and family responsibilities, he reflected on the support and guidance he received from fellow players like Darryl Strawberry. Their shared experiences and mutual respect created a culture of accountability and striving for excellence within the team. Wright looks forward to his continued involvement with the Mets organization and passing on the lessons he learned during his playing career.
I am the father of a 6-year-old daughter named Madison and a 4-year-old son named Brooks who plays baseball. Occasionally, I take them to Mets games. Reflecting on these experiences, I shared, “I enjoy the look in their eyes when they see Francisco Lindor or Brandon Nimmo come over and say hello in full uniform. They look at me and they’re like, ‘Daddy, you used to do that?’” Despite only playing two games for the Mets post-2016, I returned to be honored with a pair of appearances towards the end of the 2018 season.
“I felt like I was crying all the time, so I’m going to try to tough it up a little bit this go-around,” I admitted. The realization that I could no longer compete at a major league level had settled in. Recalling my rehab assignments, I noted, “just hoping that the game would go as fast as possible and that they wouldn’t hit me any balls at third base because I didn’t want to bend over funny or dive funny or have to make a weird off-angle throw because something might hurt.”
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