Wright appointed fourth captain in Mets history

David Wright is indeed the superstar who cares. He is Captain America. He is the man Fred Wilpon would want his daughter to marry. He is also now captain of Wilpon's franchise, the Mets. The organization officially bestowed that honor upon him Thursday afternoon, naming Wright the fourth captain in franchise history and the third active captain in the Majors.

"This is probably one of the proudest days of my career so far," Wright said. "I'm honored and very proud to be on that short list of guys that have been considered captain of this franchise. For me, it's a dream come true, to say the least."

Wright joins Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter and John Franco as the only captains in franchise history, and Paul Konerko of the White Sox and Derek Jeter of the Yankees as the only active captains. Like Jeter and Konerko, Wright will not wear a "C" on his uniform, a gesture symbolic in its subtlety.

Never a vocal leader, Wright does not plan to become one now. He will not transform into "a real rah-rah, yell-and-scream type guy." The third baseman instead prefers to conduct his leadership business in private, be it supporting Davis late one night in May, taking a struggling teammate out to lunch or talking shop with ownership.

"David is not a guy who wears it on his sleeve, which probably relates to the 'C' on the uniform and the fact that it won't be there," general manager Sandy Alderson said. "I don't think David needs it. I don't think that fits his personality. He's not somebody who is a captain in title alone. It's really about the substance underneath the title."
Earning captainship in a more formal sense, Franco said, "is a sign of respect and a sign that the players on the team hold you in high esteem."

"I have been around David long enough to know that he is the perfect guy to be the captain of the Mets," Hernandez added

As soon as Wright signed an eight-year, $138 million contract to remain in Flushing through 2020, the Mets prepared to offer him an increased leadership role. A supplemental-round Draft pick in 2001, Wright grew up a Mets fan in coastal Virginia, rooting for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, then a New York affiliate.

"This is where I wanted to start my career and finish my career," Wright said. "I feel very comfortable and very confident in this role."