Ed Kranepool Could Lose Mets' Mark As the Mets stumble toward the close of another forgettable season, fans are left with two reasons to watch games: R.A. Dickey's pursuit of 20 victories and a possible Cy Young award and David Wright's pursuit of the Mets' all-time hit record. Dickey's goal is notable because he would become the first Mets pitcher to reach 20 victories since Frank Viola did it in 1990 and their first Cy Young winner since Dwight Gooden in 1985. And he is a knuckleballer, to boot. Wright's chase is more a reminder that the Mets have never had a standout position player who stuck around long enough to produce impressive career statistics. Nevertheless, he needs just nine more hits to eclipse Ed Kranepool's record of 1,418, which was set in 1979, the year he retired as the last original Met. Kranepool has been following Wright's pursuit and is cheering him on, including on Wednesday, when he was at Citi Field to watch Wright draw two hits closer. Kranepool said that his record has stood for 33 years because the team has been unable to cultivate and keep great hitters in Queens. In that sense, he said he will have no hard feelings when the record is broken. "I'm not going to lose any sleep over it," said Kranepool, who works for a credit card processing company on Long Island. It's not 3,000 hits; it's 1,418. Having played parts of 18 years with the Mets, including three games in the team's inaugural season in 1962, Kranepool still has a few other Mets records, including most games played (1,853) and at-bats (5,436). It would take Wright several more full seasons to surpass those marks. but he could depart before then, either through free agency or a trade. Kranepool did say that there is one record Wright is unlikely to take from him: the most pinch-hits in team history. Kranepool amassed 90 of them, including 17 in 1974, when he hit .486 as a pinch-hitter, the highest batting average ever for someone with 30 or more pinch-hit at-bats in a season. Rusty Staub, who took over Kranepool's role, is second on the Mets with 77 pinch-hits. Kranepool, who was not re-signed by the Mets and left the game at 34 years old with a career batting average of .261, 118 career home runs and a World Series ring from the 1969 championship season, said he could have had more pinch-hits if the Mets teams he was on during the last few years of his career were better. "You have to have a reason to pinch-hit, but on a bad ball club, there's no reason to pinch-hit," he said. When you're down, 5-0, or 4-1, my pinch-hitting is not going to matter. It was a long time between at- bats and it got frustrating. When it comes to total hits, though, Kranepool will happy when Wright tops the list because he's the closest thing the Mets have ever had to a great-hitting everyday player who's never been anywhere else. "It's going happen to a great guy," Kranepool said. David's a class act; he's a Derek Jeter of the Mets. I hope he stays around.