1980 New York Mets season
Encyclopedia
The 1980 New York Mets
season was the 19th regular season for the Mets, who played home games at Shea Stadium
. Led by manager
Joe Torre
, the team had a 67-95 record, yielding a 5th place finish in the National League East
.
and Fred Wilpon
. Doubleday was head of the old and distinguished publishing company that bore his name, while Wilpon was a highly successful real-estate developer. The new owners promised to spend money to get winning players and to make the club competitive, but it would take years before the new partners were able to tear down their club and rebuild a contender.
Hired as architect of this rebuilding was Frank Cashen
, who had spent ten years in the front office of the Baltimore Orioles
from 1966 to 1976, during which time the Orioles went to four World Series
, winning two. During his tenure, the Mets would see what some called a "resuscitation", eventually leading to the team's first World Championship in 17 years. After leaving the Orioles, Cashen worked outside of baseball for three years before joining commissioner Bowie Kuhn
's office as administrator of baseball. It was from this job that the Mets wooed him and installed him as executive vice president and general manager.
, the Mets had the first pick in the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft
. They used it to select an 18-year old outfielder
from Los Angeles
, Darryl Strawberry
, who would be a big part of future Mets teams.
The team under Torre suffered their 4th straight losing season, 24 games out of first place. although the Mets moved up one place in the standings to fifth. They were right around .500 until losing 38 of their last 49 games, which may have led to attendance jumping nearly 400,000 to almost 1,200,000.
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
season was the 19th regular season for the Mets, who played home games at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
. Led by manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Joe Torre
Joe Torre
Joseph Paul Torre is a former American professional baseball player and manager who currently serves as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. A nine-time All-Star, he played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, first baseman and a third baseman for the...
, the team had a 67-95 record, yielding a 5th place finish in the National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
.
The beginnings of the 1986 team
On January 24, 1980, ownership of the team changed hands. The group that bought the Mets for an estimated $22 million (the largest amount ever paid for a ball club to that point) was headed by Nelson Doubleday, Jr.Nelson Doubleday, Jr.
Nelson Doubleday, Jr. was the president of Doubleday. He was instrumental in the company's purchase of the New York Mets in 1980. He served as chairman of the Mets' board during the team's rise to its 1986 World Series title. In 1986, he and Fred Wilpon bought the team from the publishing company...
and Fred Wilpon
Fred Wilpon
Fred Wilpon is a real estate developer, baseball executive and the majority owner of the New York Mets.-Biography:...
. Doubleday was head of the old and distinguished publishing company that bore his name, while Wilpon was a highly successful real-estate developer. The new owners promised to spend money to get winning players and to make the club competitive, but it would take years before the new partners were able to tear down their club and rebuild a contender.
Hired as architect of this rebuilding was Frank Cashen
Frank Cashen
John Francis Cashen is a former Major League Baseball general manager. He is widely considered to be the architect of the World Champion 1986 New York Mets and was also an executive while the Baltimore Orioles won the 1966 World Series and 1970 World Series.-Early life:Cashen was born in...
, who had spent ten years in the front office of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
from 1966 to 1976, during which time the Orioles went to four World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
, winning two. During his tenure, the Mets would see what some called a "resuscitation", eventually leading to the team's first World Championship in 17 years. After leaving the Orioles, Cashen worked outside of baseball for three years before joining commissioner Bowie Kuhn
Bowie Kuhn
Bowie Kent Kuhn was an American lawyer and sports administrator who served as the fifth Commissioner of Major League Baseball from February 4, , to September 30,...
's office as administrator of baseball. It was from this job that the Mets wooed him and installed him as executive vice president and general manager.
On the field
Due to their last-place finish in 19791979 New York Mets season
The 1979 New York Mets season was the 18th regular season for the Mets, who played home games at Shea Stadium. Led by manager Joe Torre, the team had a 63-99 record yielding a 6th place finish in the National League's Eastern Division.- Offseason :...
, the Mets had the first pick in the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft
1980 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1980 Major League Baseball draft.- Compensation Picks :*William Erickson, was drafted in the second round by the San Francisco Giants, 31st pick overall. *Jeff Horne was drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Pirates,...
. They used it to select an 18-year old outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it...
, who would be a big part of future Mets teams.
The team under Torre suffered their 4th straight losing season, 24 games out of first place. although the Mets moved up one place in the standings to fifth. They were right around .500 until losing 38 of their last 49 games, which may have led to attendance jumping nearly 400,000 to almost 1,200,000.
Opening Day starters
- Doug FlynnDoug FlynnRobert Douglas Flynn Jr. is a former Major League Baseball infielder from -. He is best remembered for being one of the players the New York Mets acquired in the infamous "Midnight Massacre."-Cincinnati Reds:...
- Steve HendersonSteve HendersonSteven Curtis Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who is best remembered for being one of the players the New York Mets acquired in the infamous "Midnight Massacre."-Cincinnati Reds:...
- Mike JorgensenMike JorgensenMichael Jorgensen is a former Major League Baseball player drafted by the New York Mets in the fourth round of the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft...
- Elliott MaddoxElliott MaddoxElliott Maddox is an African-American former Major League Baseball American player. Maddox, from 1970 to 1980, played for the Detroit Tigers, Washington Senators/Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Mets.-Early and personal life:Maddox attended Union High School in...
- Lee MazzilliLee MazzilliLee Louis Mazzilli, , is a former Major League Baseball player, coach, and manager. On December 11, 2006, he was hired as the lead studio analyst for SportsNet New York, the New York Mets' cable television network...
- Jerry MoralesJerry MoralesJulio Ruben "Jerry" Morales Torres is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played from -.-Career:Morales was originally signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent at the age of 17 in 1966...
- John StearnsJohn StearnsJohn Hardin Stearns is a former major league catcher who played for the New York Mets from to , and played a single game for the Philadelphia Phillies in ....
- Craig SwanCraig SwanCraig Steven Swan was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1973 to 1984 for the New York Mets and California Angels. Swan's best season came in when he posted a 9-6 win–loss record and led the National League with an earned run average of 2.43. This was significant as the Mets were in the...
- Frank TaverasFrank TaverasFranklin Crisostomo Taveras Fabian , is a former Major League shortstop from - for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets and Montreal Expos.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...
Notable transactions
- June 3, 1980: 1980 Major League Baseball Draft1980 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1980 Major League Baseball draft.- Compensation Picks :*William Erickson, was drafted in the second round by the San Francisco Giants, 31st pick overall. *Jeff Horne was drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Pirates,...
- Darryl StrawberryDarryl StrawberryDarryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it...
was drafted by the Mets in the 1st round (1st pick). Player signed July 11, 1980. - Billy BeaneBilly BeaneWilliam Lamar "Billy" Beane III is a former Major League Baseball player and the current general manager and minority owner of the Oakland Athletics...
was drafted by the Mets in the 1st round (23rd pick). - Ronn ReynoldsRonn ReynoldsRonn Dwayne Reynolds was a Major League Baseball catcher, who played for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros and San Diego Padres. After playing college baseball at the University of Arkansas, Reynolds was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 5th round in 1979...
was drafted by the Mets in the 5th round. Player signed June 7, 1980. - Rick OwnbeyRick OwnbeyRichard Wayne Ownbey is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played in parts of four seasons in the majors, between and , for the New York Mets and St...
was drafted by the Mets in the 13th round. - Al NewmanAl NewmanAlbert Dwayne Newman is a former infielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Montreal Expos , Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers...
was drafted by the Mets in the 2nd round of the Secondary Phase, but did not sign.
- Darryl Strawberry
- June 17, 1980: Kevin KobelKevin KobelKevin Richard Kobel is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched all or part of six seasons in the majors, three for the Milwaukee Brewers and three for the New York Mets .-Sources:...
was traded by the Mets to the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City RoyalsThe Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
for Randy McGilberryRandy McGilberryRandall Kent McGilberry is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for two seasons. He pitched in three games for the Kansas City Royals during the 1977 Kansas City Royals season and 18 games during the 1978 Kansas City Royals season. He played college baseball at Louisiana Tech...
. - July 1, 1980: Randy JohnsonRandy Johnson (third baseman)Randall Glenn Johnson is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. He played all or part of three seasons in the majors, from until , for the Atlanta Braves. He also played two seasons in Japan, and , for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp...
was traded by the Mets to the Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
for Bill Haselrig (minors).
Roster
| 1980 New York Mets | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 152 | 578 | 162 | .280 | 16 | 76 | |
| 2B | 128 | 443 | 113 | .255 | 0 | 24 | |
| 3B | 130 | 411 | 101 | .246 | 4 | 34 | |
| LF | 143 | 513 | 149 | .290 | 8 | 58 | |
| CF | 94 | 193 | 49 | .254 | 3 | 30 | |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 119 | 321 | 82 | .255 | 7 | 43 | |
| 37 | 46 | 9 | .196 | 2 | 9 | |
| 18 | 24 | 5 | .208 | 0 | 0 | |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 162.2 | 10 | 8 | 4.09 | 68 | |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | 7 | 10 | 22 | 3.70 | 79 | |
| 14 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 7.03 | 8 | |
| 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.79 | 7 | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.29 | 3 |