Frank Cashen
Encyclopedia
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
.
at Loyola College in Maryland
but was unable to hit well and did not pursue a playing career. Instead, he joined the Baltimore News-American
becoming an award-winning sportswriter
over 17 years at the newspaper. He also spent nights at University of Maryland School of Law
, graduating with a JD in 1958. He assumed his career would either be in journalism or law. Instead, he was hired by Jerry Hoffberger
to be a publicity director for two Baltimore race tracks and later the advertising head at Hoffberger's National Brewing Company
. In 1965, Hoffberger's brewing company purchased the Baltimore Orioles and Cashen eagerly accepted the position of executive vice president of the team.
made a deal to acquire Hall of Famer
Frank Robinson
in one of the more lopsided trades in baseball history. The following year, Robinson won the triple crown
and Baltimore won the 1966 World Series
for their first championship. In 1968
, the Cashen/Dalton front office hired eventual Hall of Fame manager
Earl Weaver
. The Orioles won all three American League
pennants from 1969
to 1971
and won the 1970 World Series
. After 1971, Dalton left to become general manager of the California Angels
and Cashen took over G.M. duties for the Orioles.
Cashen was being mentioned as a candidate for the American League presidency and was a leading choice to replace Baseball Commissioner
Bowie Kuhn
when a group of team owners tried to oust Kuhn in 1975
. Kuhn survived the storm of 1975 and Cashen chose to leave baseball and return to Hoffberger's brewery as senior vice president of marketing and sales.
In 1979
, Cashen returned to baseball when Commissioner Kuhn hired him as administrator of baseball.
, Nelson Doubleday, Jr.
and Fred Wilpon
bought the New York Mets after the Mets' third consecutive last-place finish. They were advised by several people to contact Cashen and, after he predicted four or five years for a turnaround, the new owners hired him for $500,000 over five years. Cashen hired public relations
firm, Della Femina, Travisano & Partners
. A new slogan, "The Magic Is Back!", was used along with television commercials emphasizing past New York area stars rather than the dismal Mets of the late 1970s.
On the field, the Mets made few trades early on, but took a chance with the first pick in the Major League Baseball Draft to sign a talented, but raw high school player, Darryl Strawberry
, who eventually finished his Mets career as the all-time franchise leader in home run
s and RBI
. In 1981
, Cashen promoted Hubie Brooks
and Mookie Wilson
to the majors for spring training
and then traded for brash home run hitter Dave Kingman
. In 1982
, Cashen delighted New York fans by trading for former unanimous MVP
, George Foster, who signed a five-year, $10 million contract. Two months later, Cashen alienated many fans by trading away fan favorite, Lee Mazzilli
. His instincts proved correct, however, as Mazzilli soon declined while one of the two pitchers the Mets received, Ron Darling
, became an All-Star
and the other pitcher, Walt Terrell
, was later traded for offensive star, Howard Johnson
. At the same time as the Mazzilli trade, the Mets were scouting young pitcher, Dwight Gooden
, who they picked in the 1982 draft. Gooden would later become the ace of the pitching staff through the Mets' strong years and championship.
While Foster and Kingman performed below expectations and the Mets finished poorly in both 1982 and 1983
, Cashen made one of the most lopsided trades in franchise history, acquiring former MVP, batting champion, and 1982 World Champion
member Keith Hernandez
from St. Louis
for pitchers Neil Allen
and Rick Ownbey
. Hernandez became a team leader both offensively and defensively while Allen was an average pitcher and Ownbey played in only 21 more games in the majors.
"I can't tell you when are we going to win the pennant, I think we're going to win the pennant, if I didn't have this feeling I would not have taken the job."---Frank Cashen during Mets press conference after he was hired as General Manager in January 1980
In 1984, Cashen hired Davey Johnson
to be the Mets' manager for a $100,000 salary. Johnson had been the second baseman with the Orioles while Cashen was the G.M. After a successful 1984 season which saw the Mets first winning record since 1976, Cashen and the Mets traded Hubie Brooks and three others to the Montreal Expos
for future Hall of Fame
catcher
, Gary Carter
, and most of the pieces were in place for a championship team. The Mets barely missed the playoffs in 1985
and then won the 1986 World Series
with the best record of any team during the 1980s.
never materialized. In various transactions, scrappy clubhouse leaders, Lenny "Nails" Dykstra
, Roger McDowell
, and Wally Backman
, as well as fan favorite, Mookie Wilson
, and future All-Stars, Rick Aguilera
and Kevin Tapani
, were traded away. In return, the Mets received the hugely disappointing Juan Samuel
as well as Frank Viola
(who won 20 games for the 1990 Mets but was otherwise only average in less than three seasons with New York), Jeff Musselman
(who was out of baseball after 1990), and four players that never played in the majors. Hernandez, Carter and World Series MVP
, Ray Knight
were either released or granted free agency
in the years following the championship. Instead, the Mets hopes were pinned on Gregg Jefferies
who soon faltered and was very unpopular on the team.
After stumbling to a fifth-place finish in 1991
, Frank Cashen stepped down as the Mets' general manager.
in 1992 and consultant
in 1993. In November 1998, the Mets general manager, Steve Phillips
, took time off to address a sexual harassment
lawsuit and Cashen was named interim GM for a week.
Frank was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame on August 1, 2010 with Davey Johnson
, Dwight Gooden
, and Darryl Strawberry
.
Frank Cashen has seven children with wife, Jean: Gregory, Terry, Tim, Brian, Sean, Stacey and Blaise. They also have nine grandchilden
Cashen was noted for frequently wearing a bowtie.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
. 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
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...
won the 1966 World Series
1966 World Series
The 1966 World Series matched the Baltimore Orioles against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, with the Orioles sweeping the Series in four games to capture their first championship in franchise history...
and 1970 World Series
1970 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 10, 1970 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioThe Jackson 5 performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to the game, which almost became an embarrassment when the group realized shortly before their performance that they weren't familiar with the lyrics...
.
Early life
Cashen was born in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up admiring and playing baseball. He played second baseSecond baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
at Loyola College in Maryland
Loyola College in Maryland
Loyola University Maryland is a Roman Catholic, Jesuit private university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Established as Loyola College in Maryland by John Early and eight other members of the Society of Jesus in 1852, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges...
but was unable to hit well and did not pursue a playing career. Instead, he joined the Baltimore News-American
Baltimore News-American
The Baltimore News-American was a Baltimore, Maryland, broadsheet newspaper with a continuous lineage of more than two hundred years of Baltimore newspapers. Its final edition was published on May 27, 1986.-History:...
becoming an award-winning sportswriter
Sports journalism
Sports journalism is a form of journalism that reports on sports topics and events.While the sports department within some newspapers has been mockingly called the toy department, because sports journalists do not concern themselves with the 'serious' topics covered by the news desk, sports...
over 17 years at the newspaper. He also spent nights at University of Maryland School of Law
University of Maryland School of Law
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is the second-oldest law school in the United States by date of establishment and third-oldest by date of first classes. The school is located on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in Downtown Baltimore's West Side...
, graduating with a JD in 1958. He assumed his career would either be in journalism or law. Instead, he was hired by Jerry Hoffberger
Jerold Hoffberger
Jerold Charles 'Jerry' Hoffberger was an American businessman. He was president of the National Brewing Company from 1946 to 1973. He was also part-owner of the Baltimore Orioles of the American League from 1954 to 1965, and majority owner from 1965 to 1979.-Biography:Hoffberger was a lifelong...
to be a publicity director for two Baltimore race tracks and later the advertising head at Hoffberger's National Brewing Company
National Brewing Company
The National Brewing Company was a beer brewing company based in Baltimore, Maryland. The National Brewing Company operated from 1872 until the late 1970's. At the end of the 70's, the National Brewing Company was purchased and their breweries were shut down...
. In 1965, Hoffberger's brewing company purchased the Baltimore Orioles and Cashen eagerly accepted the position of executive vice president of the team.
Baltimore Orioles
With Cashen overseeing baseball operations in Baltimore, general manager Harry DaltonHarry Dalton
Harry I. Dalton was an American front-office executive in Major League Baseball. He served as general manager of three American League teams, the Baltimore Orioles , California Angels and Milwaukee Brewers , and was a principal architect of the Orioles' dynasty of 1966–1974 as well as the only AL...
made a deal to acquire Hall of Famer
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
in one of the more lopsided trades in baseball history. The following year, Robinson won the triple crown
Triple crown (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, a player earns the Triple Crown when he leads a league in three specific statistical categories. For batters, a player must lead the league in home runs, run batted in , and batting average; pitchers must lead the league in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average...
and Baltimore won the 1966 World Series
1966 World Series
The 1966 World Series matched the Baltimore Orioles against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, with the Orioles sweeping the Series in four games to capture their first championship in franchise history...
for their first championship. In 1968
1968 in baseball
-The Year of the Pitcher:In Major League Baseball, the trend throughout the 1960s was of increased pitching dominance, caused by enforcing a larger strike zone beginning in 1963...
, the Cashen/Dalton front office hired eventual Hall of Fame 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...
Earl Weaver
Earl Weaver
Earl Sidney Weaver is a former Major League Baseball manager. He spent his entire 17-year managerial career with the Baltimore Orioles . Weaver was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.-Playing career:After playing for Beaumont High School in St...
. The Orioles won all three American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
pennants from 1969
1969 in baseball
-Expansion:Four expansion teams joined Major League Baseball for this season: the San Diego Padres, the Kansas City Royals, the Seattle Pilots, and the first MLB team in Canada, the Montreal Expos. To accommodate the additional teams, the two leagues were split into two divisions of East and West...
to 1971
1971 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:National League: Pittsburgh PiratesAmerican League: Baltimore Orioles1971 World Series: Pittsburgh def. Baltimore , 4 games to 3.Inter-league playoff: Pittsburgh declined challenge by Tokyo Yomiuri Giants....
and won the 1970 World Series
1970 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 10, 1970 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioThe Jackson 5 performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to the game, which almost became an embarrassment when the group realized shortly before their performance that they weren't familiar with the lyrics...
. After 1971, Dalton left to become general manager of the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
and Cashen took over G.M. duties for the Orioles.
Cashen was being mentioned as a candidate for the American League presidency and was a leading choice to replace Baseball Commissioner
Baseball Commissioner
The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball and its associated minor leagues. Under the direction of the Commissioner, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball hires and maintains the sport's umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts...
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,...
when a group of team owners tried to oust Kuhn in 1975
1975 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Boston Red Sox ; Pete Rose, MVP*All-Star Game, July 15 at County Stadium: National League, 6-3; Bill Madlock and Jon Matlack, MVPs-Other champions:...
. Kuhn survived the storm of 1975 and Cashen chose to leave baseball and return to Hoffberger's brewery as senior vice president of marketing and sales.
In 1979
1979 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Baltimore Orioles ; Willie Stargell, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: None.*National League Championship Series MVP: Willie Stargell...
, Cashen returned to baseball when Commissioner Kuhn hired him as administrator of baseball.
Building a champion in New York
In January 19801980 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:World Series: Philadelphia Phillies over Kansas City Royals ; Mike Schmidt, MVP*American League Championship Series: Frank White, MVP*National League Championship Series Manny Trillo, MVP...
, 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:...
bought the New York Mets after the Mets' third consecutive last-place finish. They were advised by several people to contact Cashen and, after he predicted four or five years for a turnaround, the new owners hired him for $500,000 over five years. Cashen hired public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
firm, Della Femina, Travisano & Partners
Jerry Della Femina
Jerry Della Femina is an American advertising executive and restaurateur. Starting from a poor Italian background in Brooklyn, he eventually became chairman of Della Femina Travisano & Partners, an agency which he founded with Ron Travisano in the 1960s...
. A new slogan, "The Magic Is Back!", was used along with television commercials emphasizing past New York area stars rather than the dismal Mets of the late 1970s.
On the field, the Mets made few trades early on, but took a chance with the first pick in the Major League Baseball Draft to sign a talented, but raw high school player, 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 eventually finished his Mets career as the all-time franchise leader in home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. In 1981
1981 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over New York Yankees ; Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero, and Steve Yeager, co-MVPsNOTE: Due to a strike in mid-season, the season was divided into a first half and a second half...
, Cashen promoted Hubie Brooks
Hubie Brooks
Hubert Brooks, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. During his career, he played as a third baseman, shortstop and right fielder for the New York Mets , Montreal Expos , Los Angeles Dodgers , California Angels and Kansas City Royals .Brooks played varsity baseball...
and Mookie Wilson
Mookie Wilson
William Hayward "Mookie" Wilson is an American former Major League Baseball center fielder and current coach for the New York Mets. He played 12 years in baseball for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays . He was a switch hitter primarily known for his impressive speed and positive attitude...
to the majors for spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
and then traded for brash home run hitter Dave Kingman
Dave Kingman
David Arthur Kingman , nicknamed "Kong" and "Sky King", is a former Major League Baseball left fielder, first baseman, third baseman, and designated hitter. The towering 6' 6" Kingman was one of the most feared sluggers of the 1970s and 1980s...
. In 1982
1982 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series Champion: St. Louis Cardinals*World Series MVP: Darrell Porter**American League Championship Series MVP: Fred Lynn**National League Championship Series MVP: Darrell Porter...
, Cashen delighted New York fans by trading for former unanimous MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
, George Foster, who signed a five-year, $10 million contract. Two months later, Cashen alienated many fans by trading away fan favorite, Lee Mazzilli
Lee Mazzilli
Lee 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...
. His instincts proved correct, however, as Mazzilli soon declined while one of the two pitchers the Mets received, Ron Darling
Ron Darling
Ronald Maurice Darling, Jr. is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos...
, became an All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
and the other pitcher, Walt Terrell
Walt Terrell
Charles Walter Terrell is a former starting pitcher with an eleven year career from 1982 to 1992. He played for the New York Mets , Detroit Tigers , San Diego Padres , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates , and once again the Detroit Tigers...
, was later traded for offensive star, Howard Johnson
Howard Johnson (baseball player)
Howard Michael Johnson , nicknamed HoJo, is a switch hitting third baseman for the Rockland Boulders of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball. He is best known for his career in Major League Baseball, where he played for the Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, Colorado Rockies and...
. At the same time as the Mazzilli trade, the Mets were scouting young pitcher, Dwight Gooden
Dwight Gooden
Dwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:...
, who they picked in the 1982 draft. Gooden would later become the ace of the pitching staff through the Mets' strong years and championship.
While Foster and Kingman performed below expectations and the Mets finished poorly in both 1982 and 1983
1983 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Baltimore Orioles over Philadelphia Phillies ; Rick Dempsey, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Mike Boddicker*National League Championship Series MVP: Gary Matthews...
, Cashen made one of the most lopsided trades in franchise history, acquiring former MVP, batting champion, and 1982 World Champion
1982 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 12, 1982 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Brewers' left-hander Mike Caldwell pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only three hits. The Brewers' offense was led by Paul Molitor, who had a World Series-record five hits and two RBIs...
member Keith Hernandez
Keith Hernandez
Keith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...
from St. Louis
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
for pitchers Neil Allen
Neil Allen
Neil Patrick Allen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher currently serving as pitching coach for the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, the Durham Bulls.-New York Mets:...
and Rick Ownbey
Rick Ownbey
Richard 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...
. Hernandez became a team leader both offensively and defensively while Allen was an average pitcher and Ownbey played in only 21 more games in the majors.
"I can't tell you when are we going to win the pennant, I think we're going to win the pennant, if I didn't have this feeling I would not have taken the job."---Frank Cashen during Mets press conference after he was hired as General Manager in January 1980
In 1984, Cashen hired Davey Johnson
Davey Johnson
David Allen "Davey" Johnson is an American Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Washington Nationals. He was the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles when they won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1965 and 1972...
to be the Mets' manager for a $100,000 salary. Johnson had been the second baseman with the Orioles while Cashen was the G.M. After a successful 1984 season which saw the Mets first winning record since 1976, Cashen and the Mets traded Hubie Brooks and three others to the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
for future Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, Gary Carter
Gary Carter
Gary Edmund Carter , nicknamed "Kid" and "Kid Carter", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 19-year baseball career, mostly with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, Carter established himself as one of the premier catchers in the National League, winning three Gold...
, and most of the pieces were in place for a championship team. The Mets barely missed the playoffs in 1985
1985 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Kansas City Royals over St. Louis Cardinals ; Bret Saberhagen, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: George Brett*National League Championship Series MVP: Ozzie Smith...
and then won the 1986 World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
with the best record of any team during the 1980s.
Decline in New York
While Cashen was largely credited for building the Mets into the 1986 World Champions, he was quickly vilified for dismantling the franchise when a dynastyDynasty (sports)
A sports dynasty is a team that dominates their sport or league for multiple seasons or years. Such dominance is often only realized in retrospect...
never materialized. In various transactions, scrappy clubhouse leaders, Lenny "Nails" Dykstra
Lenny Dykstra
Leonard Kyle "Lenny" Dykstra , nicknamed "Nails" and "Dude", is a former Major League Baseball center fielder. Dykstra played for the New York Mets during the late 1980s before playing for the Philadelphia Phillies during the early 1990s....
, Roger McDowell
Roger McDowell
Roger Alan McDowell is the pitching coach of the Atlanta Braves and was a right-handed relief pitcher for twelve seasons in Major League Baseball from 1985 to 1996. He played for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League and the Texas Rangers and...
, and Wally Backman
Wally Backman
Walter Wayne Backman is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He is best known for his time with the New York Mets from - and was a member of their 1986 World Series-winning team...
, as well as fan favorite, Mookie Wilson
Mookie Wilson
William Hayward "Mookie" Wilson is an American former Major League Baseball center fielder and current coach for the New York Mets. He played 12 years in baseball for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays . He was a switch hitter primarily known for his impressive speed and positive attitude...
, and future All-Stars, Rick Aguilera
Rick Aguilera
Richard Warren Aguilera is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 16-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-2000 for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs....
and Kevin Tapani
Kevin Tapani
Kevin Ray Tapani is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs from 1989 to 2001.-Early life:...
, were traded away. In return, the Mets received the hugely disappointing Juan Samuel
Juan Samuel
Juan Milton Samuel is a retired second baseman who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Philadelphia Phillies , New York Mets , Los Angeles Dodgers , Kansas City Royals , Cincinnati Reds , Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays...
as well as Frank Viola
Frank Viola
Frank John Viola, Jr. is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Minnesota Twins , New York Mets , Boston Red Sox , Cincinnati Reds and Toronto Blue Jays . A three-time All-Star, he was named World Series MVP with the Twins in 1987 and won the AL Cy Young Award in 1988...
(who won 20 games for the 1990 Mets but was otherwise only average in less than three seasons with New York), Jeff Musselman
Jeff Musselman
Jeffrey Joseph Musselman , is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Mets from 1986–1990.-More Facts:* Musselman is a Harvard graduate....
(who was out of baseball after 1990), and four players that never played in the majors. Hernandez, Carter and World Series MVP
World Series MVP Award
The World Series Most Valuable Player Award is given to the player deemed to have the most impact on his team's performance in the World Series, which is the final round of the Major League Baseball postseason...
, Ray Knight
Ray Knight
Charles Ray Knight is a former right-handed Major League Baseball third baseman best remembered for his time with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets...
were either released or granted free agency
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in the years following the championship. Instead, the Mets hopes were pinned on Gregg Jefferies
Gregg Jefferies
Gregory Scott "Gregg" Jefferies is a retired infielder/outfielder in Major League Baseball who had a 14-year career from 1987 to 2000.-New York Mets:...
who soon faltered and was very unpopular on the team.
After stumbling to a fifth-place finish in 1991
1991 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Minnesota Twins over Atlanta Braves ; Jack Morris, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Kirby Puckett*National League Championship Series MVP: Steve Avery...
, Frank Cashen stepped down as the Mets' general manager.
Later life
After his general manager days, continued working with the Mets in various capacities including chief operating officerChief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
in 1992 and consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
in 1993. In November 1998, the Mets general manager, Steve Phillips
Steve Phillips
Steve Phillips is a former American baseball analyst for ESPN and baseball executive. He served as the general manager of the New York Mets from 1997–2003...
, took time off to address a sexual harassment
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
lawsuit and Cashen was named interim GM for a week.
Frank was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame on August 1, 2010 with Davey Johnson
Davey Johnson
David Allen "Davey" Johnson is an American Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Washington Nationals. He was the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles when they won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1965 and 1972...
, Dwight Gooden
Dwight Gooden
Dwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:...
, and 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...
.
Frank Cashen has seven children with wife, Jean: Gregory, Terry, Tim, Brian, Sean, Stacey and Blaise. They also have nine grandchilden
Cashen was noted for frequently wearing a bowtie.