🍓Darryl Strawberry Day A Special Reminder Of How Far Mets Have Come, And How Far They Have Left To Go
The New York Mets paid ultimate tribute to a franchise great on Saturday as the organization continues to honor its past the right way, while also offering up some much-needed hope for the future...
It was hard not to bask in the glow of the past at Citi Field on Saturday.
After all, one of the biggest icons and legends in franchise history was being honored, with Darryl Strawberry finally having his No. 18 jersey retired by the New York Mets.
About time too.
With more than a sweet whiff of nostalgia in the air as Strawberry was officially enshrined as part of forever, you couldn’t blame Mets fans for longing to stay in the past.
It isn’t like they have any reason to get excited about remaining in the present.
And, given the current state of affairs in Queens, the immediate future doesn’t exactly seem very appealing, either.
After winning two straight games in the wake of a team meeting called immediately after a house of horrors day against the Dodgers, the Mets returned to embarrassing levels of ineptitude on Saturday and Sunday. They were shelled by the Diamondbacks in a 10-5 loss on Saturday - adding some stink to what was an incredibly special day. At least until the actual game started, anway. Then, on Sunday, the bullpen imploded yet again with LHP Jake Diekman entering the game armed with a 4-3 lead, only to allow a two-run homer to Ketel Marte to blow the save. New York has now lost a game when leading after eight innings six times since May 1st. No other team in the major leagues has more than two.
That should tell you everything you need to know about this team right now.
In just a week, Mets fans have had to suffer through embarrassing low after embarrassing low. They have seen their team invent a slew of new ways to lose in a sweep to the Dodgers. They could only grimace as both closer Edwin Díaz and slugging first baseman Pete Alonso went down hurt on the same day. Although, it is important to note that Alonso is back in the lineup and has been mashing. And, perhaps worst of all, Mets fans had to witness an epic meltdown by righty reliever Jorge López, who threw his glove into the stands, swore and lied on TV and was then subsequently booted off the team.
If you are curious about what seven days in hell looks like, just go and ask the Mets.
With the 2024 season looking all but doomed, which would mean two consecutive seasons of abject failure, it is no surprise that ownership is starting to come under heavy scrutiny by the fanbase. After all, things were meant to be different under Steve Cohen. Boasting incredibly deep pockets and the kind of generational wealth us mere mortals can only dream of, Cohen was expected to turn the Mets into perennial World Series contenders and an organization that could go toe-to-toe with the Yankees for baseball real estate in New York. He was supposed to be the white knight that would wipe out all the dysfunction and general stupidity and ridiculousness that came to define the Wilpons’ ownership of the team. Instead, there has been one winning season under Cohen’s watch, and a whole lot of losing and silliness.
In all, Cohen hasn’t come close to getting it right on the baseball side of things yet. Although, I think he will get it right eventually.
However, he does deserve a boatload of credit for reconnecting the fans with the organization and its history, and for also significantly improving the general atmosphere in and around Citi Field.
And that brings me back to Darryl Strawberry.
Saturday’s emotional ceremony was a perfect summation of just how far this franchise has come under Cohen as it pertains to putting the fans first and paying homage to the past.
Strawberry, who dealt with addiction throughout his career and also survived a recent heart attack, made Mets fans fall in love with him all over again by apologizing for leaving the franchise under difficult and complicated circumstances all those years ago.
“I mean this from the bottom of my heart,” Strawberry said. “I am so sorry for ever leaving you guys. There was nothing greater than playing in front of you fans here in Queens and at Shea Stadium.”
The No. 1 pick in the 1980 June Draft by the Mets, Strawberry had a single and two walks in his Major League debut on May 6, 1983. That was a tantalizing precursor to what followed, with the former outfielder going on to become an absolute icon in Queens. Strawberry proceeded to become a cornerstone piece of the 1986 team that won the World Series, and he was a seven-time All-Star during his time with the Mets. And, despite bolting town right in the middle of his prime, Strawberry is still the Mets all-time leader in home runs with 252. He also ranks second in RBIs (733) and walks (580), third in extra-base hits (469) and runs (662), and fourth in slugging (.520). Furthermore, Strawberry ranks fourth in total bases (2,028), fifth in stolen bases (191), sixth in triples (30), eighth in at-bats (3,903), and ninth in games (1,109), hits (1,025) and doubles (187). He hit .263/.359/.520/.878 in his eight years with the Mets.
Turning down a two-year deal from then-GM Frank Cashen, Strawberry instead opted to return home to sign a five-year, $20 million contract with the Dodgers, breaking the hearts of Mets fans everywhere in the process. Things began to spiral from that point on for Strawberry, who spent years fighting a serious battle against drug and alcohol abuse. He did finish his career strong, winning two World Series with the Yankees, but there was always a sense of unfinished business with the Mets.
Having since devoted his life to God and inspiring thousands, Strawberry has carved out a second act as a minister and has helped to transform countless lives. He also began the process of mending some bridges with the Mets during that time too. And, despite nearly dying from a heart attack just months ago, a traumatic event that left his heart at 32%, Strawberry was able to be in attendance at Citi Field on Saturday to see his jersey raised to the rafters alongside other Mets greats, ensuring that he will live on in Mets history forever.
None of that would have been possible without Cohen. Since buying the team he grew up loving, the hedge-fund manager has been on a mission to enhance the fan experience at Citi Field, in addition to repairing bridges between the franchise and members of its storied past.
As a result, Cohen has been instrumental in bringing back Old Timer’s Day. He wasted little time in paying ultimate tribute to Tom Seaver by building a majestic statue right outside Citi Field that serves as a beautiful homage to the greatest player in franchise history. And Cohen also strived to honor the true Mets greats by introducing jersey retirement ceremonies, an exercise the Wilpons were always loathe to take part in. Jerry Koosman was the first former Met to have his jersey retired under new ownership in 2021, quickly followed by Keith Hernandez and Willie Mays in 2022, and then both Dwight Gooden and Strawberry this year.
I will never forget being inside Citi Field on the day Hernandez had his No. 17 jersey placed atop the rafters of the ballpark. It was an incredibly emotional day that still resonates with me deeply. Mets fans of all ages and from all different backgrounds came together to honor the leader of that 1986 team, and there were men in their 50’s and 60’s who couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down their cheeks. It was a day that hammered home just how much had changed under the Cohen ownership, with fans and the organization’s history now the top priority when it comes to the overall ballpark experience.
The ceremony to retire Strawberry’s No. 18 jersey felt incredibly similar. Although Citi Field wasn’t a sellout - you can blame that on the 2024 Mets - the emotion running through the ballpark was palpable. This was as much a official homecoming as it was a jersey retirement. As much as Strawberry has been around the team in recent years, Saturday sure felt like a beloved franchise legend was returning home and back where he belongs for good. Strawberry himself echoed those sentiments:
“I wish I would’ve never left this organization, Strawberry said. “That is the biggest regret I will have for the rest of my life. My eight seasons here were the greatest seasons of my career. And I will always be a Met. No matter how anyone will look at it or how anyone wants to talk about it, I’m a Met.”
Those words were met with a standing ovation and chants of “Daaaa-rryyyyyyl, Darryl,” a moment that truly sent shivers down the spine.
Again, all of this was possible because Cohen has strived to transform the Mets into an organization that does right by its past, and allows its fans the proper opportunities to honor and pay tribute to their heroes.
That was evident wherever you looked on Saturday. The number 18 was cut into the center-field grass, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ by The Beatles was played over the PA system, and even the Mets’ iconic Home Run Apple was transformed into a Home Run Strawberry for the day. Those are the little details that go a long, long way.
Saturday was a truly special and memorable day, one that resonated more given everything Darryl Strawberry means to this franchise and everything he has been through. It was also a day the Mets needed to remind themselves of just how far they have come in certain areas, yet how far they have to go in others. It was a day where the glorious past acted as a distraction from the underwhelming present, yet also offered hope for what is possible in the future.
I’m a born and bred Reds fan, always have been, always will be. However, back in 1969, at about mid season, I kind of became a Mets fan and I stayed that way throughout the victorious WS win. After all, they had TOM SEAVER. (And later, as if in a dream come true, Seaver would be a Red for 7 seasons.)
Years later, I took my son to a Reds/Mets game at Riverfront in Cincinnati. We got to watch Daryl Strawberry take batting practice and hit balls out of every part of the ball park. Just before the game, we walked down by the Mets dug out and there, right in front of us was Me. Strawberry. I’d heard all the stories about his behavior and his problems but, he turned, looked at my son and spoke. He truly was a true gentleman that evening, a very nice man. My son and his dad were thrilled. I’ve never forgotten that and, to this day, he remains my favorite Met…just after Tom Seaver. Congratulations to him on his number being retired. He is truly deserving.