1985 New York Mets season
Encyclopedia
The New York Mets
' 1985 season
was the 24th regular season for the Mets. They went 98-64 and finished 2nd in the NL East. They were managed by Davey Johnson
. They played home games at Shea Stadium
.
All-Star Game
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...
' 1985 season
1985 Major League Baseball season
In 1985, the Major League Baseball season ended with the Kansas City Royals defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh game of the I-70 World Series. Bret Saberhagen, the regular season Cy Young Award winner, was named MVP of the Series...
was the 24th regular season for the Mets. They went 98-64 and finished 2nd in the NL East. They were managed by 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...
. They 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...
.
Offseason
- December 3, 1984: Lou ThorntonLou ThorntonLouis Thornton is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and pinch runner. He played parts of five seasons in the major leagues between and .-Sources:...
was drafted from the Mets by the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue JaysThe Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
in the rule 5 draftRule 5 draftThe Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. - December 10, 1984: Hubie BrooksHubie BrooksHubert 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...
, Mike Fitzgerald, Herm WinninghamHerm WinninghamHerman Son Winningham is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball.Drafted by the New York Mets in the 1st round of the 1981 amateur draft, Winningham made his major league debut with the Mets on September 1, , and appeared in his final game on October 3, .Winningham was a member of the...
, and Floyd YoumansFloyd YoumansFloyd Everett Youmans is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is likely best remembered as one of the players dealt by the New York Mets to the Montreal Expos for Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter.-New York Mets:...
was traded by the Mets to the Montreal ExposWashington NationalsThe Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
for Gary CarterGary CarterGary 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...
. - January 3, 1985: Rusty StaubRusty StaubDaniel Joseph "Rusty" Staub is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder, designated hitter, and first baseman. He enjoyed a 23-year baseball career with 5 different teams...
was signed as a free agent by the Mets. - January 18, 1985: The Mets traded Tim Leary to the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
as part of a 4-team trade. 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...
sent Frank WillsFrank Wills (baseball)Frank Lee Wills is an American former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals , Seattle Mariners , Cleveland Indians , and Toronto Blue Jays...
to the Mets. The Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
traded Danny DarwinDanny DarwinDaniel Wayne "Danny" Darwin , known as the "Bonham Bullet" and "Dr. Death," is a former pitcher of Major League Baseball. He amassed 171 wins and 182 losses over his career for 8 different Major League teams with a 3.84 earned run average...
and a player to be named later to the Brewers. The Brewers sent Jim SundbergJim SundbergJames Howard Sundberg is a former professional baseball catcher known for being one of the best defensive catchers of his era. He played for a number of Major League teams, most significantly the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals, with whom we won a World Championship...
to the Royals. The Royals sent Don SlaughtDon SlaughtDonald Martin Slaught is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who had a 16-year career from to...
to the Rangers. The Rangers completed the deal by sending Bill Nance (minors) to the Brewers on January 30.
Regular season
- Gary Carter led the Mets in HR and RBI.
- July 4, 1985: Keith HernandezKeith HernandezKeith 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...
hit for the cycle in a 16-13 game that lasted 19 innings vs. 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....
. - July 11, 1985: Nolan RyanNolan RyanLynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
got the 4000th strikeout of his career by striking out Mets player Danny HeepDanny HeepDaniel William Heep , is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder.Heep played for five different ballclubs during his 13 year career: the Houston Astros , New York Mets , Los Angeles Dodgers , Boston Red Sox , and Atlanta Braves .Heep played for two different World Series champions: the New...
. - July 20, 1985: 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...
had 7 RBIs in a game versus the Atlanta Braves.
Opening Day starters
- Wally BackmanWally BackmanWalter 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...
, Second Base - Gary CarterGary CarterGary 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...
, Catcher - George Foster, Outfield
- Dwight GoodenDwight GoodenDwight 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:...
, Pitcher - Keith HernandezKeith HernandezKeith 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...
, First Base - Howard Johnson, Third Base
- Rafael SantanaRafael SantanaRafael Francisco Santana de la Cruz is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who won a World Series ring with the 1986 New York Mets. He currently serves as the Dominican Republic scouting and player development supervisor for the Chicago White Sox.-St...
, Shortstop - 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...
, Outfield - Mookie WilsonMookie WilsonWilliam 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...
, Outfield
Notable transactions
- June 3, 1985: Gordon DillardGordon DillardGordon Lee Dillard is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched parts of the and seasons in the majors, for the Baltimore Orioles in 1988 and the Philadelphia Phillies in 1989.-External links:...
was drafted by the Mets in the 2nd round of the 1985 Major League Baseball Draft1985 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1985 Major League Baseball draft.-Background:Six of the first eight draft picks from the June regular phase had at least one full year of major league experience prior to the start of the 1987 season. Included in that list were...
(Secondary Phase), but did not sign.
Roster
| 1985 New York Mets roster | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 149 | 555 | 156 | .281 | 32 | 100 | |
| 1B | 158 | 593 | 183 | .309 | 10 | 91 | |
| 2B | 145 | 520 | 142 | .273 | 1 | 38 | |
| 3B | 126 | 389 | 94 | .242 | 11 | 46 | |
| SS | 154 | 529 | 136 | .257 | 1 | 29 | |
| LF | 129 | 452 | 119 | .263 | 21 | 77 | |
| CF | 93 | 337 | 93 | .276 | 6 | 26 | |
| RF | 111 | 393 | 109 | .277 | 29 | 79 |
Other batters
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95 | 271 | 76 | .280 | 7 | 42 | |
| 90 | 271 | 59 | .218 | 6 | 36 | |
| 83 | 236 | 60 | .254 | 1 | 19 | |
| 51 | 113 | 21 | .186 | 3 | 13 | |
| 43 | 82 | 16 | .195 | 3 | 7 | |
| 54 | 45 | 12 | .267 | 1 | 8 | |
| 8 | 8 | 2 | .250 | 0 | 1 | |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games played; GS = Games Started; CG = Complete Games; SHO =Shutouts; IP = Innings Pitch; W = Wins; L = Loses; ERA = Earned Run Average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | GS | CG | SHO | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 35 | 16 | 8 | 276.2 | 24 | 4 | 1.53 | 268 | |
| 36 | 35 | 4 | 2 | 248.0 | 16 | 6 | 2.90 | 167 | |
| 31 | 29 | 6 | 1 | 191.0 | 10 | 8 | 3.44 | 65 | |
| 26 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 170.1 | 9 | 9 | 2.80 | 180 | |
| 21 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 122.1 | 10 | 7 | 3.24 | 74 | |
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 13.2 | 1 | 0 | 2.63 | 10 |
Other pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | 55.2 | 3 | 4 | 2.97 | 30 | |
| 7 | 22.2 | 1 | 3 | 3.97 | 10 | |
Relief pitchers
| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 2.83 | 70 | |
| 54 | 8 | 6 | 17 | 2.73 | 68 | |
| 42 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 5.30 | 26 | |
| 34 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5.13 | 32 | |
Awards and honors
- Dwight Gooden, Associated Press Athlete of the YearAssociated Press Athlete of the YearThe first Athlete of the Year award in the United States was initiated by the Associated Press in 1931. At a time when women in sports were never given the same recognition as men, the AP offered a male and a female athlete of the year award to either a professional or amateur athlete...
- Dwight Gooden, National League Cy Young AwardCy Young AwardThe Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
Winner - Dwight Gooden, National League Pitching Triple CrownTriple 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...
- Dwight Gooden, The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year
- Keith Hernandez, National League First Base Gold Glove
- Gary Carter, National League Catcher Silver SluggerSilver SluggerThe Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball...
- Keith Hernandez - Player of the Month, July 1985
- Keith Hernandez - Hernandez set a major league record for game-winning runs batted in (24) in 1985
- Gary Carter - Player of the Month, September 1985
- Rafael SantanaRafael SantanaRafael Francisco Santana de la Cruz is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who won a World Series ring with the 1986 New York Mets. He currently serves as the Dominican Republic scouting and player development supervisor for the Chicago White Sox.-St...
– Led NL Shortstops in Putouts (301)
All-Star Game
1985 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1985 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 56th playing of the game, annually played between the All-Stars of the National League and the All-Stars of the American League. The game was played on July 16, 1985, in the Hubert H...
- Darryl Strawberry, Right field, Starter
- Gary Carter, Catcher
- Ron Darling, Pitcher
- Dwight Gooden, Pitcher (Injured, did not play)