1984 New York Mets season

1984 New York Mets
Major League affiliations
National League (since 1962)
Eastern Division (since 1969)
Location
Shea Stadium (since 1964)
New York (since 1962)
Other information
Owner(s)	Fred Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday, Jr.
General manager(s)	Frank Cashen
Manager(s)	Davey Johnson
Local television	WOR-TV/SportsChannel New York (Ralph Kiner, Steve Zabriskie, Tim McCarver, Fran Healy)
Local radio	WHN (Bob Murphy, Steve LaMar, Juan Alicea)
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The New York Mets' 1984 season was the 23rd regular season for the Mets. They went 90–72 and finished in second place in the National League East. They were managed by Davey Johnson. They played home games at Shea Stadium.

Offseason

• December 8, 1983: Acquired Sid Fernandez and Ross Jones from the Los Angeles Dodgers for Bob Bailor and Carlos Diaz.
• January 17, 1984: Kevin Elster was drafted by the Mets in the 2nd round of the 1984 Major League Baseball draft. Player signed May 21, 1984.^[1]
• January 17, 1984: Rafael Santana was signed as a free agent by the Mets.^[2]
• January 20, 1984: The Chicago White Sox choose Tom Seaver from the Mets as a Free Agent compensation pick.
• January 27, 1984: Signed Dick Tidrow as a Free Agent. The Mets released him on May 8.
• January 30, 1984: Released Dave Kingman.
• February 19, 1984: Kelvin Moore was traded by the Mets to the Milwaukee Brewers for Billy Max (minors).^[3]
• March 17, 1984: Jerry Martin was signed as a Free Agent with the New York Mets.^[4]

Regular season

The season had already gotten off to an embarrassing start for GM Frank Cashen and the Mets before it even started. Believing that it was unnecessary to protect a high-salaried, forty-year-old pitcher, the Mets left Tom Seaver unprotected and the Mets were stunned on January 20, 1984 when he was claimed in a free-agent compensation draft by the Chicago White Sox.

This left opening day duties to Mike Torrez. Torrez lasted only 1.1 innings against the Cincinnati Reds at Riverfront Stadium, giving up six earned runs, and giving the Mets their first opening day loss since 1974. Davey Johnson's team did, however, come back to win the next six in a row, including Dwight Gooden's Major League Baseball debut on April 7.^[5] Off-season acquisition Sid Fernandez made his debut with the Mets on July 16, going seven innings against the Houston Astros at the Astrodome, and earning the victory.

Season standings

NL East	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Chicago Cubs	96	65	0.596	—	51–29	45–36
New York Mets	90	72	0.556	6½	48–33	42–39
St. Louis Cardinals	84	78	0.519	12½	44–37	40–41
Philadelphia Phillies	81	81	0.500	15½	39–42	42–39
Montreal Expos	78	83	0.484	18	39–42	39–41
Pittsburgh Pirates	75	87	0.463	21½	41–40	34–47

Record vs. opponents

1984 National League Records Sources:
Team	ATL	CHC	CIN	HOU	LAD	MON	NYM	PHI	PIT	SD	SF	STL
Atlanta	—	3–9	13–5	12–6	6–12	5–7	4–8	7–5	8–4	7–11	10–8	5–7
Chicago	9–3	—	7–5	6–6	7–5	10–7	12–6	9–9	8–10	6–6	9–3	13–5
Cincinnati	5–13	5–7	—	8–10	7–11	7–5	3–9	5–7	7–5	7–11	12–6	4–8
Houston	6–12	6–6	10–8	—	9–9	7–5	4–8	6–6	6–6	6–12	12–6	8–4
Los Angeles	12–6	5–7	7–11	9–9	—	6–6	3–9	3–9	4–8	10–8	10–8	6–6
Montreal	7–5	7–10	5–7	5–7	6–6	—	7–11	11–7	7–11	7–5	7–5	9–9
New York	8–4	6–12	9–3	8–4	9–3	11–7	—	10–8	12–6	6–6	4–8	7–11
Philadelphia	5-7	9–9	7–5	6–6	9–3	7–11	8–10	—	7–11	7–5	8–4	8–10
Pittsburgh	4–8	10–8	5–7	6–6	8–4	11–7	6–12	11–7	—	4–8	6–6	4–14
San Diego	11–7	6–6	11–7	12–6	8–10	5–7	6–6	5–7	8–4	—	13–5	7–5
San Francisco	8–10	3–9	6–12	6–12	8–10	5–7	8–4	4–8	6–6	5–13	—	7–5
St. Louis	7–5	5–13	8–4	4–8	6–6	9–9	11–7	10–8	14–4	5–7	5–7	—

Notable transactions

• May 9, 1984: Released Craig Swan.
• June 4, 1984: 1984 Major League Baseball draft
  • Shawn Abner was drafted by the Mets in the 1st round (1st pick).^[6]
  • Mauro Gozzo was drafted by the Mets in the 13th round.^[7]
• June 15, 1984: Acquired Bruce Berenyi from the Cincinnati Reds for Jay Tibbs, Eddie Williams and Matts Bullinger.
• June 22, 1984: Released Mike Torrez.^[8]
• July 10, 1984: Heathcliff Slocumb was signed by the Mets as an amateur free agent.^[9]
• August 28, 1984: The Mets traded players to be named later to the Houston Astros for Ray Knight. The Mets completed the deal by sending Gerald Young and Manuel Lee to the Astros on August 31 and Mitch Cook (minors) to the Astros on September 10.^[10]
• August 28, 1984: Jeff Gardner was signed as an amateur free agent by the Mets.^[11]
• September 30, 1984: Jerry Martin was released by the New York Mets.^[4]

Opening Day starters

• Wally Backman
• Hubie Brooks
• George Foster
• John Gibbons
• Keith Hernandez
• Jose Oquendo
• Darryl Strawberry
• Mike Torrez
• Mookie Wilson^[12]

Roster

1984 New York Mets roster
Roster
Pitchers 27 Bruce Berenyi 44 Ron Darling 50 Sid Fernandez 45 Brent Gaff 27 Wes Gardner 16 Dwight Gooden 29 Tom Gorman 38 Tim Leary 36 Ed Lynch 47 Jesse Orosco 40 Calvin Schiraldi 39 Doug Sisk 27 Craig Swan 49 Walt Terrell 13 Dick Tidrow 30 Mike Torrez		Catchers 20 Mike Fitzgerald  8 John Gibbons 42 Ron Hodges 34 Junior Ortiz 12 John Stearns Infielders  6 Wally Backman  7 Hubie Brooks 11 Kelvin Chapman 19 Ron Gardenhire 17 Keith Hernandez 21 Ross Jones 22 Ray Knight 32 Kevin Mitchell  2 José Oquendo  3 Rafael Santana 10 Rusty Staub		Outfielders 35 Billy Beane 35 John Christensen 15 George Foster 25 Danny Heep  9 Jerry Martin 18 Darryl Strawberry  1 Mookie Wilson 21,3 Herm Winningham		Manager  5 Davey Johnson Coaches 51 Vern Hoscheit 55 Frank Howard 26 Bill Robinson 48 Mel Stottlemyre 28 Bobby Valentine

Player stats

Batting

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	Hernandez, KeithKeith Hernandez	154	550	171	.311	15	94

^[13]

Other batters

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
Gardenhire, RonRon Gardenhire	74	207	51	.246	1	10
Heep, DannyDanny Heep	99	199	46	.231	1	12
Chapman, KelvinKelvin Chapman	75	197	57	.289	3	23
Santana, RafaelRafael Santana	51	152	42	.276	1	12
Knight, RayRay Knight	27	93	26	.280	1	6
Ortiz, JuniorJunior Ortiz	40	91	18	.198	0	11
Staub, RustyRusty Staub	78	72	19	.264	1	18
Gibbons, JohnJohn Gibbons	10	31	2	.065	0	1
Winningham, HermHerm Winningham	14	27	11	.407	0	5
Mitchell, KevinKevin Mitchell	7	14	3	.214	0	1
Christensen, JohnJohn Christensen	5	11	3	.273	0	3
Beane, BillyBilly Beane	5	10	1	.100	0	0

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Gooden, DwightDwight Gooden	31	218	17	9	2.60	276
Torrez, MikeMike Torrez	9	37.2	1	5	5.02	16

Other pitchers

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO

Relief pitchers

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
Gorman, TomTom Gorman	36	6	0	0	2.97	40

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Tidewater Tides	International League	Bob Schaefer
AA	Jackson Mets	Texas League	Sam Perlozzo
A	Lynchburg Mets	Carolina League	Mike Cubbage
A	Columbia Mets	South Atlantic League	Rich Miller
A-Short Season	Little Falls Mets	New York–Penn League	Bud Harrelson
Rookie	Kingsport Mets	Appalachian League	Dan Radison

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Jackson, Lynchburg, Little Falls

Awards and honors

• Mike Fitzgerald, Topps All-Star Rookie Teams
• Dwight Gooden, Rookie of the Year & Topps All-Star Rookie Team
• Keith Hernandez, Gold Glove & Silver Slugger

All-Star Game

• Dwight Gooden, Pitcher
• Jesse Orosco, Pitcher
• Darryl Strawberry, Outfielder

Notes

1. Kevin Elster at Baseball Reference
2. Rafael Santana at Baseball Reference
3. Kelvin Moore at Baseball Reference
4. http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/martije01.shtml
5. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/goodedw01.shtml?redir
6. Shawn Abner at Baseball Reference
7. Mauro Gozzo at Baseball Reference
8. Mike Torrez at Baseball Reference
9. Heathcliff Slocumb at Baseball Reference
10. Ray Knight at Baseball Reference
11. Jeff Gardner at Baseball Reference
12. http://baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1984&t=NYN
13. http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/1984.shtml

References

• Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.
• 1984 New York Mets
• 1984 New York Mets at Baseball Almanac