Darryl Strawberry
With one of the sweetest swings of his generation, tall, lithe Darryl Strawberry launched homers out of Shea Stadium and seemed destined to set records on his way to Cooperstown. But by the time he was 30, a drug addiction, injuries, and an ill-advised free agent signing with his hometown Dodgers were his undoing. Later, as a part-time veteran, he contributed to two Yankee World Championships after George Steinbrenner resuscitated his career. The former Rookie of the Year Award winner eventually burned out again, landing in prison after a drug charge. After 285 homers before his 30th birthday, Strawberry finished with just 335, never having reached the heights he was predicted to.
Played For
New York Mets (1983-1990)
Los Angeles Dodgers (1991-1993)
San Francisco Giants (1994)
New York Yankees (1995-1999)
All-Time Rankings
Darryl Strawberry ranks #38 among the Top 50 all-time at RF. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1987
Clubbed 39 homers, slugged a career-best .583, and drove in 104 runs. The following year, based solely on the numbers, Strawberry should have been NL MVP, but he lost to Kirk Gibson.
Born
Darryl Eugene Strawberry was born on March 12, 1962, in Los Angeles, CA.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
Primary Position: OF
Primary Team: NYA
Major League Debut
May 6, 1983
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1983
Joe Carter
Tony Fernandez
Greg Gagne
Juan Samuel
Darryl Strawberry
Orel Hershiser
Ron Darling
Danny Jackson
Harold Reynolds
Similar Players
His swing reminded some of Ted Williams
Related Players
Strawberry and Eric Davis were friends as kids in Los Angeles.
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 2005 |
BBWAA |
6 |
1.2% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1986 National League Championship Series
1986 World Series
1988 National League Championship Series
1995 American League Divisional Series
1996 World Series
1996 American League Championship Series
1996 American League Divisional Series
1999 American League Divisional Series
1999 American League Championship Series
1999 World Series
Post-Season Notes
His performance in the 1996 ALCS was a big reason the Yankees defeated the Orioles in five. Strawberry slugged three homers, with five RBI and four runs scored.
Awards and Honors
1983 NL Rookie of the Year
Milestones
- June 9, 1989: 200th HR...
Batting Feats
Transactions
June 3, 1980: Drafted by the New York Mets in the 1st round (1st pick) of the 1980 amateur draft. Player signed July 11, 1980.
November 5, 1990: Granted Free Agency.
November 8, 1990: Signed as a Free Agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
May 26, 1994: Released by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
June 19, 1994: Signed as a Free Agent with the San Francisco Giants.
February 8, 1995: Released by the San Francisco Giants.
June 19, 1995: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Yankees.
November 30, 1995: Granted Free Agency.
July 4, 1996: Purchased by the New York Yankees from the St Paul (Northern).
October 30, 1997: Granted Free Agency.
January 8, 1998: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Yankees.
December 21, 1998: Granted Free Agency.
April 5, 1999: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Yankees.
All-Star Selections
1984 NL
1985 NL
1986 NL
1987 NL
1988 NL
1989 NL
1990 NL
1991 NL
Learn More about Darryl Strawberry
Search Amazon.com for Books about Darryl Strawberry ⇒
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View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒
