Darryl Strawberry: Mets have ‘bright future’ with emphasis on development
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Darryl Strawberry understands what it was like to be part of the winningest stretch in the history of the New York Mets.
The eight-time All-Star and Mets’ all-time home run leader helped drive the team toward a World Series title, two National League East pennants and seven straight winning seasons between 1984 and 1990.
Now, as Strawberry returned to Port St. Lucie as a guest instructor in the same year as his No. 18 will be retired by the club, he is beginning to see some parallels in the organization’s framework to the successful units he was a part of. And he is confident that president of baseball operations David Stearns can cultivate similar sustained success through his current vision.
“We had a lot of good young players,” Strawberry said Tuesday from the Clover Park complex. “You look at guys like (Greg) Jefferies and Dave Magaden, when they came up, they were ready, they were ready to play. I feel like David is doing a great job with that. I think he’s really doing a tremendous job and very patient, about what the team is gonna look like and what the future should look like.”
While Stearns inherited a prospect pool led by Jett Williams, Drew Gilbert and Luisangel Acuna — all players either drafted or acquired under Billy Eppler — the new leader of the front office has made no secret that he wants to see what he has from the team’s younger contributors, notably Brett Baty and Mark Vientos.
“They have some kids that are at the door right now that are here and they need to kick through the door,” Strawberry said. “It’s their time. They’ve been in Triple-A long enough, and it’s time for them to kick through that door and really know who they are, what kind of player they are.”
Strawberry understands the criticism from the outside about the lack of the big splash but believes the front office is doing what’s best for the future of the ball club. Now, the onus is on the younger players to soak up what they can from the leaders of the team as Strawberry tried to under Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter and Ray Knight.
And for those veterans, it is important to foster strong chemistry in the clubhouse. The former Mets outfielder still believes that the team has enough to win now.
“They’ve got (Pete) Alonso, they’ve got (Francisco) Lindor, they got those guys who are experienced and it’s gonna take the younger players that are coming up, to really be able to produce and play under the pressure of playing in New York,” Strawberry said. “For them, the younger guys need to learn how not to listen to the outside noise. They got to keep themselves focused on the field and what’s important.”
Edwin Diaz takes another step forward
Mets closer Edwin Diaz took fielding practice before Tuesday’s game for the first time since he tore his patellar tendon in his right knee during last season’s World Baseball Classic.
It was the latest step in Diaz’s progression on the way back to the mound in competitive action. He also threw his third live batting practice of the spring on the back field.
“Obviously he hasn’t done much of a (pitcher fielding practice), but that’s pretty much what he needs to do now before we put him in games,” Carlos Mendoza said. “Continue to put him in PFPs, making sure he gets an off day from covering bases, especially after a day like today. We’ll see how he comes back tomorrow and how he’s feeling. Overall, progressing well and we like what we’re seeing.”
Mendoza added that Diaz would likely play in a game on the back fields before making his Grapefruit League debut.