Start date 1980 General manager Frank Cashen Local television WWOR-TV | Manager Joe Torre Local radio WMCA | |
Owners Fred Wilpon, Nelson Doubleday Jr. Similar 1985 New York Mets season, 1996 New York Mets season, 1990 New York Mets season | ||
The 1980 New York Mets season was the 19th regular season for the Mets, who played home games at Shea Stadium. Led by manager Joe Torre, the team had a 67–95 record and finished in fifth place in the National League East.
Contents
The beginnings of the 1986 team
On January 24, 1980, ownership of the team changed hands. The group that bought the Mets for an estimated $22 million (the largest amount ever paid for a ball club to that point) was headed by Nelson Doubleday, Jr. and Fred Wilpon. Doubleday was head of the old and distinguished publishing company that bore his name, while Wilpon was a highly successful real-estate developer. The new owners promised to spend money to get winning players and to make the club competitive, but it would take years before the new partners were able to tear down their club and rebuild a contender.
Hired as architect of this rebuilding was Frank Cashen, who had spent ten years in the front office of the Baltimore Orioles from 1966 to 1976, during which time the Orioles went to four World Series, winning two. During his tenure, the Mets would see what some called a "resuscitation", eventually leading to the team's first World Championship in 17 years. After leaving the Orioles, Cashen worked outside of baseball for three years before joining commissioner Bowie Kuhn's office as administrator of baseball. It was from this job that the Mets wooed him and installed him as executive vice president and general manager.
On the field
Due to their last-place finish in 1979, the Mets had the first pick in the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft. They used it to select an 18-year-old outfielder from Los Angeles, Darryl Strawberry, who would be a big part of future Mets teams.
The team under Torre suffered their 4th straight losing season, 24 games out of first place. although the Mets moved up one place in the standings to fifth. They were right around .500 until losing 38 of their last 49 games, which may have led to attendance jumping nearly 400,000 to almost 1,200,000. The team had the motto the "Magic is Back" during the 1980 season.
Opening Day starters
Notable transactions
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts