big 5-0

Darryl Strawberry turns 50 today. Longtime Jackson area fans surely must find it hard to fathom that it was 30 years ago when Strawberry played right field for the Jackson Mets. He arrived in the Capital City with tremendous fanfare. He was the No. 1 overall pick by the New York Mets in the 1980 draft and clearly was on the fast track to the big leagues. He showed he was ready during that ’82 season, batting .283 with a franchise-record 34 home runs, 97 RBIs and 45 stolen bases. His debut at Smith-Wills Stadium? Before a crowd of about 1,200 on a soggy April night, he doubled his second time up and scored the game’s first run on a single by none other than Billy Beane, the No. 23 overall pick in 1980 who went on to carve out some fame of his own. The Straw took National League rookie of the year honors in 1983, batting .257 with 26 bombs, and he helped the Mets win the 1986 World Series. He had Hall of Fame talent, but his various off-field transgressions cut into his potential. Strawberry finished with a .259 average, 335 homers and 1,000 RBIs. Here’s hoping he enjoys a nice, restrained celebration of the big 5-0.