1980 New York Mets season

On January 24, 1980, ownership of the team changed hands. The group that bought the Mets for an estimated $22 million (the largest amount paid for a ball club to that point) was headed by Nelson Doubleday Jr. and Fred Wilpon.{{cite news|title=Group Led by Doubleday Buys Mets for a Reported $21 Million|first=Joe|last=Durso|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 25, 1980|page=A1|authorlink=Joe Durso}} 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 invest money to acquire winning players and develop a competitive club,{{cite news|title=Mets Are Now Rebuilding On Solid Financial Ground|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 25, 1980|page=B6}}{{cite news|last=Durso |first=Joe |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1980/01/26/archives/mets-new-owners-pledge-resurgence-wilpon-is-president-no-game-plan.html |title=Mets' New Owners Pledge Resurgence - Wilpon Is President|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 26, 1980 |accessdate=July 11, 2012|authorlink=Joe Durso}} though it took a few years before the new partners were able to rebuild a solid contender.

In February, the new owners hired 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",{{cite news|last=Steadman|first= John|date=April 15, 1992|title=With Tip of Cap to Hoffberger, Mets Turn Out to Thank Cashen|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1992/04/15/with-tip-of-cap-to-hoffberger-mets-turn-out-to-thank-cashen/}} 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.{{cite news|title=Kuhn Aide Is Selected by Mets|first=Joseph|last=Durso|newspaper=The New York Times|date=February 21, 1980|page=D19|author-link=Joe Durso}}

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, a key figure of future Mets teams. With the twenty-third pick, they selected Billy Beane, later the protagonist in Moneyball.

Under Torre, the team suffered their 4th consecutive losing season, 24 games out of first place, although the Mets moved up one place in the standings to fifth.{{cite news|title=Mets to Rehire Torre as Manager Today|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 6, 1980|page=C8}} They even flirted with .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.

Notable highlights from the season included three come-from-behind wins in five days: 5-4 and 6-5 over the Dodgers June 10 and 12 (after trailing 4-0 and 5-0), and 7-6 over the Giants on the 14th after trailing 6-0. The Mets fell to earth in a five-game sweep at Shea by the eventual champion Phillies in mid-August, before which they were 56-57. Their final home series against the Pirates drew just over 5,900 fans for three games combined.{{cite news|title=

Mets Bow to Pirates In Shea Finale, 10-5|first=Joseph|last=Durso|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 2, 1980|page=D19|authorlink=Joe Durso}}

The construction of the then-state-of-the-art DiamondVision electronic scoreboard in center field for 1981 resulted in a sharp increase in ticket prices following this season, e.g., with General Admission seating rising from $1.50 to $4.00.

{{1980 NL East standings|highlight=New York Mets}}

{{1980 NL Record vs. opponents|team=NYM}}

• Doug Flynn
• Steve Henderson
• Mike Jorgensen
• Elliott Maddox
• Lee Mazzilli
• Jerry Morales
• John Stearns
• Craig Swan
• Frank Taveras

• June 3, 1980: 1980 Major League Baseball Draft
• Darryl Strawberry was drafted by the Mets in the 1st round (1st pick). Player signed July 11, 1980.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/strawda01.shtml Darryl Strawberry page at Baseball Reference]
• Billy Beane was drafted by the Mets in the 1st round (23rd pick).[https://www.baseball-reference.com/b/beanebi01.shtml Billy Beane page at Baseball Reference]
• Ronn Reynolds was drafted by the Mets in the 5th round. Player signed June 7, 1980.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/reynoro02.shtml|title=Ronn Reynolds Stats}}
• Rick Ownbey was drafted by the Mets in the 13th round.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ownberi01.shtml Rick Ownbey page at Baseball Reference]
• Al Newman was drafted by the Mets in the 2nd round of the Secondary Phase, but did not sign.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/n/newmaal01.shtml Al Newman page at Baseball Reference]
• June 17, 1980: Kevin Kobel was traded by the Mets to the Kansas City Royals for Randy McGilberry.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/k/kobelke01.shtml Kevin Kobel page at Baseball Reference]
• July 1, 1980: Randy Johnson was traded by the Mets to the Atlanta Braves for Bill Haselrig (minors).[https://www.baseball-reference.com/j/johnsra04.shtml Randy Johnson page at Baseball Reference]

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

{{See also|Minor League Baseball}}

{{MLB Farm System|level16=AAA|team16=Tidewater Tides|league16=International League|manager16=Frank Verdi

|level17=AA |team17=Jackson Mets|league17=Texas League|manager17=Bob Wellman

|level18=A |team18=Lynchburg Mets|league18=Carolina League|manager18=Jack Aker

|level19=A-Short Season|team19=Little Falls Mets|league19=New York–Penn League|manager19=Dan Monzon

|level20=Rookie|team20=Kingsport Mets|league20=Appalachian League|manager20=Chuck Hiller

}}

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{Cite book| editor1-last=Johnson| editor1-first=Lloyd| editor2-last=Wolff| editor2-first=Miles| title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball| edition=2nd| location=Durham, North Carolina| publisher=Baseball America| year=1997| isbn=978-0-9637189-8-3}}
• [https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/1980.shtml 1980 New York Mets at Baseball Reference]
• [http://baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1980&t=NYN 1980 New York Mets team page at www.baseball-almanac.com]

{{1980 MLB season by team}}

{{New York Mets}}

Category:New York Mets seasons

New York Mets season

New York Mets

Category:1980s in Queens