Francisco Lindor trade with Cleveland is 'a big start' for the Mets, Darryl Strawberry says
Cleveland's Francisco Lindor, right, tosses water on Jose Ramirez after Ramirez hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning of a game against the White Sox on Sept. 22, 2020, in Cleveland. Credit: AP/Tony Dejak
Darryl Strawberry was unaware of the Mets’ blockbuster trade with Cleveland on Thursday until he was informed about it by a Newsday reporter, but he was a big fan of the deal that included shortstop Francisco Lindor.
"That’s probably a big start for them in the right direction, because I know he’s a good young player and I think he’s going be exciting to watch play in Queens for a very long time," Strawberry said during an interview to promote his latest book, "Turn Your Season Around," due out Tuesday.
The move did not surprise Strawberry, who played for the Mets from 1983-90 and the Yankees from 1995-99, because of what he has seen and heard from new owner Steve Cohen.
"I like the idea of who he is," Strawberry said. "I like that fact that he’s a real big fan of the history of the Mets and he grew up a Mets fan and he believes in bringing a winner back to New York over in Queens, which is great. It’s been a long time.
"Mets fans are incredible. I played eight years there, and it was the most incredible ride. When you see Mets fans excited about the team every year like they were in the ’80s, it was very exciting to see that.
"Hopefully they can get back to that and really be consistent with that. I think that’s really what it’s all about . . .
"People ask me, well, what do you think about how they get there? You get there like the Yankees got there. You build your farm system up. You build young players and you develop them and you bring them up to the big leagues and let them become great playing in the big leagues. I think that’s what they need to get back to doing."
Darryl Strawberry's new book "Turn Your Season Around: How God Transforms Your Life."
For Strawberry, 58, and other members of the 1980s Mets who had strained relationships with the previous owners, the Cohen regime represents a fresh start.
"Things weren’t quite well with the ownership that was there with the Mets, so that’s why I never really came around a lot," Strawberry said.
"I don’t have anything bad to say about them. I’ve moved on from that and became a better person after all that. I just think it was hard at times for a lot of us on those ’80s teams to be coming back around that atmosphere."
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
