Darryl Strawberry

Darryl's older brother, Michael Strawberry, was also selected in that draft, going to the Dodgers in the 31st round.

Darryl Eugene Strawberry (born March 12, 1962) is an American former professional baseball right fielder who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Throughout his career, Strawberry was one of the most feared sluggers in the sport, known for his prodigious home runs and his intimidating presence in the batter's box with his 6 ft frame and his long, looping swing that elicited comparisons to Ted Williams.

Strawberry, who was nicknamed "the Straw Man" or "Straw", helped lead the New York Mets to a World Series championship in and the New York Yankees to two World Series championships in, and.

He was also suspended three times by MLB for substance abuse, leading to many narratives about his massive potential going unfulfilled.

The New York Mets selected Strawberry with the first overall selection in the 1980 Major League Baseball draft.

Employing a distinctive batting stance with a high leg kick, Strawberry rose through the Mets system and reached the major league level in 1983, posting 26 home runs, 7 triples, and 74 runs batted in, while hitting for a .257 average.

He was named the National League's Rookie of The Year.

During the period from 1983 to 1990, Strawberry was very popular, with his image used on action figures (Kenner's Starting Lineup), posters and banners.

He was also known for his disruptive behavior.

He got into a physical altercation on team picture day with team captain Keith Hernandez and in the midst of a war of words with infielder Wally Backman, threatened to "bust that little redneck in the face".

He often overslept and was late for, or missed, team workouts.

A popular player during his career, Strawberry was voted to the All-Star Game eight straight times from 1984 to 1991.

Strawberry was formerly an analyst for SportsNet New York.

In 1984, he made it to the All-Star game for the first of 8 consecutive appearances (the first 5 as a starter), and he once again hit 26 home runs, this time driving in 97 runs.

Strawberry's Mets from 1984–1990 formed one of the premier teams in the National League, finishing either first or second in the division every year.

He publicly complained about manager Davey Johnson after he was removed from the game in a double switch during the ninth inning of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, which the Mets would go on to win.

During the regular season in 1986, Strawberry hit 27 home runs and had 93 RBIs.

In 1987, Strawberry hit 39 home runs and stole 36 bases, joining the exclusive 30–30 club at the time becoming one of only 10 players in baseball history to accomplish the feat.

In addition to that, he hit 32 doubles and drove in 104 runs.

Despite this, the 1987 team missed the playoffs.

In 1988, Strawberry once again hit 39 home runs to lead the National League.

He also led the league in slugging percentage at .545 and OPS at .911 and finished second with 101 runs batted in.

He finished a very close second in MVP voting to the Dodgers' Kirk Gibson.

Strawberry led the Mets to the playoffs, losing to the Dodgers in seven games in the National League Championship Series.

In 1989, Strawberry's offensive numbers declined: he had 29 home runs and 77 runs batted in, but only had a .225 average.

Nevertheless, the Mets came in a close second place to the Chicago Cubs in the National League East.

In 1990, Strawberry rebounded by hitting 37 home runs, driving in 108 runs and batting for a .277 average.

His Mets, however, came once again in a close second place in the National League East, losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates by three games.

Strawberry himself finished third in MVP voting that season.

Strawberry signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers on November 8, 1990, inking a lucrative five-year $22.25 million contract.

In California, he was named Big Brother of The Year for 1991.

After hitting 28 home runs and bringing in 99 runs batted in a successful first year for the Dodgers, injuries and personal problems kept him sidelined for much of the next two seasons, hitting five home runs in each season.

By the end of the 1991 season, he had 280 lifetime homers at the age of only 29, drawing comparisons to then home run king Hank Aaron.

Strawberry's numbers tailed off considerably after 1991; over the next two years he only played in 75 games.

In 1994, he was released in May by the Dodgers after failing to show up to a game.

His memoir, Straw: Finding My Way, written with author John Strausbaugh, was published in April 2009.

Strawberry was born to Henry and Ruby Strawberry in Los Angeles, California.

He played high school baseball for the Crenshaw High School Cougars along with Chris Brown.

Darryl's older brother Michael Strawberry was also a star baseball athlete who would play professional baseball.