Mets’ Darryl Strawberry gets nostalgic at jersey retirement: ‘I wish I never left’

NEW YORK — During Darryl Strawberry’s jersey retirement speech, the former New York Mets star wanted to share something with fans, he said, from the bottom of his heart. So, for a brief moment, the constant clapping stopped, the chants of “Dar-ryl!, Dar-ryl” were put on pause. Everyone just listened.

Then Strawberry said, “I’m so sorry for ever leaving you guys.”

This time, he’s here to stay. As of Saturday, Strawberry’s No. 18 will hang at Citi Field forever.

Strawberry delivered a speech that reflected his charismatic personality; it was candid and full of passion. He applauded the fans for cheering for him through the good times and holding him accountable for the bad times. He thanked coaches like Jim Frey, who pushed him to show up early and work. He praised teammates like Keith Hernandez, whom Strawberry called the most intense player he was ever around and credited Hernandez’s tutelage for his ability to hit left-handed pitching.

Darryl Strawberry to Mets fans: “I mean this from the bottom of my heart: I’m so sorry for ever leaving you guys.”

And, probably most importantly, Strawberry expressed gratitude for even being able to attend the event. He pointed out that his wife, Tracy, recognized that he needed to go to the hospital in March. The day before his 62nd birthday, Strawberry ended up having a massive heart attack.

“Had it not been for my wife,” Strawberry said, “I might not be here today.”

In a press conference earlier in the day, Strawberry said, “It means more than ever to be able to be here. I came close to losing my life. I’m sitting here today because it’s a gift from the Lord, and I don’t take that for granted.”

Strawberry said he was “still in the recovery process” and added that it would last another year. He has to take a set of pills twice a day, and, he said, it’s tough sometimes. But the experience, he said, made him realize how suddenly life can end. For Strawberry, who has made spreading faith a second-life mission of sorts, he said he was going to “win” regardless of whether he passed away or survived the heart attack. Still, he said, he was grateful to be there.

All around Strawberry Saturday, the Mets made it impossible to forget who the day belonged to. The No. 18 was etched onto the grass in center field. In a gesture befitting the jersey retirement of Strawberry, the club’s all-time home runs leader, the Mets turned their Home Run Apple into a strawberry. And when Strawberry walked onto the field, he did so through an aisle created by two bushes full of plastic strawberries.

The Mets drafted Strawberry with the first pick in the 1980 draft, and his tenure with the big-league club lasted eight seasons, highlighted by the 1986 World Series victory. Strawberry earned National League Rookie of the Year honors in 1983 when he slugged a then-club rookie record 26 homers. He made the All-Star team seven times. He is the Mets all-time leader in home runs (252), ranks second in RBIs (733) and walks (580), third in extra-base hits (469) and runs (662) and fourth in slugging (.520).

“My eight seasons here,” Strawberry said, “were the greatest years of my career.”

Strawberry said he thrived on the field in New York City because of his tough background (he grew up in Los Angeles and said his father was an absent alcoholic), his personality and how he invited the pressure. He said he had “a little bit of craziness” in him. However, some of that mentality led to poor decisions off the field as well; Strawberry’s troubles include past drug-related problems and arrests.

Ahead of his platform season, Strawberry said the Mets’ front office told him to put together a good year. He was coming off his worst season as a Met in 1989, batting .229, though he still posted a .779 OPS, 125 OPS+ with 29 home runs. He did just what the front office wanted in 1990, hitting 37 home runs with a .879 OPS.

“You can’t challenge a kid from the ghetto,” Strawberry said.

Still, the Mets, he said, only offered him a two-year deal. So he said goodbye. From his point of view, the relationship with the front office was “broken.”

“I wish I never left,” Strawberry said. “That’s my biggest regret.”

Nothing to get hung about.

Strawberry’s number hangs from Citi Field forever.