Almost 25 years ago to the day, on August 28th, the New York Mets, in the midst of another pennant winning season, called up prized prospect Gregg Jefferies. The 21 year old, drafted number 20 overall by the Mets in 1985, was placed in starting lineup by Davey Johnson playing third base. Batting second in the order, Jefferies went 2-for 5 to begin the most significant run of any September call-up in Mets history.
At the time of Jefferies call-up, the Mets were 76-52 and seven and half games in first place in the National League East. After tearing through the lower levels for three years while winning Minor League Player of the Year twice, the decision to bring him up was a no-brainer. Howard Johnson, after a huge 1987 season, was having one of his notorious even numbered, down years. So Jefferies manned third base for the time being while getting spot time at second base. Through his first 21 games, Jefferies batted .400 with five HR and ten RBIs, including a six game stretch where he had 15 hits in 25 at bats. The Mets, through that same stretch, upped their lead to 11 games and never looked back.
Jefferies finished off batting .321 with six HR and 17 RBIS in 29 games. His presence was not necessarily needed, but he served as youthful boost to a team at a time where the season could sometimes get lethargic, pennant race or not. His youthful looks and big smile made him an instant fan favorite. It almost mirrored somewhat to how” Lin-sanity” swept the New York Knicks fans up in 2012. The Mets, of course, went on to play the Dodgers in the League Championship Series.
Johnson stuck with Jefferies through the playoffs at third base and he did not disappoint. In the seven game series, Jefferies batted .333 with a .438 OBP. Although the Mets lost the series, the fans got a preview of a young star that could help the team transition to the next decade. Sadly, Mets fans know that this is not how it all played out. Jefferies never did quite live up to the promise and wore out his welcome with teammates and fans all too quick. Much of his demise was most likely due to his lack of integration into the Mets clubhouse. For whatever reason, teammates took sour to Jefferies. Much of the criticism was underhanded and not totally justified, but as a sensitive guy in his early 20s, Jefferies didn’t show the mental toughness needed to persevere. It was reported that teammates did not appreciate how he showed frustration with his own struggles and disliked the way he carried himself, as if he were superior. Basically, they didn’t feel Jefferies abided by the new guy protocol and fall in line behind the veterans. Remember, this Mets bunch was not exactly an even keeled cast of characters despite their success. He even received anonymous notes in his locker labeling him a “crybaby” and was the subject of a players only meeting held in 1990. This turmoil seemed to follow him onto the field and affect his productivity thus putting him out of favor with the fans too. It got so bad; Jefferies wrote a letter to the fans and sent it to WFAN radio. The letter pleaded fans to give him a chance and to understand how tough it has been from him. The damage was already done unfortunately and the rest was history.
Though he went on to have a nice career spanning six teams in 14 seasons, his first great moments showed the pinnacle of what a September call-up could be to a team. Some may bring up the seasons of Mike Jacobs or Timo Perez as more memorable or productive and they should, those were exciting moments for fans. Jefferies 1988 season though, was symbolic of what fans ultimately hope for and should always be remembered of how promising that first glimpse of a potential star can be.
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I always thought Greg Jefferies was mishandled by the Mets and mistreated by his teamates(I believe Keith Hernandez has admitted he and others were unfair to Jefferies).
And the rise of Jefferies led to the exit of Backman.
The mets definitely mishandled Gregg Jefferies.
First, he made 27 errors in 1 minor league season at thirdbase. Yes, he hit the cover off the ball….. But the mets should’ve put more emphasis on his defensive skills and not given him a major league job until he was more adjusted defensively. They had been platooning teufel and backman at second. They shouldve foreseen this and played jefferies (a switch hitter) at 2nd throughout his minor league career and told him the job will be his but not until he gets a hold of his defensive struggles. Why on earth did they play him at third in the minors when they had a young star in HOJO??!! The next season, with backman now gone, the mets moved jefferies to 2nd to learn the position at the major league level!! Asking too much of a rookie, no? It’s hard enough for any rookie to succeed and make a name for himself off the bat. The likes of chipper jones, derek jeter, david wright, alex rodriguez, (all superstar rookie phenoms that jefferies had equivalent or even superior offensive talents than). etc. had the comfort of manning a position in the majors that they had played throughout their entire minor league careers. Jefferies, now had to deal with the expectations of being the mets first round draft pick, a phenom that tore through the minor leagues (offensively), being called the “next mickey mantle”, and now learning a new position……..all underneath the bright, redhot spotlight of NYC.
Secondly, Davey Johnson was a notorious players manager. Players loved him because he let them do as they pleased. His moto was basically, “be on time” and “as a pro, you know what you have to do to prepare for a game.” The mets in the 1980s were a closely knit wild bunch. We’ve all heard the stories of the hard drinking, basebrawling, bar fighting superstars of the 1980s.
The likes of Darryl Strawberry and Doc Gooden pretty much self destructed as Johnson looked the other way, not willing or capable of getting in their faces or getting them help. Now here comes another prized phenom….with all the talents in the world and barely old enough to drink. However, Jefferies was a good guy, focused and intense, with his sights purely on baseball with no interest in drinking or staying up all night chasing tail. The older mets, began to resent all the attention Jefferies was getting. They resented that he replaced, one of “their own” in backman. Backman, unlike Jefferies, was capable and willing to party and drink with the guys….. They began to haze the rookie, typical of every major league clubhouse. But soon the hazing began to resemble more like bullying. Notes were left on the rookies’ locker and soon his bats where stolen and destroyed (sawed into pieces) by his own teammates….. Johnson, the ultimate player’s manager, did little to control the issue.
Third, and finally, it seems like Jefferies didn’t have the veteran leadership needed of every young player. Players, no matter how talented, need a veteran to take him under his wing, show him the ropes, the rules of being a professional, the unwritten do’s and don’ts. Every phenom needs one….. David Wright raved about Joe McEwing being his baseball ‘big brother’ his rookie season. Cliff Floyd provided that tough love that David Wright still till this day says was crucial in his learning the life of major league baseball player. Alex Rodriguez had Edgar Martinez. Derek Jeter, as poised and confident he was, had a roomful of good guys from Paul O’neill, to Don Mattingly to Joe Giraldi, to an older and wiser Darryl Strawberry (who now had began to mature and realize his mistakes and began to mentor Derek of the obstacles of quick fame in NY). Even Kobe Bryant, the high school phenom basketball player, well known for his stubbornness and mood swings, raves about Rick Fox and Byron Scott helping him during his early year struggles. It seems like with Jefferies, it was him against his team. Even Keith Hernandez, (from the same town and highschool as Jefferies) the captain and undisputed leader of the 1980s mets, by the time Jefferies rookie season of 89, was hurt and spent most of the season rehabbing a leg injury. Hernandez, approaching free agent off season, was getting ready to exit NY, provided some leadership and mentorship. But between rehap stints wasn’t around enough. Hernandez even admits now that there was no leadership and mentorship when it came to jefferies. He has even gone on record and takes a bit of the blame for it.
No one really knows everything that happens behind the closed doors of the clubhouse. I’m sure, Jefferies, had his own faults and his own reasons why he never lived up to his hype in NY. However, looking back its easy to forget that he was barely 21 years old by the time he reached the majors…..and barely 24 years old by the time the mets gave up on him. Some of the blame should be placed on Jefferies himself…… However, when you’re 21
or 22 years old, it’s up to the older folks to sit you down and lead the way. The mets failed to do this with Jefferies.