Dave Gallagher: Early Nineties New Jersey Born Mets Outfielder (1992-1993)

David Thomas Gallagher was born September 20, 1960, in Trenton, New Jersey. The South Jersey outfielder grew up a fan of Willie Mays. His father had seen Mays play with the Giants in the Polo Grounds.

Triva: Years later when the Mets were playing in San Francisco, Mays left a message complimenting Dave on a play in right field. He was amazed that his idol had complimented his play.

Gallagher was a first round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians in 1980 (the 8th pick overall).

Dave spent seven years in the minor leagues, batting over .300 three times. In 1983 he hit .338 at AA Buffalo getting promoted to AAA Maine where he spent another three seasons. 

Gallagher was never known as not a power hitter but was a fine defensive outfielder.

MLB Career: In 1987 he made the Indians club out of Spring Training, but after batting just .111
he was sent back down to the minors. 

At AAA Buffalo he went on to hit .329 in 75 games the rest of the year. 

Gallagher was traded to the Seattle Mariners for Mark Huismann but was released in September 1987. 

In December he was signed by the Chicago White Sox, where he found a home on the south side of Chicago. Gallagher became a fine defensive outfielder for the White Sox over the next two seasons.

In 1988 he hit .303 with 5 HRs 15 doubles & 31 RBIs playing in 101 games. In 95 games in the outfield, he posted a perfect fielding % (.1000%) & made five assists. In 1989 he played in every White Sox game posting the best fielding percentage of all A.L. center fielders (. 993%) while making eight assists. He hit .266 with 22 doubles & 46 RBIs. 

In 1990 after Lance Johnson took over as the Sox main centerfielder, Gallagher was placed on waivers. He was picked up by the Baltimore Orioles where he finished the year batting just .216 in 23 games.

In December 1990 he was traded to the California Angels where he would play behind Dave Winfield, Luis Polonia & Junior Felis on a last place Angels team. He hit .293 with 17 doubles & 30 RBIs playing in 90 games (270 at bats). 

In December of 1991 he was traded to the New York Mets for Hubbie Brooks after his second go round in New York.

Mets Career: In 1992 Gallagher found himself as a reserve outfielder behind Howard Johnson, Bobby Bonilla, Daryl Boston & Vince Coleman. 

It looked good on paper, but this team was destined to fail, getting labeled the worst team money could buy. Those Mets finished fifth (72-90) under manager Jeff Torborg. 

Mets Rape Allegations: Off the field the team was involved with some ugly situations, like rape allegations, an M-80 firework thrown outside Dodger Stadium injuring a fan & Bret Saberhagen's bleach spraying incident.

At Spring Training Gallagher was confronted by a female reporter about the rape allegations to Vince Coleman, Darryl Boston & Dwight Gooden. He twice answered it wasn't appropriate for him to comment. When asked a third time, he replied " I tried" & walked away. Of course that's all the news showed, him walking off, making Gallagher look bad.

Gallagher debuted on Opening Day as a pinch runner in the Mets 4-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. 

From April 14th to April 19th, Mitchell was 5-13 (.586) collecting seven RBIs, driving in runs in five straight games. On April 14th he came to bat ass a pinch hitter, in the bottom of the 7th inning of a tied game with the Phillies. Gallagher hit a two run double to put New York ahead leading to the 8-5 win. The next night, he collected two more RBIs with a single & sac fly.

On June 21st he hit his only HR of the season, coming off the Cardinals Chris Carpenter in a 6-2 Mets win. From August 2nd to August 5th Dave drove in runs in three straight games.

Multi- Three Hit Game: On August 28th in the second game of a doubleheader sweep over the Reds, Gallagher had a season best three hit- two RBI game. He collected a double, two singles & an RBI sac fly in the 12-1 win. It was the third time he collected three hits & the third time he had a multi-RBI game on the season.

On the season, Gallagher played in 98 games batting .240 with one HR 11 doubles, seven sac flies (8th in the NL) a triple, 20 runs scored & 21 RBIs. He posted a .307 on base % & .638 OPS.

Dave played 76 games in the outfield, posting a .982 fielding % making two errors in 111 chances with four assists.

1993: Gallagher was part of a seventh place Mets team that lost 100 games, seeing manager Jeff Torborg go & Dallas Green take over. 

As a pinch hitter, Gallagher would have seven pinch hits & raised his season batting average 34 points from the previous year to .274. Thru his first 16 games in mid-May, he was batting .412 (7-17). 

Multi- Three RBI Game: On May 26th at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium Gallagher had his first multi-RBI game of the season. In the 2nd inning, he hit a HR off Danny Jackson. In the 8th inning, with the bases loaded he hit a line drive single off Mitch Williams, scoring two runs leading the Mets & John Franco to a 5-4 win. 

Grand Slam HR: On July 18th, in a wild 12-6 Mets win at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, Gallagher hit his only career grand slam. It came in the six run, 9th inning off pitcher Michael Jackson.

At the end of July, he was still batting .300 mark. From August 7th to August 14th, he went 8-21 with a HR & three RBIs.

Multi- Three RBI Game: On September 21st at Pittsburgh, Gallagher had his only four hit game of the season. He had his fifth multi-RBI game of the year as well. In the 4th inning, he hit a two run HR off Steve Cooke. In the 6th inning his two run double put the Mets ahead in their 4-3 win. 

On the season Gallagher hit a career high 6 HRs with 12 doubles, two triples, 34 runs scored & 29 RBIs in 201 at bats. He posted a .338 on base % & .781 OPS. In the outfield he played in 72 games without making an error (.1000%) & made six assists. 

In November Dave was sent to the Atlanta Braves for Pete Smith.

Post Mets Career: In 1994 at Atlanta, he saw action in 89 games of the strike shortened season batting .224. He was granted free agency& signed with the Phillies.

He started the year at Philadelphia hitting .306 in 62 games then was traded to the California Angels where he played in 11 games. 

It was his last MLB season.

Career Stats: In his nine-year career he batted .271 with 564 hits 17 HRs 100 doubles 10 triples & 190 RBIs in 794 games. He posted a .334 on base % & .684 OPS.

In the outfield he posted a .993 fielding %, playing in 699 games, making 38 assists.

Retirement: Gallagher runs Spotika Gallagher Baseball a baseball academy at Frog Bridge summer camp in Mills Township, New Jersey. He has become one of the top youth baseball coaches in New Jersey.

Family: Dave & his wife Jayne have five children.