Remembering Mets History (1986) Mets Release George Foster
August 6, 1986: After months of hearing boos at Shea Stadium, George Foster was finally released by the Mets on August 6th, 1986. The Mets were already the best team in baseball at that point of the season & George Foster had become expendable. After 87 games he was batting .227 with 13 HRs 6 doubles & 38 RBIs.
Foster was picked up by the Chicago White Sox a week later where he would hit .216 in 15 games with one HR. He then officially retired at the end of the season.
Foster was let go to free agency & arrived in New York in 1982 with one of the biggest contracts in baseball. He had no protection in a weak line up and his stats from his Big Red Machine Days were never to be matched again. But looking back, his numbers weren't all that bad.
Upon his release he accused the Mets team & organization of being racist, but as Dwight Gooden & Daryl Strawberry were two of the main faces of the franchise it was hard to accept. Then a young Kevin Mitchell, took over Foster's position & it was even more clear who the problem was.
Foster became a forgotten Mets player although he had some good years & did help give the club some credibility after some down years.
George Foster had been one of the biggest sluggers of the mid to late 1970's. He hit 20 or more HRs in seven straight seasons with the Cincinnati Reds. In 1977 & 1978 led the NL in HRs hitting 52 in 1977 & then hit 40 the next year. In his time with the Bug Red Machine, he won three pennants & two World's Championships. He didn't like the nightlife, didn't drink or smoke & didn't fit in with his Reds teammates.
Foster was let go to free agency & arrived in New York in 1982 with one of the biggest contracts in baseball. He had no protection in a weak line up and his stats from his Big Red Machine Days were never to be matched again. But looking back, his numbers weren't all that bad. In 1983 he hit 28 HRs with 90 RBIs but only batted .241. In 1984 he hit 24 HRs with 86 RBIs and improved to a .269 average as the Mets finished second. In 1985 he hit 21 HRs with 77 RBIs batting .263 as the Mets finished in second place again.
Expectations were always high for Mr. Foster, and tough to live up to. By 1986 he didn't fit in anymore, his teammates gave up on him too. During a bench clearing brawl with the Los Angeles Dodgers in late May, Foster was the last guy out of the dugout.
Foster became a forgotten Mets player although he had some good years & did help give the club some credibility after some down years.
George Foster was finally forgiven by the Mets organization & their fans, at the closing ceremonies of Shea Stadium in 2008.
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