Remembering Mets Opening Days (1983) The Return of Tom Seaver
Although Seaver was now 38 years old & no longer the same pitcher he was in his prime, he was still Tom Seaver. The future Hall of Famer was still a good pitcher too. Seavers return came with much fanfare & publicity, it was something positive that Mets fans needed at the time as well.
In May they would bring up Darryl Strawberry to the club & in June they would acquire Keith Hernandez in a trade with St. Louis. These moves as well as all the young talent on the club & ready to be brought up from the minor leagues was the dawn of a new age of Mets winning baseball.
Overall, for the Mets Seaver was 6-0 with a 2.13 ERA in 11 opening day career starts.
Quotes- Tom Seaver: "I knew it would be emotional, but I didn't think it would be that emotional. I had to block out a lot of it because I was pitching, but if I wasn't I would have cried."
Seaver retired 11 batters in a row getting to the 5th inning when Tony Perez led off with a single.
Steve Carlton had retired the Mets in order in the 1st inning. In the 2nd inning, George Foster & Brian Giles singled but Carlton struck out Ron Hodges to end the inning. Carlton retired the next 13 batters in a row getting to the 7th inning.
Post Game- Kiner's Korner: After the game Tom Seaver appeared on Ralph Kiner's legendary post-game show, Kiner's Korner just like the old days.
In 1983, Tom Seaver would go 9-14 with a 3.55 ERA, 135 strike outs & 86 walks in 231 innings pitched in 34 starts. But after the season, the Mets left him unprotected & he was chosen as a free agent compensation pick by the Chicago White Sox.
Since Seaver was traded in 1977, the Mets had not had a winning season, they finished last four times & were coming off another last place finish having gone 65-97 the previous season.
The Mets also brought in veteran pitcher Mike Torrez that year.
This was to be an exciting year for the Mets & the end of their losing era.
On Opening Day 1983, George Bamberger started out as manager until resigned in June saying he had suffered enough.
Today the Mets hosted Pat Corrales Philadelphia Phillies. The 1983 Phillies had some of Seaver's ex-teammates from the Reds & the teams "The Big Red Machine" days. Veterans Pete Rose, Joe Morgan & Tony Perez were all in the twi-light of their career but in the Philly lineup. That year the Phillies won the pennant & lost the World Series to Cal Ripken's Baltimore Orioles.
Record Tying Opening Day Starts: Tom Seaver would be pitching his 11th Opening Day for the New York Mets & making the 14th Opening Day start of his career. This tied Walter Johnson's record 14 Opening Day starts. Seaver would break the record two years later, getting two more Opening Day starts with the Chicago White Sox (1985 & 1986).
46,687 excited fans came to Shea Stadium on a sunny spring afternoon to greet Tom Seaver in his triumphant return.
It was certainly a hero's welcome getting a standing ovation as he walked from the bullpen to the dugout before the game.
The two starting pitchers were both future Hall of Famers who were no strangers to each other.
Seaver & his opponent Steve Carlton were going up against each other for the fourth time on Opening Days. Seaver was the winning pitcher in three of those games with one no decision & Carlton was 0-2.
Seaver & his opponent Steve Carlton were going up against each other for the fourth time on Opening Days. Seaver was the winning pitcher in three of those games with one no decision & Carlton was 0-2.
The game opened up with Seaver facing the all-time NL hits leader, Pete Rose. It was like a blast from the early 1970s all over again, especially when Seaver struck out Rose to start the game. Seaver struck Rose out twice that afternoon.
Next, he walked Joe Morgan, then had him picked him off of first base, but first baseman Dave Kingman dropped the ball. Seaver retired Gary Matthews & Mike Schmidt to end the inning.
Seaver retired 11 batters in a row getting to the 5th inning when Tony Perez led off with a single.
He then set down the next five batters, striking out three of them over the next two innings. In the 6th inning Joe Morgan singled but was thrown out at second base by another former Red, the Mets left fielder George Foster.
In his triumphant return, Seaver pitched six shutout innings, allowing just three hits, striking out five walking one. It was DeJa'Vu as the Mets did not support Seaver with any offense thru six innings.
In the bottom of the 7th, the Mets finally got to Carlton. Dave Kingman, George Foster & Hubie Brooks all started the inning with base hits loading the bases.
Short time Mets outfielder Mike Howard singled for the fourth straight hit, bringing home Kingman with the first run of the game. Brian Giles then hit a sac fly scoring George Foster making it 2-0.
That would be all the scoring in the game. Doug Sisk came on to relieve Seaver, pitching three scoreless innings allowing two hits & striking out two. He would be the winning pitcher of record.
Steve Carlton took the loss, as he went seven innings allowing two runs on six hits, while striking out nine. Ron Reed pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
In 1983, Tom Seaver would go 9-14 with a 3.55 ERA, 135 strike outs & 86 walks in 231 innings pitched in 34 starts. But after the season, the Mets left him unprotected & he was chosen as a free agent compensation pick by the Chicago White Sox.The Mets finished 68-94 in last place that year. The next year Davey Johnson would take over as manager, he would bring up much of the young talent from AAA Tidewater & with the mix of the veterans on the club the Mets finished second. They went on to have eight straight winning seasons winning two pennants & a world series.