Darryl Strawberry

===Early career===
The [[New York Mets]] selected Strawberry with the [[List of first overall Major League Baseball draft picks|first overall selection]] in the [[1980 Major League Baseball draft]].<ref name="baseball-reference1">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/strawda01.shtml|title=Darryl Strawberry Statistics and History|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com | access-date= May 23, 2012}}</ref> Darryl's older brother, Michael Strawberry, was also selected in that draft, going to the Dodgers in the 31st round.

Employing a distinctive batting stance with a high leg kick, Strawberry rose through the Mets system and reached the major league level in 1983, posting 26 home runs, 7 triples, and 74 runs batted in, while hitting for a .257 average.<ref name="baseball-reference1"/> He was named the [[National League (baseball)|National League]]'s [[Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of The Year]].<ref name="baseball-reference1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/dailypitch/post/2010/08/dwight-gooden-darryl-strawberryinducted-into-the-mets-hall-of-fame/1|title=Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry inducted into the Mets' Hall of Fame|publisher=Content.usatoday.com|date=August 1, 2010|access-date=May 23, 2012}}</ref> In 1984, he made it to the [[1984 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star game]] for the first of 8 consecutive appearances (the first 5 as a starter), and he once again hit 26 home runs, this time driving in 97 runs.<ref name="baseball-reference1"/>