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Terry Leach

Terry Leach
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 167 of 1218 players
Leach
Terry Hester Leach
Born: March 13, 1954 at Selma, Ala.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Height: 6.00 Weight: 205

Terry Leach was the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup on December 13, 2015, June 3, 2018, and November 7, 2019.

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First Mets game: August 12, 1981
Last Mets game: June 5, 1989

Share your memories of Terry Leach

HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY:

Mike Welch
A fantastic middle relief guy. When the starter got knocked out early, you could count on Terry to come in and keep the game in reach. The Mets made a costly blunder when they traded him (gave him away really) to the Twins to make roster space. They struggled to find a middle reliever for several years after while Terry had some great years in Minnesota.

David
11-1 in 1987!! And he was a nice guy when he gave me his autograph years before that, when he was a rookie.

Chris Leach
Just a quick note to correct a small error that Mike Welch made. Terry was traded to the Royals during the 1989 season. He was released after the season, and hooked on with the Twins in spring training 1990. After the 1991 season, the Twins released him, and he finished out his career with the 1992-93 White Sox.

Mr. Sparkle
For some reason the Mets never gave this guy much of a chance. He was one of the most under appreciated guys of all time. He played for a few years but they should have kept him around longer. I can't remember him ever pitching poorly. He was no ace but he always pitched well whenever he was called upon. He's the only guy in their history to pitch a 10 inning one hitter. I loved this guy.

VIBaseball
June 22, 2001
One game I remember in particular is 7/2/87 (love that you can see the dates here, I wouldn't have remembered it specifically). Leach, pressed into duty as the emergency starter at Riverfront, absolutely mowed down the Reds on two hits.

I never read his book; one of these times I'd like to pick it up (if it's not in print anymore, at a used shop).

Danny Erickson
July 26, 2001
You have to admire Terry's "never say die" work ethic.It paid off for Mr. Leach, he had a good major league career.

Liz Pugliese
August 5, 2001
Terry Leach was a class act. Everyone is right when they say they never gave him a chance. He was a very reliable middle reliever. He was and is one of my favorite all time players.

Peter
September 10, 2001
Truly one of the best "middle relief" pitchers ever to play the game. But the was more than just a middle relief pitcher, he was also a gret starter. The 1987 season would have been totally lost with out his performance both from the bull-pen and as a starter. I lamented the decision the Mets made to trade him. I think it was probably one of the team's top ten mistakes.

Jim Snedeker
April 11, 2002
24-9 lifetime for the Mets. 11-1 in 1987. That's sick. Yet who remembers him?

I well remember his 10-inning, one-hit performance against the Phillies back in 1982. It seemed that that evening, the entire world was talking about it. New York was crazy with it. It was like no matter what TV or radio station you tuned into, they were talking about it. I wouldn't be surprised if some stations broke in with special reports. I recall hearing an interview after the game, and Terry was understandably drained, physically and emotionally. People were talking about this career-making game and how he was going to be leading the Metsies out of their douldroms, it was a new day, etc., etc. A very special moment in Mets history.

Larry Burns
June 18, 2002
This guy was a valuable role playing pitcher. A good middle relief guy. His sidearm-submarine delivery was really difficult for players to hit. Unfortunately for Terry he was not great. He was one of those typical guys who is constantly moved by teams because they feel they can get someone else to do their jobs. Once he is gone, then they miss him. When we let Terry go to the Twins, we looked long and hard to find a replacement---a mistake!

Danny
September 4, 2002
Terry was one of the best relief pitchers of his era. One of the Mets biggest mistakes that they ever made was giving him up.

Joe Figliola
June 26, 2003
I had a friend named Dyanne Negron who I went out with back in the early 1980s. She, unfortunately, was a Yankees fan. The only Mets she liked were Lee Mazzilli and Terry Leach. She wrote Leach a fan letter back in 1981 and signed it with her nickname, "Wildflower." Terry wrote back personally and started it "Dear Wildflower..." I thought that was kind of nice of him to do that. Cool and classy.

Even classier was his pitching. I too am in the majority when I say that his talent was not used to the fullest.

Steven Gallanter
September 28, 2003
I am glad to see that so many of my brother and sister Met fans think well of Terry.

It seems as though submarine pitchers such as Terry Leach and Jeff Innis are routinely undervaued by their organizations.

Terry's ability to do just about anything blinded the Mets to the fact that he could EXCEL at any one thing.

Terry should have and could have been a fine starter or closer.

I am not a Twin fan but I was glad that Terry got a ring with the Twins in '91

Kevin (New Jersey)
May 22, 2004
My wife Gail and I started dating in 1987, and we were both crazy Mets fans and had always been. We both thought Terry Leach was the coolest one of all, and his record that year just said volumes. Seemed that year as if he NEVER lost!

It was great to read all of the comments on Terry, we thought we were crazy and that no one would remember him. My wife still has a Mets T-shirt I bought her in 1987 and had his name and number 26 put on the back. Obviously Terry was a great individual judging from the comments!

Don Wilson
June 13, 2004
I met Terry in the early eighties through a mutual friend- David Golson who attended Auburn University with Terry. What a class act this guy is. Made me feel if I had known him all my life. From then on out I followed his amazing career.

KMT
May 18, 2005
I completely agree with all the posts. Terry did keep us in the hunt the whole '87 season! 24-9 lifetime, .727 winning percentage! That's awesome! Always kept the Mets in the game, pitched when and where they needed him. I was sad to see him go, seems like we owed him more than that! Glad he got his ring with the Twins, but he should have ended up a Met. Proved you didn't have to throw hard if you could keep the ball down. Met fans will always remember his 11-1 season, it's the first thing I think of when I see or hear his name. Good luck Terry, and thanks, we won't forget you!

Melissa
July 11, 2005
Great mid-inning workhorse and a true leader in the locker room. He always had time for younger players, fans and friends.

Jon
July 25, 2005
Terry's delightful book, called THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON, tells of how an elbow injury he suffered in college led to adopting the unique sidearm motion that eventually would become a nightmare for so many right-handed hitters in the National League. Pete Rose once listed Terry as one of his five most difficult pitchers to hit.

Crabby
November 1, 2006
Another perfect example of an inequitable Mets trade. What kind of career did Aquedo Vasquez have for the Mets? Terry Leach was a great spot starter and great middle reliever. He is also a pleasant and friendly guy. My wife and I met him in Minnesota in 1990 while he was playing for the Twins. We were staying at the Holiday Inn Metrodome and he was staying there as well. We ran into him in lobby and I immediately recognized him. He was quite surprised and pleased that I knew who he was since he didn't receive much recognition in Minnesota. We shared an elevator ride and had a pleasant conversation. I told him that we missed him in New York. He said that he missed New York too but he liked the mellow lifestyle in Minnesota.

Stone2498
June 9, 2008
It is great to read all of the positive comments about Terry Leach's baseball career that have been posted on this site. I did not know much of Terry's career as a professional baseball player, but I know him as Coach Leach. He and Tony Ferreira coached an AAU team in Florida that I played on just over 10 years ago. For those of you who have referenced Coach Leach I must say that you are right on target. Terry Leach represents what a professional athlete should be. He was a great mentor not only in the game of baseball but also in the game of life. He taught his players how to win with integrity and showed us what it takes to compete at a major league level, not only in baseball but in life as well. Professional sports need more athletes and role models like Terry Leach.

Billy Rauers
January 5, 2022
Not a Mets fan but covered Terry Leach in 1979 as a staff writer for the Savannah Morning News. He was a Savannah Brave. Terry was a middle relief pitcher and had nothing but good results. From my experience if you were not 6’3” and threw 95 MPH you were suspect, Atlanta and others would draft modest sized guys without heat but only if they were straight over the top guys. He was different. Very good guy in my memory. Very understated.








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