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Dave Magadan
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 50 of 1252 players
David Joseph Magadan
Born: September 30, 1962 at Tampa, Fla.
Throws: Right Bats: Left
Height: 6.03 Weight: 190

Dave Magadan has been the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup 12 times, most recently on September 30, 2020.

First Mets game: September 7, 1986
Last Mets game: August 8, 1992

Share your memories of Dave Magadan HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY: flushing flash I remember around 1987 when Howard "HoJo" Johnson was all the rage at third base but a friend of mine (now working as TV producer for the Reds) loved Magadan and would scream "DaMa! DaMa!" at the top of his lungs whenever he came to bat. Mags always hit with his mouth open; he probably has a deviated septum like I do. He got shafted twice by the Mets. In 1990 after Mex left the club the Mets passed over Magadan and acquired Mike Marshall to play first base. Marshall got off to a bad start and then got hurt and in a doubleheader (remember those?) at Wrigley Magadan went like 6 for 8 with five RBI and took the job away permanently. But then 1992 came around the Mets acquired 52-year old Eddie Murray to play first. Murray had a real good year but that was it for Magadan. It's amazin' that he's still around as of this writing but I feel the end has come. One more thing. In 1990 or 1991 the Mets were playing a tight game in Pittsburgh and the Bucs had the winning run in scoring position with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Some Pirate took a mighty swing and broke his bat and both the bat barrel and the ball headed towards Magadan at first. Unfortunately, Magadan made what I thought was the wrong decision: he ducked to avoid the bat and the ball went past him into right field for the game-winning hit! Richard S. I remember on September 17, 1986, how the fans booed when Dave Magadan was announced as the first baseman in place of Keith Hernandez, who was sick with the flu. Magadan got several hits, and drove in the winning run in what turned out to be the division clincher. Unfortunately, Mets management never gave him a fair shake, even after Hernandez left. Coach HoJo 20 March 22, 2001 Solid player who could have done more for the Mets. If the Mets would have done more for him. Michele May 20, 2001 One great hitter...shafted by the Mets. To this day I still ponder what management was thinking when they got Mike Marshall for first base...utterly unaccepable. I turned away from the Mets for a long time after that fiasco. Why he never got the respect from the organization is a mystery. Could have been a great star if they had let him. Mets2Moon May 23, 2001 If you recall, Magadan got his first real chance to play after Harrelson had him REPLACE Mike Marshall at first. That would be the day in Chicago where Magadan went something like 4-for-6 with 6 RBI. And it was only up from there for Mags that year. Mike Welch May 28, 2001 Dave Magadan was a fantastic slap hitter. He could hit to all fields and was patient at the plate, taking more walks than strikeouts. His career with the Mets never took off for two reasons: 1) Lack of power as a corner player (1B or 3B) 2) Under average running speed Mr. Sparkle June 7, 2001 Kind of a dissapointing career considering most people thought he was going to be a solid every day player for a long time. He's now the only remaining active player from the 86 champs and he was only a September call up. That's kinda sad. We need another ring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! murphy June 8, 2001 Dave had three speeds: slow, slower and slowest. The slowest Mets baserunner since Rusty Staub. Olerud gave him a "run" for his money in the slowness department. Danny Erickson August 16, 2001 Dave has always been a fine hitter. He was just a victim of something known as baseball predjudice. That is when a player doesn't hit many dingers. Perhaps, if they left Dave alone and let him play, maybe he would have supplied a little bit of power. J. Eckert March 31, 2002 Saw him at bat for first time on TV game, wondered how JFK Jr. had made it to Major League Baseball. Larry Burns May 22, 2002 Dave never panned out as expected. He was seen as being a solid everyday player. Instead he was a limited defensively, singles hitter who had to play a position that desperately needed power numbers. On top of that, I almost hated to see him get on base because he went station to station and completely clogged up the bases for those around him. Even with his limitations he was a positive guy, just not as great as advertised. clubhouse report May 26, 2002 I'm not exactly sure what people mean by "expectations" Magadan's major league numbers were very similar to those he put up in the minors and while it is a fact that he lacked both speed and power, it is also a fact that Magadan played 16 seasons in the majors, hit .288 for his career, played in roughly 1600 games and had just about 1200 career hits. I doubt the Mets' farm system has produced 10 better hitters in its 40 year history. Larry Burns May 31, 2002 I get it now, Dave was a fantastic hitter whose greatness is recognized by only a few chosen talent evaluators. He played 16 seasons, half with the Mets who continued to hope he would amount to something more than a singles hitter who could not catch a cold. Then he spent the next 9 seasons being bounced around 6 different teams, each, who like myself, lacked the insight into seeing that Dave was one of the greatest hitters to ever play the game. Magadan was a slow, completely one dimensional baseball player. Mr. Sparkle June 3, 2002 I don't care what his career stats are, Larry Burns' comments are right on the money. Dave was a one dimensional player who may have played a long time but is hardly memorable. I can think of a lot of guys who've palyed for the Mets and have amounted to a lot more than this guy, even in shorter time. Dave Magadan was only a hair better than Aaron Ledesma, another big time prospect who did nothing. a mets fan September 8, 2002 I loved this guy. He could hit, field and always put joy into the club house. He really was a very underated player who never got a whole lot of respect from the New York media or even some Met fans. skip to my lou April 1, 2003 Dave slow like Matt Grill to pick up check. No power, swing like woman. He so patient - saw him pinch hit in 86, bat still haven't left his shoulder. He so slow, Davey Johnson put him in game as pinch runner just for laugh. Oh Davey keels me Logan Swanson May 2, 2003 I liked Mags. I saw him over the course of his career. Had he been allowed to play every day circa 1990, I figure he could have hit 8 home runs, had 60-70 rbi, and batted around .300 every year. Those numbers are good, but Dave was not a franchise type-player, one who could carry you to championships, but he did give it his all every time he played. The Mets at that time were contenders, able to afford superstars at every position (though bad management decisions prevented that), and Dave was not of the caliber of Hernandez, Carter, etc. Erik S. June 8, 2003 One of my all time favorites. A steady hitter who could make it to first base in his sleep. He wasn't great with the glove, or even very good, but he wasn't the worst to ever grace the field. Slow as all hell, and had little power but popped a few doubles, and once, somehow, he even led the team with six triples. Robo June 26, 2003 You gotta feel sorry for Dave Magadan. He followed Keith Hernandez-- those are big shoes to fill. And I think he would have done an excellent job at it. He could hit in the clutch and Mets management never gave him a fair shake (i.e. Mike Marshall & Eddie Murray). As usual, the Mets got rid of a hard-working, offensively sound player for aging veterans. I still remember Mags coming up big in '86! robert February 1, 2004 Agree with comments about Magadan - if you're going to slap balls around the field with little power and little production, you better have a lot of speed and play great defense in one of the "up the middle positions". The only place you could hide this guy was at first base - where he was nothing special. This was also a guy who moaned and groaned about the Mets bringing up Jeffries in 1988 - what a loser! Tom Shannon March 31, 2005 Geez folks, don't feel too sorry for him. He made over 8 million dollars in his career. BUT...he still struck-out in 2 of his 3 career post season at-bats Lifelong Fan July 25, 2005 I was at the game when he got his first start. Everyone said, "Whoooooo?" when he was announced. He had a bunch of hits. Yep, he got shafted. A really good guy and a very good player. =Chuck= October 25, 2006 Does anyone remember either the Post or the Daily News comparing Magadan's looks to a cross between Bruce Springsteen and Steve Winwood? Remember, this was the late '80s when both musicians were hugely popular. I think they even composited a photo of half Bruce's face with have Winwood's and put Mag's photo next to it. The likeness was uncanny. Jamey Bumbalo November 1, 2006 What I remember most about Magadan is the humility and class he showed when he debuted with the Mets. After a great game, he said, "I just didn't want to screw up." Hank M November 29, 2007 The first time I saw Dave was in the College World Series in 1983. Playing for the University of Alabama, he was getting a hit just about every time he came to bat. His performance in that CWS led the Crimson Tide to a second place finish behind only Texas, which had a starting rotation of four eventual major leaguers (including Roger Clemens.) Dave's batting average that year was .525! When I heard that the Mets had taken him in the draft, I was thrilled. I figured they had a bona fide star on their hands. His major league career got off to a good start in September of '86. He got a hit in his first at bat. He also got three singles and two RBI in the division clincher. It was very clear that this guy could hit. Dave would have had a great career if it wasn't for one thing. It seems as though different kinds of offensive production are expected of players depending on their defensive positions. Since Dave was mainly a first baseman (from whom slugging is expected), it was believed that he should be hitting a lot of home runs instead of being the high average hitter he really was. Many, both in the organization and out, were disappointed with Dave because he wasn't a power hitter. Is this kind of thinking really logical? Should a player be expected to provide a certain type of offense based on where he plays in the field? Dave might have been victimized by this belief. If his hitting ability wasn't looked at incorrectly, I believe that he could have become a National League batting champion - something the Mets have never had in their history. cap December 6, 2007 I was a big Dave Magadan fan as soon as he played for the Mets for all the reasons already mentioned..good guy, solid hitter. I too wish he had gotten a better shake with the Mets but my memory is of the nicest Met that I met at spring training going to his car, tired after a game who took the time to stop and take a picture with me, he was very nice. After I got the picture developed I mailed it to him at Shea and asked if the future national league batting champ could sign it for me, well a week later I received a hand written envelope from one D. Magadan with the photo signed...nice guy, class act, almost a batting champ. He will always be one of my favs. (Imagine one of todays players doing that?) By the way, I never did that before or again. Jonathan Stern December 17, 2007 I liked Magadan at a time when the "new, laid-back Mets" of 1989 and 1990 seemed to have potential. Much though I enjoyed the coccky, arrogant 1986 squad, they were sometimes a bit hard to take. Unfortunately, neither the Mets nor Magadan were destined for greatness, but it was nice to see his career last as long as it did. Last year, he won a ring as the Sawx hitting coach. VIBaseball November 25, 2010 I enjoyed watching Dave Magadan hit. Despite his lack of power (or probably because of it), he was an artist at the plate. I remember how he had very deft bat control, much like a golfer hitting a chip shot. He would take a ball that was low and outside and serve it over the third baseman's head with a neat little flick of his wrists. PJ April 28, 2014 Magadan would've been more highly regarded if he played middle infield instead of first. He tend to hit in the .270 to .285 range, a good contact hitter with low home run and RBI totals. He started as a third baseman but was moved to first when the experiment with Mike Marshall didn't work. Being a right-handed thrower, he was a liability for pick-off attempts because he needed to reach his glove across the body to tag a runner. Personality-wise, Magadan was a low-key guy who went about his business. I seem to remember him having a bit more power when he started with the club but he underwent armpit surgery during Spring Training in '87 and didn't seem quite the same player, for whatever reason. He was at one point the last active player from the '86 Mets team. VIBaseball August 11, 2015 Fun facts about Dave Magadan: Lou Piniella is his first cousin and godfather, and the household language when he was a kid was Spanish. Even in college and the minors, he bounced back and forth between third base and first base. His hitting style was the same in those days -- he was never a long-ball hitter. These days Dave is still a big-league batting coach. He's been with the Rangers since they hired him after the 2012 season. Herman October 9, 2017 Dave was a college standout at the University of Alabama. He batted over .500 and was the toughest out of all batters at the College World Series in his senior year. When he got to the major leagues, the Mets tried to change his style of hitting and it didn’t work out too well. They probably wanted him to be more of a slugger, but he just wasn’t that type. If Magadan had been allowed to hit in his natural way, he would’ve had a much more successful career.

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