Ultimate Mets Database - Memories of Kevin McReynolds

Dave A
December 18, 2000
Steve, you've got some company: I'm another McReynolds fan.

My brothers and friends always chided me for liking McReynolds, but his only faults were an expanding waistline and a perceived lack of effort. He wasn't as good as Edmonds in the OF, but he was blessed with the same natural ability that made his game look effortless.

First guy I remember who carried his batting gloves in clenched fists when stealing bases, to avoid jamming his fingers.

Tom S.
December 20, 2000
Apart from being a good player for the Mets in the 90's, he also hit a grand slam home run in the bottom of the 6th inning which was the Daily News Home Town Homerun Inning at that time. The prize for hitting a GS in that inning back then was 10 grand and my parents were lucky enough to have been picked as contestants that eveing. They were even listening at the time, cheering when the bases were loaded up and then emptied by Big Mac. So, Kevin, if you ever read this, thanks a million.. or should I say 10K.

RYAN DENNIS
January 29, 2001
I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW HOW MUCH I ENJOYED WATCHING HIM PLAY. lIKE MANY HAVE SAID, HE MADE PLAYING THE OUTFIELD LOOK EFFORTLESS. I REMEMBER CUTTING OUT NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AFTER HE HIT A HOMER OR HAD A GREAT GAME. I ALSO REMEMBER THE DAY THAT HE GOT TRADED. MY FATHER AND I WERE SO PISSED OFF, BECAUSE WE LOVED GOING TO WATCH HIM PLAY.

EG
February 14, 2001
What a number-hanging dog! His 88 season aside, when he really was an excellent player, he was a disgrace.

I remember leaving a game no less than 15 minutes after it was over, when he nearly hit my friend and I (not deliberately) coming out of the bullpen lot.

Me
February 28, 2001
You're right. K Mac had a reputation for practically sprinting out of the clubhouse, into his car, and driving away immediately after the game was over. It annoyed the hell out of teammates, especially when he would leave right after an exciting extra-inning win. The other guys would hang out for awhile, chill, rehash the game. Didn't matter to K Mac; he felt he had better things to do. Instead of putting his name on the back of his uniform, they should have put "I'd rather be duck-hunting".

Mr. Sparkle
March 31, 2001
I almost s*** myself when he said it didn't matter to him if they won game 7 or not because he would win either way so he could go to the series or go hunting. You gotta be kidding me pal!!!. Most players die to get into the World Series and you see it as a toss up with duck hunting??? May Turk Wendell hunt you down in the woods and gut you! That said he was a great defensive outfielder who did have a great year in 88. Other than that a big dissapointment.

Andy Willinger
May 2, 2001
I remember seeing an interview of Richard Nixon, circa 1990ish, where the former President talked of his love of baseball. Nixon confessed that he was a diehard Mets fan, and that his favorite player was Kevin McReynolds.

Kinda makes sense, doesn't it?

also... Try to imagine Nixon saying his name....Cracks me up even still.

Kooz
May 18, 2001
Had lots of talent but lacked motivation and spark. One of the laziest players I've ever seen...and didn't seem to give a s**t if the team won or lost.

Was glad to see him go.

Joe from Brewster
June 21, 2001
I remember seeing the team stats in September and always saying "this guy has 90 RBI's"? He was the softest slugger in the majors. What about the time his wife called FAN to defend him because he always left the park 1 minute and 45 seconds after the game ended. She told the Mad Dog that "he was trying to beat the traffic". He was the worst Met ever. To think we gave up Kevin MItchell for him. If we coulda kept Mitchell Darrel & Doc woulda had some company in Smithers.

Flushing the Point
June 21, 2001
Kevin McReynolds was the biggest waste of time time the Mets ever invested in a ballplayer with the exception of maybe Richie Hebner. When people argued that he was an excellent fielder I would laugh to myself. This guy played LEFT FIELD for chrissakes, a position so tantamount to a team's success that Todd Hundley toiled out there while re-habbing the best injury that ever happened to a Met fan. In closing all I can say is I used t laugh my a** off whenever a confused fan stuck up for him during our many debates we as fans had.

Jeff Hayes
June 26, 2001
I remember that he had a well deserved nick name, "The Stealth Bomber." I was at a game that had been rain delayed and only about two thousand fans were left at the end. Daryl Strawberry was walked to load the bases to face McReynolds. McReynolds quickly ended the game with a grand-slam. I've been to many games, but those two thousand fans put on the loudest and wildest celebration I've ever seen.

Jiggy All Night Long
August 28, 2001
As a kid, I remember watching the Mets and McReynolds Saturday afternoons on the game of the week. Being from, Michigan, I always relished the opportunity to see my adopted team (first love was the Tigers) play. My favorite player of all time was Kevin McReynolds, and while the years have faded my memories of specific games and accomplishments, I remember him being a very underrated player. Sure he was chubby, but made up for it with smart baserunning and a strong arm. His season consecutive steal record and his outfield assist numbers will attest. For those who complain about his love for outdoor games I say this. As hard as it may be for obtuse people to believe, baseball does not everything to some people. To KMc, it was his job, which he did extremely well. He has never said, and there is no evidence at all, that he tanked a game so he could go hunting. He brought the same passion to his job that you bring to yours; work, or baseball, to him, wasn't his first passion. That's not to say he didn't give it his all each game. It just meant he didn't stay around after the games or get excited for doing what he got paid for. If you don't want him on your team because of that and your work isn't your first passion, perhaps your boss should let you go too.

D.R.
November 2, 2001
This what I would like to say about Kevin. He was no slouch. Sure the guy didn't have 1% body fat but I saw him as a person who played with heart. I became a fan when I saw him in start with the Mets diving for balls, throwing people out at the plate, and best of all... clutch hitting. It seemed like whenever you needed a run to win the game, he would be there to save the day. I modeled myself after him and especially his uncharacteristic inability to act like a braggart superstar and another loud New Yorker. He was just modest. Sorry to say there's not to many people like him around in sports and I'm more sorrier that fans support people who get paid millions of dollars and cry about it. So Kevin, from your biggest fan, I would like to thank you for the great memories and for being such a great role model.

Mr. Sparkle
December 7, 2001
I'm not a Kevin Mcreynolds fan but defensively he was one of the best leftfielders they ever had. They've had some good ones recently, but I really think McReynolds was one hell of a fielder.

Robert Campbell
January 28, 2002
I have a good memory of him hitting a grand slam in the 9th inning against the Expos in 1991 to cap a fine comeback and win the game 8-5 (I think). He wasn't the most popular Met though, that's for sure.

Charles
January 30, 2002
I've watched the Mets since 1962.

Simply put, Kevin "McLoser" is my LEAST favorite Met of all-time.

Hopefully, this will be my ONLY unfavorable comment ever on this site.

Logan Swanson
February 14, 2002
McReynolds had a world of talent. He was a major component in the 1988 Eastern Division Championship season. I don't know whether he gave 100% all the time, and maybe it doesn't matter, because he put up pretty good numbers in his Mets career. He was not, however, a "force" in the clubhouse.

Mcreynolds was not "married" to the game of professional baseball. He was a private person, and disliked the many phony aspects of being a celebrity. He was an Arkansas boy through and through, and did not look forward to playing in New York. Aside from some uninspiring remarks he made that are quoted on the "Met's Memories" website, he was in no way a "team cancer". He mostly took the money and kept quiet when he was with the Mets. Perhaps too quiet.

To understand Mcreynolds, you only need recall his retirement announcement circa 1994. He held a mini press conference in or around his house in Arkansas to break the news. He waved his hand at his vast property holdings near his house, and made clear that his baseball career was merely a way to acquire and lease real estate, at considerable profit to himself.

Some guys see baseball as their life, graduating from players to coaches, managers, or broadcasters. Some fall in love with the city they played in, and open up businesses there. None of that interested Mcreynolds. For him, all it was was a large paycheck, a means to an end. It enabled him to go back home a wealthy man, and that suited him just fine.

a mets fan
March 18, 2002
i just remember him acting like such a sissy on and off the field. why we got him back in 1994 is beyond me?

DaveG
March 19, 2002
One of the laziest, worthless, emotionless players in baseball history...and the Mets got him TWICE! I almost had a heart attack when he came back in '94. Never seen a guy basically do NOTHING in the OF..even when he did good at bat he wouldn't smile or show emotion. He shoulda spent his career in KC where nobody would have to know about him.

Rob
March 25, 2002
he went out and gave 100% everyday and never said a word. He quietly led by example. Made effortless plays in the outfield and was a great baserunner. Not fast, but smart. Growing up, he gave guys like me, quiet and a little overweight, the feeling that we could play too and do well. He may have been a quiet country boy that would rather hunt than go to the World Series, but he was somebody I'll always remember as a great Met.

murphy
May 24, 2002
McReynolds has to be one of the most fan-divisive Mets in club history. Half the fans loved him, the other half absolutely hated him. Nobody seemed to be in the middle. I personally loved the way he played, especially on defense. There is only one thing I can point to, and that is his 18 outfield assists in 1988. He was the best all-around player in the NL that year, hands down. His offensive numbers don't look good by today's standards, but he outperformed MVP Kirk Gibson in nearly every category, including a mind-boggling 21 for 21 on stolen bases.

I wish today's Mets team had the 1988 Kevin McReynolds on the roster.

Gordon
May 26, 2002
Kevin was my childhood Mets hero growing up. My favorite memory of him was his game winning grand slam one game against Montreal. Those were the days...

Larry Burns
June 10, 2002
A Hall of Fame talent in a guy with no passion for baseball. He could do it all---hit, hit for power, run (I loved the gloves to keep his hands clenched), field and throw. He might be the best leftfielder in the history of the Mets. Why people are torn on Kevin is that it seemed to come so easy to him. He was a gifted natural athlete. But it also seemed like he played baseball simply for the paycheck. This was confirmed by the "Win or lose, I win" comments. Fans love talent, but they love guys who show a passion for the game. Mac always seemed like he was trying to figure a way to make a lot of money and not have to play baseball. I grant you, he had talent. I found his lack of desire maddening. He could be on his way to Cooperstown, instead he is in some duck blind with a shotgun and a poster of Brittney Spears.

Steve Green
June 26, 2002
Graceful and deceptive. If you had to begin outfitting a team by drafting a solid number 5-spot hitter first, it would be he. My Dad said McReynolds reminded him of Hodges hitting: "A sucker for the low outside one."

Aethernaut
July 27, 2002
Kevin was someone who kept me interested in baseball, and a fine player he was, too. I loved the Mets and Kevin was one of the reasons. He was no-nonsense, excellent at what he did, and valued his home life above hanging out with the boys. He was a more mature player than most. His record is solid, and his contribution to the team a matter of record, not opinion. As for an opinion, even if he did gain a bit in the middle, he was still one handsome man to this gay Mets fan!

Leland Zimmerman, CPA
September 11, 2002
I have known Kevin since since he was 5 years old. I watched him play from Teeny League all the way to the majors. He always gave 110 percent effort.

As to the comments about his being a hunter and fisherman, that is a big deal in Arkansas. Don't come down on because of that. Come to Arkansas sometime and I'll take you hunting or fishing. After you've spent a morning in a duck blind, maybe you'll decide you would rather go hunting than live in New York City or maybe you'll understand how it feels to be a country boy 1,000 miles from home with duck season just around the corner.

Frank Grimes
September 23, 2002
When you get paid big money to play baseball, you shouldn't be wishing you could go hunting, period. No excuses.

Banger7
October 25, 2002
I remember a Bill Gallo cartoon in the paper the day after McReynolds hit for the cycle for the Mets. The first three hits were signified by McReynolds' emotionless visage, and the fourth hit to complete the cycle showed McReynolds' face with the faintest hint of a smile.

Jonathan Stern
November 10, 2002
It's easy to forget that K-Mac was extremely popular at the beginning of his Met career. He never failed to produce at the plate and no one played LF better. Back then, it was believed that his Buster Keaton imitation masked a fierce competitor within. Boy, were we dumb! In fact, he truly did not give a damn. And then, he stopped producing at the plate, largely because he was putting too much ON the plate. Supposedly, he did not even know how to use the most basic gym equipment.

These days, I'm hesitant to order crisp duck at the local chinese restaurant. I'd rather not eat a bird that K-Mac shot.

Anthony Berry
January 8, 2003
I couldn't believe it when they traded Kevin Mitchell for this guy. San Diego said he was too nonchalant! The platoon of Mitchell and George Foster worked fine in 1986, but Davey Johnson thought this guy was Hall of Fame material.

Karl de Vries
March 4, 2003
At least we were able to rid ourselves of Vince Coleman for this guy...but it's like trading Mel Rojas for Bobby Bonilla...who got the raw deal?

SCOTT R
May 14, 2003
By reading this it is apparent I'm in a minority in that I loved McReynolds when he was here. So what if he was quiet? He did his job and that's it. They are not here to please the press. I know he did nothing his last couple of years, but he was great in 1987 and in 1988 he should've been MVP. If we had more people like McReynolds there would certainly be less clubhouse scandals. My two favorite McReynolds memories are when he leveled Scioscia in the NLCS and when he hit a grand slam off of Gossage at Wrigley Field to beat the Cubs.

robert
June 24, 2003
OK, I'll play it down the middle - I thought the guy was talented, gave some great moments - levelling Scoscia at the plate (I was quite surprised by that) and the first game I saw him as a Met, he put one in the upper deck in left field in Shea - a place few balls have ever reached. All things considered, he was really one helluva ballplayer.

I don't condemn him for his love of duck hunting, but I just think he could have applied himself more in developing his natural talents. I don't think it's asking too much to get yourself in optimum condition to make big money to achieve all your dreams by playing a kid's game for the benefit of paying customers. One reason he was able to leave the park so early (at least on the road) was that he showered while the game was in progress - anyone remember the incident in Chicago with him and Strawberry frantically putting their uniforms back on because the Mets made a 9th inning rally in Wrigley? (The beginning of the end of the Dave Johnson) Again, is it really asking too much to at least sit on the bench until the game is over? Nor do I condemn him for his dislike of New York - it obviously isn't a good fit for everybody. For that I blame the organization. Considering the amount of money involved, is investing in a phone call too much in order to find out what the player's attititude is about playing there? Saberhagen had a pretty cool reaction about being traded there - one would think they would look for these red flags before it's too late.

Charisse O.
July 24, 2003
I have been a Mets fan since 1969 but Kevin Mac is my favorite of all time. He wasn't the most outgoing person but I loved to watch him play. I even taped the games if I wasn't home. When he was traded it just wasn't the same. My favorite memory was when he was in a slump and the opposing pitcher walked HoJo to pitch to Kevin and he homered! My son still kids me that he bought me Kevin's rookie card for $ .10 and lost money. I have never met another Kevin fan and always thought I was the only one. Its good to see I'm not alone! I probably have the most Kevin memorabilia of anyone.

Big Vin
July 25, 2003
I re member when the Mets acquired him from San Diego, the press went nuts - he was that good a steal. I think he was a good ballplayer. Yeah, he had the whole soft-spoken Southern boy in the Big City thing working for him - the big adjustment in lifestyle, etc. but he was not a bad player. Like many have said though, I do agree, we had him when his skills were erroding.

Nishna
October 13, 2003
Funny how you get a whole different perspective when you see a guy day in and day out instead of just reading about him or seeing highlights. I was thrilled when they traded for him. They I saw him play every day. The guy had all the talent in the world but looked like he was playing because his parents forced him to. The allusions to "business-like" attitude are interesting, because the same attitude in George Foster was called "aloof".

Shari
October 21, 2003
I don't get it, I never had a problem with this guy. He was a solid player, he had some power, didn't misplay balls in the outfield. What is everyone complaining about? Everyone thinks he's an underachiever? Why don't we compare him to the overpaid cry-babies from the past 2 seasons. I don't know about the rest of you, but I would be thrilled to have a player like McReynolds in the outfield right about now.

LenDog
October 21, 2003
I liked Kevin Mac but I do think the lack-of-desire tag is a fair one. However, he put up numbers and played great LF. Put him next to Rey Ordonez and Bobby Bonilla (bad attitudes, zero contribution) and Kevin Mac looks pretty good. Put his numbers next to Cleon's and Mazzilli's, two beloved Mets outfielders, and he looks awesome.

Favorite moment: Grand slam off Gossage at Wrigley after Gossage had dogged KM in the press. I heard that on Interstate 78 in NJ on a roasting hot day and I still remember blowing my horn about 5 times when I heard the call on the radio.

jeremy
August 10, 2004
Kevin Mac was one of my fav players. The first thing I think of when I hear his name is, speak quietly and carry a big stick. His many homers always delighted me watching the Mets back in the late 80's. Kevin was the example of a good ballplayer although I wished he would have had just a little more passion.

John
September 1, 2004
McReynolds was LAZY!!!! I do have to say that he was a great technical outfielder, fielded the ball down the line better than most and turned many doubles into singles with his outfield play. As a hitter he would run doubles into singles, no hustle at all out of the box. An example of his lack of desire, he once tried for a shoestring catch and missed it so the ball rolled all the way to the fence. He slowly jogged after the ball and when asked why he did this he said “I knew he would get a triple so why should I run hard”. How about running because you missed the ball you fat load? How about hustling in case the runner fall’s rounding 2nd base which would give you a chance to get him at third??? When he was traded from the Padres Gossage talked about how lazy he was, Met fans saw EXACTLY what he was talking about.

Get past his stats people, this guy had a negative impact on the team! It has been mentioned numerous times on this web site, any player that would say he wins if the team loses because he then can go hunting is not a player you want on your team. FAT LAZY LOSER!

KMT
March 1, 2005
Wow! Love him or hate him! Everybody sits on one side of the fence or the other. It wasn't the fact that he never showed emotion, or created controversy! It was... He could have been so much more! He dominated in 1988 and should have been M.V.P. His being quiet was completely different than the self-promoters around him. It was refreshing! He played left field about as good as it could be played and let his numbers stand for themselves! I wouldn't say he was my favorite Met, but he's certainly not the worst either! Wherever he is now, I hope he's doing well.

blue and orange
June 3, 2005
Though the Mets only won a division with him this guy was a complete ballplayer. He just was not a NY guy. He could hit, hit with power, run well for a big man, and he was an outstanding fielder. What I remeber about him was that in order to beat the traffic he wouldn't shower and leave sometimes with his uni under his streeet clothes. His wife Jackie was a body builder. A perfect compliment to Strawberry in the OF.

Lifelong Fan
July 11, 2005
Not enough fire in this good player. The quote ended with, "... and if we lose, I get to go back to Arkansas and go fishin' and duck huntin'."

DavidC
July 25, 2005
K-Mac was, and still is one of my favorite Met all the time, after me becoming a Met fan about twenty years ago.

People criticize him for being "lackadasical", which I completely disagree. There were no other left fielders in the game at the time (or since then) who could go down the line, to his right preventing a hitter to stretch a single to a double; K-Mac also was a smart runner, succeeding 21 straight steals without getting caught, and I often saw him sliding very hard into second base to prevent double plays on the Mets.

True, he was not a perfect fit for NY atmosphere, always quiet, left the clubhouse the earliest after the game, never gave quotable quotes for the media. As far as I am concerned about his quote about preferring duck hunting over playing in the World Series, is a sort of a ploy played by NY media who tried to distort the message that K-Mac gave to them. It is obvious that K-Mac was never a favorite of NY media. Anyhow, K-Mac still remains one of my favorite all- time Met, and his antitheses - quotable, but lackadasical teammates of his, are whom I despised, and I am quite sure that K-Mac did also.

Tom L
January 3, 2006
September 13, 1987. The Mets beat the Cards to keep them from sweeping, and we stay within 2 or 3 games with 3 weeks to go in the season. Leaving Shea, there was an air of electricity, that we were gonna come back and overtake the Cards, fans were high fiving each other as we exited, we knew we'd be back in the Series. Well as we walk by the bullpen gates, outside of rightfield, K-Mac takes the jam out of everyone's jelly donut by leaving the parking area, no more than 10 minutes after the game was over. He's rolling past us, hair still wet from a quick shower, zipping past the fans after the team's biggest win of the season. It was at that moment that I was forced to acknowledge that this was not the same team as the year before and that their character took a severe blow by replacing Kevin Mitchell with this guy. He was no doubt a talented player, but you could tell he could care less, as his comments about being no happier if he were hunting or if he were in the World Series proved.

ernie
January 26, 2006
Its pretty amazing so many believe he was lazy. How many Mets outfielders put up numbers close to this guys? You can count them on one hand with fingers to spare, that's how many. Who cares if he hardly ever smiled or didn't profess his un-dying love for baseball? The guy could 'play'; he was an outstanding left fielder. If you think McReynolds was lazy, then you weren't paying attention.

Ray C
February 25, 2006
Wow! So many people have something to say about Kevin. The fact is, he was probably the best defensive left-fielder in Mets history. He is also in the top 10 offensively. People didn't like his attitude, but I think he was just a private person and laid back. As for all the fat comments, it didn't affect his fielding or his base-running. In fact, I don't remember ever thinking of him as fat. Kevin played for the Mets in very disappointing years for Met fans. All that talent, and only 1 WS appearance. I think, as the newcomer, he became the whipping boy for that frustration. It didn't help that he was traded for that popular criminal Kevin Mitchell.

Dave G
May 19, 2006
Kevin was my favorite baseball player when I was growing up (I was born in '84) My favorite memory of Kevin was one game against the Expos, one of the first games I can remember, Kevin came up with the bases loaded in the 9th and the Mets down and he smacked a grand slam to left field. After that, I was his biggest fan.

JFK
June 9, 2006
Unfairly treated in NY. Was the best fielding LF the Mets ever had. Deceptively fast.

bobby boo
September 8, 2006
OK, here's the question...how many of you linger at work after your work is done or run out to catch the train, bus or beat the traffic to get home to see your family? If you run out like most of us, are you a lousy, lazy worker?

Don from Rockaway
September 8, 2006
In '87, a friend's brother in law put on a card show which featured several Mets (McReynolds, Ojeda, Wilson & Magadan). I was working near where McReynolds was signing autographs (for about $7 a piece) when a mother asked if he'd take a picture with her son (about 9 years old). He agreed. When the kid walked around the desk, he stood up and the kid stood besides him. The mother said, "Smile." McReynolds said, "It's enough that I'm standing." What a tool.

TH
November 1, 2006
Interesting posts - As one who grew up watching Kevin McReynolds play Little League, all the way through high school, and then through college - then reading these posts about his comment on hunting - I had to laugh. Kevin is one of the most down to earth incredible baseball players I've had the pleasure to know. His dry humor is just Kevin. As far as hunting - give him the duck woods any day.

All in all, Kevin McReynolds was a class act on and off the baseball field. Great friend, too.

Love ya Kev - thanks for all the baseball years - and teaching me the in and outs of the game!

Kimberly Mc Cowan
November 3, 2006
Kevin McReynolds was not a 'hoop leaper'. He always struck me as quiet and anti-social, not Unibomber anti-social, just very private. It has to be hard to be in a city like New York with its crazy Mets fan base. You have every personality under the sun. Imagine trying to please a couple million people...

I can't see where people draw the conclusion that he was lazy or unmotivated. I've heard the duck hunting story a thousand times; the guy got judged for being honest. You'll go watch movies made by stars who are in it for the money, but when an athlete admits to the same thing it's a scandal, and scars his career forever.

In August of 1990 My 10-year-old son and I went to see the Mets play San Francisco. In the last game of the series Kevin McReynolds hit 2 home runs, back to back. That was a great memory for my son, he still talks about that series, and living in Idaho could have easily picked any team to attach himself to, but still loves the Mets!

My father was born in Arkansas and was signed by the Milwaukee Braves back in the early 50's. He never made it past AA ball, but always talked about Kevin McReynolds being from his native Arkansas. A few years back I sent one of Kevin McReynolds' cards to New York, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope. I explained to him that my dad was a huge fan and would he please sign the card and send it back. HE DID! I gave it to my dad for Father's Day and he flipped. That is my fond memory of Kevin McReynolds.

Michael
November 8, 2006
I always thought Kevin got a raw deal from Mets fans. The majority I run into all seem to dislike him because they thought he never hustled or didn't seem to care. And I must say, I never saw that from him. I pretty much saw every game and still watch some with the magic of VHS, and I never saw him not hustle any more or less than anyone else. And I might add, he was a fantastic defensive left fielder who put up some very good numbers with us.

Jamey Bumbalo
December 30, 2006
As others have noted, it seems that half the fans here love McReynolds and half hate him. I'm in the latter category. He never seemed to give the game his all, and to me that's the end of the story. Any major leaguer who doesn't give 100% and who sees the game as a means to an end (i.e., making money) deserves contempt.

I'll quote from "No More Mr. Nice Guy," a fine autobiography by the great manager Dick Williams: "McReynolds is very talented, but he goes at just one gait. He's not a big game ballplayer, because he doesn't put out big game effort. Just not enough fire." Williams, of course, managed McReynolds in San Diego.

Then again, McReynolds is laughing every day in Arkansas as he enjoys the undeserved millions of dollars he made as a ballplayer. Happy hunting and fishing, Kevin.

Mitch
January 24, 2007
I don't know why so many Mets fans are down on McReynolds. True, he had an outward lack of fire but that doesn't mean he was jaking it out there. In the four seasons from 1987 through 1990, he averaged 25 homers and 90 RBI every year. Those were pretty good numbers in those pre-steroid days. He was also a very good defensive outfielder and led the league in assists one year.

He wasn't the kind of fiery guy that Mets fans like to have on their team, but he was a consistently good player.

Skip Walton
January 28, 2007
I think this guy gets a bad rap mostly from groups of people who control the media in this town because he was a quiet country boy who just wanted to do his job without being bothered. He never asked to come to New York, but he came and was productive. Not everyone can throw firecrackers at people and say 250 words to make up for it without saying I'm sorry like Vince Coleman. Not everyone can laugh and smile in front of the media then make up injuries down the stretch like Darryl did in the late 80's to get out of the lineup.

We need more people that just come in and do what they are hired to do rather than annoying self promoters. McReynolds didn't do any of that nonsense where many 5 tool players did and still do. For that alone I respect him. When he hit a home run or threw a guy out he acted like he did it before as a professional should.

Those comments on the hunting I think he meant they were both great not that he'd rather hunt. If a guy said having sex with my wife is just as good as going to the World Series then we would think it's funny and not even address it. Since it's hunting the media decided to harp on him.

Criticizing him for wanting to do this to make money and make a life for himself is hypocritical. Most of us if given the option to get the same check at work for either going and working or staying home would stay home. He used his baseball skills to make himself a rich man and is enjoying a good post baseball life.

Randi B
October 17, 2007
Wow! It's amazing how the fan base is half and half. I'm personally on the fence with him. I think he was an excellent fielder and great hitter. He definitely should've won MVP in '88. (I think we can all agree to that.) But it's also evident that his heart wasn't in it. I remember in the year before he was traded to KC (during the Bud Harrelson years) he would only hit home runs and pop ups. In fact, I recall one at bat where the pitcher threw an intentional ball and Kevin actually swung at it!! At times he was into it, and sometimes he just didn't care.

I appreciate the things he did in NY, but if he put in some extra effort he could've been in Cooperstown. But that's life.

Otter
October 19, 2007
McReynolds gets a bad rap in New York. Sure, he never smiled much or anything like that, but he averaged over 20 home runs and 80 RBI's per season. (Baseballreference.com) Those are decent numbers, not great, but quite respectable. He was, in his prime, a great fielder with a strong arm and, while not the fastest runner, he was a smart baserunner.

I think a lot of the hate was because he was traded for Kevin Mitchell, which is not McReynolds' fault. K-Mac was a good player who was underappreciated and underrated by many.

Jeff The Pug
February 3, 2008
The anti-Wally Backman ... Played competently but without even a hint of passion or urgency. As his waistline expanded - too much duck, perhaps? - his production tailed off. In some ways, he exemplified the post-1986 Mets - talented and competitive, but lacking heart, I think.

Michael
February 9, 2008
I have to respectfully disagree about McReynolds. I have watched dozens of Mets games from his era (I have manyyyyyy on DVD that I watch all the time) and I have never seen him not hustle more or less than anyone else. As a matter of fact, he was ALWAYS hustling in left field. I truly never understood this hatred for Kevin. Just because he wasn't on the top step pumping his fist and just because the teams he were on didn't win doesn't mean it was his fault.

Michael
March 29, 2008
Reading all these comments on Kevin. I THINK I understand where it's coming from. You see, he came to the team right after we won the series...and obviously that team was more known for its fire and brawls and "showiness" on the field than anything. And once McReynolds got here, he wasn't that type of player. Which is NOT a bad thing. Olerud was like that too. It didn't seem to make him any less popular. But he came to a bad team who never won anything. Add to the fact that once Kevin got here, we didn't go all the way again (through little fault of his own, though he did decline rapidly), and that's where most of this hate stems from. Fans tend to "label" players, especially players who don't show emotion AND aren't on winning teams. Unfortunately Kevin fits both of these. But let me tell you, I watch, to this day, literally hundreds of Mets games from that era (as I am blessed with many old tapes) and I have still not seen him dog it any less or more than ANYONE on that team.

Patrick Linton
March 30, 2008
I remember Kevin McReynolds in 1969, playing little league baseball against him. He played for Twin Cities and he was the complete ballplayer. In an 18 game season he hit 24 home runs and hit a line drive in left field and I hit the fence while the ball was still rising above the fence. I played for Venable Lumber Company and remember Kevin as the greatest Little League player I ever played against. I will never forget the great way he played the game of baseball.

Paul Zibben
May 18, 2008
The NY press never warmed to Kevin McReynolds for two reasons: 1) He wasn't a great interview, and had a rather bland personality - both of which are crimes only if you're a reporter. 2) He had the misfortune to have been traded for Kevin Mitchell, who went on to have that monster season in San Francisco. What people forget is that Mitchell was traded to the Padres, who THEN traded him to the Giants. Obviously, the Mets weren't the only ones who couldn't deal with Mitchell's, uh, personality. And McReynolds went on to have a respectable few years with the Mets, including what should have been an MVP season in 1988. Mitchell, however, proceeded to bounce around baseball, his prodigious talent always obscured by the incredible negatives he brought into every clubhouse he entered. Was McReynolds a Hall-of-Famer? Nope. Was he a media-savvy, Gary-Carteresque interview? Not even close. Were the Mets better off with him than with the other Kevin? You better believe it. And as for his second stint with the Mets - yeah, he was bad, but he was also through, retiring at the end of the year. And even that year, I'd have taken him over the guy he was traded for, Vince "The Cherry Bomber" Coleman.

Lyss
October 13, 2008
Kevin McReynolds was my favorite player when I was growing up. If you Google him, and read the articles from the first few years he was here, they were glowing. Everything went sour in the press when he wouldn't talk to the media after hitting for the cycle. My favorite memory was him scoring on Scoscia in 1988. We should have beaten those Dodgers!

flushing flash
October 13, 2008
The sentiments another writer posted about David Cone not being invited to the Shea Goodbye ceremony I would like to echo regarding K Mac. Just about every player who ever played four or more seasons with the Mets was invited, with the exceptions of those two (and Ken Boswell, come to think of it). Kevin put up solid numbers in his first tenure with the team, consistent numbers, and if he tailed off it wasn't by much. Remember there wasn't nearly as much offense anywhere at the time so 25 homers and 90 ribbies was an excellent season by any stretch of the imagination. So why wasn't he there? Maybe he was invited and declined to show, which would not be surprising at all, and the Mets brass felt it would be better off not mentioning his name at all. I, for one, would have liked to have seen K Mac there.

Michael
October 27, 2008
Kevin hit at least two game-winning grand slams in the 9th inning that I can recall. (August 1988 at the Cubs and June 1991 at Shea against the Expos.) And he truly was a FANTASTIC defensive left fielder and doesn't get the credit for that that he deserves.

Sure, he liked being home in Arkansas probably as much as baseball, but that didn't mean he didn't hustle. (He did, trust me.) And I don't see why it matters that he didn't care for the New York lifestyle; it's not for everyone. The fact is he was a good player here, and in 88 he was GREAT. And he really wasn't a big part of the reason why the teams he was on didn't win.

Connie Cash Black Arman
November 1, 2008
To all of you haters: Kevin is alive and well in Arkansas. And I know for a fact he could give a rat's ass what anyone of you thinks of him! But if you really knew him you would already know this: he loves his family and they love him. He is and always will be one hell of a guy!

DailySkew
December 20, 2008
I was a huge fan of Kev...I was a kid back then, and relied heavily on watching the games on WWOR and listening to Bob Murphy and Gary Cohen on WFAN.

Yeah, I would read the Post and read the attacks, but I ignored them. I thought KMac was a great right-handed complement to Straw.

I think he had a raw deal by the MEDIA, no doubt. Granted, he could have cared less anyway.

Ultimately, I think his stats are underrated because he played at Shea in the 80's -- it was a low run producing environment.

Baseball was a job for him, just like we all have to work at jobs that maybe we don't feel a love or passion for.

I see all the points raised here, but I will always have fond memories of him.

Nathan Snell
November 4, 2011
Even though I wasn't old enough to watch him play, my Grandpa coached him in legion ball and he was one of the greatest LFs to play and could hit a long ball when the team needed it most. Who cares if he didn't have as much of a passion for the game? Look at the stats and tell me different. Also how 'bout you guys meet someone before you talk about them?

Jilly
December 20, 2019
I always enjoyed watching McReynolds play. He was a cool customer, not too much emotion but a solid player. He's still in Arkansas, remarried to a lady named Sara Beth Miller. He has 2 grown daughters, both married and a few step children, again all grown up. I always felt like the press gave him a hard time. I miss the Mets from the late 80's early 90's.

Jonah Falcon
March 6, 2020
Let's put this simply:

The Royals traded him away for Vince Coleman, who was persona non-grata for the firecracker incident AMONG OTHER THINGS in 1993.

The. Royals. Traded. For. Coleman. To. Get. Rid. Of. McReynolds.

Bob B
April 29, 2020
I've been following the Mets religiously since about '72. To me, McReynolds is by far the best fielding Left Fielder the Mets ever had.

He made so many fantastic sliding, diving, running into wall, etc. plays, and was so solid with smarts, threw to the correct base on a line, hit the cut-off man, whatever was needed, Mac did it!

I recall him as a pretty good clutch hitter too!

Sparkman
July 11, 2020
Kevin got a bum rap when he played for the Mets. He should have been looked at as a player with a taming effect on a team of overinflated egos instead of one who didn't seem to care. McReynolds was a very low-key person, but he produced as much as any other Mets player during his time in New York. He was always among the team's top sluggers and even led the club in batting average in the 1988 division championship season. Kevin also connected for five grand slams and hit for the cycle in a Met uniform. He is proof that an athlete can be successful with a calm, businesslike approach on the field of play. Unfortunately, his demeanor was erroneously received as one of apathy.

As a Met fan, it bothers me that the greatest period of the team's history was comprised of people that I wouldn't want my daughter to marry. It did not have to be that way. If the Mets of the 80s had more guys like Kevin to help provide a sensible team atmosphere, they would have won multiple N. L. East titles and at least a few more world championships.

Hot Foot
December 11, 2021
December 11 will always be a black day in Mets history for me. It is the day they traded Kevin Mitchell for this schlub, in 1986. That trade also happened four days after my mom died of cancer, and all I could think of was "why?". Why was the world so cruel?

Did God really need my mom more than I did, as the pastor said at her funeral? And did the Mets really think this guy was better than Kevin Mitchell?

"World" was gone and my world was completely different after that day. Gone were the carefree days of childhood, soon followed by some hard lessons about loss and pain.

It was my first lesson that life was cruel, unfair, and didn't make sense sometimes. Didn't God or Frank Cashen think of how these "transactions" would affect the children?

Richard Weinberg
October 27, 2022
Traded for Kevin Mitchell after the '86 season. He was a very good player, who just did not have enough desire, passion or drive to reach full his potential. His smooth outfield play, and power hitting, lasted for a few years during the late 80's, and then he started to fade. I don't think he ever made an all-star team while with the Mets, and I don't think he really cared. Simply put, another underachiever from the talent rich Met teams of that era. Also famous for his quick exits from the clubhouse after games.