Well the hot stove finally heating  up for our beloved Mets. So I figured to help get us out of the cycle of ” Who is Omar going to sign?’ and the speculation of ” Will David Wright switch to first so that we can sign Chone Figgins?” that I would highlight a Mets player from yesteryear. He might be a star or a scrub, but the player was one who was dear to our heart. Today’s Do You Remember player is no other than the best closer we ever let get away – Jeff ” THE TERMINATOR” Reardon
                                                                    
Jeffrey James Reardon was born on October 1, 1955, in Dalton, Massachusetts. He  played College Baseball for the University of Massachusetts Amherst,and he went undrafted in the Major League Baseball amateur draft. Jeff eventually signed a Minor League contract with the New York Mets in 1977. In 1979 , he made his Major League debut with the Mets,, and stayed with the team until being traded in 1981 to the Montreal Expos for outfielder Ellis Valentine. During his tenure with  the Expos, he  was named to the All-Star team twice , in 1985 and 1986. He  led the majors in saves during the 1985 season, earning the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award. Jeff was traded to the Minnesota Twins for the 1987 season, where he earned his first World Series ring. In 1988, Jeff was named to his third All-Star team, andbecame the first pitcher in Major League Baseball history to have 40 save seasons in both the American and National Leagues. In December 1989 he signed with the Boston Red Sox, bringing him back to his home state of Massachusetts. In honor of Reardon’ssigning his town of birth, Dalton, Massachusetts named its athletic field in Reardon’s honor. While with the Red Sox in 1991 -he was named to his 4th and final All-Star team , and broke Rollie Fingers all time saves record in 1992 with his 342nd save. Later that season he was traded to the Atlanta Braves. Reardon played for one year stints with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees before retiring in 1994.
Sadly on December 26, 2005, Reardon was arrested and charged by the Palm Beach Gardens, Florida Police Department for allegedly robbing a jewelry store ,while leaving his son Brendan unattended in the penthouse suite. .Reardon blamed  his actions to his use of of antidepressants that he had been taking since his son Shane Andrew Reardon died of a drug overdose on February 21, 2004.
Thankfully Reardon was found not guilty of the charges by reason of insanity . The judge that presided on the case ruled that since because Reardon had been taking anti-depressants andmood stabilizers, as well as being crushed by his son’s death, there was no reasonable explanation for the robbery. Reardon was not required to be committed after the ruling. Since then Reardon has stayed out of the spotlight . I was hoping to see him at the “Shea Goodbye “ceremonies – but it was not meant to be
7 comments
Kingman 26
11/11/2009-4:48pm at 4:48 pm (UTC -4)
I sure remember him, and I am even old enough to remember the very day we traded him for Ellis Frigin Valentine!
Now, the real question serious insider reporters are asking themselves and the strangers siting next to them on the bus is, would Wright move to LF if Ellis Valentine came back and played right and Frenchy moved to third? Or if Reardon came back and closed, and KRod set up for him, and Hubie Brooks played third, would Wright agree to be a RH setup man?
Clearly this mirrors the current discussions taking place among people in the know….
wannybackstra
11/11/2009-5:10pm at 5:10 pm (UTC -4)
Wright could still play 1B if Brooks played 3B so long as the Mets signed Doug Sisk to be the set up man. If not Sisk, maybe Calvin Schiraldi could come back because the Mets owe him a favor. But since he obviously can’t pitch he’d have to platoon at SS with Kelvin Chapman while Jose Reyes moved behind the plate. He’d be able to stretch his hamstrings in his squat.
Maybe Reardon should come back but only after gobbling the anti-depressants so that he can brandish a weapon in Omar’s private suite.
Sad story about Reardon, though. Both his personal story and the fact that we let him go (and then sent Rick Aguilera away much the same way).
Kingman 26
11/11/2009-5:39pm at 5:39 pm (UTC -4)
Let’s get Lenny Randle back to play third, and he can take care of the jackass in the manager’s office just like he took care of Frank Lucchesi.
And I agree, Reardon’s story is rather sad.
GravediggerHebner
11/11/2009-5:06pm at 5:06 pm (UTC -4)
As a life long Met fan I remember Reardon well. He was fantastic in 1980. I’d be lying though if I said I was sad to see him go in exchange for Valentine. I was excited about the potential power Valentine brought with him. I was a fan of his unique whip swing. I also thought the football style half face mask he wore was cool. Unfortunately the reason he was wearing it, having been beaned in the face, had a detrimental effect on his power. He was never the same.
Later in life I shared season tickets for the Red Sox during their Joe Morgan and Butch Hobson eras and had the privilege of watching Lee Smith and then Jeff Reardon close games from my seats between home and third. Those guys were good at what they did, and first class fellas too. Great memories.
fongy2
11/11/2009-6:01pm at 6:01 pm (UTC -4)
Correction, Best Closer who ever got
away was Aguilera!
Plus as I’ve noted before, moving
Reardon aloowed Neil Allen to own
the Closer’s role which ofcourse made
him attractive enough for the Cards to be interested in when Whitey was
trying to Dump Mex.
GravediggerHebner
11/11/2009-6:11pm at 6:11 pm (UTC -4)
I guess it depends on how we define “closer.” Nolan Ryan had a save in ’69. That guy was pretty good after he left too.
metsfan4decades
11/12/2009-9:56am at 9:56 am (UTC -4)
I remember Reardon as well. I didn’t know about his later years/personal problems. Sad story.