Two 1B in NY
What a time to be alive.
The 80’s were a wild time, particularly when it came to baseball in New York.
How wild? Well, the Yankees only reached one World Series in the decade (1981), and they didn’t win any titles. Imagine the Yankees going that long without a championship! Oh, I guess if you’re at least fifteen, you don’t have to imagine.
The perennial underdog Mets were the more successful franchise when Reagan was president, and even if they only managed to bring home one trophy during that time (1986)— only one, as if that’s something to be ashamed of— they fielded one of the most iconic rosters in baseball history, every bit the equal of the Yankees’ Bronx Zoo teams of the late 70’s in terms of winning and general chaos.
But I’m not here to talk about who snorted more coke or got in more barfights. At least not today. I’m not going to analyze why the game’s most historic franchise was stuck in the mud for the best decade of baseball in my life, or explain why the Mets couldn’t sustain their success long-term. That one seems fairly evident anyway.
No, today, I want to discuss first basemen.
Because, regardless of their team’s success or lack thereof, both New York franchise were blessed with two outstanding 1B during this time period. For anyone who grew up watching baseball when I did, Keith Hernandez and Don Mattingly were giants of the game. With the both the glove and the bat, they set the standard by which I have judged the position my whole life.
It wasn’t just that they were really good either. They were two of the most fun players I’ve ever watched, and it didn’t matter to me that neither one of them played for a team I rooted for. Sure, the Royals and Yankees were fierce rivals in the late 70’s and early 80’s, but by the time I came around a few years later, the Yankees had been neutered. They were a harmless team in the other division, so I could appreciate Mattingly for the superstar he was.
And the Mets were an extremely entertaining team in the National League— especially for a kid who was mostly unaware of what was going on behind the scenes. Hernandez was their leader. Unless you were a Cardinal fan (which I definitely was not), how could you not like Keith?
I collected their baseball cards, certain they would help make me rich someday. (It’s not their fault the card market cratered.) I tried to emulate them when I played 1B in little league. I went even further when I played with my cousins in my grandparents’ yard, copying their mannerisms and pretending to be them. I may have even dreamed of one day growing a moustache. I was sure that they would both be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
It’s one of those weird quirks of the game that neither has made it to Cooperstown yet, and probably won’t anytime soon. There are various reasons for their omissions. The chief complaint against Mattingly is that his prime was too short. Injuries took their toll on him, diminishing his play in his later years, but make no mistake about it. In his prime, Mattingly was as good as anyone.
Hernandez was never weighed down by injuries in the same way as Mattingly, but he had his fair share of off the field problems. Whitey Herzog gave up on him in St. Louis, despite Hernandez winning an MVP and World Series with the Cardinals, because he was addicted to cocaine and Herzog thought he was a bad influence in the clubhouse. After getting traded to New York, Hernandez was one of many players caught up in the 1985 Pittsburgh Drug Trials, which caused the league no small amount of shame. I consider myself very forgiving when it comes to stuff like this, choosing to see Hernandez’s success afterwards as a redemption story, but apparently the HOF voters don’t feel the same.
That’s not the point of this post though. I’ve heard enough arguments about whether these two should or shouldn’t be inducted to last me a lifetime. Instead, I simply want to appreciate them for the outstanding 1B they were and see how they compare with each other.
Career Stats
There isn’t a lot of separation for a lot of these categories. Mattingly clearly had more power, but that was never in question. If his back hadn’t gone out on him, he might have put a little distance between him and Hernandez in some other categories, and even though Hernandez is generally considered the greatest defensive 1B of all-time, Mattingly actually edges him out in career fielding percentage, .995 to .994. That said, defensive metrics are still a mystery to me, but I’m guessing Hernandez’s defensive prowess accounts for part of the gap between them in WAR.
Best Individual Season
Hernandez (1979/STL): .344/.417./.513, 11 HR, 105 RBI, 48 Doubles, 11 Triples, 11 SB, .930 OPS, 151 OPS+
Mattingly (1985/NYY): .324/.371/.567, 35 HR, 145 RBI, 48 Doubles, 3 Triples, .939 OPS, 156 OPS+
I chose their MVP seasons for this category, but realistically, you could also single out 1986 for both of them. Hernandez finished fourth in the NL MVP voting that season, and Mattingly finished second in the AL. In terms of advanced stats, Mattingly’s 1986 season might have been even better, but seriously, look at his numbers in 1985. Insane.
Awards and Accomplishments
Hernandez: 5-time All-Star, 2-time WS champ, NL MVP (1979), 11-time Gold Glover, 2-time Silver Slugger, NL Batting Champ (1979)
Mattingly: 6-time All-Star, AL MVP (1985), 9-time Gold Glover, 3-time Silver Slugger, AL Batting Champ (1984)
Postseason
This is the one area Hernandez has a clear advantage. The Yankees only made the postseason once in Mattingly’s career, his final season in 1995. They blew a 2-0 series lead in ALDS, and were walked off in Seattle when Ken Griffey Jr. scored on Edgar Martinez’s shot down the 3B line. Of course, the Yankees won the World Series the year after Mattingly retired. In fact, they won it four of the next five seasons.
Hernandez, on the other hand, was a key member for two championship teams, the 1982 Cardinals and 1986 Mets. He was locked-in during the 1982 WS, and even though he struggled through much of the 1986 WS, the Mets’ captain and leader drove in 3 RBI in Game 7.
Signature Moment
I’m going to give this one to Mattingly, mostly because while I can remember lots of Hernandez highlights, I don’t know what his signature moment would be. Maybe threatening to knock out Jesse Orosco if he threw Kevin Bass another fastball in the 16th inning of Game 6 of the 1986 NLCS.
Mattingly, on the other hand, hit a home run in eight straight games in 1987, a streak that has only been matched by two other players in MLB history. Dale Long was the first to do it, and Griffey Jr. later matched it. That same season, he set an MLB record with six grand slams. (A feat matched by Travis Hafner in 2006.) And 1987 was, at best, his third greatest season.
Pop Culture
Okay, this last category doesn’t have a lot to do with their actual play, but I think it’s of note because both men have made an impact.
Hernandez is now an excellent broadcaster for the Mets with former teammate Ron Darling, even if he sometimes makes the blooper reel, like when he was caught on a hot mic talking about Tanner Roark getting his tits lit or the time he called Jazz Chisholm “Chazz Jizzem.” But Keith doesn’t seem to have a problem poking fun at himself. If you need proof, check out his classic two-part arc on Seinfeld. And he and Mookie Wilson also taught Snuffleupagus to play baseball on Sesame Street.
Mattingly, on the other hand, has spent most of his post-playing days teaching real people (instead of Muppets) to play the game. He’s managed both the Dodgers and Marlins, and is currently a coach for the Blue Jays. More low-key than his crosstown counterpart, he hasn’t avoided Hollywood altogether. In fact, he guest-starred on one of the greatest Simpsons episodes ever, “Homer at the Bat.” Playing himself, and inspired by the real-life conflict between him and George Steinbrenner, he is repeatedly told to shave his sideburns by Mr. Burns until he ends up shaving half his head and gets kicked off the team anyway. Classic.
As you can see, despite the fact that they were very different players, you couldn’t go wrong with whoever you favored. Personally, I tend to lean toward Hernandez. I can’t really explain why. Maybe it’s because I think his off-the-field issues actually humanize him and make him more endearing. Maybe it’s because I have a history degree and he’s a history buff. Maybe I felt like my little league talents were closer to his than Donnie Baseball’s. Or maybe I’ve just always liked the Mets more than the Yankees.
It doesn’t matter. All I can tell you for sure is that if you love first basemen, there will never be another time and place quite like the 80’s in New York City.
Thanks for reading Powder Blue Nostalgia. Hope you’re digging the new style. Leave your thoughts on Hernandez and Mattingly in the comments, and let me know who your favorite 1B were, whether they played in New York or not.
Mattingly was great, but...if the 1985 season had been played in a more sabermetrically-advanced time, George Brett would have two MVP awards and Mattingly wouldn't have any. But, you know, 145 RBIs. And doing so in New York. Maybe that's why I liked Hernandez better (that and a general disdain for the Yankees in general). Then again, if you believe pitchers shouldn't win MVP awards, Mattingly could easily have been the pick instead of Roger Clemens in 1986.
Patrick, the 9 of us "Boys of Summer" had a great weekend in Ft Worth. Rangers won both games we attended. Rode electric bikes, visited John Wayne museum, very cool. Ate too much good food, beer was flowing and many laughs between us.