Former Mets Coach: Barry Foote (1991-1992)

-
Barry Clifton Foote was born February 16th 1952 in Smithfield, North Carolina. He was ths son of minor league pitcher Amby Foote who played from 1948-1954.

At 18 years old, the highly touted catcher Barry, was the number one draft pick (third pick overall) for the Montreal Expos in 1970. By 1972 he became the Eastern League MVP, in a year when the Expos had a pretty good looking future. Expo manager Gene Mauch, believed in Foote so much he labeled him the next Johnny Bench.

In 1974 he replaced John Bocobella as the main catcher, he went on to lead all catchers in assists (83) & led the league in sac flies (12) while batting .262 with 11 HRs & 60 RBIs in 125 games, earning a Topps All Star Rookie award. The expectations were so high for Foote, that the Expos actually moved rookie star Gary Carter to the outfield.

Trivia: According to former team mate, Warren Cromarte, Carter earned his name 'Kid" when Expo pitcher Don Carrithers use to tease Foote that that young "kid" Carter, had another good day at the plate in the minor leagues & was coming up to take his job.

Eventually Foote suffered a knee injury & shared time with Carter. By 1977 Carter would take over the catching job going all the way to the Hall of Fame. Foote led all catchers in double plays in 1975 & 1976 but his hitting declined. He batted .194 in 1975 & then .234 the next year,. In June 1977 he was traded along with future Mets pitching coach; Dan Warthen to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Wayne Twitchell & Tim Blackwell.

There backed up catchers Bob Boone & Tim McCarver, getting to two straight NLCS appearances with the NL East Champs, losing to the LA Dodgers both times.

In 1979 he was traded along with Ted Sizemore & Jerry Martin to the Chicago Cubs for Greg Gross, Manny Trillo & Dave Rader.  He spent parts of three seasons with the Cubs before going to the A.L. New York team in 1981 for Tim Flier. He got to another postseason going 0-3 losing the World Series to the LA Dodgers.

In a ten year career he played in 687 games batting .230 with 489 hits 57 HRs 103 doubles & 230 RBIs. He threw out 38% of would be base stealers in 637 games behind the plate.

Foote (right) holds back Bobby Bonilla
Post Playing Career: After his playing days he coached for the AL New York team where he was the Florida State Leagues Manager of the year in 1984. He also coached for the Blue Jays winning South Atlantic League Manager of the Year in 1987. In 1990 & 1991 he was a coach at the MLB level for the Chicago White Sox.

In 1992 he moved to the New York Mets becoming their first base coach for two seasons under managers Jeff Torborg & Dallas Green. The Mets finished fifth & last in those years.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Remembering Vixen Founder / Guitarist; Jan Kuehnemund (1961-2013)

-
Image
centerfieldmaz was shocked to learn of the sudden passing of Jan Kuehnemund, the founding member of the all female metal band Vixen. Jan was a fantastic guitarist, song writer & women pioneer in Heavy Metal. I am a huge fan of hard rock all girl bands & Vixen were one my long time favorites. Janice Lynn Kuehnemund was born November 18th, 1961 in St. Paul Minnesota. The female guitarist formed one of the first all female Metal bands in Minnesota with singer Janet Gardner while in high school in 1980. By 1985 they moved the band to Los Angles California, to be part of the Heavy Metal scene. In 1987 the classic Vixen line up of Jan Kuehnemund (lead guitar) Janet Gardner (vocals/ guitar) Share Pederson (bass) & Roxy Petrucci (drums) formed & released their debut album the following year. Vixen 1988 In a world of all male Heavy Metal bands during its heyday, Vixen were groundbreaking in being an all female metal band. The Runaways, with Joan Jett & Lita Ford
Read more

Willie Mays "The Sey Hey Kid #24": The Mets Years (1972 - 1973)

-
Image
By 1972 the Giants franchise was losing money, and owner Horace Stoneham was in debt. He would not be able to pay Mays' his big salary. So, after negotiations with the Mets Willie was traded back to New York for pitcher Charlie Williams & $50,000. At first, he did not know all the details & was upset at the trade. He felt betrayed by the Giants organization after all his years of dedicated service.  He felt a bit better after Stoneman tried to explain that it was done for Mays’ best interests as well as the team’s financial situation. New York Mets owner, Mrs.  Joan Payson was a huge fan of Willie and had tried to purchase his contract years earlier, offering one million dollars, but Stoneham refused the offer.  In 1972 the Mets gave Mays a ten-year contract at $ 175,000 a year, and after retirement $50,000 a year for the rest of his life. They offered him a position as a coach upon his retirement & Mrs. Payson promised to retire his number. Willie’s return to New
Read more

Remembering Bobby Ojeda's Tragic Boating Accident (1993)

-
Image
Steve Olin, Tim Crews & Bob Ojeda March 22 nd 1993: was an off day from Spring Training, for three Cleveland Indians pitchers; Former Mets 1986 World Champion pitcher; Bobby Ojeda, Tim Crews & Steve Olin. The three friends, took out an 18-foot open-air bass boat & went out fishing & gator hunting in the darkness of the evening on Lake Nellie in Clermont, Florida. Tragedy struck, when the boat rammed into a private dock that jutted out some 250 feet into the still waters. Two other Cleveland Indians personnel had arrived to meet the fishing party just as the horror took place. They heard Bob Ojeda saying they needed help. The two men jumped into the water and called out for someone to call 911. 27 year old pitcher; Steve Olin was killed instantly. 31 year old pitcher; Tim Crews was alive but was struggling to breathe suffering from massive head wounds. Bobby Ojeda was in & out of shock, he was suffering from head lacerations but was coherent. The
Read more

The 1970's Oakland A's Ball Girls- (MLB's First)

-
Image
In the days of the early seventies the Oakland A's won three straight Championships & changed the face of baseball forever.  The team's controversial owner was known to be cheap in paying his star players & known to meddle in the teams on field affairs. He drove managers crazy & even had Dick Williams resign after winning his second straight World Series. But Finley also revolutionized baseball in many other ways. He was instrumental in getting the designated hitter in the American League & have the World Series played at night, so fans could attend after work. He gave his players fancy names like Catfish, Blue Moon & True Blue.  When his star Reggie Jackson refused to shave his beard, he encouraged the whole team to grow facial hair by paying them $200 each.  The A's team even grew their hair long, a sign of the times. But before that baseball players had not had facial or long hair since the 1800's.  He introduced bright colored yello
Read more

Fictional Mets Infielder Chico Escuela ( of SNL) Visits Mets Spring Training (1979)

-
Image
Bill Murray interviews (Garrett Morris) Chico Escuela In March 1979, original Saturday Night Live cast member; Garrett Morris joined the Mets at Miller Huggins Field for Spring Training. At the time the Mets were still holding Spring Training in St. Petersburg Florida.  Morris was filmed being interviewed by his SNL cast mate, Bill Murray as the fictional Mets player: Chico Escuela who wore uniform #5 (cinque).  Escuela was famous for his spoof of the Latin players of the time, who did not speak much English. His famous quote "baseball been berry- berry good to me" began the previous year on SNL's weekend update. Bill Murray & Ed Kranepool It was said during the mock 1979 Spring Training interview, that Chico who was a nine time All Star second baseman, had given up his job at the Weekend Update Sports desk to make a comeback with the Mets at age 41.  Chico had fictionally written a tell all baseball book; "Bad Stuff About the Mets" which tick
Read more