Darryl Strawberry

Darryl Eugene Strawberry Sr. (born March 12, 1962) is an American former professional baseball right fielder who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Throughout his career, Strawberry was one of the most feared sluggers in the sport, known for his prodigious home runs and his intimidating presence in the batter's box with his 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) frame and his long, looping swing that elicited comparisons to Ted Williams. Strawberry, who was nicknamed "the Straw Man" or "Straw", helped lead the New York Mets to a World Series championship in 1986 over the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees to two World Series championships in 1996 and 1999, both over the Atlanta Braves. Although he did not play in the 1998 World Series, Strawberry was issued a 1998 World Series championship ring because he played for the Yankees during the season. He was suspended three times by MLB for substance abuse, leaving many to believe his massive potential went unfulfilled. A popular player during his career, Strawberry was voted to the All-Star Game eight straight times from 1984 to 1991. Strawberry was formerly an analyst for SportsNet New York. His memoir, Straw: Finding My Way, written with author John Strausbaugh, was published in April 2009.