Howard Johnson (baseball) - 1987: Breakout Season

1987: Breakout Season

Ray Knight was allowed to become a free agent after the 1986 World Series. Johnson, given sole ownership of the third base position, began a three-month power surge in mid-May. In ten games, he hit five home runs, including a pair of three-run shots, with thirteen RBI. In an eleven-game span a month later, he hit another six home runs with ten more RBI. In seven games around the All-Star break, he hit another six home runs and seven RBI raising his slugging average over .520. With his 22nd home run in mid-July, the previously light-hitting Johnson took over the team home run lead from Darryl Strawberry, all the while hitting from the seventh spot in the batting order. He ended July with six RBI in seven games along with a four-hit game and then started August with a grand slam. In a thirteen-game span in late July and early August, he had at least one RBI in all but one game and amassed an amazing seventeen RBI overall. Three games in mid-August brought another three home runs and seven RBI but the power tear was about over for his breakout season.

Johnson's power surge was complemented by a surge in speed. While he had 31 stolen bases in five previous seasons, on September 11, 1987, Johnson stole his 30th base to join the 30-30 club for the first time. He and Strawberry became the only teammates to achieve 30–30 status in the same season. Another grand slam in September brought Johnson's home run total to 36, just four shy of his entire career before 1987. Unfortunately for the Mets, as Johnson's power faded, so did their run at the postseason and the defending World Champions missed the playoffs. The entire league took notice of Johnson's unexpected rise in 1987 and he received 42 points in the voting for National League MVP. His home run and RBI totals were second only to Strawberry on the team and his home runs were seventh-best in the entire majors. His right-handed hitting was substantially better than his left-handed hitting with numbers better in almost every category including a batting average 36 points higher and slugging 74 points higher. His 36 home runs overall were the most in National League history by a switch-hitter, breaking Ripper Collins' 53-year-old record.

In 1988, Johnson did not nearly live up to his stellar 1987 season, but still showed decent home run power. He reverted back to hitting much better from the left side with a .183 average and .338 slugging from the right side. A mid-season injury to his right shoulder contributed to his poor offense. One bright spot was September 8, 1988 when he had the only five-hit game of his career, going 5-for-5 with a three-run home run and four RBI in a Wrigley Field victory. While Johnson was struggling to stay above .230, the Mets tried out 21-year-old third base prospect, Gregg Jefferies, who blazed through September. After thirteen games, Jefferies, who was also a switch hitter, had a batting average of .462 and a fantastic slugging percentage of .962 with five home runs, a four-hit game and four three-hit games. Despite Johnson's mediocre season, the Mets easily coasted to a division win but Johnson went 1-for-18 with six strikeouts in the 1988 NLCS. With the heavily-favored Mets down 3–2 in the series, he was benched for Games 6 and 7 in favor of Jefferies. Johnson pinch-hit in Game 7 and struck out for the final out of the Mets disappointing season.