Remembering the 1984 San Diego Padres
Credit: AP Photo
KEVIN McREYNOLDS- CENTER FIELD
Kevin McReynolds was the San Diego Padres No. 1 pick (6th overall) in the 1981 MLB Draft. It only took two years for McReynolds to make his pro debut, and he did that for the Padres in 1983.
That season, as a rookie, McReynolds got into 39 games and recorded 140 plate appearances. He hit .221 but displayed power with four home runs and 14 runs batted in. He played all three outfield spots and, at the age of 23, seemed to have endless potential.
The 1984 season was Kevin McReynolds’ coming out party. He had a great year and finished 17th in MVP voting that year. McReynolds hit .278 with 20 home runs and 75 runs batted in. He also ended second in fielding in center field with a .991% fielding average.
More interesting was his WAR rate that year.
He totaled a WAR of 5.4, easily the highest WAR that McReynolds amassed as a professional. He was the total package, a power-hitting outfielder with great defensive prowess.
In April of 1984, as the Padres started hot, McReynolds carried the team, hitting .325 with five home runs and 17 RBIs. He put the team on his back at a young age and helped the team start on the right foot. Unfortunately for the Padres, McReynolds broke his wrist in the National League Championship Series and missed the entire 1984 World Series. The loss was huge for the Padres, as Bobby Brown could not provide the offensive punch McReynolds provided.
The 1985 and 1986 seasons and the disasters that they were angered McReynolds, and he wanted to be traded. The Padres team seemed to be going in the wrong direction, and their slugger from Arkansas was getting disgruntled.
On December 12, 1986, an eight-player trade with the New York Mets was the end of his tenure as a Padre. McReynolds was dealt to the Mets with Adam Ging and Gene Walter for Kevin Armstrong, Kevin Brown, Shawn Abner, Stan Jefferson, and Kevin Mitchell. I was heartbroken as a 10-year-old Padres fan, something I would, unfortunately, get used to.
Kevin McReynolds is an avid duck hunter and fisherman. He still resides in Arkansas and built the Kevin McReynolds Sports Complex near a local high school.
He is giving back to the community, which cultivated his talent. McReynolds can sometimes be seen at Padres throwback events signing autographs for the fans. He was and still is a fan favorite.
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James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.