Allen's emergence as a bullpen stopper in 1980 was one of the Mets' few bright spots in the first part of the decade. The clubhouse cut-up had seasons of 22, 18, and 19 saves (1980-82). After a poor start in 1983, at which point Allen confessed an alcohol problem, the Mets traded him to the Cardinals, who were unloading Keith Hernandez for suspected drug use. Hernandez became a team leader on the Mets; Allen bounced around and hit bottom in 1987, when he was 0-8 for the White Sox and the Yankees. It was his second stint with the Yankees; in 1988 he pitched an unusual shutout for them. Relieving in the first inning with none out and a runner on first base, he picked off the runner; a special scorer's decision gave him a shutout, but not a complete game. (SH)
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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»June 15, 1983: In what will turn out to be a terrible trade for St. Louis, the Cardinals trade 1B Keith Hernandez to the Mets for pitchers Neil Allen and Rick Ownbey.
»February 13, 1986: Keep the uniforms? Two months after being traded from the Yankees to the White Sox, C Ron Hassey is traded back to the Yankees along with three minor leaguers in exchange for P Neil Allen, C Scott Bradley, and minor leaguer Glen Braxton. But Hassey will again go back to the White Sox on July 30th.
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