Taken by the San Diego Padres as the sixth player overall in the June 1981 draft, McReynolds quickly popped onto the radar of the big league screen after being named Player of the Year in his minor leagues in both 1982 and '83. He followed a brief call-up to the bigs at the end of 1983 by becoming the Pods' regular centerfielder in their 1984 NL pennant season. He led National League outfielders in putouts that year, and tied for the team lead with 20 dingers while batting .278 with 75 RBIs. His three-run homer powered the Padres to their Game Three 6-2 comeback victory against the Cubs in the League Championship Series after he had scored the go-ahead run earlier in the game.
McReynolds dropped off to .234 with 15 homers in 1985 (though he once again led NL outfielders in putouts) and, never outwardly demonstrative, was accused of a lack of drive. Spurred on by such comments, he roared back in 1986 with 26 homers and 96 ribbies while batting .288. In December 1986, McReynolds was part of a seven-player deal that brought heavyweight Kevin Mitchell to the Padres, and sent him to the World Champion New York Mets.
The following seasons in New York were bittersweet. While he hit .276 with 26 bombs and 95 RBIs in the middle of the Mets' powerful offense, he was jeered for hitting only .213 with runners in scoring position. And though he improved that mark by more than 100 points in the Mets' 1988 division title season while driving home 99 runs, he was still prone to long slumps.
However, the Mets were pleased with his fine defense in left field -- he led NL outfielders in assists in 1988, a relative rarity for leftfielders. He also showed a new talent in that pennant-winning campaign, setting a major league record for most steals in a season (21) without being caught. In 1989 McReynolds extended that stolen base streak to 33 (dating back to 1987), and was closing in on Davey Lopes' major league record of 38 before he was finally caught. Future teammate Vince Coleman shattered Lopes' record later the same season.
During the Mets' offseason drive for more pitching in December 1991, McReynolds was shipped to the Kansas City Royals with Gregg Jefferies for former Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen. Platooning with Chris Gwynn in the outfield and hampered by shoulder injuries for the next two seasons, he saw his power and average totals drop slightly each year.
McReynolds returned to the Mets in January 1994 when KC traded him for the speedy but declining and troublesome Vince Coleman. He shared time in centerfield with John Cangelosi, but spent most of the season on the disabled list with neck, hamstring, and knee injuries. When the season ended prematurely, McReynolds decided to retire. (AG/SH)
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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»June 8, 1981: The Seattle Mariners take Oral Roberts University righthander Mike Moore with the first pick overall in the annual amateur draft. The Cubs take Wichita State's Joe Carter with the 2nd pick while the Angels take Dick Schofield, son of a former major leaguer, with the 3rd pick. The Mets take Terry Blocker with the 4th and Toronto takes Matt Williams with the #5. San Diego selects Kevin McReynolds with #6 and use their 3rd round pick to take San Diego State outfielder Tony Gwynn. Later in the day the San Diego Clippers will select Gwynn in the 10th round of the NBA draft. The Yankees use their first round pick to take Stanford QB John Elway while the Ranger pick Yale's Ron Darling with #9. Darling is the 4th Ivy Leaguer to be picked in the 1st round. The Braves fare worst in the draft as their #1 pick Jay Roberts will never hit above .208 in the minors, and no other picks make it to the bigs.
»April 12, 1987: Atlanta's Dion James gets a double the hard way when he knocks a fly ball to Mets CF Kevin McReynolds. On its way down the ball hits and kills a pigeon. Atlanta wins the game as well.
»April 4, 1988:
The Mets set an Opening Day record with six home runs in a 10–6 win over the Expos. Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds each connect twice for New York, with Strawberry's 2nd blast believed to be the longest ever hit at Olympic Stadium (estimated at 525 feet).
»November 15, 1988: Dodgers OF Kirk Gibson wins the National League MVP Award, edging Mets Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds. Gibson hit .290 with 25 home runs and just 76 RBI.
»August 1, 1989: Behind the pitching of Sid Fernandez, the Mets blank the Cardinals, 11–0. Kevin McReynolds paces the offense by hitting for the cycle.
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