Believing that it was unnecessary to protect a high-salaried, 39-year-old pitcher, the Mets left Tom Seaver unprotected.
In a move that stunned the Mets, on January 20 Seaver was claimed in a free-agent compensation draft by the Chicago White Sox.
Davey Johnson's team did, however, come back to win the next six in a row, including Dwight Gooden's Major League Baseball debut on April 7.
[5] Off-season acquisition Sid Fernandez made his debut with the Mets on July 16, going seven innings against the Houston Astros at the Astrodome, and earning the victory.
Infielders Coaches Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg.