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Friday, September 16, 2022

John Stearns, ex-Mets All-Star catcher, dead at 71

Former Mets catcher John Stearns died at the age of 71 on Thursday.

A four-time All-Star, Stearns played 10 MLB seasons, coming to the Mets in a 1975 in a six-player trade that send Tug McGraw to the Phillies.

No cause of death was immediately available, though he was battling prostate cancer.

“If the word is out that I’ve got cancer, and that people are concerned about me passing away right away, it’s incredibly amazing that they would reach out to me,” Stearns told The Denver Post in July. “And it gives me the incentive to fight even harder.”

Despite his condition, Stearns made an appearance at the Mets Old Timers’ Day in May.

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: September 16, 2022 at 11:12 AM | 49 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: john stearns, mets, obituaries

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1. Howie Menckel Posted: September 16, 2022 at 12:08 PM (#6096427)

Despite his condition, Stearns made an appearance at the Mets Old Timers’ Day in May.

EPIC FAIL

Stearns was at the Mets Old Timers' Day THREE WEEKS ago, not in May, you dumbass.

honestly, he didn't look long for this world (TFA includes a grim photo). but it was impressive to see him fight to be there.

2. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: September 16, 2022 at 12:23 PM (#6096429)

RIP

3. Howie Menckel Posted: September 16, 2022 at 12:27 PM (#6096430)

MOST GAMES AS A METS STARTING CATCHER (not a deep list)
Jerry Grote 1105
Mike Piazza 814
Todd Hundley 657
JOHN STEARNS 651
Ron Hodges 369
Travis d'Arnaud 360
Duffy Dyer 275
Paul Lo Duca 229
Chris Cannizzaro 202
Kevin Plawecki 193

(both McCann and Nido could enter the top 10 next year if the Mets stick with them)

4. Itchy Row Posted: September 16, 2022 at 12:43 PM (#6096432)

The first cards I ever bought were in a pack of 1982 Donruss that included Stearns and Steve Dillard. I don't know why those are the two I remember, but I'm still watching baseball 40 years later. The magic of 1982 Donruss must have worked.

5. SoSH U at work Posted: September 16, 2022 at 12:48 PM (#6096434)

Jerry Grote 1105
JOHN STEARNS 651
Ron Hodges 369

As lousy as the Mets were in that time frame, they had pretty solid catching from the 1970s and into the early 80s.

Stearns was one crappy cup of coffee with the Phils from being the best Mets-only player before Wright came along.

RIP.

6. Steve Balboni's Personal Trainer Posted: September 16, 2022 at 01:28 PM (#6096446)

The first year I really started getting into baseball was 1982, when I was 8. John Stearns was one of those guys that you would read or hear about as really good, when he could stay healthy. I also remember him being lumped together sometimes with John Wathan as catchers who could run (although Stearns' SB success % was pretty awful).

He didn't stay healthy for long, but for a little while, he was a heck of a player: 10-15 HRs, could steal a base, walked a lot while hitting .250-.260, as a catcher...that's a really valuable player.

Today, he would have made a good chunk of change. But in 1977, the first year he made an All Star team, he made $45K. Inflation adjusted, that's about $220K today.

RIP, John Stearns - one of the many players who played a small, but memorable, role in my development as a GenX, life-long baseball fan.

7. cHiEf iMpaCt oFfiCEr JE

Posted: September 16, 2022 at 01:41 PM (#6096451)

Stearns was the first catcher with great speed I remember watching.

Both the Mets and Phils profited from the Stearns for McGraw trade. (Sure, it was a three-for-three deal but few remember the names of the other blokes.)

8. Perry Posted: September 16, 2022 at 01:54 PM (#6096454)

Best player ever produced by the University of Colorado's now-defunct baseball program.

9. Starring Bradley Scotchman as RMc Posted: September 16, 2022 at 02:16 PM (#6096460)

Stearns' 19.6 WAR (as a Met) is still second only to Piazza's 24.6.

In fact, of the 89 Mets players that spent at least 75% of their games behind the dish, only five others (Grote, Carter, Hundley, Ron Hodges and the inimitable Chris Cannizzaro) have managed even 3 WAR in their entire Mets careers. (Read that again, slowly.) Not only that, but Piazza, Stearns and Grote have a combined 59.8 WAR as Mets, whilst the other 86 (including Gary Carter!) have only 50.4 WAR.

Wow, Just...wow.

10. Karl from NY Posted: September 16, 2022 at 03:28 PM (#6096475)

MOST GAMES AS A METS STARTING CATCHER (not a deep list)

Are you sure that's complete? Where's Gary Carter?

11. Walt Davis Posted: September 16, 2022 at 03:37 PM (#6096479)

The reactions you go through as an aging fan:

That's a shame, I remember watching him as a kid
That's only 10 years older than me, that's obviously way too young
How can he be only 10 years older than me, I remember watching him as a kid ... oh-oh, I'm old.

#9: I don't remember the exact total now but I looked at all the Cubs' SS between Banks and Castro -- a period of nearly 50 years -- and they averaged about 1 WAR a year. There were a couple of decent stints in there -- DeJesus was probably the best. As baseball players, Castro, Russell, Baez, Hoerner is easily the best string of SS seasons the Cubs have had since Ernie.

So the Mets have had 110 total WAR in a bit over 60 years ... nearly average which is what you'd expect over such a long period of time. Granted, big market, big budget team they should be above-average but I'm not sure that's far off what would be expected, either in terms of total or in terms of concentration of WAR.

12. Swoboda is freedom Posted: September 16, 2022 at 03:51 PM (#6096483)

Gary Carter had 11.4 WAR as a Met in 5 years. His first year 1985, at age 31, was his only great year for the Mets, with 6.9 WAR, followed by 3.6 with the 1986 Series winning team. He played 3 more years, but never did much after. He does have 566 games at catcher. Not sure how many of those are starts though.

13. SoSH U at work Posted: September 16, 2022 at 03:57 PM (#6096487)

He does have 566 games at catcher. Not sure how many of those are starts though.

I bet it's more than 193.

14. Cris E Posted: September 16, 2022 at 04:02 PM (#6096489)

Stearns was at the Mets Old Timers' Day THREE WEEKS ago, not in May, you dumbass.

honestly, he didn't look long for this world (TFA includes a grim photo). but it was impressive to see him fight to be there.

Stearns did look about 40 years older than 71, but Straw looked surprisingly good.

15. sanny manguillen Posted: September 16, 2022 at 04:08 PM (#6096492)

Stearns is a solid upgrade at catcher for the 2022 death team. He pushes Wockenfuss to first and Jeremy Giambi to the bench:

c - John Stearns
1b - John Wockenfuss
2b - Julio Cruz
3b - Pete Ward
ss - Dick Schofield
lf - Tommy Davis
cf - Gerald Williams
rf - David Green

sp - Joe Horlen
sp - Ralph Terry
sp - Dave Wickersham
sp - Ike Delock
sp - Odalis Perez
rp - Bob Locker
rp - Jim Corsi
rp - Mark Littell
rp- Jeff Innis

No managers to date.

16. Misirlou cut his hair and moved to Rome Posted: September 16, 2022 at 04:15 PM (#6096494)

The Angels have been around just as long as the Mets, and the best they can do is Bob Boone's 12.1. The Astros current backup catcher Jason Castro is the best they have ever had at 9.5

17. Misirlou cut his hair and moved to Rome Posted: September 16, 2022 at 04:21 PM (#6096496)

I bet it's more than 193.

550.

18. BDC

Posted: September 16, 2022 at 04:31 PM (#6096499)

The Angels have been around just as long as the Mets, and the best they can do is Bob Boone's 12.1

And that was all after Boone had 13 WAR for the Phillies, his incumbency there making Stearns tradeable to New York. Boone himself is no better than eighth on the Phillies' catcher-WAR list; they've had a fair number of strong catchers if no HOFers.

But I digress. Stearns was a good ballplayer; RIP.

19. SoSH U at work Posted: September 16, 2022 at 04:31 PM (#6096500)

The Angels have been around just as long as the Mets, and the best they can do is Bob Boone's 12.1. The Astros current backup catcher Jason Castro is the best they have ever had at 9.5

When you see a post like RMc's 9, the initial response is always, that is low. And then you look around and it winds up being average.

20. Edmundo got dem ol' Kozma blues again mama

Posted: September 16, 2022 at 04:45 PM (#6096506)

RIP to the backup C on my all birth year team. Jim Sundberg gets the starting nod. No shame there.

Stearns was one week older than me. I remember him coming up with the Phils; the trade for McGraw worked well for both teams as noted above.

21. Worm7886 Posted: September 16, 2022 at 05:26 PM (#6096513)

When you see a post like RMc's 9, the initial response is always, that is low. And then you look around and it winds up being average.

On the flip side, it slips one's mind sometimes how stacked the Yankees have been historically. Four guys over 40 WAR, plus Elston Howard at 27.7 with a big chunk of his younger career taken away from him. By a quick count, that's 54 seasons out of 120 with at least a borderline-HOFer strapping on the gear.

22. salvomania Posted: September 16, 2022 at 05:26 PM (#6096514)

When you see a post like RMc's 9, the initial response is always, that is low. And then you look around and it winds up being average.

Since 1962, the Cardinals have had three catchers with 20+ WAR with the team (McCarver, Simmons, Molina, with the latter two above 40 bWAR).

The Cardinals have used 14 different primary starting catchers in those 60 years (per bb-ref's annual team lineups).

The Mets have used 27.

Out of those 61 seasons, the Cardinals got a combined 34 from Molina, Simmons, and McCarver. And they got another 14 from Matheny, Pagnozzi, and Porter. Then a random assortment of 8 catchers (Pena, Torre, Zeile, et al) covered the remaining 13 seasons.

23. Itchy Row Posted: September 16, 2022 at 06:11 PM (#6096521)

The Astros current backup catcher Jason Castro is the best they have ever had at 9.5

He doesn't qualify for the 75% rule for his career, but Biggio had 10.3 WAR in the three and a half years he was a catcher.

24. Misirlou cut his hair and moved to Rome Posted: September 16, 2022 at 06:46 PM (#6096524)

He doesn't qualify for the 75% rule for his career, but Biggio had 10.3 WAR in the three and a half years he was a catcher.

Aw crap. I so wanted to make a joke that the Astros best catcher was their HOF second baseman, but I somehow missed that his 4.4 WAR 1991 was at C. I thought he had just 5.9.

When you see a post like RMc's 9, the initial response is always, that is low. And then you look around and it winds up being average.

You will note that I neglected to mention the 4th of the original expansion teams. They are well above average, with a 50 and a 35, filling the position in 22 of the franchise's 62 seasons.

25. Howie Menckel Posted: September 16, 2022 at 07:40 PM (#6096526)

incredible omission of Carter, which is embarrassing. those responsible will be sacked:

MOST GAMES AS A METS STARTING CATCHER
Jerry Grote 1105
Mike Piazza 814
Todd Hundley 657
JOHN STEARNS 651
Gary Carter 550
Ron Hodges 369
Travis d'Arnaud 360
Duffy Dyer 275
Paul Lo Duca 229
Chris Cannizzaro 202

hoping that's the only omission

26. Edmundo got dem ol' Kozma blues again mama

Posted: September 16, 2022 at 08:03 PM (#6096530)

I was hoping to catch you with Choo Choo Coleman, but alas only 108 starts.

27. Howie Menckel Posted: September 16, 2022 at 08:32 PM (#6096536)

I have Choo Choo T-24th, but clearly this is subject to error - 11 to 25:

THOMAS NIDO (116) 193 (counting tonight)
Kevin Plawecki 193
Charlie O'Brien 189
Mackey Sasser 183
Vance Wilson 167

Wilson Ramos 151
JAMES MCCANN (97) 144
Brian Schneider 140
Barry Lyons 129
Jesse Gonder 125

Todd Pratt 122
Sammy Taylor 112
Rene Rivera 109
Choo-Choo Coleman 108
Mike Fitzgerald 108

28. Walt Davis Posted: September 16, 2022 at 08:40 PM (#6096537)

Well, no surprise really, but Cub Cs haven't covered themselves in glory either. I mean we got the Hartnett guy but post-war and a number of non-embarrassing guys but Contreras is the closest you can come to a star.

Jody 911 starts, 17 WAR
Hundley 875, 12
Contreras 566, 21 WAR (probably about 18-19 WAR at C)
Wilkins, Girardi, Servais, Barrett all had their moments

Since we're down this road, I wonder what the best/worst teams (of say the expansion era) are at each position. It would mostly just be luck of course -- Schmidt alone nearly makes the Phils average at 3B in the expansion era ... and no, Rick Schu and Maikel Franco didn't give it all back. Sandberg and 45 years of 1-WAR 2B (and I'm not sure it's been better than that) will get you near average. It would be interesting to see if their are teams that have done much better than average without a 50-WAR guy.

29. BDC

Posted: September 16, 2022 at 08:51 PM (#6096539)

Johnny Kling was very good, but he barely lived into the postwar era (d. 1947), and nobody alive today saw him play.

That's a lugubrious thought, but since it's an obituary thread … one might arbitrarily set 90 years as the threshold for "somebody alive saw him play [and has some distinct memory of it]." That means that Babe Ruth (as an active player) is barely still a living memory for a few geezers. Gabby Hartnett's memory will last a few years longer than Ruth's. Some nonagenarian still out there was in the stands for the Homer in the Gloamin'.

30. Ron J Posted: September 16, 2022 at 08:56 PM (#6096540)

The Tigers fielded a lot of teams with notably bad 3B. But they did have two really good years from Cabrera. But they did give a lot of time to guys like Don Wert (996 GS) and Tom Brookens (672 GS -- fewer than I thought).

I'm pretty sure those two years but Cabrera at the top of the post war Tigers 3B by WAR.

31. Edmundo got dem ol' Kozma blues again mama

Posted: September 16, 2022 at 08:59 PM (#6096541)

Schmidt alone nearly makes the Phils average at 3B in the expansion era ... and no, Rick Schu and Maikel Franco didn't give it all back.

5+ years of Scott Rolen should help with the 3B situation. But lots of uninspiring 3B for sure.

32. Misirlou cut his hair and moved to Rome Posted: September 16, 2022 at 09:46 PM (#6096548)

Since we're down this road, I wonder what the best/worst teams (of say the expansion era) are at each position. It would mostly just be luck of course -- Schmidt alone nearly makes the Phils average at 3B in the expansion era ... and no, Rick Schu and Maikel Franco didn't give it all back. Sandberg and 45 years of 1-WAR 2B (and I'm not sure it's been better than that) will get you near average. It would be interesting to see if their are teams that have done much better than average without a 50-WAR guy.

The Cubs probably do pretty well at 1B.

13 from Banks
9 from Buckner
12 or so from Durham
44 from Grace
22 from Lee
37 from Rizzo.

33. Misirlou cut his hair and moved to Rome Posted: September 16, 2022 at 09:47 PM (#6096549)

In fact, I submit that might be the best without a 50 WAR guy.

34. SoSH U at work Posted: September 16, 2022 at 09:48 PM (#6096550)

I'm pretty sure those two years but Cabrera at the top of the post war Tigers 3B by WAR.

Inge has him beat, I think.

35. SoSH U at work Posted: September 16, 2022 at 09:59 PM (#6096553)

Red Sox in left
Yaz - 71ish
Rice 37
Greenwell 25
Manny 33
Bey 7
Benintendi 10

36. Misirlou cut his hair and moved to Rome Posted: September 16, 2022 at 10:06 PM (#6096558)

Those Cub first basemen cover the vast majority of the expansion era. But even the gaps are filled in by cromulent or better temps. Carlos Pena, 1 year, 2.6 WAR. Fred McGriff, 1 year+, 3.3 WAR. Andre Thornton, 2 years, 5.2 WAR. Between Banks and Thornton was a collaboration of Jim Hickman and Joe Pepitone. About 5 WAR from Hickman and 1.5 from Pepitone from 1970-73. Matt Stairs gave them 1.5 in 2001. The only years since 1962 they had ciphers, aside from poor years from the guys already mentioned, was 1976, 2003, 2006, and 2022.

37. baxter Posted: September 16, 2022 at 11:02 PM (#6096573)

Until Cey (the vocalist) took over, Dodgers never had a decent 3b (Billy Cox always mentioned by Scully as the only one). Turner's been very good for them. Of course, they let one of the best slip away in Beltre

38. sanny manguillen Posted: September 17, 2022 at 12:52 AM (#6096596)

Small diversion: Cey talk led me to look up Junior Gilliam. I noticed that in 1962, BB-Ref has him with 111 appearances at 3rd base, 93 at second, and one each in left and right, for a total of 206 "appearances." Is that a crazy big number? Doesn't seem like Tony Phillips came very close to 206, but Ben Zobrist peaked in the 190s.

39. Walt Davis Posted: September 17, 2022 at 01:12 AM (#6096600)

By the way, is there an easy way to do this?

Anyway, White Sox do well at 1B too (not gonna try to sep out DH)

Thomas 68 (2 MVP)
Abreu 32 (1 MVP)
Konerko 29
Allen 15 (1 MVP)
G Walker 6 (less than I recalled)

The 60s weren't too bad, otherwise the gap years are pretty horrific though.

I assume the Astros with birthday twin Bagwell do pretty well here too.

40. Walt Davis Posted: September 17, 2022 at 01:23 AM (#6096601)

Of course like a lot of spots, Pujols probably guarantees the Cards will beat those totals. Giants also good:

McCovey 59 (1 MVP)
W Clark 36
Belt 28
Cepeda 13

Who knows what to do with Cepeda and McCovey. From 60-61, they pretty much split 1B and Cepeda spent half a season in the OF; for 62-64, McCovey was mostly in the LF and Cepeda was full-time at 1B.

41. Walt Davis Posted: September 17, 2022 at 01:33 AM (#6096602)

The Yanks at 3B are interesting

ARod 52
Nettles 44
Boyer 20
Boggs 16
Brosius 8
Kenney 7
Urshela 6
Ventura 5
Headley 5
Pags 4

Doubly interesting in that I think only Pags and Jerry Kenney (never heard of him) came out of the Yanks system.

42. Fred Lynn Nolan Ryan Sweeney Agonistes Posted: September 17, 2022 at 02:15 AM (#6096603)

A's mostly #blessed at 3b - starting 1969 season:

47.3 Bando
35.3 Chavez
27.3 Lansford
23.3 Chapman
14.2 Donaldson
9.7 Gross
5.8 Brosius
2.4 Hannahan
2.4 Healy
2.3 Kouzmanoff
1.7 Lawrie
1.4 Sizemore
1.1 Inge
1.1 Kennedy
0.4 Riles
-0.4 Paquette
-0.3 Blowers
-0.3 Machin
TOTAL 174.7

43. Ron J Posted: September 17, 2022 at 08:13 AM (#6096605)

#34 Well Such different players. Inge is I guess what the 60s Tigers were hoping for from Don Wert. Plus D and a 90 OPS+ (in his time at third. He really didn't hit starting out a C). And of course a great deal more time at third than Cabrera.

44. bookbook Posted: September 18, 2022 at 11:02 AM (#6096751)

The Mariners at CF have had Griffey (almost all of his good years), plus 4 strong years from Mike Cameron, (most of Ichiro’s career as the centerfielder standing in Right), and potentially some good news to come.

Thayer made up for it with the most godawful collection of LF and 1b (Randy Winn and Olerud excepted), but CF has been good.

45. vortex of dissipation Posted: September 18, 2022 at 03:59 PM (#6096782)

They made up for it with the most godawful collection of LF

It was a running joke during the Griffey years that the Mariners had a different opening day left fielder every year, and it was almost true. Only Darren Bragg in 1995/1996 was an opening day left fielder for consecutive years in the 1990s - no one made 100 starts there in a season during the 10 seasons between Mickey Brantley in 1988 and Brian L. Hunter in 1999.

46. Edmundo got dem ol' Kozma blues again mama

Posted: September 18, 2022 at 04:23 PM (#6096789)

The Phillies have had a good run of cromulent to very good catching since expansion, even back to post WWII. Dalrymple, Boone, Diaz, Virgil, Daulton, Lieberthal, Ruiz, Realmuto.
Even some of the in between years weren’t too awful: Alfaro, Santiago, post peak McCarver.

47. Sweatpants Posted: September 18, 2022 at 09:29 PM (#6096841)

Adding up the WAR from each season's primary 3B from 1961-now, I have the Braves with just over 200 WAR from their third basemen.

If the starting point were integration instead of expansion, they'd fare even better, as they'd get to add Mathews' peak and a few excellent seasons from Bob Elliott.

48. Edmundo got dem ol' Kozma blues again mama

Posted: September 19, 2022 at 04:44 AM (#6096852)

While fooling around on bRef since I can’t sleep:

Meh 1960s 3B Charley Smith (4.9 WAR in almost 2700 PAs) was traded for Roy Sievers, Ken Boyer and Roger Maris during his career. Each had a little left in the tank too. I guess a solid fielding 3B who might get you double digit HRs was worth a flyer to get a year or two of a proven veteran.

49. Walt Davis Posted: September 19, 2022 at 10:16 PM (#6097002)

A late entry ... they've had a terrible run over the last 15 years or so (and started out slow obviously) but the Rangers at 1B have had Tex (22 WAR), Palmeiro (45), Will Clark (15), Pete O'Brien (18), Mike Hargrove (17) and a couple of good seasons from Mike Epstein (6 in WSA). They do solidly at 3B too with McMullen, Harrah, Bell, Buechele, Palmer, Blalock, Beltre ... they should stick with the B's. Outside of 10 years of Sundberg and 12 of Pudge, it's hit and mostly miss at C but those two get you off to a very nice start. Even 2B, SS, LF and RF are better than I'd have thought given the general lack of success. Meanwhile, greatest CF in franchise history might be a contest between GMjr (10 WAR in 2.5 seasons) and Oddibe McDowell (9 WAR in about 3.5 full).

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John Stearns, ex-Mets All-Star catcher, dead at 71

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