Hubie Brooks

Originally a third baseman, and the third player that was chosen in the June 1978 draft, Hubie Brooks was an early key to the rebuilt fortunes of the Mets. Though he gave the club its first real stability at third base, Brooks was shifted to shortstop in 1984 to make room for Ray Knight and was then traded with Floyd Youmans, Mike Fitzgerald and Herm Winningham to the Expos for Gary Carter after the season. An outstanding clutch hitter, in 1985 Brooks became the first NL shortstop since Ernie Banks (1960) to drive in 100 runs. Off to his greatest season in 1986, when he hit .340, Hubie was sidelined by a series of injuries, the most severe being torn ligaments and bone chips in his left thumb. His 1987 season was shortened by a broken wrist, suffered when he was hit by a Danny Darwin pitch. Brooks earned Silver Slugger Awards in 1985 and 1986.

Never a good fielder even at third base (he led NL third basemen in errors in 1981), Brooks’s extreme lack of range at shortstop led the Expos to move him to right field in 1988. The move may have helped his durability, but even in the outfield, his defense proved barely adequate.