How two early NY Mets draft picks taken from the Braves evolved into two memorable trades

The 1983 MLB Draft had the New York Mets all over the first round. They picked fourth, 20th, and 27th. The first pick was their own with the next two coming courtesy of the Atlanta Braves for signing away free agent pitcher Pete Falcone.

The fourth pick was one of the franchise’s bigger busts, Eddie Williams. He never appeared in a big league game for the Mets but did get into 395 games and was worth -1.1 WAR while hitting .252. Traded early on in his career, it’s the two picks they got for losing Falcone who were involved in far more memorable deals.

The 1983 Mets draft included two first-round picks involved in a pair of trades that built and destroyed the team

With the 27th overall pick, the Mets took pitcher Calvin Schiraldi. We’re skipping over the 20th pick with a purpose because Schiraldi was gone before the other guy.

A 7.63 ERA in parts of two seasons with the Mets and 8.89 in 1985, the Mets put Schiraldi in a package to send to the Boston Red Sox. This was the deal that brought them Bob Ojeda, the 1986 fourth-place finisher in the NL Cy Young race.

Schiraldi and a bunch of guys for Ojeda and even more become most significant in Game 6 of the World Series less than a year after the trade. It was Schiraldi on the mound prior to Bob Stanley when the ball went through Bill Buckner’s legs. Three singles allowed after retiring the first two hitters set up for one of sports’ greatest comebacks.

Schiraldi was incredible in the regular season for Boston with a 1.41 ERA. When it mattered most, he shriveled.

As if there wasn’t already enough of a connection to the 1983 draft already, the winning pitcher in this game was Rick Aguilera. He was the Mets’ third-round pick.

The 1983 draft wasn’t destined to be perfect. The 20th pick we skipped over was traded after the 1986 season. Stan Jefferson was one of several players sent to the San Diego Padres for Kevin McReynolds. The trade was most notable for the inclusion of Kevin Mitchell, a growing star and future MVP for the San Francisco Giants.

Jefferson never amounted to much, taking on a journeyman role and hitting .216 in parts of 6 seasons. Perhaps if the Mets had taken someone else the trade still happens.

The first round of the 1983 MLB Draft wasn’t spectacular. The wildest twist might’ve been who went right ahead of Jefferson, a pitcher the Mets had drafted before but failed to sign, Roger Clemens.

A notorious Mets villain and opponent in the 1986 World Series, the fact that the Red Sox picked before the Braves is what alters history most. Both teams had 89 wins in 1982, but with the Braves winning their division and the Red Sox not making the playoffs, the tie-breaker went to the Braves and instead of getting the 19th selection, the Mets picked one spot behind reclaiming Clemens.

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