Mets Transform Their 'Home Run Apple' To Honor Legend Darryl Strawberry

The New York Mets retired legend Darryl Strawberry’s No. 18 this afternoon, and got really creative in how they honored the franchise legend.

Strawberry (gosh, what a great last name) got drafted by the Mets and spent the first eight years of his MLB career (1983-1990) in Queens, and had a fantastic stint with New York. Not only did he win the NL Rookie of the Year award, he made the All-Star team in all but his first year in a Mets uniform. Oh, he was also a clutch performer in the 1986 World Series.

Strawberry had his number retired by the Mets earlier this afternoon. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)

A guy with stats like that - and a name like that - deserves to have his number retired. But the Mets organization didn’t stop there in making sure they honored Strawberry.

Behind the centerfield wall of Citi Field, the Mets have what they call the "Home Run Apple," which rises up from a cavern, if you will, behind the fence.

That’s cool, but it doesn’t quite fit the vibe of the day. After all, we’re honoring a guy named Strawberry, so that’s close, but still far off.

But the Mets production team didn’t let a fruit problem keep them down, they channeled their artistic gifts and came up with this beauty.

That’s how it’s done. That in and of itself made it the best number retirement ceremony of the year.

Unfortunately, the current Mets team didn’t do their part to honor the legend’s presence. The Mets lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks, 10-5, and never led in the game.