Strawberry, Mets Meet to Clear Air

The New York Mets held a clubhouse meeting in Miami Wednesday to clear the air in the wake of Darryl Strawberry’s published remarks criticizing Manager Davey Johnson and several teammates.

The comments were made in the April edition of Esquire magazine. Strawberry called himself the key to the Mets’ season and blamed Johnson, Gary Carter, Keith Hernandez, Wally Backman and others for the team’s failure in 1987.

“We just had a little meeting to talk things over and cleared the air,” Johnson said. “I think it was a good meeting, but what happened in the meeting will stay there. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over and done with.”

Even so, Carter, accused by Strawberry of quitting last year, defended himself.

“The only bad comment he made about me was he said I quit,” the catcher said. “I know in my own mind I never quit. I was hurting last year, and he can’t pick on a guy who is hurting like that.”

“He’s a moody guy. One time he wants one thing, another time it’s another. That’s Darryl. As far as I’m concerned, it’s history.”