SAN FRANCISCO — Darryl Strawberry has never met Josh Hamilton, but he was impressed with the Rangers’ center fielder long before he was named the ALCS MVP and a big reason the Yankees were dominated.
“What I like about him is that he didn’t quit,” Strawberry told The Post. “He could have quit. The questions were could he have a decent career or was he going to kill himself? The same questions were asked about me.”
Strawberry battled alcohol and drugs during his career and believes the pressure increases when a recovering addict plays on a stage the size of the World Series.
“There is a lot of pressure and it’s hard to stay focused on everything and stay away from people you should stay away from,” Strawberry said.
In 1999, Chad Curtis organized an alcohol-free celebration after the Yankees beat the Rangers in the playoffs in honor of Strawberry’s recovery. The Rangers have doused each other in two celebrations by pouring ginger ale over each other.
“That shows respect for a teammate,” Strawberry said. “The temptations get real when you are soaked in alcohol.”
Strawberry made several stabs at sobriety and knows what Hamilton is going through.
“I can relate to his struggles because you have to go back in your life and deal with issues you didn’t deal with before,” Strawberry said. “I don’t know what his lifestyle was, but there was obviously some issues he had to deal with.”