Frank Cashen, architect of the World Series-winning 1986 Mets, died Monday at the age of 88, the Mets said.
Cashen served as general manager of the Mets from 1980 to 1991.
He was responsible for the trades that brought Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter to Shea Stadium and for selecting Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry in the first round of the draft.
“Frank was our leader. I always admired the way he put together our team,” Strawberry said in a statement. “He was able to find the perfect blend to build a championship.”
The Baltimore native previously worked as an executive for the Orioles when they won the World Series in 1966 and 1970.
According to the Mets, Cashen passed away at Memorial Hospital in Easton, Mary., after a short illness. He is survived by his wife, Jean, seven children and nine grandchildren.
“On behalf of all of us at the Mets, we extend our deepest condolences to Jean Cashen and her entire family,” owner Fred Wilpon said in a statement. “Frank Cashen revitalized our franchise when he took over in 1980 as General Manager and helped engineer us to a World Championship in 1986. I dealt with Frank on a daily basis and he was a man of integrity and great passion. No one had a more diverse career than Frank. He was also a lawyer, sports writer and marketing executive. His accomplishments will always be an integral part of our team history.”