Doug Sisk saw cheers turn to boos, made 9 majors seasons
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Opening Day 1983 came with promise for the Mets as Tom Seaver returned to the club.
While Seaver pitched well in his start, praise went to young Mets reliever Doug Sisk as he went three scoreless innings to finish out the game and get his first major league win, UPI wrote.
"They came to cheer an old hero at Shea Stadium Tuesday and stayed to sing the praises of a new one," the UPI account began.
But, while Sisk got the praise that day, his time in New York would be marked by the opposite. He ultimately saw six seasons with the club, including their title year of 1986. But his time would be marked by poor outings that caught the ire of unrelenting New York fans and unrelenting boos as a result.
Sisk's pro career began in 1980, signed by the Mets as an undrafted free agent out of Washington State University.
Sisk started with the Mets at rookie Kingsport. He made AA Jackson in 1981, then New York in September 1982.
Sisk saw eight relief outings with the Mets that September, posting a 1.04 ERA and saving one. He then saw a full 67 outings in 1983, going 5-4, with 11 saves and a 2.24 ERA.
Sisk later traced the boos to an outing against the Cubs in late July 1984, the Mets with a 3.5 game division lead. He came in with the score tied. By the time inning was over, the Cubs had scored eight times. The Cubs also went on to win the division.
Sisk's arm went bad, though he tried to pitch through. He later had elbow surgery.
"I tried everything to pitch and help. It's not like I rolled over and died," Sisk told Newsday years later. "I had an excuse but I didn't want to use it."
Sisk went 1-3 overall in 1984, with a 2.09 ERA in 31 outings. He returned to go 4-5, with a 5.30 ERA in 42 outings in 1985.
After a rough few outings early in 1985 and a brief trip to AAA, Sisk returned and the boos were expected to return as he worked on his motion.
"I want to get it over with, how's that?" Sisk told Newsday of getting back on the mound for the Mets. "They (the fans) are waiting for me. I am gonna get it from them. Some guys told me to wear ear plugs."
Sisk went 4-2, with a 3.06 ERA in 41 outings in the Mets' championship year of 1986. He pitched an inning in Game 4 of the NLCS against Houston and two outs in World Series Game 2 against he Red Sox, both without giving up a run.
He then saw 55 outings and a 3-1 record, with a 3.46 ERA with the Mets in 1987. He moved to the Orioles for 1988 and saw 52 outings.
He missed 1989 before returning for eight outings with the Mets at AAA Tidewater, eight more with the Indians at AAA Colorado Springs before seeing three games with the Braves in Atlanta. He saw 14 final games with the Braves in 1991 to end his big league career.
- UPI, April 5, 1983: They came to cheer an old hero
- Staten Island Advance, Newsday, May 22, 1985: Weather was perfect for Sisk
- Newsday, Feb. 26, 1995: A Real Nasty Pitch
Made the Majors:1,480-31.8%-X
Never Made Majors:3,173-68.2%