Phil Lombardi, Former Yankees and Mets Catcher, Dies At 58

Phil Lombardi (l.) a former MLB catcher with the New York Mets and Yankees died May 20, 2021 from brain cancer surgery complications.

Phil Lombardi, a major league catcher who played parts of three MLB seasons with the New York Mets and New York Yankees from 1986-1989, died May 20, 2021 from complications due to brain cancer surgery. He was 58.

Lombardi was a third round draft pick of the Yankees in 1981. He played mostly as a September call-up during the 1986 and 1987 seasons with the Yankees. They traded him during the 1987 off-season to the New York Mets for shortstop Rafael Santana. 

Injuries plagued Lombardi throughout his career. Years of catching took a toll on his knees, with Lombardi enduring two knee surgeries by the time he was traded to the Mets. He had a third surgery in 1988 and recovered enough to play 18 games with the Mets in 1989. 

“When I was with the Mets, (catcher) Todd Hundley watched me behind the plate one day,” Lombardi said to the Los Angeles Times in 1992. “He could tell I was hurting and noticed that I had all my weight shifted onto my right leg to alleviate the pain. Then he told me his father (longtime major league catcher Randy Hundley) had the same type injury to his left knee when he had been catcher, and shifted his weight onto his right side too. 

“The result was that his father’s hips were thrown out of alignment and at the age of 50 he had to have a hip-replacement operation. Right after he told me that story, my hips started to hurt. I swear.”

The Braves invited Lombardi to spring training in 1990 with the promise of being their third catcher, but the thought of getting behind the plate for another season was too painful to bear. Instead of signing on with Atlanta, Lombardi retired. He was only one of five players to spend their entire MLB careers with the Mets and Yankees.

“I had idols like Johnny Bench and Pete Rose because I thought I could have a career like they did,” Lombardi said. “Instead, I became a so-so player, in all honesty. My career was one step forward and one step backward. A lot of things happened, but in the end, my injuries wiped me out.”

Lombardi turned to real estate, launching a successful career with Pinnacle Estate Properties in Valencia, California. As a parent of three daughters, he also turned to coaching softball. He lent his MLB expertise to hundreds of girls throughout the years, including his children.

His two eldest daughters played college softball at Long Beach State, while his youngest, Gianna, is currently playing for Cal State University-San Marcos. 

Looking back at his injury shortened baseball career, Lombardi acknowledge the pain of knowing he never reached his full potential. 

“All I’ve got left is my baseball card,” he said. “Really, I was just a common player. My card isn’t worth a nickel. And it hurts, because I know I could have been so much more.”

 

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New York Mets celebrate the 25th anniversary of World Series victory at Strawberry's Sports Grill

Strawberry’s Sports Grill in Douglaston was the site of a glorious reunion of the 1986 New York Mets World Series Championship team Friday evening. Over 25 members showed up on the silver anniversary of their title run, as part of a weekend series of events and appearances for the crew.

Fans paid upwards of $500 to mingle with the entire team at this private event and enjoy a wonderful open bar and seemingly endless buffet of food served by Strawberry’s staff. Darryl Strawberry himself was the consummate host, posing for photos and signing autographs at every turn of the corner, while catching up with teammates who came from far and wide for the reunion.

Rafael Santana (r.) toasts the Mets 1986 victory / N. Diunte

One such player was shortstop Kevin Elster, who was a baby-faced 22-year-old rookie shortstop in 1986. Coming from Huntington Beach, California, Elster relished the opportunity to see his teammates once again.

“I was just a baby,” said Elster. “I love coming back here. It’s great to be around all of the guys. You couldn’t pick a better group.”

The list of those in attendance ranged from the stars such as Strawberry and Keith Hernandez, to lesser known members like John Gibbons and Bruce Berenyi, both who played in 1986, but didn’t make the World Series roster. On this evening, these designations didn’t matter; the Mets alumni were just ecstatic to be in each other’s company.

“I always look forward to any chance I can get to see all the guys again," Berenyi said. "I don’t get to see hardly anybody anymore. I’m not involved in baseball so it’s kind of tough. Not being part of the actual series is kind of a mixed emotion thing for me, but everyone always makes me feel like I was a big part of it.”

Game Six of the 1986 World Series played on the big screen televisions at the restaurant and many, including the players, watched and cheered like it was unfolding before their eyes. One could hear a player's name beckoned any time they were at the plate or made a play in the field. Most whose names were called stopped their mingling to fixate themselves on the TV screens when they had the spotlight.

“I never watched myself playing in this actual game until right now,” said Elster as he watched his at-bat against Roger Clemens in the seventh inning. “I don’t remember the details, but I remember that I flew out.” 

Right on cue, Elster lofted a fly ball to Dave Henderson that ended the inning, to which Elster remarked, “I battled pretty good, didn’t I?”

As both the game and the party went to the later innings, everyone in attendance cheered whenever a Met got a hit or scored a run. Kevin Mitchell was seen with a wide grin when he scored on Bob Stanley’s wild pitch. The cheering grew louder with each pitch that Mookie Wilson fouled off until he bounced one to first base that slipped under the glove of Bill Buckner. As Ray Knight came around to score, Jesse Orosco high fived Rick Aguilera to congratulate him on his win.

For a small fraction of time, one had the feeling that they were in the clubhouse with the Mets as they tasted the spoils of victory. A celebratory toast was in order and everyone raised their glasses to the Mets. Once again, the Mets triumph reigned supreme in Queens.

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