Your Random Mid 80's to Early 90's Baseball Player of the Day is Tim Teufel. "The Tuff" to those who knew him best was the most lovable New York Met during the late 80's and early 90's. Whether The Tuff was running out ground outs, turning two or signing an autograph for a young boy who's puppy just died, The Tuff always gave it 110%. Sometimes, if you played your cards just right, you might have just caught him doing the "Teufel Shuffle" before his at bat: pointing his derrire out, gyrating side to side, taking some practice swings as the ladies swooned.
Devoted "Teuffites" will agrue that The Tuff never soared higher than he did during the 1986 and 1987 seasons. The Tuff was an integral part of the 1986 World Series Champion Mets. The Tuff served as the glue that bound the Mets during those years when players would often find themselves torn between doing lines of blow with Darryl Strawberry and Doc Gooden off Mr. Met, discussing the recent edition of Reader's Digest in Gary Carter's book club, or applying grecian formula to Keith Hernandez's mustache. In 1987, The Tuff caught fire finishing the season with a .308 average, 14 home runs and 61 RBI's putting an exclamation point on a stellar career.
Though he toiled in the minors post-retirement as a manager, he never could return to the glory of his playing days.
As the cloud darkened over so many lives as the American Economic Collapse of the 2000's hit, The Tuff would face his darkest days. While The Tuff often took the baseball for a ride during his halycon playing days, in 2009 it would be Bernie Madoff turning the tables and taking The Tuff for a ride. The Tuff and his wife, The Tuffette, appeared on "The Madoff List" six times. You should have been smarter with your money.
Alas, don't weep for The Tuff too long. The Mets have done right. In honor of his lasting contributions to New York Mets lore, the team has erected an 18 Foot Tall Bronze Statute immortalizing The Tuff for years to come.
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