Floyd Youmans facts for kids

Floyd Everett Youmans (born May 11, 1964) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for five seasons, from 1985 to 1989. He is well-known for being part of a big trade. The New York Mets traded him to the Montreal Expos for Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter.

Floyd Youmans' Baseball Journey

Starting with the New York Mets

Floyd Youmans was born in Tampa, Florida. He was a childhood friend and high school teammate of another famous Mets pitcher, Dwight Gooden. They both went to Hillsborough High School.

The Mets picked Youmans in the second round of the 1982 Major League Baseball Draft. This was just one round after they chose Gooden. Youmans and Gooden even played on the same team, the Kingsport Mets, in 1982.

In 1983, Youmans played for the Columbia Mets. He had a great year, winning 12 games and losing only 3. After playing for two other teams in 1984, he was part of a major trade. On December 10, the Mets traded Youmans and three other players to the Montreal Expos. In return, the Mets received future Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter.

Playing for the Montreal Expos

Floyd Youmans made his first appearance in Major League Baseball in 1985. His debut game was on July 1, 1985, against the St. Louis Cardinals. That season, Youmans had a strong start, winning 4 games and losing 3. He also had the best earned run average (ERA) on his team, which was 2.45.

On June 18, 1986, Youmans faced his old friend Dwight Gooden for the first time. Youmans pitched well, allowing only one run in over five innings. He even got a walk against Gooden! They faced each other again later that year, and this time Gooden's team won.

In 1986, Youmans played his first full season as a starting pitcher. He had five games where he struck out ten or more batters. He finished third in the National League with 202 strikeouts. However, he also led the league with 118 walks. This meant he sometimes struggled with control. He ended the season with 13 wins and 12 losses.

The 1987 season was tough for Youmans because of injuries. He had to go on the disabled list three times. Even with injuries, he still started 23 games for the Expos. In July, he was outstanding, winning 4 games and losing only 1. He also pitched three shutouts (games where the other team scores no runs). Because of his great performance, he was named the National League Pitcher of the Month for July.

Time with the Philadelphia Phillies

On December 6, 1988, Youmans was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. He was traded along with Jeff Parrett for Kevin Gross. His 1989 season was also affected by injuries. He spent most of May on the disabled list.

Youmans pitched his last Major League Baseball game on June 24, 1989. He finished that season with 1 win and 5 losses. He had surgery on his shoulder on August 22. After this surgery, he never played in the major leagues again.

Comeback Attempts and Coaching

After his time in MLB, Youmans tried to make a comeback in baseball. In 1995, he pitched for independent teams like the Sullivan Mountain Lions and the Newburgh Night Hawks. The next year, he became a coach for the Catskill Cougars. He even became the team's temporary manager in 1997.

He tried another comeback in 2003 when he was 39 years old. He played five games for the Saskatoon Legends in the Canadian Baseball League. However, the league soon stopped playing. In 2008 and 2009, Youmans worked as a pitching coach for the Joliet Jackhammers.