Memories of Erik Goeddel

[G-Fafif]

Righty reliever signs minor league deal with Texas.

Was part of bullpen brigade that extinguished Nationals on Labor Day 2015 when Niese was knocked out and Torres got hurt. One crucial clean inning in what was as big a game as the Mets had all that magical year to that moment.

Otherwise, four partial seasons of low-level hum, as in "hmmm...there's one more guy in the pen...oh right, Goeddel."

Dealt with vertigo last year. Hope he's feeling better and that his pitching reflects it. Didn't seem like a bad guy, just not an intensely memorable Met.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Go-Go didn't pitch too badly at times and looked like a guy with the arsenal to succeed. His terrible inning vs. the Dodgers in that first home playoff game in 2015 forced Terry to use Familia and contributed IMO to Fammy's eventual meltdowns and drinking problems though.

[Edgy MD]

He was outrighted after the season, but I hadn't realized he had declared for free agency.

While 'Bucket's scenario takes a lot of supposing, it certainly is notable that he made a post-season roster as a rookie in 2015 when the Mets had a whole lot of veteran choices, but then he got bumped before the next round and got shuttled down to Vegas at the start of 2016, and didn't appear until June 12. That one dog of an inning seems to have made a lasting impression, and he almost always only got filler work after that.

Only Met in history to have a middle name of "Van Norman."

Always worth remembering: His father is the INVENTOR of synthetic human growth hormone, and two of his kids went on to play professional baseball, one a hitter, and one a pitcher.