Big, Stupid Quiz

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

Two more good bonus ones

-My final appearance as a Met was my final MLB AB period. The manager sent me up as a pinch hitter and I was granted my unconditional release the next day

-I finished up the year as the Mets 2Bman going 2 for 4 before being pinch hit for. I get released the next spring and wrapped up my career with another team but the journey had only begun

[Guest Edgy DC]

Hijack happenin'.

[Valadius]

Come on, everybody. I don't like doing this by myself.

27 - Willie Randolph, 1992.

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

Okay, I cheated on #11, good thing you didn't put a hint there. Carlos Diaz and Bob Bailor, traded for Sid Fernandez

[HahnSolo]

12 - Mike Hampton, 2000

[Guest sharpie]

37 - Carl Everett

[Valadius]

To make things easier, here's a list of everything that's been proven right (plus what I guessed and know are 100% right)

Edit: updated.

1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44

1962
1963
1964
1965
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2002
2003
2004
2005

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

correct since the last update:

12. Hampton 2000
21. Pignatano 1962
27. Randolph 1992
28. Knight 1986
30. Thomas 1964
37. Everett 1997
39. Backman 1988

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Remaining questions:

2. In my last game with the Mets I pitched more innings (15) than I had in all my other Met appearances combined (10 over 4 games). You read that right: I started and went 15 fucken innings, gave up no runs and 5 hits. And I didn’t even win!

5. My Met career -- and as it turned out, my MLB career -- ended on a collision.

10. I pitched the last inning of the season. We won the game with a 9th inning rally, but I didn’t get the win, nor the save.

14. I had only completed my first full year as a big leaguer when I played my last Met game -- 8 innings, 2 earned runs and a win. Folks remember me best for who I’d be traded for.

16. They called me a a disappointment when they traded me to the other league in June. But the guy got for me was even worse.

18. I singled in three at-bats, finishing my third year with the Mets and the third straight year of declines in home runs, doubles and batting aaverage. Before I got any worse they traded me.

19. We appeared in the same final Met game. One of us was the starter, the other relieved. Second-guessers said afterward it should have been the other way around.

22. I struck out as a pinch-hitter in my final appearance as a Met. Because of another trade that happened that day fans barely noticed when I was traded.

23. I appeared in relief and went a third of inning, giving up 2 hits and a run. I didn’t know at the time I’d be claimed in the upcoming expansion draft.

31. My last game as a Met was also the last game of a brief but memorable MLB career. I went 0-for-2 with a walk and run scored but was pinch hit for and replaced at first base by Kranepool.


32. My last Met game was a good one: I pitched 5 innings of 2-hit, scoreless relief and got the win in a 12-inning game at Montreal. My 6-year Met career would end by a trade after the season.

34. In my final appearance as a Met, I ended the game -- and season -- on a pinch-hit groundout. They gave me a big hand anyway.


35. I doubled & scored twice to cap a great season during which I led the team in almost every statistical category. Then they traded me!

38. I started in right field, and went 2-for-4 with a double. I didn’t think this would be my last Met game -- they waited until the following spring training to trade me!

41. My last appearance as a Met was flying out to right as a pinch-hitter: Not a bad decision if you ask me.

43. I pitched 8 scoreless innings in my final Met appearance, then was traded to a playoff contender, for whom I disappointed.

Years we need accounting for:
1965
1966
1967
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1977
1985
1987
1989
1993
1995
1996
1998
2001

[Guest Edgy DC]

14) Charlie Puleo.

[Valadius]

14 - Robert Person, 1996

(Traded for Olerud)

[Guest sharpie]

19) Armando Reynoso and Hideo Nomo -98

[Valadius]

38 - Ron Swoboda, 1970.

[HahnSolo]

35 - Tommy Davis, 1967

[Lundy]

]22. I struck out as a pinch-hitter in my final appearance as a Met. Because of another trade that happened that day fans barely noticed when I was traded.

From the clue it sounds like the year is 1977--Dave Kingman?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'll reguess 22. I think I had it, but just put down the wrong name.

Is it Mike Phillips, 1977? I had guessed Joel Youngblood, but he was the guy they received in that trade, not the guy they gave up.

[Guest Edgy DC]

People knew that Kingman was traded.

It may not have been the bitter pill that Seaver was, but he was the team's top offensive threat, and his dealing helped cement in the public mindset the idea that the Seaver deal wa a product of Grant's malice, and not a hands-are-tied situation.

[HahnSolo]

41 - Rusty Staub, 1985

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Puleo, Kingman and Phillips -- all wrong.

Person (96), Reynoso/Nomo (98), Swoboda (70), Davis (67) -- all correct

edit -- Staub (85) also correct

[Valadius]

JD - are you sure you got your facts right on #2?

It would be:

2 - Rob Gardner, 1965

were it not for the fact that Gardner pitched another year as a Met.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Congrats to Valadius for spotting the hidden "bonus screwup."

He wins a can of Rhinegold.

Proceed.

[HahnSolo]

43. Bret Saberhagen, 1995.

[Valadius]

Wait... John Stearns and Rusty Staub can't both represent 1985...

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

That's cuz stearns was 84

[Valadius]

You listed him as '85 earlier in the thread, though. Confused me.

[Lundy]

]34. In my final appearance as a Met, I ended the game -- and season -- on a pinch-hit groundout. They gave me a big hand anyway.

Lenny Harris, 2001?

[Valadius]

32 - Danny Frisella, 1972.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Valadius, man, get back to your schoolwork.

Trust me on this one.

[Zvon]

5) George Theodore ?

[Valadius]

But it's fun...