The Fascination with Kevin Elster

[Guest Edgy DC]

]88 games.

In full sentence-terms, Elster88 is referring to the then-record 88-game errorless streak Kevin Elster accomplished as a shortstop, which gives him his name.

[MFS62]

I was.
After watching a bunch of guys play shortstop for the Mets who looked like the "before" in those body building ads, Elster was my hope that they would finally have someone who could begin to stack up offensively with the Ripkens and Trammels of the world. (And they were the exceptions at that time). Who knew that was going to be his peak?

EDIT: Hojo had played shortstop, but he really wasn't a shortstop.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

it wasn't actually his peak. He hit 24 homers in 1996 with Texas.

[Elster88]

In retrospect, did HoJo just not have the fielding prowress to play short every day? Or, since Knight left, was the logical choice just to put him at third and Elster at short, since putting Hojo at short would've left a hole at third? Would Kevin Mitchell have had the ability to play short every day, if he had stayed with the team?

What's the proper capitalization of Hojo? I usually go with capital J.

[MFS62]

Edgy, thanks for reminding me of his Texas homers, and the 88 thing as well. I was being Metrocentric.

Sorry, Elster88, I shoulda' remembered.
mea culpa

Later

[Elster88]

Edgy DC wrote: ]88 games. In full sentence-terms, Elster88 is referring to the then-record 88-game errorless streak Kevin Elster accomplished as a shortstop, which gives him his name.

Has anyone wedged their way between Elster and Ordonez?

[Guest Edgy DC]

]In retrospect, did HoJo just not have the fielding prowress to play short every day? Or, since Knight left, was the logical choice just to put him at third and Elster at short, since putting Hojo at short would've left a hole at third?

Mostly the former. Plus Elster was an excellent defender with an adequate bat.

] Would Kevin Mitchell have had the ability to play short every day, if he had stayed with the team?

Now stop that.

]What's the proper capitalization of Hojo? I usually go with capital J.

Me too.

I wanted them to break in Jefferies and Elster in 1989 (Elster ahd already "broken" in 1988, I know) by trying a three-position platoon. Backman at second against lefties, with Jefferies at third and HoJo at short, and Elster at short agaist righties (and in defensive situations), wtih HoJo at third and Jefferies at second.

[Elster88]

]Now stop that.

LOL. Seriously, was Mitchell good enough in the infield?

[Guest Edgy DC]

He was good enough to fake it.

On occasion.

With a flyball/strikeout pitcher on the mound.

For the first seven innings.

While he was young.

[MFS62]

Edgy,
I always wondered why Jeffries, who had played shortstop in the minors wasn't at least given a chance to play short when he came up to the Mets. He had been minor league player of the year twice at that position.

Elster wasn't the only shortstop who found power after leaving the Mets. Felix Mantila went on to have a 30HR, 90+ RBI year with the Bosox, followed up with a 19 or 20 HR year. Of course, hitting in Fenway is like hitting in Texas. The ushers hit 20 home runs in those parks.

Yes, Johnson was a third baseman playing short. He didn't have the range to play there adequately.

And I laughed out loud at your comment about Mitchell. Short, to the point, and very, very true.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

]He had been minor league player of the year twice at that position.

He was a minor-league player of the year as a hitter. As a shortstop, he had a prodigious error total. His play at every other postiion (not to mention Elster's play at short) should spell out why he wasn't used at shortstop.

[MFS62]

Elster88 wrote: ]Now stop that. LOL. Seriously, was Mitchell good enough in the infield?

6'5" 230 pound first baseman Pancho Hererra started and played several games at second base for the Phillies. But you had to cover the eyes of wimmins and chilluns when he did it. It was the same with Mitchell. He made Butch Huskey look like a polished infielder.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

Davey Johnson never seemed to care much about defense at short. Remember, he also played Hubie Brooks there. He wanted to get an extra bat in the lineup however he could.

The previous manager, Bamberger (not counting the Frank Howard interregnum) tilted the other way. It's why Backman was buried and Brian Giles played instead.

I can't remember now (without looking it up) whether Ron Gardenhire was one of the guys that Davey promoted or one of the ones he cast aside when he became manager. I do remember that he gave a second life to Kelvin Chapman.

[Elster88]

Elster88 wrote: ="Edgy DC"] ]88 games. In full sentence-terms, Elster88 is referring to the then-record 88-game errorless streak Kevin Elster accomplished as a shortstop, which gives him his name. Has anyone wedged their way between Elster and Ordonez?

I have no idea even where to start looking this up.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I'm not sure what that means. But if I read you correctly, Cal Ripken broke Elster's record, and Ordoñez reclaimed it for the Mets. Somebody like Vizquel took it away again, I think.

Gardenhose was buried neither by Bambi nor Davey, but by Hammie.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I know I can look it up, but for the moment I won't...

Who was Bamberger's shortstop with the Mets? Was it Gardenhire, or someone else I'm forgetting?

As I type this, Jose Oquendo pops into my head.

[Elster88]

Edgy DC wrote: I'm not sure what that means. But if I read you correctly, Cal Ripken broke Elster's record, and Ordoñez reclaimed it for the Mets. Somebody like Vizquel took it away again, I think.

Oh. I thought I had remembered Ordonez breaking Elster's mark when it was still Elster's. Musta been thinking of the NL record.

[Elster88]

Edgy, did you know that from memory? Since you aren't sure who has the record now you probably didn't find a helpful site.

[Guest Edgy DC]

During Gardy's extended absences, the Mets shortstop position was manned by.... He's a major league coach on the managerial track right now... Come on...

[Guest Edgy DC]

]Edgy, did you know that from memory? Since you aren't sure who has the record now you probably didn't find a helpful site.

Memory. And, yes, it may be flawed.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Edgy DC wrote: During Gardy's extended absences, the Mets shortstop position was manned by.... He's a major league coach on the managerial track right now... Come on...

Jose Oquendo, right? I mentioned him above.

[MFS62]

My money's on Oquendo.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yup.

Oquendo pops into my head all the time.