One-start wonders

[Benjamin Grimm]

In the Met Count thread, Steve pointed out that Vargas is the 225th starting pitcher in Mets history.

Of the 225, there are 29 (including Vargas) who made one and only one start.

This happened ten times in the 1960's, only twice in the 1970's, three times in the 1980's, six times in the 1990's (including three in 1992 alone) and eight times so far in this unnamed decade.

I've generated a list of the names of the 29 pitchers, and I'll post it in this thread later today. In the meantime, please feel free to post your guesses. I may post some confirmations throughout the day.

Here's what we've got so far:


1962
1962
1962
1963
1965
1966
1966
1967
1967
1967
1970
1977
1986
1987
1989
1991
1992
1992
1992
1993
1994
2000
2000
2001
2002
2004
2007
2007
2008 Claudio Vargas

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

2007 Chan Ho Park

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

2007 Jason Vargas

[stevejrogers]

1987, The OTHER Bob Gibson

Edited May 15, 2008 by Guest

[Guest AG/DC]

Dan Wheeler.

[HahnSolo]

07 Phil Humber

[Benjamin Grimm]

Not Jason Vargas. Not Bob Gibson.

1962
1962
1962
1963
1965
1966
1966
1967
1967
1967
1970
1977
1986
1987
1989
1991
1992
1992
1992
1993
1994
2000
2000
2001
2002
2004 Dan Wheeler
2007 Chan Ho Park
2007 Philip Humber
2008 Claudio Vargas

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

1962 Sherman Jones
1962 Ray Daviault
1962 Larry Foss

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

1986 Rick Anderson

[HahnSolo]

86 John Mitchell?

[seawolf17]

Shit. I was sure Jesse O was one, but it would have been early 80s.

Randy Neimann is either 86 or 87. I'll guess 86.

Roger McDowell is 87?

2004 James Baldwin (or Scott Erickson)

2000 Grant Roberts (or 2001?)

1989 Blaine Beatty

[Fman99]

2007 Philip Humber

(maybe)

[Benjamin Grimm]

1962 Larry Foss
1962
1962
1963
1965
1966
1966
1967
1967
1967
1970
1977
1986 Randy Niemann
1987
1989 Blaine Beatty
1991
1992
1992
1992
1993
1994
2000
2000 Grant Roberts
2001
2002
2004 Dan Wheeler
2007 Chan Ho Park
2007
2008 Claudio Vargas

[Guest AG/DC]

Jesse came up in 1979, but had two starts.

McDowell in 1985, but he had a handful of starts.

Jeff Innis in the morning. I gues 1987 is the only year that works.

[Guest Mendoza Line]

1977 Doc Medich
1970 Tug McGraw?

on edit - Just looked up Tug, and he actually started quite a few games during his career (but none at all in 1970). D'oh.

Edited May 15, 2008 by Guest

[HahnSolo]

Humber is off the board now?

[stevejrogers]

HahnSolo wrote: Humber is off the board now?

Yup, he had a second start last year.

Okay, 1987, not Gibson, so the second name that comes to mind is Don Schulze.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

1962 Vinegar Bend Mizell
1962 Dave Hillman

1970 Ron Herbel

1977 Doc Medich

[seawolf17]

1994 Eric Hillman?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

1965 Tom Parsons

[HahnSolo]

92 or 93...Joe Vidtko (sp?)

[Guest AG/DC]

2001: Brett Hinchliffe

[HahnSolo]

SteveJRogers wrote: ="HahnSolo"]Humber is off the board now? Yup, he had a second start last year.

I thought he had only that one against Washington. If not him, then who is the other 2007?

[Benjamin Grimm]

My bad, pasting error on my part. Humber is correct for 2007.

Here are all the correct guesses so far. Any other guesses made prior to this post are incorrect:

1962 Larry Foss
1962 Dave Hillman
1962
1963
1965
1966
1966
1967
1967
1967
1970
1977 Doc Medich
1986 Randy Niemann
1987 Jeff Innis
1989 Blaine Beatty
1991
1992 Joe Vitko
1992
1992
1993
1994
2000
2000 Grant Roberts
2001 Brett Hinchliffe
2002
2004 Dan Wheeler
2007 Chan Ho Park
2007 Philip Humber
2008 Claudio Vargas

[Guest AG/DC]

Ah, Hinchy. Tyler Kepner tried to make a star out of you. You just wouldn't cooperate.

BASEBALL: METS NOTEBOOK; Colorful Call-Up Seeks First Victory in Majors

By TYLER KEPNER

Published: April 26, 2001

When Brett Hinchliffe walked into the visiting clubhouse at Miller Park today, he was pleased to see his old No. 32 hanging in his locker. Hinchliffe, who will be the starting pitcher for the Mets on Thursday afternoon against the Milwaukee Brewers, chose the number when he made the Seattle Mariners' pitching staff out of spring training two years ago. Sandy Koufax wore No. 32, he said then. It is a good pitcher's number.

Hinchliffe has never lacked confidence. During practice in the spring of 1999, Manager Lou Piniella of the Mariners suggested he throw a few pitches from the stretch. ''I don't plan on pitching from the stretch,'' Hinchliffe replied. Piniella, surprised and impressed at such brashness, smiled and nodded. Piniella often mispronounced Hinchliffe's name -- to him it was usually Brent Hinchcliff -- but he soon added him to the roster and gave him his only four major league starts.

Those games did not go well; Hinchliffe was 0-4 with an 8.80 earned run average. In one start he allowed two homers to Nomar Garciaparra. In another, at Anaheim, he ignited a bench-clearing brawl during a nationally televised Sunday night game. Hinchliffe, who was bitten on the calf in the fight, was retaliating an inning after Ken Griffey Jr. was hit by a pitch. His grateful teammates paid his $500 fine.

Hinchliffe, who drove a United Parcel Service truck during two winters to make ends meet while in the minors, was thrilled to save the money. He has not made much since then, signing with Anaheim last year and pitching just twice, then bouncing to the Mets last winter.

''I think I let the whole big-league atmosphere get to me,'' Hinchliffe said of his prior major league experience. ''I just tried to do too much.''

Hinchliffe, 26, a right-hander, was 2-0 in three starts at Class AAA Norfolk and will fill in Thursday for Al Leiter, who has a strained flexor tendon in his left elbow. The Mets did not get a long look at Hinchliffe this spring. He pitched only two and a third innings, but made an impression in another way.

One day in the bullpen, reliever Rick White looked at Hinchliffe's scarred left hand and wrist and noticed how small they were. ''What happened?'' White said. Hinchliffe, whose left hand is webbed and has four fingers, is used to the reaction. When teammates see his hand, he said, ''they're basically just shocked.''

Hinchliffe was born with a genetic defect called syndactylism. He was born with five fingers on his left hand, but, recognizing the condition, doctors amputated his middle finger and inserted that bone in his thumb.

Hinchliffe has two bones in the thumb, giving him better mobility and helping him to grip things. His second and third fingers are stubby, but both have joints and one has full mobility. His pinkie is normal. Hinchliffe was spared another symptom of syndactylism, the loss of a muscle in the shoulder.

''I don't really notice it,'' said Hinchliffe, whose glove has an extra strap to make it tighter around his wrist. ''I can play catch, do everything. You've just got to adjust.''

Hinchliffe, who has had success this year by mixing in his changeup and curveball with his fastball and slider, pitched 16 2/3 innings over three starts for Norfolk, usually tiring in the fifth inning. He said he was surprised to be called up, but confident, as usual.

''You've got to put a lot into it,'' said Hinchliffe, who could be sent down after Thursday's game if the Mets activate outfielder Timo Perez from the disabled list. ''They didn't bring me in here to log some innings. They brought me up here to win.''

Ventura Sits Again

Robin Ventura got another game to rest his strained right hamstring tonight, as Joe McEwing filled in at third base for the second game in a row. Ventura, who was injured Sunday while chasing a foul ball, said he could pinch-hit, though he admitted he was not healthy enough to do so Tuesday night, when Manager Bobby Valentine used him to force the Brewers to make a pitching change.

Ventura has been getting ice and heat treatment on the hamstring. ''It's getting better,'' he said, ''but I just don't think I'm at that point to go play right now.''

[stevejrogers]

HahnSolo wrote: ="SteveJRogers"] HahnSolo wrote: Humber is off the board now? Yup, he had a second start last year. I thought he had only that one against Washington. If not him, then who is the other 2007?

Must be thinking of a relief apperance then.

[Gwreck]

The other Bobby Jones, 2000.

Edit: somebody already had my other one.

Edited May 15, 2008 by Guest

[Benjamin Grimm]

1962 Larry Foss
1962 Dave Hillman
1962
1963
1965
1966
1966
1967
1967
1967
1970
1977 Doc Medich
1986 Randy Niemann
1987 Jeff Innis
1989 Blaine Beatty
1991
1992 Joe Vitko
1992
1992
1993
1994
2000 Bobby Jones
2000 Grant Roberts
2001 Brett Hinchliffe
2002
2004 Dan Wheeler
2007 Chan Ho Park
2007 Philip Humber
2008 Claudio Vargas

[Gwreck]

Pete Walker, 2002?

[Guest AG/DC]

Dave Tehlgeder in, um, 1993.