One-start wonders

[Guest AG/DC]

Paul Gibson in 1992.

Damn, that era is hard.

[Fman99]

Gwreck wrote: Pete Walker, 2002?

I think you mean Tyler Walker.

[seawolf17]

Julio Valera 1991?

[Gwreck]

Fman99 wrote: ="Gwreck"]Pete Walker, 2002? I think you mean Tyler Walker.

Yes.

I think they each made one appearance that season before getting claimed off waivers. Pete Walker became a spot starter for the Blue Jays. Tyler Walker did a turn as the Giants' closer.

[Gwreck]

Mike Draper? (one of those early '90s years)

[batmagadanleadoff]

Rich Folkers?

[Benjamin Grimm]

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

[seawolf17]

I'll throw three names out there for the early 90s guesses.

Mauro Gozzo 1994
Lee Guetterman 1992
Dave Telgheder 1991

[Guest AG/DC]

Hey, get in line on Dave Telgheder!

[Benjamin Grimm]

Nope, nope, and nope.

All correct guesses have been acknowledged.

Eleven names remain.

[Fman99]

="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.''

Wow. I watched a TON of Mets games in 2001 but I have no recollection of this guy whatsoever.

As an aside, I used to drink with a guy who had the same affliction to his hand. He was a trip.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I remember that game well. In Milwaukee on a weekday afternoon, early in the season. Hinchliffe got destroyed. I was at a job I really hated -- a different one -- and remember thinking the only thing I had to look forward to that day was the Mets game. GRrrrrr.

As I recall it, we got murdered that whole series long. Big Al had recently made a reappearance on the board and the cpf was just being formed.

[Guest AG/DC]

Dave Somebody. Nineteen Something Something.

[seawolf17]

Schneck?

[Fman99]

John Concoctose? 1985?

[stevejrogers]

[Cliff Clavin voice]Those three 1967 starters contributed to what is still the Metly record for most different starters to be used with 20. Currently 2008 is tied with 1988 and 1990 for record for fewest with 7 different starters.[/Cliff Clavin voice]

[Benjamin Grimm]

I meant to close this one out yesterday afternoon, but I forgot.

Anyway, here it is. You guys guessed 18 of the 29 pitchers who made one and only one start for the Mets. (Claudio Vargas, I assume, will move off that list in the next few days.)

The 11 pitchers who were not guessed are in bold:

1962 Larry Foss
1962 Dave Hillman
1962 Ken MacKenzie
1963 Don Rowe
1965 Dennis Musgraves
1966 Gordie Richardson
1966 Ralph Terry
1967 Billy Wynne
1967 Bill Connors
1967 Nick Willhite
1970 Rich Folkers
1977 Doc Medich
1986 Randy Niemann
1987 Jeff Innis
1989 Blaine Beatty
1991 Doug Simons
1992 Joe Vitko
1992 Paul Gibson
1992 Tom Filer
1993 Mike Draper
1994 Frank Seminara
2000 Bobby Jones
2000 Grant Roberts
2001 Brett Hinchliffe
2002 Tyler Walker
2004 Dan Wheeler
2007 Chan Ho Park
2007 Philip Humber
2008 Claudio Vargas

[Guest AG/DC]

I was trying desperately to come up with Billy Wynne's stupid name without cheating.

[G-Fafif]

For years I've worn as a badge of perverse honor that I was at Randy Niemann's and Mike Draper's only Met starts. Sad in retrospect that Philip Humber is in that company now.