Trivia Time sponsored by Gary Matthews, Jr.

[Gwreck]

Gary Matthews, Jr. -- he of the DH/outfield nature for our upcoming enemy is one of nine Mets who, despite having pinch-hit or pinch-run, have never appeared on defense for the Mets.

How many can you name?

Edited June 16, 2008 by Guest

[metirish]

Robinson Cancel

[Guest sharpie]

Gary Bennett.

[Guest AG/DC]

Randy Milligan.

[metirish]

Maine or Glavine pinch running is not considered here , right? , a pitcher is a defensive position?

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Joe Heiptas

[metirish]

Didn't Joe catch the last inning of the Howe tenure?

[Guest themetfairy]

metirish wrote: Didn't Joe catch the last inning of the Howe tenure?

Yes, in relief of Todd Zeile.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'd be more likely to put Heiptas in the opposite category: Guys who played defense but never had a plate appearance. (Not sure of that though.)

Vance Wilson was in that category during the 1999-2000 offseason, I think. Of course, there are a lot of pitchers who had no PA's, but I don't know if there were any position players.

I'll have to look it up...

[Gwreck]

Looks like when I counted, I forgot about Cancel and Matthews. So there's 9. Whatever.

Yes, Hieptas belongs in that other category, non-pitchers without an at-bat. That will be our next trivia question.

Let's go chronologically:

1.
2.
3.
4. Randy Milligan (AG/DC)
5.
6.
7. Gary Bennett (sharpie)
8. Gary Matthews, Jr.
9. Robinson Cancel (metirish)

[Frayed Knot]

Chip Ambres

[Gwreck]

Chip got 2 innings in right field last year (no chances).

[G-Fafif]

Mark Little.

[Gwreck]

Also a good guess, but he, like Chip, also got 2 innings in right field of one game. (Was 2002 for Little. He like, Chip, had no chances).


1. - 1966
2. - 1973
3. - 1982
4. Randy Milligan (AG/DC) - 1987
5. - 1995
6. - 1999
7. Gary Bennett (sharpie) - 2001
8. Gary Matthews, Jr. - 2002
9. Robinson Cancel (metirish) - 2008

Edited June 16, 2008 by Guest

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Rich Becker?

[Gwreck]

Nope. Becker got in about 40 games in '98 in the outfield.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Mike Bishop in 1982?

Jerry Cram in 1973?

[Gwreck]

Mike Bishop is a very good guess. He got 3 starts in '83 at catcher.

Jerry Cram was a pitcher.

Edited June 16, 2008 by Guest

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Wow. This was tough. I thought I knew the 1973 team cold, up and down. I made some guesses, broke down and checked a site. (And will not reveal here, since I cheated.) I have no recollection of that guy whatsoever. Must have been a September call-up, and with the race so tight that year, I guess Yogi wasn't going to go putting kids in games unless they were out of reach.

Good questions.

[Gwreck]

The '73 player played in 3 games. He was 1-2 and must've pinch-run (but did not score) in the 3rd game.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

John Strohmeyer

[Gwreck]

Strohmayer was also a pitcher.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I know,. I meant Brian Ostrosser.

[Gwreck]

Very close, but Ostrosser got in 4 games at SS in '73.

The player in question got a callup again in '74, but he didn't see any game action that year.

[G-Fafif]

The '99 guy Shane Halter?

[G-Fafif]

'82 guy Rick Sweet?

[Gwreck]

Rick Sweet is correct!

Shane Halter is actually the correct answer to the OTHER question!

[Gwreck]

Never played for the Mets on defense:
1. - 1966
2. - 1973
3. Rick Sweet (G-Fafif) - 1982
4. Randy Milligan (AG/DC) - 1987
5. - 1995
6. - 1999
7. Gary Bennett (sharpie) - 2001
8. Gary Matthews, Jr. - 2002
9. Robinson Cancel (metirish) - 2008

Non-pitchers who never played for the Mets on offense:
1. Shane Halter (G-Fafif) - 1999
2. Joe Hietpas - 2004

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Joe Nolan

[Gwreck]

Nolan caught 3 games in '72.