All-time favorite non-Mets

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

As requested!

"Todd Helton is definitely on my all-time favorite non-Mets team. (New thread, anyone?) I drafted him first in the first fantasy baseball league I ever played in, many years ago, and he was on my team until last season."

I like Curtis Granderson, a nice guy who does a lot to help schools.

[Benjamin Grimm]

When I was a kid, I liked Willie Stargell, Johnny Bench, Bob Gibson, and Roberto Clemente.

[Met Hunter]

It used to be Jeff Francoeur.

[TransMonk]

I'm a sucker for career guys with one team, so:

Todd Helton
Jeff Bagwell
Cal Ripken
Tony Gwynn

And Larry has grown on me over the years with all of his time in Atlanta.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

I liked Frank Howard when I was a kid - he just seemed so much larger than life. Later Dale Murphy was a guy I admired and always hoped the Mets would get.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I liked Boog Powell.

Kirby Puckett. Frank Robinson. George Brett.

[Guest Edgy DC]

[MFS62]

All-time fave: Frank Robinson
Second tier:
Ernie Banks
Clemente
Stargell
Gibson
Koufax
Jim Palmer
Mantle
Ron Washington - I dunno. He was someone I always thought was destined to be a Met, but never was.
Larry Walker

Later

[Centerfield]

I liked Boog Powell.

Kirby Puckett. Frank Robinson. George Brett.[/quote:3dcyiqyq]

I like Puckett and Brett too. I wonder if we are biased by KC and Minnesota beating up the Cardinals in '85 and '87.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Could be.

I think I liked Brett because I was counting on his Royals to beat the Yankees in the ALCS just about every October from 1976 to 1981.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I also liked Kelly Gruber of the Blue Jays. I sent him a letter once, and he sent back a personalized, autographed photo and about four signed cards. Keep in mind, all I sent was a letter. So I rooted for him after that, especially against the Yankees. Was kind of bummed when he got hurt and ended his career.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Current: Granderson's up there. So is Panda Sandoval.

As a pup: Eric Davis. Dale Murphy. Tim Raines. MFYness aside, Dave Winfield. Maybe most of all, RickeyBRickey.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Current: Granderson's up there. [/quote:nq2fyy4q]

I misread that. Thought you said that your grandson was your favorite player.

I thought, well, yeah, of course he would be!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I do remember really liking those '85 Royals a bunch-- especially Brett and Willie Wilson and Quisenberry-- even before Coleman-under-a-tarp and Denkinger's-gift-to-Orta.

I think about half of the reason I liked Quisenberry was because of the submarining delivery, with the other half being split between his mustache and that his name sounded like "Frankenberry." (I was seven, not brain damaged.)

[soupcan]

Johnny Bench and Steve Garvey.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Garvey? Ouch.

[metirish]

Rich Garses , what a fun guy to watch.





Current players I like are Hanley Ramirez , great talent .

[Farmer Ted]

I grew up a Craig Nettles fan oddly enough. Go ahead and flog me now!!

[RealityChuck]

Carl Yastrzemski.
Roger Maris (the star of the first year I followed baseball).
Ty Cobb

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Rich Garses , what a fun guy to watch.





Current players I like are Hanley Ramirez , great talent .

[ashie62]

Harmon Killebrew..remember the split he did playing first base in the all-star game in 67 in therabouts? That was hard-core

[Valadius]

George Brett comes to mind, as I had a glove as a kid that was promoted by him.

[Lundy]

George Brett tops my list, his 1980 baseball card was one of the first in my collection. I still have my George Brett-endorsed baseball glove. Johnny Bench was also a favorite, probably from watching "The Baseball Bunch" in my formative years. I've always liked John Smoltz. Dave Steib of the Jays too. Perennial Pirate relieve Kent Tekulve; perennial Reds reliever Tom Hume as well.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I liked Rod Carew, the whole 1970s Pirates, Johnny Bench, Al Oliver, Reggie Smith, and whoever represented the NL in the All-Star Game and World Series.

Later I liked Kirby Puckett, Tony Gwynn and Will Clark.

These days I like Ichiro, Chipper Jones, Tulowitzski (even if he's a dumb jock), Lincecum, Granderson, Rollins... I used to like the Red Sox but pretty much hate them now. I want the Orioles to be good, and I'm hopping on LWFS's SF Giants bandwagon for this postseason.

[G-Fafif]

Vladimir Guerrero, certainly more now than when he was an intradivision rival, but even then some.

Chone Figgins, from a distance. Rod Carew, too.

Aaron and Clemente held in awe that transcended uniform when I was a kid. Dale Murphy on that level later.

Jeff Bagwell a little, or at least I didn't dislike him. Ditto for Tim Raines.

Albert Pujols before October 2006.

Chris Gomez, journeyman utility guy, when he was just starting out, because he answered a doubting and clueless Tigers fan (obvious he didn't know his own roster) at SkyDome with a base hit.

Adored Vida Blue during his breakout season of 1971.

And yes, Steve Garvey makes the cut despite his being Steve Garvey. Loved how he anchored a horrible defensive infield. Loved how he made the transition from third to first. Loved that he won the MVP when so many wanted to hand it to Brock. Love Roger Kahn's description of him in A Season in the Sun. Love that he beat the Cubs in the NLCS as a Padre. Love the comparison between the American flag and a taco in explaining the difference between the two uniforms he wore. Loved that he idolized Gil Hodges. Love that his dad drove a bus in Vero Beach for the home team. Love that he wore a Brooklyn Dodgers t-shirt under his jersey the day the Dodgers clinched against the Expos (something I didn't know 'til seeing it on MLBN recently, but still.)

[metirish]

JCL reminds me of the young pitcher I like to watch but hardly ever see.....Lincecum

Ryan Howard is OK in my book

Kershaw.....love watching him

[metsmarathon]

griffey, then. pujols now.

[seawolf17]

Well, since I started this, I should probably contribute. Besides Helton:

Darrell Porter (I wore big glasses as a kid too)
Jim Rice (I discovered that we share a birthday when I was a kid, and he's been a favorite ever since)
Ryne Sandberg
Ozzie Smith
Dave Righetti (before I learned my dislike of the Yankees)
Craig Biggio (coached at my baseball camp as a kid)

Currently: Helton, Ryan Freel & Juan Encarnacion (I guess Encarnacion is technically retired now due to his injury)

[Fman99]

I can't think of any. Is that wrong?

[seawolf17]

Oh, and I've always enjoyed guys with funky pitching motions, especially sidewinding guys like Quisenberry and Tekulve. (Guys like Terry Leach, Jeff Innis, and Chad Bradford would be in that group, except for the Mets connection.)