G-Fafif

Great list, but you left out El Duque.

That would do nicely.

"Mets fans are bustin' on my Bluetooth. Shocker."

I'd verify the exact citation, but I foolishly returned the book to the Long Beach Public Library in 1988.

"I was a Mets fan growing up...in the National League." Connecticut's own (and our own good fit) Rico Brogna, interviewed by Mike Silva of NY Baseball Digest here.

They are coming to or leaving from a job where they are compelled to shvitz for many hours. As long as they look good wearing a Mets uniform, live and be comfortable.

Operation Outfielder Ingratiation continues: Jason Bay a breath of fresh air and very easy to talk to...He will be a welcome additiuon both on and off the field

Relaford's one-year run as key Met utility man was splendid, and his long-term legacy eventually became (give or take a waiver claim by the Tigers and a year in Japan) Pedro Feliciano, via the trade of Desi and Shinjo to San Francisco for Shawn Estes, who in turn brought Pedro here in 2002. As for Desi's hip-hop moguldom, he's obviously just an L Millz wannabe.

Burkhardt may be smitten, but Beltran only has eyes for ESPN Radio's Rich Couthino, according to ESPN Radio's Rich Coutinho: As many of you know, no beat reporter is closer to Carlos Beltran than I am...

Ted Schreiber was a mistaken listing, so we're back to 42; he spent time in the minors in 1963. His claim to fame is he took the very last swing in the history of the Polo Grounds, grounding into a double play. Bill Wakefield, Bill Helpler, Billy Murphy and Randy Tate have this in common: A single full uninterrupted year as Mets...and no other MLB experience. Nothin' but Met.

Gwreck wrote: Do you know how many people were eliminated but for the "never on the DL" clause? -- ie. I was surprised to not see Miguel Cairo here but a review of the transaction logs tells me he spent 15 days on the DL in late June of '05 (had forgotten that) but otherwise qualified -- he was on the opening day and closing day rosters of '05. Among those DL inhabitants whose injuries caused them to miss out on this illustrious gathering are Cairo, Doug Mientkiewicz, Kurt Abbott, Bill Spiers, Pete Smith, Mike Draper, Dave Gallagher and, going way back, Elio Chacon.

Great catch on Tate. I overlooked him probably because so many 1975 Mets made debuts ahead of him, but he indeed came north with the club and stayed around the whole year. Thanks.

The following Mets (41) played exactly one full year as Mets, no more, no less. They were on the active roster for as long as there were Mets games in their one season, from Opening Day to the last out. No DL trips, no demotions, no reserves duty. If anyone has any addenda or observations, they are, as ever, welcome. (And thanks again to JCL for clearing up a couple on which I was foggy.) 1962: Richie Ashburn 1962: Felix Mantilla 1963: Norm Sherry 1963: Duke Snider 1964: Bill Wakefield 1964: George Altman 1966: Billy Murphy 1966: Eddie Bressoud 1966: Bill Hepler 1967: Tommy Davis 1967: John Sullivan 1967: Tommie Reynolds 1968: Billy Short 1970: Joe Foy 1971: Bob Aspromonte 1975: Gene Clines 1975: Randy Tate 1976: Mickey Lolich 1978: Tom Grieve 1979: Richie Hebner 1980: Jerry Morales 1980: Mark Bomback 1981: Mike Cubbage 1989: Don Aase 1991: Rick Cerone 1991: Doug Simons 1994: Fernando Vina 1994: Luis Rivera 1996: Brent Mayne 1999: Orel Hershiser 2000: Mike Hampton 2001: Desi Relaford 2001: Kevin Appier 2002: John Valentin 2002: Mark Guthrie 2003: Tony Clark 2003: Jay Bell 2006: Chad Bradford 2006: Darren Oliver 2007: Aaron Sele 2009: Jeremy Reed NOTES: � Derek Bell was on the roster all of 2000 but suffered an injury during the NLDS and was removed for the NLCS and World Series. � Mark Bradley and Doug Linton were recalled in the first week of 1983 and 1994, respectively, and stuck the entire season thereafter, but were not on the Opening Day roster. � Dick Schofield was obtained shortly after the 1992 season started and persevered for the rest of the year.

If anybody has the media guides from 1967 and 1969, I am requesting a favor: can you can check the chronologies of the previous season's roster maneuverings for any activity regarding the following two players: Bill Hepler in 1966 and Billy Short in 1968? I am gathering a list of Mets who, like Jeremy Reed in 2009, spent exactly one finite season on the Mets, no more, no less (I posted a thread a little while back on such players for the decade just finished). I've been able to divine, for sure, 40 players as members of the One Full Year club, which means Opening Day to the end of the season without being sent down or disabled or shipped off for reserves duty. I believe Hepler and Short would make it 41 and 42, respectively, but each has a gap or two in his gamelogs from his one year as a Met that at first led me to suspect they were DL'd. Further research indicates to me they were simply not used. In those days, with complete games more common and no fancy switching for matchups, two lefty relievers could get lost on a pitching staff, even on the pitching staffs of ninth-place clubs (though the 1968 Mets pitching staff was no ordinary ninth-place outfit). Anyway, as I'm sure several of you can understand, I seek closure. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Swan Swan H wrote: Jason Katims, showrunner for Friday Night Lights and the upcoming Parenthood, among others. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose!

Sammy Drake's brother played in the major leagues. Jim Bibby's brother played in the NBA. Not a good couple of weeks to be a Met brother. Saw a picture of Sammy Drake's 1962 card in The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book in 1975 and was fascinated that somebody whose name had never come up in any book I'd read or any broadcast I'd heard was a Met. Made the Mets seem that much bigger an enterprise in my 12-year-old eyes. Obit here reveals experience not too many Mets could have had. Besides Willie Mays, were there other Mets who played in the Negro Leagues? Former Negro Leaguer and major league utility infielder Sammy Drake died at the age of 75 on January 27, 2010 in California. Drake and his brother Solly were the first African-American brothers to play in the majors. He broke in with the Kansas City Monarchs in 1953 and was signed by the Chicago Cubs at the end of the 1954 season. In 1955 along with teammate Ernest Johnson, they became the first African-American players on the Macon (GA) team of the Sally league. Drake finally made it to the majors in 1960 with the Cubs to reunite with a former Negro League teammate, Ernie Banks. He had two cups of coffee in the "Windy City" in 1960 and 1961 before being given his break with the Mets during their inaugural 1962 season. Drake struggled in his only extended stay in the majors, batting .192 in 25 games for the "Amazins". He played two more seasons in triple-A before an injury forced his retirement in 1964. After baseball, he served as a Sunday School teacher in his older brother Solly Drake�s Greater Ebenzer Missionary Baptist Church. In a 2008 interview, Drake said his best asset was his speed. "God had blessed me with so much speed,� Drake said, proudly. �I ran the 100-yard dash in 9.7 seconds. It�s on my baseball card.�

Harlan gave an interview to the Japan Times admitting that he doesn't really care for Asia.

Managerial musings on batting orders are the annual useless fodder of early camp. Remember Willie's plan to bat Wright eighth? By the second game of the season, if not sooner, the best laid plans will give way to necessity, improvisation, new information and whatever works.