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Johan Santana: First Mets Pitcher to Throw a No Hitter (2008 - 2013)

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Johan Alexander Santana was born on March 13th, 1979, in Tovar, Venezuela. The six-foot left hander was discovered by the Houston Astros, but they left him unprotected & he was drafted away by the Florida Marlins. In a deal of first & second round picks, he was traded to the Minnesota Twins for Jared Camp & cash.  He soon developed his nasty change up which has become the best change in baseball. The pitch was tough for a batter to drive the ball on and to close to the strike zone for him to take. It swirled causing batters to lunge out at it, usually swinging & missing.  He also threw a fast ball in the lower to mid-nineties with the same delivery which also confuses hitters. Santana started out as a reliever in the Twins bullpen from 2000-2003.  In 2000 he appeared 30 games going 2-3 with a high 6.49 ERA. In 2001 he was with the Twins from April to early July appearing 15 games going 1-0 with a 4.74 ERA, 28 strike outs in 43...
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Al Luplow: Mid Sixties Mets Outfielder (1966 - 1967)

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Alvin David Luplow was born on March 13, 1939, in Saginaw, Michigan. Luplow attended Michigan State University, where he played varsity football, as well as baseball for the Spartans.  The five foot eleven Luplow, earned a reputation as a hard nose aggressive style player, making several minor-league All-Star teams.  He was a right hand hitting, left hand throwing outfielder, originally signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1959. He batted .300 in the New York Penn. League, making it through the ranks of the minors the next year.  In 1961 he batted .302 at AAA Salt Lake City, getting a promotion to the big leagues by the end of the season.    MLB Career: He spent five seasons with the Indians, mostly as a reserve outfielder. In 1962 he played in 97 games, batting .277 with 14 HRs 15 doubles & 45 RBIs (362 at bats). The next year he was a regular in the fifth place Indians outfield, next to Vic Davillio & Tito Francona. He played in 100 games...
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Darryl Strawberry (Part Two) The Later Mets Years (1987 - 1990)

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After the Championship:  After the Championship, Dwight Gooden was admitted to drug rehab missing the start of the season. Darryl had his own issues but was able to keep them mor private & when he produced the attention was off him. On April 7th, 1987, as the Mets raised the Championship flag at Shea Stadium. Straw began the year with an Opening Day three run HR off the Pirates Bob Patterson driving in all three Mets runs in the 3-2 win. The next day he homered off Doug Drabek in a 4-2 win. He made it three HRs in the first three games of the season with a three-run shot off David Palmer. Multi RBI Game: On April 16th-17th, Straw hit HRs in back-to-back in games at Philadelphia. On April 17th he hit a two run HR off Tom Hume. In the 1st inning, he walked with the bases loaded & later added sac fly for a four RBI Day in the Mets 9-3 win. He would have five games on the season with four or more RBIs. In April he batted .307 with 5 HRs & 17 RBI...
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