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Showing posts from September, 2015

Short Time 2006 Mets Pitcher: Jose Lima (2006)

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Jose Desiderio Rodriguez Lima was born in the Dominican Republic on September 30, 1972. He was originally signed by the Detroit Tigers in 1989, making his debut there in 1994. The colorful, animated pitcher, pitched there for three seasons, going 8-16 with three saves. He began as a started but by 1996 was put in a relief role. In 1997 he was traded to the Houston Astros along with Brad Ausmus, Trever Miller, C.J. Nitkowski and Daryle Ward in exchange for Doug Brocail, Brian Hunter, Todd Jones, Orlando Miller and cash. In Houston Lima would have his best seasons. He had a successful 1998 season, winning 16 games (16-8) tenth most wins in the NL. He posted a .667 win loss % also tenth best in the league. He posted a 3.70 ERA pitching in 233 innings. At the plate he even hit .138 driving in four runs. He went on to have his best season in 1999, making the All Star team, going 21-10 (2nd most wins in the NL). He lead the NL in starts, posting a 3.58 ERA (9th in the NL) striking...
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The Mets fans were out fast in Queens to purchase the NL Eastern Champion apparel. Lets Go Mets!! Modell's at Queens Center Mall

Old Time Member of Four New York Giants Pennant Teams: Davey Robertson (1912-1919 /1922)

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Davis Aydelotte Robertson was born on September 25th, 1889 in Portsmouth Virginia. The six foot left hand hitting outfielder, was an educated man, attending North Carolina State University at Raleigh, North Carolina. He was the first MLB player to come out of the school, where he starred in baseball, football, basketball & track. By 1912 he was signed with the New York Giants & played three games there that season, collecting a stolen base & RBI in just two at bats. He played minor league ball in 1913, batting over .330 getting back to New York by 1914. In 1916 he led the league in HRs with 12, and in singles with 142. He would bat.307, while driving in 69 runs (8th in the NL) & stealing 21 bases. He was one of the leagues top players, leading all right fielders in turning double plays (5) put outs (248) errors (1) & was third in assists with 17. The following season, he helped lead John McGraw's team to a pennant & World Series win over the Chica...

Remembering Mets History: (2015) Mets Magic Number Down to 3

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September 24th 2015: After a rough home stand, Terry Collins first place Mets (85-67) took to the road with a Magic number of 5 to clinch the NL Eastern title. The second place Washington Nationals have been helping the Mets and finishing off getting swept by the Baltimore Orioles earlier in the day, brought the Magic Number down to 4. The Mets opened up a series in Cincinnati against the last place Reds (63-88). On the mound for the Mets was Steven Matz, who allowed a run in the 1st inning. In 5.2 innings he gave up three runs on ten hits, while striking out eight not figuring in the decision. In the 3rd inning, with Matz aboard, David Wright doubled to left field bringing in the Mets first run. Daniel Murphy followed with a single, sending Wright to third. Yoenis Cespedes then hit a sac fly scoring Wright and a Lucas Duda base hit brought in Murphy with the Mets third run. The Reds came back with RBI singles from Brandon Philips & Adam Duvall to tie it up. T...

Mets Relief Pitcher: Gonzales Germen (2013-2014)

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Gonzalez Germen was born on September 23rd, 1987 in La Romana, Dominican Republic. The six foot, two right hander was signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent in 2007. He pitched at low levels of the minors through 2011, with the Gulf Coast Mets, Kingsport Mets & Savannah Sand Gnats. In 2012 he began the year in Florida with the St. Lucie Mets going 3-0 with a 3.04 ERA. He moved on to AA Binghamton going 8-12 with a 4.49 ERA. He ended the year at AAA Buffalo (1-0) compiling a total of 12 wins on the year, tying Zack Wheeler for most Mets wins in the farm system. In 2013 Germen started out at AAA Las Vegas, where he struck out 51 batters in 44 goings, going 3-4 with four saves. He posted a 5.52 ERA in 35 games. Germen got his big league call up in early July & debuted as the sixth pitcher in an 11 inning loss to the Pirates in Pittsburgh. German walked two batters in the 12th inning, then gave up the game winning hit to Jordy Mercer.  On July 20th he...

Early 2000's Mets Relief Pitcher: Mark Guthrie (2002)

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Mark Andrew Guthrie was born September 22, 1965 in Buffalo, New York. The six foot four, left hander's family moved to a warmer climate & he attended high school in Venice, Florida. Guthrie then went to LSU, pitching for the Tigers baseball team there. Guthrie was signed in the 7th round of the 1987 draft, by the Minnesota Twins. Two years later he was in the big leagues with the Twins, beginning his career as a starting pitcher. He would win seven games two straight years in the Twins rotation, then got moved to the bullpen becoming a middle reliever. Post Season: He appeared in the 1991 post season with the World Champion Twins, pitching two games in the ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays. In Game #3 he earned the win, after pitching a scoreless 9th inning. In the World Series win over the Atlanta Braves, he appeared in four games. He took the loss in Game #4 at Atlanta, giving up a 9th inning triple & an intentional walk, before getting relieved. He...

New Jersey Born Italian / American Player: Vinny Mazzaro (2009-2014)

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Vincent Michael Mazzaro was born on September 27, 1986 in Hackensack, New Jersey. He grew up in the shadow of the Meadowlands & Giants Stadium, attending East Rutherford High School where he pitched his high school to two straight championships. In 2005 the six foot two, right handed pitcher was drafted by the Oakland A’s in the third round. After winning nine games twice at the A ball level he was promoted to AA where went 12-2 with a 1.90 ERA in 2008. He was promoted to AAA Sacramento in the Pacific Coast League going 3-3 then making the A’s big league staff in 2009. He made his MLB debut in June and won his first start, pitching into the 7th inning in Chicago allowing no runs on three hits to the White Sox. He won his next start against Baltimore as well, this time pitching into the 8th inning allowing no runs on 5 hits, with 4 strike outs, in Oakland. From there he struggled losing his next eight decisions, before winning at Kansas City & Baltimore in early Aug...

Mets Relief Pitcher: Scott Rice (2013-2014)

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Scott Adam Rice was born on September 21st, 1981 in Simi Valley California. The tall six foot six left hinder was signed after high school by the Baltimore Orioles as a 14th round pick in 1999. Rice spent 14 seasons in the minor leagues before getting his big league call up. He pitched in the Rookie League his first three seasons as a starting pitcher. He then went to A ball through 2003, where he was converted to a reliever. Prior to that he had a horrid seasons going 1-13 overall in 2002. He spent eight years in the Orioles organization before signing with the Texas Rangers in 2006. He spent four years there seeing limited action due to injuries on his flexor tendon. He then pitched as a middle reliever in the New York area in the Independent League, with the Long Island Ducks (2008) & Newark Bears (2009). He then got signed by the Colorado Rockies in 2010 but was granted free agency at the end of the seasons. In November 2010 he signed with the Chicago Cubs but w...

Former NFL Running Back & Mets Outfielder: D.J. Dozier (1992)

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William Henry Dozier was born on September 21th, 1965 at Norfolk, Virginia. The six foot right hand batter was originally signed by the Detroit Tigers in 1983 but chose not to sign, instead going off to college. He attended Penn State University and became a star running back leading the Nitanny Lions in rushing four straight seasons. He was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated in both November 1985 and again in 1987. That year he scored the winning touchdown in the Fiesta Bowl in the National championship game win over the Miami Hurricanes. Dozier would be the Minnesota Vikings first round pick in 1987 (14th pick overall) debuting the following season. In Minnesota he spent most of his time on the bench because the Vikings had Herschel Walker as their main back. He was traded to the Detroit Lions, only to sit behind another star running back; Barry Sanders. Dozier battled for his free agency, taking it all the way to court. After five NFL seasons no one signed him a...

Former New York Giants Pitcher: Hooks Wiltse (1904-1915)

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George Leroy Wiltse was born on September 7, 1879 in New York City. Wiltse earned the nick name Hooks, due to his hooking curveball, he was one of the few pitchers of the dead Ball Era to use a curve more effectively than his fast ball.  He began his career, pitching in the New York State league for two seasons with the Troy Trojans winning twenty games. In 1904 he joined the major leagues and pitched for John McGraw’s New York Giants. He set a record that stood for 73 years by winning the first 12 decisions of his career. He would go 13-3 with a .813 winning percentage, and posting a 2.84 ERA.  Hooks went on to two consecutive 15 win seasons from there, with the best strikeout per nine inning ratio in the league. The Giants won the World Series in 1905, but Hooks did not pitch, due to the fact Christy Mathewson had thrown three shutouts & the other three starts were made by Joe McGinnity & Red Ames.  On the Fourth of July in 1908 he had a perfect game go...

Three Time New York Giants Pennant Winning Third Baseman: Henie Groh (1922-1926)

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Henry Knight Groh was born on September 18, 1889 in Rochester, New York. The five foot eight infielder was signed by the New York Giants, debuting in 1912 at age 22. After playing in just eight games that year, he was involved in a big trade in May of 1913. Groh, Red Ames & Josh Devore were sent to the Cincinnati Reds for Art Fromme. He was usually batting in the lead off spot & would be famous for using a bat with a long thin handle & thick barrell. Groh would spend nine years with the Reds, hitting over .300 three straight seasons, four times overall. He would lead the league in on base percentage twice (1917 & 1918) & games played twice as well (1915 & 1917). In 1917 he had one of his finest years leading the league in on base % (.385%) hits (182) doubles (39) times on base (261) & games played (156). He followed up in 1918 batting .320 (3rd in the NL) leading the league in on base % (.395) doubles (28) & runs scored (86). He was among the leagu...

Former Mets Coach: Bobby Wine (1993-1996)

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Robert Paul Wine was born on September 17, 1938 in New York City. The sure handed short stop was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1958 making his MLB debut in 1960 getting two hits in four at bats. He spent the next two seasons back in the minors becoming the Phillies regular short stop from 1962-1965. With his exceptional range & strong arm Wine won the gold glove award in 1963. He also led all short stops in fielding percentage in 1962 (.979%) & 1967(.980%). He would be in the top five in that category six times in his career. Wine once pulled the famous hidden ball trick on Willie Mays and tagged him out at second base. In 1966 he lost his job to the 1960 league MVP Dick Groat, but returned to the main shortstop position again in 1967. Wine was never a great hitter, having career highs in HRs (6) & RBIs (44) in his first full season. He hit below .200 in 1967-1968 and was then traded to the expansion Montreal Expos in 1969. That year he led all shortst...

Former New York Giants All Star Catcher: Harry "the Horse" Danning (1933-1942)

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Harry Danning was born September 6, 1911 in Los Angeles California. Harry was signed by the New York Giants and made his debut at the Polo Grounds in 1933. He earned the nick name “Harry the Horse” after Damon Runyon’s famous Broadway character of that time. Runyon covered the Giants for a local paper and was elected to the sports writers’ wing of the Hall of Fame.  Danning was on the Giants 1933 World Champion squad but only appeared in three games and saw no World Series action. From 1934-1937 he was the Giants backup catcher to Gus Mancuso, who hit .300 twice in that period. In 1934 Danning himself hit .330 in 97 at bats with a HR & 7 RBIs. His average fell over the next two seasons, hitting a low .159 (11-69) in 1936. Danning rebounded & was a member of the 1937 NY Giants N.L. pennant winning ballclub, hitting .288 with 8 HRs 12 doubles & 51 RBIs in 93 games in played. Post Season: In the 1937 World Series after going hitless in Game #3, he had three hi...