A discussion within a discussion within the enjoyably endless thread that accompanies the post that precedes this one (got that?) hit on the idea of former Blue Jays not working out as Mets, vis-à-vis Carlos Delgado's slump.
Brings to mind one of my favorite mental exercises, name the Met you think of when you think of a Met who was also a member of another specific team.
Rules: No player can be mentioned twice and if you can, go on instinct.
GO!
Met and…
NL East
Brave: Greg McMichael
Phillie: Tug McGraw
Marlin: Al Leiter
National: Marlon Anderson
Expo: Gary Carter
NL Central
Astro: Nolan Ryan
Red: Tom Seaver
Cub: Cliff Floyd
Cardinal: Keith Hernandez
Brewer: Jeromy Burnitz
Pirate: Bobby Bonilla
NL West
Giant: Willie Mays
Dodger: Jeff Kent
Padre: Mike Piazza
Rockie: Kaz Matsui
Diamondback: Shawn Green
AL East
Yankee: David Cone
Red Sock: Bobby Ojeda
Oriole: Joe Orsulak
Blue Jay: John Olerud
Devil Ray: Ty Wigginton
AL Central
Indian: Robbie Alomar
Tiger: Tom Veryzer
Royal: Ed Hearn
Twin: Matt Lawton
White Sock: Cleon Jones
AL West
Mariner: Lee Guetterman
Angel: Jim Fregosi
Ranger: Victor Diaz
A: Jay Payton
Those were the ones that leapt to mind for all 30 opponents (counting the Nationals and Expos as different species and acknowledging that Tom Veryzer is a strange choice). If you are so inclined, can you, without looking any up, contribute 30 other Mets who also played for the 30 franchises in question?
Greg, very proud of you for going with Ty Wigginton over another former Met/current D-Ray who brings us a little angst at every mention.
Ah, but that current Ray was never actually a Met. A Met farmhand, a Met prospect, a Met opportunity squandered…but never a Met. Ditto for Jason Bay of the Pirates and Steve Renko of the Expos, to name two.
Gotta have been one of the 812 to play for the New York Mets. Kazmir wouldn't kount.
Duly noted! Gotta change my entry…
NL East
Brave: Mike Hampton
Phillie: Lenny Dykstra
Marlin: Paul LoDuca
National: Endy Chavez
Expo: Pedro Martinez
NL Central
Astro: Mike Scott
Red: John Franco
Cub: Dave Kingman
Cardinal: Jason Isringhausen
Brewer: Glendon Rusch
Pirate: Xavier Nady
NL West
Giant: Kevin Mitchell
Dodger: Hideo Nomo
Padre: Kevin McReynolds
Rockie: Benny Agbayani
Diamondback: Tony Clark
AL East
Yankee: Dwight Gooden
Red Sock: Calvin Schiraldi
Oriole: Melvin Mora
Blue Jay: Mookie Wilson
Devil Ray: Victor Zambrano (ugh)
AL Central
Indian: Keith Hernandez
Tiger: Howard Johnson
Royal: Gregg Jeffries
Twin: Rick Aguilera
White Sock: Lance Johnson
AL West
Mariner: Armando Benitez
Angel: Mo Vaughn
Ranger: Lenny Randle
A: Ron Darling
The Mariner was surprisingly tough – I had to scratch Armando from my Oriole entry.
Expo: Cliff Floyd
Phillie: Dennis Cook
National: Alex Escobar
Brave: Julio Franco
Marlin: Mike Jacobs
Astro: Dan Wheeler
Red: David Weathers
Cub: Howard Johnson
Brewer: Fernando Vina
Cardinal: Jorge Sosa
Pirate: Oliver Perez
Dodger: Darryl Strawberry
Giant: Jeff Kent
Padre: Kevin Mitchell
Rockie: Darryl Hamilton
Diamondback: Jorge Julio
Red Sock: Pedro Martinez
Devil Ray: Jay Tyner
Blue Jay: Tony Fernandez
Oriole: Eddie Murray
Yankee: Armando Benitez
White Sock: Lance Johnson
Indian: Roberto Hernandez
Twin: Rick Reed
Tiger: Kenny Rogers
Royal: Brian McRae
Mariner: Carl Everett
Athletic: Jason Isringhausen
Angel: Alex Ochoa
Ranger: Darren Oliver
Jorge Sosa, a Met and a Cardinal…my mouth hangs open in awe.
OK, I didn't look at anyone else's, and had to cheat with Tampa Bay after I put Kazmir and realized that he doesn't count:
Braves: Paul Byrd
Phils: Turk Wendell
Marlins: Mike Piazza
Nats: Endy Chavez
Expos: Pedro Martinez
Astros: Beltran
Reds: Dave Williams
Cubs: Brian McCrae
Cards: Joe McEwing
Brewers: Bill Pulsipher (runner up, thought of at same time: Glendon Rusch)
Pirates: Xavier Nady
Giants: Armando
Dodgers: Lo Duca
Padres: Heath Bell
Rockies: Hideo Nomo
D'Backs: Jorge Julio
Yanks: Ricky Ledee
Red Sox: Calvin Schiraldi
O's: Mike Bordick
Jays: Delgado
D'Rays: Gerald Williams (cheating)
Indians: Guillermo Mota
Tigers: Damion Easley
Royals: Ambiorix Burgos
Twins: Jason Tyner
M's: Olerud
Angels: Darren Oliver
Rangers: Kenny Rogers i think?
A's: Izzy
It's hard to do anything here but stare at “Marlins: Mike Piazza” and remain in awe.
Dammit. Everybody took all mine.
ATL: Todd Pratt
PHI: Ricky Otero
FLA: Henry Owens
MON/WAS: Rusty Staub
STL: Joe McEwing
PIT: Moises Alou
CIN: Doug Flynn
HOU: Kevin Bass
CHI: Don Zimmer
LA: Alejandro Pena
SD: Craig Shipley
COL: Darren Bragg
SF: Mark Dewey
666: Phil Lombardi
BOS: John Valentin
BAL: Tony Tarasco
TOR: Ryan Thompson
TB: Jeremi Gonzalez
DET: Walt Terrell
CWS: Dave Gallagher
KC: Clint Hurdle
CLE: Jerry DiPoto
MIN: Frank Viola
LAA: Hubie Brooks
OAK: Ed Charles
TEX: Chan Ho Park
SEA: Dave Roberts
Haha. 5 games baby. I really do associate Piazza with the Marlins, because when we got him I was so damn excited. And I think it was exactly 9 years ago TODAY.
For McEwing sub … hmm. Ron Hunt!
One NatSpo…acceptable. But no Snake?
Now that you mention it, it is nine years since Mike Piazza stopped being a Marlin. Seems like…no, it seems like nine years.
And thank you for the proper acronym for NYY.
Brave: Tyler Yates
Phillie: Rico Brogna
Marlin: Guillermo Mota
National: Pedro Astacio
Expo: Mel Rojas
Astro: John Hudek
Red: Danny Graves
Cub: Mark Guthrie
Cardinal: Braden Looper
Brewer: Jeff D'amico
Pirate: Ollie Perez
Giant: Shawn Estes
Dodger: Chan Ho Park
Padre: Mike Cameron
Rockie: Brian Bohanon
Diamondback: Armando Reynoso
Yankee: Jose Vizcaino
Red Sock: Manny Alexander
Oriole: Tony Torasco
Blue Jay: Ricky Henderson
Devil Ray: Steve Trachsel
Indian: Keith Hernandez
Tiger: Damion Easley
Royal: Ruben Gotay
Twin: Brian Buchanon
White Sock: Robin Ventura
Mariner: Rey Sanchez
Angel: Alex Ochoa
Ranger: Richard Hidalgo
A: Billy Taylor
Cameron to Bohanon to Buchanan…nice.
Mon/DC Mike Jorgensen
Atl George Stone
Phl Del Unser
Pit Tim Foli
Chi Jim Hickman
Hou Ken Boswell
Cin Pat Zacary
LA Tim Leary
SF Ray Sadeki
SD Chris Cannazaro ?
No AL please!
Reaching back a bit AND dissing the junior circuit. Way to go!
D'oh. Jorge Fabregas, the dullest interview ever.
May I just add:
Cubs: Shawon Dunston
Padres: Bobby Jones (either)
NL East
Brave: Felix Millan
Phillie: Del Unser
Marlin: Mike Jacobs
National: Marlon Anderson
Expo: Pepe Mangual
NL Central
Astro: Jerry Grote
Red: Pat Zachry
Cub: Richie Ashburn
Cardinal: Jerry Morales
Brewer: Dwight Bernard
Pirate: Don Bosch
NL West
Giant: Dave Marshall
Dodger: Roger Craig
Padre: Tom O'Malley
Rockie: Juan Acevedo
Diamondback: Orlando Hernandez
AL East
Yankee: Ron Swoboda
Red Sock: Luis Alvarado
Oriole: Kris Benson
Blue Jay: Lee Mazzilli
Devil Ray: Dwight Gooden
AL Central
Indian: Alvaro Espinoza
Tiger: Rusty Staub
Royal: Vince Coleman
Twin: Jerry Koosman
White Sock: George Foster
AL West
Mariner: Wally Backman
Angel: Ellis Valentine
Ranger: Manny Alexander
A: Dave Kningman
I didn't check for doubles, so if I jumped anybody's shark, a thousand pardons…
I'll play just for a couple of guys.
Montreal – Joel Youngblood
Arizona – El Duque
When I weeded out duplicates with prior posts, I had ten left, some who I was surprised to see go unmentioned:
Astro – Frank Thomas
Brave – Warren Spahn
Cardinal – Al Jackson
Expo – Ron Swoboda
Mariner – Mackey Sasser
Angel – Craig Swan
Indian – Harry Chiti
Oriole – Hobie Landrith
Tigers – Mickey Lolich
Yankee – Marv Throneberry
Oops, overlooked the Swoboda duplicate.
I think you're save with Luis Alvarado.
Harry Chiti of course was an ex-Met while he was a Met…more or less.