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In the Beginning Quiz

AG/DC
May 04 2008 10:31 PM

One thing lost with Julio Franco: having come into the light August 23, 1958, he was the last player, by a longshot, to have lived in a time when there were no Mets.

Now that Julio has moved on, can you name the ten oldest big-leaguers who have appeared so far in 2008?

Gwreck
May 04 2008 11:34 PM

Jamie Moyer
Randy Johnson
Tom Glavine
Greg Maddux
John Smoltz

I'll leave the position players to others...

John Cougar Lunchbucket
May 05 2008 05:11 AM

My guess at oldest position players:

Moises Alou
Luis Gonzalez
Frank Thomas
...uh...
Rich Aurelia
um...


Also old:
Timlin
Wakefield
Flash Gordon
Kenny Rogers

AG/DC
May 05 2008 07:20 AM

I made not distinction between position players and pitchers:

Exetending the list to 12, we've got:

  1. Moyer-PHI 1962-11-18, 45 (Gwreck)

  2. Johnson-ARI 1963-09-10, 44 (Gwreck)

  3. Rogers-Det 1964-11-10, 43 (John Cougar Lunchbucket)

  4. Glavine-ATL 1966-03-25, 42 (Gwreck)

  5. Maddux-SDP 1966-04-14, 42 (Gwreck)

  6. Alou-NYM 1966-07-03, 41) (OPP, John Cougar Lunchbucket)

  7. Wakefield-Bos 1966-08-02, 41 (John Cougar Lunchbucket)

  8. Smoltz-ATL 1967-05-15, 41 (Gwreck)

  9. ?

  10. Gonzalez-FLA 1967-09-03, 40 (John Cougar Lunchbucket)

  11. ?

  12. Gordon-PHI 1967-11-18, 40 (John Cougar Lunchbucket)

DocTee
May 05 2008 07:30 AM

Trevor Hoffman?

John Cougar Lunchbucket
May 05 2008 07:32 AM

="AG/DC"]
  1. Moyer-PHI 1962-11-18, 45 (Gwreck)

  2. Johnson-ARI 1963-09-10, 44 (Gwreck)

  3. Rogers-Det 1964-11-10, 43 (John Cougar Lunchbucket)

  4. Glavine-ATL 1966-03-25, 42 (Gwreck)

  5. Maddux-SDP 1966-04-14, 42 (Gwreck)

    6. 5.5------------>John Cougar Lunchbucket, 1966-06-10, 41

  6. Alou-NYM 1966-07-03, 41) (OPP, John Cougar Lunchbucket)

  7. Wakefield-Bos 1966-08-02, 41 (John Cougar Lunchbucket)

  8. Smoltz-ATL 1967-05-15, 41 (Gwreck)

  9. ?

  10. Gonzalez-FLA 1967-09-03, 40 (John Cougar Lunchbucket)

  11. ?

  12. Gordon-PHI 1967-11-18, 40 (John Cougar Lunchbucket)

AG/DC
May 05 2008 07:34 AM

  1. Moyer-PHI 1962-11-18, 45 (Gwreck)

  2. Johnson-ARI 1963-09-10, 44 (Gwreck)

  3. Rogers-Det 1964-11-10, 43 (John Cougar Lunchbucket)

  4. Glavine-ATL 1966-03-25, 42 (Gwreck)

  5. Maddux-SDP 1966-04-14, 42 (Gwreck)

  6. Alou-NYM 1966-07-03, 41) (OPP, John Cougar Lunchbucket)

  7. Wakefield-Bos 1966-08-02, 41 (John Cougar Lunchbucket)

  8. Smoltz-ATL 1967-05-15, 41 (Gwreck)

  9. ?

  10. Gonzalez-FLA 1967-09-03, 40 (John Cougar Lunchbucket)

  11. Hoffman-SDP 1967-10-13, 40 (DocTee)

  12. Gordon-PHI 1967-11-18, 40 (John Cougar Lunchbucket)
Who is that mystery meat at number nine?

DocTee
May 05 2008 07:36 AM

Mystery meat?

Karl Ehmer? Frank Perdue? Oscar Meyer?


Troy Percival?

AG/DC
May 05 2008 07:40 AM

No, not one of those. In truth, if this guy was a food, he'd be a vegetable.

He's only appeared in 12 games against the Mets in his career.

John Cougar Lunchbucket
May 05 2008 07:42 AM

Mike Timlin (I looked him up since I'd already guessed above) belongs between Rogers and Glavine.

Born 3-10-66

AG/DC
May 05 2008 08:17 AM

I totally missed Timlin. The guy's got 6.3 innings and four decisions this year.

I was looking for Doug Brocail. I knew nothing about how ths guy made it into this list. So here's ten things I found out about Doug Brocail.

  1. Out of the bigs from 2001-2003, mostly recovering from elbow surgery.


  2. Underwent angioplasty in 2006.


  3. He has five daughters, all with last names that sound like first names: Taylor, McKinzie, Madisyne, Camdyn, and Parker Elizabeth.


  4. The names Camdyn and Parker are homages to Oriole Park at Camden Yards.


  5. June 6-16, 1993, gave up homers to opposing pitchers in three consecutive starts.


  6. Was invovled in a notorious incident in Oakland in 2004 when a fan heckled him supposedly about his stillborn child. Fellow reliever Frank Francisco, then just a rookie, hurled a folding chair at the fan, breaking the nose of the heckler's wife. Brocail actually pitched later in the game.


  7. Known as a red ass, despite letting a rookie do his dirty work in Oakland.


  8. Once again, I forget what eight was for.


  9. Under GM Randy Smith, he was involved in a 12-player trade, a nine-player trade, and a six-player trade.


  10. He's had some closer action this season as Jose Vaverde has scuffled.

Benjamin Grimm
May 05 2008 08:22 AM

AG/DC wrote:
The names Camdyn and Parker are homages to Oriole Park at Camden Yards.


And as we know, Chipper Jones named his child (daughter?) after Shea Stadium.

I hope this trend doesn't continue as we move forward into the corporate-name era. I'd hate to think of a generation of children with names like "Progressive" or "Petco."

Or worse, "Citi" which rhymes with "shitty" for goodness sakes!

Centerfield
May 05 2008 09:31 AM

="AG/DC"]
  • Was invovled in a notorious incident in Oakland in 2004 when a fan heckled him supposedly about his stillborn child. Fellow reliever Frank Francisco, then just a rookie, hurled a folding chair at the fan, breaking the nose of the heckler's wife. Brocail actually pitched later in the game.



    • I don't remember ever hearing that aspect of the story. I hope that if I ever run into that fan, there will be a chair within reach.

    AG/DC
    May 05 2008 09:53 AM

    Craig Bueno:

    DocTee
    May 05 2008 10:20 AM

    To make matters worse, Bueno, who admitted purchasing those tickets (near the visitor Bullpen) so that he could "get on those guys a bit" is a public servant (police officer I think, though maybe a fireman).

    HahnSolo
    May 05 2008 10:29 AM

    AG/DC wrote:
    Craig Bueno:


    "Despite all appearances, my husband's not a complete asswipe. Look at this sweet blouse he bought me for this press conference."

    themetfairy
    May 05 2008 02:21 PM

    ="Centerfield"]
    ="AG/DC"]
  • Was invovled in a notorious incident in Oakland in 2004 when a fan heckled him supposedly about his stillborn child. Fellow reliever Frank Francisco, then just a rookie, hurled a folding chair at the fan, breaking the nose of the heckler's wife. Brocail actually pitched later in the game.



    • I don't remember ever hearing that aspect of the story. I hope that if I ever run into that fan, there will be a chair within reach.


    People like that should be barred from ballparks for life.

    It's one thing to boo or razz a player (we can debate that, and we have), but that kind of behavior goes beyond all standards of decency.

    metsmarathon
    May 05 2008 02:35 PM

    ="AG/DC"]
  • He has five daughters, all with last names that sound like first names: Taylor, McKinzie, Madisyne, Camdyn, and Parker Elizabeth.


    • wow!

    i do wonder, though, what are the girls' first names?

    AG/DC
    May 05 2008 02:43 PM

    To be fair, I'm not sure if the facts were ever conclusively sorted out. The fan makes no bones that he was heckling (even chose those seats to be a jerk where he could be heard), but denied the specifics of what he said.

    Benjamin Grimm
    May 05 2008 02:47 PM

    I've been told that it's fun to be a jerk at the ballpark.

    Nymr83
    May 05 2008 02:51 PM

    it certainly is. but "you suck" is more than enough, theres no reason to get personal about the guy's family and stuff

    AG/DC
    May 05 2008 02:55 PM

    ="metsmarathon"]
    ="AG/DC"]
  • He has five daughters, all with last names that sound like first names: Taylor, McKinzie, Madisyne, Camdyn, and Parker Elizabeth.


    • wow!

    i do wonder, though, what are the girls' first names?


    Grumble.

    Centerfield
    May 05 2008 03:04 PM

    I don't have any set rules on this sort of thing, but if I had to go off the top of my head, this is what I'd say about razzing an opposing player:

    Anything to do with his play or his contract ("you suck, you're overpaid") - Perfectly OK.

    Anything to do with appearance ("You're fat") - Ok I guess. He's a public figure.

    Personal/Family life ("If I were your wife I'd leave you too") - Probably off limits, unless it's a really harmless thing

    Serious Illness - Over the line.

    Death in the Family - Not even human.

    sharpie
    May 05 2008 03:30 PM

    Where does razzing Barry Bonds about steroid use rate? Or players with drug problems?

    themetfairy
    May 05 2008 03:38 PM
    Edited 1 time(s), most recently on May 05 2008 03:39 PM

    There's a line between being a run of the mill jerk and being a total douchebag.

    Centerfield
    May 05 2008 03:39 PM

    I would consider steroid use fair game. Drug problems are a bit harder. If a guy gets caught smoking weed, I'd say that was ok. But if someone was dealing with a serious addiction, that might be another story. Of course, drug use is voluntary, and they should be held accountable...but I wonder if at some point there has to be sympathy for those trying to break an addiction. I wouldn't do it, but I don't think I would have strong feelings if someone did.

    themetfairy
    May 05 2008 03:40 PM

    Centerfield wrote:
    I don't have any set rules on this sort of thing, but if I had to go off the top of my head, this is what I'd say about razzing an opposing player:

    Anything to do with his play or his contract ("you suck, you're overpaid") - Perfectly OK.

    Anything to do with appearance ("You're fat") - Ok I guess. He's a public figure.

    Personal/Family life ("If I were your wife I'd leave you too") - Probably off limits, unless it's a really harmless thing

    Serious Illness - Over the line.

    Death in the Family - Not even human.


    Very reasonable guidelines, IMO.

    themetfairy
    May 08 2008 02:23 PM

    Jeff Pearlman [url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=pearlman/080508&sportCat=mlb&campaign=rsssrch&source=jeff_pearlman]chimes in re: drug addiction[/url].