Guess that Met

[Cowtipper]

The answer on the originating post from 2008 was Hausman, so that's the answer I went with here. Also Green, Glavine and Beltran are correct. As it pertains to Beltran, I believe the original poster meant there were two Beltrans in Mets history, not MLB history. Three new questions have been added.

Also, this thread had been viewed over 36,000 times in just a couple months, yet there aren't THAT many active posters here. Does The Crane Pool Forum have a giant audience of non-posting lurkers who just read here?

1. Who am I?



Hint: His surname might remind you of a Fleetwood Mac song.
Hint: Was a pitcher.
Hint: Pitched for the Mets in 1997 and 1998.

--originally posted by "Keyser Soze"

2. I once got the chance to play in Queens
but my 3 games didn't amount to beans.
I even got a hit that April, a double it was
but that was the pinnacle for my carreer buzz.
It's a shame my talent could take me no higher
with a name like mine I should be wearing a Mitre.

Who am I?

Hint: Played for the Mets in 1983.
Hint: Was not a king at the plate during his time as a rook, hitting .125.

--originally posted by "whoisonit"

3. I was a home grown talent and boy was I good
on any all-time Met list, belong I certainly should.
I probably had a few more years in my tank
but the racist prude Grant did something rank.
I was in the back of my van and busting a nut
when M. Donald went crazy to learn she had a white butt.
No more after that did I enter my own clubhouse
surely there's a place in hell for that rotten louse.

Who am I?

Hint: Debuted for the Mets in 1963.

--originally posted by "whoisonit"

4. I was traded away for two minor league players
during my time in NY I really had no naysayers.
I was an all-timer for sure, of that there's no doubt,
I got traded to my hometown because of my clout.
One of those I was traded for was named Greg Field
and he's one guy from whom they got no yield.
The other was a pitcher who we all know,
he's often on his knees in a famous photo.

Who am I?

Hint: Debuted for the Mets in 1967.

--originally posted by "whoisonit"

5. I was traded to the Mets
To play in their outfield
But little offensive output
That's what I would yield

I did so bad with them
That I stayed only a year
Before the management said
You're getting outta here

I went to the Rangers
Traded for a first-rounder
Who never played with the Mets
Who would really flounder

As a power-hitter
I would never thrive
My career home run amount
Totaled a measly five

Who am I?

Hint: Played for the Mets in 1975.

Running tally of correct guessers:

Johnny Lunchbucket: 27
stevejrogers: 26
Edgy MD: 21
batmagadanleadoff: 14
Benjamin Grimm: 4
metsmarathon: 4
MFS62: 2
DocTee: 1
Marshmallowmilkshake: 1
The Hot Corner: 1

[batmagadanleadoff]

The answer on the originating post from 2008 was Hausman, so that's the answer I went with here.

OK. I'll do this for you.



According to Baseball Reference, the Mets signed free agent Tom Hausman on November 21, 1977.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/play ... to01.shtml

Jeff Reardon, though, was signed by the Mets as a free agent on June 14, 1977, five months before the Hausman signing.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/play ... je01.shtml

[Edgy MD]

Ed Kranepool was signed by the Mets as a free agent fifteen years earlier, on June 27, 1962.

I think the unwritten distinction is that Hausman was a professional veteran free agent.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Ed Kranepool was signed by the Mets as a free agent fifteen years earlier, on June 27, 1962.

I think the unwritten distinction is that Hausman was a professional veteran free agent.

Yes! Emphasis on unwritten.

I momentarily forgot that before the amateur draft was instituted in 1965, every amateur was a free agent. I thought the answer was Reardon because of the "in the can" hint. Reardon spent some time in jail. And he was signed before Hausman. So what's the connection between the "in the can" hint and Tom Hausman?

[Cowtipper]

I would suggest, as Tom Hausman was previously given as the correct answer, that the assumption or implication was that the poem referred to the Mets' first FA signing who'd had previous MLB experience.

"The few thousand New Yorkers who remained as fans
knew my 'big' signing meant one more season in the can."

The team was in the can—the trash can. As in, they were trash. Another throwaway season.

Not that Hausman was particularly bad, for a couple seasons at least. 1979 and 1981 were impressive.

Hints have been added to the questions above.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

We don’t really need hints for the Cleon Jones and Jerry Koosman ones

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

5 is Gene Clines

[Cowtipper]

Jones, Koosman and Clines are correct! Three new questions have been added.

1. Who am I?



Hint: His surname might remind you of a Fleetwood Mac song.
Hint: Was a pitcher.
Hint: Pitched for the Mets in 1997 and 1998.

--originally posted by "Keyser Soze"

2. I once got the chance to play in Queens
but my 3 games didn't amount to beans.
I even got a hit that April, a double it was
but that was the pinnacle for my carreer buzz.
It's a shame my talent could take me no higher
with a name like mine I should be wearing a Mitre.

Who am I?

Hint: Played for the Mets in 1983.
Hint: Was not a king at the plate during his time as a rook, hitting .125.

--originally posted by "whoisonit"

3. No doubt it will cause some people to laugh
when they hear that my one year I was ace of the staff.
I was the best starter of the bunch in a very brutal year,
so I demanded more money thinking they held me dear.
That was the real reason why I recieved a call in the off season
and they said "you're outta here Boom-Boom, for obvious reasons".

Who am I?

--originally posted by "whoisonit"

4. Much like a guy at first I was brought in to add a certain pedigree.
Too bad I played like a current [as of 2008] member of the Mets, playing one of the positions I played at Shea.
I was once traded for a Hall of Famer, but Met fans would call me a Hall of Lamer!

This was tacked on later:

Brash and bombastic and quite vulgar as well, I share many similarities with a (then) current Met villain.

Then this was added:

I had a playing career of much distinction, save for my final hand full of games in Flushing.
Oh, and I was traded WITH a Hall of Famer I should have said.
Although I had quite a noteworthy post-playing career, again due to my bombastic nature, much comparisons have been made between a couple of men who skippered in The Bronx, ah but not my current boss!

Who am I?

--originally posted by our very own "SteveJRogers"

5. The Mets added me a month before Bowa
Veteran experience, they wanted some mo-a
My big brother went 3-for-3 in one game
My kid bro's one year and my last were the same

--originally posted by "VIBaseball"

Running tally of correct guessers:

Johnny Lunchbucket: 30
stevejrogers: 26
Edgy MD: 21
batmagadanleadoff: 14
Benjamin Grimm: 4
metsmarathon: 4
MFS62: 2
DocTee: 1
Marshmallowmilkshake: 1
The Hot Corner: 1

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

2 is mike bishop

[Benjamin Grimm]

Number 1 is... Harvey Rhiannon?

[Cowtipper]

Bishop is correct! You got the song reference right with Rhiannon. The pitcher in question might have been pretty mediocre for his career, but he was very good with the Mets, posting a 3.57 ERA and 116 ERA+ in 148 2/3 innings with them.

A new question has been added.

1. Who am I?



Hint: His surname might remind you of a Fleetwood Mac song.
Hint: Was a pitcher.
Hint: Pitched for the Mets in 1997 and 1998.

--originally posted by "Keyser Soze"

--originally posted by "whoisonit"

2. No doubt it will cause some people to laugh
when they hear that my one year I was ace of the staff.
I was the best starter of the bunch in a very brutal year,
so I demanded more money thinking they held me dear.
That was the real reason why I recieved a call in the off season
and they said "you're outta here Boom-Boom, for obvious reasons".

Who am I?

--originally posted by "whoisonit"

3. Much like a guy at first I was brought in to add a certain pedigree.
Too bad I played like a current [as of 2008] member of the Mets, playing one of the positions I played at Shea.
I was once traded for a Hall of Famer, but Met fans would call me a Hall of Lamer!

This was tacked on later:

Brash and bombastic and quite vulgar as well, I share many similarities with a (then) current Met villain.

Then this was added:

I had a playing career of much distinction, save for my final hand full of games in Flushing.
Oh, and I was traded WITH a Hall of Famer I should have said.
Although I had quite a noteworthy post-playing career, again due to my bombastic nature, much comparisons have been made between a couple of men who skippered in The Bronx, ah but not my current boss!

Who am I?

--originally posted by our very own "SteveJRogers"

4. The Mets added me a month before Bowa
Veteran experience, they wanted some mo-a
My big brother went 3-for-3 in one game
My kid bro's one year and my last were the same

--originally posted by "VIBaseball"

5. [Someone once] thought I lacked what it took
What did he know, that loudmouthed schnook?
At my best with the Reds I won 18 games
I got hurt; by '01 I was down in flames

--originally posted by "VIBaseball"

Running tally of correct guessers:

Johnny Lunchbucket: 31
stevejrogers: 26
Edgy MD: 21
batmagadanleadoff: 14
Benjamin Grimm: 4
metsmarathon: 4
MFS62: 2
DocTee: 1
Marshmallowmilkshake: 1
The Hot Corner: 1

[stevejrogers]

Oddly enough…I don’t have the faintest clue now who I was going for there…

[stevejrogers]

#5 Pete Harnish

[Edgy MD]

Number 1 is Brian Bohannon, who's surname actually makes me think of a Tom Tom Club song.

[stevejrogers]

Tom Paciorek for #4

[Cowtipper]

Harnisch is incorrect. It was a Pete, though. Bohanon is correct (I also get the Tom Tom Club reference) and so is Paciorek. Two new questions have been added:

1. No doubt it will cause some people to laugh
when they hear that my one year I was ace of the staff.
I was the best starter of the bunch in a very brutal year,
so I demanded more money thinking they held me dear.
That was the real reason why I recieved a call in the off season
and they said "you're outta here Boom-Boom, for obvious reasons".

Who am I?

--originally posted by "whoisonit"

2. Much like a guy at first I was brought in to add a certain pedigree.
Too bad I played like a current [as of 2008] member of the Mets, playing one of the positions I played at Shea.
I was once traded for a Hall of Famer, but Met fans would call me a Hall of Lamer!

This was tacked on later:

Brash and bombastic and quite vulgar as well, I share many similarities with a (then) current Met villain.

Then this was added:

I had a playing career of much distinction, save for my final hand full of games in Flushing.
Oh, and I was traded WITH a Hall of Famer I should have said.
Although I had quite a noteworthy post-playing career, again due to my bombastic nature, much comparisons have been made between a couple of men who skippered in The Bronx, ah but not my current boss!

Who am I?

--originally posted by our very own "SteveJRogers"

3. [Someone once] thought I lacked what it took
What did he know, that loudmouthed schnook?
At my best with the Reds I won 18 games
I got hurt; by '01 I was down in flames

Who am I?

--originally posted by "VIBaseball"

4. I threw right and I batted switch
The Mets sent me packing along with Mitch
From Co-Op City in the Bronx I came
Sherman Hemsley's "George" and I share a name

Who am I?

--originally posted by "VIBaseball"

5. I should be easy to get
Though I never did play for the Mets
In fact I never even drew a salary from the Mets!
Yet everybody knew my name, and at a place where,
well, somedays they were glad they came!

This was added on later:

Well, guess you haven't guessed my name
Nor do you know the nature of my game!
heh, sorry about the Stones reference!
But I am gone, and so [is] the place I talked about before, but my name shall live on, and on, and on, and on!

Who am I?

--originally posted by our very own "SteveJRogers"

Running tally of correct guessers:

Johnny Lunchbucket: 31
stevejrogers: 27
Edgy MD: 22
batmagadanleadoff: 14
Benjamin Grimm: 4
metsmarathon: 4
MFS62: 2
DocTee: 1
Marshmallowmilkshake: 1
The Hot Corner: 1

[stevejrogers]

4 is Stanley Jefferson

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

1 Mark Bomback

[Cowtipper]

Jefferson and Bomback are correct! Two new questions have been added, with hints added for the others.

1. Much like a guy at first I was brought in to add a certain pedigree.
Too bad I played like a current [as of 2008] member of the Mets, playing one of the positions I played at Shea.
I was once traded for a Hall of Famer, but Met fans would call me a Hall of Lamer!

This was tacked on later:

Brash and bombastic and quite vulgar as well, I share many similarities with a (then) current Met villain.

Then this was added:

I had a playing career of much distinction, save for my final hand full of games in Flushing.
Oh, and I was traded WITH a Hall of Famer I should have said.
Although I had quite a noteworthy post-playing career, again due to my bombastic nature, much comparisons have been made between a couple of men who skippered in The Bronx, ah but not my current boss!

Who am I?

Hint: Played for the Mets in 1985.

--originally posted by our very own "SteveJRogers"

2. [Someone once] thought I lacked what it took
What did he know, that loudmouthed schnook?
At my best with the Reds I won 18 games
I got hurt; by '01 I was down in flames

Who am I?

Hint: Debuted with the Mets in 1991.

--originally posted by "VIBaseball"

3. I should be easy to get
Though I never did play for the Mets
In fact I never even drew a salary from the Mets!
Yet everybody knew my name, and at a place where,
well, somedays they were glad they came!

This was added on later:

Well, guess you haven't guessed my name
Nor do you know the nature of my game!
heh, sorry about the Stones reference!
But I am gone, and so [is] the place I talked about before, but my name shall live on, and on, and on, and on!

Who am I?

Hint: Never played professionally.

--originally posted by our very own "SteveJRogers"

4. Near halfway up the bat I'd choke
It's what produced my line-drive stroke
I held our one-year mark for hits
I had great range and sticky mitts
My ending here was not so hot
Got body-slammed by big Ed Ott

Who am I?

--originally posted by "VIBaseball"

5. I made the last out in a post series final,
so it broke many hearts n they lived in denial.
There's no way to deny my blue hat cred,
I manned that infield with my hair flaming red.
Our fans still love me rite to this day,
Oh what fun playing by the bay!

Who am I?

--originally posted by "whoisonit"

Running tally of correct guessers:

Johnny Lunchbucket: 32
stevejrogers: 28
Edgy MD: 22
batmagadanleadoff: 14
Benjamin Grimm: 4
metsmarathon: 4
MFS62: 2
DocTee: 1
Marshmallowmilkshake: 1
The Hot Corner: 1

[stevejrogers]

5 has to be Wayne Garrett?

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

4 is Millan

[Cowtipper]

Garrett and Millan are correct! Two new questions have been added, and hints have been added for the rest.

1. Much like a guy at first I was brought in to add a certain pedigree.
Too bad I played like a current [as of 2008] member of the Mets, playing one of the positions I played at Shea.
I was once traded for a Hall of Famer, but Met fans would call me a Hall of Lamer!

This was tacked on later:

Brash and bombastic and quite vulgar as well, I share many similarities with a (then) current Met villain.

Then this was added:

I had a playing career of much distinction, save for my final hand full of games in Flushing.
Oh, and I was traded WITH a Hall of Famer I should have said.
Although I had quite a noteworthy post-playing career, again due to my bombastic nature, much comparisons have been made between a couple of men who skippered in The Bronx, ah but not my current boss!

Who am I?

Hint: Played for the Mets in 1985.
Hint: Later managed the Phillies.
Hint: Debuted in the majors in 1970.

--originally posted by our very own "SteveJRogers"

2. [Someone once] thought I lacked what it took
What did he know, that loudmouthed schnook?
At my best with the Reds I won 18 games
I got hurt; by '01 I was down in flames

Who am I?

Hint: Debuted with the Mets in 1991.
Hint: Was a Mets second round draft pick.
Hint: Involved in this transaction—April 7, 1994: Selected off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds from the New York Mets.

--originally posted by "VIBaseball"

3. I should be easy to get
Though I never did play for the Mets
In fact I never even drew a salary from the Mets!
Yet everybody knew my name, and at a place where,
well, somedays they were glad they came!

This was added on later:

Well, guess you haven't guessed my name
Nor do you know the nature of my game!
heh, sorry about the Stones reference!
But I am gone, and so [is] the place I talked about before, but my name shall live on, and on, and on, and on!

Who am I?

Hint: Never played professionally.
Hint: Was an esquire.
Hint: Died in 1991.

--originally posted by our very own "SteveJRogers"

4. I came to the Mets in '94
And I think they may have expected more
But I wasn't all that good quite frankly
Although my first shutout came against the Yankees

Who am I?

Hint: Played for the Mets from 1995 to 1998.

5. Who am I?



Hint: Debuted for the Mets in 2000.

--originally posted by "NYMFAN47"

Running tally of correct guessers:

Johnny Lunchbucket: 33
stevejrogers: 29
Edgy MD: 22
batmagadanleadoff: 14
Benjamin Grimm: 4
metsmarathon: 4
MFS62: 2
DocTee: 1
Marshmallowmilkshake: 1
The Hot Corner: 1

[Cowtipper]

Hints have been added.

[Edgy MD]

Number four is clearly Dave Mlicki, but I'm not sure who would have "expected more."

[batmagadanleadoff]

1 is Larry Bowa. 5 is Timo Perez.