One-Game Wonders: Truly Obscure Mets of the Past
From 1962 to 1996, here's a list of players who played exactly one game for the Mets. The stats are taken from "Total Mets", a 1997 publication, but the recollections are my own.
HITTERS :
Luis Alvarado - a utility infielder who I remember with the Red Sox and Tigers, he played one game for the Mets in 1977 at second base, going 0 for 2.
Francisco Estrada- a catcher from the Mexican League, he was up for one game with the 1971 Mets, going 1 for 2 before being sent to the Angels in the infamous Nolan Ryan deal. He never played another big league game.
Dave Liddell - a catcher who was behind the plate for a game in 1990, perfect at the plate, going 1 for 1 and scoring a run before his return to obscurity. He came to the Mets from the Cubs for Ed Lynch.
PITCHERS :
Bob Gibson - NOT the Cardinals Hall Of Famer, he gave up no hits in his one inning of work in 1987, striking out 2. He also pitched for the Tigers.
Kenny Greer - pitched in one game, one inning, struck out two, and picked up a win for the Mets in 1993. I think he also got a brief shot with the Yankees.
Manny Hernandez - pitched 1 inning for the Mets in 1989. Although the record books show him appearing in 15 other big league games with the Astros, I must admit I don't remember him at all. He would get my PERSONAL vote as the most obscure Met of all.
Jesse Hudson - A lanky lefty product of the farm system, he surfaced in 1969 at age 21, pitching in one game for 2 innings, giving up a run, 2 hits, and 2 walks, striking out 3. I don't remember how Jesse went from hot young prospect to one-game wonder, but he never appeared in the big leagues again.
Doc Medich - certainly the most accomplished player in this group, Medich won 124 games in an 11-year big league career. The Mets acquired Doc at the end of the 1977 season, gave him one start in which he pitched 7 innings, giving up 3 runs and taking the loss. Presumably, the Mets expected to sign him long-term, but didn't. Otherwise, it's hard to explain why they would have picked him up for one appearance.
Don Rose - regarded as a pretty good prospect, Rose got into one game, pitching 2 scoreless innings for the 1971 Mets before going over to the Angels in the Ryan trade. Rose got another brief shot in California, but never made it.
Mac Scarce - I was surprised to see that Scarce only pitched in one game, faced one batter and gave up a hit in his only Met appearance because he was regarded as the likely replacement for Tug McGraw or at worst, a situational lefty when he came over from the Phillies, where he had some success.
HITTERS :
Luis Alvarado - a utility infielder who I remember with the Red Sox and Tigers, he played one game for the Mets in 1977 at second base, going 0 for 2.
Francisco Estrada- a catcher from the Mexican League, he was up for one game with the 1971 Mets, going 1 for 2 before being sent to the Angels in the infamous Nolan Ryan deal. He never played another big league game.
Dave Liddell - a catcher who was behind the plate for a game in 1990, perfect at the plate, going 1 for 1 and scoring a run before his return to obscurity. He came to the Mets from the Cubs for Ed Lynch.
PITCHERS :
Bob Gibson - NOT the Cardinals Hall Of Famer, he gave up no hits in his one inning of work in 1987, striking out 2. He also pitched for the Tigers.
Kenny Greer - pitched in one game, one inning, struck out two, and picked up a win for the Mets in 1993. I think he also got a brief shot with the Yankees.
Manny Hernandez - pitched 1 inning for the Mets in 1989. Although the record books show him appearing in 15 other big league games with the Astros, I must admit I don't remember him at all. He would get my PERSONAL vote as the most obscure Met of all.
Jesse Hudson - A lanky lefty product of the farm system, he surfaced in 1969 at age 21, pitching in one game for 2 innings, giving up a run, 2 hits, and 2 walks, striking out 3. I don't remember how Jesse went from hot young prospect to one-game wonder, but he never appeared in the big leagues again.
Doc Medich - certainly the most accomplished player in this group, Medich won 124 games in an 11-year big league career. The Mets acquired Doc at the end of the 1977 season, gave him one start in which he pitched 7 innings, giving up 3 runs and taking the loss. Presumably, the Mets expected to sign him long-term, but didn't. Otherwise, it's hard to explain why they would have picked him up for one appearance.
Don Rose - regarded as a pretty good prospect, Rose got into one game, pitching 2 scoreless innings for the 1971 Mets before going over to the Angels in the Ryan trade. Rose got another brief shot in California, but never made it.
Mac Scarce - I was surprised to see that Scarce only pitched in one game, faced one batter and gave up a hit in his only Met appearance because he was regarded as the likely replacement for Tug McGraw or at worst, a situational lefty when he came over from the Phillies, where he had some success.
posted by Metscentric at 8:47 AM
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