Countdown to Mets Fantasy Camp 34 Days to Go.
Every year for the last 3 years as Spring gives way to Fall, Mets season merges into NY Rangers season, I have been able to keep the baseball side of my brain occupied with thoughts of Mets Fantasy Camp. This year more so then ever, in the past I have simply gone down to cover the week long camp as a reporter, this season I am headed down to actually participate as a player. Each year I have tried to find unique ways of counting down the days until camp and sharing them with Mets fans, So this year I will do the countdown by Jersey numbers, When possible I will post my 3 favorite Mets who have worn that number, some numbers are harder then others.
#1 Dan Frisella
To be honest #34 is a tough one for me to figure what players are my favorites, I initially went with Bob Apodaca,but the more I thought about it the more I realized I really wasn't a big Dac Fan.But I was always a big Danny Frisella fan, I remembered the fact that first you would have to deal with Dan's forkball and then Tug McGraws Screwball. Both guys were bigger then life, I also vaguely remember him missing part of the 69 season due to having to serve in the National Guard. To this day whenever I see a dune buggy (which is not all that often on the east coast) I think of Dan.
#2 Cal Koonce
Cal is continuing a trend of Jersey numbers in the 30's it seems I am going with a lot of the late 60's early 70's guys, they were my childhood and Cal like Danny was part of the first team I ever really truly fell in love with the 1969 Mets, I never truly understood how grown men had such a love affair with the Brooklyn Dodgers but now I get it, just picturing watching a 1969 Met game on TV with my Dad brings a smile to my face. Cal was a perfect example of a guy that Gil Hodges used perfectly in that 1969 Season, as Cal appeared in 40 games went 6-3 and had 7 saves.
The third spot has some stiff competition as Kris Benson,Ray Burris and Pedro Astacio were in the mix, but in the end how can you not go with a guy who does the homerun trot backwards gotta give the nod to Jimmy Piersall.
Mets who wore # 34
Dave Hillman
Jimmy Piersall
Cleon Jones
Dennis Musgraves
Gerry Arrigo
Nolan Ryan
Jack Lamabe
Cal Koonce
Danny Frisella
Phil Hennigan
Bob Apodaca
Ray Burris
Ed Lynch
Rusty Tillman
Junior Ortiz
Sam Perlozzo
Mario Diaz
Julio Valera
Chico Walker
Frank Seminara
Blas Minor
Rick Trlicek
Mac Suzuki
Chuck McElroy
Dennis Springer
Jerrod Riggan
Tom Martin
Pedro Astacio
Ricky Bottalico
Kris Benson
Jorge Julio
Mike Pelfrey
Brandon Lyon
By: Mark Rosenman
WLIE 540 AM SPORTSTALKNY Host and Producer
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