#53 Bud Harrelson #54 Bud Harrelson In Action

Cast a wispy shadow but was highly combative...especially when provoked....just ask Pete Rose....Prior to Harrelson the NYM shortstop position was an assortment of well past prime veterans or undistinguished cast offs....Harrelson started out in development during the Mets sophomore year  mid-1963.....a great glove man, any hitting above .240 was pure profit in his stock and trade....was able to snatch all star honors twice.....a nadir of power, notoriously so, went over 1000 at bats between home runs....went yard 7 times in over 5,500 plate appearances.....resume reads two cups of coffee 1965 and 66, taking over full time in 1967.... won the gold glove in 1971.....reached a career high of 42 runs batted in 1970, his runner up number was 32 the following year....Injuries periodically interrupted performance....called up to stay in 1966 despite only hitting .221 in AAA that year....play declined 1974 and beyond eventually becoming a bit player with Phillies and then Texas.....Hit well in limited actions during his brief stays....With his longstanding relationship with Mets, returned to coach and manage in both minor and then with the parent club 1990-91....Sadly has been diagnosed with Alzheimer Disease a few years ago.    

#73 Steve Huntz

Well traveled utility Infielder.....could hit for some power but struggled with sustaining an acceptable batting average at the MLB level....bandied about, employers include Orioles who originally signed him, Giants who kept him over a winter, White Sox twice, Dodgers serving two years in AAA, Cardinals with whom he made his debut, and two stints with the Padres representing the bulk of his MLB work....went yard 16 times at baseball highest level but yielded only a .206 BA.....most homers in one season 11 for the Padres in 1970....finished baseball playing with two years on the shores of Hawaii in AAA.  

#154 Ted Simmons

Future star just starting to make his mark....registered a .304 BA one of seven full seasons to reach the .300 plateau.....1967 1^st round pick by St Louis tore up minors everywhere he played...hit .373 in AAA before staying up for good  a month into 1970...never looked back....once wore his hair straight and long but curt it back after his locks caught fire while burning leaves in the off season....less power but a superior batting average compared to Johnny Bench and Carlton Fisk...only backstop with a compatible BA to his was Yogi Berra’s....had 246 homers but sometimes would go season long power droughts where singles and doubles where his offence offering of choice....a catcher for most of his career, 1771 games out of 2035....traded to Milwaukee in blockbuster deal along with Rollie Fingers and Pete Vukovich....steal of a deal catapulted Brewers to two straight post season years 1981-82..... 1981 was his worst year as pro but bounced back strong reaching a personal best RBI mark of 108 1983.....Well regarded in Milwaukee....spent his last three years 1985-1988 as a role player with the Braves.....still getting hall consideration with favorable comparisons to fellow HOFers.....added bonus was a switch hitter.