Day In Mets Infamy With Rusty: The “Only 11 Days To Go” Edition

This morning as I woke up to yet another frigid Staten Island winter morning-  where it looks more like the ice planet Hoth than one of  the city’s 5 boroughs. I realized there are just eleven days until Mets pitchers and catchers are scheduled to arrive at Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie Florida for the start of Spring Training. This for me is light at the end of the tunnel of sorts because yes it will most definitely stay cold here for at least another month, but knowing that Spring Training is almost here means that warm weather should also be right around the corner.

So I also looked to the number eleven for some kind of relevance in the fabric of Mets history, and so I looked at the “Mets By The Numbers” website and I found out there were 30 players to don the number 11 for the orange and blue. So here are the eleven most interesting players that for the number 11 for our team.

The first player to ever wear the number 11 for the Mets was none other than Ed Bouchee. Bouche was a reserve first baseman for the Mets and wore the number  from Opening Day of 1962 until his release on July 29th, 1962.

The most accomplished player to wear the number 11 for the Mets was none other than Brooklyn Dodgers legend, Duke Snider. The “Dook of Flatbush” was already past his prime by the time the Mets purchased his contract from the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he did man the outfield in 129 games for the Mets until they sold him to the San Francisco Giants.

Next up was shortstop ( as well as future Mets manager) Roy McMillan. Roy wore the number 11 for 3 seasons (’64-’66) for the Mets.

Wayne Garrett hold the distinction for being the longest tenured player to wear the double ones for the Mets. Ed wore 11 from ’69-’76 while manning the hot corner for the Mets.

The player with the best name to ever wear the number 11 for the Mets is none other than reserve outfielder from the ’76 season, Pepe Manguel.

Third baseman, Lenny Randle inherited the number 11 when the Mets obtained him from the Texas Rangers for minor leaguer, Rich Auerbach just after the beginning of the ’77 season. He would wear that number until the final day of the ’78 season.

The most popular Met to ever wear the number 11 in my opinion is none other than second baseman, Tim Teufel. Tim  wore the number from the time the Mets obtained him from the Twins in ’86 to ’91 when he was dealt to the Padres for a past his prime Garry Templeton.

The most infamous Met to ever wear the number 11 is none other than Vince Coleman in 1993. If you don’t know why Coleman is so infamous then you aren’t a Mets fan !

One of the most popular reserve players to ever play for the Mets “Super” Joe McEwing sported the number 11 from ’03-’04. He is currently a coach for the Chicago White Sox.

Argenis Reyes number 11 shined bright for a few fleeting moments in ’09 but when the rest of the league’s pitching figured him out he reverted back to being a AAAA caliber player.

And lastly this brings us to the most maligned number 11 in recent years, shortstop, Ruben Tejada. Ruben’s adequate defense coupled with his anemic offense has put him in many a Mets fans (as well as coaches) doghouse. He is as of this posts publication the Mets back up shortstop to Wilmer Flores.

So there you have it the most prolific men to ever wear the number 11 for the Mets. Do you agree with this list ? If so who would you add or omit ?

And with that said…. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!!

Mets alumni celebrating a birthday today includes:

Mets third base coach from ’64-’65, Don Heffner would have been 104  (1911)

Sadly on this date in 2005, reserve catcher from the ’83 season, Mike Bishop passed away.

Other transactions of note includes :
The New York Mets signed free agent shortstop, Rey Ordóñez on February 8, 1994. Rey could barely hit for average, but he was possibly the best fielding shortstop in Mets history.

The New York Mets signed free agent middle reliever,  Rich Rodriguez on February 8, 2000. Rodriguez put up Doug Sisk in his lone season with the Mets . He appeared in 32 games for the Mets in ’94 and went 0-1 wit zero saves and a hefty 7.78 E.R.A.

The New York Mets signed free agent middle reliever, Justin Hampson on February 8, 2011.

The San Francisco Giants  signed middle reliever, Elmer Dessens of the New York Mets as a free agent on February 8, 2011.

The New York Mets signed free agent middle reliever, Brandon Lyon of the Toronto Blue Jays on February 8, 2013.

The last time Mo Vaughn wore the number 11 he was in Pre-K