#154: Angel Mangual

Angel Mangual

When you get a guy who played in the 70's, there's a good chance of finding a teammate that played with one of my "Big 3", and the '76 Athletics are no different. A looked at each player and found 11 who played with Gary Carter, Rick Cerone, or Dennis Martinez. The longest tenured Athletic, however, played until 1992. I'm going to go with him.

I) Mangual --> '76 Athletics --> Denny Walling

II) Walling --> '92 Astros --> Tuffy Rhodes, Butch Henry, Jimmy Jones, Doug Jones
      III) Henry --> '93 Expos
      III) Doug Jones --> 2000 Athletics
      III) Jimmy Jones --> '93 Expos
      III) Rhodes --> '95 Red Sox

How can you not go for guy named Tuffy?

1. Angel Mangual played for the 1976 Oakland Athletics with Denny Walling.
2. Denny Walling played for the 1992 Houston Astros with Tuffy Rhodes.
3. Tuffy Rhodes played for the 1995 Boston Red Sox with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 3

#153: Dave Philley

Dave Philley

Dave Philley is already a connected player. Easy one today.

1. Dave Philley played for the 1961 Baltimore Orioles with Brooks Robinson.
2. Brooks Robinson played for the 1977 Baltimore Orioles with Dennis Martinez.
3. Dennis Martinez played for the 1993 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 3

#152: Hal Griggs

Hal Griggs

Hal Griggs played with the Washington Senators in the late 1950's. I have the '59 Senators team checked off already, so I'll go one back and see if I can add any new teams.

I) Hal Griggs --> '58 Washington Senators --> Harmon Killebrew

Always good to add a Hall of Famer!

II) Killebrew --> '75 Royals --> John Mayberry, George Brett, Jim Wohlford, Tony Solaita, Bob Stinson, Rodney Scott, Bob McClure, Nelson Briles, Doug Bird
      III) Bird --> '81 Yankees
      III) Brett --> '93 Royals
      III) Briles --> '78 Orioles
      III) Mayberry --> '79 Blue Jays
      III) McClure --> '93 Marlins
      III) Scott --> '82 Expos
      III) Solaita --> '79 Expos
      III) Stinson --> '74 Expos
      III) Wohlford --> '83 Expos

A lot of guys here who played with my "Big 3", plus 2 who lasted all the way to 1993. I can take an easy path, but I have a hunch on Brett's '93 Royals.

1. Hal Griggs played for the 1958 Washington Senators with Harmon Killebrew.
2. Harmon Killebrew played for the 1975 Kansas City Royals with George Brett.
3. George Brett played for the 1993 Kansas City Royals with Mike Macfarlane.
4. Mike Macfarlane played for the 1999 Oakland Athletics with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 4

I had a hunch that once I got to the early 1990's, I could find a former teammate of Stairs. Easy enough.

#151: Christams Edition - Steve Christmas

Steve Christmas

Since I did special holiday editions for Halloween and Thanksgiving, I should do a Christmas one too, right? Fortunately for me, there was a player with Christmas as a last name.

I) Steve Christmas --> '86 Cubs

Hmmm... a certain pitcher started his very long career with the '86 Cubs....

1. Steve Christmas played for the 1986 Chicago Cubs with Jaime Moyer.
2. Jaime Moyer played for the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

Merry Christmas everyone!

#150: Bill Slayback

Bill Slayback

Bill Slayback played for the Tigers in the mid-70's. I already have the '74 Tigers as a connected team. Even if I go back to his other two years, I'll use the same teammate.

1. Bill Slayback played for the 1973 Detroit Tigers with Jim Northrup.
2. Jim Northrup played for the 1974 Montreal Expos with Gary Carter.
3. Gary Carter played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 3

#149: Ford Garrison

Ford Garrison

I) Ford Garrison --> '46 Philadelphia Athletics --> Elmer Valo

II) Valo --> '61 Twins
II) Valo --> '61 Phillies

I've only connected one other Twins team, so I'll use them again.

II) Valo --> '61 Twins --> Jim Kaat

Done.

1. Ford Garrison played for the 1946 Philadelphia Athletics with Elmer Valo.
2. Elmer Valo played for the 1961 Minnesota Twins with Jim Kaat.
3. Jim Kaat played for the 1980 New York Yankees with Rick Cerone.
4. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 4

#148: Randy Miller

Randy Miller

An easy one today. Randy Miller played with the Orioles and Expos in the late '70s.

1. Randy Miller played for the 1978 Montreal Expos with Gary Carter.
2. Gary Carter played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#147: Rob Belloir

Rob Belloir

Rob Belloir last played for the Braves in 1978. I already have that as a connected team, so I'm going to play with the prior year.

I) Rob Belloir --> '77 Braves --> Steve Hargan, Phil Niekro, Tom Paciorek, Joe Nolan, Dale Murphy, Rowland Office, Jerry Royster,

II) Hargan --> '77 Blue Jays
II) Murphy --> '93 Rockies
II) Niekro --> '84 Yankees
II) Nolan --> '82 Orioles
II) Office --> '80 Expos
II) Paciorek --> '85 Mets
II) Royster --> '87 Yankees

All of these guys aside from Murphy played for my "Big 3" However, Murphy played until 1993, making him an excellent bet to continue.

II) Murphy --> '93 Rockies --> Joe Girardi

That will do.

1. Rob Belloir played for the 1977 Atlanta Braves with Dale Murphy.
2. Dale Murphy played for the 1993 Colorado Rockies with Joe Girardi.
3. Joe Girardi played for the 2001 Chicago Cubs with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 3

#146: Bob Feller

Bob Feller

Hall of Fame Great Bob Feller passed away yesterday. Here's to you, Mr. Feller...

I) Bob Feller --> '56 Indians --> Hank Aguirre

II) Aguirre --> '70 Cubs --> Larry Gura, Ken Holtzman, Ken Rudolph
      III) Gura --> '85 Royals
      III) Gura --> '85 Cubs
      III) Holtzman --> '76 Orioles
      III) Rudolph --> '77 Orioles

The Orioles way is the quickest way.

1. Bob Feller played for the 1956 Cleveland Indians with Hank Aguirre.
2. Hank Aguirre played for the 1970 Chicago Cubs with Ken Rudolph.
3. Ken Rudolph played for the 1977 Baltimore Orioles with Dennis Martinez.
4. Dennis Martinez played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 4

#145: Troy Percival

Troy Percival

I) Troy Percival --> 2009 Rays --> Brian Shouse, Jason Isringhausen, J.P. Howell, Joe Nelson, Greg Zaun, Pat Burrell

II) Burrell --> 2008 Phillies
II) Howell --> 2005 Royals
II) Isringhausen --> 2000 Athletics
II) Nelson --> 2006 Royals
II) Shouse --> 2006 Rangers
II) Zaun --> 2007 Blue Jays

Quite a number of players who spent time with Stairs. I'll give the Royals some love here.

1. Troy Percival played for the 2009 Tampa Bay Rays with Joe Nelson.
2. Joe Nelson played for the 2006 Kansas City Royals with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#144: Greg Goossen

Greg Goossen

Goossen ended his career in 1970 with both the Brewers and the Senators. However, I'm going to break from my traditional tactics and go with the year before. Why? Because it offers me a rare opportunity to add the Seattle Pilots - a team that lasted one year before they became the Brewers.

I) Greg Goossen --> '69 Seattle Pilots --> Fred Stanley, Tommy Harper

53 men could make the claim they were a Seattle Pilot. Only 2 make the cut here.

II) Harper --> '76 Orioles
II) Stanley --> '80 Yankees
II) Stanley --> '82 Athletics

The Orioles and Yankees will link me with Stairs via my "Big 3". If the Athletics team has someone who also played with Stairs, I'll have another team to add.

II) Stanley --> '82 Athletics --> Rickey Henderson, Tony Phillips

Rickey!

1. Greg Goossen played for the 1969 Seattle Pilots with Fred Stanley.
2. Fred Stanley played for the 1982 Oakland Athletics with Rickey Henderson.
3. Rickey Henderson played for the 1998 Oakland Athletics with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 3

Nats Sign Stairs

ESPN link

Looks like the Washington Nationals are going to give our muse a shot at making the club. Here's hoping he makes it!

Incidentally, if he does, will he extend his record for teams played with? On one hand, he's never played for the Nationals, but on the other hand, he started his career with the franchise when they were the Montreal Expos. If a franchise moves and changes its identity, is it still the same franchise? Either way, this would be a good way to come full circle and end his career. Good luck Matt!

#143: Luke Boone

Luke Boone

I) Luke Boone --> '18 Pirates --> Carmen Hill, Hal Carlson, Billy Southworth, Max Carey

II) Carey --> '29 Brooklyn Robins
II) Carlson --> '30 Cubs
II) Hill --> '30 Cardinals
II) Southworth --> '29 Cardinals

I've already used Carey and the '29 Robins before. I'll try another path and see where it takes me. As always, my bias goes to the Hall of Famer.

II) Southworth --> '29 Cardinals --> Syl Johnson, Fred Frankhouse, Jimmie Wilson, Charlie Gelbert
      III) Frankhouse --> '39 Boston Bees
      III) Gelbert --> '40 Red Sox
      III) Gelbert --> '40 Washington Senators
      III) Johnson --> '40 Phillies
      III) Wilson --> '40 Reds

The Reds team is my only connected one, so I have a lot of choices here. Showing my Red Sox bias here...

      III) Gelbert --> '40 Red Sox --> Ted Williams

Well, I used my bias towards Hall of Famers and my bias towards the Red Sox. It's only fair I end up with a Red Sox Hall of Famer.

              IV) Williams --> '60 Red Sox --> Earl Wilson, Al Worthington, Jim Pagliaroni, Gary Geiger
                     V) Geiger --> '70 Astros
                     V) Pagliaroni --> '69 Seattle Pilots
                     V) Wilson --> '70 Padres
                     V) Worthington --> '69 Twins

Dead end here. I'm going to have to go back a couple steps.

      III) Gelbert --> '40 Washington Senators --> Mickey Vernon
              IV) Vernon --> '60 Pirates --> Joe Gibbons, Dick SChofield, Bill Mazeroski, Roberto Clemente
                     V) Clemente --> '72 Pirates
                     V) Gibbons --> '72 Astros
                     V) Gibbons --> '72 Reds
                     V) Mazeroski --> '72 Pirates
                     V) Schofield --> '71 Brewers
                     V) Schofield --> '71 Cardinals

Another dead end. Rather than make this endlessly long, I'm going to take a path I've used before.

1. Luke Boone played for the 1918 Pittsburgh Pirates with Max Carey.
2. Max Carey played for the 1929 Brooklyn Robins with Bobo Newsom.
3. Bobo Newsom played for the 1953 Philadelphia Athletics with Bobby Shantz
4. Bobby Shantz played for the 1964 St. Louis Cardinals with Mike Cuellar
5. Mike Cuellar played for the 1976 Baltimore Orioles with Dennis Martinez
6. Dennis Martinez played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#142: Ray Knight

Ray Knight

It's a good thing my Red Sox have won the World Series recently, otherwise I might have spewed a little venom towards the 1986 World Series MVP. It's all good now.

I) Ray Knoght --> '88 Tigers --> Torey Lovullo

II) Lovullo --> '96 Athletics

1. Ray Knight played for the 1988 Detroit Tigers with Torey Lovullo.
2. Torey Lovullo played for the 1996 Oakland Athletics with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#141: Joe Lake

Joe Lake

Another turn of the century player...

I) Joe Lake --> '13 Tigers --> Ty Cobb, Wally Pipp, Frank Gibson, Eddie Onslow

II) Cobb --> '28 Philadelphia Athletics
II) Gibson --> '27 Boston Braves
II) Onslow --> '27 Washington Senators
II) Pipp --> '28 Reds

I'm going to bypass Hall of Famer Ty Cobb, since the Athletics team has already been connected. I'll give Wally Pipp his due.

II) Pipp --> '27 Reds --> Si Johnson

Si is a connected player, so I have a link here. I could try to add some new teams by trying the other two guys above, but with all the old players I've had recently, I'm going to stop here.

1. Joe Lake played for the 1913 Detroit Tigers with Wally Pipp.
2. Wally Pipp played for the 1928 Cincinati Reds with Si Johnson.
3. Si Johnson played for the 1947 Boston Braves with Warren Spahn.
4. Warren Spahn played for the 1965 New York Mets with Ron Hunt.
5. Ron Hunt played for the 1974 Montreal Expos with Gary Carter.
6. Gary Carter played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#140: Armando Rios

Armando Rios

Wow, this is pretty much a copy of my last post. Only Ken Hill and Kip Wells left the White Sox since 2000. I suppose I could go through the new players too, but why mess with a good thing?

1. Armando Rios played for the 2003 Chicago White Sox with Frank Thomas.
2. Frank Thomas played for the 2007 Toronto Blue Jays with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#139: Bill Simas

Bill Simas

Finally! Someone who played in the past 80 years!

I) Bill Simas --> 2000 White Sox --> Carlos Lee, Magglio Ordonez, Frank Thomas, Tony Graffanino, Kip Wells, Ken Hill, Jon Garland

II) Garland --> 2010 Padres
II) Graffanino --> 2004 Royals
II) Hill --> '93 Expos
II) Lee --> 2006 Rangers
II) Ordonez --> 2006 Tigers
II) Thomas --> 2007 Blue Jays
II) Wells --> 2003 Pirates

Going with the future Hall of Famer here.

1. Bill Simas played for the 2000 Chicago White Sox with Frank Thomas.
2. Frank Thomas played for the 2007 Toronto Blue Jays with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#138: Claude Thomas

Claude Thomas

Granted, this guy isn't an 1800's player, but I'm running up quite a streak of old time players. This makes the 6th consecutive player that last played in 1925 or earlier.

I) Claude Thomas --> '16 Washington Senators --> Joe Judge, Sam Rice

II) Judge --> '34 Red Sox
II) Rice --> '34 Indians

I already have the Red Sox team in place, so I'll take the opportunity to add Hall of Famer Rice and his Indians team.

II) Rice --> '34 Indians --> Ralph Winegarner, Thorton Lee, Denny Galehouse
      III) Galehouse --> '49 Red Sox
      III) Winegarner --> '49 St. Louis Browns
      III) Lee --> '48 New York Giants

Red Sox bias coming through!

      III) Galehouse --> '49 Red Sox --> Billy Goodman, Walt Dropo, Mickey McDermott, Chuck Stobbs
              IV) Goodman --> '62 Houston Colt .45's
              IV) Dropo --> '61 Orioles
              IV) McDermott --> '61 Kansas City Athletics
              IV) Stobbs --> '61 Twins

I haven't had an opportunity to add a Colt .45 team yet, but if all else fails I have the Orioles team as a fall back option.

              IV) Goodman --> '62 Houston Colt .45's --> Dave Giusti
                     V) Giusti --> '77 Athletics
                     V) Giusti --> '77 Cubs

I'm better off with my fall back option.

1. Claude Thomas played for the 1916 Washington Senators with Sam Rice.
2. Sam Rice played for the 1934 Cleveland Indians with Denny Galehouse.
3. Denny Galehouse played for the 1949 Boston Red Sox with Walt Dropo.
4. Walt Dropo played for the 1961 Baltimore Orioles with Brooks Robinson.
5. Brooks Robinson played for the 1977 Baltimore Orioles with Dennis Martinez.
6. Dennis Martinez played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6