#213: Carl Crawford

Carl Crawford

One year ago today, I hand picked Jeremy Hermida to kick start my blog. Unfortunately, he did not have a good year, breaking a few ribs and eventually getting released. I refuse to believe I cursed him. Still, for my one year anniversary, I am going to hand pick another player. Just like last year, I'm picking a new addition to the Red Sox family, and just like last year, I'm going under the assumption he plays for this year's team. What makes this connection easy/boring is that the elder statesman of baseball, Tim Wakefield, is still pitching. Go Sox!

1. Carl Crawford plays for the 2011 Boston Red Sox with Tim Wakefield.
2. Tim Wakefield played on the 1995 Boston Red Sox with Matt Stairs.

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

Happy Anniversary/Opening Day!

It's Opening Day! Another baseball season is officially underway. It also happens to be the one year anniversary of this blog! I'll admit when I started it last year, it was little more than a diversion of my time meant to satisfy a curiosity - namely, the magnitude of teammates a player has over the course of his career. I honestly didn't know if my attention span/work/home life would allow me to continue this little nugget of cyberspace. Here we are one year later, and I still am going strong. Here's to another year of baseball and 6 Degrees of Matt Stairs!

Play ball!

#212: Frank Mills

Frank Mills

I) Frank Mills --> '14 Cleveland Naps

I've already connected the 1914 Naps team. This is a simple copy and paste.

1. Frank Mills played for the 1914 Cleveland Naps with Sad Sam Jones.
2. Sad Sam Jones played for the 1935 Chicago White Sox with Luke Appling.
3. Luke Appling played for the 1950 Chicago White Sox with Nellie Fox.
4. Nellie Fox played for the 1965 Houston Astros with Mike Cueller.
5. Mike Cueller played for the 1976 Baltimore Orioles with Denny Martinez.
6. Denny Martinez played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#211: Vida Blue

Vida Blue

With only 6 years between Blue's last year and Stairs's first year, I was pretty confident I'd find someone who played for both. Alas, that isn't the case. I did find a number of 3 degree jumps, including a few using teams I don't have yet.

1. Vida Blue played for the 1986 San Francisco Giants with Randy Kutcher.
2. Randy Kutcher played for the 1990 Boston Red Sox with Mike Greenwell.
3. Mike Greenwell played for the 1995 Boston Red Sox with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 3

#210: Gaby Sanchez

Gaby Sanchez

Goody! Another active player!

I) Gaby Sanchez --> 2010 Marlins --> Will Ohman, Leo Nunez, Nate Robertson, Andrew Miller, Hector Luna, Donnie Murphy

II) Luna --> 2007 Blue Jays
II) Miller --> 2006 Tigers
II) Murphy --> 2004 Royals
II) Nunez --> 2005 Royals
II) Ohman --> 2001 Cubs
II) Robertson --> 2006 Tigers

Of these, the Royals have been the least represented.

1. Gaby Sanchez played for the 2010 Florida Marlins with Leo Nunez.
2. Leo Nunez played for the 2005 Kansas City Royals with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#209: Joe Murphy

Joe Murphy

Ugh....another 1800's player.

I) Joe Murphy --> 1887 St. Louis Browns --> Arlie Latham

II) Latham --> '09 New York Giants --> Rube Marquard, Fred Merkle
      III) Marquard --> '25 Boston Braves
      III) Merkle --> '26 Yankees

I've attempted to connect Merkle before, a long time ago. I would have picked the Hall of Famer anyway.

      III) Marquard --> '25 Boston Braves --> Johnny Cooney

I can stop here. I've already connected Cooney and now know I won't make it.

Degrees of Matt Stairs: Over 6

#208: Billy Goodman

Billy Goodman

I) Billy Goodman --> '62 Houston Colt .45's

Sweet! A chance to add the Colt .45's to my list of teams!

I) Billy Goodman --> '62 Houston Colt .45's --> Dave Giusti

II) Giusti --> '77 Athletics
II) Giusti --> '77 Cubs

I'll go with the Cubs here.

II) Giusti --> '77 Cubs --> Rick Reuscel, Ray Burris, Dennis Lamp, Manny Trillo, Bobby Murcer, Larry Biitner
      III) Biittner --> '74 - '76 Expos
      III) Burris --> '80 - '83 Expos
      III) Lamp --> '88 - '89 Red Sox
      III) Murcer --> '80 - '83 Yankees
      III) Reuscel --> '81 Yankees
      III) Reuscel --> '91 Giants
      III) Trillo --> '83 Expos

Lots of choices here. I'm going to take Reuscel's last season though and try to take a break from using one of my "Big 3".

      III) Reuscel --> '91 Giants --> Kevin Mitchell, Willie McGee
              IV) Mitchell --> '98 Athletics
              IV) McGee --> '95 Red Sox

Although there are likely many more players on the '91 Giants squad that played with Stairs, I stopped when I reached one that played for Boston.

1. Billy Goodman played for the 1962 Colt .45's with Dave Giusti.
2. Dave Giusti played for the 1977 Chicago Cubs with Rick Reuscel.
3. Rick Reuscel played for the 1991 San Francisco Giants with Willie McGee.
4. Willie McGee played for the 1995 Boston Red Sox with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 4

#207: Frank Foreman

Frank Foreman

Another turn of the century player. At least he played in the early 1900's.

I) Frank Foreman --> '02 Orioles --> Roger Bresnahan

II) Bresnahan --> '15 Cubs --> Bob O'Farrell
      III) O'Farrell --> '35 Cardinals --> Ed Heusser, Dizzy Dean, Joe Medwick, Terry Moore
              IV) Dean --> '47 St. Louis Browns
              IV) Heusser --> '48 Phillies
              IV) Medwick --> '48 Cardinals
              IV) Moore --> '48 Cardinals

Tough choices here. I have two Hall of Famers here. I suspect the '48 Cardinals will take me along the same path as the '49 club, so I'll skip that and try the Browns team first.

              IV) Dean --> '47 St. Louis Browns --> Ellis Kinder, Les Moss
                     V) Kinder --> '57 White Sox
                     V) Moss --> '58 White Sox

Kinder has been done already, no dice there. Also, I can reasonably expect that Minnie Minoso will be the next connecting player for the '58 team, just as he was in '57.

I'll give the Phillies team a fighting chance before I call this one.

              IV) Heusser --> '48 Phillies --> Curt Simmons, Robin Roberts
                     V) Roberts --> '66 Astros
                     V) Roberts --> '66 Cubs
                     V) Simmons --> '67 Cubs
                     V) Simmons --> '67 Angels

Both of these players are connected. This is a dead end.

Degrees of Matt Stairs: Over 6

#206: Jophrey Brown

Jophrey Brown

I) Jophrey Brown --> '68 Cubs

I have the '67 Cubs team already, so this may be a quick one.

I) Jophrey Brown --> '68 Cubs --> Joe Niekro

Yep, that was easy.

1. Jophrey Brown played for the 1968 Chicago Cubs with Joe Niekro.
2. Joe Niekro played for the 1988 Minnesota Twins with Eric Bullock.
3. Eric Bullock played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 3

#205: John Doyle

John Doyle

Another old guy, but check out those muttonchops on his B-R page!

I) John Doyle --> 1882 St. Louis Brown Stockings --> Charlie Comiskey

II) Comiskey --> 1894 Reds --> Jesse Tannehill
      III) Tannehill --> '11 Reds --> Rube Benton, Hank Severeid
              IV) Benton --> '25 Reds
              IV) Severeid --> '26 Washington Senators
              IV) Severeid --> '26 Yankees

I'm ending here, as there is no chance of me even coming close to my goal.

Degrees of Matt Stairs: Over 6

#204: Ray Rippelmeyer

Ray Rippelmeyer

I) Ray Rippelmeyer --> '62 Washington Senators --> Claude Osteen, Ed Brinkman, John Kennedy

II) Brinkman --> '75 Cardinals
II) Brinkman --> '75 Rangers
II) Brinkman --> '75 Yankees
II) Kennedy --> '74 Red Sox
II) Osteen --> '75 White Sox

Wow. 5 different teams here, and only the '75 Cardinals have been connected. Hmmm...Brinkman and Osteen were both All-Stars, but Kennedy played for the Red Sox...

II) Kennedy --> '74 Red Sox --> Jim Rice

What can I say? Go Red Sox!

1. Ray Rippelmeyer played for the 1962 Washington Senators with John Kennedy.
2. John Kennedy played for the 1974 Boston Red Sox with Jim Rice.
3. Jim Rice played for the 1988 Boston Red Sox with Rick Cerone.
4. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 4

#203: R.A. Dickey

R.A. Dickey

I) R.A. Dickey --> 2006 Rangers

It's been awhile since we've had a direct link!

1. R.A. Dickey played for the 2006 Texas Rangers with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 1

#202: Terry Larkin

Terry Larkin

Old guy = exercise in futility...

I) Terry Larkin --> 1880 Troy Trojans --> Dan Brouthers

II) Brouthers --> '04 New York Giants --> Red Ames
      III) Ames --> '19 Cardinals
      III) Ames --> '19 Phillies

Let's try the Cardinals first.

      III) Ames --> '19 Cardinals --> Rogers Hornsby

Dead end here, as we have Hornsby connected and I know it's 5 more degrees from here.

      III) Ames --> '19 Phillies --> Eppa Rixey
              IV) Rixey --> '33 Reds --> Si Johnson, Rollie Hemsley, Ernie Lombardi
                     V) Hemsley --> '47 Phillies
                     V) Johnson --> '47 Boston Braves
                     V) Lombardi --> '47 New York Giants

Done. All for of those teams are connected.

Degrees of Matt Stairs: Over 6

#201: Joe Redfield

Joe Redfield

I) Redfield --> '91 Pirates --> Stan Belinda, Zane Smith

I have to admit, one year away from Stairs' rookie year, I would have thought there would be more direct links. Both these players played with Stairs the same year, so we'll use previously connected Zane Smith.

1. Joe Redfield played for the 1991 Pittsburgh Pirates with Zane Smith.
2. Zane Smith played for the 1995 Boston Red Sox with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

The Curious Case of Matt Stairs

I came across this article today and thought I'd share it. A good read on the interesting career of our muse, Matt Stairs.

The Curious Case of Matt Stairs by Matthew Coller

200 Players - The Stats

Back in September, I reached 100 players that I attempted to connect to Matt Stairs. I put together some stats that offered a fun glimpse at what kind of success I was having. Now that I've done 200, I'll post the same set of stats, and see how things have changed over the course of 100 posts.

Lifetime Record: 182-18 (91% success rate)

This is the exact same success rate I had in September! The law of averages may be taking a quick hold here!



Degrees

Breakdown:
1 Degree: 9 (up 2 from September)
2 Degrees: 61 (up 31)
3 Degrees: 37 (up 17)
4 Degrees: 25 (up 15)
5 Degrees: 16 (up 5)
6 Degrees: 34 (up 21)
7+ Degrees: 18 (up 9)

Over half of my new players were either 2 or 6 degrees.

Average Number of Degrees (Successes only): 3.44 degrees (up 0.15) - a very small increase


Teams:

Total Connected Teams Listed: 317 (up 149)

By decade:
1910's - 22 (up 12)
1920's - 21 (up 10)
1930's - 24 (up 11)
1940's - 30 (up 19)
1950's - 32 (up 13)
1960's - 26 (up 13)
1970's - 42 (up 16)
1980's - 36 (up 17)
1990's - 39 (up 19)
2000's - 41 (up 17)
2010 - 5 (up 2)

Pretty consistent here, not too much variation

Top 10 Teams, By Appearance:
1. Expos (106) - no change in standing
2. Orioles (39) - no change
3. Athletics (34) - no change
4. Phillies (26) - up 3 places
5. Red Sox (24) - no change
6. Cubs (22) - down 1 place
7. White Sox (20) - up 1 place
8. Indians (19) - down 4 places
9. Braves (17) - up 1 place
10. Yankees (16) - down 2 places

Dropped off: Dodgers, Giants
10T. Dodgers (11)
10T. Giants (11)

No one is going to catch the Expos.


Players:

Total Connecting Players Used: 382 (up 183)

Hall of Fame Players Used: 51 (up 23)

Hall of Fame Players Connected: 7 (up 4)

#200: Clarence Kraft

Clarence Kraft

I) Clarence Kraft --> '14 Boston Braves --> Dolph Luque, Rabbit Maranville

II) Luque --> '35 New York Giants
II) Maranville --> '35 Boston Braves

Edge goes to Rabbit.

II) Maranville --> '35 Boston Braves --> Ray Mueller

We have a connected player.

1. Clarence Kraft played for the 1914 Boston Braves with Rabbit Maranville.
2. Rabbit Maranville played for the 1935 Boston Braves with Ray Mueller.
3. Ray Mueller played for the 1951 Boston Braves with Lew Burdette.
4. Lew Burdette played for the 1967 California Angels with Aurelio Rodriguez.
5. Aurelio Rodriguez played for the 1983 Baltimore Orioles with Dennis Martinez.
6. Dennis Martinez played for the 1993 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#199: Jim Hoey

Jim Hoey

It shouldn't be too difficult finding a teammate who played with Stairs here.

I) Jim Hoey --> 2007 Orioles --> Ramon Hernandez,Miguel Tejada, Corey Patterson, Paul Bako, Tike Redman, J.R. House, Alberto Castillo, Jaime Walker, Victor Zambrano

II) Bako --> 2002 Brewers
II) Bako --> 2006 Royals
II) Castillo --> 2004/2005 Royals
II) Hernandez --> '99/2000 Athletics
II) House --> 2003 Pirates
II) Patterson --> 2001 Cubs
II) Redman --> 2003 Pirates
II) Tejada --> '97-2000 Athletics
II) Walker --> 2006 Tigers
II) Zambrano --> 2007 Blue Jays

See, the hardest part was going through 49 names to get these 9. Of all these teams, the Brewers are represented the least. I'll give them some love.

1. Jim Hoey played for the 2007 Baltimore Orioles with Paul Bako.
2. Paul Bako played for the 2002 Milwaukee Brewers with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#198: Joe DeBerry

Joe DeBerry

I) Joe DeBerry --> '21 St. Louis Browns --> Ray Kolp, Marty McManus

II) Kolp --> '34 Reds
II) McManus --> '34 Boston Braves

I'll give the Reds team a go here.

II) Kolp --> '34 Reds --> Si Johnson, Frank McCormick, Ernie Lombardi
      III) Johnson --> '47 Boston Braves
      III) Lombardi --> '47 New York Giants
      III) McCormick --> '48 Boston Braves

The only team I don't have yet is the '48 Braves.

      III) McCormick --> '48 Boston Braves --> Warren Spahn

The rest is done.

1. Joe DeBerry played for the 1921 St. Louis Browns with Ray Kolp.
2. Ray Kolp played for the 1934 Cincinati Reds with Frank McCormick.
3. Frank McCormick played for the 1948 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

#197: Glenn Spencer

Glenn Spencer

I) Glenn Spencer --> '33 New York Giants --> Hal Schumacher, Paul Richards, Mel Ott

II) Ott --> '47 New York Giants
II) Richards --> '46 Tigers
II) Schumacher --> '46 New York Giants

Both Giants teams are connected. I'll give the Tigers team a chance here.

II) Richards --> '46 Tigers --> Johnny Groth
      III) Groth --> '60 Tigers --> Dick McAuliffe, Norm Cash, Al Kaline
              IV) Cash --> '74 Tigers
              IV) Kaline --> '74 Tigers
              IV) McAuliffe --> '75 Red Sox

Again, I've already connected the Tigers team, so I'll go with the Boston team here.

              IV) McAuliffe --> '75 Red Sox --> Carlton Fisk, Jim Rice, Dwight Evans, Juan Beniquez, Tim Blackwell, Butch Hobson, Luis Tiant, Dick Drago, Bill Lee
                     V) Beniquez --> '86 Orioles
                     V) Blackwell --> '77 Expos
                     V) Drago --> '77 Orioles
                     V) Evans --> '88/'89 Red Sox
                     V) Fisk --> '93 White Sox
                     V) Hobson --> '82 Yankees
                     V) Lee --> '79-'82 Expos
                     V) Rice --> '88/'89 Red Sox
                     V) Tiant --> '80 Yankees

It would be hard for me to not pick one of the 2 Red Sox Hall of Famers here.

1. Glenn Spencer played for the 1933 New York Giants with Paul Richards.
2. Paul Richards played for the 1946 Detroit Tigers with Johnny Groth.
3. Johnny Groth played for the 1960 Detroit Tigers with Dick McAuliffe.
4. Dick McAuliffe played for the 1975 Boston Red Sox with Jim Rice.
5. Jim Rice played for the 1988 Boston Red Sox with Rick Cerone.
6. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#196: Bobby Cox

Bobby Cox

I hope Mr. Cox is enjoying his retirement. He earned it.

I) Bobby Cox --> '69 Yankees --> Fritz Peters, Stan Bahnsen, Jim Lyttle, John Ellis, Tom Shopay, Ron Wood, Bobby Murcer

II) Bahnsen --> '81 Expos
II) Ellis --> '75 Indians
II) Lyttle --> '76 Expos
II) Murcer --> '83 Yankees
II) Peters --> '76 Indians
II) Shopay --> '77 Orioles
II) Wood --> '74 Expos

Only one All-Star here.

1. Bobby Cox played for the 1969 New York Yankees with Bobby Murcer.
2. Bobby Murcer played for the 1983 New York Yankees with Rick Cerone.
3. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 3

#195: Jim Egan

Jim Egan

Another 1800's player. I'll still go through the motions here.

I) Jim Egan --> 1882 Troy Trojans --> Roger Conner, Fred Pfeffer, Buck Ewing

II) Connor --> 1897 St. Louis Browns
II) Ewing --> 1897 Reds
II) Pfeffer --> 1897 Chicago Colts

Conner and Ewing were Hall of Famers. I'll take Ewing here.

II) Ewing --> 1897 Reds --> Heinie Peitz
      III) Peitz --> '13 Cardinals --> Charley O'Leary
              IV) O'Leary --> '34 St. Louis Browns

Our journey ends here. I know from previous experience that I would need 5 degrees from this team to complete my chain.

Degrees of Matt Stairs: Over 6

#194: Jim Shilling

Jim Shilling

I) Jim Shilling --> '39 Indians
I) Jim Shilling --> '39 Phillies

I'll go with the Indians team here.

I) Jim Shilling --> '39 Indians --> Bob Feller

I already connected Feller back in December. That makes the rest of this easy.

1. Jim Shilling played for the 1939 Cleveland Indians with Bob Feller.
2. Bob Feller played for the 1956 Cleveland Indians with Hank Aguirre.
3. Hank Aguirre played for the 1970 Chicago Cubs with Ken Rudolph.
4. Ken Rudolph played for the 1977 Baltimore Orioles with Dennis Martinez.
5. Dennis Martinez played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 5

#193: Bob Molinaro

Bob Molinaro

I) Bob Molinaro --> '83 Tigers
I) Bob Molinaro --> '83 Phillies

There's no real benefit to picking one team over another. I'll go with the Tigers.

I) Bob Molinaro --> '83 Tigers --> Howard Johnson, Lance Parrish, Lou Whitaker, Alan Trammell, Kirk Gibson

II) Gibson --> '95 Tigers
II) Johnson --> '95 Cubs
II) Parrish --> '95 Blue Jays
II) Trammell --> '96 Tigers
II) Whitaker --> '95 Tigers

I'm picking Trammell, since he's got a year up on everyone else.

II) Trammell --> '96 Tigers --> Scott Aldred, Todd Van Poppel, Jose Lima, Richie Lewis, Omar Olivares, Curtis Pride, Phil Nevin
      III) Aldred --> '93 Expos
      III) Lewis --> '97 Athletics
      III) Lima --> 2005 Royals
      III) Nevin --> 2006 Rangers
      III) Olivares --> '99 Athletics
      III) Pride --> '93 Expos
      III) Van Poppel --> '96 Athletics

Once again, it's Lima Time!

1. Bob Molinaro played for the 1983 Detroit Tigers with Alan Trammell.
2. Alan Trammell played for the 1996 Detroit Tigers with Jose Lima.
3. Jose Lima played for the 2005 Kansas City Royals with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 3

#192: Herman Pillette

Herman Pillette

I) Herman Pillette --> '24 Tigers

This is a previously connected team. For fun, we'll use the year before.

I) Herman Pillette --> '23 Tigers --> Syl Johnson, Earl Whitehill, Heinie Manush

II) Johnson --> '40 Phillies
II) Manush --> '39 Pirates
II) Whitehill --> '39 Cubs

Gotta give the edge to the Hall of Famer - besides, his name is Heinie!

II) Manush --> '39 Pirates --> Ken Heintzelman, Bob Elliott
      III) Elliott --> '53 White Sox
      III) Heintzelman --> '52 Phillies

Both teams are connected. I'll go with Heintzelman since he's also a connected player.

1. Herman Pillette played for the 1923 Detroit Tigers with Heinie Manush.
2. Heinie Manush played for the 1939 Pittsburgh Pirates with Ken Heintzelman.
3. Ken Heintzelman played for the 1952 Philadelphia Phillies with Robin Roberts.
4. Robin Roberts played for the 1965 Houston Astros with Mike Cuellar.
5. Mike Cuellar played for the 1976 Baltimore Orioles with Dennis Martinez.
6. Dennis Martinez played for the 1993 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#191: Kirk McCaskill

Kirk McCaskill

I) Kirk McCaskill --> '96 White Sox --> Jason Bere, Robert Machado, Kevin Tapini, Rich Sauveur, Frank Thomas

II) Bere/Machado/Tapani --> 2001 Cubs
II) Sauveur --> 2000 Athletics
II) Thomas --> 2007 Blue Jays

There was never any doubt who was going to get picked here.

1. Kirk McCaskill played for the 1996 Chicago White Sox with Frank Thomas.
2. Frank Thomas played for the 2007 Toronto Blue Jays with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

Note: With this post I am now up to 300 Connected Teams! Awesome.

#190: Joe Kelly

Joe Kelly

I) Joe Kelly --> '28 Cubs --> Guy Bush, Johnny Moore

II) Bush --> '45 Reds
II) Moore --> '45 Cubs

Let's stick with the Cubbies.

II) Moore --> '45 Cubs --> Andy Pafko
      III) Pafko --> '59 Milwaukee Braves --> Hank Aaron

It'll be an honor to add Mr. Aaron to my group.

              
IV) Aaron --> '76 Brewers --> Tom Murphy, Steve Bowling, Bill Castro, Pedro Garcia, Tim Johnson, Robin Yount
                     V) Bowling --> '77 Blue Jays
                     V) Castro --> '81 Yankees
                     V) Garcia --> '77 Blue Jays
                     V) Johnson --> '79 Blue Jays
                     V) Murphy --> '79 Blue Jays
                     V) Yount --> '93 Brewers

1. Joe Kelly played for the 1928 Chicago Cubs with Johnny Moore.
2. Johnny Moore played for the 1945 Chicago Cubs with Andy Pafko.
3. Andy Pafko played for the 1959 Milwaukee Braves with Hank Aaron.
4. Hank Aaron played for the 1976 Milwaukee Brewers with Robin Yount.
5. Robin Yount played for the 1993 Milwaukee Brewers with John Jaha.
6. John Jaha played for the 2000 Oakland Athletics with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#189: Lew Richie

Lew Richie

I) Lew Richie --> '13 Cubs --> Bubbles Hargrave, Cy Williams, Johnny Evers

II) Evers --> '29 Boston Braves
II) Hargrave --> '30 Yankees
II) Williams --> '30 Phillies

Bubble and the Yankees are out, since I've used them before. I'll go with the Hall of Famer here.

II) Evers --> '29 Boston Braves --> Clay Touchstone, Johnny Cooney
      III) Cooney --> '44 Brooklyn Dodgers
      III) Cooney --> '44 Yankees
      III) Touchstone --> '45 White Sox

I've used Cooney and the Dodgers team already. I could try Cooney and the Yankees, but I'm intrigued by Touchstaone. This player played 2 years in his 20's, only playing in a total of 6 games. He then comes back 16 years later and pitched in 6 more games.

      III) Touchstone --> '45 White Sox --> Floyd Baker, Eddie Lopat, Cass Michaels
              IV) Baker --> '55 Phillies
              IV) Lopat --> '55 Orioles
              IV) Michaels --> '54 White Sox

Hmmmm....I'm on my 4th degree and I'm only into the 1950's. Most of my connected teams require 4 more degrees to get to Stairs. Notice I said 'most' - I have an out. The '55 Orioles team has been used before and will allow me to squeeze in and get this done.

1. Lew Richie played for the 1913 Chicago Cubs with Johnny Evers.
2. Johnny Evers played for the 1929 Boston Braves with Clay Touchstone.
3. Clay Touchstone played for the 1945 Chicago White Sox with Eddie Lopat.
4. Eddie Lopat played for the 1955 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

Luke Boone, Part II

Luke Boone

********************
A Special Note From Me:
This is completely unprecedented. I always pick my players by using B-R's random player link. Well, here I've been given Luke Boone. Only one problem - I've already connected him! Of course I didn't realize this until I completed this post and tried to update my Connected Players page. I never thought I'd get the same player twice, especially within the first year. Since the work has been done, I'll post this one, but I can't count this with my pages and totals.
********************

Boone last played for the Pirates in 1918, which I've already connected. I'll go back to his previous team.

I) Luke Boone --> '16 Yankees --> Bob Shawkey, George Mogridge, Urban Shocker, Wally Pipp, Roger Peckinpaugh

II) Mogridge --> '27 Boston Braves
II) Peckinpaugh --> '27 White Sox
II) Pipp --> '28 Reds
II) Shawkey --> '27 Yankees
II) Shocker --> '28 Yankees

Peckinpaugh and Pipp have been used before. Urban Shocker is just too great a name not to pick here.

II) Shocker --> '28 Yankees --> Bill Dickey, Leo Durocher
      III) Dickey --> '46 Yankees
      III) Durocher --> '45 Brooklyn Dodgers

We'll try the '46 team first.

      III) Dickey --> '46 Yankees --> Yogi Berra

Berra to finish it off!

1. Luke Boone played for the 1916 New York Yankees with Urban Shocker.
2. Urban Shocker played for the 1928 New York Yankees with Bill Dickey.
3. Bill Dickey played for the 1946 New York Yankees with Yogi Berra.
4. Yogi Berra 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

#188: Ray Yochim

Ray Yochim

I) Ray Yochim --> '49 Cardinals --> Steve Bilko, Red Schoendienst, Stan Musial

II) Bilko --> '62 Angels
II) Musial --> '63 Cardinals
II) Schoendienst --> '63 Cardinals

This is familiar to me. I know Musial/Schoendienst have appeared in this blog before...

I found them!
----------
              IV) Medwick --> '48 Cardinals --> Stan Musial, Red Schoendienst

Both Musial and Schoendienst retired after playing for the Cardinals in 1963. This is still a pretty big gap to cross, although not as bad as the Kinder and Moss links.

                     V) Musial/Schoendienst --> '63 Cardinals --> Bob Gibson, Ray Sadecki, Dal Maxvill, Tim McCarver

Four players who played in the 70's. This is very encouraging. If I can connect any of them to my "Big 3", I've got my link:

                     VI) Gibson --> '75 Cardinals
                     VI) Sadecki --> '77 Mets
                     VI) Maxvill --> '75 Athletics
                     VI) McCarver --> '80 Phillies
----------

Which brings me here. Out of the last group, only the Phillies team has been connected. We'll keep going with another Cardinal Hall of Famer.

      III) Gibson --> '75 Cardinals --> Jim Dwyer, Keith Hernandez
              IV) Dwyer --> '90 Twins
              IV) Hernandez --> '90 Indians

There were numerous players who played with my "Big 3" as well, but I only listed the two who lasted longest. I don't think it'll make that big of a deal. As usual, I'm going with the All-Star.

              IV) Hernandez --> '90 Indians --> Doug Jones, Rudy Seanez, Tom Candiotti, Sergio Valdez, Chris James
                     V) Candiotti --> '98 Athletics
                     V) James --> '95 Red Sox
                     V) Jones --> 2000 Athletics
                     V) Seanez --> 2004 Royals
                     V) Seanez --> 2008 Phillies
                     V) Valdez --> '93 Expos

1. Ray Yochim played for the 1949 St. Louis Cardinals with Stan Musial.
2. Stan Musial played for the 1963 St. Louis Cardinals with Bob Gibson.
3. Bob Gibson played for the 1975 St. Louis Cardinals with Keith Hernandez.
4. Keith Hernandez played for the 1990 Cleveland Indians with Chris James.
5. Chris James played for the 1995 Boston Red Sox with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 5

#187: Bruce Ruffin

Bruce Ruffin

My last 3 players - Hullet, Huggins, and Ruffin - almost a tongue twister there!

I) Bruce Ruffin --> Mike DeJean, Curt Leskanic, Tim Scott, Jamey Wright, John Vander Wal, Eric Young, Larry Walker,Neifi Perez

II) DeJean --> 2002 Brewers
II) Leskanic --> 2004 Royals
II) Perez --> 2006 Tigers
II) Scott --> '93 Expos
II) Vander Wal --> '92 Expos
II) Walker --> '93 Expos
II) Wright --> 2002 Brewers
II) Young --> 2001 Cubs
II) Young --> 2002 Brewers

I'm giving the nod to an All-Star who wasn't with the Expos.

1. Bruce Ruffin played for the 1997 Colorado Rockies with Eric Young.
2. Eric Young played for the 2002 Milwaukee Brewers with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#186: Miller Huggins

Miller Huggins

Hooray! A Hall of Famer! My first randomly generated Hall member since Frank Chance.

I) Miller Huggins --> '16 St. Louis Browns --> Rogers Hornsby

From one Hall of Famer to another, Hornsby has been connected before.

1. Miller Huggins played for the 1916 St. Louis Browns with Rogers Hornsby.
2. Rogers Hornsby played for the 1937 St. Louis Browns with Bob Muncrief.
3. Bob Muncrief played for the 1951 New York Yankees with Mickey Mantle.
4. Mickey Mantle played for the 1968 New York Yankees with Stan Bahnsen.
5. Stan Bahnsen played for the 1981 Montreal Expos with Gary Carter.
6. Gary Carter played for 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#185: Tim Hullet

Tim Hullet

I) Hullett --> '95 Cardinals --> T.J. Matthews, Ken Hill, Allen Battle

II) Battle --> '96 Athletics
II) Hill --> '93 Expos
II) Matthews --> '97 Athletics

Tie-breaker goes to the All-Star.

1. Tim Hullett played for the 1995 St. Louis Cardinals with Ken Hill.
2. Ken Hill played for the 1993 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

Spring Training

A new baseball season is upon us, and with that, I am coming up on the one year anniversary of the 6 Degrees of Matt Stairs blog. To get me geared for season 2, I'm going to post a new player every day through the month of March, with one exception. I'll also be hitting the 200 player mark this month, so a special post will appear as well. Play ball!