#235: Chris Batton

Chris Batton

I) Chris Batton --> '76 Athletics

I have this team already. All I have to do is go here and cut/paste.

1. Chris Batton 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

#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

#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

#183: Rollin Cook

Rollin Cook

I) Rollin Cook --> '15 St. Louis Browns

This is a connected team. Done!

1. Rollin Cook played for the 1915 St. Louis Browns with Muddy Ruel.
2. Muddy Ruel played for the 1934 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

#165: John Leary

John Leary

I) John Leary --> '15 St. Louis Browns --> Muddy Ruel

Ruel is a connected player. All I have to do is retrace the path.

1. John Leary played for the 1915 St. Louis Browns with Muddy Ruel.
2. Muddy Ruel played for the 1934 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

#161: Glen Barker

Glen Barker

I) Barker --> 2001 Astros --> Mike Williams, Jim Mann, Jose Lima, Kent Bottenfield, Mendy Lopez, Keith Ginter, Moises Alou

II) Alou --> '93 Expos
II) Bottenfield --> '92 Expos
II) Ginter --> 2002 Brewers
II) Lima --> 2005 Royals
II) Lopez --> 2004 Royals
II) Mann --> 2003 Pirates
II) Williams --> 2003 Pirates

It's Lima Time!

1. Glen Barker played for the 2001 Houston Astros with Jose Lima.
2. Jose Lima played for the 2005 Kansas City Royals with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#157: Fred Blanding

Fred Blanding

Alright! A Cleveland Nap!

I) Fred Blanding --> '14 Cleveland Naps --> Steve O'Neill, Sad Sam Jones

I've used O'Neill before, so I know I have a link. Sad Sam lasted a bit longer though, and is worth exploring.

II) Jones --> '35 White Sox --> Luke Appling

Another connected player - I have my link.

1. Fred Blanding 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

#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

#133: Pat Ragan

Pat Ragan

I) Pat Ragan --> '23 Phillies --> Jimmie Wilson

II) Wilson --> '40 Reds --> Eddie Joost
      III) Joost --> '55 Red Sox --> Bill Henry

Bill Henry has been connected before. I have my list.

1. Pat Ragan played for the 1923 Philadelphia Phillies with Jimmie Wilson.
2. Jimmie Wilson played for the 1940 Cincinati Reds with Eddie Joost.
3. Eddie Joost played for the 1955 Boston Red Sox with Bill Henry.
4. Bill Henry played for the 1969 Houston Astros with John Mayberry.
5. John Mayberry played for the 1979 Toronto Blue Jays with Rick Cerone.
6. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#88: Abe White

Abe White

I) Abe White --> '37 Cardinals --> Mickey Owen, Johnny Mize

II) Owen --> '54 Red Sox
II) Mize --> '53 Yankees

Owen gets first chance. Take that Yankee fans!

II) Owen --> '54 Red Sox --> Bill Henry
      III) Henry --> '69 Astros --> John Mayberry, Bob Watson
              IV) Mayberry --> '82 Yankees
              IV) Watson --> '81 Yankees

I guess I was little quick to tease the Yankee fans, since it looks like I need to use a New York team to get to Cerone...or do I?

              IV) Mayberry --> '79 Blue Jays --> Rick Cerone

Double burn!

1. Abe White played for the 1937 St. Louis Cardinals with Mickey Owen.
2. Mickey Owen played for the 1954 Boston Red Sox with Bill Henry.
3. Bill Henry played for the 1969 Houston Astros with John Mayberry.
4. John Mayberry played for the 1979 Toronto Blue Jays with Rick Cerone.
5. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt stairs: 5

#25: Tommy Thevenow

Tommy Thevenow

I) Tommy Thevenow --> '38 Pirates --> Ken Heintzelman

II) Heintzelman --> '52 Phillies

So close! The '53 Philles are a Connected Team, so I think I can make my link there. Let's see what else we can find.

II) Heintzelman --> '52 Phillies --> Curt Simmons, Steve Ridzik, Robin Roberts, Smoky Burgess
      III) Simmons --> '67 Cubs
      III) Simmons --> '67 Angels
      III) Burgess --> '67 White Sox
      III) Ridzik --> '66 Phillies
      III) Roberts --> '66 Astros
      III) Roberts --> '66 Cubs

Six potential branches, non of them featuring a Connected Team. However, the '65 Astros, of which Roberts also was on, is on my table. If there were three or four teams to test here, I might forgo the Astros link and see what other connections I can make. Six teams is a lot to go through, and I think this time I'm going to take the easy way out:

1. Tommy Thevenow played for the 1938 Pittsburgh Pirates with Ken Heintzelman.
2. Ken Heintzelman played for the 1952 Philadelphia Phillies with Robin Roberts.
3. Robin Roberts played for the 1965 Houston Astros with Mike Cuellar.
4. Mike Cuellar played for the 1976 Baltimore Orioles with Dennis Martinez.
5. Dennis Martinez played for the 1993 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 5

#9: Walt Alexander

Walt Alexander

I) Walt Alexander --> '17 Yankees --> Muddy Ruel

Can I just say the 1917 Yankees are cool in my book because they had players named Slim Love and Urban Shocker? Are those great baseball names or what?

II) Ruel --> '34 White Sox --> Luke Appling
      III) Appling --> '50 White Sox --> Billy Pierce, Nellie Fox
             IV) Pierce --> '64 Giants
             IV) Fox --> '65 Astros

Usually when I look for a player who outlasted his teammates, I get a couple of guys who qualify, therefore giving me a few options. This time around, I don't get any branches until Peirce and Fox. I don't know if this hurts me by limiting my options, but the fact Ruel and Appling allowed me to jump 33 years ahead may make the point moot. I'm going to give preferential treatment to the Hall of Famer and see where I go with Fox first:

             IV) Fox --> '65 Astros --> Mike Cuellar

I looked at the Astros roster and this name stood out. I know Mike Cuellar. Not personally, but enough I know enough about his career that I know he played for the orioles in the 70's. I think I have my chain:

1.Walt Alexander played for the 1917 New York Yankees with Muddy Ruel.
2. Muddy Ruel played for the 1934 Chicago White Sox with HOF Luke Appling.
3. Luke Appling played for the 1950 Chicago White Sox with HOF 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

Another successful pre-WWII era connection! I'm rather impressed that this chain included 2 Hall of Famers - Appling and Fox. Also, strategically, I think it would benefit me to keep a list of all teams I've successfully linked. It'll be helpful if I do another player who played for, say, the 1965 Houston Astros, as I'll know where to go from there.

So here's my list so far:
1913 New York Giants (6)
1917 New York Yankees (6)
1928 Brooklyn Robins (6)
1934 Chicago White Sox (5)
1934 St. Louis Browns (5)
1947 Cleveland Indians (5)
1950 Chicago White Sox (4)
1953 Philadelphia Phillies (4)
1960 Chicago Cubs (4)
1964 St. Louis Cardinals (3)
1965 Houston Astros (3)
1976 Baltimore Orioles (2)
1976 Philadelphia Phillies (3)
1976 Baltimore Orioles (2)
1977 Montreal Expos (2)
1992 Montreal Expos (1)
1995 Boston Red Sox (1)
2000 Oakland Athletics (1)
2003 Pittsburgh Pirates (1)
2004 St. Louis Cardinals (2)
2005 Florida Marlins (3)
2005 Texas Rangers (2)
2007 Boston Red Sox (2)
2010 Boston Red Sox (2)

I've even put the degrees in parenthesis, so I have an idea of how many degrees I'll need to complete the chain. I think my next project will be to create a table and link it as a stand alone page.