#89: Mickey Haefner

Mickey Haefner

I) Mickey Haefner --> '50 White Sox
I) Mickey Haefner --> '50 Braves

The White Sox team is on my list of Connected teams already, so I'll try the Braves team and see where we go.

I) Mickey Haefner --> '50 Braves --> Warren Spahn, Dick Donovan, Del Crandall

II) Spahn --> '65 Mets
II) Spahn --> '65 Giants
II) Donovan --> '65 Indians
II) Crandall --> '66 Indians

We've used Spahn before, but I'm going to try Crandall - we're only a decade away from Rick Cerone's rookie year with the Tribe.

II) Crandall --> '66 Indians --> Luis Tiant
      III) Tiant --> '80 Yankees --> Rick Cerone

OK, so it wasn't exactly what I was going for. I'm mildly surprised no one on the '66 Indians still played for the team in '75. But the great Luis Tiant got me where I needed to be anyway.

1. Mickey Haefner played for the 1950 Boston Braves with Del Crandall.
2. Del Crandall played for the 1966 Cleveland Indians with Luis Tiant.
3. Luis Tiant 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

#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

#87: Bert Sincock

Bert Sincock

Another turn of the century player whose Major League career consisted of one game.

I) Bert Sincock --> '08 Reds --> Dode Paskert

II) Paskert --> '21 Reds --> Dolf Luque
      III) Luque --> '35 Giants --> Harry Gumbert
              IV) Gumbert --> '50 Pirates --> Vern Law
                     V) Law --> '67 Pirates

Sad to say, it doesn't look like I'll make the chain in under 6 degrees.

Degrees of Matt Stairs: over 6

#86: Billy Urbanski

Billy Urbanski

I) Billy Urbanski --> '37 Boston Bees --> Tommy Thevenow

Shout out to connected player Thevenow!

I) Billy Urbanski --> '37 Boston Bees --> Ray Mueller

II) Mueller --> '51 Braves --> Gene Mauch, Lew Burdette

Since I gave a shout out to one connected player, it's only fair I give Mauch his due!

      III) Burdette --> '67 Angels

This Angels team is one of my Connected Teams, ironically enough as part of the Gene Mauch chain. I have my link!

1. Billy Urbanski played for the 1937 Boston Bees with Ray Mueller.
2. Ray Mueller played for the 1951 Boston Braves with Lew Burdette.
3. Lew Burdette played for the 1967 California Angels with Aurelio Rodriguez.
4. Aurelio Rodriguez played for the 1983 Baltimore Orioles with Dennis Martinez.
5. Dennis Martinez played for the 1993 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 5

#85: Hal Goldsmith

Hal Goldsmith

Goldsmith last played for the '29 Browns, which I've already connected. I'm going to take the year before and see if I can connect a new team.

I) Hal Goldsmith --> '28 Braves --> Johnny Cooney, Clay Touchstone

II) Cooney --> '44 Dodgers
II) Cooney --> '44 Yankees
II) Touchstone --> '45 White Sox

Cooney popped up 2 days ago in one of our chains.

II) Cooney --> '44 Dodgers --> Gene Mauch, Eddie Miksis
      III) Mauch --> '57 Red Sox
      III) Miksis --> '58 Orioles
      III) Miksis --> '58 Reds

We've already connected Mauch, so I know I can complete that link in 6 steps. However, I'm able to connect the '29 Browns in only 5 steps. Anything greater would just be taking a longer route. Miksis may be a possibility though.

      III) Miksis --> '58 Orioles --> Brooks Robinson

That'll get me to Stairs in 5 degrees. I'll give the Reds team a shot just to see if I can add a few more teams.

      III) Miksis --> '58 Reds --> Frank Robinson

Yep, Frank will get me there too. It looks like 5 degrees is the best I can hope for, so I'll end here.

1. Hal Goldsmith played for the 1928 Boston Braves with Johnny Cooney.
2. Johnny Cooney played for the 1944 Brooklyn Dodgers with Eddie Miksis.
3. Eddie Miksis played for the 1958 Cincinnati Reds with Frank Robinson.
4. Frank Robinson played for the 1976 Cleveland Indians with Rick Cerone.
5. Rick Cerone playedfor the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 5

#84: Anastacio Martinez

Anastacio Martinez

Not exactly one of "The 25", but a member of that magical 2004 Red Sox team.

1. Anastacio Martinez played for the 2004 Boston Red Sox with Tim Wakefield.
2. Tim Wakefield played for the 1995 Boston Red Sox with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#83: John Reilly

John Reilly

Yeah...another 1800's player. Oh well, best foot forward, right?

I) John Reilly --> 1891 Reds --> Arlie Latham

Arlie Latham, "The Freshest Man On Earth"? What a nickname!

II) Latham --> '09 Giants --> Rube Marquard, Fred Merkle
      III) Marquard --> '25 Braves --> Johnny Cooney
              IV) Cooney --> '44 Dodgers --> Gene Mauch, Eddie Miksis
                     V) Mauch --> '57 Red Sox
                     V) Miksis --> '58 Orioles/Reds
              IV) Cooney --> '44 Yankees --> Joe Page, Johnny Lindell
                     V) Page --> '54 Pirates
                     V) Lindell --> '54 Phillies

Dead end.

      III) Merkle --> '26 Yankees --> Waite Hoyt, Hank Johnson, Kiddo Davis, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri
              IV) Hoyt --> '38 Dodgers
              IV) Davis --> '38 Reds
              IV) Johnson --> '39 Reds
              IV) Gehrig --> '39 Yankees
              IV) Lazzeri --> '39 Giants
              IV) Lazzeri --> '39 Dodgers

There's a five year gap between Cooney and any of the '26 Yankees. This one just ain't going to happen.

Degrees of Matt Stairs: over 6

#82: Dana Allison

Dana Allison

I) Dana Allison --> '91 Athletics

The '92 Athletics are on my connected teams list, making this an easy match.

1. Dana Allison played for the 1991 Oakland Athletics with Terry Steinbach.
2. Terry Steinbach played for the 1996 Oakland Athletics with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#81: Edgar Renteria

Edgar Renteria

I'm probably the only Red Sox fan who doesn't think Edgar was horrible. His fielding was atrocious, yes, but offensively he was solid. His trade out of Boston was for the best though. Renteria played for Detroit a couple of years after Stairs did, so it should be easy to find a Tiger who played with both.

1. Edgar Renteria played for the 2008 Detroit Tigers with Magglio Ordonez.
2. Magglio Ordonez played for the 2006 Detroit Tigers with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

Congrats to Matt Stairs!

Last night, Matt Stairs hit his 21st pinch hit home run, breaking a tie with former Blue Jay Cliff Johnson. It may be a minor Major League record, but it belongs to Matt Stairs! Congrats!