#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