#239: Dyar Miller

Dyar Miller

I) Dyar Miller --> '76-'77 Orioles, '79 Blue Jays, '81 Mets

I can match up to one of my Big 3 with either the Orioles or the Blue Jays. I'll take my chances with the Mets team and try to add something new.

I) Dyar Miller --> '81 Mets --> Jesse Orosco

II) Orosco --> 2003 Padres, Yankees, Twins

No one on this Mets team has direct connection to Stairs. It'll be quicker to use one of the other teams.

1. Dyar Miller played for the 1979 Toronto Blue Jays with Rick Cerone.
2. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#233: George Elder

George Elder

I) George Elder --> '49 St. Louis Browns --> Roy Sievers

After a string of unconnected players, I've now had two easy connections. I added Roy Sievers here.

1. George Elder played for the 1949 St. Louis Browns with Roy Sievers.
2. Roy Sievers played for the 1965 Washington Senators with Joe Coleman.
3. Joe Coleman played for the 1978 Toronto Blue Jays with Rick Cerone.
4. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 4

#220: Ed Wineapple

Ed Wineapple

I) Ed Wineapple --> '29 Washington Senators --> Joe Cronin, Nick Altrock

II) Cronin --> '45 Red Sox
II) Altrock --> '33 Washington Senators

Cronin's my only choice here, but I added Nick Altrock here for a reason. As I was looking through the '29 Senators team, a number next to Altrock stuck out for me - 52. It was under the age column! Altrock's career spanned 35 years until his last season in 1933 at the age of 56. Remarkable! This guy was Minnie Minoso before there was a Minnie Minoso! I may have to look into this player further, but I may have an outside chance to connect someone who played in the 1800's.

Back to Cronin...

II) Cronin --> '45 Red Sox --> Jim Wilson
      III) Wilson --> '58 White Sox --> Norm Cash, Johnny Callison, Luis Aparicio
              IV) Aparicio --> '73 Red Sox
              IV) Callison --> '73 Yankees
              IV) Cash --> '74 Tigers

The Yankees and Tigers teams are connected, not that I wouldn't have picked a Hall of Famer on a Red Sox team above them anyway.

              IV) Aparicio --> '73 Red Sox --> http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifCarlton Fisk
                     V) Fisk --> '93 White Sox --> Jason Bere, Frank Thomas, Tim Raines
                         VI) Bere --> 2001 Cubs
                         VI) Raines --> '99 Athletics
                         VI) Thomas --> 2007 Blue Jays

Done, although this makes the Altrock rambling a moot point. If I could have completed this in 5 or less, it would have been worth exploring.

1. Ed Wineapple played for the 1929 Washington Senators with Joe Cronin.
2. Joe Cronin played for the 1945 Boston Red Sox with Jim Wilson.
3. Jim Wilson played for the 1958 Chicago White Sox with Luis Aparicio.
4. Luis Aparicio played for the 1973 Boston Red Sox with Carlton Fisk.
5. Carlton Fisk played for the 1993 Chicago White Sox with Frank Thomas.
6. Frank Thomas played for the 2007 Toronto Blue Jays 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.

#182: Cuddles Marshall

Cuddles Marshall

Just my luck! This guy would have been a great Valentine's Day Special. Oh well. It's not like I would have ever thought there would be a ballplayer by the name of Cuddles anyway...

I) Cuddles Marshall --> '50 St. Louis Browns --> Roy Sievers

II) Sievers --> '65 Washington Senators --> Joe Coleman
      III) Coleman --> '78 Blue Jays

Done.

1. Cuddles Marshall played for the 1950 St. Louis Browns with Roy Sievers.
2. Roy Sievers played for the 1965 Washington Senators with Joe Coleman.
3. Joe Coleman played for the 1978 Toronto Blue Jays with Rick Cerone.
4. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 4

#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

#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

#132: Martin Prado

Martin Prado

Another current player, Prado helped me succeed in a few fantasy leagues this year.

I) Martin Prado --> 2010 Braves --> Troy Glaus, Omar Infante, Matt Diaz, Brent Clevlen, Tim Hudson, Kyle Farnsworth

II) Clevlen, Infante --> 2006 Tigers
II) Diaz --> 2005 Royals
II) Farnsworth --> 2001 Cubs
II) Glaus --> 2007 Blue Jays
II) Hudson --> 1999 Athletics

Hmmm who to pick? I'll go with Glaus, just to give the Blue Jays some love.

1. Martin Prado played for the 2010 Atlanta Braves with Troy Glaus.
2. Troy Glaus played for the 2007 Toronto Blue Jays with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#123: Sparky Anderson

Sparky Anderson

Paying tribute to Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson, who passed away yesterday.

I) Sparky Anderson --> '59 Phillies --> Chris Short

II) Short --> '73 Brewers --> Pedro Garcia, Tim Johnson
      III) Garcia --> '77 Blue Jays
      III) Johnson --> '79 Blue Jays

1. Sparky Anderson played for the 1959 Philadelphia Phillies with Chris Short.
2. Chris Short played for the 1973 Milwaukee Brewers with Tim Johnson.
3. Tim Johnson played for the 1979 Toronto Blue Jays with Rick Cerone.
4. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 4

Rest in peace, Sparky.

#97: Michael Smith

Michael Smith

Michael Smith played for 2 teams - the Blue Jays and the Twins. Since Stairs played for the Blue Jays, I'll bet I can easily find someone who played for Toronto in 2002 and 2007.

I) Michael Smith --> 2002 Blue Jays --> Vernon Wells, Roy Halliday, Jayson Werth, Felix Heredia

II) Wells --> 2007 Blue Jays
II) Halliday --> 2007 Blue Jays
II) Werth --> 2009 Phillies
II) Heredia --> 2001 Cubs

Quite a few choices here. I'll go with the future Hall of Famer here.

1) Michael Smith played for the 2002 Toronto Blue Jays with Roy Halladay.
2) Roy Halladay played for the 2007 Toronto Blue Jays with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#90: Bob Chipman

Bob Chipman

Bob Chipman last played for the Boston Braves in 1952. I already have the '50 and '51 Braves teams on my list, so this should be easy.

I) Bob Chipman --> '52 Braves --> Lew Burdette, Eddie Matthews

Burdette was the connecting player on my '51 Braves team, so I know that's a go. We'll see where Matthews takes us.

II) Matthews --> '68 Tigers --> Pat Dobson, Willie Horton, Jim Northrup
      III) Northrup --> '74 Expos
      III) Dobson --> '76 Indians
      III) Horton --> '78 Blue Jays

All three of these guys played with one of my Big 3. I already have the Expos and Indians teams on my list, so Horton's Blue Jays make the cut.

1. Bob Chipman played for the 1952 Boston Braves with Eddie Matthews.
2. Eddie Matthews played for the 1968 Detroit Tigers with Willie Horton.
3. Willie Horton played for the 1978 Toronto Blue Jays 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

#78: Mike Dunne

Mike Dunne

No back-to-back-to-back jacks this time...

I) Mike Dunne --> '92 White Sox --> Frank Thomas, Tim Raines

Two potential Hall of Famers I pinned to Matt Stairs last month. I'll give the nod to the Big Hurt so I can add another Toronto team.

1. Mike Dunne played for the 1992 Chicago White Sox with Frank Thomas.
2. Frank Thomas played for the 2008 Toronto Blue Jays with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#77: Russ Adams

Russ Adams

Back-to-back direct links!

1. Russ Adams played for the 2007 Toronto Blue Jays with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 1