Les Rohr - The 72nd Met Pitcher

     Les Rohr was drafted by the Mets in the 1st round, 2nd overall selection in the 1965 amateur draft.    This was the very first amateur draft in MLB history.  Rohr, born in England and drafted out of Montana, had limited success in the major leagues despite his lofty status.   Over 3 seasons (1967-1969) Les made a total of 6 appearances for the Mets, compiling a 3.70 ERA.  Rohr injured his arm finishing out a 24 inning game on April 15th, 1968.  He never recovered, mostly toiling in the minors until his release in 1970 after a back injury.

     I purchased this ball from a collector.  Mr. Rohr doesn't sign TTM and even skips '69 Mets anniversary events, so he's a difficult but not impossible signature. 

Al Schmelz - The 71st Met Pitcher

     Al Schmelz was signed by the Mets as an amateur free agent before the 1966 season.  Al made two appearances in September of '67, allowing one run in 3.0 innings.   One of the most obscure players in Mets history,  There isn't much out there about Al.  He didn't have a baseball card and even his baseball reference photo is in black and white.  It seems a rough spring training in 1968, followed by arm injuries derailed any chance at a Major League future.  

     These balls were picked up from a collector who had saw Mr. Schmelz at a card show years ago.  I was super excited to pick them up.  This is one of those balls I thought I would never actually find.  He doesn't sign TTM and finding any kind of signature is difficult, especially since he didn't have a baseball card.  

Bill Graham - The 70th Met Pitcher

     Bill Graham was purchased from the Tigers on August 31st, 1967.  Graham is sort of a mystery to me.  He pitched very very well in his five Met appearances, three of which were starts.  He put up a 2.63 ERA with a 1.13 ERA.  His peripherals say that he may have been a bit lucky, but either way he made the most of his big league opportunity.  He concluded the '67 season with a 6 hit, 1 run complete game victory vs the Dodgers on September 29th.  It was his only major league win.  He then just disappeared.  He never pitched again, not even in the minors.  On October 26th, 2006, Graham died at age 69 in Flemingsburg, Kentucky, the same place he was born and buried.   Why did he walk away at the peak of his career?  Perhaps there was more money to be made outside of baseball?  Baseball players didn't make much in those days.  I read that he served in the military, perhaps he went to Vietnam?  Coincidentally, I have distant relatives in Flemingsburg.  I was very young when I visited, but the memory that always stuck out in my head was the inside of a huge barn.  There were tobacco leaves hanging everywhere.  Perhaps he retired to a tobacco farm.  One thing is for sure, he served his country, then retired to the hills of his Kentucky home.    

     This ball was picked up off of eBay for way more than I wanted to pay for it.  I figure there can't be very many of these out there, so I didn't want to pass it up.  It's slightly fading black ink on a little league ball.  

Billy Connors - The 69th Met Pitcher

     Billy Connors was purchased from the Cubs on August 20th, 1967.  Connors finished the '67 season in the big leagues pitching 13 innings with a 6.23 ERA.  1968 wasn't any better.  Billy spent most of the season in the minors, but was given a second shot in late July.  After 14 innings Connors had given up 14 runs in 14 innings and was demoted in late August.  He finished his career in the minors and retired after the 1970 season.  After his playing days, Billy was much more successful as a coach and developing young pitchers with the Yankees.  Mr. Connors passed away on June 17th, 2018.

    Billy never signed TTM and I was always looking for an upgrade on eBay.  There seems to be plenty of Connors balls out there, just not very many good ones.  I'm hoping I can upgrade again at some point, but at least I have something.  

Joe Grzenda - The 68th Met Pitcher

     Joe Grzenda was purchased from the Kansas City A's on August 14th, 1967.  This transaction was another effort by the Mets to find a steady southpaw out of the pen.  Statistically, Grzenda didn't disappoint.  Despite being used sparingly, he posted a 2.16 ERA over 11 appearances and 16.2 innings pitched. Unfortunately for Joe, the Mets were stacked with young pitching talent during this period.  After the conclusion of the '67 season, Grzenda's contract was sold to the Twins.   He would eventually move on to throw the last pitch in Washington Senators history.  

     This 4th of July baseball was signed by Mr. Grzenda after being mailed to his home in April of 2018.     

Billy Wynne - The 67th Met Pitcher

     Billy Wynne was signed as an amateur free agent prior to the 1965 season.  Wynne made his Met debut on August 6th, 1967, mopping up a Danny Frisella start and pitching a scoreless 9th.  Wynne was perfect in his five appearances out of the pen, but allowed 4 runs, 3 earned, in his only Met start. He was lifted after recording only four outs in a crazy extra innings game in which Tom Seaver took the loss in the 14th inning.  On December 15th, 1967, Wynne was dealt to the White Sox along with Jack Fisher,  in a huge trade that brought Tommy Agee and Al Weis to the Mets.  Billy finished his Met career with a 3.12 ERA, no wins, no losses.  

     Mr. Wynne signed my baseball through the mail after being mailed to his home in May 2018.   

Cal Koonce - The 66th Met Pitcher

     Cal Koonce was purchased from the Cubs on August 2nd, 1967.  Cal finished the '76 season strong after arriving in New York, posting a 2.80 ERA over 45 innings.  In '68 he was even better with a 2.42 ERA over 96.2 innings.  Koonce admitted to throwing a "Sweatball" during his playing days.  He occasionally used moisture from his wrist to get a better grip on the baseball, effectively tossing an illegal spitball.   Koonce, scuffled a bit in '69 and '70.  His contract was sold to the Red Sox on June 8th, 1970.  After a long battle with lymphoma, Cal passed away on October 28th, 1993.  

     This Koonce baseball was purchased from a collector.  his signed baseball is one of the more valuable Mets balls in existence.  I had to save up for a while to get this one.  

Hal Reniff - The 64th Met Pitcher

     Hal Reniff was purchased from the New York Yankees on June 28th, 1967.  Reniff was solid during his short tenure on the Mets, posting a 3.35 ERA over 43 innings.  His walk rate was a bit high  at 4.8 per 9 innings, but he seemed to pitch out of jams often enough to be league average.   "Porky", as they called him, was released 2 days after the '67 season concluded.  Afterwards, Reniff returned to the Yankees and pitched five more years in AAA.  Hal passed away on September 7th, 2004.   

     This baseball was purchased via eBay.  There are several Reniff balls out there, everyone just wants an arm and a leg for them.  It took me awhile to find one for a reasonable price.  

Dennis Bennett - The 63rd Met Pitcher

     Dennis Bennett was acquired from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Al Yates and Cash on June 24th, 1967.  Bennett had fallen out of favor in Boston and the Mets were desperate for a lefty pitcher. Bennett struggled during his brief stay in New York, posting a 1-1 record with a 5.13  ERA.   He was demoted to AAA Jacksonville after only a month on the team.   Bennett was known as a free spirit who's off the field activities affected his on the field performance.   Believe it or not, he was thrown through a car windshield three times during his life.   Dennis passed away on March 24th 2012 at the age of 72.

     The first ball was purchased via eBay.   I picked up the second ball from a collector.  I liked how the ink was a bit darker.   Signed Bennett balls tend to be somewhat rare and usually aren't cheap.  

Nick Willhite - The 61st Met Pitcher

     Nick Willhite was acquired via trade from the California Angels in exchange for Jack Hamilton on    June 10th, 1967.  Willhite's Met career only only lasted one start and three relief appearances.  He was optioned to the minors in July and would never pitch in the major leagues again.  His numbers during those appearances were not good, allowing an 8.64 ERA.  It was later revealed that Willhite battled alcoholism throughout his career.  After reaching rock bottom and losing his family, Nick recovered and became an addiction counselor later in life.  He credited old friend and former Giants manager Herman Franks in standing beside him during his recovery.  He died of cancer on December 14th, 2008.   

     The first ball was purchased via auction on eBay.  The second ball was purchased from a collector as an upgrade from the first one.  I haven't seen any other Willhite balls for sale since I began collecting.  They seem to be out there, but definitely aren't very common.  

Jerry Koosman - The 58th Met Pitcher

     Jerry Koosman was signed by the Mets on August 27th, 1964.  He didn't disappoint, becoming the winningest lefty in team history.   During an eleven year Met career, Koosman went 140-137 with a 3.09 ERA and a 1.219 WHIP over 2544.2 innings pitched.  He made 346 career starts and his 39.6 career WAR as a pitcher is 3rd all time, behind only Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden.  On December 8th, 1978 Koosman was dealt to the Minnesota Twins for Greg Field and a player to be named later.  Field never made it to the Majors, but the PTBNL turned out to be Jesse Orosco.  It's always sad to see such a great pitcher leave the organization. At least we received another piece so important to our future in return.  

     This baseball was purchased off of Ebay as an auction.  There are lots of Koosman balls out there and he signs thought the mail for a price.

Ron Taylor - The 57th Met Pitcher

     Ron Taylor was purchased by the Mets from the Houston Astros on February 10th, 1967.  Taylor quickly settled in and became a force to be reckoned with in the back of the Mets bullpen.  Over five seasons, he averaged a 3.05 ERA, amassed a 5.7 WAR, and was a vital part of the 1969 Miracle Mets.  On October 20th, 1970, Taylor was sold to the Expos, ending his Met career.  Ron retired in 1972 and currently lives in his home country of Canada.  

     Both of these balls were purchased off of eBay.  I had hoped to send a ball through the mail, but Canadian postage is so expensive that it made more sense to just but one.  He seems to have signed a lot over the years.  

Chuck Estrada - The 56th Met Pitcher

     Chuck Estrada was signed by the Mets as a free agent on November 30th, 1966.  Appearing in 9 games and pitching in only 22 innings, Chuck allowed 23 earned runs in 1967!  Needless to say, his Met career was short one.  Estrada pitched the next three seasons in the minor leagues, before retiring after the 1969 season at the age of 31.  

     Mr. Estrada signed my baseball after it was mailed to his home.

Tom Seaver - The 55th Met Pitcher

     Tom Seaver was signed by the Mets as an amateur free agent on April 3rd, 1966.  He had previously been drafted by the Braves in the 10th round, but the contract was determined invalid by the commissioner's office.  A special drawing was held between the Mets, Phillies and Indians, the winner won Seaver's contract.  Miraculously the Mets came out on top, acquiring their ace and best pitcher ever.  Over his 12 season Met career, Seaver pitched to a 198-124 record with a 2.57 ERA with 2,541 strikeouts in 3045.2 innings pitched.  Tom, also known as "The Franchise" won the 1967 Rookie of the Year Award, three ERA titles, three Cy Young Awards, was voted to 12 all star games and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1992.  I could go on about the "Midnight Massacre" or other details, but I will leave it here for now.  

     These baseballs were either purchased from collectors or off eBay.  Tom hasn't signed for years, since being afflicted with Lyme Disease.  I hope to expand my Seaver collection and add different varieties over the coming months.  

Don Shaw - The 54th Met Pitcher

     Don Shaw was drafted by the Mets in 35th round of the 1965 amateur draft.  He spent the 1967 season and parts of the 1968 season with the major league club.  Shaw took full advantage of his time in the big leagues, by posting a 2.56 ERA over 63.1 innings pitched.  This youngster was a true bright spot out of the pen for the young Mets.  His Met career would come to an in end in October of 1968, when the Expos selected him from the Met in the expansion draft.  

     The first baseball was signed by Mr. Shaw after being mailed to his home.  He even inscribed it with my request of  "MLB debut 4/11/67".   My birthday is 4/11 so it's a fun date for me.  The second ball was purchased from a collector before I realized TTM was an option for autographs.  

Don Cardwell - The 53rd Met Pitcher

     Don Cardwell was traded to the Mets on December 6th, 1966 along with Don Bosch in exchange for Gary Kolb and Dennis Ribant.  He pitched four solid seasons in Flushing, including the "Amazin'" championship team in '69.   Despite a rough 1970 season and a 20-34 record, Cardwell established a 3.31 ERA along with a 1.23 WHIP over 475.2 career innings as a Met.  On July 12th, 1970, Cardwell's contract was sold to the Atlanta Braves.  He finished the 1970 season as a Brave and retired at the season's end.  Don passed away on January 14th, 2008.

Bob Botz - Almost Met Pitcher

     Bob Botz joined the Mets on October 16th, 1961.  His contract was purchased from the Milwaukee Braves.  Botz received an invitation to spring training in 1962, but he was returned to the Braves on April 2nd, when he didn't make the team.  One month later, Botz was dealt by the Braves to the Angels.  In California, he posted a 3.43 ERA over 63 innings pitched that summer, much better than any reliever in Flushing.  Botz was at some point given the nickname "Butterball".  It was previously believed that Mr. Botz had passed away, but it turns out it was his son who passed on.

     I purchased this ball from a long time private collector.  The picture is a bit blurry, at some point I need to retake the photo.  I also hope to mail a ball to Mr. Botz residence.  It was believed he had passed away, but I learned otherwise while writing this post.  Baseball Reference even had him listed as dead.  It turned out it was his son who passed away, which is still sad.   I hope to inquire about a custom signed baseball this spring.

Nolan Ryan - The 52nd Met Pitcher

     Lynn Nolan Ryan was drafted by the Mets in the 12th round of the 1965 amateur draft.  He appeared in portions of five seasons for the Mets, posting a 29-38 record with a 3.58 ERA.  I feel like there is a lot to write about Nolan, but most of it you already know.  We all know he threw hard, we also know the day he was dealt to the Angels is looked at by many as the worst trade in Mets history.  Perhaps the Seaver trade was worse? Just to recap the deal, Ryan was dealt to California on December 10th, 1971 along with Don Rose, Leroy Stanton and Frank Estrada in exchange for Veteran 3B Jim Fregosi.  Fregosi a six time all star, was terrible in '72 while Ryan made the All Star team and lead the AL in strikeouts.  Perhaps, Mets scouts should have seen the decline coming. Fregosi was also terrible in 1971, the season before the trade.   1973 was more of the same, Ryan became a second time all start, while the Mets cut their losses and sold Fregosi's contract to the Texas Rangers on July 11th.  Nolan Ryan was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.  He received votes on 491 of 499 ballots.  

Ralph Terry - The 51st Met Pitcher

     Ralph Terry's contract was purchased from the Kansas City A's on August 6th, 1966.  The former Yankee All Star joined the team with a career 3.61 ERA after 11 years in the AL.  Unfortunately, he didn't pitch quite as well, at the tail end of his age 30 season, with the Mets.  In 24.2 innings, Terry tallied a 4.74 ERA, with no wins a loss and a save.  The Mets released Terry in November, only to resign him on April 2nd, 1967.  After only two appearance over a month and a half, the Mets released Ralph a second time on May 16th, 1967.   This date coincides with Bill Denehy's major league debut.   Terry retired afterwards.

     This ball was purchased on eBay.

Dallas Green - The 50th Met Pitcher

Happy New Year!  I've missed a couple days and hope to get a couple in today.

     Dallas Green's contract was purchased from the Phillies on July 22nd, 1966.  His Mets playing career was very short, playing in only 4 games.  Dallas compiled a 5.40 ERA over 5 innings.  Nineteen days later, he was returned to the Phillies, possibly for cash?  Of course, we would get a second dose of the controversial Dallas Green in 1993, as skipper of the Mets.  The team wasn't very good at the time, but Dallas held the job for four seasons, compiling a 229-283 record with no playoff berths.  Dallas passed away on March 22, 2017.

     Both balls were purchased off of eBay.  I watched auctions and was able to find great deals.  There seems to be plenty of Dallas Green balls out there, despite his passing.