Whos that? Playing Where?

[Yankwood]

Re: Whos that? Playing Where?

Kind of different. When Elston Howard took over as catcher, Yogi played alot of left field.

[TNTtoys]

Re: Whos that? Playing Where?

An all time classic for all of you Mets fans... Mets trailing in a July 1986 game vs. the Cincinnati Reds. Ray Knight gets tossed from the game after getting into a fight with Eric Davis... Davey Johnson uses all of his bench players to fight back into the game... Jesse Orosco and Roger McDowell platoon between OUTFIELD and pitcher until the Mets finally pull out the win.

I found the original article. Enjoy!!!


Wack job: Pitchers forced into OF duty
BY ANTHONY RIEBER
Newsday Staff Writer

On July 22, the Mets were one out away from a 3-1 loss to the Reds when Cincinnati rightfielder Dave Parker dropped the potential final out, a fly ball to the warning track hit by Keith Hernandez, for a game-tying two-run error.

Then things got really weird.

In the 10th, Reds outfielder Eric Davis, pinch running for player/manager Pete Rose, stole third base, popped up and elbowed and pushed Ray Knight. The Mets' third baseman, a former Golden Gloves boxer, responded with a right hand to Davis' face that led to a bench-clearing melee, four ejections, and the sight of Roger McDowell and Jesse Orosco in the outfield for the Mets - although not at the same time.

With two players - Knight and Kevin Mitchell - ejected for the Mets, and with Darryl Strawberry having been ejected earlier for arguing balls and strikes, manager Davey Johnson was out of position players other than backup catcher Ed Hearn.

Hearn entered the game and Gary Carter moved to third base, a position he hadn't played since 1975, but the Mets still needed a rightfielder. Other than McDowell, the only players left were starting pitchers Dwight Gooden, Sid Fernandez and Ron Darling.

Johnson moved Orosco, who had been pitching, to right.

McDowell came in from the bullpen, and as the game wore on, Johnson switched McDowell and Orosco from the mound to the outfield depending on the situation. McDowell also switched with Mookie Wilson between rightfield and leftfield, depending on whether a righthanded or lefthanded hitter was batting.

"It was exciting to play a position you've never played in your career," Orosco said last week in a telephone interview. "Roger felt the same way. We were giggling about it when it happened."

Only one ball was hit to a pitcher/outfielder, when Orosco caught a fly ball to right hit by Tony Perez in the 13th.

Asked what he was thinking at that moment, Orosco said: "Oh, my God. I felt kind of comfortable because I had been out there a couple of innings. I'm just glad I didn't have to run too far."

Johnson, reached last week at his Florida home, said: "Both of them were great athletes, could run balls down. It wasn't a choice that I was that worried about."

The Mets finally went ahead when Howard Johnson hit a three-run home run in the 14th inning. They won, 6-3, and McDowell was the winning pitcher.

At the time, Davey Johnson called it "the strangest game I've been involved in" - even stranger than the 19-inning Fourth of July game in Atlanta the year before, when a postgame fireworks show got under way at 3:55 a.m.

Of course, Johnson didn't know what was to come in the postseason.

As for the regular season, the memorable win gave the Mets a 13½-game lead in the National League East. By the end of August, the lead was up to 20. All that was left was to clinch the franchise's first division crown since 1973.
__________________

[metsbats]

Re: Whos that? Playing Where?

Carl Pavano was spotted throwing a pitch in spring training this week for the Yankees.

[lon lewis]

Re: Whos that? Playing Where?

This game scored about a 10 on the wierd meter. Giants vs Dodgers 9/28/86 16 innings Giants win 6-5. The top of the 16th had a Giants defensive alignment of 3b Candy Maldonado, SS Joel Youngblood, 2B Harry Spilman, 1B Will Clark, LF Mike Aldrete, CF Chili Davis RF Randy Bockus. everyone except Clark and Davis were out of position as Maldonado was an outfielder (RF) Aldrete was a backup 1st baseman, Spilman was primarily a PH, Youngblood was P/H & backup 2B/3B, and Bockus was a relief pitcher on a Sept call-up. Bockus was 1 of 4 Giants pitchers used as either pinch hitters or position players. Youngblood and Spilman managed to turn a doubleplay in the 15th evoking laughter from the Dodgers,Giants and fans (because it was kind of ugly looking) Greg Minton pitched the final 5 innings and scored the winning run. Will Clark went 0-8 and Minton went 2-3 go figure.

[stlbats]

Re: Whos that? Playing Where?

In Mark Grace's last year with the D'Backs, Grace pitched one inning. It was funny to see him imitate teamate Mike Fetters with the snappy stare to the plate. If I recall he struck out one, retired one and then someone took him deep.

Doug Descenso played all nine positions at times with the Cubs in the early 90s I think it was.

Jason
ripken8@bellsouth.net

[chakes89]

Re: Whos that? Playing Where?

Dave Concepcion pitched in a game for the Reds

[metsbats]

Re: Whos that? Playing Where?

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Nooch/2006/08/24/Out_of_Left_Fieldand_Now_Pitching

Interesting article on someone who played outfield and pitched at the MLB level for a real...

[suave1477]

Re: Whos that? Playing Where?

Metsbats I was crying with laughter when I saw the Pavano comment lmaooooooo

[metsbats]

Re: Whos that? Playing Where?

Metsbats I was crying with laughter when I saw the Pavano comment lmaooooooo

I still owe you photos of the Strawberry WS game bat.

I've been busy and didn't forget. Sorry for the delay Jason.

-David