The All Time "He played for them?" thread

[Moose Milligan]

A team dedicated to older stars who had less than stellar performances for other teams they aren't typically associated with while in the twilight of their careers.

C- Gabby Hartnett, Giants, 1941

1B- Pete Rose, Expos, 1984

2b- Roberto Alomar, White Sox/Diamondbacks, 2004

SS- Lou Boudreau, Red Sox, 1951-52

3B- George Kell, Orioles 1856-57

OF- Willie Mays, Mets, 1972-1973

OF- Babe Ruth, Braves, 1935

OF- Duke Snider, Giants, 1964

P- Warren Sphan, Mets/Giants, 1965

P- Juan Marichal, Dodgers, 1975

P- Christy Mathewson, Reds, 1916

P- Robin Roberts, Cubs, 1966

P- Tom Seaver, Red Sox, 1986

[sakata_catching]

Reggie Jackson's one year in Baltimore probably qualifies. As does Dwight Evans'.

Ty Cobb finished his career with 2 seasons playing for the Philadelphia A's. I'm surprised every time I read that.

[Moose Milligan]

Reggie Jackson's one year in Baltimore probably qualifies. As does Dwight Evans'.

Ty Cobb finished his career with 2 seasons playing for the Philadelphia A's. I'm surprised every time I read that.

Reggie went on to have several great years after his time in Baltimore.

Evans qualifies, but he's not a Hall of Famer.

Cobb is a good one, too....He still managed to hit .323 in his final year...at age 41. Unbelievable.

[sakata_catching]

Reggie went on to have several great years after his time in Baltimore.

Indeed he did. Of course, the fact that I didn't fully read your qualifying criteria shouldn't be held against him.

Hank Greenberg's final season in Pittsburgh, though, is a good choice.

[Moose Milligan]

Indeed he did. Of course, the fact that I didn't fully read your qualifying criteria shouldn't be held against him.

Hank Greenberg's final season in Pittsburgh, though, is a good choice.

I had no idea Greenberg played for Pittsburgh.

[Lucky Jim]

I had no idea Greenberg played for Pittsburgh.

Interesting - I was watching the Greenberg story on Showtime last weekend. He got run out of the AL - released by the Tigers and claimed by the Pirates for some stupid reason (the film claimed it was because a paper printed a story with a photo of Greenberg with a Yankee jersey where he said he'd like to finish his career in NY - turned out to be fake.)

Greenberg was an interesting guy. Huge - 6'4 230 or so. Lost a good four years to the war. His career numbers - and the Splinter's - were really diminished due to service.

[Moose Milligan]

Interesting - I was watching the Greenberg story on Showtime last weekend. He got run out of the AL - released by the Tigers and claimed by the Pirates for some stupid reason (the film claimed it was because a paper printed a story with a photo of Greenberg with a Yankee jersey where he said he'd like to finish his career in NY - turned out to be fake.)

Greenberg was an interesting guy. Huge - 6'4 230 or so. Lost a good four years to the war. His career numbers - and the Splinter's - were really diminished due to service.

Sounds like the LeBron James of his era...

I've wanted to see that documentary, was it good?

[McNulty]

Does Frank Robby with the Indians 73-74 count?

Maryland's own Jimmie Foxx playing for the 45 Phillies (he was a Philly Athletic and Red Sox most of his career).

Hank Aaron 75-76 with the Brewers.

Andre Dawson 96-97 with the Marlins.

Boog Powell on the 77 Dodgers.

I'll look up some other guys and see what I can find.

Edit: How about Will Clark spending the last part of the 00 season on the Cardinals? I even forgot about that one.

[McNulty]

Vince Coleman on Detroit in 97 (and Cincy in 96).

Tim Raines on the 02 Marlins.

Goose Gossage on the 94 Mariners. (Seriously??)

Jesse Orosco's last team was the Twins in 03.

[Moose Milligan]

Forgot Jack Morris played for Cleveland in 94.

Joe Morgans career petered out in Oakland in 1984.

Jackie Robinson was traded to the Giants but never played for them.

[sakata_catching]

Forgot Jack Morris played for Cleveland in 94.

Joe Morgans career petered out in Oakland in 1984.

Jackie Robinson was traded to the Giants but never played for them.

Yogi Berra, Gil Hodges and Richie Ashburn all finished their careers with the Mets.

And while Gaylord Perry pitched for a lot of teams, does anyone really remember him wrapping things up with the Royals in 1983?

[DrungoHazewood]

Yogi Berra, Gil Hodges and Richie Ashburn all finished their careers with the Mets.

Wow, I had to look that one up. I was close to posting "Yogi never played for the Mets!" But before I made a fool of myself I checked, and yep, he had nine at bats for them in '65 after taking all of '64 off.

And while Gaylord Perry pitched for a lot of teams, does anyone really remember him wrapping things up with the Royals in 1983?

Oh yea, I saw him pitch for the M's against the O's at Memorial Stadium in '83 or '84 and probably because of that I remember his final stint with KC.

The all time king of this (as far as teams go) has to be the 1928 Philadelphia A's. Someone mentioned Ty Cobb playing his final two years there, but they also had 40-year-old HOFer Tris Speaker, 41-year-old Eddie Collins (arguably the best 2B of all time), as well as 44-year-old Jack Quinn.

[Migrant Redbird]

Vince Coleman on Detroit in 97 (and Cincy in 96).

Sad footnote on what could and should have been a much better career.

Vince won the ROY in 1985 with 110 stolen bases with just a .320 OBP, 170 hits and 50 walks, not counting the times he got on via error or fielders choice.

The next 5 seasons with the Cardinals, he averaged 88 stolen bases per season, still with relatively low OBP. (.363 in 1987 was the exception.) Then he succumbed to the bright lights and payday of a free agent contract with the New York Mets.

The low light was that incident in 1993 with the firecracker. Baseball Library: Vince Coleman

Coleman reached a personal low in 1993. Three months after injuring Dwight Gooden's arm by recklessly swinging a golf club in the clubhouse, he was charged with endangerment when he tossed a firecracker at -- and harmed -- two young boys and a woman in the stadium's parking lot. The outfielder was "given" the rest of the year off by the team to deal with legal issues, but it was clear that his stint in New York was over.

Such a tragedy. Vince might have still had the hamstring issues if he'd remained in St. Louis, but I suspect that some of the personal issues he had with the Mets could have been avoided.

[BRobinsonfan]

Mark Belanger, believe it or not, finished his career with 50 AB's for the LA Dodgers in 1982. And Paul Blair ended his career with the New York Yankees.

[TyCobb]

Larry Walker last season and half was with St. Louis.