#456) DOUG LINTON

Doug Linton was signed by the New York Mets as a free agent on December 16, 1993. After starting the year in the minor leagues, his contract was purchased from Triple-A Norfolk on April 8, 1994. The right-hander made his Mets debut that day in a relief role. Doug would add three starting assignments during his 32 appearances that season. Finishing with a 6-2 record and 4.47 ERA. Linton was granted free agency at the close of the year and signed with the Kansas City Royals.

The Mets resigned Linton as a free agent on May 9, 2001. He would pitch again for Norfolk, but not return to the major league roster.

After his playing career he has become a successful minor league pitching coach in the Colorado Rockies farm system. First with the Tri-City Dust Devils and most recently with the Colorado Sky Sox of the Pacific Coast League.

In a particularly rough outing on May 9, 1995, Doug would throw 36 pitches to get the first out of the game while then pitching for the Kansas City Royals. He had surrendered eight runs on three home runs to that point. Linton was quoted as saying, "I wish they had delayed the National Anthem about a half-hour."

Doug Linton signed his card in the set for my friend Greg Norman before a game between the Colorado Sky Sox and Tacoma Rainiers at Cheney Stadium on April 9, 2010.