#262) ED LYNCH

Ed Lynch joined the New York Mets when he was named one of the players to complete an earlier trade for Willie Montanez to the Texas Rangers on August 12, 1979. Ed started his career with the Mets in Triple-A Tidewater for the 1980 season. A starting pitcher with the Tides, he earned 13 wins and gained a September promotion to New York. Lynch made his major league debut on August 31, 1980 in San Francisco from the bullpen. He earned his first victory as the starting pitcher at Shea Stadium facing the Chicago Cubs on September 13th.

The Brooklyn born pitcher split time between New York and Tidewater during 1981. He was a permanent part of the New York Mets roster from 1982 through 1985. Winning 10 games in both 1983 and 1985. This accomplished while consistently finishing among the National League leaders in least walks per innings pitched. A very talented youthful rotation had emerged by the 1986 season. Even more difficult for Ed since he found himself injured at the start of the season. The combination of events made the veteran a part of the Mets bullpen. Lynch pitched in one game on April 12, 1986 and was forced to undergo surgery on his left knee on April 20th.

Upon his return to health the Mets traded Ed to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Dave Liddell and Dave Lenderman on June 30, 1986. "It was like living with a family all year, then getting kicked out on Christmas Eve," later said a heartbroken Lynch. The New York Mets chose to award him a World Championship ring after the club won the World Series over the Boston Red Sox.

Ed earned his law degree from the University of Miami after finishing his pitching career. He was hired out of law school by Joe McIlvaine in 1992 to serve as director of player development for the San Diego Padres. He then moved with McIlvaine to the Mets organization until accepting the position of general manager for the Chicago Cubs in October 1994. Lynch held that position with Chicago until July of 2000. Remaining with the Cubs organization as a scout until moving to the Toronto Blue Jays scouting department in December 2009.

In an attempt to use as many baseball cliches as possible, Ed was famously quoted following a pitching performance, "The bases were drunk, and I painted the black with my best yakker. But blue squeezed me, and I went full. I came back with my heater, but the stick flares one the other way and the chalk flies for two bases. Three earnies! Next thing I know, skipper hooks me and I'm sipping suds with the clubby."

Ed Lynch signed his card in the set for my friend, Nick Duinte of Baseball Happenings at Wilmington Blue Rocks Stadium while scouting a game on August 14, 2010.