#720) XAVIER NADY

Xavier Nady was traded to the New York Mets from the San Diego Padres in exchange for Mike Cameron on November 18, 2005. "We envision him as a young player with power potential," said Mets General Manager, Omar Minaya the day of the trade. "Hopefully he can develop and be part of a core group of guys...We see Xavier hopefully being with the Mets and developing with the Mets."

The "X-Man" is the sixth in a line of Xavier's that stretches back 150 years, to when Nady's great-great-great grandfather moved his family from eastern France to raise horses on a 660-acre patch of farmland in southeastern Iowa. "If I'm fortunate enough to someday have a son, he'll definitely be Xavier the Seventh," Nady said. "What else would he be called?"

Nady made his Mets debut on April 3, 2006. The 27-year old right fielder propelled the club to an Opening Day victory at Shea Stadium. Collecting four hits in the 3-2 win over the Washington Nationals. "It was pretty neat," he said. "I show up yesterday and there are 15,000 for a work out. I was like 'What's going on here?' I have never been part of something special like here in New York, where every inning they are chanting. You look forward to that at the end of Spring Training."

Xavier was placed on the disabled list on May 30th following emergency appendectomy surgery. Nady had complained of discomfort in his midsection after coming out of the game during a ninth-inning double switch. After a preliminary examination at Shea he was moved to New York Presbyterian Hospital and the procedure was performed at 4:30 AM the next morning.

Following a brief rehabilitation stint at Triple-A Norfolk, he returned to New York on June 19th. Xavier would hit two home runs in a contest against the Cincinnati Reds the next day. "It's nice to get back," Nady was quoted. "Being out because of your health. It's not fun on the couch, wondering when you'll get back, wondering why it happened."

Trajedy struck the National League East leading Mets when relief pitcher, Duaner Sanchez was injured in a taxi accident on July 30th. The team desperate for pitching help traded Xavier to the Pittsburgh Pirates the following day. New York received Oliver Perez and former Mets reliever, Roberto Hernandez. "He's done it. We know him, he knows New York," Minaya said. "We're fortunate to get him under the circumstances."

Nady finished with 75 games for the Mets in which he hit 14 home runs, 40 RBIs, and a .264 batting average. "Obviously trades are going to happen," Xavier said. "It's the nature of the business."

Xavier Nady signed his card in the set for me prior to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds game at Great American Ballpark on April 19, 2011.