#224) WILLIE MONTANEZ

Willie Montanez was traded by the Texas Rangers along with Ken Henderson, and Tom Grieve to the New York Mets in exchange for Jon Matlack and John Milner on December 8, 1977. The trade was actually part of a bigger one that involved a total of 11 players from the Atlanta Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates. It brought the colorful first baseman to a Mets' club definitely in need of a power hitter.

During his first season in New York he would lead the team with both 17 home runs and 96 RBIs. Willie also established a then team record of 19 intentional walks in 1978. He was known to field his position in a flamboyant style. Often snatching the ball out of the air and then mimicing a "holster" of it to his hip. "If you have a different style and you're a white American, then they call it colorful," Montanez was later quoted in an interview. "But, if you are Latino or black, they say you're a hot dog."

After suffering through a season long slump in 1979, Montanez was traded to the Texas Rangers for two players to be named later. Those turned out to be Ed Lynch and Mike Jorgensen on August 12, 1979.

For many years after retiring from the game he would serve as a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Willie Montanez signed his card in the set for me from an autograph request sent to his home in Puerto Rico on February 21, 2009.

#334) TIM TEUFEL

Tim Teufel was traded along with Pat Crosby by the Minnesota Twins to the New York Mets in exchange for Billy Beane, Bill Latham, and Joe Klink on January 16, 1986. With a much higher batting average facing left-handed pitchers he was used in a platoon at second base with Wally Backman. Tim had a distinctive hip wiggle when entering his batting stance that was dubbed the "Teufel Shuffle". He joined the club at the beginning of the season of their 1986 World Series Championship.

Teufel had two memorable moments during that World Series facing the Boston Red Sox. In Game One he allowed a ground ball to pass untouched between his legs. The error set up the only run scored in the game and a Red Sox victory. "The focal point in this game is the error." said Tim. "I feel bad for Ron Darling (The Mets starting pitcher). He's from the Boston area, and if I could take the loss for him, I would. I'm going to take a nice, long, 35-minute ride home and let it settle. I don't think my new little son is going to disown me." Neither did Teufel's manager, Davey Johnson who said, "The error didn't beat us. What beat us was not scoring any runs."

Tim came into the World Series spotlight next when he slugged a home run off Red Sox pitcher, Bruce Hurst in the eight inning of Game Five at Fenway Park. The Mets would lose that game, but claim the series in seven games.

During the 1986 season four Mets players were involved in an altercation with the Houston police outside of Cooter's nightclub in Texas. Teufel and Ron Darling pleaded no contest in January of 1987 and were fined $200 each and placed on one year probation. The incident continued to fuel the rough reputation that this New York team was earning.

With Gregg Jefferies becoming the everyday second baseman, the Mets traded Tim to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Garry Templeton on May 31, 1991. "It's not the first thing that I wanted to happen," Teufel said. "But Frank (Cashen) said that it's likely the best for my career. At this point I agree."

The infielder and his wife, Valerie have been involved with the "Tim Teufel Celebrity Golf Classic" since 1987. Raising money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Tim returned to the New York Mets organization as a successful minor league manager. First leading the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2003, and most recently the Binghamton Mets.

Tim Teufel signed his card in the set for me after a game when the Buffalo Bisons faced the Indianapolis Indians at Victory Field on May 18, 2011. Adding a "86 WSC" inscription.

#501) ROBERTO PETAGINE

Roberto Petagine was traded by the San Diego Padres along with Scott Adair to the New York Mets in exchange for Pete Walker and Luis Arroyo on March 17, 1996. The slugger from Venezuela made his Mets' debut at Shea Stadium on May 31, 1996. He had been acquired to provide insurance for Rico Brogna at first base, and it was indeed a shoulder injury to him that caused Roberto's promotion.

Petagine struggled to consistently hit major-league pitching, but exhibited a fine glove at first base. He would not deliver his first home run until August 24th as a pinch-hitter facing the Dodgers in Los Angeles. In a total of 50 games during the 1996 season he would hit four home runs, with 17 RBIs, and a .232 batting average. Nothing close to his numbers facing minor-league pitching in Triple-A. So he would return to the Norfolk Tides for the 1997 campaign. Petagine responded with an International League MVP season that year. Even so, the Mets had little need for him with John Olerud playing first base. Roberto did receive a promotion to New York when the rosters expanded, but could only muster one hit in 15 at-bats during the month of September.

He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Yuri Sanchez on February 5, 1998. When assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis he would win his second consecutive International League MVP award in 1998. Roberto was inducted into the International League Hall of Fame in 2009.

The path of Petagine's baseball career has taken him to the Japanese, Mexican, and Korean professional leagues. During six years playing in Japan's Central League, the left-hander won three gold gloves, two home run titles and one MVP award. All earning him great notoriety in that country. Japanese is one of four languages that Roberto is fluent in. The others being Italian, English, and his native Spanish. "I was here doing it in the minor leagues, but they didn't give me a chance to play every day in the big leagues," Petagine reflected. "Japan was a good opportunity to do it. And I put up numbers there."

Roberto Petagine signed his card in the set for me from an autograph request sent to his home on April 29, 2010.

#394) RICK CERONE

Rick Cerone became a New York Met when he signed as a free agent on January 21, 1991. After a difficult season with the crosstown Yankees he had been placed on waivers. "I wanted to play for the Mets," the Cresskill, New Jersey native said. "I wanted to play for a contender, and I wanted to stay close to home." However, he was aware of his situation with the Mets already with catchers, Mackey Sasser and Charlie O'Brien on the roster. "I'm not a threat to them," Rick said. "I'm really not here to compete for a starting job. I can help these guys. I've learned a lot in the last three or four years. I've learned that you can help a team win even if you are on the bench."

Cerone would open the season by throwing out the first four runners attempting steals. (A feat not repeated until Henry Blanco accomplished it in 2010.) Not bad for a catcher that had broken the ring finer of his glove hand during a spring training game that March. Rick would also hit a game-tying pinch-hit home run in his first at-bat as a member of the New York Mets on April 9th. A 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Shea Stadium.

The veteran took exception to St. Louis Cardinals pitcher, Willie Fraser hitting Mets' batter, Howard Johnson with a fastball on August 21st. During the second game of a double-header at Shea Stadium the benches would empty led by Rick Cerone. The catcher would connect with a solid punch to Fraser before disappearing in a sea of players. "Had to do it," Cerone would explain. "Sometimes you just have to do it. We've just lost eleven games, we're finally winning one, and some guy throws at our best player? You can't let that happen."

Cerone would play in 90 games that season, but was granted free agency at the end of the year. He signed a contract with the Montreal Expos on February 12, 1992.

Rick helped establish the Teach Our Children Foundation in 1998. A charity to provide aid to children of the greater Newark, New Jersey area.

After his playing career he was a broadcaster and later became a minor-league owner founding the Newark Bears baseball team of the independent Atlantic League.

Rick Cerone signed his card in the set for my friend Jessie at the Long Island National Show at Hofstra University in Uniondale, New York on April 24, 2010.

#782) BRANDON KNIGHT

Brandon Knight joined the New York Mets when he signed a free agent contract on May 29, 2008. He made his Mets debut on July 26th, when he was granted an opportunity to start in place of Pedro Martinez. The future Hall of Famer, Martinez had left the team to travel home to the Dominican Republic following the death of his father.

Knight had battled to remain in baseball previous to his time with the Mets organization. Spending time in Japan and Mexico along the way. His most recent assignment had been pitching for the Somerset Patriots in the Independent League. "Over the last couple of years it has definitely been a roller coaster," said Brandon. "It's amazing how this game is, how life is. How much it can change — like that."

Strange as it was the pitcher had also been selected to participate for USA Baseball during the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. "It's almost too much good news all at once," said his father, Mike Knight. "He was ready to get out of the game and all of a sudden got back in and now all kinds of great things are happening." After his one start for the Mets it was decided to designate him for assignment so the right-hander could participate in the Olympics. Team USA and Knight won the Bronze Medal with a victory over Taiwan.

Brandon returned to Triple-A New Orleans until he was recalled in September when rosters expanded and bullpen help was needed. "This feels like it's settled down a bit now that I'm finally here and had some time to throw a couple of games from the bullpen." Knight said. "To be honest it is probably the most comfortable I've been all year." He was given one final start on September 17th in which he earned his only victory as a New York Met.

Brandon Knight signed his card in the set for my friend Dan Viglietti after the game between the Indianapolis Indians and Buffalo Bisons at Dunn Tire Park, in New York, on June 10, 2009.

#691) BRIAN BUCHANAN

Brian Buchanan signed with the New York Mets as a free agent on August 25, 2004. Just days before the September roster expansion the club found themselves in need of an outfielder. Brian had been designated for assignment by the San Diego Padres. "We've been battling through a period here and maybe Buchanan can provide us with some offensive spark, especially against left-handers," General Manager, Jim Duquette said. "We'll see if he provides some pop."

Brian joined the Mets very briefly. A total of only five days. He appeared in two games (both of which occurred at Shea Stadium), getting three at-bats without a hit, before he was designated for assignment on August 30th. Relief pitcher, Mike DeJean was placed on the disabled list and Brian was replaced with Heath Bell. After clearing waivers, Buchanan accepted an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk. The Tides season ended five games after he arrived. Brian was not offered an opportunity to return to New York even after the rosters expanded to close the season. He signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on December 17, 2004.

Buchanan ended his 16-year professional playing career, that included five years in the major leagues, and became the manager of the Kansas City Royals' Rookie-level team in Idaho Falls in 2010.

Brian Buchanan signed his card in the set for my friend, Tim before the Omaha Royals faced the Round Rock Express in Texas on April 14, 2009.

#52) LARRY MILLER

Larry Miller was traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the New York Mets in exchange for Dick Smith on October 15, 1964. He started the 1965 season with Triple-A Buffalo. A strong performance there had the left-hander with a 6-1 record and 2.59 ERA when he was promoted to New York. Larry made his Mets' debut on June 3, 1965. Used primarily as a relief pitcher, it was in this role that Miller recorded his lone Mets' win. Throwing 3.2 innings to finish the 3-2 victory over the Dodgers in Los Angeles on June 20th.

The Topeka, Kansas native had a dubious distinction. Larry was the final pitcher removed from the mound by legendary manager, Casey Stengel. "I knew I was getting tired," Miller recalled. "Even the outs were line drives at somebody. I knew I wasn't going to be around much longer." Larry wasn't going to give up, even when he saw Stengel leave the dugout. "Casey had a bad leg— it took him awhile to get around— and if he came out, you were done," Larry said. "When he got close, I said, 'Casey, I think I'm OK. I'm not that tired.' He said, 'Miller, you may not be tired, but those damned outfielders are exhausted.'" Stengel removed Miller and gave the ball to Dennis Musgraves. The manager would send out a rookie named, Tug McGraw to finish the ninth inning of the Mets 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. That night Casey Stengel fell and broke his hip exiting a cab. He would not return to the Mets and officially retired on August 30, 1965.

Larry was optioned to the minors along with six other players on October 22, 1965. Miller pitched the entire 1966 season in Triple-A, and did not return to New York until he received a September call-up. Only appearing in four games for the Mets to close that season before leaving the organization in 1967 to join the San Francisco Giants.

"For me having had a marginal career," Miller said, "I've got to say that I had some exposure to some really significant people." Larry had appeared on pitching staffs that featured Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, and had owned the locker next to Sandy Koufax while a member of the Dodgers.

Larry Miller signed his card in the set for me from an autograph request sent to his home on October 27, 2008.