Starting off with a sad story: Former major league outfielder Danny Clyburn Jr. was shot and killed early yesterday morning following an argument. Clyburn appeared in a total of 13 games for the Baltimore Orioles in 1997 and 1998, and 28 games for the 1999 Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was a Newark Bear from 2002 through 2004.
All’s quiet on the Mets front – Joel Sherman says the team has more or less stopped looking for a left-handed bench bat, and will see who might be available later when teams begin to make their spring training cuts.
Over at Mets By The Numbers, Jon Springer has the rundown on which players have switched numbers, and what numbers the team’s new acquisitions have been assigned. As has been the case for years, #24 and #8 have not been issued to anyone. Considering issues of age and health, it’s well past time for the organization to make a decision on whether those numbers should be retired for Willie Mays and Gary Carter. The unofficial retirement limbo just looks sillier and sillier every spring.
The New York Yankees have signed utility man Bill Hall to a minor league contract, and he can opt out if he doesn’t make the major league team. Every time I hear the name Bill Hall, I think of Billy Hall, who once stole 104 bases in a season for the Somerset Patriots and for a time held the Atlantic League’s consecutive game hitting streak record.
Finally, the Greatest 21 Days, a blog focusing on the 1990 CMC minor league baseball card set, profiled New York Mets manager Terry Collins yesterday.
I MET THE BILL HALL YOUR THINKING OF PAUL WHEN HE PLAYED FOR LAS VEGAS IN 90S GOT MINOR LG CARD SIGNED HADNT THOUGHT OF HIM IN WHILE THANKS FOR STIRRING UP THOSE MEMORIES WAS PRETTY FUNNY GUY IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY ALWAYS THOUGHT COULD MADE MAJORS
I didn’t get to see Billy play until his final season in 2005, but I was surprised that he had never made it to the big leagues.