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Our Special Bonds: Hopefully This Means Farewell (Answers)

Answers to the Tom Glavine trivia tribute, which shall also serve as the anger-venting system I've needed these last few days.

Questions here: http://metswalkoffs.blogspot.com/2007/10/our-special-bonds-hopefully-this-means.html


1) Tom Glavine was such a mediocre pitcher, he couldn't get Chico Walker (the final out of the '86 Division Clincher) out with any regularity. Walker hit .800, going 4-for-5 against Glavine in his career.


2) Tom Glavine has pitched badly at the end of the season previously. On September 29, 1995, the Mets plunked him for five first-inning runs, with RBI coming from Jeff Kent, Rico Brogna, and Ryan Thompson.



3) Exhibit A in our case proving that Tom Glavine was in fact a Braves spy: He NEVER finished a Mets season with a winning record against the Braves. He did .500, but never was better than that.



4) Tom Glavine's 56 losses as a Met are 14 more than the next-most by a Mets pitcher, who pitched for the Braves at one time in his career. The difference is that Gary Gentry won a World Series for the Mets. Tom Glavine never did.



5) The last Mets starter to last 1/3 of an inning or less in a home start was Orel Hershiser, September 28, 1999, against the Braves. The difference is that Hershiser got another chance and made the most of it, pitching 5 1/3 stellar innings in a victory in Game 162 that season, helping the Mets advance to a one-game playoff with the Reds.



6) Four players who were born in Concord, Mass. have made the major leagues. The two lowest batting averages belonged to Tom Glavine and his brother, Mike Glavine.



7) If Joe McEwing could hit Randy Johnson, why couldn't Tom Glavine, who went 0-for-15 with 11 K against "The Big Unit."



8) Mike Bacsik actually pitched worse than Tom Glavine on Opening Day, 2003, allowing 9 runs to Glavine's five. Fortunately, the Mets hadn't just signed Bacsik to a huge contract, so he didn't last too much longer.



9) Bobby Jones went 74-56 with a 4.13 ERA. Tom Glavine was 61-56 with a 3.97 ERA. Jones won a game to advance a Mets season. Glavine never did. Which will you remember more fondly?



10) I would name the other pitchers that Tom Glavine has hit with a pitch in his MLB career, except for one problem. There are none!

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