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Marlon Way(ans)

I've liked what Marlon Anderson has brought to the Mets in both of his stints with the team, so I'm happy to hear that he's going to re-sign with the club. He is quite the useful player and his value is significant.

I also like the following piece of trivia: Marlon Anderson's first career walk-off hit came against the Marlins.


How funny is that? That there's a Mets connection throughout this game makes it pretty cool.


It happened on April 9, 2001, when Anderson was a second baseman, hitting eighth, for the Phillies, who had to rally to pick up this particular victory. Florida jumped out in front 4-1 edge with four runs in the third, capped by Cliff Floyd's three-run home run against Bruce Chen, following a two-out error.


Bobby Abreu's home run cut the lead to 4-2 in the sixth and Philadelphia's game-tying rally would come in the seventh inning when the first two hitters reached, and Brad Penny was chased for Braden Looper. The future Mets closer got outs, but the first two produced runs. Pat Burrell drove in one with a sacrifice fly and Anderson brought home the tying run with a groundout.


That tie score held through the ninth, thanks to two scoreless innings by Ricky Bottalico (the Mets connections never stop!). In the home half, the first three Phillies reached, putting Anderson in good position with the bases loaded and nobody out. Needing just a sacrifice fly to bring home the winner, Anderson did better, netting a single to right field to plate Mike Lieberthal with the winning run.


I imagine the local headline writers in Philadelphia must have had a field day with the idea that a Marlon just beat the Marlins.


True Metlons know...That Marlon Anderson is the only player in Mets history who homered in his major-league debut, against the Mets (September 8, 1998), then later played FOR the Mets.


Also worth noting: The only player with a last name containing the letters MET, in succession, to get a walk-off hit against the Mets is Don DeMETer, for the Phillies on August 29, 1962.

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