centerfield maz

Clyde Leroy Sukeforth w as born November 30, 1901 in Washington, Maine. He certainly wasn’t a star player (.264 lifetime hitter) but he was involved in some classic baseball events for the Brooklyn Dodgers & New York Giants. He was a career backup catcher, first in Cincinnati from 1927-1931, seeing action in over 100 games in his last season there. He damaged his eye in a hunting accident but still continued to play baseball.  He was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers and backed up Al Lopez for four seasons. He hit for awful averages, after a .234 season he dropped to .086 then .163 in his last season. But during the man power shortage of WW II he got another chance to play nine years later, hitting .294 in 51 at bats in his final season of play (1945).   After his playing days, he became a long time Dodgers coach and scout working closely for Branch Rickey. He was coach for both Jackie Robinson & Roy Campanella at the minor league level working closely to ease ...

Randy Andre Milligan was born November 27, 1961 in San Diego California. Milligan was another highly touted prospect that never quite made it with the Mets at the big league level. Randy was the 1981 first round draft pick for the Mets.  He didn’t develop like the Mets had hoped and didn’t make his MLB debut until September 7th, 1987 as a pinch hitter for Bobby Ojeda.  He struck out in the Mets 8-1 loss at Busch Stadium. He appeared two more times, going hitless, with one walk. It was the only three games he played in as a Met. He was still considered a prospect and the next spring the Mets traded him to Pittsburgh for Mackey Sasser & Tim Drummond.  He hit .220 in 40 games in Pittsburgh then went to the Baltimore Orioles where he spent four seasons. He saw alot of action in Baltimore, playing in over 100 games each season. His best year was 1990 when he hit 20 HRs20 doubles, 60 RBIs and batted .260. He followed that up with 16 HRs70 RBIs and a career high .2...

Lawrence Cyril Gura, was born November 26, 1947, in Joliet, Illinois. The six foot left handed pitcher attended Arizona State University winning two National championships (1967 & 1969) under Coach Bobby Winkles. He pitched alongside future Mets Gary Gentry & Craig Swan. Gura was selected by the Chicago Cubs as a second round pick in 1969. He made his MLB debut on April 30th 1970 finishing up a game against the Braves in Atlanta. He would go 1-3 on the year making twenty appearances at the major league level. He spent the majority of the next two seasons in the minors winning 11 games each season. After going 2-4 with the Cubs in 1973 he was traded to the Texas Rangers but two months later was sent to the A.L. New York club, in exchange for Duke Sims. He spent two seasons there going a best 7-8 in 1975 appearing in 26 games. That off season he was traded to the Kansas City Royals for future Mets announcer, catcher Fran Healy. Gura would spend ten years with the R...

Paul Anthony Sorrento born November 17, 1965 in Somerville, Massachusetts. Sorrento attended Florida State University getting drafted in the 4th round of the 1986 draft by the California Angels. Sorrento was a hot prospect & in 1988 he & two minor leaguers were traded to Minnesota for Bert Blyleven. In 1989 with the Twins organization, he was named to the AA Southern League's All-Star team as he led the league with 35 doubles and 112 RBI. His 27 HRs were  second only to league MVP; Eric Anthony's 28. Defensively Sorrento was rated as a fine first baseman with his glove. Sorrento debuted with the Twins in 1989, hitting his first career HR the following season. He saw brief action in the 1991 World Series going 0-3 as a pinch hitter. In March of 1992, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians where he had two straight 18 HR seasons, driving in over 60 RBIs both years. In 1995 he hit 25 HRs with 79 RBIs for the AL Champion Indians, averaging a HR every ...

Harold Henry Schumacher, nicknamed Prince, was born on November 23, 1910 in Hinckley, New York on the Southern end of the Adirondack Mountains. Hal began attending Lawrence University but had to quit due to financial reasons, even though he was an exceptional student in academics as well as in sports. He was offered a contract by the New York Giants, but he told them he’d only sign if they paid for him to finish his education, which they did. From there on, he would spend his entire career with the New York Giants pitching 13 seasons and appearing in three World Series. He threw fast ball which was called a "heavy ball" in those days so hard, it sounded like a cannon ball when it hit the big catchers mit. He made a brief debut in April 1931 pitching just two innings in two games for manager John McGraw. He returned in June & July then got his first career win that September. The next season Bill Terry took over as manager & by 1933 Schumacher became second o...

Richard Craig Schofield was born on November 21, 1962 in Springfield, Illinois. He is the son of Dick “Ducky” Schofield who played shortstop & infield for 19 seasons from 1953-1971. Ducky backed up Alvin Dark & Alex Grammas in St. Louis with the Cardinals. He then backed up the 1960 NL MVP, Dick Groat in Pittsburgh winning a World Series there that same year. He became the Pirates main short stop from 1963 to 1965, leading the NL in fielding (.981%) in 1965. He would move on to the Los Angeles Dodgers (1966-1967). By 1968 he was back in St. Louis where he got to another World Series with the Cards losing to the Detroit Tigers. After that season he went to the Boston Red Sox backing up Rico Petrocelli (1969-1970). He ended his career in Milwaukee in 1971 after 19 big league seasons batting .227 with 699 hits 21 HRs 113 doubles 20 triples & 211 RBIs. The senior Schofield posted a .961 fielding % turning 385 double plays at short. His son Dick Schofield was draft...

Greg Allen Harris was born on November 2nd, 1955 in Lynwood California. The six foot right handed pitcher was signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent in 1976. Harris was actually a switch thrower if there is a such thing, as he could pitch both right handed & left handed. He pitched at both A ball Lynchburg & AA Jackson in 1978 going 8-9 with a 2.16 ERA. By 1980 he was promoted to AAA Tidewater after a nine win season at Jackson. He was 2-9 there but improved to 4-0 with a 2.06 ERA in 1981. The Mets were always looking for something positive in those days & brought him up to the big league club. Harris made his MLB debut on May 20th at Candlestick Park, pitching six solid innings allowing two runs, earning no decision in a 4-3 Mets win. His next start came at Shea Stadium where he beat the Philadelphia Phillies. Harris was 2-1 in June & then was sent back to AAA Tidewater returning in August. Upon his return he was put in a relief appearance where he...

Valentino Martin Pascucci was born on November 17th, 1978 in Bellflower, California. The big six foot six right hander was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers but chose to go to college instead. He attended the University of Oklahoma, playing with the Sooners baseball team as a pitcher going 4-0.  In 1999 he was drafted by the Montreal Expos as a position player in the 15th round. After playing three years at A ball he hit 27 HRs with 82 RBIs at AA Harrisburg in 2002 although he batted just .235. In 2004 he made a brief appearance with the Expos in May but was sent back down, where he batted .98 with 25 HRs & 98 RBIs at AAA Edmonton. Pascucci earned a September call up to the major leagues and would play in the final game in Montreal Expos history that October. The next year he went to play in Japan for two seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines under Italian /American former Mets manager Bobby Valentine. He returned to the USA playing in 2007, for the Florida Marlins...

Anthony Francis 'Tony' Cuccinello was born on November 8, 1907 in Long Island City, Queens New York. He played baseball at Bryant High School in Queens getting a baseball contact with the Cincinnati Reds. Tony hit over .300 three times in the minors getting to the big leagues by 1930. He hit .312 with 22 doubles & 10 HRs in his rookie year, making a big impression. He followed that up with another .300 season (.315) posting a .374 on base percentage, although his power numbers fell off. In 1932 he got traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers and was back home in New York. He spent four seasons in Brooklyn getting to two All Star games, as the Dodgers main second baseman. In 1934 he had career highs in HRs (14) & RBIs (94) with 32 doubles. On July 5th 1935 at the Polo Grounds both Cuccinello brothers (Tony & Al) hit HRs for their respective teams, becoming the first big league brothers to do so in a game while opposing each other. This feat has only been accomplished si...

Matthew Thomas Pagnozzi was born on November 10th 1982 in Miami, Arizona. Matt is the nephew of former St. Louis Cardinal catcher; Tom Pagnozzi. He learned the family trait & the six foot two catcher attended Central Arizona College playing the position. In 2003 he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals & spent seven seasons in the minors before getting to the big league club. He made brief appearances with St. Louis in 2009 & 2010. In 2010 he got 39 at bats, drove in ten runs, while hitting his only career HR on September 28th, coming against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 7-2 loss. In 2011 he signed with the Colorado Rockies but was placed on waivers that September, where he was picked up by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He hit .276 overall in 12 games that year. He would sign deals with the Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves & Houston Astros, getting into five games with Houston in 2013. He signed on with the Milwaukee Brewers that off season &  most of spent ...

Jose Antonio (Dono) Offerman was born on November 8, 1968 in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican, Republic. The six foot infielder was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1986 as an amateur free agent. He made it to the big leagues by 1990, hitting a HR in his first MLB at bat on August 19th against the Montreal Expos. He began by playing behind Alfredo Griffin, taking over as the Dodgers main short stop from 1992-1995. He led the NL in errors three seasons at short (1992-1993-1995) but did steal 30 bases in 1993.  That season on Opening Day he became the first batter to ever face the new Florida Marlins. He made his first All Star game in 1995, hitting .287 on the year posting a .389 on base %. At the end of the season he was traded to the Kansas City Royals for Billy Brewer when the Dodgers acquired Greg Gagne via free agency to play short. Offerman spent three years in Kansas City having his best years. He hit .303 in his first season, and then followed up with his caree...