Manny, Eckstein and Counsell in the Same Exclusive Club?

Three veteran characters chasing the same postseason accomplishment.

Roger Clemens was the last player to play in the World Series with three different franchises. In 2005, Clemens started Game 1 for the Astros, giving up three earned runs in two innings, before succumbing to a hamstring injury. There have been 24 players to do this in history. Only OF Lonnie Smith has played in four. Clemens was a part of the ‘00 World Series that features four of these players, Clemens, Yankees outfielders Luis Polonia and David Justice, and Mets pitcher Al Leiter, and the `01 series that featured five, Clemens, Justice, SP Curt Schilling, 3B Matt Williams, and OF Reggie Sanders.

There are three players still alive in the playoff race that may join this exclusive club. The one with the best shot is Manny Ramirez, chasing his 5th appearance in the Fall Classic: two with Cleveland, and two with Boston.  Manny, always an enigma, would be a relative first in this club. There are no Hall of Fame sluggers.  3B Matt Williams (SFG, CLE, ARZ), OF Don Baylor (BOS, MIN, OAK), OF Reggie Sanders (ARZ, SFG, STL), and OF David Justice (ATL, CLE, NYY) are the only other players with 300 home runs. In fact, aside from these four, who I’d consider All-Star sluggers, the other 20 players fit pretty nicely into five categories.

Hard Throwing Aces

• Roger Clemens BOS, NYY, HOU
• Curt Schilling PHI, ARZ, BOS
• Paul Derringer STL, CIN, CHC
• Joe Bush PHA, BOS, NYY #$
• Jack Morris DET, MIN, TOR $
• Dave Stewart LAD, OAK, TOR $

Journeyman Lefties

• Al Leiter TOR, FLA, NYM
• Danny Jackson KCR, CIN, PHI

All-Purpose Outfielders

• Luis Polonia OAK, ATL, NYY
• Andy Pafko CHC, BRO, MLN
• Mike McCormick CIN, BSN, BRO
• Vic Davalillo PIT, OAK, LAD

Singles Machines

• Lonnie Smith PHI, STL, KC, ATL $
• Fred Merkle NYG, BRO, CHC
• Stuffy McInnis PHA, BOS, PIT $
• Heinie Groh CIN, NYG, PIT

Tough middle infielders

• Eddie Stanky BRO, BSN, NYG
• Mark Koenig NYY, CHC, NYG
• Mariano Duncan CIN, PHI, NYY @
• Wally Schang PHA, BOS, NYY $

The other two players looking to enter the club would fit into this last category. A category of guys who don’t belong in the Major Leagues, but have thrived using toughness and aptitude. David Eckstein, The Godfather of little middle infielders for the Angels, was the `06 World Series MVP for St. Louis hitting .364 with four RBI. In 2002 for Anaheim, Eckstein hit .310 with 3 RBI in seven games against the Giants. If the playoffs ended today, Arizona would be watching from home, and it could take miracle for them to catch Manny’s Dodgers.

Craig Counsell’s Brewers also may end up just short of the Playoffs for the 2nd straight year. They are currently tied with the Mets for the NL Wild Card. Counsell has been relegated to a bench player in the twilight of his career, but has been in the middle of a lot of baseball history. Counsell scored the series winner in `97 on Edgar Renteria’s 11th inning single, and was on first for Luis Gonzalez’ series winning single in `01. He was a big piece of the last two franchises who have won their first World Series, and I’m sure the Brewers would like for him to sprinkle some of that magic this postseason.

*World Series winners in bold.

#Joe Bush played for the 1927 Pirates, but did not appear in the postseason.

$Players were on three World Series champions.

@Mariano Duncan played for the Dodgers in 1987 and 1989, but was demoted for 1988.