Earlier today, you and I set upon a quest to determine baseball’s Patron Saint of Journeymen. As usual, you did not disappoint. Here are some of your nominations.
RESULTS: Baseball’s Patron Saint Of Journeymen
Ryan Langerhans (suggested by Eyebrows). He went from the Braves to the A’s to the Nationals within a week. Think about how awesome it would be to have a Mike Piazza Marlins jersey. Owning a Ryan Langerhans A’s jersey would be about 20 times more awesome.
Bobo Newsome (suggested by matty blue). This guy’s career spanned from the outset of the Great Depression (1929) until the end of the Korean War (1953). He played for the Brooklyn Robins, St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators, Philadelphia Athletics, and New York Giants. I bet this guy played for more teams that don’t exist anymore than anyone else, ever.
Newsome was also suggested by @Fistwaffle, who notes:
Baseball was played in 10 cities in Bobo Newsom’s career, and he played for the home team in seven of them.
Mark Whiten (suggested by smk73). Eight teams in 11 years. Holy moley. Hey, you guys want to see how many of these discussions we can have that involve Mark Whiten? Next week’s question: do you think Mark Whiten prefers cake or pie?
The fictional Joe Shlabotnik (suggested by CuseJay). He doesn’t qualify, but I don’t care. Read this.
Todd Zeile (suggested by our own Al Yellon). Zeile is a very interesting sort of journeyman. For the first six years of his career, he had the look of a one-team player. In the 10 seasons that followed, he played for 11 different teams.
Miguel Cairo (suggested by @scott_keehner). Nine teams. 16 seasons. Career OPS of .678. I'm pretty sure he gets bounced around from clubhouse to clubhouse because there's, like, one purportedly amazing parlor trick he can do. When it is learned that the framed photo of Tony Danza is not haunted, but in fact manipulated by Cairo via barely-visible thread, he is promptly shipped elsewhere.
Bip Roberts. I refrained from mentioning this earlier because I was so certain that my Dugout associate, Brandon Stroud, would bring him up. For the better part of a decade, he and I have referred to him as “MLB Journeyman Bip Roberts.” It’s fun. Try it!
Tony Graffanino (suggested by @danluceroshow). Graffanino spent significant chunks of his career with both the Braves and Royals during the 1990s and 2000s. This is relevant to my sporting interests.
Basically everyone on the 2006 Yankees. Suggested by @domifanotherkid, who notes:
‘06 Yankees bench featured Miguel Cairo, Craig Wilson, Aaron Guiel, Kelly Stinnett, Terrence Long, Tanyon Sturtz, Ron Villone, Sidney Ponson, Scott Erickson, and, yes, Sal Fasano
WOW.
So much competition here, but I believe I have to go with Todd Zeile, because he seemed like such a one-team fellow over the first part of his career. He surely didn’t see it coming, but then again, no baby is born a hobo. Thanks once again, everyone. If you have any ideas for the subject of the next Imperative Baseball Debate, please let me know.
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