Keeping it simple this time around. Identify this Dax Shephard-looking dude, win a prize package of Mets cards. No fuss. No muss. Good luck.
Now with 100% more hinty goodness:
- Never made it to the bigs, but would have been the only player in Mets history with his particular initials if he had made it to the majors.
- A pitcher, he finished his minor-league career with a .500 record.
- Shares a birthday with Neil Young, Tonya Harding, and Auguste Rodin
John Gibbons
1974 Randy Sterling?
Nice guesses, but no winner yet.
Mike Bruhert
Andy Hassler?
Jeff Grose
Nope Tim– went down the Grose road already, back in Episode 9: https://mets360.com/?p=23544
I’m not proud — how about a hint?
(Hints added above)
Only with the aid of the hints.
Timothy Juran.
It’s odd how quickly it all fell apart for him. There must be a story there.
You got it, Brian! Can’t help but thinking that there was an arm injury in ’74…
The mystery Met is Tim Juran, who threw 5 no-hitters in his senior year 1968, at Highland high school, in Highland Indiana. He was profiled in a small article, ‘Faces in the Crowd’ in Sports Illustrated…He was arguably the ‘greatest high school pitcher’ ever in the State of Indiana. He averaged16 Ks per 7 innings and his era was under.050 .
He threw a knuckle fast ball that ‘dipped’ which made him very difficult to hit.
He was granted a ‘full ride to Valparaiso University’ where he earned ‘All American Status.’
After an outstanding College career he made it to triple AAA with the Mets…sadly that’s where it ended…
OK, Brian beat you to it by around five and a half years in the comments up above, so no prize for you, but thanks for sharing the additional details.