Mets Spring Training Countdown: 18 Days

It's Bobby Valentine day at Amazin' Avenue. First he's conducting traffic and now he's featured prominently in a photo of someone else. That someone else is Darryl Hamilton, who isn't the most famous Darryl to wear #18 for the Mets, but he's got his own bit of history with the team.

• Acquired by the Mets in a 1999 deadline deal with the Rockies. The Mets sent Brian McRae, Rigo Beltran, and Thomas Johnson to Colorado for Hamilton and reliever Chuck McElroy.
• He hit .339/.410/.488 down the stretch for the Mets. McRae had hit .221/.320/.349 before the trade; he hit .261/.370/.478 with the Rockies after the trade.
• He began his career at age 23 with the Brewers and wore uniform number 18. He soon switched to #24 and didn't wear #18 again until he landed with the Mets, the last stop of his career.
• Chris Berman's nickname for him is Darryl "Green Eggs And" Hamilton. Meh.
• Friends called him "Bone", a shortening of "Hambone" ("Ham" as in "Hamilton"). (h/t Greg Prince for the etymology of this one).

Just 18 days to go until pitchers and catchers.