It’s been a couple of weeks since we picked up our journey through each organization, so let’s pick it back up with the Dodgers. Right now the Dodgers have 5 players that used to be in the Mets organization including Justin Turner, Robert Carson, Randy Fontanez, Brian Burgamy and David Aardsma.
Justin Turner was a utility player for the Mets for a couple of season and quite a joke on Mets Twitter. With the Mets he would perform poorly, then do something amazing, essentially trolling everyone, get more playing time, perform poorly again, then do something amazing and the process would start all over again. He then ended up in LA, and just had a tremendous season as the ultimate troll to the Mets.
Robert Carson was an in-and-out player for the Mets bullpen from 2012-2013. Drafted by the Mets in 2007, he was claimed by the Angels at the end of the 2013 season. He was then released in May of this past season and signed a week later by the Dodgers.
Randy Fontanez was a RHP in the Mets organization drafted in 2011. He pitched in the 2013 World Baseball Classic for Puerto Rico and was selected by the Dodgers in the AAA phase of the 2014 Rule V Draft. He became an example of the depth of pitching in our organization, otherwise he probably would have been protected.
Brian Burgamy was drafted in the 2002 season by the Padres, was signed to the Mets in 2014 and now has signed a contract with the Dodgers. If he doesn’t sound too familiar to Mets fan, that makes sense, he was never a huge piece of the Mets future.
The most recent Met to become a Dodger would be David Aardsma, who just signed with the Dodgers this past week. He has traveled around being drafted by the Giants in 2003, traded to the Cubs in 2005 (for former Met LaTroy Hawkins), then was traded to the White Sox in 2006, traded to the Red Sox in 2008, traded to the Mariners in 2009, signed as a free agent to the Yankees in 2012, signed with the Marlins in 2013, signed with the Mets in 2013, signed with the Indians in 2014 and signed with the Cardinals later that spring.
This series of articles will take us across every organization in baseball and look for former Mets in the majors and minors to see how they are doing, leading up to a “Former Mets Team” to see how the current Mets stack up with pieces we have all over the place. I am still looking for Mets team members on the Pirates, Rangers, White Sox and Tigers. If you any, please let me know!
