Position Instability, Part 2

The 2008 Mets are the 17th team, counting the 1961 Kansas City Athletics and 1976 Montreal Expos twice, to start at least 12 players at a single position. Most different starters at any team-position, excluding pitchers and designated hitters, 1956-2007: Team Pos Leader Starts Starters Notes 2002 Cleveland Indians LF Russell Branyan 39 15 1961 Kansas City Athletics RF Jim Rivera 29 13 1968 Cleveland Indians LF Lee Maye 65 13 1976 Montreal Expos LF Bombo Rivera 44 13 Andre Dawson’s arrival in September solidified the OF. 2001 Pittsburgh Pirates RF John Vander Wal 51 13 Operation Shutdown 1961 Kansas City Athletics LF Leo Posada 53 12 Don Larsen (yes, that one) started one game in LF. 1976 Montreal Expos RF Gary Carter 31 12 1987 Detroit Tigers RF Pat Sheridan 86 12 1992 Oakland Athletics RF Jose Canseco 76 12 1993 Cincinnati Reds LF Kevin Mitchell 85 12 1997 Cincinnati Reds LF Chris Stynes 38 12 2000 New York Mets LF Benny Agbayani 88 12 Rickey Henderson was cut 37 games into the season. 2001 Colorado Rockies LF Ron Gant 48 12 2003 Texas Rangers LF Shane Spencer 40 12 2004 Kansas City Royals LF Dee Brown 49 12 2004 Tampa Bay Devil Rays LF Carl Crawford 115 12 Most different starters at a given team-position, 1956-2007: Team Pos Leader Starts Starters Notes 1967 New York Mets P Tom Seaver 34 20 1960 Chicago Cubs C El Tappe 38 8 1998 New York Mets C Mike Piazza 99 8 The Mets used 5 catchers before trading for Piazza on May 22. 1976 Cleveland Indians 1B Boog Powell 83 11 (12 different teams) 2B 8 Last: 2005 Reds and Nationals. 1958 Cleveland Indians 3B Vic Power 40 11 1987 Pittsburgh Pirates SS Al Pedrique 68 9 2002 Cleveland Indians LF Russell Branyan 39 15 2007 Oakland Athletics CF Nick Swisher 57 11 Travis Buck is the only one of the 11 to play for the A’s in 2008. 1961 Kansas City Athletics RF Jim Rivera 29 13 2001 Pittsburgh Pirates RF John Vander Wal 51 13 1989 Texas Rangers DH Harold Baines 44 19 Stabilized after the Sosa for Baines trade.