Chris Carter
From The Met Wiki
| Age: 28 (born September 16, 1982) |
| Position: First base / corner outfield |
| Bats: Left Throws: Left |
| Number: 23 |
| Acquired: Traded for Billy Wagner in 2009 |
| Contract: Major League minimum |
Chris "The Animal" Carter was a tremendous AAA hitter who couldn't get a break. He had just 23 at bats with the Red Sox, in which he had 6 hits (all singles) and 9 strikeouts and was tagged "A Triple-A hitter" who would never hit in the bigs.
The Mets acquired Carter as a player to be named later when dealing Billy Wagner in August 2009. Despite a strong spring, Daniel Murphy's injury, a great start in Buffalo, and Mike Jacobs' and Frank Catalanotto's failures, Carter was kept on the farm. Ted Berg, still seething over the Mets refusal to call up Valentino Pascucci when his offense would likely have been enough to prevent the Mets' 2008 disaster, helped start the Free Chris Carter movement, which had its own Facebook page, Twitter hashtag, and blogger and fan support.
Finally on May 11 Carter got the call, and he responded with the game winning pinch hit double in the Mets' 6 run eighth that turned a 6-2 deficit into an 8-6 victory. On June 11, 2010, Carter hit his first major league homer against the Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jeremy Guthrie at Camden Yards.
Sadly, Carter never quite capitalized on the opportunity. Considered a liability defensively (even in a corner outfield spot), on the basepaths, and against left-handed pitching, Carter really had to deliver with the bat against righties, which he also failed to do. In 167 at bats, all but 7 of them against righties, Carter hit just .263 with 4 homers and a .706 OPS.
By December 3, 2010 the Mets have non-tendered Carter along with John Maine and Sean Green, making them free agents.
