Steve Trachsel

From The Met Wiki

Age: 39 (born October 31, 1970)

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Number: 29

Acquired: signed in 2001

Contract:

Steve Trachsel, also known as Paint Dry and the Human Rain Delay, was one of the slowest and most boring pitchers in baseball.

Before coming to the Mets Steve pitched for the Cubs, Devil Rays and Blue Jays. He was never really good as his career Win-Lose record is 143-159 in 16 seasons.

His worst season came with the Cubs in 1999 as he had a career high record 18 losses with a 5.56 ERA. He allowed 32 Home Runs that season, tied for the most in his career.

He came to the Mets in 2001, and pitched six seasons with the Mets. He struggled horribly early, but turned it around after a short rehab stint in the Minors.

He had a good season with the Mets in 2003, with 16 wins and a 3.78 ERA. His 2006 season was more interesting. He had 15 wins but a 4.97 ERA. He started and won the game the Mets clinched the NL East in 2006. Trachsel pitched poorly in 2 postseason starts. In Game 3 of the NLCS he was hit in the leg with a line drive and removed from the game with the bases loaded and nobody out in the 2nd inning. There were rumors after the game that some teammates felt he should have gutted it out and continued pitching. He was charged with 5 runs and the loss in that game, recording just 3 outs. It was his last appearance as a Met. Despite leading the Mets during the regular season with 15 wins, the Mets chose to start 2 completely unproven youngsters, John Maine and Oliver Perez, in games 6 and 7.

Trachsel went to the Orioles the next season, then back to the Cubs, then back to the Orioles in 2008. His last Major League appearance was with the Orioles on June 7, 2008.