#208 Mike Hartley

About the Front: I'm sure it's just the pose and angle, but Mike Hartley's arms look freakishly long.

About the Back: I wonder if Mike ever wrestled his teammates in the clubhouse, as Cal Ripken used to do.

Triple Play:

1. Hartley started only six big league games, but one of those was a shutout. On September 6, 1990 he three-hit the Braves to earn a 5-0 victory.

2. He did not take well to Japanese baseball, allowing 30 runs in 40.1 innings (6.69 ERA) for the Chiba Lotte Marines in 1994.

3. In recent years, Mike has managed professional teams in Germany and Italy. In 2008, he even pitched part-time for Heidenheim Heideköpfe in the German Bundesliga, going 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA in eight games at age 47.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: When Hartley surfaced with the Orioles in September of 1995, I recognized him solely from his baseball cards. He made three relief appearances for Baltimore, gave up a single run in seven innings, and never pitched in the majors again.

Bill James Said: "Nobody who has him seems to want to keep him, which probably should tell us something."

On This Date in 1993: May 5. The final episode of the television series Quantum Leap airs on NBC.