2.01.2007

Catching up with: Matt Mantei!

Matt Mantei started 2005 on the Red Sox, one year, 750K. Prior to that he'd been on the D'Backs for several years.

Mantei had a lot of arm problems and didn't pitch much... just over 30 innings. Notice that the word 'quality' was not used. They put him on the DL and he just kind of... disappeared. Where did he go? Home? Florida? His superbeige condo/apartment in the Boston area?

Two things:

1. 4.25.05: Matt Mantei twists his ankle behind third base. He always twists that ankle. He immediately gets x-rayed. Nothing. Mantei says he's gonna go inspect the turf.
"I want to see what's there," said Mantei, "to see if it's a hole or if I just turned the ankle -- I'm not sure."
He enters that inning with a 7-3 lead. The Red Sox end up losing 8-4. To the Orioles.

2. Mantei was signed by the Tigers after wrapping things up with Boston. He got a ST invite and a minor league contract but still had arm trouble. He was released by the Tigers. Jim Leyland said that Mantei asked to be released. He is probably retired at this point.

3. I guess Mantei was known as 'Iceman'? I found a fan site and it plays 'Ice Ice Baby' while you check out the HOTT MANTEI ACTION!!!!

4. Matt Mantei was allegedly a good reliever while on the Diamondbacks. He was, at times, a closer.

5. The Diamondbacks had this charitable thing where they hooked up with a sponsor and built/improved fields for the kids in the Phoenix area. Did my voice crack just then? Because sometimes my voice cracks when I talk about the kids. There is a Matt Mantei Field. Hell, yeah.

6. The ladies sure did like Mantei. He is, I guess, conventionally attractive, but he suffers from severe asshole face. He probably wears a white baseball hat and plays golf and drinks Coors Lite.

7. July 2005: Mantei goes on the 15-day DL due to a sprained ankle. Guess who got called up that day? Abe Alvarez, who I love.

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