Just call him…Synderclaus, I guess.
Tuesday, Noah Syndergaard kept a New York Mets tradition alive by dressing as Santa Claus for the team’s annual holiday party.
Ho! Ho! Ho! Noah Synderclaus! @lamelaza_7, @You_Found_Nimmo and @Noahsyndergaard are taking part in this year's Kids Holiday Party. pic.twitter.com/FSsZeSjP6o
— New York Mets (@Mets) December 13, 2016
As good as Thor, Jose Reyes and Brandon Nimmo looked while handing out presents to local kids, you’ve got to wonder if they were aware of the curse that follows those who don the festive duds.
Oh yeah…that’s a thing. It’s goes back more than a decade.
2004 – Mike Cameron: In August, Cameron would collide with fellow outfielder Carlos Beltran. One would end up with a broken jaw and never play another game with the Mets. The other just signed a one-year, $16 million deal with the Houston Astros.
2005 – Kris Benson: It all seemed innocent enough…Benson and his wife Anna would show up as Santa and Mrs. Claus. That said, nothing the former-Mrs. Benson did ever came across as innocent. A month later the Mets dealt Benson (and his wife’s skimpy outfit) to Baltimore.
2007 – John Maine: On paper, Maine’s 2008 season wasn’t terrible. He went from 15-10 with a 3.91 ERA to 10-8 with a 4.18. That said, he was shut down late in the season due to a shoulder injury that would eventually, kill his career.
2008 – Mike Pelfrey: The former ninth overall pick in the 2005 draft had a 3.72 ERA before appearing as Santa. The next year, it ballooned to 5.03.
2009 – Jeff Francoeur: In 2009, Frenchy hit .311 with 10 home runs in limited action with the Mets. The next season, he’d hit a then-career low .237, lose his starting job and end up getting shipped to Texas.
2010 – David Wright: Early in the 2011, Wright suffered a stress fracture in his lower back. It would keep him out of the lineup for two months.
2012 – R.A. Dickey: Proving that the curse doesn’t just apply to the guy playing St. Nick, Dickey would attend the annual party as an elf, would blast the Mets for how they handled his contract negotiations and, just days later, would be traded to Toronto.
2014 – Jenrry Mejia: After spending the 2014 as the team’s closer, Mejia was all set to break out in 2015. That was before he’d get suspended not once, but twice, for violated the league’s drug policy.
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