JUPITER, FL - MARCH 26: Nelson Figueroa #27 of the New York Mets pitches during a game against the Florida Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium on March 26, 2010 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Michael DeHoog/Sports Imagery/Getty Images)
Nelson Figueroa might not be the greatest New York Mets player of all time. However, an encounter I had with him around two decades ago made me a fan for life.
I grew up as one of those baseball card nuts with zero friends who appreciated the art of sports collecting nearly as much as I did.