Monday, September 04, 2006 |
Today's Birthdays
Doyle Alexander LAN b. 1950, played 1971, All-Star: 1988. Just good enough to stick around for 19 years in the majors as a fourth starter on eight teams, he recorded wins over all 26 clubs. A light went on for him in 1987 at the age of 36, and he placed fourth in the Cy Young voting while a member of the Tigers — who traded John Smoltz in order to get him, a farcically bad trade.
Update: Picked up by David Pinto; Studes deconstructed this trade back in 2005, reckoning it a win/win for both sides: for the Tigers, because they got a good pitcher down the stretch (the incremental value of Doyle to the Tigers was enormous), and for the Braves because, hey, John Smoltz. Maybe, but by 1989, the Tigers were 59-103, and they never got out of the ALDS. It still seems like too much to give up for a short-term win.
Elmer Horton BRO b. 1869, played 1898, d. 1920-08-12
Brian Myrow LAN b. 1976, played 2005. Acquired during the DePo era for garbage-time reliever Tanyon Sturtze. Currently working for the Red Sox at AA Portland.
George Pfister BRO b. 1918, played 1941, d. 1997-08-14. Had a major league career of one game; he later managed in the minors for many years, became the Yankees' director of minor league operations, and died with his boots on as the Commissioner's director of operations.
Mike Piazza LAN b. 1968, played 1992-1998, All-Star: 1993-2002, 2004-2005. A top 40 Dodger if ever there was one, he is almost without question the greatest hitting catcher in history. A twelve-time All-Star and owner of the NL Silver Slugger award at catcher for a decade, he has the distinction (along with Todd Hundley and Roy Campanella) of being one of three catchers to have 40 or more homers in a single season. Famously picked in the 62nd round as a favor to Tommy Lasorda, it took him four years to clear the minors; he quickly established his value with a Rookie of the Year season in which he hit 35 homers.
After his 40-homer 1997 season that marked the second consecutive year in which he had placed second in the MVP voting, the Dodgers panicked, figuring they couldn't sign him to the kind of deal he would be after. Traded in May, 1998 to the Marlins for the irascible slugger Gary Sheffield, catcher Charles Johnson, and three other players, the Marlins, then holding a fire sale after their 1997 World Series victory, flipped him to the Mets a week later, where he immediately signed a long-term deal, leading the Mets to a 1999 postseason appearance and a 2000 World Series bid, which they lost. Currently working for the Padres, where he is tied for second in home runs, with Mike Cameron.
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