Sunday, April 08, 2007 |
Pickoff Moves
Saturday's Birthdays
Adrian Beltre LAN b. 1979, played 1998-2004. The perils of waiting for a promise. Seattle is still waiting.
Jake Daubert BRO b. 1884, played 1910-1918, d. 1924-10-09
Bobby Mitchell LAN b. 1955, played 1980-1981
Bill Stoneman CAL b. 1944, played 1974, All-Star: 1972. They reminded us of this at the park yesterday, and it drew not a few boos. Why? All he's done is to preside over the team's most successful era in its history; I can think of a dozen clubs who'd take him in an instant.
Today's Birthdays
Lady Baldwin BRO b. 1859, played 1890, d. 1937-03-07
Gary Carter LAN b. 1954, played 1991, All-Star: 1975, 1979-1988, Hall of Fame: 2003 (BBWAA). Not just a great hitting catcher but a great defensive catcher as well, playing outfield early in his career with Montreal and steadily being moved behind the dish; he also played a little at first. Traded in 1985 to the Mets, he won a World Series ring with that team in 1986. An eleven-time All Star, three time Gold Glove winner, and five-time winner of the Silver Slugger, for the Dodgers, he was mainly Mike Scioscia's backup in 1991.
Pete Cassidy BRO b. 1873, played 1899, d. 1929-07-09
Turk Farrell LAN b. 1934, played 1961, All-Star: 1958, 1962, 1964-1965, d. 1977-06-10. Had a fairly long career, mostly as a relief ace. The Dodgers had him only part of the 1961 season before the then-Colt .45's snapped him up in the 1961 expansion draft, and for the next five years Farrell was in the Houston rotation; he lost 20 games in that role his first year.
Kirby Higbe BRO b. 1915, played 1941-1943, 1946-1947, All-Star: 1940, 1946, d. 1985-05-06. A South Carolina country boy with a taste for (mis)adventure and wild times whose appetites perfectly fit the hard-living Leo Durocher Dodgers. Oddly, he was stricken by overpowering homesickness early in his career when he was signed by the Cubs and failed to report. Traded to the Phillies and then the Dodgers, he had his best seasons for Brooklyn, including his 22-9 1941 year. He melted down early in Game 4 of that year's World Series, was lifted off the hook by a four-run Dodger rally, but then with one out to go to tie the series, Mickey Owen mishandled strike three, the Yankees rallied to win the game, and the Dodgers eventually lost the series.
Higbe was one of the players' petition group, and demanded a trade rather than play with Jackie Robinson; he was granted his wish, and was sent to Pittsburgh.
How To Miss Dodger Games
Buy Angels season tickets, for one thing. But that doesn't mean I wasn't happy to hear that they bested the Giants 2-1 Friday or that Derek Lowe fixed his pitching flaws and beat the Giants 4-1. Wilson Valdez looks like he might be a keeper, or maybe iron pyrite, it's hard to say; this year's Cody Ross? We'll see. No, I won't be at the home opener. Some other game(s), maybe, but for sure when the Cubbies come to town. Frank, if you're gonna annoy me with your dumb parking issues and charge me more for my trouble, I'll stay home, thanks.Labels: dodgers
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