If Your Birthday is January 29th...

...you share it with the White Sox 1st baseman Jose Abreu. The Cuban-born slugger has been a model of consistency since coming to Chicago -- averaging 30 homers, 102 RBI and a batting average in the .290s. Notably, his 179 career homers are already the most for any player born on this date!
Turning 33 today, Abreu recently reupped with the Sox, now surrounded by a talented young core that's expected to bring the club back to contender status.

Also on today's cake and candles list:

  • Hank Conger, who spent seven seasons as a backup catcher with the Angels, Astros and Rays. As with many who played behind the plate, he's gone into coaching and will spend 2020 coaching in Korea, the country from where his parents emigrated.
  • Mike Aldrete spent 10 years in the majors, bookended by the '86 Giants and '96 Yankees. His second San Francisco season was his best, when he batted .325. But he never again posted numbers as impressive.
  • Steve Sax was part of that long line of Dodgers named NL Rookie of the Year. A five time all-star, Sax joined the Yankees as a 1989 free agent, and enjoyed two productive seasons out his three in the Bronx. And among the 44 players born on January 29th, he's played the most big league games.
And we remember Bill Rigney, the longtime New York Giants infielder who managed the club during its final New York seasons and first few in San Francisco. A protege of Leo Durocher, "Rig" managed for 18 years in the majors (nine with the Angels and three in Minnesota) but never made the post-season as a skipper.

With no Hall of Famers born on this date, you can debate whether Sax or Abreu is the greatest player with January 29th on his drivers license. Feel free to leave a comment by clicking the button below.

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