If Your Birthday is February 10th...

...you share it with Max Kepler, the German-born Twins rightfielder, who emerged as one of Minnesota's crew of sluggers in 2019, before taking a step back during the 60-game season. 

Liam Hendriks, is another "foreign import." The Australia native -- after bouncing around the AL since 2011 -- cashed in two seasons of dominant relief with the A's for a three-year $54 million contract with the up-and-coming White Sox.

Travis d'Arnaud is another late-bloomer. Touted as a future star as he came up through the Phillies and Blue Jays system, he emerged as a very good all around player with the 2019 Rays. Jumping to the Braves as a free agent last winter, he put up even better numbers, hitting over .320 and with an OPS in the .900s. Turning 32, the only question is how long can he sustain this peak while catching most of his team's schedule?

Lenny Dykstra embraced that nickname of "Nails." The fiery leadoff man who shared center field with Mookie Wilson on the champion '86 Mets, took his game to another level -- aided by steroids -- after being traded to the Phillies. His career quickly dropped off after reaching the World Series in 1993 and personal and legal issues have scarred his post-baseball life.

And remembering a pair of Yankee pitching legends...

Allie Reynolds came to the Bronx in a 1947 trade for Joe Gordon and put up near-Hall of Fame numbers over the next eight seasons, going 131-60 in pinstripes -- including a pair of 1951 no hitters.

Herb Pennock made the Hall of Fame playing alongside Ruth, Gehrig and Lazzeri in New York. The Philadelphia native broke in with the A's, moved on to the Red Sox and then went 162 - 90 in 11 Yankee seasons (1923-'33). The Hall of Fame welcomed him in 1948, just months after he died from a cerebral hemorrhage. But his career is tainted by his opposition to integrating baseball during his time as Phillies GM -- including allegedly warning the Dodgers not to bring Jackie Robinson with them when they played at Shibe Park, although Robinson later claimed those were the words of manager Ben Chapman and not Pennock.


 

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