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If Your Birthday is March 27th...

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 ... you share it with a Baseball Hall of Famer and a likely future Hall of Famer. Buster Posey , the heart and soul of the Giants trio of Worlds Champions during the 2010s, is a near-lock for induction a year from now.   The NL Rookie of the Year in 2010, and MVP/batting champ two years later, he is also the leader in WAR among the 62 major leaguers born on this date.  Though he played just 11 full seasons and totaled just 1500 hits, his .302 average, strong defense, seven All Star selections and on-field leadership boost his cause. Miller Huggins , manager of the first Yankee Dynasty — the “Murderers Row” of the 1920s led by legends such as  Ruth, Gehrig, Lazzeri and Combs, that won six pennants and three World Series championships. Dominating a decade and establishing the Yankees as baseball royalty punched his Hall of Fame ticket.  And there’s more to his story: his sudden death in 1929 at age 51, led the club to erect a monument to him by the Stadium’s...
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Young Yankees in Florida

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My spring training trip was shorter this year, with just four games.  The only time I saw the Yankees was a “road” matchup against the Phillies on Clearwater.  Though such big names as Aaron Judge, Austin Wells, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm were away at the WBC, I got a good look at several familiar faces, such as 1st baseman Ben Rice (above) and pitcher Luis Gil.   Take a good look at Spencer Jones.  Watch how he stands in the batter’s box.  He impressed during the month of Grapefruit League action, smacking five home runs and looking like his big league debut could be closer than expected. (Below:) Jasson Dominguez and Jones should be a fun slugging combo to watch at Scranton Wilkes-Barre.  While The Martian still needs to improve his defense in left field, he looked more than capable batting from both sides of the plate.   Now ranked as the Yankees number-one prospect, George Lombard Junior didn’t hit especially well in the pre-season. ...
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If Your Birthday is March 20th...

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...you share it with Justin Garza .  After earlier tenures with the Guardians and Red Sox, the California-born reliever pitched for both the Syracuse and New York Mets during 2025 -- but without much success.  He was waived late in September, and has yet to land a deal for the upcoming season. Garza is the only player born on this date that I've photographed. I've yet to see rising star Colton Cowser of the Orioles or Twins pitcher Taj Bradley; and I missed well traveled relievers Brad Hand and Jonny Venters during the 2010s. There's only one Hall of Famer with a March 20th birthdate: that's turn of the century pitching ace "Iron Man" Joe McGinnity, who won 246 games in just a 10-season career!!  But with 27, 31 and 35-win seasons for the old New York Giants (plus 28 win seasons for the 1899 Orioles and 1900 Dodgers), it's easy to see why he earned his place in Cooperstown.  I recommend his biography posted online by the great researchers at SABR .  
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The Trop is Ready

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Driving to Clearwater for a recent Phillies Grapefruit League game, there was an encouraging view from I-275; the hurricane damage is gone; the sad image of a shredded roof now a memory. Tropicana Field is ready to welcome fans back for the Rays home opener against the Cubs on April 6th. There is a new and stronger roof along with interior enhancements to hopefully brighten the atmosphere at one of the worst designed domed stadiums ever. 
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If Your Birthday is March 13th...

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...you share it with Johan Santana .  The Venezuelan lefty starred for the Twins and Mets -- where on June 1st, 2012, he authored the franchise's first no-hitter (and still the Mets only one thrown by just one pitcher).    While a 139-78 career record might seem a bit thin, keep in mind he's a product of 21st century ball.  Santana has the highest WAR for any pitcher born on this date.  And despite seven outstanding seasons -- one more than icons and inductees Sandy Koufax and Dizzy Dean -- he failed to draw even five percent of the vote and was dropped from the Hall of Fame ballot after his first year of eligibility.   Hopefully, when Santana comes up before  the Veterans Committee in a few years, he'll receive stronger consideration.  He certainly deserves it.    
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Spring Training Flashback: 2011 in Clearwater

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Winding it back 15 years; it's March 2011 as the four-time defending NL East champion Phillies look to make it five in a row.  Getting ready for the season at what was then Bright House Field, the Phils brought back plenty of familiar faces, starting with pitching ace Cole Hamels . Outfielder Raul Ibanez takes a big swing. (Below:) Slugger Ryan Howard  -- on track for his 6th straight 100_ RBI season -- gets ready in the on-deck circle. Aiming for the opposite field... Howard plants one of the seats in front of Frenchy's Tiki Bar. Something you only see in Florida, as the game heads toward the late innings, you see some of the regulars -- especially the pitchers who had the day off -- leave early.  That's Roy Oswalt on your left, and Roy Halladay on the right. (Below:) Closers need work in the Grapefruit League.  Here's Brad Lidge , getting his throws in early.
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If Your Birthday is March 6th...

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...you share it with Edmundo Sosa .  The popular Phillies utilityman provides a spark coming off the bench and when platooned against  lefty pitchers.  A .276 hitter last season, with a career-best 11 home runs, he's a key for Panama's team in the World Baseball Classic. Francisco Cervelli will also be in this year's WBC.  The longtime Yankees and Pirates catcher will be Italy's manager, connecting with his father's birthplace.  He played parts of 13 seasons in the majors, highlighted by backing up Jorge Posada on the Yanks 2009 World Series champs.  
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