If Your Birthday is August 16th...


You share your birthday with Ryan Hanigan. The veteran catcher spent his first six years with Reds, before moving onto the Rays, Red Sox and currently the Rockies. It's easy to conclude that he likes "R" teams!

Also on our August 16th cake and candles list:

  • Delino DeShields, the Rangers outfielder and nameake son of the Expos speedster.
  • J.C. Ramirez, a journeyman reliever who this season reinvented himself as a solid starting pitcher with the Angels.
  • Roger Cedeno, who stole plenty of bases for the Mets and Tigers.
  • Mike Jorgensen, the New York native and product of the city's top college baseball program St. John's. He spent parts of 17 seasons in the majors.
We remember Gene Woodling, a lefty swinging outfielder on several Yankee pennant winners under Casey Stengel, who finished his major league career on Stengel's original 1962 Mets.

One more notable name: that young Cardinal fan in her replica uniform. That's my daughter Leigh, who followed her dad into the media. She's an up-and-coming newspaper reporter here in Connecticut. And you bet, I'm darned proud of her -- even if she didn't quite pick up my zeal for the national pastime. Love ya, pal!


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