If Today is Your Birthday...


...you share it with Starlin Castro. The former Cub, Yankee and Marlin infielder joined the Nationals over the winter and will join Howie Kendrick and Asdrubal Cabrera in a core of veteran infielders who'll man 2nd and 3rd base for the World Champs. I caught him in action on March 12th at West Palm Beach. Turning 30 today, he's been a .280 lifetime hitter over 10 major league seasons.

Also on the cake and candles list:
  • Chad Gaudin, who pitched for nine teams in 11 major league seasons (2003-2013).
  • Corey Hart, the power hitting infielder who hit 20 or more homers five times during his seven full seasons with the Brewers.
  • Wilson Alvarez, who fired a no hitter in his first-ever start for the White Sox, on August 11th, 1991.
  • Bruce Hurst, the Red Sox lefthander who beat the Mets twice in the 1986 World Series. And if not for Boston's collapses in games six and seven, might well have been named that series' MVP.
  • Garry Templeton, the longtime shortstop who might best be remembered as the man traded straight up in the winter of 1982 for Ozzie Smith. 
  • Steve Karsay, the native New Yorker who pitched in 78 games for the 2002 Yankees, but was hurt for most of the final three years of his contract with the club.
And we remember the lone Hall of Famer born on this date:

George Sisler, who hit .300 or better in 14 of his big league seasons and was likely the greatest ever to wear a St. Louis Browns uniform.

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