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Another Extinct Team

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After spotlighting the St. Louis Browns yesterday, I found images of another team no longer in existence. It's the 2007 Ottawa Lynx in their final season, before the team moved to Pennsylvania and began a very successful run as the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs. Our date is July 19th, 2007. Above, we're about an hour before game time. Below, a just-about-ready for the majors Jon Lester is on the mound for the PawSox, pitching to outfielder  Chris Robertson , who also appeared for the Phillies in parts of the '06 and '07 seasons.

60 Years Ago

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The St. Louis Browns played their final season in 1953, before owner Bill Veeck sold the club to a group that moved it to Baltimore. While not their best pitcher (that was likely future Yankee Don Larsen), their top attraction was the legendary Satchell Paige. His Browns uniform is displayed at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown.

Name in the News

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The breaking news story this morning is the story from the MIAMI NEW TIMES connecting such major league stars as Alex Rodriguez, Melky Cabrera, Nelson Cruz and Gio Gonzalez (above) to a South Florida clinic specializing in anti-aging therapies and other somewhat suspicious supplements. Keep in mind, no one has been arrested, suspended or otherwise singled out by the Commissioner's office. But it's another of those revelations that puts too much of baseball's achievers under an even thicker cloud of suspicion.

A.J. Griffin

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One of several impressive young pitchers who helped the A's earn the AL West title in 2012, Griffin (seen here before a game at Yankee Stadium last September) turns 25 today. A righthander from the University of San Diego, Griffin posted a 7 - 1 record in 15 starts after being called up in late June.

Mustache MIA

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Mets broadcaster Keith Hernandez shaved off one of baseball's most famous mustaches for charity at the end of last season. At this week's BAT DInner, a month before the first exhibition game telecast, he hasn't grown his back. Will he? Should he? (BTW, that's Cleon Jones to his left, sporting the impressive facial hair.)

Now You Know the Number

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For fans who've been wondering what number Kevin Youkilis would wear with the Yankees -- here's your answer. A couple of days ago, I passed the Yankees Universe store in Times Square where the souvenir shirts for the Yankees top off-season acquisition were on display. While he sported #20 as a Red Sox and White Sox player, that number belongs to (and likely will one day be retired for) Jorge Posada. So it was time for a new pair of digits. Unlike other non-retired numbers, where 30 will always represent either Mel Stottlemyre or Willie Randolph, 38 brings to mind Johnny Blanchard and a pre-Granderson 14 symbolizes either Lou Piniella or Moose Skowron, I can't recall a long-tenured Yankee whose name is quickly linked to #36. Maybe the best answer why Youkilis chose it came from my WFAN colleague Dov Kramer, who told me is represents double-chai (2 times 18), the Jewish numerical symbol for life.

Honoring Yogi

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A standing ovation capped last night's BAT Dinner in New York that honored Yogi Berra. Teammates Phil Linz and Jim Bouton, current Yankee Joba Chamberlain, Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, Rusty Staub and Ron Swoboda of the Mets and Cookie Rojas were among those on the dais, along with emcees Michael Kay and Len Berman.