While we wait to find out if CarterHayes hears from Dwight Siebler, here is today's birthday list.
Sam Mertes (1872)
Sherry McGee (1884)
Ray Blades (1896)
Clem Labine (1926)
Ray Culp (1941)
Andy Messersmith (1945)
Ken Phelps (1954)
Ron Davis (1955)
Bob Horner (1957)
Stan Belinda (1966)
Chris Heintz (1974)
Luis Vizcaino (1974)
Originally drafted by the Cubs, Ron Davis was traded to the Yankees in June of 1978 for Ken Holtzman. He appeared briefly with the Yankees that year, and then spent the next three seasons in New York, pitching very well as a set-up man and making the all-star team in 1981. In April of 1982, he was traded to Minnesota along with Paul Boris and Greg Gagne for Roy Smalley. He was immediately installed as the closer, and mixed some brilliant performances with some memorable meltdowns. In roughly 4 1/2 years with the Twins, he appeared in 286 games, averaging nearly a strikeout per inning, but going 19-40 with 108 saves, an ERA of 4.51, and a WHIP of 1.49. He fell apart in 1986, posting an ERA over nine and losing the closer role before being traded to the Cubs in August along with Dewayne Coleman for Julius McDougal, Ray Fontenot, and George Frazier. He bounced around after that, going first to the Dodgers, then to the Giants, and finally back to the Yankees organization, but could never get his old form back. He was out of baseball after 1990.
Chris Heintz was drafted in the 19th round by the White Sox in 1996. After spending six years in their minor league system, he went to the Cardinals and Pirates organizations before signing with the Twins in November of 2003. He had only had ten at-bats above AA at that point, but the Twins sent him to AAA Rochester. He was a decent but unspectacular batter there, posting respectable batting averages, but without many walks or much power. Still, he was a catcher, and the Twins are always looking for a third or fourth catcher, so he got brief appearances with them from 2005-2007. He had 82 at-bats in those appearances, batting .232 with no homers and 9 RBIs. Let go by the Twins after 2007, he signed with the Baltimore organization and spent 2008 at AAA Norfolk. He is currently the hitting coach for the Beloit Snappers.
First, to Jeff A. Note how I changed this -- put this in "Featured Articles" category and "Happy Birthday" tag. Plus, I added the date to the title.
Whew! What a list today.
Andy Messersmith -- He, along with Dave McNally fought MLB by playing without a contract for a year and were then declared free agents by an arbiter, which lead to the end of the reserve clause and the beginning of free agency.
Bob Horner -- He once hit four home runs in a game against the Expos in 1986 in a losing effort in Atlanta. So what, you say. Well, the fourth one was off of future Twin Jeff Reardon. Big deal. Well, future Twin Al Newman also hit his only career home run in that game.
Ken Phelps -- Traded for Jay Buehner, a trade that almost caused Frank Costanza to suffer a coronary.
And OMG, Ron Davis. I remember when Mr. Davis was traded from the Twins to the Cubs (for George Frazier) and it was suggested that maybe a change of scenery would do him some good. Let's just say that scenery wasn't his problem.
Also, today is the 64th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, Japan. I remember about 10 years ago, there was an article about Alan Page in SI and it relayed that Page was born on August 7, 1945, right between the two bombs. I was discussing Page at work with a buddy and another young kid (whose probably about 35 or so now) who was a RABID Viking fan. He asked, with a straight face, "Who's Alan Page?"
Anyone else celebrating their birthday today?
"Who's Alan Page?"
The bow-tied black guy on the Minny Supreme Court, duh.
The guy was such a fanatic, that he'd wear Viking paraphernalia to work on the day after Vikings losses. On the day after 41-doughnut, he wore the Helga braids. And the dude did not know who Page was. Had never heard of him.
Unfortunately, some people believe that history began with their first memories, and have no interest in finding out that there might have been some interesting and important stuff that happened before that.
Those who do not remember the past are condemned to
repeat itbe Vikings fans.--George Santayana
and for the Twins fan:
Why shouldn't things be largely absurd, futile, and transitory? They are so, and we are so, and they and we go very well together.
--George Santayana
Just when the pain was finally starting to subside.You go and remind me of Ron F%*#ing Davis.
Oh the horror, the horror.
Aug. 6 seems to be an appropriate b-day for that dude.
I should have mentioned that Ron Davis has a son, Ike, who is currently playing first base for the Binghamton Mets in the Eastern League.
So the Davis Family Blown Save record will remain intact for quite a while.
Chris Heintz is the hitting coach in Beloit?
He took over in mid-season. Rich Miller, who started the season in Beloit, went to Rochester when Riccardo Ingram was given a leave of absence.
Maybe Ron Davis is available to be the pitching coach.
Those who can't do, teach.*
*I speak from experience. And those who can't teach, administrate. :-)
I tried Dwight Siebler again today, hoping that perhaps I missed him yesterday because he was out celebrating. No answer this afternoon, unfortunately. I'll probably wait a few days to call again, just in case they have Caller ID and feel like I'm badgering them. I'm really curious about his career and why he left the game, but I don't want to irk the guy, either.
This is what's great about this place. I can't think of anyone I know outside of the WGOM, including Twins' fans, who would know or care who Dwight Siebler is. I throw out his name here, and people find out where he is and try to wish him a happy birthday. I love it.