Happy Birthday--March 17

Fred Pfeffer (1860)
Oscar Stanage (1883)
Charlie Root (1899)
Hank Sauer (1917)
Pete Reiser (1919)
Cito Gaston (1944)
Tim Lollar (1956)
Danny Ainge (1959)
John Smiley (1965)
Dan Masteller (1968)
Bill Mueller (1971)
Raul Chavez (1973)
Robb Quinlan (1977)

Left-hander John Smiley pitched for the Twins in 1992.  He was born in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania and went to high school in Graterford, Pennsylvania.  He was drafted by Pittsburgh in the twelfth round in 1983.  He struggled early in his minor league career and was moved to the bullpen in 1986.  He had a very good year in relief, posting an ERA of 3.10 and a WHIP of 1.16 in 90 innings in Class A.  That got him a September call-up, and the next year he stayed in the majors, never going back to AA or AAA.  Smiley was used in relief in 1987 and did not do a whole lot, but he joined the starting rotation in 1988 and stayed in a major league rotation for ten years.  He was in the Pirates' rotation through 1991.  His last year with Pittsburgh was his best, as Smiley went 20-8, 3.08 in 207.2 innings.  He made his first all-star appearance that year, finished third in Cy Young voting, and was fourteenth in MVP balloting.  In March of 1992, Smiley was traded to the Twins for Midre Cummings and Denny Neagle.  He had an excellent year for the Twins, going 16-9, 3.21 with a 1.12 WHIP and setting a career high with 241 innings.  He became a free agent after the season and signed with Cincinnati.  Smiley struggled in 1993, dealing with both injuries and ineffectiveness.  He bounced back in 1994 and had three consecutive years with ERAs under four and WHIPs under 1.30.  He made the all-star team for the second time in 1995  He had a poor year in 1997, and an injury shortly after his mid-season trade to Cleveland led Smiley to retire after the 1997 season.  John Smiley was never a superstar, but he was a solid rotation starter for several years.  At last report, he was living in Trappe, Pennsylvania.

First baseman/outfielder Dan Masteller was with the Twins for a little over half of the 1995 season.  He was born in Toledo, attended Michigan State, and was drafted by Minnesota in the eleventh round in 1989.  He did not show much power in the minors, but hit over .300 for three consecutive years, most of which were in AAA Salt Lake.  He was in the third of those years when he was brought up to Minnesota in late June of 1995.  The left- handed hitter was used almost exclusively against right-handed pitching, sharing first base with Scott Stahoviak and also playing a little corner outfield.  Masteller played in 71 games that season, getting 198 at-bats.  He hit .237/.303/.343 with three homers and 21 RBIs.  Released after the season, he was signed by Montreal and again hit for a high average in AA, but apparently no one was impressed; he was let go in mid-season and finished the year in the independent North Atlantic League.  1996 was to be Masteller's last season in organized baseball.  Dan Masteller is currently a senior vice president with CB Richard Ellis, a real estate investment broker which proclaims itself "the global leader in real estate services."