12/5 Birthday Team (text version) C:Gus Mancuso (10.6 WAR) 1B:Cliff Floyd (25.9) 2B:Patsy Tebeau (10.1) 3B:Billy Shindle (17.5) SS:Sam Khalifa (0.9) LF:Christian Yelich (45.1) CF:A.J. Pollock (22.1) RF:Gary Roenicke (15.4) SP:Pink Hawley (39.8) Others: F.Bowerman, J.Smoak, D.Ferriss, E.Summers

A deep Birthday Team today, with ten players at 10+ WAR. It has power and speed, too, with five 100+ home run players and five 100+ stolen base players. There really aren't any star pitchers here; Hawley's value came from being pretty good for 3000 innings, rather than being dominant.

3000 days ago (September 17, 2017), Tigers P Matthew Boyd just barely misses a no-hitter in a 12-0 win over the White Sox. Boyd allows a two-out double in the ninth to Sox SS Tim Anderson.

6000 days ago (July 1, 2009), 21-year-old Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman defects from the national team while at a tournament in the Netherlands. The scouting reports say Chapman has an otherworldly fastball. Turns out the scouting reports are correct.

7000 days ago (October 5, 2006), the Tigers take Game Two of their ALDS in New York, coming from behind to beat Mike Mussina and the Yankees 4-3. The series now heads to Michigan for two games.

7000 days ago (October 5, 2006), the Mets take a 2-0 lead in their NLDS against the Dodgers, with a 4-1 win at Shea. Tom Glavine throws six shutout innings for the win, while Billy Wagner picks up his second save in two days.

11000 days ago (October 23, 1995), the Cardinals poach Oakland manager Tony LaRussa to be their new skipper in 1996. He replaces interim manager Mike Jorgensen, who took over when Joe Torre was fired in June.

11000 days ago (October 23, 1995), the King County Council approves a financing plan for a new $320 million ballpark for the Seattle Mariners. Voters turned down a sales tax increase last month, but the state legislature stepped in with an alternate plan to replace the Kingdome.

14000 days ago (August 6, 1987), Casey Parsons puts the finishing touches on Cleveland’s 14-5 win over the Blue Jays when he clubs a pinch-hit grand slam. It’s his first big league home run in six years and the second and final MLB home run of his career.

19000 days ago (Nov 27, 1973), Giants OF Gary Matthews is named the NL Rookie of the Year, having hit .300 with 12 homers and 17 stolen bases in 145 games. It’s a totally reasonable choice; Steve Rogers (1.54 ERA in a half-season) and Bob Boone (83 OPS+ but a great defensive C) finish 2nd and 3rd.

22000 days ago (September 10, 1965), 22-year-old Canadian pitcher Ferguson Jenkins makes his debut for the Phillies, pitching 4.1 scoreless innings and picking up the victory in a 12-inning win over the Cardinals. He picks up another 283 career wins, but only one more with the Phils.

32000 days ago (April 25, 1938), Dodgers outfielder Tom Winsett appears on the cover of Life magazine. He’s out of the big leagues for good within a week. To be clear, he wasn’t a star or anything. It was just a great photo.

51000 days ago (April 17, 1886), Cincinnati (AA) protests its Opening Day game when the umpire refuses to put a new ball in play. There’s a new rule this season making two new balls available for every game.

12/4 Birthday Team (text version) C:Billy Bryan (-0.3 WAR) 1B:Ray Sanders (11.1) 2B:John Farrell (8.1) 3B:Bárbaro Garbey (0.1) SS:Harvey Kuenn (25.8) LF:Jesse Burkett (59.7) CF:Carlos Gómez (24.3) RF:Shano Collins (11.2) SP:Bob Shawkey (47.1) Others: B.Snell, J.Musgrove, G.Chacín, L.Smith, J.Cave

A pretty good Birthday Team today. They've got two Hall of Famers (Burkett and Smith), a shortstop who made 10 All-Star teams, and an ace starting pitcher who won 195 games, an ERA title, and three World Series rings. If Jackson Holliday ever figures it out, he could be a real asset too.

12/3 Birthday Team (text version) C:Clay Dalrymple (16.8 WAR) 1B:Joe Collins (12.0) 2B:Chico Salmon (1.0) 3B:Wayne Garrett (16.8) SS:Steve Huntz (0.8) LF:Mike Tauchman (8.5) CF:Darryl Hamilton (16.7) RF:Harry Simpson (5.4) SP:Paul Byrd (16.2) Others:G.Nelson, L.Drucke, M.Corpas, J.Birmingham, B.Tate

Not a good Birthday Team today. Nobody who's genuinely bad is going to play regularly, but there's just a whole bunch of not very much on this roster. There's an aggregate total of 2 ASGs here (Byrd 1, Simpson 1) and the career leader in WAR, Dalrymple, is a career .233/.322/.335 (85 OPS+) hitter.

12/2 Birthday Team (text version) C:Gary Sánchez (14.3 WAR) 1B:Deacon White (45.5) 2B:Julio Cruz (16.9) 3B:Bob Jones (6.5) SS:Andre Rodgers (6.3) LF:Wyman Smith (0.9) CF:Mark Kotsay (21.4) RF:Glenn Crawford (1.7) SP:Darryl Kile (20.2) Others: P.Moylan, J.Welch, Ro.Miller, C.Hale, P.Borbón

Not a great Birthday Team today, unless they're playing cricket. Andre Rodgers was a cricketer in the Bahamas before converting to baseball in the 1950s and Peter Moylan grew up playing cricket in Western Australia. They'd have a head start on most teams, anyway.

Seen over on Facebook: 12-year-old Pete Incaviglia in a punt-pass-kick contest. Dude had a cannon for an arm, even as a little kid.

3000 days ago (September 14, 2017), the Indians make it interesting, but they eventually win their 22nd game in a row, an American League record. Cleveland scores a run with two out in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings, then wins it with two doubles in the tenth.

6000 days ago (June 28, 2009), Mariano Rivera picks up the 500th save of his career in a 4-2 Yankees win over the Mets. It’s a memorable day for Rivera, who collects his first and only career RBI when he’s walked with the bases loaded.

6000 days ago (June 28, 2009), the Cal League has the sort of game that you’d only see in that kind of hitting environment. Final score: Lake Elsinore 33, High Desert 18. I wanted twelve…no, twenty-four…Elsinore.

8000 days ago (January 6, 2004), the BBWAA elects Paul Molitor and Dennis Eckersley to the Hall of Fame. No complaints here, no notes, good job.

13000 days ago (April 29, 1990), 37-year-old Giants P Dan Quisenberry decides to retire rather than go on the DL for the first time ever. I adore Quiz, but it was likely the right decision: in a very limited sample size, he’d stopped getting ground balls in ‘90, which was kinda his whole thing.

14000 days ago (August 3, 1987), VHS sports blooper tape producers everywhere receive manna from heaven when Twins P Joe Niekro is caught with a nail file on the mound and ejected. Niekro attempts to nonchalantly toss the thing away in an unconvincing bit of acting.

14000 days ago (August 3, 1987), Jack Morris ties the AL record with five wild pitches in one game. He uncorks 24 wild pitches this season, a new MLB record, and the fourth time in five years he’s led the league. You stats nerds don’t understand Morris’s greatness, he wild pitched to the score.

15000 days ago (November 6, 1984), Detroit’s Willie Hernandez is named the American League MVP, becoming the second RP (after Rollie Fingers) to win the MVP and Cy Young Awards in the same year. Cal Ripken, by far the best player in baseball that year, finishes 27th in AL MVP voting.

16000 days ago (February 10, 1982), the Mets and Reds make a seemingly huge trade that weirdly turns into a lose-lose deal: New York trades former All-Star P Jim Kern, C Alex Trevino, and pitching prospect Greg Harris to the Reds for George Foster, who immediately signs a five-year deal.

17000 days ago (May 17, 1979), things get silly at Wrigley Field, as the Cubs and Phillies play a legendary game. The two teams combine for 11 home runs and 97 total bases, as the Phils win 23-22 in ten innings. The Phils score 7 in the top of the first and take a 21-9 lead that they nearly blow.

25000 days ago (June 21, 1957), a month after graduating from high school, Cardinals pitcher Von McDaniel two-hits the Dodgers in his first MLB start. Unfortunately he’s a flash in the pan, out of the majors for good while still a teenager. He eventually becomes a decent minor league infielder.

26000 days ago (September 25, 1954), Cleveland’s Early Wynn takes a no-hitter into the 9th, settling for a two-hitter and an 11-1 win. With the victory, the Tribe now has 111 wins on the season, topping the legendary ‘27 Yankees. Just give Cleveland the World Series title now. Don’t even play it.

29000 days ago (July 9, 1946), Ted Williams goes ham in the All-Star Game at Fenway Park, with two homers, two singles, a walk, four runs scored, and 5 RBI. The American League rolls 12-0 in the first All-Star Game since 1944.

47000 days ago (March 27, 1897), Cleveland Spiders president Frank Robison suggests that all of the teams in the NL chip in to pay New York pitcher Amos Rusie, who sat out all of 1896. The owners fear Rusie will sue and become a free agent.

49000 days ago (October 5, 1891), attempted shenanigans in Washington: after the home team ties it in the sixth, the Orioles just…refuse to make outs on defense. They’re trying to kill time waiting for it to get dark so the score reverts to the last full inning. Eventually the ump calls a forfeit.

12/1 Birthday Team (text version) C:Dave McKeough (1.0 WAR) 1B:Christian Encarnacion-Strand (1.2) 2B:Javier Báez (27.4) 3B:Cookie Lavagetto (12.7) SS:Marty Marion (31.8) LF:George Foster (44.2) CF:Reggie Sanders (39.8) RF:Larry Walker (72.7) SP:Ed Reulbach (35.5) Others:K.Rueter, G.Harris, R.Badgro

Today's Birthday Team has a ridiculously good defensive middle infield. There's no wrong answer as to which one plays SS and which one plays 2B - in their primes, both were inner-circle great defenders. Heck of an outfield too, and for the second day in a row, an NFL star (Badgro) as a backup OF.

11/30 Birthday Team (text version) C:Dave Engle (3.8 WAR) 1B:Craig Wilson (3.4) 2B:Ray Durham (33.8) 3B:Luis Valbuena (8.3) SS:Mark Lewis (-2.6) LF:Patrick Gillespie (8.9) CF:Shane Victorino (31.4) RF:Matt Lawton (15.1) SP:Frank Killen (34.4) Others: B.Tewksbury, R.Harden, B.Jackson, F.Marberry

Today's Birthday Team features the second guy in three days named Craig Wilson. This is the better of the two, the OF/1B/C who played for the Pirates about twenty (!) years ago. Overall a good team and would be one of the favorites in the offsesaon flag football league, with Bo Jackson around.

11/29 Birthday Team (text version) C:Bill Freehan (44.7 WAR) 1B:Otto Vélez (9.9) 2B:Dick McAuliffe (37.5) 3B:Howard Johnson (22.2) SS:Joe Orengo (1.5) LF:Minnie Miñoso (53.2) CF:Irv Noren (15.0) RF:Mike Easler (13.0) SP:Jake Weimer (26.9) Others: M.Rivera, C.Gentry, C.Weilman, T. Hughes, J.Price

Yesterday's Birthday Team features two Hall of Famers in Miñoso and Rivera. A bunch of good bats here: Miñoso, Easler, HoJo, Otto Velez, Freehan, Dick McAuliffe. They've got the wrong Pedro Martínez. If they had the other one, this would be one whale of a ballclub.

11/28 Birthday Team (text version) C:Wes Westrum (12.7 WAR) 1B:Heinie Peitz (19.3) 2B:Craig Wilson (-0.6) 3B:Matt Williams (46.6) SS:Walt Weiss (16.5) LF:Max West (13.3) CF:Nook Logan (3.0) RF:Sixto Lezcano (28.3) SP:Pedro Astacio (25.6) Others: D.Righetti, R.Nen, Jo.Burkett, Jo.Wright, C.Villanueva

Friday's Birthday Team is extremely Giants-centric. Matt Williams, John Burkett, Robb Nen, Wes Westrum. Even Dave Righetti spent some time playing at Candlestick. Not a ton of starting pitching here; Righetti is third all-time in games started among players born November 28.

11/27 Birthday Team (text version) C:Iván Rodríguez (68.7 WAR) 1B:Randy Milligan (13.5) 2B:Billy Moran (3.1) 3B:Willie Bloomquist (1.8) SS:Jimmy Rollins (47.9) LF:Eloy Jiménez (5.3) CF:Bradley Zimmer (2.9) RF:Isaac Lane (-1.5) SP:Bullet Joe Bush (36.8) Others: M.Scioscia, J.Schmitz, D.Giusti

It feels like most of the time when I'm building Birthday Team rosters, I struggle to find catchers. Not the case on this past Thursday's team. Pudge Rodríguez and Mike Scioscia is a heck of a tandem, and with Pudge taking most of the starts, that frees Scioscia up for his job at the nuclear plant.

11/26 Birthday Team (text version) C:Cal Raleigh (18.8 WAR) 1B:Fred Tenney (43.8) 2B:Matt Carpenter (28.7) 3B:Richie Hebner (33.0) SS:Eddie Miller (22.3) LF:Bob Johnson (55.7) CF:Hugh Duffy (43.0) RF:Bob Elliott (50.9) SP:Chuck Finley (57.9) Others:L.Gomez, Mi.Moore, L.Gura, M.Garza, J.Howell,J.Orta

This past Wednesday's Birthday Team has strong nickname game: Big Dumper, Gravedigger, Indian Bob, Lefty/Goofy, Mr. Team. Good pitching staff, five pitchers over 100 career wins. We've got a couple of Bobs in the corner outfield, which is sure to warm the cockles of @jonbois.bsky.social 's heart.

11/25 Birthday Team (text version) C:Bob Finley (-0.1 WAR) 1B:Nick Swisher (21.5) 2B:Clint Thomas (16.0) 3B:Bobby Etheridge (-0.2) SS:Bucky Dent (17.5) LF:Duke Cleveland (2.6) CF:Joe DiMaggio (79.1) RF:Mark Whiten (14.1) SP:Bert Cunningham (11.2) Others:O.Dotel, R.Narleski, J.May, S.Takatsu, N.Karns

Don't look, Red Sox fans, because this past Tuesday's Birthday Team includes Bucky F. Dent. The Yankees being the Yankees, the top five non-Negro Leaguers on the roster all spent time in pinstripes. The pitching isn't great and they're a bit light at LF/3B/C. But they do have Joe DiMaggio.

11/24 Birthday Team (text version) C:Steve Yeager (17.9 WAR) 1B:Jeimer Candelario (9.3) 2B:Randy Velarde (24.9) 3B:José López (10.0) SS:Billy Rogell (25.7) LF:Joe Medwick (54.4) CF:George Burns (39.9) RF:Jim Northrup (22.0) SP:Bob Friend (40.9) Others:B.McDonald, C.Eldred, A.Martin, J.Parker, D.Moss