Baseball Finest

  Happy Birthday, Ryan Express! Lynn Nolan Ryan was born on January 31, 1947 in Refugio, Texas. HOF, 8x All-Star, 2x ERA Title, 11x SO Leader, CG Leader, 3x SHO Leader, Innings Leader, 7x No-Hit (MLB Record) 324-292 W-L, 3.19 ERA, 5714 SO (MLB record), 3 SV Nolan Ryan and his teams:   New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. 

JIM ABBOTT Positions : Pitcher Full Name : James Anthony Abbott Bats : Left -  Throws : Left Born : September 19, 1967 in Flint, Michigan, USA Organizations :  California Angels (6), New York Yankees (2), Chicago White Sox (2), Milwaukee Brewers (1) JIM ABBOTT'S WALL OF GLORY FIELDING Assists as P: 1  (1991)  Fielding % as P:  2 (1992, 1995)  FACTS: Jim Abbott is one of the most unusual pitchers in baseball history, since he was born without a right hand. He won a gold medal with the American Team at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Abbott reached the Major Leagues in 1989 with the California Angels without playing in Minor Leagues. He posted a record of 12-12 W-L and 3.92 ERA (5th in the AL ROY voting). While playing with the New York Yankees  in 1993, Jim Abbott pitched a no-hitter against Cleveland. When he had to take at-bats when playing with the Milwaukee Brewers (1999), he batted 2-21 and 3 RBI. He got his 2 hits in two different games against Cubs' Jon Lieber.  STATS: 5x +10 W

  DAVE CONCEPCION Positions : Shortstop, Second Baseman and Third Baseman Full Name : David Ismael Concepcion Benitez Bats : Right -  Throws : Right Born : June 17, 1948 in Ocumare de la Costa, Aragua, Venezuela Organizations : Cincinnati Reds (19) DAVE CONCEPCION'S WALL OF GLORY HONORS AND AWARDS All Star:  9 (1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982) AS MVP:  1 (1982) Gold Gloves:  5 (1974, 1975, 1976m 1977, 1979) Silver Sluggers:  2 (1981, 1982) World Series Rings:  2 (1975, 1976) FIELDING Def. Games as SS:  1  (1977) PO as SS:  1 (1976) Assists as SS:  2 (1974, 1976)  Double Plays Turned as SS: 1 (1979) Fielding % as SS: 1 (1977)  FACTS: Dave Concepcion was considered by many to be the best SS of the 1970s. He formed with the Hall of Fame member Joe Morgan one of the best middle-infield combinations of their era. He followed the footsteps of great Venezuelan Shortstops (and his heroes) Luis Aparicio and Chico Carrasquel. In 1975 he joined Johnny Bench (C), Tony P

KIRBY PUCKETT " Puck" Positions : Center Fielder Full Name : Kirby Puckett Bats : Right -  Throws : Right Born : March 14, 1960 in Chicago, Illinois, USA Died : March 06, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA Organizations : Minnesota Twins (12) KIRBY PUCKETT'S WALL OF GLORY HONORS AND AWARDS Hall of Fame:  Inducted as Player in 2001, by BBWAA with 82.1% All Star:  10 (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995) ALCS MVP:  1 (1991) AS MVP:  1 (1993) Gold Gloves:  6 (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992) Silver Sluggers:  6 (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994) World Series Rings:  2 (1987, 1991) BATTING AVG Leader:  1 (1989) AB Leader:  2 (1985, 1988) Hits Leader:  4 (1987, 1988, 1989, 1992) RBI Leader: 1  (1994) FIELDING Def. Games as CF:  4  (1985, 1986, 1988, 1989) PO as CF:  3 (1985, 1988, 1989) Assists as CF:  3 (1984, 1985,1989)  Double Plays Turned as CF: 4 (1984, 1985, 1988, 1991) Assists as RF:  2  (1994, 1995) Def. Games as OF:  3  (1985, 1986, 1988) PO as

Happy Birthday, Dutch! Darren Arthur Daulton was born on January 3, 1962 in Arkansas City, Kansas. 3x All-Star, SS, RBI Leader, some defensive leaderships. .245 AVG, 137 HR, 588 RBI, 50 SB, 891 Hits.  Darren Daulton  and his teams: Philadelphia Phillies and Florida Marlins .

Happy Birthday, Left Arm of God! Sanford Koufax was born on December 30, 1935 in Brooklyn, New York. HOF, 7x All-Star, 3x Cy Young, MVP, 2x WS MVP, 3x Triple Crown, 5x ERA Title, 3x Wins Leader, 4x SO Leader, 2x W-L% Leader, GS Leader, 2x CG Leader, 3x SHO Leader, 2x Innings Leader, 4x No-Hit (1 Perfect Game) 165-87 W-L, 2.76 ERA, 2396 SO, 9 SV Sandy Koufax and his teams:   Brooklyn Dodgers and Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Happy Birthday, Devo! Devon Markes White (or Whyte) was born on December  29, 1962 in Kingston, Jamaica. 3x All-Star, 7x GG, several defensive leaderships. .263 AVG, 208 HR, 846 RBI, 346 SB, 1934 Hits.  Devon White  and his teams:           California Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers.

Happy Birthday, Spceman! William Francis Lee III was born on December 28, 1946 in Burbank, California. All-Star, Assists as a P Leader.  119-90 W-L, 3.62 ERA, 713 SO, 19 SV Bill Lee and his teams:   Boston Red Sox, Montreal Expos.

Happy Birthday, Slick! Andrew James Van Slyke was born on December  21, 1960 in Utica, New York. 3x All-Star, 5x GG, 2x SS, Hits Leader, Doubles Leader, Triples Leader, several defensive leaderships. .274 AVG, 164 HR, 792 RBI, 245 SB, 1562 Hits.   Andy Van Slykes and his teams:     St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies.

Happy Birthday, Old Hoss! Charles Gardner Radbourn was born on December 11, 1854 in Rochester, New York. HOF, 4x All-Star, Triple Crown, ERA Leader, 2x Wins Leader, 2x SO Leader, 2x W-L% Leader, 2x Games Leader, GS Leader, CG Leader, SHO Leader, Innings Leader, No-Hit. All-time single season record of Wins (59 or 60 depending of the sources)  310-194 W-L, 2.68 ERA, 1830 SO, 2 SV Old Hoss Radbourn and his teams:     Providence Grays, Boston Beaneaters, Boston Reds and Cincinnati Reds.