I don't normally use players without MLB experience on Birthday Teams unless it's glaringly obvious that they're superior to the other options. Omar Linares is obviously the best third baseman ever born on October 23, regardless of Cuba's emigration policy.

Pretty good rotation today too.

C: Dwight Lowry
1B: 1930s Billy Sullivan
2B: John Castino
3B: Omar Linares
SS: Vern Stephens
LF: Rube Bressler
CF: Birdie Cree
RF: Ben Francisco

SP: Jim Bunning
SP: Al Leiter
SP: Ewell Blackwell
SP: John Lackey
SP: Hugh Bedient
RP: David Riske

Manager: Lena Blackburne
League President: William Hulbert
Blocker of Edgar: Jim Presley
No-hitter at age 21, out of the majors at age 22: Bud Smith

Bud Smith's other claim to fame is that he was part of the Phils-Cards Scott Rolen trade. I thought that he had sipped java with the Phils but he never made it to Philly.

Has Jack Morris been an analyst on ESPN for very long? I don't watch a lot of SportsCenter these days, but I caught it this morning, and Jack and his mustache were talking about the World Series with Nomar Garciaparra.

And Morris was just terrible. Had absolutely nothing to say, nothing to add to the discussion. He deserves to get kicked out of the Hall of Fame just for that.

Today has got to be among the very worst sports watching days of the year.

Today has got to be among the very worst sports watching days of the year.

Very close, but for me, it's the day after the World Series ends. Because after that, it's over. Done. Finished. No more baseball. And even though I doubt I'll watch any of the World Series this year, when it's over, I'll still be reminded that there's no more baseball, and a long, cold winter will be staring me in the face.

Today has got to be among the very worst sports watching days of the year.

The day after the all-star game (this year, two days). Either that or the frustrating day after Opening Day when your team is off. You wait five months for your team to get back on the field, and then, Bam, Off Day.

For the most part, I don't really consider the time between the end of October and the start of April to be sports-watching days.

That's one hell of a rotation on today's team.

That's one hell of a rotation on today's team.

Gotta think it's the only birthday group with three different guys who started Game Seven of the World Series (well, Game Eight technically for Bedient).

Fifty-five years ago, guess who was first in line at Yankee Stadium to buy bleacher tickets for the 1957 World Series...

Has Jack Morris been an analyst on ESPN for very long? I don't watch a lot of SportsCenter these days, but I caught it this morning, and Jack and his mustache were talking about the World Series with Nomar Garciaparra.

And Morris was just terrible. Had absolutely nothing to say, nothing to add to the discussion. He deserves to get kicked out of the Hall of Fame just for that.

They seem to run ex-players through ESPN like crazy. I don't know if they think it's the only way to find out how good they are going to be, or if they think more people will tune in to hope to catch one of their favorite guys. Or maybe no one is willing to spend more than a few days a month in Bristol, except John Kruk.