Pretty good Birthday Team today. They've got two Hall of Famers, though the bullpen is really thin. Believe it or not, Harry Wright, an outfielder who made 36 career pitching appearances, is January 10th's all time leader in saves.

C: Johnny Peacock
1B: Willie McCovey
2B: Del Pratt
3B: Adam Kennedy
SS: George Strickland
LF: Bob Brower
CF/Manager: Harry Wright
RF: Chick Stahl

SP: Jim O'Toole
SP: Richard Dotson
SP: Chuck Dobson
SP: Cliff Chambers
SP: George Pierce
RP: Ted Bowsfield

Not that one: John Houseman
Clown Prince: Max Patkin

I decided to look up Johnnie Peacock, who ends up being a Hall of Very Meh Catcher. More interestingly, he was traded for Ben Chapman, at the tail ends of their careers. 2 things popped out at me about Chapman:
1. Led the league in SB and CS 3 straight years. 61/23, 38/18, 27/18.
2. He might have the worst % of post-season appearances for a Yankee between the 20s and 60s. He played full time for the Yanks for 6 years and saw only one post-season. He was traded mid-season in 1936, just as the Yanks were starting on a 4 year tear.

Up at THT, happy 75th b-day, Willie McCovey, which I use as a jumping off point for creating an all-Alabama team.

which I use as a jumping off point for creating an all-Alabama team.

They should have a kick ass outfield, if nothing else.

I just finished reading Charles C. Alexander's 'Ty Cobb' this week for the second time. Alexander states that Jennings was incompetent in terms of instructing pitchers.

I might add that Willie McCovey and Frank Mahovlich, two hall of famers, were born on the same day.

Birthday League update:

Top of the standings:

January 23          37  23  .617 ---- 
January 28          36  26  .581  2.0        
January 5           36  26  .581  2.0  
January 14          35  26  .574  2.5  
January 15          36  27  .571  2.5

News and notes:
* After a 19-10 start to the season, January 5 is 17-16 in its past 33 games and has fallen out of first place.

* January 4 has scored almost exactly as many runs as it's given up, but is 24-37 largely as a result of a 6-18 record in one-run games.

* January 17 is 5-17 against left-handed starters, 27-16 against right-handers.

* Rip Radcliff (January 19) still leads the league in batting average, now at .370. Bill White (January 28) is 16 for his last 34 and is now hitting .357, good enough for second in the league.

* Gene Roof (January 13) is 16 for his last 27 (.593) with 8 walks.

* Scott McGregor (January 18) in the past ten days: 9 innings, 20 hits, 17 runs, 3 walks, 0-2 record.

* Emil Yde (January 28) in the same time period: 10 innings, 22 hits, 14 runs, 7 walks, 0-1 record.

* Paul Ratliff (January 23) has 83 strikeouts in 214 at-bats.

* Max Carey (January 11) in 64 games: 72 hits, 64/6 SB/CS.

* League RC/27 leaderboard: Johnny Mize (January 7) 10.4, White 10.3, Jason Giambi (January 8) 10.2, Hank Greenberg (January 1) 9.6, Brian Giles (January 20) 9.6, George Selkirk (January 4) 9.3.

* As you might expect, Bobby Grich (January 15) has been quietly excellent. Grich is in the top ten in runs, doubles, home runs, RBI, walks, SLG, RC/27, and total bases.

* Jeff Suppan (January 2) is tied for the league lead in wins (9), but has an ERA north of 5.00.

* Josh Spence (January 22) is 15-for-15 in save situations and leads the league in saves. His team has 34 wins, and in 30 of them, a save has been awarded.

I'd've expected more variance b/w the best and worst teams than it sounds like you're seeing.

Rangers announce big increases in ticket prices for 2013: most relevant to my life is that the cheapest upper-deck seat on the cheapest nights goes from $4 to $11, and parking goes from $12 to $15. Last year saw new attendance records (first time the Rangers drew over 3 million), so this seems a classic case of prices rising along with demand. I can't complain too much; I've been supplying some of the demand.

Finally Max Carey, the one guy on the Pirates' Wall of Hall of Famers that nobody is familiar with, gets his due.

Although it may be influenced by the off-and-on absence of caught-stealing statistics throughout his career.

I think it's likely because there aren't a lot of catchers with good throwing ratings. A lot of teams are using guys who only caught for 3-5 years, and Strat tends to give short career guys bad fielding ratings.

Giants signed Mason Tobin - I had realized just how much time he's missed in his career. He signed in '07, made the bigs in '11 and ... has played 15 games over the last 5 seasons^. He's walked more than he's struck out over that time (25 w, 20 k).

'08: 8 starts for Cedar Rapids (Midwest ... 2-3 3.13 in 37.1 innings, 29 h, 2 hr, 18 w, 18 k)
'09: 3 games in relief for Rancho Cucamonga (California ... 2.2 scoreless, 2 h, 2 w, 2k)
'10: missed
'11: 4 games in relief for Texas (0-0 6.75 in 5.1 innings, 5 h, 1 hr, 5 w, 0 k)
'12: missed

^ that's 8 innings over the last four years. He's now 25.

Rangers announce big increases in ticket prices for 2013

Am I correct in understanding that this means the Rangers have not sold tickets for 2013 yet nor have they required season ticket holders to pay for their seats yet? That's amazing to me. I had to pay for my seats a month ago.

Remember Kelvim Escobar? He's back. In Brewers form. Or at least their AAA affiliate.

I think it's likely because there aren't a lot of catchers with good throwing ratings. A lot of teams are using guys who only caught for 3-5 years, and Strat tends to give short career guys bad fielding ratings.

I was wondering about this. Are you able to check SB/CS totals allowed by individual catchers in these games? Because it seems like that might be a decent-sized factor in predicting other months as well.

Cubs sign IF Brent Lillibridge and OF Darnell McDonald to minor league deals. I like both signings for them. Lillibridge was pretty good in 2011 and could be a decent bench guy in the NL.

Nats sign P Ross Ohlendorf to a minor league deal.

Cubs sign IF Brent Lillibridge and OF Darnell McDonald to minor league deals.

Everything's falling into place!

an all-Alabama team.

Hell, just Mobile vs Birmingham would be a helluva game. Throw in a rest of state team while you're at it.

When you guys are done with birthdays, it's time for a major cities and states tournament (we might have to ban the DR!). Also an alphabet tournament.

When you guys are done with birthdays, it's time for a major cities and states tournament (we might have to ban the DR!). Also an alphabet tournament.

Might also split California up. At least among players of the past 20 years they'd win in a walk.

Am I correct in understanding that this means the Rangers have not sold tickets for 2013 yet nor have they required season ticket holders to pay for their seats yet? That's amazing to me. I had to pay for my seats a month ago

Single games are certainly not on sale yet. The Rangers are offering partial-season packages at 2012 prices for a limited time. I don't know when full-season ticketholders had to pay.

Also, believing that this is the moment to emulate the Yankees in their own modest way, the Rangers are adding a few front rows behind home plate, $400-$500 per seat per game (the previous top price was about $200).

Are you able to check SB/CS totals allowed by individual catchers in these games?

Yep, though I'm at work right now. I'll post that info tonight.

Also, believing that this is the moment to emulate the Yankees in their own modest way, the Rangers are adding a few front rows behind home plate, $400-$500 per seat per game (the previous top price was about $200).

Are they putting in a moat?

Are they putting in a moat?

I actually imagine there will be an effective moat of sorts. It's always been the case at the Ballpark that you couldn't just sneak into the two front rows behind home plate (and I've sneaked most of the way, so I know :) There was a little wall there and a praetorian guard of ushers. I reckon the wall will stay in place. But it's inobtrusive.

Lillibridge was pretty good in 2011 and could be a decent bench guy in the NL.

And they can always flip him for Kevin Youkilis at the trade deadline.

Don't be silly, no team would be that stupid.

moved post to today's dugout