Some nice high-end talent on today's Birthday Team. Too bad they don't have the Robert Gibson.

C/Manager: Al Lopez (16.3 WAR)
1B: Todd Helton (61.8 WAR)
2B: Blake DeWitt (1.9 WAR)
3B: Graig Nettles (67.9 WAR)
SS: Chris Clapinski (0.4 WAR)
LF: Kal Daniels (16.9 WAR)
CF: Cory Sullivan (0.9 WAR)
RF: Tom Brunansky (22.0 WAR)

SP: Mark Langston (50.1 WAR)
SP: Andy Benes (31.5 WAR)
SP: Fred Norman (16.3 WAR)
SP: Pete Schneider (8.3 WAR)
SP: Sig Jakucki (4.1 WAR)
RP: George Zuverink (6.8 WAR)

Baseball Card Mogul: DeWayne Buice
Fun name: Chubby Snyder
Not that one: Aaron Taylor
Not that one: Robert Gibson
Not that one: Frank Bonner

RF: Tom Brunansky (22.0 WAR)

he got 11.1 of that WAR in his first 3 seasons; he got 10.9 WAR over his next 11 seasons

They don't even have the second-best Robert Gibson.

While I am impressed with Herb Tarlek's jacket, the picture doesn't allow us to see if his belt matches his shoes.

Kalvoski Daniels could have had one hell of a career. Too bad his knees were made of cheap styrofoam. I vaguely remember (so, may be misremembering) Marty Brenneman complaining about Kal that he looked more to walk and wouldn't swing the bat. Got him prepared for Adam Dunn and Joey Votto, I guess...

In his first 3 seasons (1226 pa), age 22-24, Kal averaged 6.4 WAR/650pa. The Reds saw fit to trade that performance (and a young Lenny Harris!) to the Dodgers for Mariano Duncan and Tim Leary! And, it worked. In the 1989 off-season, the Reds traded Leary to the Yankees for Hal Morris. Even though Kal was relatively healthy and good in 1990, the Reds, with Morris there to spell Todd Benzinger (how in the world did the Reds win a World Series with Todd Benzinger as the primary first baseman?) and Mariano hitting well, even if he was a bad second baseman, started 9-0 and then 33-12, and coasted to the division title, and ultimately, the World Series. Sadly, Kal was pretty much done after the 1991 season, knees wrecked at only 28 years old.

Dan, I'm disappointed the 'Not that one: Robert Gibson' didn't link to a pic of the Rock & Roll Express.

how in the world did the Reds win a World Series with Todd Benzinger as the primary first baseman?

With the "backup" first baseman hitting .340 for the season and starting 8 of 10 games in the postseason (including as DH in the World Series).

I always refer to Tom Brunansky as "Comrade Nubowski" after a joke Bill James made in one of his books about the poor acoustics at the Metrodome.

Anybody knows where to get a list of the longest losing streaks for a pitcher (most consecutive decisions without a win)? Anthony Young's streak of 27 is famous, but I'm trying to find a list where Paul Calvert's streak of 16 losses in 1949 ranks.