This is not a terribly good Birthday Team, but it can write circles around any other club in the league.

C: Tony DePhillips (-0.1 WAR)
1B: Zeke Bonura (21.5 WAR)
2B: Larry Schlafly (2.8 WAR)
3B/Manager: Chuck Dressen (8.3 WAR)
SS: Tom Tresh (22.0 WAR)
LF: Jason Bay (24.8 WAR)
CF: Ian Desmond (16.2 WAR)
RF: Dave Gallagher (4.9 WAR)

SP: Henry Boyle (22.7 WAR)
SP: Eustaquio Pedroso (0.0 WAR, but in his mid-30s by the time NeL stats begin to count in 1920)
SP: Vic Lombardi (11.2 WAR)
SP: Dennis Ribant (3.9 WAR)
SP: Roric Harrison (3.1 WAR)
RP: Ken Giles (7.7 WAR)
RP: AJ Ramos (6.3 WAR)

Umpire: Eddie Hurley
Fun names: Mickey Klutts, Zach Pop
Ballplayer or Mario Brothers boss?: Red Bowser
Poet Laureate/Baseball writer: Donald Hall

I know someone who has a Zeke Bonura autograph.

When I first glanced at the list, I was shocked to see Tony Phillips listed at catcher. I know he played a number of positions, but I thought catcher was the one he had not.

Then I read closer and realized it was Tony DePhillips.

Edit - Turns out Phillips played every position except catcher and pitcher.

Ian Desmond is technically still active, although he opted out of both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. (Nobody missed him.) The Rox have a $2M buyout on him for next year, which I reckon they'll exercise as opposed to paying him $15 million to play.

CF: Ian Desmond (16.2 WAR)

-7 WAA in his last three seasons. Don't know if that's some kind of record, but really ruined his career totals.

Might be ... I wouldn't be surprised if it's a (modern) record at those ages.

Biggio lost 6 WAA in his last 4 seasons. Rose lost over 7 WAA at ages 41-42 and added nearly 3 at age 39 ... and still played until 45 dropping another 3.5 WAA total. Ted Simmons dropped a whopping 4+ WAA at age 34 and another 3 WAA over the next 4 years.

Fron ages 24-38, Rose put up 77 WAR, 44 WAA in nearly 11,000 PA. Before/after that combines for nearly 5,000 PA of 2.5 WAR, -15 WAA.

More on Desmond ... possibly (unlikely) he was just a hitter who couldn't benefit from humidor-era Coors for whatever reason. His slash line in DC was 264/312/424 (99 OPS+) and in Col was 252/313/429 (82 OPS+). In 2017 and 2018, he hit better on the road (almost unheard of for a Rockie) but he was way, way better at home in 2019. Juan Pierre was kinda like that -- 308/356/371 with the Rox; 295/345/368 with the Marlins. Coors did give Pierre a big boost in BA but his ISO was still only about 070 at home in those years.

Desmond's already high GB rate went through the roof (over 60%) his first two years with the Rox. His last season, he started hitting the ball in the air more and saw a big jump in his power. Still his HR/FB didn't see a jump in Col (or Tex). Basically, it's probably not a good idea to bring GB hitters to Coors.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/o'neipa01.shtml

Just noticed this. Worth sharing.