Yesterday, we featured the Cy Young Birthday Quote of the Day, today we featured the Alex Bregman Baseball Quote of the Day. 127 year age differential.
Bregman was born on March 30, 1994. He was the second player selected in the 2015 MLB draft by the Houston Astros. In the 2016 season, he hit .264 with the Astros and showed real potential.
In honor of the Alex Bregman future, he is today's recipient of the Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day,
"He exudes a confidence and a work ethic and a complete focus that is special."
--Mark Elias
Happy Birthday to the great Cy Young, born on this day in 1867. What a career---most wins in baseball history with 511, most innings pitched with 7356, most starts with 815 and most complete games with 749. Without a doubt, the complete game record will never ever come close to being broken.
What award did Cy Young get for being the best pitcher in baseball?---sounds like one of those Stephen Wright/Jerry Seinfeld routines.
In honor of arguably the greatest pitcher of all-time, Cy Young, he gets our Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day,
"My boy, I can't remember anyone loading the bases on me."
--Cy Young, asked what pitch he liked to throw when the bases were loaded
Happy 30th Birthday to one of the best player's in baseball and a future Hall of Famer in Buster Posey.
What a resume. In his career with the Giants, starting in 2009, he has a career batting average of .307, he is a 4 x all-star, 3 x World Series Champion, 2012 MVP, 2016 Gold Glove winner and a 3 x Silver Slugger winner.
Is there any doubt that he is our Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day,
"If you look at what he does and what he's meant to the team, it's night and day. There's no doubt in my mind."
--Hunter Pence, on what Posey means to the Giants
Hall of Famer, Tom Glavine was born on this day in 1966. Glavine won over 300 games in his career, most of which was played for the Braves though he did play several years with the Mets.
He was a ten time all-star, a World Series MVP and a two time Cy Young award winner. Quite an impressive resume.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"He treats every game like it's the final game of the World Series. I wish we had 23 other guys on the club like him."
--Chipper Jones, on the great Tommy Glavine
Happy Birthday to the Cardinal's Dexter Fowler, born on this day in 1986.
Of course, we remember Dexter Fowler as one of the heroes of the Cubs World Series run last year. He became the first African American to play in the World Series for the Cubs. He also became the first player to hit a home run in the first at bat of Game 7 of a World Series. Very impressive.
He played for the Cubs in 2015 and 2016 and was signed as a free agent by the Cardinals before the 2017 season.
He is today's recipient of the Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day,
"He's an exciting player and when you see him from the other dugout enough to realize he's the kind of player that can make a difference."
--Mike Matheny, talking about signing Dexter Fowler
Shout out to long time A's outfielder Dwayne Murphy who was born on this day in 1955.
He was a good hitter and terrific fielder with six gold gloves to his name. He was also known for batting behind Rickey Henderson for many years. Murphy was a great second hitter as he was willing to sacrifice strikes to give Henderson an advantage on the base paths.Henderson is regarded as the greatest lead off hitter in baseball history and holds the record for most career steals and most steals in a single season.
Today's Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day is about Murphy's role in Henderson breaking the single season steal record with 130 steals.
"If I could break this bag in half, I'd give the other half to Dwayne Murphy."
--Rickey Henderson, after Henderson received a symbolic bag for breaking the single season stolen base record
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Happy Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day to Lloyd 'Little Poison' Waner. Waner played most of his career with the Pirates, patrolling the outfield with his brother Paul. Both were selected for the Hall of Fame.
Lloyd had a career batting average of .316 with 2459 career hits. He was selected for the Hall of Fame in 1967.
"Don't think about hitting until you have seen my brother Lloyd. He's the one that can smash the potato."
--Paul Waner, talking about his brother Lloyd
Happy Birthday to Hall of Famer, Kirby Puckett, born on this snowy day on March 14th, 1960.
Puckett was one of the most exciting player's of his era. On top of being an incredible hitter, he had a magnetic personality that lent itself to lots of magazine covers and commercials.
Unfortunately, his post baseball career did not go as well. He died way too young, at the age of 45
He played his entire twelve year career with the Twins. He is still their career hits leaders. He retired with a career batting average of .318. He was a ten time all-star, 6 time Gold Glove Winner, 6 time Silver Slugger Award Winner, 2 time World Series Champion and he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Of his great career, Andy MacPhail, said,
"If he were playing in New York, there'd be a five foot, 8 inch statue of him in Times Square."
Lots of other Kirby quotes at www.baseballquotations.com
Happy Birthday to Bobby Abreu, 18 year major leaguer. Abreu was a terrific ball player who had a career batting average of .291, with 291 home runs and 400 stolen bases.
He was also an all-star, a Silver Slugger award winner and a Gold Glove winner. He spent half of his career with the Phillies and put some great numbers together including 1999 when he hit .335, drove in 93 runs and had 27 stolen bases.
A great career well deserving of the Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day,
"Dedicated to hitting, always runs hard, never looking for he easy way out. He's everything you want in a ballplayer."
--Richie Hebner, talking about Bobby Abreu
The late Steve Howe was born on this day in 1958. He was an incredibly talented pitcher who had some terrific years especially early in his career. Unfortunately, his career was star crossed because of his drug and alcohol issues.
He was suspended several times in his career. Despite all the setbacks, he had some terrific seasons. Among his accomplishments was he saved the winning game of the 1981 World Series for the Dodgers, he was the 1980 Rookie of the Year and was a 1982 All-Star.
A terrific quote from Tommy Lasorda described the young, talented Steve Howe,
"The kid has water in his veins. He reminds me of a young Tom Lasorda."
--Tommy Lasorda, talking about Howe as a rookie
The great Dick Allen was born on this day 75 years ago. He is by far the best player who is eligible but who is not in the Hall of Fame. It is an injustice that he is not in Cooperstown.
He was as feared as any great power hitter of his era---Aaron, McCovey, Mays, Stargell. And even with all that power, he still had a career batting average of .292.
He was a 7 x all-star, Rookie of the Year with the Phillies, MVP with the White Sox and 2 x home run leader. Plus teammates and opposition gave him the greatest respect as witnessed by the Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day About Allen from Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio.
"He's the closest thing to being the perfect ballplayer that I've ever seen."
--Luis Aparicio
Happy Birthday to J.R. Richard, born on this day in 1950. For those of to young to remember, J.R. Richard was one of the most intimidating pitchers of the 1970's.
From 1976--1980, he was closest to the best pitcher in baseball. He led the National League in ERA in 79, led the NL in Ks' in 78 and '79 and was a 1980 All-Star.
Amazing in 1976, he had 14 complete games, 13 in '77, 16 in '78 and 19 in '79.
Sadly, in 1980, at the age of 30 he suffered a stroke and, despite various comeback attempts, was never able to make it back to the majors. He played his entire career with the Astros and compiled a 107-71 record.
A very sad story for a player with such incredible talent.
"He starts out throwing Alka Seltzers and ends up throwing Aspirins."
--Lenny Randle, on J.R. Richard
Happy birthday to the late, great Willie Stargell, born on March 6th, 1940.
'Pops' as we was affectionately known was an all-time great. He played his entire career with the Pirates from 1962--1982. His credentials included 7 x all-star, 1979 MVP, 2 x HR leader and 475 career home runs. He was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1988. He was also regarded as one of the nicest guys in the game of baseball. A true legend.
He is very deserving of the Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day,
"They give you a round bat and they throw you a round ball and they tell you to hit it square."
--Willie Stargell
Happy 24th birthday to Kyle Schwarber, one of the most exciting young players in baseball.
One of the many reasons to look forward to the 2017 season is the anticipation of watching a healthy Kyle Schwarber for an entire season. When healthy, the Cub's Schwarber is one of baseball's most exciting player's.
He was the fourth pick of the 2014 MLB draft. He came on like gangbusters in June of 2015 and ended up the season with 16 home runs and 43 ribbies in only 232 at bats.
In the second game of the 2016 season, he collided with Dexter Fowler and was out for the year. He made the remarkable comeback in the World Series and had 7 hits in 17 at bats.
In anticipation of a great season ahead, Schwarber is our choice for the Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day,
"The guy is a force of nature and it's become fun watching him play."
--Kris Bryant
Hall of Famer Dazzy Vance was born on March 4, 1891. He had many achievements as a player including being the only pitcher to lead the National Leagues 7 years in a row in strike outs. He was also the National League MVP in 1924, the first year of the MVP award.
To me as a baseball quote collector, he provided the greatest quote I have ever seen about finding out he made the Hall of Fame.
"How did I feel when I first heard the news? About the same way I guess that Columbus felt when he looked out from his ship and first saw land"
--Dazzy Vance, on finding out he was inducted into the Hall of Fame
Hall of Famer 'Wee' Willie Keeler was born on March 3, 1872. Known for his quote, 'hit 'em where they ain't', Keeler was a career .341 hitter who hit over .300 16 times in his 19 year career.
His Hall of Fame career has provided Wee Willie Keeler with the Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day,
"Who would you rather be---'Wee' Willie or 'Big' Dave?"
--Dave Winfield, after he passed Keeler on the all time hits list
Happy Birthday to Hall of Famer, Mel Ott, born on March 2, 1909. Ott played his whole career, from 1926-1947, with the New York Giants. He had a career average of .304 and had 511 home runs.
Among his many accomplishments including leading the National League in Home Runs, six times. He was also a 12 x all-star including 11 years in a row. He was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1951.
Sadly, he died at the young age of 49 in a car accident.
This legend of the game is today's recipient of the Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day,
"Ottie had charisma long before that overused word emerged from the dictionary for everyday use."
--Arthur Daly
Happy Birthday to former Pirate, Johnny Ray, born on March 1, 1957. Ray was a terrific hitting second baseman who never gets enough credit for his body of work.
He played in the major leagues for ten years, mostly with the Pirates but the last few with the Angels. He was an all-star, a recipient of the Silver Slugger award and was The Sporting News Rookie of the Year.
Most impressively, in 5188 career at bats, he had a .290 batting average. Not many major leaguers could make that claim.
For his underrated career, Johnny Ray is the recipient of the Baseball Birthday Quote of the Day,
"You don't get Johnny Ray out...Johnny Ray gets himself out. I believe he is going to make a serious run for a batting title."
--Lloyd Moseby
