Happy birthday to Randy Velarde, who turns 48 today.

Velarde has a small but meaningful role in the Rangers history...coming into the 2001 season, having signed Alex Rodriguez and expecting to contend for the A.L. West title, the Rangers needed a second baseman.  They dealt for Velarde from the Oakland A's, acquiring him in exchange for minor league pitchers Ryan Cullen and Aaron Harang.

Velarde played well for the Rangers, but the team was terrible, and Velarde was dealt near the trade deadline to the New York Yankees for minor league pitchers Randy Flores and Rosman Garcia.

Flores and Garcia did little.  Harang, of course, went on to be one of the better starting pitchers of the Aughts.