Happy birthday to former Ranger catcher Mike Stanley, who turns 45 today.
Stanley was one of my favorites from my late teens, a guy who had a part-time role for several years in the late-80s and early-90s before playing with the Yankees and the Red Sox. He wasn't a real good defensive catcher, but could hit, and ended up getting significant time as a DH or first baseman later in his career.
Did you know that Stanley finished 13th in the MVP voting one year? 1993, to be exact, when he put up a .305/.389/.534 line with the Yankees, and ended up tied with 13th in the balloting.
Stanley signed with the Red Sox after he left the Yanks, and then was traded back to the Yanks for Tony Armas, Jr., and Jim Mecir, in 1997, after a deal where the Rangers were going to send Pudge Rodriguez to the Yanks for Jorge Posada and Armas was derailed by Pudge coming into Tom Schieffer's office and announcing he wanted to sign an extension.
Armas was later dealt by Boston, along with Carl Pavano, to the Expos for Pedro Martinez. So just think...if it weren't for Mike Stanley, the BoSox wouldn't have gotten Pedro, and likely wouldn't have won the 2004 World Series.