Thursday, November 18, 2004

Where Have You Gone, Clay Bellinger?

Today is a birthday for SNL's Subliminal Man Kevin Nealon (51), who is incidentally the same age as Alan "Extraordinary Gentlemen" Moore. Elizabeth Perkins turns 44 today, Owen Wilson, 36. Relief pitcher Tom Gordon turns 37, Gary Sheffield, 36.

I really want to pay tribute to utility player Clay Bellinger (36). Before the Yankees acquired high-priced declining stars Sheffield, Gordon, and Giambi, their roster had hidden gems like Bellinger. A native New Yorker called up to the majors at 30, Bellinger was a scrapper (career .193 hitter) who could fill in at first, second, third, shorstop, leftfield, center, and rightfield. He was last listed as a first baseman with the Orioles.

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