January 18

Eddie Moore (1899)

Danny Kaye (1913)
Mike Fornieles (1932)
Chuck Cottier (1936)
Satch Davidson (1936)
Curt Flood (1938)
Carl Morton (1944)
Billy Grabarkewitz (1946)
Sachio Kinugasa (1947)
Scott McGregor (1954)
Dave Geisel (1955)
Brady Anderson (1964)
Mike Lieberthal (1972)
Wandy Rodriguez (1979)
Michael Pineda (1989)

Entertainer Danny Kaye was one of the original owners of the Seattle Mariners.

Satch Davidson was a National League umpire from 1969-1984.

Sachio Kinusaga played in 2,215 games in Japan from 1970-1987.

Six players born on this day made their major league debuts in 2017:  Jaycob Brugman, Max Fried, Jarlin Garcia, Kyle Martin, Alex Mejia, and Gift Ngoepe.  I don't know, but I suspect this may be a record.

Right-hander Jose Miguel "Mike" Fornieles made 11 relief appearances for Minnesota in 1963.  Born in Havana, he signed with Washington as a free agent in 1950.  He had two fine years in the low minors, pitching over 200 innings both years, and made his major-league debut with Washington in September of 1952.  That off-season, Fornieles was traded to the White Sox for Chuck Stobbs.  The White Sox never really settled on a role for Fornieles, sometimes making him a starter, sometimes a reliever.  He also spent some time in AAA in both 1954 and 1955, despite not pitching all that badly in the majors.  He was traded to Baltimore in May of 1956, but the Orioles didn't seem to know what to do with him, either, and traded him to Boston in June of 1957.  He was a starter for the Red Sox most of 1957, but mid-way through 1958, they moved him to the bullpen, and Fornieles finally found his niche.  His best year with Boston was 1960, when he went 10-5, 2.64 and led the league in appearances, saves, and games finished.  He also got a vote in the MVP balloting that year.  He was unable to repeat that the next season, although he made the 1961 all-star team.  He had a poor year in 1962 and was having another one in 1963 when he was sold to Minnesota in the middle of June.  He was with the Twins for about a month, pitching 22.2 innings and going 1-1, 4.76.  He was released in mid-July.  Fornieles was out of baseball for the rest of 1963, signed with Cincinnati for 1964, but was released before the season started, bringing his career to a close.  After his playing career ended, Mike Fornieles became a car salesman in Florida, a job which he held until his retirement.  Mike Fornieles passed away in St. Petersburg, Florida on February 11, 1998.

Right-hander Michael Francisco Pineda has been with the Twins since 2018, but has only played for them in 2019  He was born in Yaguate, Dominican Republic and signed with Seattle as a free agent in 2005.  He pitched quite well in the low minors, dominated the Southern League for half a season in 2010, did all right in AAA for the other half of the season, and was with the Mariners for all of 2011.  He did well there, going 9-10, 3.74, 1.10 WHIP in 28 starts at age 22.  The Mariners traded him to the Yankees after the season, but he missed all of 2012 with a torn labrum.  He made ten minor league starts in 2013 and thirteen major league starts in 2014, pitching very well when he was able to pitch.  He was back in the Yankees rotation for all of 2015 and 2016 and the first half of 2017.  He struck out a lot of guys but otherwise was pretty average, going 26-26, 4.56.  He then had Tommy John surgery and missed the second half of 2017.  He was a free agent after the season and signed a two-year contract with Minnesota despite the fact that he was not expected to pitch much in 2018.  And, in fact, he didn't pitch much in 2018, making four minor league appearances and throwing twelve innings.  He got off to a slow start in 2019 but then started pitching very well through early September.  Unfortunately, he was then suspended for using a banned substance.  The suspension will last through the first month and a half or so of 2020.  So far as a Twin, he is 11-5, 4.01, 1.16 WHIP.  He turns thirty-one today.  When he returns from his suspension, he is expected to once again join the Twins' rotation.