When Jorge Posada’s shoulder injury put him on the injured reserve list during the early part of the 2008 season, the Yankees hoped the replacement combination of Jose Molina and Chad Moeller would be enough to get them into the playoffs. The duo was OK defensively but their offensive shortcomings left a glaring hole in the Yankee lineup. New York tried to fill that hole when they sent reliever Kyle Farnsworth to Detroit for I-Rod after the All Star break. Unfortunately, the move backfired. Rodriguez hit just .219 during his 33-game stint in pinstripes and the absence of Farnsworth hurt the late-inning relief pitching effectiveness of the Yankee bullpen. Rodriguez has won a World Series (Marlins 03), an AL MVP (1999), thirteen Gold Gloves and has been named to 14 All Star teams. His next major honor will be his almost certain entry into Cooperstown. Ivan was born in Manati, Puerto Rico on November 27, 1971.

He shares his November 27th birthday with this long-ago Yankee pitcher.