Happy Birthday - 3/12

Happy Birthday to ~

C Orlando Marquez (19)
An international free agent from Venezuela, Marquez spent his first professional season playing in the Dominican Summer League. In 28 games, he hit .296/.381/.429 and in 15 games behind the dish he had a 37% caught stealing rate.

These former Astros celebrate the day as well ~

OF Jim "The Toy Cannon" Wynn (73)
Drafted from the Reds in the 1962 first year draft, Wynn played 11 seasons for the Colt .45's and Houston Astros from 1963 to 1973. Nicknamed The Toy Cannon for his diminutive stature and powerful stroke, Wynn's numbers were skewed by playing in the cavernous confines of the Astrodome. A three-time All-Star, he was second in home runs in 1967 behind Hank Aaron and led the National League in walks in 1969 and 1976. Not only did Wynn hit a home run into the upper deck of the Astrodome, Wynn launched this moonshot out of Crosley Field and on to the freeway in 1967. His number 24 was retired by the Astros in 2005. His autobiography Toy Cannon: The Autobiography of Baseball's Jimmy Wynn came out in October 2010. [UPDATED: Reader Brian West found this moonshot from Wynn at Forbes Field.]

CF Steve Finley (50)
A 13th round pick by the Orioles in 1987, Finley came to Houston, along with Pete Harnisch and Curt Schilling, in a trade with Baltimore for Glenn Davis in 1991. Finley played four seasons (1991-1994) for the Astros, hitting .281/.331/.406 before departing Houston in this trade:

December 28, 1994: Traded by the Houston Astros with a player to be named later, Ken Caminiti, Andujar Cedeno, Roberto Petagine and Brian Williams to the San Diego Padres for Derek Bell, Doug Brocail, Ricky Gutierrez, Pedro Martinez, Phil Plantier and Craig Shipley. The Houston Astros sent Sean Fesh (minors) (May 1, 1995) to the San Diego Padres to complete the trade.

In 19 seasons for eight clubs, Finley won five Gold Gloves to go with two All-Star nods and, according to Baseball-Reference, he became only the second player in major league history, behind Willie Mays, to hit 300 home runs, 425 doubles and 100 triples, and to steal 300 bases.

RHP Bob Watkins (67)
A 22nd round draft pick by Houston in 1966, Watkins pitched 15.2 innings over five games in 1969 with a 5.17 ERA and a 1.660 WHIP.