Five former Friars were born on September 4, which is about twice the average of any given day, considering that less than 900 players have been Padres. I guess days like today with a bunch of Padres birthdays help average out days like my birthday, which features a big fat zero. Like, seriously, couldn't just one of these guys have hung out in there for six more days so I could share a birthday with a Padre? At any rate, here are the guys blowing out candles today, listed with their new age and (parenthetically) the year or years he played in San Diego.
Pat Neshek, 34 (2011): The Padres claimed the eventual 2014 National League All-Star off waivers by the Twins at the end of spring training in 2011. Neshek posted a 4.01 ERA in 24.2 innings over 25 games; he had an nearly identical line in 24 games with AAA Tucson. He left as a free agent after the season, signing with Baltimore, who kept him in AAA until selling his contract to Oakland that August.
Matt DeWitt, 37 (2002): DeWitt signed with San Diego before the 2002 season after getting cups of coffee with Toronto in 2000 and 2001. He was called up in late April and made five stellar appearances, allowing just one run in 7.1 innings, before suffering a shoulder injury that sidelined him the rest of the year and all of 2003. He pitched two more seasons in the minors, but never made it back to the bigs.
Brian Myrow, 38 (2007-08): Myrow made his Padres debut on September 1, 2007, and contributed to the team's collapse by collecting one hit in his 10 at-bats. He wasn't much more successful in 21 games with the team in July and August of 2008; he went 3-21 (.143), but one of those hits was his only major league homer. Like DeWitt, he never returned to the majors. He played in AAA in 2009 and '10, and has played independent ball the past four seasons.
Luis Lopez, 44 (1993-94, 96): Lopez made his major league debut in the aftermath of the fire sale, and hit .228/ .274/ .309 in a full season's amount of games and plate appearances spread over three seasons. He went on to play eight more seasons with four other clubs, most recently the Reds in 2005.
Mike Piazza, 46 (2006): After a few years of gradual decline in New York, Piazza signed with the Padres for dirt-cheap and showed he had one good season left in him. The should-be Hall-of-Famer played in 126 games, starting 99 of them behind the plate. He hit .283/ .342/ .501 with 22 homers, earning himself one last one-year deal, as Oakland's DH.
Happy birthday, guys!