Omar

It's just after midnight Eastern, so I'm too late for that time zone, but I'd be remiss in not wishing the masterful Omar Vizquel a happy birthday.

When I was a kid my favorite player was Ozzie Smith (this was a combination of the fact that I had some weird love of cardinals, I played short stop in little league, and it's hard not to like a guy who does back flips). In a lot of ways, Omar was something of the second coming of the Wizard of Oz.

Let's face facts: we'd be a better team if we still had Omar. No one can doubt that. Imagine Omar and Barfield up the middle (particularly after that play Barfield made tonight). Unstoppable. And we'd have three legitimate stealing threats.

But it is what it is.

I actually saw Omar at the airport one time. It was out here at LAX; I was heading back to Ohio and I would imagine he was heading up to San Francisco. He was wearing a completely pimped out leopard print outfit. I was too shocked at seeing him to say anything. The outfit didn't help.

My dad sent me the send off spread that the fine folks at the Plain Dealer published when Omar went on his way. It's still hanging in my office (right above the picture of Aaron Boone slamming into AJ Pierzynski, but that's another story).