A birthday boy is the focus of today's POTD.
Erick Aybar of the Angels looks perturbed about having to return to second after Vladimir Guerrero fouled off a pitch during first inning action at the Rogers Centre August 21st. Jays second baseman Aaron Hill stays close to the bag.
Aybar takes off while Jays third baseman Jose Bautista gets ready to apply the tag.
Aybar is still safe but he will have to retreat to second because Guerrero hit a foul ball down the third base line. Aybar and Bautista meet face to face and it almost looks like they want to rumble! The Jays did go on to win this game by a score of 5-4.
Aybar is celebrating his 26th birthday today. The switch-hitting Dominican shortstop enjoyed a career season with the Angels in 2009. He had a batting line of .312/.353/.423 with 23 doubles, nine triples, five homers, 58 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases in 21 attempts. His .312 batting average placed him eighth in the American League. The younger brother of the Tampa Bay Rays Willy Aybar also batted. 290 in the post-season as he helped the Angels knock off the Red Sox in the American League Divisional Series before they lost to the Yankees in the ALCS.
Aybar was reportedly on the Jays radar during trade talks with the Angels for Roy Halladay but the Halos didn't want to deal their talented shortsop. Aybar is set to begin his fifth year in the bigs in 2010.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20100113001136665