BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

1996 After a mild heart attack last month, Tommy Lasorda, the 68-year-old Dodger manager, announces his retirement due to his health. The future Hall of Fame skipper was named the National League Manager of the Year in 1983 and 1988, leading Los Angeles to four pennants and two World Series championships during his 21 seasons at the helm.

1996 Chris Sabo will be suspended for seven games, losing approximately $70,000 in salary, and the Reds will be fined $25,000 due to his use of a doctored bat in today's 2-1 loss to Houston at Cinergy Field. The Cincinnati third baseman will claim the bat, which was hollowed out and filled with pieces of rubber balls, wasn't his but one of three offered to him by the batboy after he had broken his bat during a plate appearance in the second inning.

1996 The Mets deal Jeff Kent and Jose Vizcaino to the Indians for Carlos Baerga and Alvaro Espinoza. The trade, one of the worst in franchise history, will be a bust when Baerga hits only .267 in three non-productive seasons in the Big Apple, and Kent goes on to win an MVP award and posts Hall of Fame numbers for a second baseman during his 17-year tenure in the major leagues.

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1998 Jon Garland, the Cubs' first-round draft pick last season, is traded in a deadline deal for White Sox reliever Matt Karchner, who will struggle with a 5.14 ERA in 29 appearances for the crosstown rivals. The Pale Hose's rookie right-hander will spend his first eight seasons with the South Siders, compiling a 92-81 (.532) record and an ERA of 4.41 for his new team.


2000 The Brewers hold Bob Wickman All-Star Poster Night a day after the team trades him along with Jason Bere and Steve Woodard to the Indians for a player to be named later (Marco Scutaro), Kane Davis, Paul Rigdon, and Richie Sexson. The Brew Crew distributes 30,000 pictures of their former closer, a member of the team for the past five seasons, on a night they are routed by the Rockies, 10-2, with Rigdon, one of the players in the trade, allowing four runs on seven hits over five innings in his Milwaukee debut.

 

2000 Recently acquired from Baltimore, the new Mets make a good first impression. Mike Bordick goes 2-for-3, including a home run on the first pitch he sees with the team. Rick White pitches a scoreless inning to get the win, and the other newcomer, Bubba Trammell, will homer in his first at-bat in his Met debut tomorrow.

2000 The White Sox trade catcher Brook Fordyce and three minor league pitchers to the Orioles for backstop Charles Johnson and designated hitter Harold Baines. The deal brings Baines, who will retire after playing a part-time role with the team for two seasons, back to Chicago, where he played a dozen of the most productive years of his 22-year tenure in the major leagues.

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2000 With two outs in the ninth inning at Olympic Stadium, Eddie Taubensee knots the score at 3-3 with his game-tying home run off Expos starting pitcher Javier Vazquez. The Reds catcher then homers again in the 11th off Julio Santana for the game-winner in Cincinnati's 4-3 win over Montreal.



2001 Texas rookie Craig Monroe homers in his first major league game, going deep in his second at-bat off Joe Kennedy. The 24-year-old right fielder's fifth-inning blast contributes to the Rangers' 2-0 victory over the Devil Rays at The Ballpark in Arlington.

2002 to protect the game we all love and have given so much to, we suggest you agree to a qualified mediator that will allow you to find the common ground necessary to avoid a work stoppage." - TEXT FROM 40 HALL OF FAMERS, sent to Bud Selig and Donald Fehr.
A letter signed by 40 Hall of Famers and sent to baseball commissioner Bud Selig and union head Donald Fehr urges all sides 'to protect the game we all love and have given so much to, we suggest you agree to a qualified mediator that will allow you to find the common ground necessary to avoid a work stoppage" is released. The former outstanding players, including Reggie Jackson, Willie Mays, and Warren Spahn, believe another work stoppage in baseball would be a terrible mistake.

 

2002 After playing the annual Hall of Fame exhibition game in Cooperstown, the White Sox and the Rockies announce a trade that sends veteran catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. to Colorado and class A minor-league right-hander Enemencio Pacheco to Chicago.

2002 The Phillies trade 27-year-old third baseman Scott Rolen and minor league reliever Doug Nickle to the Cardinals in exchange for infielder Placido Polanco, southpaw Bud Smith, and reliever Mike Timlin. The former Philadelphia third sacker reportedly rejected a ten-year pact estimated to be worth $140 million due to his feud with manager Larry Bowa.

2003 Bill Mueller becomes the first switch-hitter to blast two grand slams in the same game, batting left and right-handed. Not known for his power, the Red Sox third baseman, batting eighth in the Boston lineup, also goes deep in the third inning, collecting 9 RBIs in the team's 14-7 victory over the Rangers at The Ballpark in Arlington.

2004 In a 10-1 victory over the Expos, Eric Valent becomes the eighth player in franchise history to complete the cycle. After singling in the second, doubling in the third, and homering in the fifth, the Mets' utility player triples in the seventh to join Phillies David Bell, Pirates Daryle Ward, and Chad Moeller of the Brewers to accomplish the feat this season.


2006 With a 19-6 rout of the Yankees at the Stadium, the Devil Rays tie a franchise record for runs. Batting last, Tampa Bay third baseman Tomas Perez adds to the barrage with four doubles, equaling the major league mark for two baggers in one game.

2006 Julio Franco becomes the oldest player to pinch run when he takes Carlos Delgado's place on the basepaths after a pitch hits the Mets' infielder in the fourth inning. The 47-year-old pinch-runner, who will stay in the game to play first, steals second base and advances to third on the catcher's error in the Mets' 11-4 win over Atlanta at Turner Field.

2008 With a tip of his helmet, Ichiro Suzuki acknowledges the Rangers fans' ovation for his achievement of reaching 3,000 hits in professional baseball. The 34-year-old Mariners outfielder had collected 1,278 hits with the Orix Blue Wave in Japan's Pacific League, and his first-inning single off Texas right-hander Luis Mendoza was his 1,722nd hit with Seattle during eight seasons with the team.

2008 In a 4-1 win over the Marlins at Dolphin Stadium, Mets third baseman David Wright scores in his 13th consecutive game, establishing a new franchise record. Teammate Carlos Beltran had set the previous team mark in 2006.

2008 In a surprising pre-deadline trade, the banged-up Braves and the first-place Angels exchange first basemen. Atlanta sends switch-hitting slugger Mark Teixeira, acquired from Texas last July in a seven-player deal that included backstop Jarrod Saltalamacchia, to Los Angeles for Casey Kotchman and minor league pitching prospect Steve Marek.

2009 The first-place Phillies obtain Cliff Lee from the Indians to upgrade their starting rotation. The defending World Champs also get outfielder Ben Francisco in the deal, trading pitching prospects Carlos Carrasco and Jason Knapp, infielder Jason Donald, and catcher Lou Marson to get last season's AL Cy Young Award Winner.

2009 The Pirates spend a busy day on the trading block, sending 2006 batting champ Freddy Sanchez to the Giants for 20-year-old former first-round draft pick Tim Alderson, a right-hander with excellent control. The Bucs also deal shortstop Jack Wilson and pitcher Ian Snell to the Mariners for shortstop Ronny Cedeno and four minor leaguers, including triple-A catcher-first baseman Jeff Clement.

2009 The Royals play an entire game without registering a single defensive assist for the first time in franchise history in their 7-3 loss to Baltimore at Camden Yards. During Kansas City's eight innings in the field, the team records 24 outs via nine strikeouts, 13 flyouts, and two unassisted groundouts handled by first baseman Billy Butler.


2010 After Roy Oswalt approves a trade from the Astros to the Phillies, Philadelphia sends J.A. Happ, outfielder Anthony Gose, and shortstop Jonathan Villar to Houston for the three-time All-Star hurler and a considerable amount of cash. The 32-year-old right-hander compiled a respectable 3.24 ERA but posted only a 6-12 record due to a severe lack of run support.

2010 The front-running Padres traded Double-A right-hander Wynn Pelzer to the Orioles to obtain veteran infielder Miguel Tejada. San Diego hopes the 36-year-old former American League Most Valuable Player's 14 years of major league experience can help the potential playoff team on the field and at the plate.

2010 The Orioles hire 54-year-old Buck Showalter to become the club's 19th skipper. The two-time American League Manager of the Year (1994 Yankees and 2004 Rangers) took over a team with the worst record in the major leagues, 31-70, guiding Baltimore 11 games over .500 in the remaining 57 games of the season after taking the reins on August 2.

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2010 The Twins acquire Matt Capps (3-3, 2.74 ERA, 26/30 saves) and $500,000 from the Nationals for highly touted catching prospect Wilson Ramos and southpaw minor leaguer Joe Testa. Minnesota will use Washington's only All-Star as its closer, filling a void created during spring training when Joe Nathan underwent Tommy John surgery.

2011 The Phillies acquire Hunter Pence from the last-place Astros for a trio of highly-touted minor leaguers, Jarred Cosart, Jon Singleton, and Josh Zeid. The 28-year-old right-fielder joins Philadelphia with a .309 average, 11 homers, and 62 RBIs.


2013 Jason Giambi (42 years, six months, 22 days) becomes the oldest major leaguer to stroke a walk-off homer, pinch-hitting a two-run blast off Ramon Troncoso in the Indians' 3-2 come-from-behind victory over the White Sox at Progressive Field. Hank Aaron (42 years, five months, seven days) previously held the distinction with his game-winning round-tripper against Texas on July 11th, 1976.

2014 In the longest game (by time) in Cubs history, John Baker became the first position player to earn a victory since Orioles first baseman Chris Davis accomplished the feat in 2012. In the six-hour and 27-minute marathon played at Wrigley Field, the backup catcher tosses a scoreless 16th inning and then scores the winning run in the bottom of the frame, giving Chicago a 4-3 victory over Colorado.

2016 The Nationals accomplish the first 3-3-5 triple play in major league history when, with the bases loaded, Brandon Crawford lines out to first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who steps on the bag for the second out before throwing to third baseman Anthony Rendon to catch Denard Span for the third out. Washington's eighth-inning triple killing, the team's first since moving from Montreal twelve years ago, contributes to the first-place club's 4-2 victory over the Giants at AT&T Park.

2022 In a deadline deal, the Mariners acquire Luis Castillo, sending four prospects to the Reds for the 29-year-old All-Star right-hander. The surging Seattle squad, which recently put together a 14-game winning streak, retains control of their new ace until the end of next season.
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Young Ted

 

Seton Hall Pirates Craig Biggio
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“Old Days”Duke Snider and Gil Hodges are interviewed by Howard Cosell before a 1962 Dodger-Met game at the Polo Grounds.
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Oakland A's legend Vida Blue
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JULY 30 BASEBALL BIRTHDAYS
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1890 HOF Casey Stengel outfielder (World Series 1921, 22 NY Giants) and manager (7 x World Series NY Yankees; NY Mets 1st manager)


1928 Joe Nuxhall, pitcher and sportscaster (youngest MLB player at 15 years, 316 days)'


1934 Bud Selig Hall of Fame team owner (Milwaukee Brewers) and executive (MLB Commissioner 1998-2015

1957 Clint Hurdle player and manager,


1962 Tom Pagnozzi catcher (St Louis Cardinals)


1971 Ron Blazier pitcher (Philadelphia Phillies)


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This Day in Baseball History
July 30th​

1913 Ivey Wingo swipes second, third, and home in the Cardinals' 9-1 rout of Boston at Robison Field in St. Louis. The Redbirds' catcher accomplishes the stolen base cycle in the same frame, stealing all three bases in the bottom of the second inning.

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1917 The Tigers collect 21 hits during a 16-4 rout of Washington at At Griffith Stadium. Ty Cobb, Bobby Veach, and Ossie Vitt, batting second, third, and fourth in the lineup, all enjoy a 5-for-5 day at the plate.

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1930 In the first night game ever played by a major league team, the American Association's Indianapolis Indians defeat the Reds in an exhibition game, 17-5. The big floodlights illuminating West Washington Street Park make it difficult for the players to judge distances when fielding balls in play.

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1933 Dizzy Dean sets a modern major league record by striking out 17 in the Cardinals’ 8-2 victory over the Cubs. Batterymate Jimmie Wilson also sets a new mark by recording 18 putouts in the Sportsman's Park contest.

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1947 Ewell Blackwell's 16-game winning streak ends when the Giants defeat the Reds in ten innings, 6-5. During his run, 'the Whip' completes every game and throws five shutouts, including a no-hitter.

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1951 Retired Hall of Famer Ty Cobb testifies before Emanuel Celler's Congressional committee in Washington, D.C. The 'Georgia Peach' denies the reserve clause makes 'peons' out of baseball players and says it is necessary to keep the competitive balance in the game.


1959 Willie McCovey collects four hits, including two triples, in four at-bats at Seals Stadium in his major league debut. The Giant freshman first baseman, who will be selected the league's Rookie of the Year despite his late call-up, will hit 13 home runs in just 52 games.


1960 "Most people my age are dead at the present time." - CASEY STENGEL, quipping about being a septuagenarian. Despite the rainout at Yankee Stadium, Yankee manager Casey Stengel celebrates his 70th birthday in the Bronx ballpark, with his wife Edna and GM George Weiss enjoying the festivities. The 'Old Professor' and Connie Mack will be the only two skippers to manage into their seventies until being joined by Jack McKeon, who pilots the Marlins to a World Championship in 2003, as well as Frank Robinson (2002-2006) and Davey Johnson (2011-2013), both leading the Nationals.

 

1962 After leaving the team bus to find a restroom three days ago and trying to fly to Israel, pitcher Gene Conley returns to the Red Sox after sending a telegram yesterday to manager Mike Higgins explaining he was tired and had other plans. Boston owner Tom Yawkey fines the AWOL player $2000, refunding the money at the end of the season when the right-hander keeps his promise to rededicate himself to the team.

1966 In the franchise's fifth season, the Mets experience their first winning month when they beat Chicago at Shea Stadium, 6-3. The Amazins will finish July with another victory tomorrow with an 18-14 record en route to finishing the campaign 29 games below .500.the first time in their existence, the Mets are not a last-place team, finishing ninth 7½ games in front of the Cubs.

1968 In a 10-1 loss to the Indians, Senator shortstop Ron Hansen becomes the eighth major leaguer and the first since 1927 to execute an unassisted triple play. All five American League unassisted triple killings have included a Cleveland player.

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1969 With his team trailing 8-0 in the third inning of the nightcap against the Astros, Mets manager Gil Hodges walks past Nolan Ryan on the mound and continues into the Shea Stadium outfield, where he asks Cleon Jones to leave the game after a brief conversation with the left fielder. At the time, reports indicated the star player suffered a leg injury fielding Johnny Edwards' double, with many believing the skipper demonstrating he would not tolerate a lack of hustle on his team.

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1969 Braves catcher Bob Tillman hits three consecutive home runs, going deep in the second, fourth, and sixth inning, off southpaw starter Grant Jackson. The 32-year-old light-hitting backstop's offensive output helps Atlanta beat the Phillies in the opener of a twin bill at Connie Mack Stadium, 6-3.

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1969 The Astros, nursing a slim two-run lead starting the top of the ninth, rout the Mets,16-3, scoring 11 runs thanks to seven hits, four walks, and one passed ball. Houston becomes the third major league team to hit two grand slams in one inning when Denis Menke and Jimmy Wynn go deep in the first game of a Shea Stadium twin bill Jimmy Wynn and Norm Miller score on each bases-loaded home run

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1971 John Kennedy comments, 'Looks like we've got our own spaceman,' when he cannot get to his locker through the crowd of reporters talking with southpaw Bill Lee about the Apollo 15 moon landing. The Red Sox utility infielder's nickname Spaceman for the southpaw sticks, a moniker his eccentric teammate never fully embraces, claiming Mother Earth has always been his priority.

Bill Lee​

1973 Freshman Ranger right-hander Jim Bibby, a Vietnam veteran, becomes the 14th rookie to throw a no-hitter and the first hurler in franchise history to accomplish the feat. The 28-year-old right-hander, obtained in a June 6th trade with the Cardinals, strikes out 13 batters while holding the World Champions A's hitless in a 3-0 Texas victory at the Oakland Coliseum.

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1975 Jose Sosa becomes the first Astros player in the franchise's 14-year history to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat. The relief pitcher belts a three-run homer off Danny Frisella during an 8-4 victory over the Padres at San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium.

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1975 Pat Darcy goes the distance, beating San Francisco at Riverfront Stadium, 6-1. The contest is the first complete game thrown by a Reds pitcher in 45 consecutive starts by the Cincinnati staff, snapping their record streak without one.

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1980 During a workout at the Astrodome, Houston hurler J.R. Richard, who had complained about a dead feeling in his arm several times, suffers a stroke attempting to throw for the first time since being hospitalized for tests. Emergency surgery removes a blood clot behind his right collarbone, but the Astros' fireballer will never pitch in the major leagues again.


1982 The first-place Braves remove Chief Noc-A-Homa's tipi from the unoccupied section of the bleachers so that the team can make more seats available during sellouts. After the team blows a 10.5 game lead, losing 19 out of its next 21 games, the fans will pressure the management to reinstate the mascot's home, which appears to end the skid for the eventual division champs.

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1987 Although Bulova promised a watch to any player hitting the clock high above the Ebbets Field scoreboard, Bama Rowell of the Braves didn't receive the timepiece, whose 1946 blast inspired the glass-shattering homer by Roy Hobbs, Bernard Malamud's hero in The Natural.
The company corrects the injustice more than 40 years later when the former outfielder receives his wristwatch on 'Bama Rowell' Day in Citronella (AL), the honoree's hometown.

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1988 John Franco establishes the major league record for the most saves in the month when he records the final two outs in Cincinnati's 2-0 victory over San Diego at Jack Murphy Stadium. The Reds' reliever, who retires future Hall of Famers Roberto Alomar and Tony Gwynn to record his 13th save in June, betters the mark he had shared with Sparky Lyle, Bruce Sutter, and Bob Stanley.

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1990 In a stunning decision by George Steinbrenner, the Yankee owner agrees to go on the permanent ineligible list, amounting to a virtual lifetime ban from the team's day-to-day operation. 'The Boss,' reinstated in 1993, agrees to the dire consequences of the "agreement," not wanting to jeopardize his relationship with the U.S. Olympic Committee if he were to be "suspended" from the game.
As word begins to circulate at Yankee Stadium about George Steinbrenner's permanent removal as the team's owner, many of the 24,037 fans in attendance start chanting, "No More George! No More George!" After a long day of turmoil, the 'Boss' learns of the fans' glee, much to his chagrin, when he watches the 11 p.m. local television news.

1996 The Giants trade starting pitcher Mark Leiter to the Expos for Kirk Rueter, who will compile a 105-70 record during his ten-year tenure with San Francisco. Al's right-handed brother will post a 4-2 mark during his one season playing north of the border.

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1999 Phillies Paul Byrd right-hander plunks Braves catcher Eddie Perez on the back, precipitating a bench-clearing brawl between the two unfriendly ball clubs. With the battle raging on, the angry batter overhears the two instigators praying together when the pitcher's prayer for forgiveness.

 

2001 The Twins get Mets starter Rick Reed for outfielder and leadoff batter Matt Lawton. The 36-year-old right-hander, an All-Star this season, had compiled an 8-6 record with a 3.86 ERA with New York before the deal.

2003 Battling a 5-for-36 slump, Jose Valentin hits three home runs in a 15-4 victory over the Royals. The White Sox shortstop becomes the first switch-hitter in baseball history to have a three-homer game in the American and National Leagues, having accomplished the feat with the Brewers in 1998.

2003 The Cubs obtain center fielder Doug Glanville from the Rangers in exchange for cash and outfielder/first baseman prospect Jason Fransz, who will not appear in a major league game. The Chicago flychaser will play in only 28 games, hitting just .235 for his new ball club.

2004 In a blockbuster trade, the Marlins deal Brad Penny, Hee Seop Choi, and southpaw prospect Bill Murphy to the Dodgers for backstop Paul Lo Duca, relief pitcher Guillermo Mota, and much-traveled outfielder Juan Encarnacion.

2006 The Yankees trade four minor leaguers (shortstop C.J. Henry, southpaw Matt Smith, catcher Jesus Sanchez, and right-hander Carlos Monasterios) to the Phillies for outfielder Bobby Abreu and right-hander Cory Lidle. New York assumes responsibility for Abreu's contract, which includes the remaining portion of the $13.5 million for this season, $15.5 million for next year, and a $16 million option for 2008 with a $2 million buyout.

2006 Eighteen individuals, the largest number ever selected, are inducted into the Hall of Fame. The group consists of 17 persons who had participated in the pre-Negro Leagues or Negro Leagues, including Effa Manley, the first woman to enter the Hall, and Bruce Sutter, the fourth reliever enshrined in Cooperstown.

 

2007 The Hall of Fame induction of Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn takes in front of a record crowd of an estimated 75,000 fans and an unprecedented number of 53 Hall of Famers. Joining the ballplayers on the dais are longtime radio voice of the Royals Denny Matthews, the recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award given to outstanding broadcasters, and Post-Dispatch beat writer Rick Hummel, the J.G. Taylor Spink Award honoree for his exceptional coverage of the Cardinals.

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2008 The Yankees, in need of a catcher due to Jorge Posada's season-ending surgery, obtain 13-time Gold Glove winner Ivan Rodriguez from the Tigers in exchange for reliever Kyle Farnsworth. The 36-year-old All-Star backstop waives his no-trade clause to go to New York, which completes the deal a day before the trading deadline.

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2008 The Royals, with a 4-3 victory at McAfee Coliseum, sweep the A's in Oakland for the first time in two decades. The last time Kansas City broke out the broom in O-town was in June of 1988.

2008 In a slugfest at Progressive Field, the Tigers defeat the Indians in 13 innings, 14-12. Cleveland catcher Kelly Shoppach's five extra-base hits in one game, two home runs and three doubles, ties a major league record.

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2010 The Rockies establish a major league mark by banging out 11 consecutive hits, four singles, four doubles, two homers, and a triple, in their 17-2 clobbering of the Cubs at Coors Field. Colorado sends 18 batters to the plate in their twelve-run eighth inning, collecting 13 hits to set a franchise record in a single frame.

 

2011 The Orioles trade Derrek Lee to the Pirates in exchange for minor-leaguer Aaron Baker, who will report to Class A Frederick. The Bucs hope their new good-fielding first baseman can provide some pop to the lineup as the team tries to stay in contention in the competitive NL Central Division race.

2011 The Indians announce they have completed a trade with the Rockies for Ubaldo Jimenez. The deal sends highly-touted minor league pitchers Alex White and Drew Pomeranz, right-handed prospect Joe Gardner, and utility player Matt McBride to Colorado for the Dominican ace that the Tribe hopes will anchor their rotation down the stretch.

2011 The Indians trade veteran infielder Orlando Cabrera (.244, 4, 38) to the Giants for minor league prospect Thomas Neal. In 60 games with Triple-A Fresno, the Tribe's newest outfielder hit .295, along with two homers, and drove in 25 runs.

2012 Kendrys Morales became the third switch-hitter to homer as a lefty and righty in the same inning, going deep twice during the Angels' nine-run sixth in the team's 15-8 victory over Texas at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim DH joins Carlos Baerga (1993) and Mark Bellhorn (2002), who also homered from both sides of the plate in the same frame.

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2013 In a three-team, seven-player deal, the Red Sox obtain Jake Peavy from the White Sox, with third baseman Jose Iglesias sent to the Tigers as part of the transaction that includes Avisail Garcia, the player the Red Sox acquired from Detroit, going to Chicago. Boston's new right-hander gives the eventual World Champs another proven starting pitcher in their rotation, helping to fill the void created by the injury suffered by Clay Buchholz.

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2014 Felix Hernandez becomes the first pitcher in major league history to make 14 consecutive starts of at least seven innings while allowing two runs or less. The Mariners right-hander, known as 'King Felix,' breaks the record previously held by Tom Seaver, who established the mark in 1971 while pitching for the Mets.

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