BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

2001 In a rare deal between the crosstown rivals, the Yankees trade outfielder/DH David Justice (.241, 18, 51) to the Mets for third baseman Robin Ventura (.237, 21, 61). The teams had exchanged players only six times in forty years, with the last time being in 1992 when the Mets dealt Frank Tanana for Kenny Greer, a minor league pitcher.

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2004 The Executive Board of the Players' Association authorizes union head Donald Fehr and their lawyers to work on a new agreement that will better address the steroid problem in major league baseball. In light of the BALCO scandal, the 40 players attending the meeting appeared to agree with the owners that there is a need for more frequent and stricter testing.

2004 After refusing a $60 million, four-year extension from the Red Sox last winter, Nomar Garciaparra signs a one-year deal with the Cubs, the team he was traded to in July, for $8 million. The All-Star shortstop, who is coming off an injury-plagued season, can increase the contract's value with bonus incentives based on performance and playing time to $11 million.

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2005 The Rangers trade Alfonso Soriano to the Nationals for outfielders Brad Wilkerson and Terrmel Sledge, along with minor league pitching prospect Armando Galarraga. By dumping the All-Star second baseman's salary, Texas frees up funds to seek much-needed pitching.

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2005 The Diamondbacks acquire All-Star catcher Johnny Estrada (.261, 4, 39) from the Braves for a pair of right-handed relievers, Lance Cormier (7-3, 5.11) and Oscar Villarreal (2-0, 5.27). The deal, which is the first for Arizona's new general manager Josh Byrnes, fills the D-Backs' need for a starting backstop and provides Atlanta to give emerging rookie Brian McCann more playing time.

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2006 Near the end of the Winter Meetings, the Royals sign Gil Meche to a five-year deal valued at $55 million, matching Mike Sweeney's contract as the largest in franchise history. During his five years in the major leagues, all with the Mariners, the 28-year-old right-hander compiled a 55-44 career record with an earned-run average of 4.65 in 147 games.

 

2009 The Lowell Spinners, the Red Sox short-season affiliate, well-known for their unique promotional events, publicly extend an invitation to Michaele and Tareq Salahi to attend the team's Eighth Annual Alumni Dinner to be held later this month at the city's Memorial Auditorium. The infamous couple has become recently newsworthy for their appearance at a White House State Dinner without being included on the guest list.

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2009 Brad Penny and the Cardinals come to terms on a one-year deal, which will pay the right-hander $7.5 million, with an additional $1.5 million available in incentives. After compiling a 7-8 record with a 5.61 ERA and being moved to the bullpen by the Red Sox, the two-time All-Star hurler (2006, 2007) asks Boston to release him, which allows the 31-year-old to finish the season with San Francisco.

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2009 Adam Everett and the Tigers agree to a one-year, $1.55 million deal, keeping the infielder in Detroit. The slick-fielding shortstop batted .238 with three homers and 44 RBIs for the second-place club last season.

2009 Carl Pavano accepts the Twins' salary arbitration offer, keeping the right-hander with Minnesota next season. The Southington, CT native posted a 5-4 record with a 4.64 ERA in a dozen starts for the team after being obtained from Cleveland in August.

2011 The Marlins continue to sign prime free agents when they reach a deal with 32-year-old southpaw Mark Buehrle (13-9, 3.59) for $58 million over four years. Miami has also come to terms with shortstop Jose Reyes, and closer Heath Bell and are pursuing super-star Albert Pujols and starting pitcher C.J. Wilson.

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2011 In separate deals with free agents, the Pirates sign left-handed starter Erik Bedard and outfielder Nate McLouth, who played with the franchise from 2005 to 2009. The Bucs' new southpaw compiled a 5-9 record last season with Seattle and Boston, and the 30-year-old Gold Glove flycatcher returns to the Steel City three years after being traded to Atlanta, where he hit .229 in 250 games.

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2011 The Astros hire Jeff Luhnow as the team's general manager to replace Ed Wade, who was fired last month in the first major moves made by the new owner Jim Crane. The 45 year-old new GM, a vice president with St. Louis since 2003, will try to improve upon Houston's 56-106 finish last season, the worst record in franchise history.

2011 Tim McCarver is named the Ford C. Frick Award recipient, becoming the second television analyst, joining Tony Kubek to win the broadcasting excellence award. The former catcher and longtime broadcaster has provided regional analysis for the Mets, Yankees, and Phillies, as well as appearing on the national stage doing the Game of the Week and postseason telecasts for NBC, CBS, and FOX.

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2011 At the Winter Meetings, Jose Reyes is introduced as the Marlins' new shortstop. The 28-year-old switch-hitting infielder, the NL's batting champ, signed a six-year, $106 million contract to play with Miami after the cash-strapped Mets showed little interest in retaining their homegrown All-Star.

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2012 The Nationals bolster an already solid rotation when the team signs veteran Dan Haren to a one-year deal for $13 million. The 32-year-old right-hander joins starters Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Gio Gonzalez, and Ross Detwiler.

2013 Center Fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and the Yankees agree to a seven-year deal, valued around $153 million, joining Brian McCann as the team's second major free-agent signing this week. The outfielder, who played a major role in the Red Sox' World Championship last season, also received offers from the Tigers, his former team, and the Mariners.

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2015 The Diamondbacks obtain right-handed starter Shelby Miller from the Braves for outfielder Ender Inciarte, pitching prospect Aaron Blair, and Dansby Swanson, the first player selected in this year's MLB June Amateur Draft. The deal marks the first time a #1 overall pick has been traded within the first year of their career, a move made possible because teams are now allowed to trade recently drafted picks after the World Series.

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Today in Baseball History
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On December 7 in Baseball History...

• • 1937 - The Red Sox acquire the contract of 19-year-old Ted Williams from San Diego of the Pacific Coast League, but he will not report to Boston until 1939.
    
  • 1939 - Lou Gehrig, age 36, is elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame. Gehrig, whose illness forced an end his streak of 2,130 consecutive games played, hit 493 home runs and batted .340 over his career. He is the first player to have the existing rule waived that required a player to be retired one year before he could be elected.
    
  • 1957 - The Associated Press votes Tony Kubek of the Yanks as the Rookie of the Year. Frank Malzone of the Red Sox, the only other candidate, receives one vote.
    
  • 1973 - In a continuing housecleaning of hometown heroes, the Giants sell future Hall of Famer Juan Marichal to the Red Sox.
    
  • 1988 - The Rangers sign free-agent pitcher Nolan Ryan to a one-year contract.
    

Baseball Birthdays on December 7...

• • 1847 - White, Deacon
  • 1863 - Lovett, Tom
  • 1877 - Ferris, Hobe
  • 1885 - Yount, Ducky
  • 1886 - Schang, Bobby
  • 1896 - Davis, Bud
  • 1899 - Morris, Ed
  • 1901 - Judd, Ralph
  • 1906 - Piet, Tony
  • 1911 - Galehouse, Denny
  • 1911 - Johnson, Don
  • 1915 - Gee, Johnny
  • 1915 - Smith, Vinnie
  • 1916 - Comellas, Jorge
  • 1926 - Roche, Armando
  • 1927 - Donovan, Dick
  • 1930 - Freeman, Mark
  • 1930 - Smith, Hal
  • 1935 - Cardwell, Don
  • 1936 - Belinsky, Bo
  • 1941 - Toppin, Rupe
  • 1942 - Johnson, Alex
  • 1947 - Bench, Johnny
  • 1950 - Coggins, Rich
  • 1951 - Dade, Paul
  • 1955 - Thompson, Scot
  • 1956 - Virgil, Ozzie
  • 1963 - Mack, Shane
  • 1963 - Bates, Billy
  • 1963 - Austin, Jim
  • 1963 - Howard, Steve
  • 1967 - Martinez, Tino
  • 1972 - Dale, Carl
  • 1974 - Bell, Mike
  • 1977 - Chavez, Eric

Copyright � 2001-2007 All Rights Reserved.
Part of the Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Around the Horn | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Today in Baseball History.​

 

12/8
BIRTHDAYS
1923 Joe Burke president KC Royals 1981-92), born in Louisville, Kentucky (d. 1992)

1940 Brant Alyeal player


1941 Ed Brinkman player


1950 Tim Foli player


1968 Mike Mussina HOF pitcher (5 x MLB All Star; 7 x Gold Glove Award; Baltimore Orioles, NY Yankees), born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania


1978 Vernon Wells III center fielder (Toronto Blue Jays; 3-time MLB All-Star & Gold Glove), born in Shreveport, Louisiana


1981 Jeremy Accardo, born in Phoenix, Arizona

 

FROM MLB's This Day in Baseball History+​

1914 Afraid of losing his unsigned second baseman to the upstart Federal League, Connie Mack sells Eddie Collins to the White Sox for the hefty sum of $50,000. The A's have already lost Eddie Plank and Chief Bender to the new league.

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1941 Yesterday's bombing of Pearl Harbor and America's sudden involvement in the war change the tentative plans of American League owners, who were considering shifting a franchise. At their meeting, the group would have considered moving the Browns from St. Louis to Los Angeles.

1947 Brooklyn acquires infielder Billy Cox and southpaw Preacher Roe from the Pirates, and both will play vital roles in the Dodgers' successes during the next decade. The deal, which includes utility player Gene Mauch, sends hurlers Vic Lombardi, Al Gregg, and Dixie Walker, a former batting champ who asked to be traded in the spring because he didn't want to play with Jackie Robinson, to Pittsburgh.

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1961 The Mets purchase outfielder Richie Ashburn from the Cubs. The veteran outfielder, who will be the club's first-ever representative on the National League's All-Star team, will be given a boat after being named the Most Valuable Player of the last-place team, which unfortunately will sink before he uses it.

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1966 The Yankees trade two-time MVP Roger Maris to the Cardinals for third baseman Charley Smith, who will hit only .224 during his two-year tenure in New York. The former Bronx Bomber outfielder will play a vital role in the Redbirds' World Championship next season, helping the club win another pennant the following year.

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1980 The first significant trade ever made at the annual winter meeting occurs in Dallas when Padres' reliever Rollie Fingers and Cardinals' catcher Terry Kennedy are the key players involved in an eleven-player swap.

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1983 Southpaw Sid Fernandez is traded by the Dodgers, along with utility infielder Ross Jones, to the Mets in exchange for infielder/outfielder Bob Bailor and left-hander Carlos Diaz. 'El Sid' will compile a 98-78 record along with a very respectable ERA of 3.14 during his ten-year tenure with New York.

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1988 Free-agent southpaw Bruce Hurst agrees to a three-year, $5.25 million deal to pitch for the Padres. The left-hander leaves the Red Sox, the only major league team he has known, after compiling an 88-73 record during nine seasons with Boston.

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1992 Former Pirates outfielder Barry Bonds signs the richest contract in major league history when he agrees to a $43-million, six-year deal to play for the Giants. The free-agent will not disappoint the San Francisco fans, winning the National League Most Valuable Player award, his third in four years, when he hits a career-high .336 batting average to go along with 46 homers and 123 RBIs.

1992 Replacing Lee MacPhail, the owners elect Dr. Bobby Brown to be the American League president. The former Yankee infielder, now a heart specialist, will serve in the post until 1994.

2005 After signing the two-time Gold Glove shortstop to a four-year, $40 million deal, the Red Sox trade Edgar Renteria to the Braves for third base prospect Andy Marte. The 30-year-old Colombian infielder, who led the majors with 30 errors last season, will fill the void created when Atlanta's free-agent Rafael Furcal signed with the Dodgers earlier this week.

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2005 The Pirates send southpaw Dave Williams (10-11, 4.41) to the Reds for Pittsburgh area native Sean Casey. The popular first baseman, dubbed 'The Mayor' because of his outgoing personality, becomes expendable as Cincinnati seeks to bolster its pitching to complement the team's heavy-hitting lineup.

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2005 Julio Franco, the oldest player in the major leagues, signs a two-year deal with the Mets. The 47-year-old is the last active player who was born in the 1950s.

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2007 In U.S. District Court, Barry Bonds pleads not guilty to five felony charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. Four years ago, the sworn testimony to a grand jury given by the new home run king, in which he denied using performance-enhancing drugs, is now being challenged by the federal government.

2008 Receiving 10 of a possible 12 votes (83.3%), Joe Gordon is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. The 1942 Most Valuable Player, who played second base for the Yankees and Indians, was a nine-time All-Star and played on five World Series champion teams.

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2009 As a result of a three-team, seven-player transaction, Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson leave the Tigers to play for the Yankees and Diamondbacks, respectively, and New York deals right-hander Ian Kennedy to Arizona. The Bronx Bombers also send Phil Coke and Austin Jackson to Detroit, and the D-Backs trade Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth to the Motor City.

2009 Peter Gammons, who won the 2004 J.G. Taylor Spink Award for his outstanding work as a baseball journalist, announces he will be leaving ESPN to join the fledgling MLB Network as an analyst. The 64-year-old reporter says he will miss his former employer of the past twenty years but is excited about working in a venue which is "devoted to baseball, and baseball only."

2009 Avoiding arbitration, Mark Teahen and the White Sox agree to a $14 million, three-year deal. The 28-year-old third baseman, acquired in a trade with the Royals last month for infielders Chris Getz and Josh Fields, would have been eligible for free agency after the 2011 season.

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2009 Chone Figgins (.298, 5, 54) and the Mariners finalized the $36 million, four-year deal which will bring the former L.A. Angel to Seattle. The 31-year-old infielder, who primarily played third, will switch to a new position if free-agent Adrian Beltre, the team's current third baseman, returns to the team after an injury-plagued season.

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2011 In the first of their two major free-agent acquisitions today, the Angels sign former Texas ace C. J. Wilson to a five-year, $77.5 million deal. Later in the day, the 31-year-old southpaw will be delighted to hear one of his new teammates will be Albert Pujols three-time NL MVP, who will sign a 10-year deal with the Halos for a reported $254 million had compiled a .328 batting average and hit 445 career home runs during his 11-year tenure in the major leagues.

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2012 International Olympic Committee votes in favor of allowing host cities to propose including one or more additional events for their games. The decision clears the way that baseball and softball may be included in the 2020 Tokyo Games because of their popularity in Japan after the IOC dropped both for the Beijing Games twelve years ago.

2015 Amanda Hopkins is hired by the A's as a full-time major league scout, becoming the first female to hold that position in over seventy years. The 22-year-old former Central Washington University softball captain, whose dad is also a scout, joins Edith Houghton and Bessie Largent, pioneers who held similar positions with the Phillies and White Sox, respectively, in the 1930s and 1940s.

2017 Shohei Ohtani, a prized Japanese pitcher as well a power hitter, comes to terms with the Angels with a very reasonable signing agreement. Los Angeles will place the 23-year-old Oshe native, one of the most widely-sought prospects in baseball history, atop their starting rotation and in the middle of their lineup.

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44,703

 

Today in Baseball History
Home | Contact | Baseball Almanac | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Advertise | Support​

Search archives: Historical Events Baseball Birthdays Baseball Deaths
On December 8 in Baseball History...

• • 1914 - After weeks of rumors, the bomb drops: Connie Mack sells Eddie Collins, generally regarded as the game's finest position player, to the White Sox for $50,000. Collins signs a five-year contract worth $75,000 and gets $15,000 as a signing bonus. The deal breaks up the A's "$100,000 infield" and raises conjecture that Mack, too, will leave to manage the Yankees.
    
  • 1951 - The AL alters its restrictions on night games, adopting the NL's suspended game rule and lifting its ban on lights for Sunday games.
    
  • 1977 - Texas engineers a series of deals with the Braves, Mets, and Pirates, unloading a total of six players and getting three back. Among those involved are Jon Matlack and Al Oliver (to Texas), Bert Blyleven (to Pittsburgh), and Willie Montanez (to New York).
    
  • 1983 - Owners elect former Yankees infielder Bobby Brown as president of the American League.
    
  • 1997 - It's a busy day in Cleveland. The Indians sign Kenny Lofton to a three-year contract for $24 million (ironically, Cleveland traded Lofton to Atlanta in March 1997 because he was due to be a free agent). The Tribe, in turn, trades 1997 ALCS MVP Marquis Grissom to Milwaukee, which finished second in the Lofton free agent chase. Grissom, who came to Cleveland in the Lofton deal in March, goes to the Brewers along with Jeff Juden for Ben McDonald, Mike Fetters, and Ron Villone. The Indians aren't done yet; they swap Fetters to Oakland for Steve Karsay, and sign free agent pitcher Dwight Gooden.

Baseball Birthdays on December 8...

• • 1853 - Libby, Steve
  • 1856 - Rowe, Jack
  • 1868 - Halligan, Jocko
  • 1874 - Connor, Joe
  • 1877 - Thomas, Bill
  • 1879 - Thoney, Jack
  • 1879 - Austin, Jimmy
  • 1883 - Wacker, Charlie
  • 1885 - Kirkpatrick, Enos
  • 1887 - Dent, Eddie
  • 1889 - Redding, Phil
  • 1890 - McGraw, John
  • 1892 - Johnson, Walt
  • 1894 - Ledbetter, Razor
  • 1899 - Hehl, Jake
  • 1900 - Solomon, Mose
  • 1907 - Beckmann, Bill
  • 1918 - Zoldak, Sam
  • 1925 - Thompson, Hank
  • 1937 - Pagliaroni, Jim
  • 1940 - Alyea, Brant
  • 1941 - Brinkman, Ed
  • 1946 - Foster, Alan
  • 1950 - Foli, Tim
  • 1956 - Wirth, Alan
  • 1960 - Mizerock, John
  • 1965 - Orton, John
  • 1965 - Grotewold, Jeff
  • 1967 - McGraw, Tom
  • 1968 - Mussina, Mike
  • 1971 - Alston, Garvin
  • 1972 - Cabrera, Jolbert
  • 1973 - Davanon, Jeff
  • 1975 - Barkley, Brian
  • 1978 - Wells, Vernon

Copyright � 2001-2007. All Rights Reserved.
Part of the Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Around the Horn | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Today in Baseball History.​

 

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