BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

2001 Several hours before a midnight deadline, Barry Bonds accepts the Giants' offer of salary arbitration. San Francisco's decision to go to arbitration avoids a bidding war for their franchise player, and this season's National League MVP will be likely worth at least $20 million for one year of service.

2001 Free agent Moises Alou (.331, 27, 108) signs a $27 million, three-year deal with the Cubs. The former Astro All-Star's presence in the Chicago lineup, along with Fred McGriff and Sammy Sosa, gives the team a fearsome 3-4-5 threesome.

2002 Japan's most heralded player, 28-year-old outfield slugger Hideki Matsui (.334, 50, 107), reaches a preliminary agreement with the Yankees on a $21 million, three-year contract. 'Godzilla,' the three-time Most Valuable Player of Japan's Central League, rejected the Yomiuri Giants' $33 million, four-year offer, opting to play for Bronx Bombers.

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2003 Agreeing to a $6 million, two-year contract with the Angels, Jose Guillen (.311, 31, 86) will become the team's right fielder next season. The deal allows Tim Salmon to become Anaheim's full-time designated hitter.

2003 Kevin Millwood, who made $9.9 million in his first season with the Phillies, accepts the team's surprise offer of salary arbitration, keeping the right-hander in Philadelphia for at least one more season. The All-Star hurler, whose salary will be determined by an arbitration panel in February if necessary, will anchor an outstanding rotation that includes Randy Wolf, Vicente Padilla, Eric Milton, and Brett Myers.

2003 Gary Deporter, the managing partner of the late broadcaster Harry Caray's area restaurants, submits the winning bid of $106,600 to obtain the foul ball that Steve Bartman deflected, which kept the Cubs from getting a much-needed out during Game 6 of the NLCS. Plans call for the ball's destruction as an act of exorcism during a worldwide toast to Harry on his birthday, February 26.

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2006 The Yankees purchase left-handed pitcher Kei Igawa from the Hanshin Tigers for a $26 million posting fee, signing the Eiji Sawamura Award winner to a five-year deal worth another $20 million. The deal, prompted by Boston's signing of Daisuke Matsuzaka, will be disastrous for the Bronx Bombers when the 27-year-old southpaw compiles a 2-4 record in 14 starts and an ERA of 6.66 over two seasons.

2007 "If he doesn't do that then there aren't many options as a fan for me other than to believe his career 192 wins and three Cy Youngs he won prior to 1997 were the end. From that point on the numbers were attained through using (performance-enhancing drugs). Just like I stated about Jose (Canseco), if that is the case with Roger, the four Cy Youngs should go to the rightful winners, and the numbers should go away if he cannot refute the accusations." - CURT SCHILLING, urging Roger Clemens to renounce the final four of seven CYAs if obtained with PED assistance.

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The veteran Red Sox hurler acknowledged the help the 354-game winner gave him as a young pitcher but wanted to stay consistent, noting he previously urged Jose Canseco to forfeit the 1988 AL MVP award due to the slugger's use of steroids.

2008 The Dodgers confirmed they have inked their current shortstop, Rafael Furcal, to a three-year deal believed to be worth $33 million. Braves president John Schuerholz thought he had an agreement with the 31-year-old infielder earlier in the week, described the negotiation for the free agent as dishonest, and said his team would never again deal with the Wasserman Media Group.

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2008 The Marlins have come to terms with Josh Johnson, who is slotted to be their No. 1 starter next season. The right-hander, who returned from elbow surgery in midseason to compile a 7-1 record for the third-place Fish, agrees to a one-year, $1.4 million deal, including incentives for the number of games started in 2009.

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2008 Agreeing to stay in Anaheim, Juan Rivera (.246, 12, 45) agrees to a $12.7 million, three-year deal to roam the Angels' outfield. The 30-year-old Venezuelan, the team's best pinch-hitter, going 5-for-14, including two game-winning hits, could also be the club's designated hitter.


2009 Scott Rolen agrees to a two-year contract extension to stay with the Reds, a team he was dealt to in July by Toronto for third baseman Edwin Encarnacion and pitchers Josh Roenicke and Zach Stewart. The seven-time Gold Glove winner appeared in only 40 games for Cincinnati, having his playing time diminished after getting hit in the head by a Jason Marquis fastball shortly after the trade.

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2010 The Brewers obtain 27-year-old right-handed starter Zack Greinke, shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt, and cash considerations from the Royals in exchange for shortstop Alcides Escobar, outfielder Lorenzo Cain, and pitching prospects Jake Odorizzi and Jeremy Jeffress. The acquisition of the 2009 American League Cy Young winner bolsters a strong Milwaukee rotation that includes Shaun Marcum, a recent addition from Toronto in a deal that sent second-base prospect Brett Lawrie to the Blue Jays.

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2011 After offering a reported posting fee of $51.7 million, the Rangers win the rights to negotiate exclusively with Yu Darvish, the 25-year-old right-hander Japanese pitching ace of the Nippon Ham Fighters. Texas now has thirty days to sign the two-time MVP, who posted a 93-38 record and a 1.99 earned run average during his seven seasons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball Pacific League.

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2011 The Phillies finalize a $33 million, three-year deal with Jimmy Rollins (.268, 16, 63), including a vesting option for 2015 at $11 million. The 33-year-old shortstop has been integral to Philadelphia's recent success of winning five consecutive NL East titles and the 2008 world championship.

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2011 The Diamondbacks and free-agent Jason Kubel agree on a two-year deal worth a reported $15 million. Arizona expects the former long-time Minnesota outfielder to add more punch to the reigning NL champs' offense.

2014 The Rays complete a three-team, 11-player trade that sends outfielder Wil Myers, backstop Ryan Hanigan, and minor league prospects LHP Jose Castillo and RHP Gerardo Reyes to the Padres for catcher Rene Rivera, right-hander Burch Smith, and minor-league first baseman Jake Bauers. Tampa Bay also acquires outfielder Steven Souza and LHP prospect Travis Ott from the Nationals, who received RHP farmhand Joe Ross and a player to be named later, reported to be minor-league shortstop Trea Turner from San Diego.

2014 Major League Baseball bestows the unprecedented title of commissioner emeritus to Bud Selig, effective January 25, the day he officially retires after serving for a record twenty-three years. The new role makes 80-year old available to advise Commissioner-Elect Rob Manfred and to assist his successor with special projects.



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Dave Kingman is greeted by Cubs teammate Bill Buckner after a home run.
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1971 All-Star game scorecard from the Sporting News
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In 2001, Randy Johnson struck out 419 batters in 282 innings.

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12/20
BASEBALL BIRTHDAYS
1881 Branch Rickey HOF catcher (St. Louis Browns), manager (St. Louis Browns, St. Louis Cardinals), and executive (GM St. Louis Cardinals - 4X World Series champions, Brooklyn Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates), noted for breaking MLB color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson,


1900 Gabby Hartnett Hall of Fame catcher (MLB All Star 1933–38; NL MVP 1935; Chicago Cubs) and manager (Chicago Cubs)


1949 Cecil Cooper


1976 Aubrey Huff


1979 David DeJesus


1981 James Shields


1982 David Wright (New York Mets)
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This Day in Baseball History December 20th
1921 The Fall Classic changes to a best-of-seven series from a best-of-nine, the format used in 1903 and 1919 through 1921. Baseball Commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis cast the decisive vote, favoring the American League's plan over the National League's desire to keep the existing number of games. Landis served as a United States federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and the first commissioner of baseball from 1920 until his death. He is remembered for his resolution of the Black Sox Scandal, in which he expelled eight members of the Chicago White Sox from organized baseball for conspiring to lose the 1919 World Series and repeatedly refused their reinstatement requests.[1] His iron rule over baseball in the near quarter-century of his commissionership is generally credited with restoring public confidence in the game.

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1926 The World Champion Cardinals trade Rogers Hornsby to the Giants for Jimmy Ring and Frankie Frisch, who plays an integral role in the success of the Gashouse Gang in the 1930s after being sent to St. Louis due to a falling out with NY's manager John McGraw. The trade gets complicated when the 'Rajah' refuses to sell his 1,167 shares of the team stock back to the Redbirds at the asking price.

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1940 Connie Mack announces he has acquired the controlling interest in the A's, a team he has managed for the past 40 years, for a reported $42,000. The Philadelphia skipper, who will celebrate his 78th birthday in three days, had shared the ownership with Benjamin Shibe's heirs, who started the franchise jointly in 1901.

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1973 American League president Joe Cronin, siding with Charlie Finley, rules the Yankees cannot sign A's manager Dick Williams. The Bronx Bombers, who will eventually hire Bill Virdon to manage the team, had announced a deal with the Oakland skipper two days earlier.

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1978 Don Blasingame becomes the first American not of Japanese descent hired as a manager of a Japanese team. The former major league second baseman will pilot the cellar-dwelling Hanshin Tigers to a fourth-place finish next season, compiling a managerial record, including two seasons with the Nankai Hawks, of 180–208–28 during his four years piloting Japanese teams.

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1980 The Brewers obtain future Cy Young winners Rollie Fingers and Pete Vuckovich [1982] and catcher Ted Simmons in a seven-player deal with the Cardinals. The Brew Crew sends pitcher Lary Sorensen, outfielder Sixto Lezcano, and minor league players Dave Green and Dave LaPointe to St. Louis.

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1980 Baseball's basic agreement allows certain veterans to become free agents unless the clubs tendered contracts to the players today. The Red Sox will miss the deadline, permitting All-Stars Fred Lynn and Carlton Fisk to be eligible for free agency.

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2000 After trading their All-Star shortstop to the Mets last season, the Orioles get him back, agreeing to a two-year deal with free agent Mike Bordick. The move will send Melvin Mora, the player obtained from the Mets to replace Bordick, to the outfield, where he will be a stronger defensive player.

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2001 Hideo Nomo (13-10, 4.50), last season's American League strikeout leader with 220, inks a $13.75 million, two-year free-agent deal with the Dodgers. The former Red Sox right-hander was the National League Rookie of the Year when he broke into the majors with Los Angeles in 1995.

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2001 The Red Sox announce the Jean Yawkey Trust partners have voted unanimously to sell 100 percent of the team to a group of investors led by Marlins' owner John Henry, who also has a one-percent share of the Yankees and is Boston's managing partner-in-waiting. The price tag for a family-owned business since 1933, rumored to be $600+ million, doubles the largest amount ever spent to buy a major league team.

 

2002 After rejecting Boston's salary arbitration, Cliff Floyd (.288, 28, 79) agrees to a $26 million, four-year contract deal with the Mets. Last season, the 30-year-old outfielder ended the season with the Red Sox, also playing with the Marlins and Expos.

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2002 Hoping to fill the void after trading Eric Karros to the Cubs, the Dodgers agree with 39-year-old veteran first baseman Fred McGriff (.273, 30, 103) on a one-year deal. The 'Crime Dog,' who has played for the Blue Jays, Padres, Braves, Devil Rays, and the Cubs, with 478 career homers, is fourth among active players behind Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro.

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2004 Free agent Carl Pavano signs a four-year deal worth $39.95 million to pitch for the Yankees. The oft-injured Southington (CT) right-hander, who tossed over 220 innings en route to winning 18 games for the World Champion Marlins last season, appears in only 26 games in his three years with the Bronx Bombers, posting a 9-8 record with a 5.00 ERA in during his 145 innings on the mound.

2005 The World Champion White Sox finalizes the trade with the Diamondbacks, , reliever Luis Vizcaino, and minor league outfield prospect Chris Young go to Arizona to complete the deal.bringing starter Javier Vazquez and $4 million to the Windy City. T

 

2007 Dontrelle Willis and the Tigers agree to a $29 million, three-year contract extension. Detroit obtained the affable southpaw and Miguel Cabrera from the Marlins in a blockbuster trade at the winter meetings for six talented prospects, including left-hander Andrew Miller and outfielder Cameron Maybin.

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2007 The Mariners and right-hander Carlos Silva (13-14, 4.19) finalized a $48 million, four-year contract. The M's expect the 28-year-old free agent, formerly with the Twins, to 'bring a quality arm to the starting rotation' and be the pitching staff's workhorse.

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2007 Tadahito Iguchi (.267, 9, 43) and the Padres agree on a one-year, $3.85 million deal, which could amount to more with performance-based bonuses. The former Phillies infielder will replace a slumping Marcus Giles at second base.


2007 Ron Mahay (3-0, 2.55) and the Royals finalize a two-year, $8 million deal. The 36-year-old southpaw reliever pitched 67 innings for the Rangers and Braves last season.

2007 Geoff Jenkins (.255, 21, 64) signs a two-year, $13 million contract as a free agent with the Phillies after the Brewers declined his option. Milwaukee chose not to pay the 33-year-old outfielder $9 million to keep him with the Brew Crew.

2007 During an interview with the Hattiesburg American, Jonathan Papelbon shares that his bulldog, Boss, ate the ball used to record the World Series's final out. Teammate Jason Varitek had given the ball to the reliever when Rockies pinch-hitter Seth Smith struck out to complete Boston's sweep of Colorado in the Fall Classic.

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2008 The Nationals sign a one-year contract with free agent hurler Daniel Cabrera. The 27-year-old right-handed starter (8-10, 5.25 ERA), who was non-tendered by the Orioles earlier in the month after spending five seasons in Baltimore, has never lived up to his potential, given his live fastball and above-average curveball.

2009 Roy Halladay, who was traded by the Blue Jays to the Phillies last week in a complicated four-team deal, takes out a full-page ad in the Toronto Sun to thank everyone for their support during his 12-year tenure with the team. Using the newspaper advertisement, he tells the fans he felt "blessed" to have been part of the organization and that the city will "forever have a special place" in his heart.

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2011 The Mets announce they are eliminating their minor league team in the Class A Gulf Coast League, which could save the cash-strapped team between $750,000 and $800,000. Although eliminating a farm team may seem desperate for the financially troubled franchise, New York was one of only three clubs with as many as nine minor league teams.
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Cleveland Indians 1st Baseman Boog Powell takes a Big Swing during a 1975 game
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Babe Ruth rounding third and heading home - with lots of beer & hot dogs waiting for him!
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