BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

2001 After 13 months of negotiations, Derek Jeter and the Yankees finalize a $189 million,ten-year contract. The deal makes the All-Star shortstop second only to Alex Rodriguez ($252 million/10 years) as the highest-paid player in the sport's history.

2005 The Cubs trade reliever Kyle Farnsworth (4-5, 4.73) and a player to be named to the Tigers in exchange for pitcher Roberto Novoa (1-1, 5.09) and minor leaguers Scott Moore and Bo Flowers. Last season, Farnsworth's inconsistency as a reliever made him very unpopular with the Wrigley Field fans.

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2006 A jury, deliberating for a little more than four hours, rules the Angels did not breach a contract with the city of Anaheim when the ball club changed its name. Thirteen months ago, the team known as the Anaheim Angels became the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, prompting the city where it plays to file a lawsuit, claiming the name change amounted to at least $100 million in lost revenue.

2007 Before performing in a benefit concert in Connecticut, Bernie Williams shares with reporters that he plans to decline the Yankees' invitation to attend spring training on a minor league contract. The guitar-playing outfielder added he has been working out but is doubtful about playing for the Bronx Bombers this season.

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2008 After auditioning for about two-thirds of the teams in the major leagues last month and considering offers from four clubs, Keith Foulke comes out of retirement, signing a $700,000, one-year contract with the A's. The 35-year-old reliever, best known for throwing the last pitch in the 2004 World Championship for the victorious Red Sox, retired before the 2007 season after signing a deal with the Indians.

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2009 Alex Rodriguez, two days after the story breaks on SI.com, admits to and then apologizes for his use of performance-enhancing drugs when he played shortstop for the Rangers from 2001 to 2003. In an exclusive interview conducted on ESPN, the Yankees superstar acknowledges using PEDs, hoping to fulfill the expectations after signing a record ten-year, $252 million contract with Texas.


2010 The Twins select Greg Gagne as the twenty-second member of the team's Hall of Fame. During his ten-year tenure with the team, which included the World Championship seasons of 1987 and 1991, the light-hitting shortstop known for his defensive prowess once hit two inside-the-park home runs in the same game in 1986.

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2012 Nelson Cruz and the American League champion Rangers agree on a $16 million, two-year deal to keep the ALCS MVP in Texas. The agreement avoids a scheduled arbitration planned to take place next week.

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2021 The Cardinals have agreed to a one-year contract with Yadier Molina, who surpasses Bob Gibson's 17 seasons with the club and second only to Stan Musial's 22 years of playing for the Redbirds. The 38-year-old nine-time All-Star backstop since his debut in 2004 has played every game of his career with St. Louis, making the total of 2,025 contests the most of any catcher for just one team.

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Today In 1920: The spitball is outlawed in the major leagues - but allows 17 pitchers to continue using it until they retire! Future HOF'er Burleigh Grimes is the last player to legally throw the pitch until his retirement at the end of the 1934 season!
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Frank Tanana began his career as a hard throwing Strikeout pitcher, retired as a crafty lefty. In between he posted 240 Wins and 143 Complete Games
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"The final out at Comiskey Park, Harold Reynolds grounds out. Scott Fletcher to Steve Lyons, September 30, 1990."
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Today In 1971: Legendary pitcher Satchel Paige becomes the first player to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Special Committee on the Negro Leagues
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2/10
BASEBALL BIRTHDAYS
1884 Billy Evans HOF umpire (American League 1906-27; at age 22, youngest umpire in MLB history)

1894 Herb Pennock HOF pitcher (6 × World Series; Philadelphia A's, Boston Red Sox, NY Yankees)


1919 Allie Reynolds (1919-1994) pitcher, 1942-54, 6X All-Star, 1952 AL ERA leader (Cleveland Indians, NY Yankees)


1926 Randy Jackson third baseman, 1950-59, 2X All-Star (Chicago Cubs; Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodger; Cleveland Indians)


1954 Larry McWilliams pitcher, 1978-90

1963 Lenny Dykstra centerfielder (NY Mets, Philadelphia Phillies)


1965 Lenny Webster catcher (Montreal Expos)


1968 Ryan Bowen pitcher (Florida Marlins)

1969 Jayhawk Owens catcher (Colorado Rockies)

1969 Tim Clark outfielder (Florida Marlins)

1970 Alberto Castillo catcher (NY Mets)

1970 Bobby Jones pitcher (NY Mets)

1971 Kevin Sefcik infielder (Philadelphia Phillies)

1975 Hiroki Kuroda

1976 Lance Berkman

1980 César Izturis

1984 Alex Gordon

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FROM MLB's This Day in Baseball History+​

1910 Ground is broken in Chicago for a modern concrete-and-steel stadium, replacing the 30-year-old South Side Park. The Pale Hose will play their first game at Comiskey Park, originally known as White Sox Park, on July 1, losing to the Browns in their new home, 2-0.

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1916 After being waived by the Giants, the Robins and Braves owners, Charles Ebbets and Percy D. Haughton, each claim catcher Chief Meyers. A coin toss held by the National League determines the 35-year-old backstop will play for Brooklyn, where he will hit .235 in limited action over the next two seasons.

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1920 The American and National League Joint Rules Committee outlaw the spitball, the shineball, and the emeryball. Seventeen pitchers, including Burleigh Grimes, who will be the last player to throw a doctored pitch legally, are allowed to keep throwing the banned pitches until they retire.

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1924 The Washington Post reports Senator owner Clark Griffith has selected his scrappy second baseman Bucky Harris to become the fourth-place club's player-manager. The 27-year-old 'Boy Wonder,' the youngest skipper in major-league history, will lead his team to a World Championship in his first year at the helm when the club beats the Giants in seven games.

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1971 The Yankees announce Bill White will join Phil Rizzuto and Frank Messer on the WPIX broadcast team, becoming the first black to do play-by-play regularly for a major-league baseball team. The former All-Star first baseman will stay in the booth for 18 seasons, leaving in 1989 to serve as president of the National League.

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1982 The Mets agree to a $10 million, five-year deal with George Foster, completing the trade with the Reds, which sent Jim Kern, Greg Harris, and Alex Trevino to Cincinnati. During his four-and-half-year tenure with the team, the All-Star outfielder proves to be a major disappointment and will be released outright during the 1986 season after accusing the club of racism for benching him in favor of Kevin Mitchell, a fellow African-American.

1984 After five months of discussion, the Mets and Keith Hernandez, eligible for free agency at the end of the season, come to terms on an $8 million, five-year contract. The deal makes the first baseman the second-highest-paid player in franchise history, earning slightly less than George Foster's five-year, $10 million pact signed precisely two years ago.

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2000 After receiving a 'hometown' discount, the Reds trade pitchers Brett Tomko and Jake Meyer, center fielder Mike Cameron, and infielder Antonio Perez to the Mariners in exchange for the services of Ken Griffey, Jr. Cincinnati signs the 30-year-old superstar outfielder to the richest package in baseball history, but the nine-year deal worth $116.5 million is considered quite a bargain in the current market.

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2005 Red Sox right-hander Curt Schilling donates the blood-stained sock he wore in Game 2 of the World Series to the Hall of Fame. The hose is part of a memorabilia tour, along with Derek Lowe's Game 4 jersey, Manny Ramirez's bat, and the ball used to make the final out of the Fall Classic that's on loan from former first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, who kept the historical horsehide as a personal keepsake.


2005 In his first public appearance since his involvement with PEDs became public, Bronx Bombers' first baseman Jason Giambi apologizes to his teammates, Yankee fans, and baseball fans everywhere for letting them down last season. The All-Star slugger never utters the word steroids when he accepts full responsibility for the controversy.

 

2005 Avoiding arbitration, Roy Oswalt (20-10, 3.49) and the Astros agree to a two-year, $16.9 million deal. The 27-year-old right-hander has posted an incredible 63-27 (.700) record during his four seasons with Houston.

2006 Although recently acquired Alfonso Soriano (.268, 36, 104) of the Nationals loses his salary arbitration case, the former Texas Rangers' infielder sets a record for the highest salary ever awarded by the process. The All-Star second baseman, being asked to play the outfield in Washington, will receive $10 million (he asked for $12 million), surpassing the $8.2 million awarded to Andruw Jones in his successful 2001 arbitration hearing with the Braves.

2009 The Rangers announce the signing of Andruw Jones, who is trying to restore his reputation after two horrendous seasons with the Dodgers, to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. The Gold Glove center fielder joins the crowded Texas outfield, which includes David Murphy in left, Josh Hamilton in center, Nelson Cruz in right, and Marlon Byrd, slotted to get substantial playing time in all three positions.

2011 Josh Hamilton, avoiding arbitration, agrees to a $24 million, two-year contract with the Rangers. The American League MVP hit a major league-best .359, along with 32 homers and 100 RBIs despite missing the last month of the regular season due to broken ribs.

2015 "There was an honest and frank discussion on all of the issues. As far as the Yankees are concerned, the next step is to play baseball in spring training" - text from a joint statement released by the Yankees and Alex Rodriguez. In a joint statement released by the team and the player, Alex Rodriguez, the much-maligned Yankee slugger apologizes to the team's front office for the turbulence that has swirled around the organization during the last few years. At the meeting initiated by A-Rod, the attendees, including managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner, club president Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman, have an 'honest and frank discussion' of the issues.

2020 A memorial service occurs at Angel Stadium for veteran Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri, and their 14-year-old daughter Alyssa, victims who perished in the helicopter crash along with Kobe Bryant last month. 'Alto,' who led his Pirates to four state championships en route to compiling a 705–478–4 collegiate record, worked as head coach from 2012-14 for the Cape Cod League's Brewster Whitecaps, mentoring future major leaguers Aaron Judge (Yankees), Jeff McNeil (Mets), and Ryon Healy (Brewers).

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