1990Ā ā TheĀ Special Veterans CommitteeĀ fails toĀ electĀ a single player to theĀ Hall of FameĀ for the second time in three years.
Ā Ā On February 24, 1990, former Boston Red Sox slugger Tony Conigliaro dies at the age of 45. Conigliaro, who succumbs to pneumonia and kidney failure, had suffered a massive heart attack in 1982. Conigliaro appeared headed for stardom he was the youngestĀ American LeagueĀ player ever to reach 100 careerĀ home runsĀ in the 1960s before beingā¦
Although the owners drop their arbitration and minimum salary proposals, spring training camps remain closed. Baseballās seventh work stoppage in baseball will last 32 days, resulting in Opening Day being moved back a week and the over-all season extended by three days to accommodate the 162-game schedule.
1990Ā ā ShortstopĀ Andujar CedenoĀ is signed to a minor-league deal and placed on the Astrosā 40-man roster, causing various national sportswires to misidentify him both asĀ Cesar CedenoĀ andĀ Joaquin Andujar. The 20-year-old fellow Dominican is not related to either former Astro.Ā
Herb Raybourn, the Yankee director of Latin American operations, signs amateur free-agent Mariano Rivera, an athletic 20 year-old who has an effortless pitching motion, but a less than average fastball, to a modest $3,000 contract. The future all-time major league saves leader has no formal training as a pitcher, having hurled for just the first time two weeks before being scouted at the teamās tryout camp in Panama City.
With the issue of the implementation of salary cap unresolved, a thirty-two-day lockout begins when major league owners refuse to open spring training camp without reaching a new Basic Agreement with the players. The season will be delayed one week due to baseballās seventh work stoppage and will need to be extended for three days to accommodate the 162-game schedule.
1990Ā ā The Astros Silver Anniversary Team (1965-1989) is announced at a Houston banquet.Ā Joe MorganĀ is honored as the first genuine Astro to make it to the Hall of Fame.Ā Mike ScottĀ also receives the 1989 Astros Most Valuable Player award. Not surprisingly, both are on the 25th Anniversary squad.Ā
1990Ā ā TheĀ St. Petersburg PelicansĀ get home runs fromĀ Lamar JohnsonĀ andĀ Steve KempĀ and rout theĀ West Palm Beach Tropics, 12 ā 4, to win the first ā and only ā championship of theĀ Senior Professional Baseball Association.
1990Ā ā Houston avoids arbitration with relieverĀ Larry AndersenĀ when they agree on a two-year deal. The real benefit comes later in the season when Andersen is traded to Boston for a young minor-league third baseman.Ā
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