2000 – The Milwaukee Brewers trade outfielder Alex Ochoa to the Cincinnati Reds for outfielder Mark Sweeney and a minor league player, and the Kansas City Royals sign free agent pitcher Ricky Bottalico.
2000 – The Tampa Bay Devil Rays sign free agent pitcher Steve Trachsel to a one-year contract. Trachsel, who led the Cubs in innings pitched (206) and posted a 8-18 record, was expected to ink a multi-year contract.
2000 – The Milwaukee Brewers obtain pitchers Jaime Navarro and John Snyder from the Chicago White Sox for shortstop Jose Valentin and pitcher Cal Eldred. Navarro, the majors’ loss leader (43) the past three seasons, was disgruntled with the Sox. Valentin will compete with Mike Caruso for the SS job.
The BBWAA elects former Red Sox and White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk and the ‘Big Red Machine’s first baseman Tony Perez to the Hall of Fame. ‘Pudge’ is selected in his second year of eligibility, and the Reds infielder from Ciego De Avila, Cuba makes it on his ninth try.
Bob Lemon dies at the age of 79. Lemon was a seven-time 20-game winner with the Cleveland Indians. He teamed with Bob Feller, Early Wynn and Mike Garcia to form one of the game’s greatest starting rotations. In 1954, Lemon went 23-7 and helped the Indians to a 111-win season. In 1970, Lemon became a major league manager for the first time when he assumed leadership of the Kansas City Royals. He later managed the Chicago White Sox before enjoying his greatest success with the New York Yankees. On July 25, 1978, Lemon replaced Billy Martin and helped the Yankees orchestrate a miraculous comeback. Under Lemon’s calming hand, the Yankees won their second straight World Championship that year. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1976.
2000 – The Seattle Mariners sign free agent pitcher Aaron Sele to a two-year, $15 million contract after Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos nixes a negotiated four-year $29 million deal because of questions regarding Sele’s physical condition. Sele had been offered a four-year, $28 million deal by the Texas Rangers, but didn’t act on it. Sele will win 17 games this season, making him just one of seven pitchers to win 15 or more games in 1998, 1999 and 2000 – Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, David Wells, Dave Burba and Charles Nagy, are the others.
Major League Baseball officials order Atlanta Braves reliever John Rocker is to undergo psychological testing following derogatory remarks he made in an interview with Sports Illustrated magazine. Commissioner Bud Selig says he will listen to what the doctors say before deciding what punishment – if any – will be handed down to the pitcher.
Gene Budig resigns as American League president and is appointed a senior adviser to Commissioner Bud Selig. The American and National Leagues will be disbanded as legal entities later this month, with their functions consolidated in the commissioner’s office.
Houston signs veteran pitcher and former Cy Young winner Dwight “Doc” Gooden to a free agent contract. He pitches in the debut of Enron Field but gets into only one game during the regular season before he is sent to Tampa Bay.
On January 4, 2000, former major leaguer John Milner dies from lung cancer at the age of 50. Nicknamed “The Hammer,” Milner slugged 131 home runs over a 12-year career with the New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Montreal Expos. A member of the 1979 world champion Pirates, he batted .306 in 10…
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