Lefthander Dave Roberts dies of lung cancer in Morgantown, WV at age 64. Roberts pitched for four seasons (1972-1975) with the Astros as part of a 13-year big league career. His best season with Houston is 1973 when he tosses a 17-11 record with a 2.85 ERA.
The Tampa Bay Rays come to terms with Pat Burrell, whose Phillies beat Tampa Bay in the 2008 World Series. The deal is for two years and $16 million. Burrell hit 33 homers and drew 102 walks last season, but his production will plummet in Tampa.
According to reports, a preliminary agreement has been reached between the Cubs and free-agent outfielder Milton Bradley on a $30 million, three-year deal. The switch-hitting All-Star, who batted .321 and led the American League with a .436 on-base percentage, will fill the team’s need for a left-handed presence in the middle of the lineup.
Major League Season Recap 2008 World Series – Philadelphia Phillies NL over Tampa Bay Rays AL 4 games to 1 World Series MVP – Cole Hammels Babe Ruth Award – Cole Hammels Championship Series ALCS Tampa Bay Rays over Boston Red Sox 4 games to 3 ALCS MVP – Matt Garza NLCS Philadelphia Phillies over Los Angeles Dodgers 4 games…
The New York Yankees reach an agreement with free agent hurler CC Sabathia for a seven-year, $161 million deal, a new record for a pitcher. Sabathia had gone 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA for the Brewers after starting the season with Cleveland where he won the 2007 American League Cy Young Award.
Joe Gordon becomes the first player elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee since it was reconstituted. It had been 7 years since Bill Mazeroski had been the most recent pick by the Committee. The new Committee had been criticized for not enshrining anyone in their first elections.
Greg Maddux announces his retirement. The four-time Cy Young Award winner set all-time records for putouts by a pitcher (546), double plays (98) and seasons with 15+ wins (18). He finishes with a record of 355-227 with a 3.16 ERA (132 ERA+) and ranks in the top 10 all time in wins (8th) and starts (740, 4th). Maddux, like 354-game winner Roger Clemens, began his career while sportswriters were bemoaning the fact that no one would ever reach 300 wins again.
Joining Cal Ripken Jr. (Orioles – 1983) and Ryan Howard (Phillies – 2006), Dustin Pedroia (.326, 17, 83) becomes the third player in major league history to win the Most Valuable Player award a season after being selected as the Rookie of the Year. The scrappy Gold Glove second baseman, the tenth Red Sox player to earn the American League honor, received 16 of the 28 first-place votes to easily outdistance heavy-hitting Twins first baseman Justin Morneau (.300, 23, 129).
Cliff Lee wins the 2008 American League Cy Young Award, taking 24 of 28 first-place votes. Lee went 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA for the Cleveland Indians. He led the league in ERA and wins. Lee is the second straight Indians left-hander to win the award, following CC Sabathia in 2007.
Joining Mike McCormick, who copped the honor in 1967, Tim Lincecum (18-5, 2.62) becomes the second San Francisco Giant hurler to win the NL Cy Young Award. The 24 year-old right-hander, finishing his first full big league season, receives 23 out of 32 first-place votes cast by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America to finish ahead of Arizona’s Brandon Webb and New York’s Johan Santana.
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