John Smoltz becomes the 16th major league pitcher to strike out 3,000 batters. The 40-year-old Braves hurler gets Felipe Lopez swinging on a 2-2 offering in the 3rd for his 3,000th K. He is the 6th-quickest to the mark in terms of innings pitched (3,386). Smoltz fans 10 in 7 innings in this win, showing that age has not yet caught up to him.
2008 – The Blue Jays release former superstar Frank Thomas, who has 516 major league home runs and a 979 career OPS to his name. A five-time All-Star and two-time MVP, Thomas has gotten into conflict with manager John Gibbons, who benched him. After a clubhouse meeting, Toronto G.M. J.P. Ricciardi and the designated hitter reach a “mutual agreement,” that gives the disgruntled player an opportunity to continue to be a full-time player on another team. Thomas is 12th all-time in major league history in OPS, 9th in walks and 18th in home runs. It is the third major player-manager conflict for Gibbons in his time with Toronto; he will be fired and replaced by Cito Gaston in a few weeks.
On April 8, 2008, former Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner returned to Fenway Park for opening day and received a standing ovation. Buckner’s error in Game Six of the 1986 World Series, which helped lead to the Mets miraculous comeback, had been vilified by many, including the press. An emotional Buckner tossed out the first pitch after the Sox 2007 World Series flag was unfurled.
On April 8, 2008, Detroit second baseman Placido Polanco made a throwing error to snap his record errorless streak. Polanco had gone 186 games and 911 total chances without a miscue, dating back to July 1, 2006.
4/2/2008: In the top of the 5th inning, the Mets Carlos Beltran hit a deep fly ball off the Marlins Matt Lindstrom to right-center field. The ball cleared the wall, struck a metal railing and bounced up in the air, landing back in the field of play. It was initially called a home run by third base umpire Jeff Kellogg. Kellogg was incorrectly overruled by second base umpire Rick Reed and Beltran was given a double, his third of the game.
Kevin Youkilis establishes the longest errorless streak by a first baseman, playing the field flawlessly for 194 games. The Red Sox infielder, who hasn’t committed an error at first base since July 4, 2006, breaks Steve Garvey’s mark set with the Padres from 1983-85.
2008 – The Dodgers celebrate the 50th anniversary of their move to Los Angeles, CA by playing an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox in their original home, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. A crowd of 115,300 is present, the largest ever assembled at a baseball game anywhere. The previous record of 93,103 had been set in the Dodgers’ second season in L.A., for an exhibition game against the New York Yankees in honor of paralyzed catcher Roy Campanella on May 7, 1959.
The benches clear in a rare spring training brawl when Shelley Duncan slides into second base, with his spikes aimed at Rays infielder Akinori Iwamura after being thrown out by a wide margin. The incident was precipitated by Tampa Bay’s aggressive play four days ago which resulted in a home-plate collision which injured Yankee catcher Francisco Cervelli.
In a much anticipated congressional hearing, Roger Clemens and his former personal trainer, Brian McNamee, testify for four and a half hours concerning the allegations of the Rocket’s use of performance-enhancing drugs. Although no definitive conclusions are reached, Republicans appear to believe the seven-time Cy Young Award winner while Democrats seem to favor his chief accuser’s account of events.
The St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays exchange former All-Star third basemen who have battled injuries in recent years. St. Louis gets Troy Glaus and Toronto Scott Rolen.
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