2003 – 46-year-old relief pitcher Jesse Orosco agrees to a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks and will earn an $800,000 salary if he is added to the big league roster.

ByTom

2003 – 46-year-old relief pitcher Jesse Orosco agrees to a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks and will earn an $800,000 salary if he is added to the big league roster.

Eric Gagne, who saved 55 consecutive games for the Dodgers, becomes the ninth reliever to win a Cy Young Award. The runner-up is Jason Schmidt of the Giants, the pitcher with the NL’s best won-lost percentage (17-4, 77%) and an ERA of 2.34 to lead the circuit.

ByBaseball

Eric Gagne, who saved 55 consecutive games for the Dodgers, becomes the ninth reliever to win a Cy Young Award. The runner-up is Jason Schmidt of the Giants, the pitcher with the NL’s best won-lost percentage (17-4, 77%) and an ERA of 2.34 to lead the circuit.

MLB announces that the drug screens taken during the past baseball season tested positive in 5-to-7 percent of the 1,438 samples provided by the players. The results will set into motion a mandatory testing program for performance-enhancing drugs with punitive consequences for failure for the first time in baseball history.

ByBaseball

MLB announces that the drug screens taken during the past baseball season tested positive in 5-to-7 percent of the 1,438 samples provided by the players. The results will set into motion a mandatory testing program for performance-enhancing drugs with punitive consequences for failure for the first time in baseball history.

Roy Halladay of the Blue Jays easily wins the American League Cy Young Award, garnering 26 of 28 first-place votes. The 26 year-old right-hander finished the season 22-7, including winning 15 straight decisions from May 1 to July 27.

ByBaseball

Roy Halladay of the Blue Jays easily wins the American League Cy Young Award, garnering 26 of 28 first-place votes. The 26 year-old right-hander finished the season 22-7, including winning 15 straight decisions from May 1 to July 27.

2003 – Promising Cincinnati Reds outfielder Dernell Stenson is kidnapped, robbed, and brutally murdered by four men in Scottsdale, Arizona, for reasons that are still unclear. He was 25.

ByBaseball

2003 – Promising Cincinnati Reds outfielder Dernell Stenson is kidnapped, robbed, and brutally murdered by four men in Scottsdale, Arizona, for reasons that are still unclear. He was 25.

Former Yankee captain Don Mattingly is named as the Bronx Bombers’ hitting coach, replacing Rick Down, who did not have his contract renewed last week. The 42 year-old, who retired due to back problems, will be a top candidate to replace Joe Torre as manager in 2005.

ByBaseball

Former Yankee captain Don Mattingly is named as the Bronx Bombers’ hitting coach, replacing Rick Down, who did not have his contract renewed last week. The 42 year-old, who retired due to back problems, will be a top candidate to replace Joe Torre as manager in 2005.

Miami-Dade County Commissioners approved a plan committing $73 million in tax money toward a new major league ballpark for the Marlins. The World Champions, who have agreed to change their name to the Miami Marlins if the city builds the ballpark, want to begin playing in the $325 million new park in 2007, but still don’t have a plan for raising $137 million needed as part of their commitment.

ByBaseball

Miami-Dade County Commissioners approved a plan committing $73 million in tax money toward a new major league ballpark for the Marlins. The World Champions, who have agreed to change their name to the Miami Marlins if the city builds the ballpark, want to begin playing in the $325 million new park in 2007, but still don’t have a plan for raising $137 million needed as part of their commitment.

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2003 – In an anticipated salary move, Houston trades closer Billy Wagner to the Philadelphia Phillies for righthanded pitchers Brandon Duckworth, Taylor Buchholz and Ezequiel Astacio. Wagner had opened the door to be traded after criticizing the ownership for not making the moves he thought would bring a pennant to Houston. 

ByTom

2003 – In an anticipated salary move, Houston trades closer Billy Wagner to the Philadelphia Phillies for righthanded pitchers Brandon Duckworth, Taylor Buchholz and Ezequiel Astacio. Wagner had opened the door to be traded after criticizing the ownership for not making the moves he thought would bring a pennant to Houston. 

ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine will return to Japan to manage the Chiba Lotte Marines, the club which fired him after a solid second-place finish in 1995. The former Mets and Rangers skipper signs a three-year deal with an option for two more years worth an estimated $6.4 million.

ByBaseball

ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine will return to Japan to manage the Chiba Lotte Marines, the club which fired him after a solid second-place finish in 1995. The former Mets and Rangers skipper signs a three-year deal with an option for two more years worth an estimated $6.4 million.

The Red Sox announce Grady Little’s contract will not be renewed. The manager, who won 188 games during his two seasons with Boston, was severely criticized for not removing a tiring Pedro Martinez in the seventh inning of Game 7 of the ALCS, giving the Yankees an opportunity to tie the score in their eventual extra-inning pennant-winning victory.

ByTom

The Red Sox announce Grady Little’s contract will not be renewed. The manager, who won 188 games during his two seasons with Boston, was severely criticized for not removing a tiring Pedro Martinez in the seventh inning of Game 7 of the ALCS, giving the Yankees an opportunity to tie the score in their eventual extra-inning pennant-winning victory.