1993 – The Chicago Cubs put second baseman Ryne Sandberg (broken hand) and shortstop Shawon Dunston (lower back) on the disabled list. The two will miss Opening Day for the first time in nine years together.
1993 – Cleveland Indians pitchers Steve Olin and Tim Crews are killed, and Bob Ojeda is seriously injured, when the motorboat in which they are riding strikes a pier on Little Lake Nellie near Winter Haven, Florida. Crews and Olin are the first active major leaguers to die since Thurman Munson in 1979.
The Reds announce the St. Bernard owned by Reds president Marge Schott is being prohibited access to the Riverfront Stadium field for the season. The edict to ban Schottzie 02 comes from the MLB’s Executive Council, who have received numerous complaints from the players about dogs running on the field.
1993 – Sherry Davis becomes the first woman major league public address announcer when she is hired by the San Francisco Giants to work at Candlestick Park.
1993 – Free agent pitcher Doug Drabek tosses two shutout innings in a 3-2 win over the Dodgers. It is Drabek’s first start with Houston after a career in Pittsburgh that included a Cy Young Award and three division crowns.
1993 – The first game in the Florida Marlins’ history is a 12-8 pasting of the Astros in the Cocoa, FL park that was the spring home to the Astros for 21 years. Five-run outbursts in the second and fifth innings get the expansion franchise off in style. Phil Nevin belts two triples in his first game as an Astro.
On March 1, 1993, New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner resumes his role as the team’s general partner. Commissioner Fay Vincent had banned Steinbrenner from day-to-day activities with the Yankees because of his relationship with convicted gambler Howie Spira.
1993 – The Kansas City Royals trade IF Gregg Jefferies and Ed Gerald to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for OF Felix Jose and IF/OF Craig Wilson.
1993 – Two free agents are signed: pitcher Scott Sanderson by the California Angels, and catcher Mike Scioscia by the San Diego Padres.
1993 – A trio of arbitration cases are avoided when three starters are inked to similar three-year deals. Infielders Craig Biggio and Ken Caminiti, along with outfielder Steve Finley now represent a $32 million dollar investment to go with the $36 million spent on deals for pitchers Doug Drabek and Greg Swindell – a pay-out unlikely to have happened before the recent change in ownership.
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