On this weeks podcast – August 5, 1979, Willie Mays is inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Mays slugged 660 homers, batted .302, and collected 3,283 hits in his 22-year career. Known for his all-around play, Mays won 12 Gold Glove Awards for his defense in center field. Former…
Major League Season Recap 1999 World Series – New York Yankees AL over Atlanta Braves NL 4 games to 0 World Series MVP – Marino Rivera Babe Ruth Award – Marino Rivera Championship Series ALCS New York Yankees over Boston Red Sox 4 games to 1 ALCS MVP – Orlando Hernandez NLCS Atlanta Braves over New York Mets 4 games…
1999 – Lefthander Mike Hampton and outfielder Derek Bell are traded to the Mets for pitcher Octavio Dotel and outfielder Roger Cedeno. It’s primarily a financial move that causes the Astros to part with their 22-game winner. While Dotel would flourish, Cedeno would be gone after one season in Houston, batting .282 in 74 games.
1999 – The New York Mets obtain pitcher Mike Hampton and outfielder Derek Bell from the Houston Astros in exchange for outfielder Roger Cedeño and pitchers Octavio Dotel and Kyle Kessel.
P Kip Wells, drafted in the first round by the Chicago White Sox, finally signs for $1.495 million plus an invite to the White Sox spring camp.
In an interview in Sports Illustrated magazine, Atlanta Braves P John Rocker offends virtually every race and ethnic group in a hateful outburst. Community leaders, media, management, coaches and teammates alike call for action to be taken against the lefthander who had 38 saves for Atlanta this past season.
The Montreal Expos obtain P Hideki Irabu from the New York Yankees in exchange for P Jake Westbrook and two players to be named, Ps Christian Parker and Ted Lilly. Both Westbrook and Lilly will become All-Stars while Irabu will win 2 games in two seasons in Montreal before being released for disciplinary reasons.
The Boston Red Sox sign free agent P Jeff Fassero to a contract and the Baltimore Orioles sign P Buddy Groom for two years.
The Atlanta Braves obtain 2B Quilvio Veras, 1B Wally Joyner, and OF Reggie Sanders from the San Diego Padres in exchange for 1B Ryan Klesko, 2B Bret Boone, and P Jason Shiell.
1999 – The Dodgers are fined $50,000 and banned from scouting any Dominican Republic players for one year as a penalty for having signed third baseman Adrian Beltre as a 15-year-old. Beltre is not given his free agency, according to Commissioner Bud Selig, because he participated in the scheme, and because the claim for free agency was made too late. The players association is expected to file a grievance in the matter, but the ruling will stand.