1989 – Storm Davis‚ 19-7 for the A’s last season‚ signs as a free agent with the Royals. Other free agent signees include Craig Lefferts (San Diego)‚ Pete O’Brien (Seattle)‚ Oil Can Boyd (Montreal)‚ and Keith Hernandez (Cleveland).
1988 – The Texas Rangers sign pitcher Nolan Ryan as a free agent, creating a huge fan backlash in Houston. San Francisco and California also had offered more than the Astros did. Owner John McMullen defends his bid saying he wouldn’t pay Ryan more than he was paying Mike Scott.
1987 – Bill Wood is named General Manager. He had been the interim GM for two months and gets the official word right before baseball’s winter meetings begin.
1987 – Free agent OF Bob Dernier‚ who hit a career-high .317 with 31 stolen bases for the Cubs last season‚ signs a one-year contract with his original major league club‚ the Phillies.
The Mets send right-handed starter Walt Terrell to the Tigers in exchange for infielder Howard Johnson. New York’s new third baseman will spend nine years with the club and will return to the organization to become a minor league manager and big league coach.
The Mariners trade 2B Tony Bernazard to the Indians for OF Gorman Thomas and IF Jack Perconte.
The Royals trade P Mike Armstrong and minor league C Duane Dewey to the Yankees for slugger Steve Balboni and P Roger Erickson.
The Reds sign their first major free agent: OF Dave Parker‚ who accepts a two-year contract.
In a complicated three-team swap‚ pitcher Scott Sanderson is traded from the Expos to the Cubs. Montreal receives pitcher Gary Lucas from San Diego‚ and the Padres get P Craig Lefferts‚ 1B-OF Carmelo Martinez and 3B Fritzie Connally from Chicago, and IF Al Newman from Montreal.
December 7, 1980 Whitey Herzog makes his first major move in the St. Louis Cardinals rebuild when he signs catcher Darrell Porter as a free agent. Although he will hit .237 over his 5 years in St Louis, he will win the NLCS and World Series MVP in 1982 when St Louis won their first…
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