The history of sports is both vast and rich, thanks to the existence of so many different events and the longevity associated with them. With so much history to cull through, We offer the opportunity to look back and see what memorable things happened or milestones were reached on January 17 in baseball history. …
2014 – The Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame announces three inductees for 2014: Kazuhiro Sasaki, Hideo Nomo, Koji Akiyama and Choichi Aida. Sasaki and Nomo become the first major leaguers to be inducted other than Lefty O’Doul, who was noted inducted for his playing career. Sasaki had been the Central League MVP in 1998 and had once been the Nippon Pro Baseball career save leader; he went on to win the AL Rookie of the Year and be a two-time All-Star in the US. Nomo was the Sawamura Award winner and Pacific League MVP in 1990, the 1995 NL Rookie of the Year and a 100-game winner in the US. Nomo is the youngest inductee and joins Sadaharu Oh and Victor Starfin as the only people picked on the first ballot. Akiyama was the second player in NPB history to 400 career homers/300 career steals and won the Matsutaro Shoriki Award as a player and a manager, only the second person to do so. Aida had coached Waseda University in the 1940s.
2013 – Rosters for the 2013 World Baseball Classic are officially announced. The tournament will once again be star-studded, with reigning American League MVP Miguel Cabrera playing for Venezuela, Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey pitching for Team USA, and All-Stars such as Robinson Cano, Carlos Beltran, Adrian Gonzalez and Yadier Molina all committing to their respective national teams. Among players donning less familiar uniforms will be P Bruce Chen, who will toil for China after representing his native Panama in previous editions of the tournament, and 1B Anthony Rizzo who will be suiting up for Italy.
The Brewers agree to a two-year contract with Norichika Aoki, a three-time batting champion in Japan. The Brewers had won the right to negociate with Aoki through the posting system and the contract agreement just beats a 4 p.m. deadline to reach a deal, barring which Aoki would have returned to the Yakult Swallows.
A record is set as eligible players file for salary arbitration today. Giants P Tim Lincecum asks for a salary of $21.5 million – which is not a record – and his team offers him $17 million – which is. Roger Clemens had requested $22 million from the Astros before the 2005 season. Meanwhile, some 80 eligible players sign deals with their teams, the largest being the $15 million agreed to between the Phillies and P Cole Hamels.
Bad news for the Tigers as they learn that DH/C Victor Martinez suffered a torn ACL during off-season training and is likely lost for the season. Also on the injury front, Boston’s Carl Crawford has surgery on his left wrist and is doubtful for Opening Day.
The Blue Jays sign reliever Jon Rauch to a one-year contract. He will compete for the vacant closer job with Octavio Dotel, who was signed earlier this off-season.
The Nationals acquire P Tom Gorzelanny from the Cubs in return for three minor leaguers, OF Michael Burgess and Ps A.J. Morris and Graham Hicks.
2008 – Major League Baseball owners unanimously vote to extend commissioner Bud Selig’s contract through the 2012 season. The contract extension will make Selig baseball’s second-longest-serving commissioner, behind only Kenesaw Mountain Landis. The vote comes in a week when Selig has been criticized by the U.S. Congress for not cracking down hard enough on steroids.
Team USA unveils an All-Star line-up for the 2006 World Baseball Classic, with a roster that includes slugger Barry Bonds and pitcher Roger Clemens. The team will not win the tournament despite the high hopes.