The Phillies trade 27-year-old third baseman Scott Rolen along with minor league reliever Doug Nickle to the Cardinals in exchange for infielder Placido Polanco, southpaw Bud Smith and reliever Mike Timlin. Reportedly, the former Philadelphia third sacker rejected a 10-year pact estimated to be worth $140 million due to his feud with manager Larry Bowa.

The Phillies trade 27-year-old third baseman Scott Rolen along with minor league reliever Doug Nickle to the Cardinals in exchange for infielder Placido Polanco, southpaw Bud Smith and reliever Mike Timlin. Reportedly, the former Philadelphia third sacker rejected a 10-year pact estimated to be worth $140 million due to his feud with manager Larry Bowa.

The text of the letter signed by 40 Hall of Famers and sent to baseball commissioner Bud Selig and union head Donald Fehr urges all sides “to protect the game we all love and have given so much to, we suggest you agree to a qualified mediator that will allow you to find the common ground necessary to avoid a work stoppage” is released. The former outstanding players, who include Reggie Jackson, Willie Mays and Warren Spahn, believe another work stoppage would be a terrible mistake.

The text of the letter signed by 40 Hall of Famers and sent to baseball commissioner Bud Selig and union head Donald Fehr urges all sides “to protect the game we all love and have given so much to, we suggest you agree to a qualified mediator that will allow you to find the common ground necessary to avoid a work stoppage” is released. The former outstanding players, who include Reggie Jackson, Willie Mays and Warren Spahn, believe another work stoppage would be a terrible mistake.

In Arlington, Craig Monroe homers in his first major league game. The rookie right fielder’s fifth-inning blast contributes to the Rangers’ 2-0 victory over the Devil Rays.

In Arlington, Craig Monroe homers in his first major league game. The rookie right fielder’s fifth-inning blast contributes to the Rangers’ 2-0 victory over the Devil Rays.

2001 – A career utility player who’s making the most of his opportunity to play this year in place of the injured Edgardo Alfonzo, second baseman Desi Relaford makes several key contributions to a dramatic, back-and-forth, 6 – 5 nailbiter between the Mets and Phillies. After Relaford’s tremendous over-the-shoulder inning-ending grab robs Philly of two runs in the 6th, he goes to even greater lengths to break the tie he’s just preserved: after his one-out, 7th-inning, hit-and-run single moves Lenny Harris to third and brings up Mike Piazza, New York’s number one run producer produces a tailor-made 4-6-3, inning-ending double play grounder. Long before Relaford can reach second, shortstop Jimmy Rollins receives the throw and crosses the bag, continuing on another 10 to 12 feet past the bag and at least 7 feet clear of the baseline before turning and making the transfer from glove to hand. As the unsuspecting shortstop winds up to throw, Relaford, his left arm dragging the baseline to which his fully-extended body is perfectly perpendicular, suddenly enters the picture, sliding/tumbling past on his way to second base. Just as Rollins is about to unload, Desi fully extends his right toe, hooks Rollins’ right shin and completely turns him around. When he comes to rest, the Phillies’ shortstop is facing the now unoccupied third base as its previous tenant, Lenny Harris, crosses home plate. The resulting 3 – 2 Mets lead will last exactly two batters into the next half-inning as John Franco coughs it up on Scott Rolen’s no-out, two-run homer. Tsuyoshi Shinjohits a towering, two-run homer in the 8th, but New York’s Armando Benitez blows the save and Relaford must come to the rescue yet again, turning a double play to get Benitez out of further trouble, thus setting the stage for redemption in the form of Mike Piazza’s walk-off home run.

2001 – A career utility player who’s making the most of his opportunity to play this year in place of the injured Edgardo Alfonzo, second baseman Desi Relaford makes several key contributions to a dramatic, back-and-forth, 6 – 5 nailbiter between the Mets and Phillies. After Relaford’s tremendous over-the-shoulder inning-ending grab robs Philly of two runs in the 6th, he goes to even greater lengths to break the tie he’s just preserved: after his one-out, 7th-inning, hit-and-run single moves Lenny Harris to third and brings up Mike Piazza, New York’s number one run producer produces a tailor-made 4-6-3, inning-ending double play grounder. Long before Relaford can reach second, shortstop Jimmy Rollins receives the throw and crosses the bag, continuing on another 10 to 12 feet past the bag and at least 7 feet clear of the baseline before turning and making the transfer from glove to hand. As the unsuspecting shortstop winds up to throw, Relaford, his left arm dragging the baseline to which his fully-extended body is perfectly perpendicular, suddenly enters the picture, sliding/tumbling past on his way to second base. Just as Rollins is about to unload, Desi fully extends his right toe, hooks Rollins’ right shin and completely turns him around. When he comes to rest, the Phillies’ shortstop is facing the now unoccupied third base as its previous tenant, Lenny Harris, crosses home plate. The resulting 3 – 2 Mets lead will last exactly two batters into the next half-inning as John Franco coughs it up on Scott Rolen’s no-out, two-run homer. Tsuyoshi Shinjohits a towering, two-run homer in the 8th, but New York’s Armando Benitez blows the save and Relaford must come to the rescue yet again, turning a double play to get Benitez out of further trouble, thus setting the stage for redemption in the form of Mike Piazza’s walk-off home run.

With two outs in the ninth inning at Olympic Stadium, Eddie Taubensee knots the score at 3-3 with his game-tying home run off Expos starting pitcher Javier Vazquez. The Reds catcher then homers again in the 11th off Julio Santana for the game-winner in Cincinnati’s 4-3 win over Montreal.

With two outs in the ninth inning at Olympic Stadium, Eddie Taubensee knots the score at 3-3 with his game-tying home run off Expos starting pitcher Javier Vazquez. The Reds catcher then homers again in the 11th off Julio Santana for the game-winner in Cincinnati’s 4-3 win over Montreal.

The Brewers hold Bob Wickman All-Star Poster Night a day after the team trades their reliable reliever along with Jason Bere and Steve Woodard to the Indians for a player to be named later (Marco Scutaro), Kane Davis, Paul Rigdon, and Richie Sexson. The Brew Crew gives away 30,000 printed pictures of their former closer, who played for the team for the past five seasons, on a night they are routed by the Rockies, 10-2, with Rigdon, one of the players in the trade, allowing four runs on seven hits over five innings in his Milwaukee debut.

The Brewers hold Bob Wickman All-Star Poster Night a day after the team trades their reliable reliever along with Jason Bere and Steve Woodard to the Indians for a player to be named later (Marco Scutaro), Kane Davis, Paul Rigdon, and Richie Sexson. The Brew Crew gives away 30,000 printed pictures of their former closer, who played for the team for the past five seasons, on a night they are routed by the Rockies, 10-2, with Rigdon, one of the players in the trade, allowing four runs on seven hits over five innings in his Milwaukee debut.

Recently acquired Mets make good first impressions as Mike Bordick goes 2-for-3, including a homer on the first pitch he sees as a Met, and Rick White pitches a scoreless inning to get the win; the other newcomer, Bubba Trammell, will homer in his first at-bat in his Met debut tomorrow.

Recently acquired Mets make good first impressions as Mike Bordick goes 2-for-3, including a homer on the first pitch he sees as a Met, and Rick White pitches a scoreless inning to get the win; the other newcomer, Bubba Trammell, will homer in his first at-bat in his Met debut tomorrow.