“With all due respect to Tom Hanks, there is crying in baseball.” – MIKE PIZZA, responding to his emotional state about being inducted into the Hall of Fame and having his number retired by the Mets.Mike Piazza, considered by many the greatest-hitting catcher in baseball history, has his number retired by the Mets, a team he played with for eight seasons, batting .296 and slugging 220 home runs. The 2016 Hall of Fame inductee is the second person, along with right-hander Tom Seaver (41) honored for what he accomplished as a player for the team and he joins managers Gil Hodges (14) and Casey Stengel (37) and baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson’s (42), also recognized by the franchise for their contributions to team and to the sport.

ByBaseball

“With all due respect to Tom Hanks, there is crying in baseball.” – MIKE PIZZA, responding to his emotional state about being inducted into the Hall of Fame and having his number retired by the Mets.Mike Piazza, considered by many the greatest-hitting catcher in baseball history, has his number retired by the Mets, a team he played with for eight seasons, batting .296 and slugging 220 home runs. The 2016 Hall of Fame inductee is the second person, along with right-hander Tom Seaver (41) honored for what he accomplished as a player for the team and he joins managers Gil Hodges (14) and Casey Stengel (37) and baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson’s (42), also recognized by the franchise for their contributions to team and to the sport.

A couple of big deals are made ahead of the trading deadline. The Padres, who have been the most active dealers on the market, send OF Matt Kemp to the Braves in return for 3B Hector Olivera; both players are due hefty sums of money over the next few years, but Kemp is having a productive year while Olivera, who is about to come off from an 82-game suspension for a domestic violence incident, has a lot of money due him, so the Padres will still be winners from a financial standpoint even if, as expected, Olivera is designated for assignment. The other trade is motivated by more traditional baseball reasons: the Nationals whose Achilles heel is closer Jonathan Papelbon’s up-and-down performance, acquire Mark Melancon from the Pirates for Ps Felipe Rivero and Taylor Hearn.

ByBaseball

A couple of big deals are made ahead of the trading deadline. The Padres, who have been the most active dealers on the market, send OF Matt Kemp to the Braves in return for 3B Hector Olivera; both players are due hefty sums of money over the next few years, but Kemp is having a productive year while Olivera, who is about to come off from an 82-game suspension for a domestic violence incident, has a lot of money due him, so the Padres will still be winners from a financial standpoint even if, as expected, Olivera is designated for assignment. The other trade is motivated by more traditional baseball reasons: the Nationals whose Achilles heel is closer Jonathan Papelbon’s up-and-down performance, acquire Mark Melancon from the Pirates for Ps Felipe Rivero and Taylor Hearn.

The Astros Valencia win their first Division Honor title. They finish the year at 24-4, tied with the Tenerife Marlins, and the teams split the head-to-head games 2-2 but the Astros won the run differential between the teams, the second tie-breaker.

ByBaseball

The Astros Valencia win their first Division Honor title. They finish the year at 24-4, tied with the Tenerife Marlins, and the teams split the head-to-head games 2-2 but the Astros won the run differential between the teams, the second tie-breaker.

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2015 – Jason Castro belts a dramatic three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth that knocks out Anaheim, 3-0, to push Houston two games in front in the AL West chase. Newly-acquired Scott Kazmir blanks the Halos for 7-2/3rd innings but it is Luke Gregerson who inherits the win. The Astros also ship four prospects to Milwaukee for outfielder Carlos Gomez and pitcher Mike Fiers. 

ByTom

2015 – Jason Castro belts a dramatic three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth that knocks out Anaheim, 3-0, to push Houston two games in front in the AL West chase. Newly-acquired Scott Kazmir blanks the Halos for 7-2/3rd innings but it is Luke Gregerson who inherits the win. The Astros also ship four prospects to Milwaukee for outfielder Carlos Gomez and pitcher Mike Fiers. 

2015 – In a whirlwind day of trading, the Blue Jays once again make the biggest splash, acquiring P David Price from Detroit for prospects Matt Boyd, Jairo Labourt and Daniel Norris, two days after landing SS Troy Tulowitzki. Detroit also trades P Joakim Soria to Pittsburgh for IF JaCoby Jones. The Astros add P Mike Fiers and OF Carlos Gomez from Milwaukee in return for four prospects, while the Dodgers complete a transaction started a day earlier with the Marlins, sending three minor leaguers to complete their deal for OF Mike Morse and P Mat Latos, and landing a competitive balance pick which they flip to the Braves along with three players in order to acquire Ps Alex Wood, Jim Johnson, Luis Avilan and Bronson Arroyo and IF Jose Peraza. The Yankees send Ramon Flores and José Ramírez to Seattle to obtain IF/OF Dustin Ackley, while the Indians trade OF/1B Brandon Moss to St. Louis for P Rob Kaminsky.

ByThis Day in Baseball

2015 – In a whirlwind day of trading, the Blue Jays once again make the biggest splash, acquiring P David Price from Detroit for prospects Matt Boyd, Jairo Labourt and Daniel Norris, two days after landing SS Troy Tulowitzki. Detroit also trades P Joakim Soria to Pittsburgh for IF JaCoby Jones. The Astros add P Mike Fiers and OF Carlos Gomez from Milwaukee in return for four prospects, while the Dodgers complete a transaction started a day earlier with the Marlins, sending three minor leaguers to complete their deal for OF Mike Morse and P Mat Latos, and landing a competitive balance pick which they flip to the Braves along with three players in order to acquire Ps Alex Wood, Jim Johnson, Luis Avilan and Bronson Arroyo and IF Jose Peraza. The Yankees send Ramon Flores and José Ramírez to Seattle to obtain IF/OF Dustin Ackley, while the Indians trade OF/1B Brandon Moss to St. Louis for P Rob Kaminsky.

A trio of pitchers for the AA San Antonio Missions combine on a no-hitter against the Corpus Christi Hooks, but only learn about it after the game. James Needy, Frank Garces and R.J. Alvarez join forces for what seems to be a 6 – 0 one-hitter, until the official scorer reverses a decision on Rene Garcia’s 6th-inning infield single, changing it to an error on shortstop Diego Goris.

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A trio of pitchers for the AA San Antonio Missions combine on a no-hitter against the Corpus Christi Hooks, but only learn about it after the game. James Needy, Frank Garces and R.J. Alvarez join forces for what seems to be a 6 – 0 one-hitter, until the official scorer reverses a decision on Rene Garcia’s 6th-inning infield single, changing it to an error on shortstop Diego Goris.

Felix Hernandez becomes the first pitcher in major league history to make 14 consecutive starts of at least seven innings pitched with giving up two runs or less. The Mariners right-hander, known as ‘King Felix,’ breaks the record previously held by Tom Seaver, who established the mark in 1971 while pitching for the Mets.

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Felix Hernandez becomes the first pitcher in major league history to make 14 consecutive starts of at least seven innings pitched with giving up two runs or less. The Mariners right-hander, known as ‘King Felix,’ breaks the record previously held by Tom Seaver, who established the mark in 1971 while pitching for the Mets.

There is another no-hitter in the minor leagues as Tyler Cloyd of the Columbus Clippers performs the feat in a 13 – 0 win over the Louisville Bats. Cloyd retires the first 24 batters he faces before hitting Donnie Murphy with a pitch, but ends the game on a double play grounder and a line out.

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There is another no-hitter in the minor leagues as Tyler Cloyd of the Columbus Clippers performs the feat in a 13 – 0 win over the Louisville Bats. Cloyd retires the first 24 batters he faces before hitting Donnie Murphy with a pitch, but ends the game on a double play grounder and a line out.

On the trade front, the Cardinals acquire P Justin Masterson from Cleveland for OF James Ramsey, while the Cubs obtain P Felix Doubront from the Red Sox for a player to be named later.

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On the trade front, the Cardinals acquire P Justin Masterson from Cleveland for OF James Ramsey, while the Cubs obtain P Felix Doubront from the Red Sox for a player to be named later.

Today’s deals are highlighted by a three-team trade that sees P Jake Peavy go from the White Sox to the Red Sox; Boston then sends rookie SS Jose Iglesias to Detroit, which is looking for insurance at the position in fear that starter Jhonny Peralta will be suspended as a result of the Biogenesis scandal. Detroit completes the deal by sending young OF Avisail Garcia to Chicago, while four other players change uniforms as well. In other pre-trading deadline deals, the A’s acquire IF Alberto Callaspo from the Angels for Grant Green, while the Indians acquire lefty reliever Marc Rzepczynski from St. Louis.

ByBaseball

Today’s deals are highlighted by a three-team trade that sees P Jake Peavy go from the White Sox to the Red Sox; Boston then sends rookie SS Jose Iglesias to Detroit, which is looking for insurance at the position in fear that starter Jhonny Peralta will be suspended as a result of the Biogenesis scandal. Detroit completes the deal by sending young OF Avisail Garcia to Chicago, while four other players change uniforms as well. In other pre-trading deadline deals, the A’s acquire IF Alberto Callaspo from the Angels for Grant Green, while the Indians acquire lefty reliever Marc Rzepczynski from St. Louis.