Washington Nationals reliever Luis Ayala, who faced only one batter in his final appearance in the WBC, will have reconstructive surgery on his right elbow and is expected to miss the entire season.
2005 – During more than 11 hours of hearings by the Committee on Government Reform concerning major league players’ use of steroids, Mark McGwire refuses to talk about the past and does not deny taking performance enhancing drugs. Other players testifying include Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, and former big leaguer Jose Canseco, whose recent book, Juiced, prompted the congressional hearing. Palmeiro will be found guilty of steroid usage later this year.
2001 – Third baseman Joe Randa agrees to a two-year contract extension with the Kansas City Royals. Randa batted .304 with 106 RBI for the Royals in 155 games last season.
1999 – The Toronto Blue Jays fire manager Tim Johnson and replace him with Jim Fregosi. Johnson had been under fire since admitting he had lied when he said he had seen combat duty in the Vietnam War.
1992 – Pitcher Hal Newhouser and umpire Bill McGowan are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee.
On March 17, 1988, recently acquired slugger Jack Clark tears a calf tendon while hitting a home run for the New York Yankees in an exhibition game. Nicknamed “The Ripper,” the oft-injured Clark had signed a free agent contract during the winter. He will miss the start of the season, but will return to hit…
During a Cactus League contest, Carney Lansford is credited with an unusual two-run inside-the-park homer in the A’s 5-3 victory over the Indians in Phoenix. The infielder circles the bases in the fourth inning when Mel Hall’s shirt gets stuck on the fence, preventing the outfielder from playing the ball, that is just barely out of reach, while his teammate, shortstop Julio Franco, closest to the play, is so incapacitated with laughter he is unable to help.
On March 17, 1984, – Ferguson Jenkins announces his retirement. In 1983, Jenkins struggled to a record of 6-9 with an ERA of 4.30. The 1971 National League Cy Young Award winner, Jenkins posted a record of 284-226 with 3192 strikeouts and a 3.34 ERA in 4500 innings pitched in a 19-season major career. He will…
On March 17, 1978, the Cincinnati Reds wear special green uniforms to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day. Although the Reds will never use the uniforms in regular-season play. The good luck of the Irish works and the Reds beat the New York Yankees, 9 – 2. The St. Louis Cardinals, among other teams, will be next…
1977 – U.S. Federal Judge Frank McGarr rules in favor of Bowie Kuhn, saying that the baseball commissioner acted within his authority in voiding the 1976 player sales engineered by Oakland Athletics owner Charlie Finley.
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