Tag: November 13

2018 – Brian Snitker of the Braves is named the Manager of the Year in the National League, while Bob Melvin of the Athletics wins the honor in the AL. Both men helped their teams make significant progress that landed them a postseason slot last season.

OF Aaron Judge, who led the AL in home runs, is the unanimous winner of the 2017 American League Rookie of the Year Award, while 1B Cody Bellinger is also a unanimous winner in the National League.

2015 – The Red Sox acquire closer Craig Kimbrel from San Diego for four prospects: OF Manuel Margot, SS Javy Guerra, IF Carlos Asuaje and P Logan Allen.

Clayton Kershaw (21-3, 1.77 ERA ) becomes the first pitcher to win the National League MVP award since Cardinal right-hander Bob Gibson copped the honor in 1968. The 26 year-old Dodger southpaw, who won his third NL Cy Young Award yesterday, receives 18 of 30 of the writers’ first-place votes, easily outdistancing runner-ups Giancarlo Stanton (8) and Andrew McCutcheon (4).

The Phillies announce the team has reached a two-year, $16 million deal with Marlon Byrd, who helped the Pirates reach the postseason for the first since 1992 by hitting .318 after being traded by the Mets to the Bucs at the end of August. Last offseason, the 36 year-old outfielder signed a minor league contract with New York, emerging as one of the team’s few offensive assets before being dealt to Pittsburgh along with John Buck for two minor league prospects.

The Athletics sign utility infielder Nick Punto to a one-year contract.

Bob Melvin, for the second time in his career, is selected as the Manager of the Year when the Baseball Writers’ Association of America name him first on 16 of 28 ballots to narrowly outpoint Buck Showalter of the Orioles, 116-108. The Oakland skipper, the National League’s BBWAA managerial award recipient in 2007 with the Diamondbacks, guided the A’s to the American League West title before losing Game 5 in the ALCS to Detroit.

Davey Johnson, who led the Nationals to the most victories in the major leagues with a record of 98-64, is selected as the National League Manager of the Year, easily outdistancing runners-ups Dusty Baker of the Reds and Bruce Bochy of the Giants, when he receives 23 of the 32 first-place votes cast by the writers. The 69 year-old manager, honored by the BBWAA in 1997 for his managerial efforts with the Orioles, joins Bobby Cox (Blue Jays, Braves), Tony La Russa (White Sox and A’s, Cardinals), Lou Piniella (Mariners, Cubs), and Jim Leyland (Pirates, Tigers) as the fifth skipper to have won the award in both leagues.

Only one year after splurging on the free agent market, the Miami Marlins change course completely, sending two of their top signees from last season, SS Jose Reyes and P Mark Buehrle, to the Toronto Blue Jays, along with staff ace Josh Johnson. With closer Heath Bell having been traded away earlier this off-season, it’s clear that the Fish are not looking to compete now. In return for the pricey veterans, they receive a package of young players headed by SS Yunel Escobar, IF Adeiny Hechavarria, P Henderson Alvarez, C Jeff Mathis and three minor leaguers (Justin Nicolino, Anthony Desclafani and Jake Marisnick). Two other big league veterans, C John Buck and utility player Emilio Bonifacio are also headed north, as the Blue Jays see a chance to win now in a seemingly wide open AL East. Under pressure from Marlins fans decrying yet another fire sale, Commissioner Bud Selig announces that he will need to review the trade before it goes ahead, but will give his approval on November 19th.

The Cardinals name former catcher Mike Matheny to succeed Tony LaRussa as their manager. An outstanding defensive player, Matheny has no managerial experience and was most recently a minor league instructor for the World Champs.

2010 – The Marlins trade perennial prospect, OF Cameron Maybin, to the Padres for relievers Edward Mujica and Ryan Webb. A former first-round draft pick in 2005, Maybin was the youngest player in the American League in 2007, but has had only a season’s worth of at-bats over four years in the majors, hitting .246.

The Marlins send outfielder Cameron Maybin to the Padres for Edward Mujica and Ryan Webb, who are both right-handed relievers. The 23 year-old outfielder, the 10th overall pick in 2005, was traded by Detroit two years later in a major multiplayer Winter Meeting deal that included Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis.

During an auction at the Louisville Slugger Museum, the winning bid for the ball Yankee slugger Babe Ruth hit for his 702nd career home run is $264,500, three times the estimated price. The historic horsehide, hit at Chicago’s Comiskey Park in 1934 off Ted Lyons, had been passed down by three generations of a Minnesota family before being made available to the public.

The Yankees look to upgrade their offense by trading for OF Nick Swisher. They also pick up P Kanekoa Texeira in the deal with the Chicago White Sox, while giving up prospect Jeff Marquez, infielder Wilson Betemit and pitcher Jhonny Nunez.

With a year left on his contract, Ron Gardenhire agrees to a two-year extension to remain as the Twins skipper through 2001. The 51 year-old manager, who replaced Tom Kelly in 2002, has compiled a 622-512 record during his seven-year tenure in Minnesota, winning four division titles with the small market team.

In a five-player trade with the White Sox, the Yankees obtained Nick Swisher and Triple-A right-hander Kaneoka Texeira in exchange for pitching prospects Jeff Marquez and Jhonny Nunez, as well as infielder Wilson Betemit. The Bronx Bombers plan to use the flexible 27 year-old switch hitter to replace departing first baseman Jason Giambi but could be moved to the outfield if the team acquires a big name free agent to play first.

Three of the top four National League vote-getters for Rookie of the Year Honors finishers are Marlins teammates. Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez, in an extremely tight race, edges Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and teammates second baseman Dan Uggla and hurler Josh Johnson.

The Mets stage a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the construction of the 45,000-seat ballpark which will replace Shea Stadium in 2009. The new $800 million ballpark, named Citi Field in association with Citigroup Inc., will be reminiscent of Ebbets Field and will feature a statue of Jackie Robinson in a rotunda named after the immortal Brooklyn Dodger infielder.

Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander (17-9, 3.63) cops the AL Rookie of the Year award, receiving 26 of a possible 28 first-place votes cast by the BBWAA. The 23 year-old hard-throwing hurler becomes the first starting pitcher to win the freshman award since Yankee newcomer Dave Righetti accomplished the feat in 1981.

Eric Gagne, who saved 55 consecutive games for the Dodgers, becomes the ninth reliever to win a Cy Young Award. The runner-up is Jason Schmidt of the Giants, the pitcher with the NL’s best won-lost percentage (17-4, 77%) and an ERA of 2.34 to lead the circuit.

MLB announces that the drug screens taken during the past baseball season tested positive in 5-to-7 percent of the 1,438 samples provided by the players. The results will set into motion a mandatory testing program for performance-enhancing drugs with punitive consequences for failure for the first time in baseball history.

2002 – The San Francisco Giants select former Montreal Expos veteran skipper Felipe Alou to replace Dusty Baker as their new manager. The 67-year-old Dominican Republic native compiled a 691-717 record during his ten years at the helm with Montreal and was selected as the National League Manager of the Year in the 1994 strike-shortened season.

The Giants select former Expo veteran skipper Felipe Alou to replace Dusty Baker as their new manager. The 67 year-old Dominican Republic native compiled a 691-717 record during his ten years at the helm with Montreal, getting the nod as the National League Manager of the Year in the 1994 strike-shortened season.

1998 – The ball thrown by Boston Red Sox pitcher Howard Ehmke and hit by Babe Ruth for the first home run in Yankee Stadium history is sold at an auction for $126,500 (110,000 bid + 15% commission). Mark Scala found the 1923 historic ball in the attic of his grandmother’s home several years ago.

1997 – Larry Walker of the Colorado Rockies is named National League MVP, becoming the first Canadian in either league to win the honor. Walker, who hit .366 with 49 home runs and 130 RBI, caps off a big week for Canada. Earlier in the week, pitchers Roger Clemens of the Toronto Blue Jays and Pedro Martinez of the Montreal Expos each won the Cy Young Award.

The Cleveland Indians trade pitcher Julian Tavarez and infielders Jose Vizcaino and Jeff Kent to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for slugging third baseman Matt Williams.

Jim Frey, the team’s former manager and broadcaster, is named the Cubs’ Director of Baseball Operations. The first major move made by the skipper of the 1984 Chicago squad that won the NL East title will be to name Don Zimmer, a longtime friend, as Chicago’s field boss.

Two players are named co-winners of the National League MVP award for the first time in major league history. Cardinal first baseman Keith Hernandez and Pirates outfielder Willie Stargell share the honor with both garnering 216 points in the BBWAA balloting, but ‘Pops’ receives ten first-place votes compared to the four cast for the Redbird infielder.