Tag: November 3

A vehicle carrying three young members of the Cincinnati Reds organization is involved in a fatal accident on the treacherous roads of the Dominican Republic, on a highway near Boca Chica. 19-year-old pitcher Jairo Capellan is killed instantly, while two other players sustain serious injuries.

The first free agent to change teams this off-season is P Trevor Rosenthal, who signs with the Nationals after missing all of the last season recovering from Tommy John surgery.

The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks win Game 6 of the 2018 Japan Series, 2 – 0, over the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, to take the series, 4 games to 1 (Game 1 ended in a tie). In the final game, Rick van den Hurk opens things with six shutout innings, while a squeeze bunt and a solo homer by Yurisbel Gracial in the 5th account for the two runs. Catcher Takuya Kai, who completely shut down Hiroshima’s running game by throwing out six straight baserunners attempting to steal, in the winner of the MVP Award. It is the second straight series win for the Hawks.

Also repeating as champions are the Lamigo Monkeys in Taiwan, winning the 2018 Taiwan Series over the Uni-President Lions. They take Game 5 by a 10 – 3 margin as Hung-Yu Lin and Yu-Hsien Chu combine for 7 RBI, with Michael Nix getting the win over Josh Roenicke. Chun-Hsiu Chen is named Series MVP after hitting .500; he is the first player to win consecutive Series MVPs since Luther Hackman 9 years prior.

2017 – Gary Owens wins MVP of the southern Bundesliga-1, having led the league in hits and finished second in runs and RBI while helping Heidenheim Heideköpfe to a title.

2016 – In the first trade of the off-season, the Tigers send OF Cameron Maybin to the Angels in return for P Victor Alcantara.

2015 – The Nationals hire Dusty Baker as their manager, less than a week after telling Bud Black that he had the job, but failing to make him a competitive salary offer.

The Cubs introduce new manager Joe Maddon at a press conference. The former Rays skipper is in an optimistic mood, saying he thinks the last-place club is capable of making a playoff run next season.

The Twins confirm that they are hiring Minnesota native Hall of Famer Paul Molitor as their new manager, replacing Ron Gardenhire. It will be Molitor’s first managerial assignment, although he has been a bench coach in the past.

The Rakuten Golden Eagles win the Japan Series for the first time in team history, defeating the Yomiuri Giants, 3 – 0, in Game 7 of the 2013 Japan Series. Masahiro Tanaka, who saw his 30-game unbeaten streak end with a loss in Game 6, comes back to pitch the 9th inning and pick up a save, one day after making 160 pitches in a complete game. Manabu Mima, 6-5 in the regular season, allows one hit and no runs in six for his second gem of the Series to take the Japan Series MVP. Andruw Jones and birthday boy Ryo Hijirisawa each have two hits for the victors, but the winning run scores when Hayato Sakamoto makes an error on a Casey McGehee ball to score Ginji Akaminai. Senichi Hoshino becomes the oldest manager to win a Japan Series.

The Tigers hire former catcher Brad Ausmus as their new manager, in replacement of the recently retired Jim Leyland. It will be Ausmus’s first managerial assignment at any level.

Brad Ausmus, who has never managed or coached a professional baseball team, is introduced as the Tigers’ new skipper, replacing veteran manager Jim Leyland. The 44 year-old Dartmouth graduate, a former All-Star catcher just three years past his playing career, signs a three-year contract with a team option for the 2017 season.

The 2013-2014 Cuban Serie Nacional opens with several games, instead of one contest as in recent years. In the most notable game, Yoelkis Cruz and Carlos Juan Viera combine on a one-hitter for Las Tunas against Artemisa. Alberto Toledo gets the lone Artemisa hit while Jorge Jhonson goes 4 for 4 in a 7 – 0 win.

The Yomiuri Giants beat the Nippon Ham Fighters, 4 – 3, to take the 2012 Japan Series in six games. Yomiuri scores three times off Masaru Takeda in the first two innings, while Giants hurler Hirokazu Sawamura counters with 5 goose eggs. In the 6th, though, Nippon Ham cleanup man Sho Nakata hits a three-run homer to tie it. The Giants battle back in the bottom of the 7th, as captain Shinnosuke Abe, back from injury, singles in the winner off Yuya Ishii. Hisayoshi Chono scores 3 of the 4 Giants runs, including the winner.

Mike Aviles is traded for the second time since the end of the last season, going from Toronto to Cleveland along with C/1B Yan Gomes in return for P Esmil Rogers.

Shortly after being named Korean Series MVP for the second time, Samsung Lions closer Seung-hwan Oh asks to be withdrawn from candidacy for the KBO MVP award. Oh (47 Sv, 0.63) asks voters to pick teammate Hyung-woo Choi, the league leader in homers and RBI. The other finalists are Seok-min Yoon (the pitching Triple Crown winner) and Dae-ho Lee (the defending winner as well as batting and OBP leader). No player had ever withdrawn their name from the lists of finalists before. Despite withdrawing, Oh will still finish second with 19 of 91 votes, while his support for Choi falls on deaf ears as Choi gets 8 votes. Yoon will be the runaway winner, with 62 votes.

Matty Alou, the 1966 National League batting champion and brother of Felipe and Jesus Alou, dies of complications from diabetes at age 72. Although he had little power, the middle Alou brother was a .307 hitter in 15 major league seasons.

A week after throwing the ceremonial first pitch before Game 7 of the 2011 World Series, St. Louis Cardinals great Bob Forsch dies suddenly at 61. He is the third winningest pitcher in Cards history, with 163 wins, pitched two no-hitters for the team and played in three World Series, including the 1982 World Champions.

Reminiscent of the scene when the team moved to San Francisco from New York in 1958, tens of thousands of Giants fans pay homage to their heroes as the city celebrates the accomplishment of the World Champions with a ticker-tape parade. First baseman Aubrey Huff delights the fans at Civic Center by pulling out his “rally thong” while addressing a raucous crowd at Civic Center.

With the onset of the off-season, teams need to make decisions on potential free agents. In a surprise move, the Rangers, fresh off their first American League pennant, part ways with one of the main players responsible for that title, DH Vladimir Guerrero, by declining his option for next season.

Less surprisingly, Red Sox 3B Adrian Beltre also declines his option for 2011, in hope of securing a long-term contract following a great performance last year. Other players let go include Reds SS Orlando Cabrera and P Aaron Harang; Padres P Chris Young and C Yorvit Torrealba; Seattle P Erik Bedard and DH Russell Branyan; Tampa Bay P Dan Wheeler and IF Willy Aybar; and Washington 2B Adam Kennedy.

Santiago de Cuba whips Camagüey, 24 – 0, in the 2009-2010 season opener for both squads. The hero is Santiago de Cuba’s Alexei Bell, who hits two grand slams in the first inning of the year. No player had ever done so in a single inning in Cuban history. Bell, the 2007-2008 home run king, had struggled in 2008-2009. He sets a new Cuban record with 8 RBI in an inning and matches the mark of 12 RBI in a game.

Pedro Luis Lazo tosses six shutout innings to become the first Cuban leaguer to reach 250 career wins.

George W. Bush throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the Yomiuri Giants’ 7-4 victory over the Nippon Ham Fighters in Game 3 of the Japan Series. The former American president, who bounces the ball in the dirt before it is snagged, enjoys the game in a private box with former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, home run king Sadaharu Oh, and John Roos, the U.S. ambassador to Japan.

At Citizens Bank Park, Chase Utley ties Reggie Jackson’s 1977 record with his fifth home run of the World Series, going deep twice in the Phillies’ 8-6 victory over the Yankees in Game 5. The Philadelphia second baseman becomes the second player to have two multi-homer games in the Fall Classic, joining Royals’ outfielder Willie Aikens, who accomplished the feat against the Phillies in 1980.

George W. Bush throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the Yomiuri Giants’ 7-4 victory over the Nippon Ham Fighters in Game 3 of the Japan Series. The former American president, who bounces the ball in the dirt before it is snagged, enjoys the game in a private box with former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, home run king Sadaharu Oh, and John Roos, the U.S. ambassador to Japan.

Ruben Amaro Jr., the team’s assistant GM for a decade, is named to replace Pat Gillick as the general manager of the recently crowned World Champion Phillies. The former batboy signs a three-year deal to run the club five days after Philadelphia beat Tampa Bay in the Fall Classic to win its second title in franchise history.

Ruben Amaro Jr., the team’s assistant GM for a decade, is named to replace Pat Gillick as the general manager of the recently crowned World Champion Phillies. The former batboy signs a three-year deal to run the club five days after Philadelphia beat Tampa Bay in the Fall Classic to win its second title in franchise history.

The Brewers exercise their $10 million option on Mike Cameron (.243, 25, 70). The 35 year-old three-time Gold Glove outfielder committed only one error in 119 starts for the Brew Crew last season.

In an effort to bring America’s national pastime to a country which has a population of over 1.3 billion potential fans, MLB officials announce an office will be opened in China to help promote the game. The possibility of the sport playing a regular-season opener in Beijing is raised by Bob DuPuy, baseball’s chief operating officer.

In an effort to bring America’s national pastime to a country which has a population of over 1.3 billion potential fans, MLB officials announce an office will be opened in China to help promote the game. The possibility of the sport playing a regular-season opener in Beijing is raised by Bob DuPuy, baseball’s chief operating officer.

Greg Maddux wins his sixteenth Gold Glove award, tying the mark held by former Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson and pitcher Jim Kaat for the most ever won by one player. The Braves right-hander will extend the major league mark to 18 when managers and coaches again select him in 2007 and 2008 as the best fielding pitcher in the National League.

Former Houston Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker is named senior vice president of baseball operations for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, giving the club a proven front office executive to work with the club’s young and inexperienced head of baseball operations.

Roberto Alomar and Danny Bautista are reinstated from the voluntary retired list by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and the pair file for free agency.

Former Kansas City Royals manager Tony Peña is hired by the New York Yankees as their first base coach and says he likely will withdraw as a candidate to manage the Dominican Republic in next year’s inaugural World Baseball Classic.

Third baseman Vinny Castilla is traded by the Washington Nationals to the San Diego Padres for pitcher Brian Lawrence and cash considerations.

Glenn Hoffman, the older brother of free agent closer Trevor Hoffman, is hired as third base coach of the San Diego Padres.

SBC announces the San Francisco home of the Giants will getting its third name in three years. The corporation will adopt the better known AT&T brand for its identity as the result of the likely merger of the two companies planned for later this year.

2003 – ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine will return to Japan to manage the Chiba Lotte Marines, the same club which fired him after a solid second-place finish in 1995. The former Mets and Rangers skipper signs a three-year deal, with an option for two more years worth for an estimated $6.4 million.

ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine will return to Japan to manage the Chiba Lotte Marines, the club which fired him after a solid second-place finish in 1995. The former Mets and Rangers skipper signs a three-year deal with an option for two more years worth an estimated $6.4 million.

2001 – In Game 6 of the World Series, the Diamondbacks get 21 hits in the first six innings against the Yankees to set a record for hits in a World Series game. The previous record of 20 was established by the New York Giants against the Yankees in Game 3 of the 1921 World Series, and St. Louis in Game 4 of the the 1946 World Series against the Red Sox. The Diamondbacks win, 15 – 2, forcing a decisive Game 7. Randy Johnson is the winning pitcher and Andy Pettitte the loser.

In Game 6, the Diamondbacks get 21 hits in the first six innings against the Yankees to set a record for hits in a World Series game. The previous record of 20 was established by the 1921 Giants (Game 3 vs Yankees) and the 1946 Cardinals (Game 4 vs Red Sox).

After being turned down by Yankees third base coach Willie Randolph and their own third base coach, Ron Oester, because of below-market contract offers, the Reds hire Bob Boone as manager, replacing 69 year-old Jack McKeon. The former catcher and present special assistant to general manager Jim Bowden had a 181-206 record as manager of the Royals.

2000 – After being turned down by Yankees third base coach Willie Randolph and their own third base coach, Ron Oester, because of below-market contract offers, the Cincinnati Reds hire Bob Boone as manager, replacing Jack McKeon. A former All-Star catcher, Boone had a 181-206 record as manager of the Kansas City Royals.

In a nine-player deal, the Rangers trade superstar Juan Gonzalez along with pitcher Danny Patterson and catcher Greg Zaun to the Tigers for pitchers Justin Thompson, Alan Webb, and Francisco Cordero, outfielder Gabe Kapler, catcher Bill ​Haselman, and infielder Frank Catalanotto.