The Rangers sign side-arming Japanese reliever Yoshinori Tateyama as they are toying with the idea of moving young bullpen standouts Neftali Feliz and Alexi Ogando to the starting rotation. The 35-year-old Tateyama is a 11-year veteran of Nippon Pro Baseball, all with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.

The Mets trade highly-touted prospect Lastings Milledge to the Nationals in exchange for fly chaser Ryan Church and catcher Brian Schneider. Although the transaction helps New York fill its immediate needs behind the plate and in the outfield, the trade appears to favor Washington due to Milledge’s perceived potential.

The Rays sign reliever Troy Percival (3-0, 1.80) to an $8 million, two-year deal. The 38 year-old right-hander, who came out of retirement last season to make 34 appearances for the Cardinals, is a major upgrade to Tampa Bay’s beleaguered bullpen.

Arizona P Curt Schilling wins the 2001 Hutch Award, given each year by Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to a player who displays “honor, courage & dedication to baseball while overcoming adversity in their personal or professional lives.”

Unsure of their future, the Montreal Expos sign a one-year lease to play their home games of the 2002 season at Olympic Stadium. Due to the threat of being eliminated because of the proposed contraction of major league teams, the agreement gives the Expos the right to unilaterally cancel the contract.

The major league’s plan to contract by two teams next season is put into jeopardy by Minnesota courts. The state’s Supreme Court refuses to grant the request for a speedy review of the appeal of the injunction which forces the Twins to play in 2002, and the appellate court sets the hearing for December 27th, a date many believe is too late to make the elimination of two teams a reality.

The Expos, unsure of their major league status, signs a one-year lease to play next season’s home games at Olympic Stadium. The agreement gives Montreal the right to unilaterally cancel the contract due to the team’s possible elimination under the owners’ proposed plan for contraction.

The major leagues’ plan to contract by two teams next season is put into jeopardy by Minnesota courts. The state’s Supreme Court refuses to grant the request for a speedy review of the appeal of the injunction, which forces the Twins to play in 2001, and the appellate court sets the hearing for December 27, a date many believe is too late to make the elimination of two teams a reality.

2000 – The Yankees sign Orioles free agent P Mike Mussina to a six-year contract worth $88.5 million. Mussina says a deciding factor was a call from Joe Torre.