Free agent outfielder Tim Raines is signed by the Oakland Athletics to a $600,000 contract. Raines hit .290 for the World Champion New York Yankees last season and has a .296 career batting average.
Oakland Athletics outfielder Ben Grieve is named the American League Rookie of the Year.
Rickey Henderson finishes the campaign with a league-leading 66 stolen bases when he swipes second and third in the bottom the third inning of the A’s 4-3 victory over the Angels at Network Associates Coliseum. The 39 year-old ‘Man of Steal’ becomes the oldest player ever to lead the league in purloined bags.
The A’s Rickey Henderson’s stolen base in the first inning against the Tigers makes the thirty-nine year old the oldest player to steal 50 bases in a season. The veteran outfielder will end the season with a major league-leading 66 stolen bases.
1998 – Free agent outfielder Rickey Henderson signs on for a fourth tour of duty with the Oakland Athletics.
1997 – The Marlins trade ace Kevin Brown to the Padres for 1B Derrek Lee and pitchers Rafael Medina and Steve Hoff. In the next two days the Fish will send P Dennis Cook to the Mets for OF Fletcher Bates and P Scott Comer, and trade IF Kurt Abbott to the Athletics in exchange for P Eric Ludwick as the fire sale dismantlement of the World Champion team begins in earnest.
The New York Yankees trade pitcher Kenny Rogers to the Oakland Athletics for a player to be named later and cash considerations. Oakland will send third baseman Scott Brosius to the Yankees on November 18th to complete the trade.
After stints with the Rangers and Red Sox, Jose Canseco returns to his first major league team when Boston trades the slugger to the A’s for pitcher John Wasdin and cash. The 32 year-old DH/outfielder will bat .235 and hit 23 home runs for Oakland, and Boston’s new right-hander will post a 4-6 record with a 4.40 ERA.
test On September 2, 1996 — After his operation in May to remove an aneurysm in his pitching arm, David Cone makes a dramatic return to the mound when he hurls seven innings of no-hit ball. Manager Joe Torre removes Cone and replaces him with Mariano Rivera gives up the opponent’s only hit, a one-out…
1996 – The St. Louis Cardinals complete a long-rumored swap, acquiring closer Dennis Eckersley from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for minor league reliever Steve Montgomery. Eckersley replaces Tom Henke, who announced last month he was retiring. The Cardinals also announce that they are laying nearly three acres of grass over the field at Busch Stadium, replacing the artificial turf that has been used for 26 years. The grass turf will be ready for the April 8th opener against Montreal.