The history of sports is both vast and rich, thanks to the existence of so many different events and the longevity associated with them. With so much history to cull through, We offer the opportunity to look back and see what memorable things happened or milestones were reached on December 17 in baseball history.
Notable Events and Chronology for December 17
1891 – The American Association passes out of existence after ten years as a settlement is finally reached with the National League. Four AA clubs (St. Louis, Louisville, Washington, and Baltimore) join the National League’s existing eight clubs to form a twelve-club league formally styled “The National League and American Association of Professional Base Ball Clubs.” The other four AA clubs are bought out for about $130,000. The NL will allow Sunday games for the first time but will retain its 50-cent minimum admission price.
At a joint meeting, a rule is changed that ends the practice of minor league teams selling star prospects to friendly Major League clubs for high prices, then getting the players back, forcing another ML club to pay the reputed price for the player. Other changes ban the signing of players under the age of 17 and set a $7,500 price tag on any first-year player.
1942 – The Yankees trade OF Roy Cullenbine and C Buddy Rosar to the Indians for Roy Weatherly and IF Oscar Grimes. With the draft in mind, all four players are married with one child each. Rosar had been in the doghouse with Joe McCarthy for leaving the team without permission the weekend of July 18-19 to take a police examination in Buffalo. The leave-taking prompted the Yankees to sign veteran C Rollie Hemsley.
1990 – Reliever Dave Smith signs a free agent deal with the Chicago Cubs. Sadly, he would pass away 18 years later to the day of a heart attack. The bullpen closer in Houston since 1985, Smith would end an eleven-year run with the Astros, holding a 53-47 record and a 2.53 ERA to go with 199 saves. The veteran would not serve the Cubs well, posting an 0-6 record with 17 saves over two injury-plagued seasons.
2000 – City and club officials announce plans for the financing and construction of a new, downtown Miami retractable roof ballpark for the Marlins. The state-of-the-art $385 million stadium, which will be a 40,000-seat facility with 60 luxury suites, includes a 40-year lease and an agreement to rename the team the “Miami Marlins”. The deal will soon run into snags and the stadium will not be built for another decade, however.
The last-place Mariners continue to sign impact free agents in hopes to improve upon last season’s poor performance (63-99) as the team inks 25-year-old Adrian Beltre (.334, 48, 121) to a $64 million, five-year deal. The former Dodger third baseman joins Richie Sexson, a free agent Seattle signed to a four-year, $50 million contract two days ago.
A three-team deal is concluded which includes Diamondback southpaw Randy Johnson and pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii traded to the Yankees, Dodger outfielder Shawn Green and pitcher Brad Penny being sent to the Diamondbacks with Javier Vazquez and prospects going to the Dodgers. The blockbuster transaction falls apart as Los Angeles backs out at the eleventh hour.
The last place Mariners continue to sign impact free-agents in hopes to improve upon last season’s poor performance (63-99) when the team signs 25 year-old Adrian Beltre (.334, 48, 121) to a $64 million, five-year deal. The former Dodger third baseman joins Richie Sexson, a free agent Seattle signed to a four-year, $50 million contract two days ago.
A flurry of deals take place today before the holiday break rolls in. San Diego’s deal for SS Jason Bartlett, rumored for a week already, is officially completed, with prospects Adam Russell, Brandon Gomes, Cesar Ramos and Cole Figueroa heading to Tampa Bay. The Padres then complete the revamp of their infield by signing free agent 2B Orlando Hudson for two years. Hudson’s former team, the Twins, in turn announce they have reached a deal with Japanese infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka for three years.
After losing the right-hander to free-agency two seasons ago, the Cubs sign Kerry Wood, one of the franchise’s most popular players of the recent past, to a $1.5 million, one-year deal that includes bonuses for appearances and games finished. After attending Ron Santo’s funeral last week, the 33 year-old free-agent reached out to Tom Ricketts, letting the club owner know he would accept a modest offer to return to the North Side of Chicago.
The Reds obtain right-hander Mat Latos from the Padres for four players that include two former first-round picks, infielder Yonder Alonso and catcher Yasmani Grandal, along with starting pitcher Edinson Volquez and minor leaguer Brad Boxberger. The deal fills a crucial need by bolstering Cincinnati’s rotation, but many observers believe the team gave up too much to acquire the quality starter.
In a seven-player swap, the Mets acquire highly-regarded minor leaguers Travis d’Arnaud, a catcher, and right-hander Noah Syndergaard, in addition to backstop John Buck and outfielder Wuilmer Becerra from the Blue Jays in exchange for right-handed pitcher R.A. Dickey and catchers Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas. New York decided to deal their 38 year-old knuckleballer, last season’s NL Cy Young award winner with a year remaining on his contract, to procure two of Toronto’s top prospects.
The Yankees continue their off-season spending spree, signing free agent 2B Brian Roberts for one year and P Matt Thornton for two years. While those two deals are not particularly large, the team gets hit once again with the largest luxury tax payment in Major League Baseball at $28 million; the Dodgers are the only other team which has to pay the tax, being assessed at $11.4 million, while the Red Sox manage to just squeeze under the $178 million payroll threshold.
A busy off-season continues with the Rays pulling off a couple of trades involving 11 players. First, they get C Rene Rivera, 1B Jake Bauers and P Burch Smith from San Diego along with P Joe Ross and IF Trea Turner in return for OF Wil Myers, C Ryan Hanigan and Ps Gerardo Reyes and Jose Castillo, then they flip Ross and Turner to the Nationals for OF Steven Souza and P Travis Ott .
