Baseball History This Weekend

March 27th, 2012: Embattled owner Frank McCourt agrees to sell the Dodgers to a group that includes Magic Johnson and former Braves executive Stan Kasten for $2 billion, the highest ever paid for a pro sports team.


March 27, 2002: Jose Canseco's big league career ends when he's released by the Expos at the end of spring training.

March 27th, 1973: Denny McLain is released by the Braves at the end of spring training. The career of the last 30-game winner is over at the age of 29.

March 27th, 1987: The Mets trade backup catcher Ed Hearn, pitcher Rick Anderson, and prospect Mauro Gozzo to the Royals for David Cone and minor leaguer Chris Jelic. The trade becomes a huge plus for New York, where Cone, after an injury shortened 1987, stars for the Mets (and later, the Yankees). Perhaps, it's the reversal of karma for the equally onesided Amos Otis/Joe Foy deal 18 years earlier.

March 28th, 1985: Sports Illustrated publishes the greatest April Fool's stunt in the history of sports journalism. Click here for the legendary story of Sidd Finch.

March 28th, 1988: Future Hall of Famer Phil Neikro is released by the Yankees, four days before the knuckleballer's 47th birthday.

March 29th, 1975: Mel Stottlemyre, unable to pitch due to a torn rotator cuff, is released byt the Yankees. While the departure is bitter, fences are mended two decades later when the club's best pitcher during its darkest decade is welcomed home as Joe Torre's pitching coach -- and is a vital part of four World Series champions.

March 29th, 2002: Rickey Henderson is added to the Red Sox roster just before opening day. Boston will become the 8th club for the major's alltime base stealer.

March 29th, 2009: Longtime Met John Franco throws out the ceremonial first pitch at the first baseball game played at New York's new Citi Field -- when his alma mater Saint Johns hosts Georgetown.

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