This Weekend in Baseball History
December 4th, 2012: Shane Victorino agrees to a three-year free agent contract with the Red Sox and helps them win a World Series in his first Boston season.
December 4th, 2007: Miguel Cabrera is the central figure in a blockbuster deal between the Marlins and Tigers. The four time all star heads to Detroit along with Dontrelle Willis for prospects Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller and Dallas Trahern.
December 4th, 1976: Aurelio Rodriguez snaps Brooks Robinson's 17-year streak of winning the American League Gold Glove for 3rd baseman. The Orioles legend had taken the award every season between 1959 and '75.
December 4th, 1969: The Yankees trade off familiar names from their pennant winning teams of 1963 and '64, sending Al Downing (and Frank Fernandez) to the for A's Danny Cater, while Joe Pepitone goes to the Astros for Curt Blefary.
December 4th, 1965: Following two successful seasons with the San Francisco Giants, Masanori Murakami decides to return to Japan, signing a contract with the Osaka Nankai Hawks.
December 4th, 1964: The Dodgers and Senators pull off a big six-player trade. Frank Howard, Ken McMullen and pitchers Phil Ortega and Pete Richert head to Washington with pitcher Claude Osteen and infielder John Kennedy moving to LA.
December 4th, 1963: The Tigers send Jim Bunning to the Phillies for catcher Gus Triandos, pitcher Jack Hamilton and outfielder Don Demeter. The following season, Bunning will pitch a perfect game -- making him the first man to throw no-hitters in each league.
December 4th, 1957: The White Sox and Indians swap franchise fixtures -- as newly hired Chicago general manager Frank Lane sends Minnie Minoso (and infielder Fred Hatfield) to the Indians for Early Wynn and outfielder Al Smith.
December 5th, 2018: Paul Goldschmidt goes from Arizona to the Cardinals for a package of young players including catcher Carson Kelly, pitcher Luke Weaver and infielder Andy Young along with a comepensation pick in the upcoming amateur draft.
December 5th, 2014: The Yankees send pitcher Shane Greene to the Diamondbacks for Didi Gregorius, who will succeed the retired Derek Jeter at shortstop. The same day, they sign free agent reliever Andrew Miller to a four-year contract.
December 5th, 2011: Ron Santo, the beloved Cubs third baseman of the 1960s, who died a year earlier, is voted into the Hall of Fame by the Golden Era Veterans Committee.
December 5th, 2010: Jayson Werth, who helped lead the Phillies to four consecutive NL East titled (and the 2008 World Series championship), jumps to the division rival Nationals for a seven-year $125 million contract.
December 5th, 1990: Vince Coleman leaves the Cardinals -- where he'd led the National League in stolen bases the last six seasons -- and signs a four-year contract with the Mets. But his New York tenure will be marred by injuries and decline, with out any all star game or post-season appearances.
December 5th, 1984: The A's and Yankees complete a seven-player trade, with Rickey Henderson the central figure. The stolen base king heads to the Bronx, for pitchers Jay Howell and Jose Rijo, outfielder Stan Javier, and minor leaguers Tim Birtsas and Eric Plunk going to Oakland.
December 5th, 1957: The Cardinals trade for Curt Flood, who becomes their center fielder for the next 12 seasons. They send pitchers Marty Kutyna and Ted Wieand for the 19-year old prospect who'd struggled in brief appearances in Cincinnati the last two seasons.
December 6th, 2017: Aaron Boone is officially introduced as the Yankees new manager, succeeding Joe Girardi.
December 6th, 2016: Claire Smith, one of the first women beat writers covering baseball, becomes the first female winner of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award, Cooperstown's section for writers.
December 6th, 2013: It's a free agent revolving door in the Bronx: Robinson Cano, leaves the Yankees for a ten-year deal with the Mariners worth$240 million, while Curtis Granderson, crosses the Triboro Bridge to join the Mets for four years at $60 million. As replacements, the Yanks pick up Carlos Beltran for three years at $45 million, and 2nd baseman Kelly Johnson.
December 6th, 1989: The Mets and Reds swap lefty relievers. Randy Myers goes to Cincinnati. while native New Yorker John Franco heads to Queens.
December 6th, 1968: William "Spike" Eckert resigns as baseball commissioner after three turbulent years. He'll soon be replaced by attorney Bowie Kuhn.
December 6th, 1960: Gene Autry leads a group of investors who obtain an American League expansion team for Los Angeles.
December 6th, 1959: Minnie Minoso books movers for the second time in a year, as the Indians send him back to the White Sox for a package built around young 1st baseman Norm Cash and catcher John Romano.
December 6th, 1938: Dodgers GM Larry MacPhail drops out of an agreement with the crosstown Giants and Yankees and makes a deal for his team's games to air on local radio beginning the following spring. The Yankees quickly follow suit, with Arch McDonald serving be the original play-by-play man; Mel Allen would replace him that June.
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