This Weekend in Baseball History
November 19th, 2018: The Yankees and Mariners swing a four-player deal with James Paxton coming to New York for package of prospects led by Justus Sheffield.
The deal initially went well for New York, with Paxton going 15 - 6 in 2019. But injuries derailed his 2020 campaign. Things got worse after rejoining Seattle as a free agent last winter: he appeared in just one game as a Mariner before needing season-ending surgery.
Considered the Yankees best lefty prospect, Sheffield pitched well in the 60-game season before posting an ERA last year just under 7 over 15 starts. I'm featuring his photo because -- and this is rare for someone who goes to as many games as I do -- I've never seen Paxton pitch in person!
November 19th, 1993: The Expos acquire starting pitcher Pedro Martinez from the Dodgers for infielder Delino DeShields.
November 19th, 1986: Mike Schmidt, after leading the National League with 37 homers and 119 RBI, joins Stan Musial and Roy Campanella as three time winners of the National League MVP.
Are you surprised that Schmidt finished ahead of the Astros slugger Glenn Davis or Mets standouts Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter?
November 19th, 1979: Nolan Ryan's free agent deal with the Astros makes him the first player ever with an annual salary of one-million dollars.
November 19th, 1964: Red Schoendienst replaces Johnny Keane as the Cardinals manager. The Hall of Fame 2nd baseman, who'd spent the past three seasons as a player-coach, will go on to win the 1967 World Series and a pennant the following year.
November 20th, 2008: Mike Mussina, who just authored the first 20 win season of his career, announces his retirement from the baseball. Splitting his 18 year career between the Orioles and Yankees, he won 270 games -- capped by his only 20 victory season in 2008.
November 20th, 2008: George Steinbrenner, now 78, steps down as control person of the Yankees, replaced by his son Hal.
November 20th, 2001: Ichiro Suzuki becomes the second player ever to win Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season. Only Fred Lynn of the '75 Red Sox had previously claimed this double honor.
November 20th, 1969: In the first year of divisional play, Willie McCovey is named National League MVP -- as opposed to a player from the division-winning Mets or Braves. Stretch had a great season (45 homers, 126 RBIs and a .320 average), but San Francisco fell three games shy of the Western champion Braves.
November 20th, 1955: Carroll Hardy catches two Y.A. Tittle touchdown passes in the 49ers 27-21 loss to the Packers at Milwaukee County Stadium. The 22 year-old rookie halfback will change sports over the winter and sign with Red Sox where, five years later, he will be the only player to ever pinch-hit for Ted Williams.
November 21st, 2011: Justin Verlander -- capping a 24-5 season with a 2.40 ERA -- is named the American League's Most Valuable Player -- the first starting pitcher to to capture the honor since Roger Clemens in 1986.
November 21st, 2002: The Expos take their biggest step yet toward leaving Montreal -- announcing plans to play around 20 home games in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
November 21st, 1989: The Yankees, coming off a 74-87 season, sign free agent Pascual Perez to a three-year contract. The deal is a dud: Perez spends considerable time on the disabled list before being suspended for the '92 season after a failed drug test.
November 21st, 1983: Darryl Strawberry of the Mets snaps the Dodgers four-year streak (Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Howe, Fernando Valenzuela, and Steve Sax) of consecutive Rookie of the Year Award winners. The power-hitting prodigy becomes the third Met to be named the league's top rookie, after Tom Seaver (1967) and Jon Matlack (1972).
November 21st, 1972: Red Sox catcher -- and future Hall of Famer -- Carlton Fisk becomes the first unanimous winner of the American League Rookie of the Year.
November 21st, 1952: Joe Black -- who posted a 15-4 record with 15 saves and a 2.15 ERA -- is named National League's Rookie of the Year, with Hoyt Wilhelm of the cross-town rival Giants finishing second. The Plainfield, New Jersey native made history weeks earlier, as the first Black pitcher to win a World Series game.
November 21st, 1934: The Yankees purchase Joe DiMaggio’s contract from the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League. The price for the future Hall of Famer and baseball icon -- who's hit in 61 consecutive PCL games the previous season -- is $50,000 and five players.
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