Braves History
2014 – A busy off-season continues with several trades and signings. The Padres acquire their third starting outfielder in a few days, landing Justin Upton from the Braves for four prospects.
MLB History
1983 – Former Cy Young Award winner Vida Blue is sentenced to 90 days in prison, and recently convicted and suspended 1B Willie Aikens is traded by Kansas City to Toronto for DH Jorge Orta.
1991 – The Blue Jays sign free agent veteran DH/OF Dave Winfield. The former Angel hit .286 with 28 home runs last season.
2010 – Kansas City trades ace pitcher Zack Greinke, the 2009 American League Cy Young Award winner, and SS Yuniesky Betancourt to the Milwaukee Brewers in return for a package of young players, headed by SS Alcides Escobar. P Jake Odorizzi, OF Lorenzo Cain and P Jeremy Jeffress complete the Royals’ haul, as Milwaukee outbids the Yankees and the Rangers to obtain Greinke.
2011 – The Texas Rangers make the winning bid for star Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish. As expected, the $51.7 million offer is the largest ever made through the posting system, breaking the record of $51.1 million which the Red Sox offered for Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2006. The Rangers now have 30 days until they agree on a contract with Darvish.
2014 – The Dodgers end the Yankees’ fifteen-year streak of owning Major League Baseball’s biggest payroll. When the luxury tax calculations are in for the year, the Dodgers owe $26.6 million, based on a payroll of $257 million. The Yankees also need to pay the tax levied on payrolls above $189 million, and their bill is $18.3 million, down from $28 million in 2013
Information for this article was found via Baseball Reference, NationalPastime.com and Today in Baseball History.
