1.
2000 Major League Baseball season
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A record 5,693 home runs were hit during the regular season in 2000. Ten teams hit at least 200 home runs each, while for the first time since 1989, Commissioner Bud Selig says he will listen to what the doctors say before deciding what punishment—if any—will be handed down to the pitcher. January 11 – The baseball writers elect catcher Carlton Fisk and first baseman Tony Pérez to the Hall of Fame, Fisk is chosen in his 2nd year on the ballot, while Pérez is picked on his 9th try. January 31 – Braves reliever John Rocker is suspended from baseball until May 1 by Commissioner Bud Selig for his racial, hes also fined $20,000 and ordered to undergo sensitivity training. February 10 – The Seattle Mariners accommodate center fielder Ken Griffey, Cincinnati resisted giving up infielder Pokey Reese. February 29 – Manager Sparky Anderson, 19th-century star Bid McPhee, march 1 – Independent arbitrator Shyam Das cuts Braves pitcher John Rockers suspension from 28 days to 14 days. Rocker, who is allowed to report to spring training with the team, also has his fine cut. March 29 – The Chicago Cubs open the league season in the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, by defeating the New York Mets 5–3. Jon Lieber gets the victory and Mike Hampton takes the loss, Shane Andrews hits the first home run of the season. Mark Grace and Mike Piazza also homer, April 3 – Andrés Galarraga hits a home run in his first game back after missing the entire 1999 season following cancer surgery. Atlanta defeat the Colorado Rockies 2–0, April 3 – The Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Montréal Expos 10–4, behind Eric Karros grand slam. Right fielder Vladimir Guerrero hits a pair of runs for Montreal as a new major league record for Opening Day is set with five players having multiple home run games. April 4 – Expos closer Ugueth Urbina strikes out the Dodgers in the top of the inning on nine pitches. April 7 – A total of 57 home runs are hit in the 15 games played, the previous mark of 55 was set in 17 games on August 13,1999. There were 36 homers hit in the AL, eclipsing the mark for a single league. April 7 – The Tampa Bay Devil Rays open their home schedule playing home games at Tropicana Field on the new FieldTurf artificial surface and they lose to the Cleveland Indians, 14–5. April 9 – The Minnesota Twins defeat the Kansas City Royals 13–7, in the process, they become the first teams in major league history to each hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in the same game. April 10 – Colorado beats Cincinnati 7–5, despite Ken Griffey, at age of 30, Griffey is the youngest player in major league history to reach that milestone
2.
National League
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Both leagues currently have 15 teams. The two league champions of 1903 arranged to compete against each other in the inaugural World Series, after the 1904 champions failed to reach a similar agreement, the two leagues formalized the World Series as an arrangement between the leagues. National League teams have won 48 of the 112 World Series contested from 1903 to 2016, the 2016 National League champions are the Chicago Cubs. By 1875, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players was dangerously weak, additionally, Hulbert had a problem—five of his star players were threatened with expulsion from the NAPBBP because Hulbert had signed them to his club using what were considered questionable means. Hulbert had a vested interest in creating his own league. After recruiting St. Louis privately, four western clubs met in Louisville, Kentucky, Boston Red Stockings, the dominant team in the N. A. Hartford Dark Blues from the N. A. Mutual of New York from the N. A. St. Louis Brown Stockings from the N. A, the only strong club from 1875 excluded in 1876 was a second one in Philadelphia, often called the White Stockings or Phillies. The first game in National League history was played on April 22,1876, at Philadelphias Jefferson Street Grounds, 25th & Jefferson, the new leagues authority was tested after the first season. The National League operated with six clubs during 1877 and 1878, over the next several years, various teams joined and left the struggling league. By 1880, six of the eight members had folded. The two remaining original NL franchises, Boston and Chicago, remain in operation today as the Atlanta Braves, in 1883 the New York Gothams and Philadelphia Phillies began National League play. Both teams remain in the NL today, the Phillies in their original city, the NL encountered its first strong rival organization when the American Association began play in 1882. The A. A. played in cities where the NL did not have teams, offered Sunday games and alcoholic beverages in locales where permitted, the National League and the American Association participated in a version of the World Series seven times during their ten-year coexistence. These contests were less organized than the modern Series, lasting as few as three games and as many as fifteen, with two Series ending in disputed ties, the NL won four times and the A. A. only once, in 1886. Starting with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1887, the National League began to raid the American Association for franchises to replace NL teams that folded and this undercut the stability of the A. A. Other new leagues that rose to compete with the National League were the Union Association, the Union Association was established in 1884 and folded after playing only one season, its league champion St. Louis Maroons joining the NL. The NL suffered many defections of star players to the Players League, the Brooklyn, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and New York franchises of the NL absorbed their Players League counterparts. The labor strife of 1890 hastened the downfall of the American Association, after the 1891 season, the A. A. disbanded and merged with the NL, which became known legally for the next decade as the National League and American Association
3.
1969 Major League Baseball season
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The 1969 Major League Baseball season was celebrated as the 100th anniversary of professional baseball, honoring the first professional touring baseball team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings. It was the first season of what is now called the Divisional Era, the winners of each division would compete against each other in a League Championship Series, then best-of-five, to determine the pennant winners that would face each other in the World Series. In a year marked by the expansion of the decade, the New York Mets. East Division with a league-best 100–62 record, and sweeping the N. L, West Division Champion Atlanta Braves in three games in the first National League Championship Series, the Miracle Mets became the first expansion team to win a pennant. East Division Champion Orioles, holders of the best record in baseball, West Division Champion Minnesota Twins in three games in the first American League Championship Series. The upstart Mets upset the heavily favored Orioles and won the World Series title in five games, in an effort to counteract a trend of low-scoring games, Major League Baseball adopted two measures during the Baseball Winter Meetings held in December 1968. The strike zone was reduced to the area over home plate between the armpits and the top of the knees of a batter. Also, the height of the mound was reduced from 15 inches to 10 inches. A save became an official MLB statistic to reward relief pitchers who preserve a lead while finishing a game, MLB called for a four-team expansion to take place in 1971 at the 1967 Winter Meetings, the first expansion since 1962. However, there was a complication, influential U. S, the Leagues agreed and moved expansion up to 1969, with the AL putting one of its new franchises in Kansas City. Ewing Kauffman won the bidding for that franchise, naming it the Kansas City Royals, the other AL team was awarded to Seattle. A consortium led by Dewey Soriano and William Daley won the bidding for the Seattle franchise, and named it the Seattle Pilots, a salute to the harbor pilots of the Puget Sound maritime industry. In the NL, one franchise was awarded to San Diego, California, arnholdt Smith, former owner of the AAA Pacific Coast Leagues San Diego Padres, won the bidding for the San Diego franchise, also naming it the Padres. Charles Bronfman, owner of Seagram, won the bidding for the Montreal franchise, naming them the Expos and this was the last NL expansion until the 1993 season. As part of the 1969 expansion, each league was to be split into two divisions of six each, with each league holding a best-of-five League Championship Series to decide the pennant. The AL was divided purely along geographic lines, but when it came to assign divisions in the NL and this alignment also addressed concerns that putting the leagues three strongest clubs—St. Louis, San Francisco, and the Cubs—in the west would result in divisional unequity, the Padres and Expos each finished with 110 losses and at the bottom of their respective divisions. The Royals did better, finishing 69–93 and in fourth in the AL West, the legal fallout of the battle would lead eventually to the expansion for the 1977 season
4.
AT&T Park
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AT&T Park is a baseball park located in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Since 2000, it has served as the home of the San Francisco Giants, originally named Pacific Bell Park, then SBC Park in 2003 after SBC Communications acquired Pacific Bell, the stadium was ultimately christened AT&T Park in 2006 following SBCs buyout of AT&T. The park stands along the San Francisco Bay, a segment of which is named McCovey Cove in honor of former Giants player Willie McCovey, AT&T Park has also played host to both professional and collegiate American football games. Professionally, AT&T Park was the home of the San Francisco Demons of the XFL, the stadium can be reached via San Franciscos Muni Metro, the 2nd and King Station is directly outside the ballpark. Originally designed to be a 42, 000-seat stadium, there were slight modifications before the design was complete. When the ballpark was brought to the box in the fall of 1996 for voter approval. Also the center-field scoreboard was atop the wall and the Giants Pavilion Building were two separate buildings. Groundbreaking on the ballpark began on December 11,1997, in the waterfront area of San Francisco known as China Basin in the up-and-coming neighborhoods of South Beach. The stadium cost $357 million to build and supplanted the Giants former home, Candlestick Park, a team of engineers from UC Davis was consulted in the design process of the park resulting in wind levels that are approximately half those at Candlestick. Fans had shivered through 40 seasons at The Stick and looked forward to warmer temperatures at the new ballpark, when it opened on March 31,2000, the ballpark was the first Major League ballpark built without public funds since the completion of Dodger Stadium in 1962. However, the Giants did receive a $10 million tax abatement from the city, the Giants have a 66-year lease on the 12. 5-acre ballpark site, paying $1.2 million in rent annually to the San Francisco Port Commission. The park opened with a capacity of 40,800. In April 2010, the became the first MLB ballpark to receive LEED Silver Certification for Existing Buildings, Operations. The opening series took place April 11–13,2000 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the first game of that series, the Giants lost 6–5, highlighted by three home runs from the Dodgers Kevin Elster. On May 1,2000, Barry Bonds became the first player to hit a splash hit home run into McCovey Cove, in just its first few years of existence, the ballpark saw its share of historic events primarily due to veteran Giants outfielder Barry Bonds. On April 17,2001, Bonds hit his 500th career home run at then-Pacific Bell Park. Later that year, he set the season home run record when he hit home runs number 71,72. On August 9,2002, Bonds hit his 600th career home run at the park
5.
San Francisco
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San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the cultural, commercial, and financial center of Northern California. It is the birthplace of the United Nations, the California Gold Rush of 1849 brought rapid growth, making it the largest city on the West Coast at the time. San Francisco became a consolidated city-county in 1856, after three-quarters of the city was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and fire, San Francisco was quickly rebuilt, hosting the Panama-Pacific International Exposition nine years later. In World War II, San Francisco was a port of embarkation for service members shipping out to the Pacific Theater. Politically, the city votes strongly along liberal Democratic Party lines, San Francisco is also the headquarters of five major banking institutions and various other companies such as Levi Strauss & Co. Dolby, Airbnb, Weebly, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Yelp, Pinterest, Twitter, Uber, Lyft, Mozilla, Wikimedia Foundation, as of 2016, San Francisco is ranked high on world liveability rankings. The earliest archaeological evidence of habitation of the territory of the city of San Francisco dates to 3000 BC. Upon independence from Spain in 1821, the became part of Mexico. Under Mexican rule, the system gradually ended, and its lands became privatized. In 1835, Englishman William Richardson erected the first independent homestead, together with Alcalde Francisco de Haro, he laid out a street plan for the expanded settlement, and the town, named Yerba Buena, began to attract American settlers. Commodore John D. Sloat claimed California for the United States on July 7,1846, during the Mexican–American War, montgomery arrived to claim Yerba Buena two days later. Yerba Buena was renamed San Francisco on January 30 of the next year, despite its attractive location as a port and naval base, San Francisco was still a small settlement with inhospitable geography. The California Gold Rush brought a flood of treasure seekers, with their sourdough bread in tow, prospectors accumulated in San Francisco over rival Benicia, raising the population from 1,000 in 1848 to 25,000 by December 1849. The promise of fabulous riches was so strong that crews on arriving vessels deserted and rushed off to the gold fields, leaving behind a forest of masts in San Francisco harbor. Some of these approximately 500 abandoned ships were used at times as storeships, saloons and hotels, many were left to rot, by 1851 the harbor was extended out into the bay by wharves while buildings were erected on piles among the ships. By 1870 Yerba Buena Cove had been filled to create new land, buried ships are occasionally exposed when foundations are dug for new buildings. California was quickly granted statehood in 1850 and the U. S. military built Fort Point at the Golden Gate, silver discoveries, including the Comstock Lode in Nevada in 1859, further drove rapid population growth. With hordes of fortune seekers streaming through the city, lawlessness was common, and the Barbary Coast section of town gained notoriety as a haven for criminals, prostitution, entrepreneurs sought to capitalize on the wealth generated by the Gold Rush
6.
Peter Magowan
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Peter A. Magowan is the former managing general partner of the San Francisco Giants Major League Baseball franchise. Magowans maternal grandfather was Charles Merrill, co-founder of Merrill Lynch & Company, Magowans father, Robert Anderson Magowan, was chairman and CEO of Safeway, Magowans mother, Doris Merrill Magowan, was a prominent San Francisco philanthropist. Magowan is the nephew of poet James Merrill and he graduated high school from Groton School, has a bachelors degree from Stanford University and a masters degree from Oxford University. He also did work at The Johns Hopkins University. Following graduation from Stanford, Magowan joined Safeway as a real estate negotiator in Washington D. C and he also worked as a District Manager in Houston, a Retail Operations Manager in Phoenix and a Division Manager in Tulsa. From 1976 to 1978 he was in charge of the Companys international operations and he was elected a Director of Safeway in 1978 following the death of his father. In 1979 Magowan was elected as chairman and CEO of Safeway and he would run Safeway until its poor performance led to it being the target of corporate raiders, resulting in acquisition by KKR acting as a white knight. Magowan is also a director of Caterpillar, Inc, daimlerChrysler, W5 Networks, Inc. and Spring Group, PLC. He is a native of New York City and was a Giants fan prior to moving to San Francisco, Magowan, along with a group of investors purchased the franchise on January 12,1993, from the previous owner, Bob Lurie. Before Magowans consortium stepped in with its offer to buy the team, Lurie had planned to sell the team to a group from St. Petersburg, now home to the Tampa Bay Rays. Magowan made his mark on the immediately, signing free agent superstar Barry Bonds. Magowan is also noted for spearheading the construction of the Giants current home, previously, several initiatives to build tax-supported stadiums had been rejected by San Francisco voters. In December 1995, Magowan unveiled his plan for a 42,000 seat ballpark in China Basin, the plan was passed easily by San Francisco voters, by a 2 to 1 margin. Pacific Bell Park opened in 2000, replacing the oft-criticized Candlestick Park, since AT&T Park opened, the Giants have become the third most-valuable team in baseball. Conte had been approached by a player, in the January 2007 Congressional hearings on performance-enhancing drugs, Congressman Henry Waxman asked Commissioner Bud Selig to discipline Sabean and Magowan for their culpability. Some sports insiders argued that Magowans and Sabeans actions on steroids was not any different from other clubs at the time. When Magowan was interviewed for the Mitchell Report, Magowan told Senator George Mitchell that Barry Bonds told him he had used steroids, on May 16,2008, Magowan announced he would be stepping down as managing partner of the Giants effective October 1,2008. Bill Neukom succeeded Magowan as the shareholder and lead representative of the investors in the San Francisco Giants
7.
Brian Sabean
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Brian R. Sabean, as of 2015, is the executive vice president of baseball operations of the San Francisco Giants. He served as the general manager for eighteen seasons, from 1997 to 2014. He succeeded general manager Bob Quinn, the Giants had a winning record in thirteen of the eighteen seasons in which Sabean served as general manager. Prior to his tenure, the team had suffered losing seasons in five out of six years and he is a native of Concord, New Hampshire. Sabean attended Concord High School and Eckerd College, playing with former major leaguer Joe Lefebvre on both schools baseball teams, prior to starting his scouting career, Sabean was an assistant baseball coach at Saint Leo University in 1979 and University of Tampa from 1980 to 1982. He was promoted to coach in 1983 and led Tampa to its first-ever NCAA regional tournament appearance in 1984. Sabean began his involvement in Major League Baseball as a scout for the New York Yankees organization in 1985, Sabean was promoted to Director of Scouting in 1986 and Vice President of Player Development/Scouting in 1990. With the Yankees, he drafted or signed as amateurs the likes of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, J. T. Snow, Jorge Posada, Sabean joined the Giants in 1993, serving as assistant to the general manager and vice president of scouting/player personnel. Sabean served one year as vice president of player personnel in 1995 before his promotion to general manager in 1996. When Sabean replaced Bob Quinn in 1996, the team was in disarray, Sabean received so much criticism in San Francisco for the trade that he had to defend himself in the media, declaring, I am not an idiot. In 1997, the Giants won their first N. L, West title since 1989, finishing with a 90–72 record, the first of eight straight winning seasons. This eight-year stretch was one of the successful in Giants franchise history. During these years, Sabeans strategy was to trade away young prospects for veteran position players while developing the organizations pitching talent, Sabean traded away many prospects that never materialized into major leaguers in exchange for experienced major leaguers during late season pushes toward the playoffs. These trades have included All-Stars Jeff Kent, Jason Schmidt, Robb Nen, Kenny Lofton, Andrés Galarraga, Ellis Burks, Joe Carter, Roberto Hernández, Wilson Álvarez, after the Giants narrowly lost the 2002 World Series, Sabean was forced to dramatically retool. The Giants lost several key players, including Jeff Kent, Reggie Sanders, Jay Witasick, David Bell, Sabean signed veterans José Cruz, Jr. Neifi Pérez, Edgardo Alfonzo, and Ray Durham to replace some of the free agents the Giants lost. He also traded away fan favorite Russ Ortiz and Liván Hernández, Sabean hired Felipe Alou to replace fan favorite Dusty Baker who became the manager of the Chicago Cubs. Despite these major roster moves, the Giants won 100 games in 2003, Sabean was named Executive of the Year by the Sporting News in 2003, the first time a member of the Giants organization had received that award since Al Rosen in 1987. The trade of Moss and Kurt Ainsworth for Sidney Ponson, which Sabean arranged late in the 2003 season, was criticized by some Giants fans and columnists
8.
Dusty Baker
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Dusty Baker Jr. is an American Major League Baseball manager and a former player. He is currently the manager for the Washington Nationals and he enjoyed a 19-year career as a hard-hitting outfielder, primarily with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers. He helped the Dodgers to pennants in 1977 and 1978 and to the World Series championship in 1981 and he then enjoyed a 20-year career as a manager with the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and now the Washington Nationals. He led the Giants to the 2002 National League pennant and also reached the playoffs with the three teams. Baker was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 1967 amateur draft out of Del Campo High School near Sacramento, Baker was inducted into the Sac-Joaquin Sections Hall of Fame class in 2010 for his play at Del Campo. He began his major league career as an outfielder for the Braves in 1968. As a Brave, he earned a spot as a footnote in history, on April 8,1974, he was on deck when Hank Aaron hit home run 715 to pass Babe Ruth in career home runs. A few of Bakers accomplishments as a player playing for the National League All-Star team in 1981 and 1982. Baker ultimately won a World Series title in 1981 with the Dodgers, however, Baker played poorly during the series, batting.167 with an OBP of.192.278 batting average,242 home runs, and 1,013 runs batted in. He played his season in 1986. It was the last day of the season, and Dodgers leftfielder Dusty Baker had just gone deep off the Astros J. R. Richard. It was Bakers 30th home run, making the Dodgers the first team in history to have four sluggers – Baker, Ron Cey, Steve Garvey and it was a wild, triumphant moment and a good omen as the Dodgers headed to the playoffs. Burke, waiting on deck, thrust his hand enthusiastically over his head to greet his friend at the plate, Baker, not knowing what to do, smacked it. His hand was up in the air, and he was arching way back, says Baker, now 62, so I reached up and hit his hand. It seemed like the thing to do and he is noted for his love of toothpicks. He chews them every game and was quoted saying, Toothpicks are an excellent source of protein. His Giants went on to win titles in 1997 and again in 2000. It was during his San Francisco tenure that the term Dustiny was coined by former Giants pitcher Rod Beck, Baker is infamously known for removing Russ Ortiz during Game 6 of the 2002 World Series despite Ortiz allowing only four hits
9.
KTVU
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KTVU, channel 2, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Fox Broadcasting Company, licensed to Oakland, California, USA and serving the San Francisco Bay Area. KTVU is owned by the Fox Television Stations subsidiary of 21st Century Fox, the two stations share studio facilities at Jack London Square in downtown Oakland, KTVU maintains transmitter facilities at Sutro Tower in San Francisco. The station first signed on the air on March 3,1958, KTVUs operations were inaugurated with a special live telecast from its temporary studio facility at the former Paris Theatre in downtown Oakland. Channel 2 was the commercial television station to sign on in the Bay Area. During its first 15 years on the air, KTVUs transmitter facilities were based from a tower on San Bruno Mountain in northern San Mateo County. KTVU moved its facilities to the Sutro Tower, after the structure was completed in 1973. The Ingrim–Pabst–Pauley group attempted to sell KTVU to NBC in 1960, under Coxs stewardship, channel 2 became the leading independent station in the San Francisco–Oakland market and one of the top-rated independents in the Western United States. KTVU retained this status even as competing independents on the UHF band signed on during the late 1960s, in the early 1960s, KTVU obtained the local broadcast rights to the Warner Bros. Pictures library, the films it broadcast from the studio consisted of those released during the 1950s, most being presented in color. Channel 2 was the first television station in the Bay Area to air such films as A Star Is Born, East of Eden, the station even televised the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film Hollywood Revue of 1929 with some of the original two-strip Technicolor sequences. Continuing into its early years as a Fox affiliate, KTVU frequently aired classic movies in the 8,00 p. m. time slot as well as on Sunday afternoons. Many of the films presented were prints restored by the editing department to eliminate color and splicing errors. It also occasionally aired movies originally assigned an R rating for their release without editing for strong profanity, nudity or violence. In 1992, KTVU ran a version of the 1984 science fiction film Dune. In 1977, KTVU was uplinked to satellite as a superstation, being carried primarily on systems operated by cable television provider and corporate cousin. KTVU also carried programming from the Operation Prime Time programming service in 1978, the company formally announced the launch of the new network, the Fox Broadcasting Company, on May 7,1986. S. It was also one of the few independents to affiliate with the network which broadcast on the VHF band and had a local news identity. KTVU officially joined Fox seven months later on October 9,1986, in addition, Channel 2 began to air an afternoon cartoon block supplied by the network, Fox Kids, when the Monday through Saturday childrens lineup debuted in September 1990. m
10.
Mike Krukow
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Michael Edward Krukow is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently a color commentator for the San Francisco Giants. Krukow attended San Gabriel High School in San Gabriel, California and he was drafted as a catcher by the California Angels in the 32nd round of the 1970 Major League Baseball Draft but did not sign. Krukow played college baseball for the Cal Poly Mustangs in San Luis Obispo, though his collegiate eligibility was cut short, he still holds the school record for career earned run average at 1.94 and is tied for most shutouts in a season with 5. Krukow was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 8th round of the 1973 draft, Krukow played Major League baseball for the Chicago Cubs, the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Francisco Giants. Krukow had a career in the major leagues. In 1982, after six years with the Cubs, he was dealt to Philadelphia for pitchers Dickie Noles and Dan Larson and outfielder Keith Moreland. The trade helped Philadelphia win the National League pennant in 1983, although known as a starter, Krukow earned his only career save on August 31,1984, pitching to just one batter, inducing a game-ending groundout, therefore preserving a 6–5 Giant victory. Krukows best season was in 1986, posting a record of 20-9 with a 3.05 ERA pitching for the San Francisco Giants, Krukow finished third in that years NL Cy Young Award voting behind Mike Scott and Fernando Valenzuela. Krukow was selected to the National League All-Star team that season and he was awarded the Willie Mac Award in both 1985 and 1986 honoring his spirit and leadership. In 1987, Krukow helped lead the Giants to their first division championship in 16 years, in his 14-season career, Krukow posted a 124-117 record with 1,478 strikeouts and a 3.90 ERA in 2190.1 innings pitched. After his playing career, Krukow became a radio and television sportscaster, Krukow began broadcasting as an occasional color analyst for KNBR radio in 1990 and became a full-time broadcaster in 1994. He is a seven-time Emmy award winner and he is known for his detailed scouting reports on umpires strike zones. He is often teased by his broadcasting colleagues throughout the leagues for having majestic hair. Part of the San Francisco Giants broadcasting team, Krukow is half of the duo dubbed Kruk and Kuip, along with partner Duane Kuiper, Krukow and Kuiper tape a game-day commentary for KNBR radio as part of the Giants pre-game radio coverage. Notably, although Krukow was a pitcher and Kuiper was a player, Krukow has five career home runs. Krukow has a few Kruktionary catchphrases, including, Grab some pine, meat, Just another, ha ha ha ha, the last of which is associated with a product endorsement. Krukow and Kuiper can be heard as the commentators in Electronic Arts video games MVP Baseball 2003,2004 and 2005 and they include Krukows familiar grab some pine, meat quote
11.
Jon Miller
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Jon Wesley Miller is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his broadcasts of Major League Baseball. Since 1997 he has employed as a play-by-play announcer for the San Francisco Giants. He was also an announcer for ESPN from 1990 to 2010. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010, Jon Miller was born on Hamilton Air Force Base and grew up in Hayward, California, listening to Giants announcers Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons on the radio. He attended his first baseball game in 1962, a 19–8 Giants victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Candlestick Park, as a teenager, Miller played Strat-O-Matic and recorded his own play-by-play into a tape recorder, adding his own crowd noise, vendors, and commercials. After graduating from Hayward High School in 1969, Miller commuted across the bay to take broadcasting classes at the College of San Mateo and he began his broadcasting career at the colleges FM radio station and UHF/PBS TV station, which reached much of the Bay Area. His first baseball broadcasts were from CSM games, at age 20, Miller joined KFTY-TV in Santa Rosa to work as their sports director. During this period, he would sit in the box at Candlestick Park. Miller submitted one of these tapes to broadcaster Monte Moore, who helped Miller get his first baseball play-by play job in 1974, Miller was dismissed by the Athletics following the 1974 season. For a brief period in the 1970s, Miller broadcast for the California Golden Seals of the National Hockey League, Jon Millers first network exposure came in 1976, when he was selected by CBS-TV to broadcast the NASL Championship Game. From 1974–1976, Miller did play-by-play for the Washington Diplomats of the NASL and he also announced the Soccer Game of the Week for nationally syndicated TVS from 1977–1978. Miller was hired by the Texas Rangers shortly before the 1978 season to replace the ill Dick Risenhoover after the Rangers were unable to lure Fred White from Kansas City, after two seasons with Texas, he was hired by the Boston Red Sox. The lure of doing baseball in Boston was too much to pass up, in 1983, he was hired by Baltimores WFBR Radio, which at the time served as the flagship station for the Baltimore Orioles. Miller returned to the Bay Area and joined his hometown Giants, whose colors are also orange. Since 1997, Miller has been the primary voice of the San Francisco Giants, calling games on KNBR radio as well as KTVU. In February 2007, he signed an extension to remain the voice of the Giants through at least the 2012 season. On July 16,2010, the Giants organization, including fellow broadcaster Dave Flemming, before the game started, Miller threw out the ceremonial first pitch. On September 4,2010, Miller called his first game for CSN Bay Area as a substitute for Dave Flemming and he did a similar call on the radio during Game 3 of the 2004 World Series, when Jeff Suppan made a baserunning mistake
12.
Fox Sports Networks
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At the dawn of the cable television era, many regional sports networks vied to compete with the largest national sports network, ESPN. That same year, Fox purchased SportSouth from Turner and rebranded that network as Fox Sports South, on July 11,2000, Comcast purchased a majority interest in the Minneapolis-based Midwest Sports Channel and Baltimore-based Home Team Sports from Viacom. News Corporation, a minority owner in both networks, wanted to acquire them outright and integrate the two networks into Fox Sports Net, the company filed a lawsuit against Comcast ten days later on July 21, in an attempt to block the sale. Fox Sports Chicago ceased operations in June 2006, after losing the cable television rights to local professional teams two years earlier to the newly launched Comcast SportsNet Chicago. On May 4,2009, DirecTV Group Inc, despite Cablevisions sale of the networks, the channels continued to use Fox Sports Net/National Sports Partners in its copyright tag until 2008. On April 1,2011, DirecTV Sports Networks rebranded its FSN regional affiliates under the Root Sports brand, in 2012, FSN/Fox Sports Local relocated its headquarters from the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California to Houston, Texas. It was also in 2012 when FSN/Fox Sports Local was re-branded to its current branding, the FSN owned-and-operated networks were spun off along with most of News Corporations U. S. entertainment properties into 21st Century Fox on July 1,2013. FSN has often served as the ground for innovations in sports broadcast graphics developed by Fox. The Fox Sports Networks were the first U. S. sports channels to introduce a graphic to display the games score. Since FSN implemented with the banner graphic, many other major networks have abandoned the corner box graphic in favor of the bar. FSN first used the banner for most of its broadcasts beginning in 2001. For baseball broadcasts, a baseball diamond graphic was placed on the far left with the pitch count/speed on the right side. In mid-July 2003, Fox Sports Net adopted new graphics for its baseball broadcasts, Fox Sports Net would formally become known as FSN in September 2004. In mid-June 2005, the banner was given a cosmetic upgrade, the FSN logo at far right was also rendered in a black ovular shape with the region name rendered in white. It also phased in a package designed by Troika Design Group – however, in-game graphics still used the previous. From September 2012 to September 2013, Fox syndicated select college football games produced by the Fox Sports regional networks to broadcast television stations in some of these markets. Comcast Sports Net Mid-Atlantic resumed airing select Fox Sports-produced ACC games in 2013, however, as of 2015, most of Fox Sports Networks other programming is presently carried in the Baltimore and Washington, D. C. Fox College Sports also broadcasts high school and Independent Womens Football League games, Fox College Sports formerly partnered with Big Ten Network to provide programming
13.
Duane Kuiper
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Duane Eugene Kuiper is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, as well as a seven-time Emmy award-winning radio and television sportscaster for the San Francisco Giants. Along with former major league pitcher Mike Krukow, Kuiper forms the broadcast duo known as Kruk, Kuiper also owns the dubious distinction of most plate appearances for an MLB player with only one career home run. Kuiper and his two brothers grew up on a 300-acre farm in Sturtevant, Wisconsin, near Racine and he played baseball at Jerome I. Case High School in Racine, Wisconsin. Kuiper is a graduate of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois and his roommate was Dan Radison, currently a coach for the Houston Astros. Kuiper was drafted by the New York Yankees out of Jerome I. Case High School in the round of the 1968 Major League Baseball Draft. He was drafted by the Seattle Pilots, Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds while attending Indian Hills, but did not sign with any of these clubs. After a season at Southern Illinois University, he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the round of the 1971 June Secondary Amateur Draft. It wasnt until graduating from Southern Illinois that Kuiper finally said yes to the Cleveland Indians, Kuiper spent three seasons in the Indians farm system, batting.295 with six home runs and 148 runs batted in before receiving a September call-up in 1974. He made his league debut on September 9 as a late inning defensive replacement for Jack Brohamer. However, he fared far better in his plate appearances, collecting nine singles. Following the season, the Indians dealt Brohamer to the White Sox, though Kuiper was not much of an offensive threat, he proved to be an above average defender, leading American League second basemen in fielding percentage in 1976 and 1979. He hit his career home run against Chicago White Sox pitcher Steve Stone on August 29,1977. Kuiper holds the league record for most career at-bats with exactly one home run. Since the game in question was on television, Kuipers singular feat was captured on video. On July 27,1978, Kuiper hit two bases-loaded triples against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium and he is one of only three Major League players to accomplish this feat. On May 15,1981, Len Barker pitched a game against the Toronto Blue Jays with Kuiper at second base. Kuiper fielded five ground balls to contribute to the effort, shortly after Kuiper suffered a knee injury that caused him to miss most of the 1980 season, the Indians acquired Alan Bannister from the White Sox. The two platooned at second in 1981, following the season, Kuiper was dealt to the San Francisco Giants for pitcher Ed Whitson
14.
Lon Simmons
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Lonnie Alexander Lon Simmons was an American baseball and football broadcaster, and was broadcasting part-time for the San Francisco Giants at the time of his death. He was born in Vancouver, Washington, Simmons was a star pitcher at Burbank High School and Glendale College before enlisting in the U. S. Coast Guard. After World War II, he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and his radio career began in Elko, Nevada, calling Elko High School football and basketball games on KELK. He first announced baseball for a league in Marysville, California. After spending three years broadcasting Fresno State sports on KMJ, Simmons came to San Francisco in 1957 as the director at KSFO. In 1958, Simmons took over as announcer on 49ers radio broadcasts. Years later, he worked with KSFO disc-jockey Gene Nelson and then with former NFL player and KPIX-TV Sports Director Wayne Walker. Also in 1958, he became the announcer for the newly-relocated San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball, teaming with lead announcer Russ Hodges. To complement Hodges Bye Bye Baby. home run call, Simmons created his own, when Hodges retired after the 1970 season, Simmons was promoted to lead announcer and teamed with Bill Thompson. This pairing lasted through the 1973 season, al Michales and Art Eckman became the Giants radio announcers on KSFO in 1974. The transcript of his call, including his mid-sentence transition as the moment occurred, reads as, Mira, straight back to pass. Completes it to Kilmer up at the 30-yard line, Kilmer driving for the first down, Marshall is running the wrong way. And hes running it into the end zone the wrong way and his teammates were running along the far side of the field, Russ, trying to tell him go back. Simmons returned to the Giants in 1976 as second announcer behind Michales, then was the lead again in 1977 and 1978. When KSFO lost the Giants radio rights to rival KNBR in 1979, Simmons and Angel were replaced by Lindsey Nelson, three years later in 1981, KSFO acquired the Oakland Athletics radio rights. Simmons then became an As announcer, along with longtime Oakland Raiders and San Francisco/Golden State Warriors voice Bill King, Simmons remained part of the As radio team through the 1995 season. From 1996 to 2002, he called Giants games part-time on KNBR, with the 49ers, he remained as play-by-play announcer through the 1980 season. In 1981, KSFO lost the 49ers radio rights to KCBS, Simmons also served as the Warriors TV announcer on KTVU during the 1973-1974 NBA season
15.
KNBR
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KNBR is an AM radio station licensed to San Francisco, broadcasting on a clear channel at 680 kHz from transmitting facilities near Belmont, California. KNBRs non-directional 50, 000-watt class-A signal can be heard much of the western United States. For several decades, KNBR enjoyed a history as the flagship station of NBCs West Coast radio operations. A second station also uses the KNBR brand, KTCT is licensed to San Mateo, California, with a transmitter located near Hayward, California. It carried a sports format known as The Ticket. The Sports Leader is the branding used by both stations. The KNBR re-branding took place in 2003, both stations studios are located at 750 Battery Street in San Franciscos Financial District. Between the two stations, games of the San Francisco Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Stanford Cardinal, KTCT is available in the HD format on 1050 kHz. KNBR began broadcasting on April 17,1922 as KPO, a 100-watt station owned by the Hale Brothers department store, in 1925, the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper bought half-interest in the operation. Originally located in the department store at Market and 5th, its horizontal wire antenna on the roof was so efficient, in 1927, KPO became an affiliate of the new NBC radio network. In 1933, KPO was sold to NBCs parent company, the Radio Corporation of America, from there, NBC operated its West Coast network, feeding dozens of stations and operating a news bureau to serve NBC. As NBCs flagship station on the West Coast, it had an orchestra, five studios. During the rise of Hollywood, NBCs radio operation was moved to Los Angeles, in 1941, just before World War II, NBC constructed Radio City at 420 Taylor Street, considered one of the best radio facilities built during radios golden age. However, with the network control having been moved to Los Angeles, during World War II, KPOs news bureau was the major source of NBC of news about the war in the Pacific, and operated shortwave radio stations serving the world. It was at the KPO shortwave facility that the message was received that Japanese emperor Hirohito had surrendered, on November 12,1947, the Federal Communications Commission approved NBCs application to change the call sign from KPO to KNBC, to strengthen its identity as an NBC station. This change lasted until 1962, when the network moved the call sign to its station in Los Angeles. In November 1949, NBC television affiliate KRON-TV went on the air, only before the TV stations first airdate did NBC fight for the construction permit for the TV station until it lost the bid to the de Young family, then the owners of the San Francisco Chronicle. KNBR evolved into a Middle of the music format mixing in Adult Standards with Soft Rock cuts by the early 1960s
16.
KZSF
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KZSF is a radio station broadcasting a Regional Mexican format in the San Francisco Bay Area. Licensed to San Jose, California, United States, the station is currently owned by Carlos A. Duharte. KZSF came on the air in 1947 as KEEN, the station was assigned the KKSJ call letters on October 11,1993 becoming Magic KKSJ. On January 20,1998, the changed its call sign to the current KZSF. FCC History Cards for KZSF Query the FCCs AM station database for KZSF Radio-Locator Information on KZSF Query Nielsen Audios AM station database for KZSF
17.
San Francisco Giants
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The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball franchise based in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1883 as the New York Gothams, and renamed three years later to the New York Giants, the team moved to San Francisco in 1958. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the National League West division. As one of the longest-established and most successful baseball teams. The team was the first major team based in New York City. They have won 23 NL pennants and have played in 20 World Series competitions – both NL records, the Giants eight World Series championships rank second in the National League and are tied for fourth overall. The Giants have played in the World Series 20 times –14 times in New York, six in San Francisco –, the Giants franchise has the most Hall of Fame players in all of professional baseball. The Giants rivalry with the Dodgers is one of the longest-standing, the teams began their rivalry as the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers, respectively, before both franchises moved west for the 1958 season. The Giants have won six pennants and three World Series championships since arriving in San Francisco and those three championships have come in 2010,2012, and most recently in 2014, having defeated the Kansas City Royals four games to three during the 2014 World Series. The Giants began as the baseball club founded by millionaire tobacconist John B. Day and veteran amateur baseball player Jim Mutrie, the Gothams, as the Giants were originally known, entered the National League in 1883, while their other club, the Metropolitans played in the American Association. Nearly half of the original Gotham players were members of the disbanded Troy Trojans, Louis Browns in a pre-modern-era World Series. They repeated as champions the year with a pennant and Championship victory over the Brooklyn Bridegrooms. It is said that one particularly satisfying victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, Mutrie. From then on, the club was known as the Giants, the Giants original home stadium, the Polo Grounds, dates from this early era. It was originally located north of Central Park adjacent to 5th and 6th Avenues and 110th and 112th Streets, the Giants were a powerhouse in the late 1880s, winning their first two National League Pennants and World Championships in 1888 and 1889. But nearly all of the Giants stars jumped to the upstart Players League, whose New York franchise was named the Giants. The new team built a stadium next door to the Polo Grounds
18.
Major League Baseball
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Major League Baseball is a professional baseball organization, the oldest of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. A total of 30 teams now play in the National League and American League, the NL and AL operated as separate legal entities from 1876 and 1901 respectively. After cooperating but remaining legally separate entities since 1903, the merged into a single organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball in 2000. The organization also oversees Minor League Baseball, which comprises about 240 teams affiliated with the Major League clubs, with the World Baseball Softball Confederation, MLB manages the international World Baseball Classic tournament. Baseballs first professional team was founded in Cincinnati in 1869,30 years after Abner Doubleday supposedly invented the game of baseball, the first few decades of professional baseball were characterized by rivalries between leagues and by players who often jumped from one team or league to another. The period before 1920 in baseball was known as the dead-ball era, Baseball survived a conspiracy to fix the 1919 World Series, which came to be known as the Black Sox Scandal. The sport rose in popularity in the 1920s, and survived potential downturns during the Great Depression, shortly after the war, baseballs color barrier was broken by Jackie Robinson. The 1950s and 1960s were a time of expansion for the AL and NL, then new stadiums, Home runs dominated the game during the 1990s, and media reports began to discuss the use of anabolic steroids among Major League players in the mid-2000s. In 2006, an investigation produced the Mitchell Report, which implicated many players in the use of performance-enhancing substances, today, MLB is composed of thirty teams, twenty-nine in the United States and one in Canada. Baseball broadcasts are aired on television, radio, and the Internet throughout North America, MLB has the highest season attendance of any sports league in the world with more than 73 million spectators in 2015. MLB is governed by the Major League Baseball Constitution and this document has undergone several incarnations since 1875, with the most recent revisions being made in 2012. Under the direction of the Commissioner of Baseball, MLB hires and maintains the sports umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, MLB maintains a unique, controlling relationship over the sport, including most aspects of Minor League Baseball. This ruling has been weakened only slightly in subsequent years, the weakened ruling granted more stability to the owners of teams and has resulted in values increasing at double-digit rates. There were several challenges to MLBs primacy in the sport between the 1870s and the Federal League in 1916, the last attempt at a new league was the aborted Continental League in 1960. The chief executive of MLB is the commissioner, Rob Manfred, the chief operating officer is Tony Petitti. There are five other executives, president, chief officer, chief legal officer, chief financial officer. The multimedia branch of MLB, which is based in Manhattan, is MLB Advanced Media and this branch oversees MLB. com and each of the 30 teams websites. Its charter states that MLB Advanced Media holds editorial independence from the league, MLB Productions is a similarly structured wing of the league, focusing on video and traditional broadcast media
19.
Road (sports)
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A road game or away game is a sports game where the specified team is not the host and must travel to another venue. Most professional teams represent cities or towns and amateur sports teams often represent academic institutions, each team has a location where it practices during the season and where it hosts games. When a team is not the host, it must travel to games. Thus, when a team is not hosting a game, the team is described as the team, the visiting team, or the away team. The venue in which the game is played is described as the stadium or the road. The host team is said to be the home team, major sporting events, if not held at a neutral venue, are often over several legs at each teams home ground, so that neither team has an advantage over the other. Occasionally, the team may not have to travel very far at all to a road game. These matches often become local derbies, a few times a year, a road team may even be lucky enough to have the road game played at their own home stadium or arena. This is prevalent in college athletics where many schools will play in regional leagues or groundshare. The related term true road game has seen increasing use in U. S. college sports in the 21st century, while regular-season tournaments and other special events have been part of college sports from their creation, the 21st century has seen a proliferation of such events. These are typically held at sites, with some of them taking place outside the contiguous U. S. or even outside the country entirely. In turn, this has led to the use of true road game to refer to contests played at one home venue. In some association football leagues, particularly in Europe, the teams fans sit in their own section. Depending on the stadium, they will either sit in a designated section or be separated from the home fans by a cordon of police officers. However, in the leagues in England, supporters may be free to mix. When games are played at a site, for instance the FA Cup final in England which is always played at Wembley Stadium. This results in each team occupying one half of the stadium and this is different from other sports, particularly in North America, where very few fans travel to games played away from their home stadium. Home and away fans are not separated at these games
20.
2000 Chicago Cubs season
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The 2000 Chicago Cubs season was the 129th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 125th in the National League and the 85th at Wrigley Field. The Cubs finished sixth and last in the National League Central with a record of 65–97, during this season, the Cubs played in the first game held outside of North America on Opening Day. The Cubs played the New York Mets in front of over 55,000 at the Tokyodome in Japan, the Cubs won the game by a score of 5-3. October 5,1999, Lance Johnson was released by the Chicago Cubs, november 22,1999, Todd Van Poppel signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Cubs. On May 11,2000 Glenallen Hill was responsible for an event in the annals of Chicago Cubs baseball lore. On that day Hill became the first, and thus far only player, sammy Sosa, despite hitting only 50 home runs won his only home run crown. June 5,2000, Dontrelle Willis was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 8th round of the 2000 amateur draft, july 21,2000, Glenallen Hill was traded by the Chicago Cubs to the New York Yankees for Ben Ford and Oswaldo Mairena. July 31,2000, Henry Rodriguez was traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Florida Marlins for Ross Gload, Note, Pos = Position, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. = Batting average, HR = Home runs, RBI = Runs batted in Note, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg
21.
2000 Cincinnati Reds season
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The Cincinnati Reds 2000 season was a season in American baseball. It consisted of the Cincinnati Reds attempting to win the National League Central and they had 85 wins and 77 losses. They were only the 2nd team in the era of baseball to not be shut out an entire season. The Reds were managed by Jack McKeon, october 30,1999, Stan Belinda and Jeffrey Hammonds were traded by the Reds to the Colorado Rockies for Dante Bichette and cash. November 16,1999, Brooks Kieschnick was signed as an agent by the Reds. December 13,1999, DeWayne Wise was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays from the Cincinnati Reds in the 1999 rule 5 draft, december 15,1999, Elmer Dessens was signed as a free agent by the Reds. January 14,2000, Mark Sweeney and a player to be named later were traded by the Reds to the Milwaukee Brewers for Alex Ochoa, the Reds completed the deal by sending Gene Altman to the Brewers on May 15. February 10,2000, Mike Cameron, Brett Tomko, Antonio Pérez, july 12,2000, Denny Neagle and Mike Frank were traded by the Reds to the New York Yankees for Ed Yarnall, Drew Henson, Brian Reith, and Jackson Melián. August 31,2000, Dante Bichette was traded by the Reds to the Boston Red Sox for Chris Reitsma, Note, Pos = Position, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. = Batting average, HR = Home runs, RBI = Runs batted in Note, Pos = Position, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg
22.
2000 Milwaukee Brewers season
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The Milwaukee Brewers 2000 season involved the Brewers finishing 3rd in the National League Central with a record of 73 wins and 89 losses. November 19,1999, Jason Bere was signed as an agent by the Brewers. December 13,1999, Matt Williams was drafted by the Brewers from the New York Yankees in the rule 5 draft, Williams was returned to the Yankees on May 3. January 14,2000, Alex Ochoa was traded by the Brewers to the Cincinnati Reds for Mark Sweeney, the Reds completed the deal by sending Gene Altman to the Brewers on May 15. January 21,2000, Bill Pulsipher was traded by the Brewers to the New York Mets for Luis López, june 2,2000, Héctor Ramírez was released by the Brewers. July 28,2000, Bob Wickman, Jason Bere and Steve Woodard were traded by the Brewers to the Cleveland Indians for Paul Rigdon, Richie Sexson, Kane Davis, the Indians completed the deal by sending Marco Scutaro to the Brewers on August 30. Note, Pos = position, G = Games played, AB = At Bats, H = Hits, Avg. = Batting average, HR = Home Runs, RBI = Runs Batted In LEAGUE CHAMPIONS, Indianapolis 2000 Milwaukee Brewers team at Baseball-Reference 2000 Milwaukee Brewers team page at baseball-almanac. com
23.
2000 Pittsburgh Pirates season
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The 2000 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 119th season of the franchise, the 114th in the National League. This was the teams 31st and final season at Three Rivers Stadium, the Pirates finished fifth in the National League Central with a record of 69–93. December 10,1999, Dale Sveum was signed as a Free Agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates, december 13,1999, Bruce Aven was traded by the Florida Marlins to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Brant Brown. January 19,2000, Luis Sojo was signed as a Free Agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates, february 9,2000, Josías Manzanillo was signed as a Free Agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates. February 23,2000, Al Martin was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates with cash to the San Diego Padres for John Vander Wal, Geraldo Padua, august 7,2000, Luis Sojo was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the New York Yankees for Chris Spurling. 2000 Pittsburgh Pirates at Baseball Reference 2000 Pittsburgh Pirates at Baseball Almanac Johnson, Lloyd, Wolff, Miles, the Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball
24.
2000 St. Louis Cardinals season
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The St. Louis Cardinals 2000 season was the teams 119th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 109th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 95-67 during the season, their best finish since 1987, in the playoffs the Cardinals defeated the Atlanta Braves 3 games to 0 in the NLDS but lost to the New York Mets 4 games to 1 in the NLCS. The Cardinals sweep of the Braves in the NLDS was notable because it made the Mets run to their first World Series appearance since their season of 1986 much easier. The Braves had eliminated the Mets from the playoffs on the day of the 1998 season. Catcher Mike Matheny and outfielder Jim Edmonds won Gold Gloves this year, Matheny was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays during the off-season, while Edmonds was acquired from the Anaheim Angels less than a week before the start of the season. November 11,1999, Alberto Castillo, Matt DeWitt, and Lance Painter were traded by the Cardinals to the Toronto Blue Jays for Paul Spoljaric and Pat Hentgen. November 16,1999, Manny Aybar, Brent Butler, Rich Croushore, november 24,1999, Heathcliff Slocumb was signed as a free agent by the Cardinals. December 15,1999, Luis Ordaz was traded by the Cardinals to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Dante Powell, january 5,2000, Ernie Young was signed as a Free Agent with the St. Louis Cardinals. March 18,2000, Joe McEwing was traded by the Cardinals to the New York Mets for Jesse Orosco, march 23,2000, Kent Bottenfield was traded by the St. Louis Cardinals with Adam Kennedy to the Anaheim Angels for Jim Edmonds. Eric Davis Jim Edmonds Darryl Kile Ray Lankford Mike Matheny Craig Paquette Edgar Rentería Fernando Tatís Fernando Viña June 5, july 31, Traded Heathcliff Slocumb and Ben Johnson to the San Diego Padres for Carlos Hernández and Nate Tebbs. July 31, Traded José León with cash to the Baltimore Orioles for Will Clark, acquired to play in place of the injured Mark McGwire, Clark responded with a.964 OPS and hit a home run in each of his first four games with the new club. He performed better in the 2000 playoffs than in recent years, = Batting Average, HR = Home Runs, RBI = Runs Batted In Note, G = Games played, AB = At Bats, H = Hits, Avg. = Batting Average, HR = Home Runs, RBI = Runs Batted In St. Louis won series and this was the series in which pitching phenom Rick Ankiel permanently lost his command and control, throwing four wild pitches in one inning
25.
Boof Bonser
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Boof Bonser is a retired professional American baseball pitcher. Bonser attended Gibbs High School, compiling a record of 24-9, in his senior year, he went 7-3,1.88 and hit.523 with 11 home runs. He was named the 2000 Pinellas County High School Player of the Year, Bonser was selected out of high school by the San Francisco Giants in the first round of the 2000 amateur draft. Bonser made his professional debut at age 18 for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. After the season, he had his first name legally changed to his childhood nickname, from 2002 through 2003, Bonser progressed steadily through the Giants system, reaching the Triple-A level at the end of the 2003 season with the Fresno Grizzlies. On November 14,2003, Bonser was traded to the Minnesota Twins organization, along with pitchers Joe Nathan and Francisco Liriano, for catcher A. J. Pierzynski, and cash. Bonser was assigned to AA New Britain for 2004, and was promoted to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings for a start at the end of the season. Bonser was inducted into the Hagerstown Suns Hall of Fame on May 14th,2016, in six innings, Bonser allowed one run and struck out eight. On May 27, his start, Bonser earned his first major league victory. Bonser pitched five innings, giving up eight hits and four runs and he pitched 6⅓ scoreless innings, allowing six hits and no walks, with one strikeout. After a disappointing start against the Kansas City Royals on July 4 and he had made seven MLB starts, going 2-2 with a 5.30 ERA. By August 12, Liriano had been placed on the DL, although he lost the game, allowing seven hits and three runs over 5⅔ innings, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire decided to keep him in the starting rotation. As the Twins pushed for a spot in 2006, Bonser solidified the fifth starters job. Then, a string of injuries and ineffective pitching by the other Twins pitchers and Bonsers commanding recent performances earned him the #2 spot in the Twins postseason rotation. In his postseason start, he pitched six innings, allowing two runs, to pick up a no-decision as the Twins lost to the Oakland Athletics, Bonser was named the AL Rookie of the Month for September,2006 for his performances in the final month of the season. Bonser began the 2007 season as the pitcher in the Twins rotation. Bonsers first two starts were dramatically different, as he followed his 6 IP,2 ER debut by allowing 6 ER in 4⅓ IP and he then responded with a string of quality starts, but was 2-9 after Memorial Day. He finished the season with an 8-12 record with a run average of 5.10 and had 136 strikeouts in 173 innings pitched
