Categories: February

February 6th

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Happy ’80s Birthday to Richie Zisk, who was named A.L. Comeback Player of the Year in 1981 and was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. He also had a seriously underrated mustache game.I mean, just look at it!

Happy ’80s Birthday to Bill Dawley, who was drafted by the Reds in 1976 and sent to the Astros in a March 1983 trade in exchange for Alan Kincely. Bill won 17 games out of the pen for the Astros in his first two seasons and made the All-Star team as a rookie.

2/6/85

The Cardinals trade Mickey Mahler to the Expos for a PTBNL. Montreal sent Tom Lawless to St. Louis in March to complete the trade.

2/6/80

Coming off his co-MVP season of 1979, Keith Hernandez signs a five-year deal with the Cardinals worth $3.8 million. The deal also includes a limited no-trade clause specifying six teams Hernandez can’t be dealt to. 

2/6/84

The Angels sign Rob Picciolo as a free agent. He hits .202 in his lone season with the Angels and returns to Oakland in 1985. 

2/6/86

The Yankees sign Al Holland as a free agent. He appears in 28 games over the next two seasons and retires. 

2/6/87

The Pirates re-sign Lee Tunnell as a free agent. They trade him to St. Louis in April and he pitches one year for the Cards before ending his career in Minnesota in 1988.

2/6/87

The A’s sign Johnnie LeMaster as a free agent. He plays in 20 games and is released in June. He signs with the White Sox and spends the rest of the year in the minor leagues before retiring. 

2/6/87

The Indians sign Rick Dempsey as a free agent. He hits just .177 and is released at the end of the year, but signs with the Dodgers and wins a ring in 1988. 

2/6/89

The Red Sox sign Danny Heep as a free agent and he has the best year of his career. in 113 games, Heep hits .300 with 5 homers and 49 RBI. 

Deaths

We lost Ralph Kiner on this day in 2014.

He led the National League in homers in each of his first seven seasons and led or tied for the MLB lead in 6 of those 7 seasons. That’s insane. 

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J. Daniel

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