Happy ’80s Birthday to Joey McLaughlin, who won 29 games out of the bullpen over a seven-year career with Atlanta, Toronto, and Texas.
Ed Ott was born on this day in 1951 and spent eight years in the bigs, including winning a ring with the Pirates in 1979. He also caught all 20 innings of a Cubs/Pirates game in July of 1980.
Ed passed away in 2024.
7/11/80
The Indians trade Dave Oliver to the Expos for Ross Grimsley.
Grimsley goes 4-5 for Cleveland, misses 1981 and finishes up with Baltimore in 1982.
7/11/85
The Red Sox trade Reid Nichols to the White Sox for Tim Lollar.
7/11/87
The Cubs trade Gary Matthews to the Mariners for a PTBNL. Seattle sends Dave Hartnett to Chicago to complete the trade.
Sarge hits .235 in 45 games with Seattle and he’s done.
7/11/88
The Mets trade Gene Walter to the Mariners for Ed Nunez.
7/11/81
The Pirates sign Bobby Bonilla as an amateur free agent. The Mets are still paying him
July 11, 1987
The Cardinals sign David Green as a free agent.
Green had been playing in Mexico and Japan over the past two seasons.
7/11/87
The Giants sign Dave Kingman as a free agent.
He plays 20 games in Triple-A and he’s done.
7/11/87
Billy Ripken makes his big league debut and has the opportunity to play next to his brother, whose name escapes me.
7/11/85
Nolan Ryan reaches 4,000 strikeouts
7/11/89
Bo and Boggsie go back-to-back in the All-Star Game
7/11/80
The Dodgers sell knuckleballer Charlie Hough to the Rangers who eventually convert him to a starter and turn his career around.
Hough would win 139 games with Texas and start the first ever game for the Florida Marlins.
7/11/87
The Orioles release Rick Burleson and his career is over.
Burleson spends 13 years in the big leagues, makes four All-Star teams, wins a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger, and appears in the postseason in 1976 and 1986.
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