It is hoped that some of the moves made recently to retool the Yankee team don’t ape the failed attempts made back in the eighties. In response to the regretted decision to let slugger Reggie Jackson go after the 1981 World Series failure, for instance, the Yanks signed outfielder Dave Collins in a sudden attempt to rejigger the offense as one built on team speed. They signed Dave to a three-year deal on December 23, 1981, but he barely lasted the year. And although the three homers and 25 rbi’s in 111 games were disappointingly low figures, it was the lack of speed on the basepaths (only 13 stolen bases in all that time) that doomed the plan.
There were cries of agony all over New England when the Yankees signed free agent outfielder Johnny Damon away from the Red Sox on December 23, 2005, inking him to a four-year contract. Johnny had a great year in Pinstripes in 2006, but less so in 2007, hampered by a string of injuries. He had a solid season leading off in 2008, and batting second in 2009, his last year in Pinstripes. It was a good year to go out on, as the Yanks took the World Series, during which Damon made a memorable two-base steal in a win over the Phillies.
Even if he had not been the guy who let fly the pitch that killed Ray Chapman in 1920, Carl Mays would have been a controversial guy. He had been a big winner in Boston, but there was some dissension between him and his teammates and the club moved him. And since arriving on the Yankee squad for the 1919 season he had posted a 79-39 win/loss record in New York, even if his 1923 mark dipped to 5-3 and he did not play in the World Series. Some felt he didn’t always try his hardest. And he claimed that the team had quit on him, the same claim he had made in Boston, so the Yanks decided to give him a change of scenery and sold him to Cincinnati on December 23, 1923. He would pitch to a 49-34 mark in Cinncy from 1924-1928.
Following his being named as the player to be named later going from the Yankees to Chicago in the Starlin Castro trade just a few days earlier, infielder Brendan Ryan was released by the Cubs on December 23, 2015. Ryan would subsequently sign with Washington, then be shipped to Anaheim; he would play 17 games for the Angels in 2016.
It’s only right to treat players who have been in the Yankee family for a while, even if more often in the minors than with the big club, respectfully, and with that in mind, I acknowledge that the Miami Marlins claimed righthander Preston Claiborne off waivers from the Yanks on December 23, 2014.
On December 23, 2019, the Yankees traded righthander Chance Adams to Kansas City for shortstop Cristian Perez.
The Yankees signed free agent first baseman Nick Johnson on December 23, 2009. Returning Yankees have done pretty well in New York, but not so Nick, who was ineffective (except for a high amount of walks) in April, then missed the rest of the year with injuries.
Former Yankee righthander Rip Collins joined the Chicago Cubs’ “College of Coaches” (in lieu of a manager) on December 23, 1960.
December 23, 1975, is a huge day in major league baseball, and the event that took place that day has had far-reaching implications. Arbitrator Peter Seitz decided in favor of the Players’ Association, making free agents out of Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally.
Jim “Junior” Gilliam won the National League Rookie of the Year Award on December 23, 1953, easily outdistancing both Harvey Haddix and Ray Jablonski in the voting.
His greatest claim to fame was the Championship he won piloting the 1984 Tigers, pairing it with his titles with Cincinnati to become a Series-winning manager in both Leagues. But the brief playing career of Sparky Anderson was memorable too. Sparky’s 152 games at second for the Phillies in 1959 after the Dodgers sent him there for three minor players on December 23, 1958, stand out as the record for most games by a player who only appeared in one season. Another unwanted mark: Anderson’s 119 total bases is the fewest ever for a player with 500 at bats.
Players Who Have Died This Day
Superb defender at third base Aurelio Rodriguez (2000) is the only Yankee player to have died on December 23 by virtue of his 1980-1981 stint with the club near the end of his 1967-1983 career. Aurelio cleared five fences and drove in 22 runs in New York, just a small part of the 124 dingers and 648 rbi’s he accumulated largely playing nine seasons with the Tigers and four years with the Angels.
The only noteworthy nonYankee player who has died on December 23 is righthander Jim McGlothlin (1975), who won 67 games, lost 77, and saved three pitching for California from 1965-1969, with the 1970-1973 Reds, and a few months with White Sox in 1973 as well.
Players Born This Day
Yankee fans were looking for big things in 2006 based on half a season in Pinstripes by the birthdaying Shawn Chacon (1977). Chacon stopped some losing streaks during his 7-3, 14-game (12 starts) stretch ride with the 2005 Yanks, once they picked him up for hurler Eduardo Sierra and another minor leaguer. But Shawn stumbled badly in early ’06 and he and his 7.00 era were sent to Pittsburgh for Craig Wilson.
Righthander Tim Leary (1958) and third baseman Fritz Maisel (1889) are the only two among the several Yankee players born December 23 who spent several seasons with the team. Leary was signed as a free agent on a bad team in 1990, and he compiled a very poor 18-35 mark in the Bronx by the time he was traded to Seattle for minor leaguer Sean Twitty in August 1992.
Maisel got his big league career started with the 1913 Yankees, and he hit six homers, knocked in 132 runs, and stole 183 bases by the time he left to play the 1918 season with the St. Louis Browns. Fritz’s 74 thefts in 1914 stood as the Yankee single-season record until Rickey Henderson claimed it 70 years later. And speaking of that speedy base-stealing left fielder, we’ll count Bert Bradley (1956) with the Yankee birthdays even though he never played for them because he arrived in New York in the trade of Stan Javier, Jose Rijo, Eric Plunk, and Tim Birtsas in 1984 for Rickey Henderson. Bradley’s 0-0 record in six appearances for the 1983 A’s was his total big-league experience.
Next comes outfielder Hinkey Haines (1928), who toiled only for the Yanks, knocking in three runs in 45 at bats during 28 games for the ’23 club; Al Cicotte (1929) fashioned a 2-2 mark with two saves for the 1957 Yanks before splitting the next five years between Detroit, Washington, Cleveland, St. Louis, and Houston. He was a 1948 Yankees amateur free agent signing, and was sold to the Washington Senators 10 years later. Cicotte’s career mark: 10-13, with four saves.
And the final December 23 Yankee birthday belongs to outfielder George Whiteman (1882), a two-rbi man in 32 at bats in 11 games for the 1913 Yanks. George added two partial seasons in Boston, and left the game with two homers and 31 rbi’s to his credit.
Other birthdays: Righty Sam Leever (1871) who pitched only for Pittsburgh from 1898 through 1910 with a fine 194-100 win/loss record; Mets hurler Jerry Koosman (1942) who posted a 222-209 record from 1967-1985; Jerry Manuel (1953); Rick White (1968); Brad Lidge (1976); Jesus Colome (1977); Victor Martinez (1978); Cody Ross (1980); Hanley Ramirez (1983); Josh Satin (1984); Jordany Valdespin (1987); Tyler Robertson (1987); Audry Perez (1988); Roberto Perez (1988); Mitch Haniger (1990); Dany Jimenez (1993); and Dalton Guthrie (1995).
