The Bombers solved a long puzzle when they signed Japanese professional baseball star Hideki Matsui to be their left fielder on December 19, 2002. To many he was the MVP of the 2003 team, then he almost doubled his power numbers in ’04, and he was a consistent run producer in 2005, though he struggled in the post. “Godzilla” began the 2006 season with a new three-year contract to play in the Pinstripes, but lost most of the season when he broke his wrist trying to make a catch. The 25 homers and 103 rbi’s in 2007, highlighted by a July AL Player of the Month designation, would have been even better if he was not slowed at the end by a bad knee. Another bad knee in 2008 had the fanbase concerned, but Hideki fooled us all and saved the best for last, with a solid season at DH in 2009, capped by winning World Series MVP in the six-game victory over the Phillies. He has served as a guest instructor in spring training the last few years.
On December 19, 2023, the Yankees claimed shortstop Jeter Downs off waivers from the Washington Nationals.
On December 19, 2022, the Yankees signed free agent left fielder Billy McKinney to a minor league contract.
On December 19, 2019, the Yankees signed two free agents to minor league contracts: lefthander Elvis Escobar, and catcher John Mazza.
On December 19, 2015, the Yankees signed free agent righthander Vinnie Pestano to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Considering that he had posted a 6-8 record and 11 saves for Cleveland and Anaheim since 2010, it was hoped he would provide bullpen depth, but it did not work out and he would be released in July 2016.
After designating righty Brett Marshall for assignment on December 19, 2013, the Yankees made three free agent signings: a big name, a familiar one, and a new one. They signed free agent outfielder/DH Carlos Beltran; and then, to minor league deals, signed righthanders Matt Daley and Adonis Rosa. Daley also received an invite to spring training.
On December 19, 2014, the Miami Marlins traded righthander Nathan Eovaldi, outfielder/first baseman Garrett Jones, and righty Domingo German to the Yankees for righthander David Phelps and utility player par excellence Martin Prado. On the same day, the Mets traded righty Gonzalez Germen to the Yankees for cash; and the Yankees designated righthanded reliever Preston Claiborne for assignment.
It came as no surprise to learn that when the bidding for pitcher Catfish Hunter, newly named a free agent due to Oakland failing to honor his contract, began on December 19, 1974, the first two teams to send representatives were the Red Sox and the Yankees.
The Bombers shipped five guys to San Francisco of the Pacific Coast League on December 19, 1934, as payment for the signing of Joe DiMaggio.
On December 19, 2012, the Yankees designated righthander Jim Miller for assignment, but in bigger news, they re-signed free agent right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, who had been with the club down the 2012 stretch.
The Yankees did some roster housecleaning on December 19, 2003. First they nontendered outfielders David Dellucci and Karim Garcia, making them free agents. Then they signed a free-agent infielder to a one-year contract. Now after playing with the Yanks three years, sandwiched around another crosstown, Miguel Cairo is looked back on fondly for the manner in which he filled the backup infielder position.
Just one more ugly chapter in the career of Yankee lefty reliever Steve Howe unfolded on December 19, 1991, when he was arrested in Montana on a charge of cocaine possession. Howe passed away in a one-car accident in 2006.
Player moves on December 19 involving former and future Yankee players include the Pirates signing shortstop Kevin Elster in 1996; Dave Winfield agreeing to play for the Blue Jays in 1991; the Expos including righty Bill Gullickson in a trade to Cincinnati in 1985; and former Yankee Manager Clark Griffith signing Walter Johnson to pitch one more year for Washington on December 19, 1914.
Players Who Have Died This Day
Infielder John Knight (1965), who ended his career with the 1913 Yankees after an earlier stint with the 1909-1911 Highlanders, is the only Yankee player to have died on December 19. He hit six home runs and drove in 201 runs in New York, achieved by stroking 399 hits in 1,494 at bats in 435 games. A 1905-1907 tour with the A’s and brief stops with the Americans and Senators crowned Knight’s career numbers at 14 and 270 overall.
Catcher Bill Bergen (1943) is the first of four noteworthy nonYankees to have died on December 19. He cleared two fences and knocked in 193 runs playing for the Reds and the Dodgers from 1901-1911. Righty Big Jeff Pfeffer (1954) posted a 31-39-2 mark pitching almost exclusively with the Beaneaters and the Cubs from 1905-1910; and portsider Nap Rucker (1970) won 134 games, lost 134, and saved 14 pitching in Brooklyn from 1907-1916 for clubs that called themselves the Superbas, the Dodgers, and the Robins during that time. Thrower of a Perfect Game in 1988, lefthander Tom Browning (2022) pitched in 302 games (300 starts) almost entirely for the 1984-1994 Cincinnati Reds to a 123-90 record, with no saves.
Players Born This Day
Before talking about the five Yankee players who comprised the December 19 Yankee birthday list before 2006, we’ll talk about the two that have come on board since. Shortstop Andy Cannizaro (1978) toiled in the Yankee minors for years before getting a shot with the ’06 team. He hit .250 by getting two hits in eight at bats in 13 games, but was well ahead of the curve with five runs scored in that short time. He hit one home run, good for his one rbi. Cannizarro was signed as a free agent by Tampa Bay before the 2008 season, and played one game with them.
Taking a totally different track, starter Ian Kennedy (1984) raced to the majors in 2007 after having begun that season down in AA ball. Kennedy showed good stuff, but particularly excelled in composure and mound presence, as he went 1-0 in three starts, pitching to a minuscule 1.89 era. But Kennedy failed badly when granted a rotation spot in 2008, as the 0-4 mark in 10 games (nine starts) with an 8+ era attests to. He then pitched well in the offseason, only to suffer aneurysm surgery. But good minor league numbers following his recovery raised his value, and he was a valuable pawn in the 2009 trade to the Tigers for center fielder Curtis Granderson. Ian subsequently was moved to Arizons for whom he had a good year in 2010, going 9-10 in 32 starts on a bad team, but he had a breakout All Star 2011 campaign, with a stunning 21-4 season. He followed that with a 15-12, 2012 season, and toiled for the Diamondbacks, Padres, and Royals afterward, with an 11-11 mark in Kansas City in 2016.
A throwback to the old days at least in that he had the great nickname, Walt “No Neck” Williams (1943) is the one player among the five Yankees already alluded to born on December 19 to have served with the team the longest. He finished his 13-year career, which featured 11 years playing for the White Sox, by hitting five homers, knocking in 19 runs, and stealing one base during 125 games for the 1974-1975 Yanks. Williams arrived in New York from Cleveland via a three-team trade in March 1974 that had the Bombers sending Jerry Moses to the Detroit Tigers. Detroit shipped Jim Perry to the Indians and sent Ed Farmer to the Yankees to complete the deal. The Yanks released Williams in January 1976.
Righthander Clay Parker (1962) was traded to the Yanks by Seattle along with Lee Guetterman and Wade Taylor for Steve Trout and Henry Cotto in December of 1987. It was a great trade both because quality players arrived in New York, and because the horrid Trout was shipped out. Parker posted a 5-6 mark in 27 games in the Bronx (19 starts) in 1989 and 1990, finished that latter season in Detroit, and closed out his career with one more year in Seattle in 1992. New York sent Parker and Lance McCullers to the Tigers for Matt Nokes in June 1990.
Righty Rob Gardner (1944) went 9-5 for the Yanks in 1970-1971 in 23 games (15 starts). Gardner was acquired from Cleveland before the 1969 season. Later he was reacquired from the Athletics for Curt Blefary. Unique on Rob’s resume is that he was traded from the Yanks twice, once in a transaction that brought Felipe Alou (from Oakland for Gardner and Ron Klimkowski in April 1971), and the second time in a transaction that netted Felipe’s brother, Matty Alou. In that latter move, Ron was sent to Oakland with Rich McKinney in November 1972.
Outfielder Gordie Windhorn (1933) debuted for the 1959 Yanks to the tune of no hits and three strike outs in 11 at bats in seven games, and he was traded to the Dodgers in 1960 for Fred Kipp. Infielder Mickey Witek (1915) had no hits too, but he only had one at bat for the 1949 Bombers to end his big-league time after eight years with the Giants. He hit 22 dingers with 196 rbi’s for the baseball Jints. And finally, honorable mention goes to Tom Wilson (1970), who, though he never played for the Yanks, was drafted by them in the 23rd round of the 1990 draft. He hit 15 taters with 76 runs driven for the A’s, the Blue Jays, the Mets, and the Dodgers from 2001-2004.
Setup man Rafael Soriano (1979) joined the Yankee December 19 birthday club once he was signed to pitch in New York for the 2011 season. Despite early-season troubles, and an arm injury that put him on the shelf for much of the season, he filled the seventh-inning role well at the end, with a 2-3 record and two saves in 42 games. Although he made his major league debut in 2002, his standout 45-save season for the Rays in 2010 is what made him a star. And that continued with the fabulous 2012 season he had in the Bronx (42 saves) once Mariano Rivera went down to an injury. Rafael closed games for the Washington Nationals in 2013.
Other birthdays: Hall of Fame Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick (1894); Rex Barney (1924); Hall of Fame Detroit outfielder Al Kaline (1934), whom Mickey Mantle regarded as one of the best ballplayers he had ever seen; Geoff Zahn (1945); Mike Fetters (1964); Doug Johns (1967); James Mouton (1968); Jose Silva (1973); Russell Branyan (1975); Vinnie Chulk (1978); Chip Ambres (1979); Michael Taylor (1985); Aaron Loup (1987); Ian Parmley (1989); Tim Cooney (1990); Edubray Ramos (1992); Austen Williams (1992); Jose Leclerc (1993); Taylor Gushue (1993); and Rony Garcia (1997).
