Before Correa, 12 blockbuster deals that almost happened
In one of many wildest free-agent sagas we have ever seen, star shortstop Carlos Correa practically signed megadeals north of $300 million with the Giants and the Mets earlier than finally inking a six-year cope with the Twins.
The Correa contract marathon obtained us considering: What different blockbuster offers, whether or not by way of free company or commerce, practically obtained executed earlier than they did not — strikes that would’ve considerably altered the course of MLB historical past?
Here’s a take a look at among the largest blockbusters that by no means occurred, however very practically did:
Roberto Clemente virtually signed with the Giants, 1954
But even earlier than the Dodgers signed him, the Giants have been after him, and Brooklyn, absolutely shuddering on the considered Clemente becoming a member of Willie Mays within the Giants’ outfield, outbid New York for Clemente earlier than letting him get away.
It appears doubtless Clemente would’ve signed with the Giants if not for the Dodgers swooping in — he reportedly wished to play in New York as a result of he had kinfolk there inside the giant Puerto Rican neighborhood.
The Yankees virtually traded Don Mattingly to the Giants for Will Clark, 1988
Talk a couple of blockbuster “what if?” situation. Mattingly was the premier first baseman of the mid-Nineteen Eighties, and Clark took that mantle within the latter a part of the last decade 3,000 miles away. Although each the Yankees’ and Giants’ entrance places of work denied the rumors that this was a deal that nearly occurred, Peter Gammons — then writing for Sports Illustrated — reported that it was, certainly, near fruition in 1988.
“Mattingly was told during the World Series by sources outside the Yankees that [owner George] Steinbrenner had made a deal with the Giants that would have sent Mattingly and pitcher Rick Rhoden to San Francisco for first baseman Will Clark and pitchers Atlee Hammaker and Craig Lefferts,” Gammons wrote. “But the Giants had backed off trading the two left-handed pitchers when they learned that another San Francisco southpaw, Dave Dravecky, had a tumor on his pitching arm.”
The Yankees virtually traded Rickey Henderson to the Giants, 1989
Another large Yankees-Giants “almost-happened” deal? You guess. On June 21, 1989, Henderson was traded to the A’s and helped them win the World Series over their cross-bay rivals, the Giants. But two days earlier, he was practically dealt to San Francisco.
According to a number of studies on the time, the Man of Steal vetoed a deal reached between the Yankees and Giants that may have despatched the all-time stolen base king to San Francisco in change for Candy Maldonado and Scott Garrelts.
The Pirates virtually traded Barry Bonds to the Braves, 1992
Atlanta’s common supervisor, John Schuerholz, and the Pirates agreed in precept on a commerce that may have despatched reliever Alejandro Peña and outfield prospect Keith Mitchell to Pittsburgh for Bonds, who had gained the 1990 National League MVP Award and would win his second MVP Award a couple of months later.
Whoa. Imagine if that had truly come to fruition — would the Braves have gone higher than 1-4 in 5 World Series appearances through the Nineties? And what would the Pirates have gotten from their return within the change?
Peña was excellent in 1991, his age-32 marketing campaign, posting a 2.40 ERA in 59 appearances between the Mets and Braves. But over the ultimate 5 years of his MLB profession, his ERA was 4.57. Mitchell, in the meantime, made his large league debut in ’91 for Atlanta, hitting .318/.392/.409 in 74 plate appearances. But he would solely seem in 80 video games the remainder of his MLB profession.
All Bonds did from that time by way of the remainder of his profession was win six extra MVP Awards and set the single-season and all-time dwelling run information.
Barry Bonds virtually signed with the Yankees, 1992
Later in the identical 12 months as Bonds was practically dealt to the Braves, and simply after his Pirates got here up quick of their third consecutive NL Championship Series with a crushing loss to the Atlanta, the writing was on the wall: Bonds can be leaving Pittsburgh as a free agent that offseason. What wasn’t written, after all, was the place Bonds would signal.
We now know the reply to that query, nevertheless it was practically very totally different. Bonds informed Michael Kay and Alex Rodriguez on their ESPN KayRod simulcast of a Sunday Night Baseball sport final September that he was “very close” to signing with the Yankees.
“It was very close for about 15 or 20 minutes,” Bonds stated. “ … The Yankees offered me the same contract, I think, that Ryne Sandberg had at the same time [with the Cubs] or a little bit more than that.”
Bonds stated that his agent informed the Yankees he’d get again to them, and Bonds went out to lunch. By the time he obtained to the restaurant, the Giants had made a fair higher provide than New York — six years and $43.75 million. The relaxation, as they are saying, is historical past.
Greg Maddux virtually signed with the Yankees, 1992
What an offseason of “almosts” for the Yankees in ’92. Maddux stated on David Cone’s “Toeing the Slab” podcast final 12 months that he was able to signal with the Yankees after the 1992 season, when he gained the primary of 4 NL Cy Young Awards within the remaining season of his first stint with the Cubs. But apparently somebody in New York’s entrance workplace had a coronary heart assault as Maddux traveled to the Big Apple to ink a cope with the Yanks, and Maddux by no means acquired a proposal.
Meanwhile, the Braves have been making ready a proposal of their very own for the right-hander, and since Atlanta was Maddux’s first alternative, that’s the place he went on a five-year, $28 million deal. Maddux in Yankee pinstripes would’ve been one thing — think about him becoming a member of New York’s rotation simply earlier than the Yanks would win 4 World Series titles in 5 years.
The Yankees virtually traded Mariano Rivera to the Mariners for Felix Fermin, 1996
Say what? Remember, now, that on the time this deal virtually occurred, Rivera had a profession 5.51 ERA in 67 Major League innings. The Yankees have been additionally in search of a short-term answer at shortstop till a rookie named Derek Jeter was able to be the on a regular basis man there — Jeter was anticipated to be the Opening Day shortstop, however he wasn’t faring properly in Spring Training.
So, enter the Mariners, who have been prepared to ship Fermin to New York for Rivera. Fermin wasn’t a star, however he was serviceable and will doubtlessly maintain down the place till Jeter was prepared. According to Yankees common supervisor Brian Cashman, “that decision was something that was, I think, right on the fence.”
Imagine how issues might need been totally different had that deal gone down. Rivera to the Mariners, Fermin opens the 1996 season at quick for the Yankees, and Jeter will get despatched again to Triple-A or — gasp! — traded.
Things labored out OK for the Yanks — Rivera and Jeter helped them win their first World Series in 18 years that fall, after which helped them win 4 extra en path to a plaque in Cooperstown for every of them.
The Expos virtually traded Pedro Martinez to Cleveland for Bartolo Colon, Jaret Wright and prospects, 1997
Pedro might have been successful a pair of Cy Young Awards in 1999 and 2000 in Cleveland as an alternative of Boston. But Cleveland reportedly backed away from this one as a result of it wished to retain Wright, who was solely 21 years previous and had simply pitched very properly within the World Series in opposition to the Marlins.
Colon would finally be traded from Cleveland to Montreal anyway, within the deal that despatched him there together with fellow right-hander Tim Drew in change for Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips and Lee Stevens in June of 2002.
Two years after that, Martinez helped the Red Sox win their first World Series since 1918. Meanwhile, Cleveland nonetheless hasn’t gained all of it since 1948.
The Mariners virtually traded Ken Griffey Jr. to the Mets, 1999
In December of 1999, the Mariners have been in a tricky spot — they wished to increase the best participant in franchise historical past, however he wasn’t able to signal a brand new contract as a consequence of eager to be nearer to his household in Florida. The Reds appeared to be a cinch for a possible commerce, provided that Cincinnati was Griffey’s hometown, his father — who performed for the “Big Red Machine” golf equipment within the mid-Nineteen Seventies — was a coach for the crew, and it was a lot nearer to Orlando than Seattle was.
But a cope with Reds hit a snag, and a window of alternative opened for the Mets through the Winter Meetings in Southern California. In reality, Seattle and New York reached an settlement in precept, needing solely Griffey to log off on it. The deal would have despatched outfielder Roger Cedeño and relievers Octavio Dotel and Armando Benitez to the Mariners in change for Griffey.
The Mets have been so assured the deal would occur that the entrance workplace informed veteran Todd Zeile, who wished to signal with New York, that Griffey was going to be acquired and that may complicate issues with respect to signing Zeile. Zeile was even able to restructure his contract to make all of it work.
But in the long run, it didn’t materialize as a result of Griffey vetoed the deal. He finally did go to the Reds previous to the 2000 season.
The Rangers virtually traded Alex Rodriguez to the Red Sox for Manny Ramirez and Jon Lester, 2004
Texas signed A-Rod to a then-record 10-year, $252 million contract previous to the 2001 season. But the Rangers completed in final place every of the following three seasons and put the celebrity shortstop on the commerce market. The cope with Boston would’ve been Rodriguez for slugger Manny Ramirez and a left-handed pitching prospect named Jon Lester.
It was nixed, nonetheless, when the MLB Players Association objected as a result of to ensure that it to work, Rodriguez must take a pay reduce (which he was prepared to do).
The Marlins virtually traded Miguel Cabrera to the Angels, 2007
Think about this one: Miggy and Vladdy Sr. in the identical lineup? It was practically a actuality when the Marlins virtually despatched the longer term MVP and Triple Crown winner to Anaheim, the place he would’ve teamed up with Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr.
It may simply have gotten executed if the Angels have been prepared to half with some pitching prospects. According to an ESPN report from again then, that was the hangup. The Marlins’ asking value apparently modified to incorporate extra pitching.
Per Jayson Stark, if the Halos threw in Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders or Nick Adenhart along with agreed-upon gamers within the deal — Howie Kendrick and Jeff Mathis — Cabrera might very properly have wound up in Anaheim slightly than Detroit, the place he burnished his Hall of Fame credentials.
Another big “what if?”
The Royals virtually traded Zack Greinke to the Nationals, 2010
Until they lastly gained the World Series in 2019, the Nationals had been unable to get past the NL Division Series 4 instances within the earlier seven years. Might they’ve introduced dwelling the primary World Series championship in franchise historical past earlier had they landed Greinke previous to the 2011 marketing campaign?
It was near occurring. Greinke himself put an finish to the likelihood by vetoing the deal as a result of he didn’t suppose Washington was headed in a successful route. Instead, Kansas City dealt the previous Cy Young Award winner to the Brewers, for whom he’d solely make 49 begins earlier than being traded to the Angels.
After ending out the 2012 season with the Halos, Greinke signed with the Dodgers, for whom he posted a 2.30 ERA over the following three years. The right-hander has remained efficient since then, pitching for the D-backs and Astros earlier than returning to the Royals final season.
