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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»April 22, 1997: After four months of on-and-off negotiations, the Yankees acquire the rights to Japanese P Hideki Irabu from the San Diego Padres for $3 million. New York sends injured OF Ruben Rivera and minor leaguer P Rafael Medina to San Diego. The Padres sweeten the deal by sending three minor leaguers to NY: 2B Homer Bush and outfielders Gordon Amerson and Vernon Maxwell. Irabu's team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, gave the San Diego exclusive rights to the 27-year-old righthander, but Irabu refused to sign with the Padres, saying he would only go with the Yankees.
»March 11, 2002:
Thrown out stealing. The Yankees release OF Ruben Rivera for stealing Derek Jeter's mitt out of his locker, and selling it on the black market for $2,500. There are rumors that Rivera also took other memorabilia items, such as things belonging to Roger Clemens, but Clemens denies it. Rivera had been signed to a one year contract for $1 million.