» August 7, 1998: Rookie OF Shane Spencer gets five hits, including two doubles and two home runs, while driving home three runs and scoring four in New York's 14–2 pasting of Kansas City in the 2nd game of a doubleheader. The Yankees also took the 1st contest by a score of 8–2. » September 24, 1998:
The Yanks win, 5–2, over the Devil Rays and post their 11th win of the year, surpassing the club record 110, set by the 1927 team. Shane Spencer pounds a grand slam, his 8th homer in 57 at bats.
» September 26, 1998:
The Yankees defeat the Devil Rays, 3–1, for David Cone's 20th win of the year. Cone sets a record for the most years (10) between 20–win seasons, having won 20 for the Mets in 1988. Jim Kaat held the previous record at 9. Shane Spencer homers, his 6th in nine days and his 7th in the month, a Yankee rookie record.
» September 30, 1998:
Andy Pettitte's strong pitching gives NY a 2–0 lead in their series with a 3–1 victory over the Rangers. Shane Spencer and Scott Brosius hit round–trippers.
» October 2, 1998: The Yankees shutout the Rangers, 4–0, to sweep their divisional playoff. Shane Spencer hits a 3–run homer and Paul O'Neill a solo blast for NY.
» June 25, 1999:
In Baltimore's 9–8 loss to the Yankees, O's Jesse Orosco makes his 1,051th relief appearance to break Kent Tekulve's major league record. He's succeeded by Mike Tomlin, who takes the loss when he serves up a 9th inning home run to Shane Spencer. Baines has a pair of homers for the O's, while Tino Martinez has four hits for NY.
» May 3, 2000:
The Major League Baseball Players Association again denies several major-leaguers admission to the union. The players crossed picket lines during the 1994-95 strike becoming replacement players. These players don't pay union dues, receive full pension benefits, and can to use the Association's grievance procedure. However, they do not receive a share of royalties from the sale of baseball merchandise. Historian Stuart Shea notes the players are the only ex-replacements currently on major-league rosters: Benny Agbayani and Rick Reed of the Mets; Trenidad Hubbard and Kerry Ligtenberg of the Braves; Cory Lidle and Damian Miller of the Diamondbacks; Keith Osik and Rich Loiselle of the Pirates; Matt Herges of the Dodgers; Joe Slusarski of the Astros; Shane Spencer of the Yankees; Jeff Tam of the A's; Donne Wall of the Padres.
» May 29, 2000: The Yankees defeat the A's Olivares, 4-1, on Pettitte's 2-hitter. In the 6th inning, Oakland 2B Randy Velarde turns an unassisted triple play, just the 11th in history, on a line drive by Shane Spencer. With runners on 1st and 2nd running with the pitch, Velarde tags Jorge Posada as he nears 2B, then touches the bag to retire Tino Martinez. In 1995, while with the Yankees, Velarde turned an unassisted triple play against the Dodgers in spring training following the strike.
» June 29, 2000:
In a prescient move, the Yankees obtain OF David Justice from the Indians for OF Ricky Ledee and two players to be named. When Shane Spencer goes down in 10 days, Justice will take over LF. The trade occurs minutes before the start of the game against Detroit, an 8–0 Yankee win, and Ledee is scratched from the lineup. The Yanks tie a major-league record with three sac flies in one inning.
» July 9, 2000:
The Yankees lose to Mike Hampton and the Mets, 2–0. Benitez closes for the Mets, while Andy Pettitte is the loser. The Yanks also lose Shane Spencer, who blows out his knee and ends his season. The game at Shea Stadium draws 54,283, the largest regular season crowd for the Mets since 1970.
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