» June 3, 1985: The Brewers select University of North Carolina catcher B.J. Surhoff with the first pick in what will prove to be an extremely fruitful free-agent draft. Surhoff was the catcher for the U.S. Olympic Team last summer, and fellow Olympians Will Clark (Mississippi State), Bobby Witt (University of Oklahoma), and Barry Larkin (University of Michigan) are drafted 2nd, 3rd, and 4th by the Giants, Rangers, and Reds, respectively. The Cubs get a good one in the 24th round: Mark Grace while the White Sox take Randy Velarde on the 18th round. The Brewers take Phil Clark with the 18th pick of the first round, following his brother Isaiah Clark who was a 1st round pick last year. Neither will play in the ML, but brother Jerald Clark, who goes to the Padres on the 12th round today, will make it. The Tigers pick a winner in the 22nd round with John Smoltz, then trade him in 1987.
» July 25, 1995: Yankees' 2B Randy Velarde strokes five hits in New York's 8-1 win over the Royals. Velarde's hits include four singles and a home run.
» November 22, 1995: The Angels sign free agent IF Randy Velarde to a 3-year contract.
» March 9, 1997: Angels' 2B Randy Velarde tears a ligament in his right elbow while throwing from the outfield in pre-game drills. He will undergo surgery and be out for the year.
» June 3, 1997:
The Mariners, picking 19th, take Ryan Anderson, nicknamed "Big Unit II," dashing the Tigers hopes of taking the 6' 10" high school pitcher from Westland, MI. With the next pick, the Cardinals take Adam Kennedy, from Cal State Northridge. Kennedy led the nation in hits for the second consecutive season, the first time an NCAA player to do so. The Yankees gamble at #24, picking high school star Tyrell Godwin, of Elizabethtown, NC. A two-sport athlete, Godwin is committed to North Carolina to play football. The Padres (#27) pick Stetson SS Kevin Nicholson, the MVP of the Cape Cod League last summer. He is the first Canadian ever drafted in the first round. The Athletics appear to have the best draft with Tim Hudson (6th round), Eric DuBose (1st), Chad Harville (2nd), Robert Vaz (7th). Nathan Haynes is selected on round one but will be traded to the Angels for Randy Velarde.
» June 24, 1999: The Angels defeat the Mariners, 12-7, as 2B Randy Velarde and DH Mo Vaughn both go 5-for-6. Velarde homers and drives home four runs, while Vaughn homers twice and brings home 6.
» July 29, 1999:
The Athletics obtain P Omar Olivares and IF Randy Velarde from the Angels in exchange for P Elvin Nina and outfielders Jeff DaVanon and Nathan Haynes.
» 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 23, 2000: The A's defeat the Royals, 10-6, for their 9th straight win. Randy Velarde, Jason Giambi, and Ben Grieve hit consecutive homers for Oakland in the 2nd inning.
» November 17, 2000: The Rangers swap pitchers Ryan Cullen and Aaron Harang to the A's for 2B Randy Velarde.
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