July 18, 1993: Having already traded All-Stars Tony Fernandez and Gary Sheffield as part of their cost-saving "fire sale," the San Diego Padres trade Fred McGriff to the Atlanta Braves, for pitcher Donnie Elliott and right fielders Melvin Nieves and Vince Moore.
The trade certainly works out for the Braves: They have McGriff for 5 years, win 4 Division titles, 2 Pennants and the 1995 World Series. The Padres, not so much: Finishing 84-78, 10 games out of 1st place in the National League Western Division in 1991, and 82-80, 16 games back, in 1992, they crashed to 61-101, 43 games back, in 1993.
Elliott appeared in 31 games for the Padres, making little impact. Nieves played in 127, having a good season for them in 1995, and was traded, playing well for the Detroit Tigers, before an injury ended his career. Moore never reached the major leagues, and while he was still hanging on after Elliott and Nieves were done, it was in "independent" minor leagues: He last played in affiliated pro ball just after turning 25.
But the Padres were able to rebuild, and won a Division title in 1996 and the Pennant in 1998. That Pennant led to voters approving a ballot measure that built a replacement for Jack Murphy Stadium, which became Petco Park, opening in 2004.
Still, the Padres, who have played since 1969 and have won just 2 Pennants, in 1984 and 1998, have a history of not hanging onto their talent. They have had 13 players who have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Tony Gwynn played 20 seasons for them; Trevor Hoffman, 16; Dave Winfield, 8. Of the other 10? Rollie Fingers, Ozzie Smith and Goose Gossage each played 4; Willie McCovey, Roberto Alomar, Fred McGriff and Rickey Henderson each played 3; Gaylord Perry and Greg Maddux each played 2; and Mike Piazza played 1.
The Padres let Winfield, Smith, Alomar and McGriff get away too soon; they got McCovey, Perry, Gossage, Henderson, Maddux and Piazza too late; and Fingers, both.
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July 18, 1993 was a Sunday. These games were played that day:
* The New York Yankees beat the Oakland Athletics, 13-6 at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees scored 10 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning. Don Mattingly, Danny Tartabull and Mike Stanley hit home runs. Rickey Henderson went 2-for-4 with a walk.
* The New York Mets beat the San Francisco Giants, 12-6 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The Mets got 2 home runs from Jeff Kent, and 1 each from Eddie Murray and Dave Gallagher. Barry Bonds hit a home run for the Giants.
* The Boston Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners, 7-6 at Fenway Park in Boston. Ken Griffey Jr. went 0-for-4 with a walk.
* The Baltimore Orioles beat the Minnesota Twins, 7-2 at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Cal Ripken went 1-for-2 with 2 walks and an RBI.
* The Atlanta Braves beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 2-0 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Steve Avery allowed 12 hits over 7 2/3rds innings, but Greg McMichael finished the 8th inning, and Mike Stanton allowed 1 hit in the 9th, to complete a 13-hit shutout.
* The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals, 4-3 at the SkyDome (now the Rogers Centre) in Toronto. George Brett, in his last season, did not play.
* The Cleveland Indians beat the California Angels, 2-1 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.
* The Cincinnati Reds beat the Florida Marlins, 5-3 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati.
* The Chicago Cubs beat the Colorado Rockies, 12-2 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The game was called due to rain after 7 innings.
* The Chicago White Sox beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 3-1 at Milwaukee County Stadium. Robin Yount, in his last season, went 1-for-4.
* The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros, 7-6 at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. Mark Whiten hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 11th inning, driving Ozzie Smith home with the winning run.
* The Detroit Tigers beat the Texas Rangers, 2-0 at Arlington Stadium in the Dallas suburb of Arlington, Texas. John Doherty pitched a 3-hit shutout.
* The Philadelphia Phillies beat the San Diego Padres, 6-3 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego.
* And the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Montreal Expos, 2-1 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
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