The Baseball Buffet for 12/21/2025

ATL signed RP Ian Hamilton. According to an article by Mark Bowman at MLB, the Braves are signing right-handed reliever Ian Hamilton to a non-guaranteed 1-year deal. The 30-year old has played six years in the majors: sparingly in 2018, 2020, and 2022 with the White Sox and Twins, and then more significantly the past three seasons for the Yankees. His best numbers came in 2023 when he had a 2.64 ERA with 69 K in 58 IP, while in 2025 he posted a 4.28 ERA with 42 K in 40 IP. The Braves have been adding to their bullpen this offseason, most notably with the signing of Robert Suarez, so Hamilton will presumably be competing for a job during spring training.

SDP signed IF Sung-Mun Song. According to an article by AJ Cassavell at MLB, the Padres are signing infielder Sung-Mun Song, a star in the Korean league. The 29-year old has played mostly 3B during nine seasons in Korea, but has also spent time at 2B and 1B. He blossomed in 2024 with a .340 average, 19 HR, 104 RBI, and 21 SB, and then in 2025 batted .315 with 26 HR, 90 RBI, and 25 SB. As Cassavell notes, his exact role for San Diego is unclear, but since Jake Cronenworth can also play multiple infield positions, it is possible Song will as well.

NYY re-signed RP Paul Blackburn. According to an article by Manny Randhawa at MLB, the Yankees are re-signing right-handed pitcher Paul Blackburn to a 1-year, $2 million contract. There are incentives for reaching 80, 90, 100, 110, and 120 innings pitched — which hints that his role might be that of a swingman and not only a reliever. The Yankees are expected to have a rotation composed of Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, and either Will Warren or Luis Gil as the fifth. However, if Cole isn’t ready until perhaps May at the earliest, then someone like Blackburn could see some starts early in the year too. He has pitched nine years in the majors, mostly with the Athletics, but last year threw for both New York teams, struggling with injuries and a 6.23 ERA across 39 innings that include four starts for the Mets and 11 relief appearances. Now 32 years old, the Yankees apparently are hoping he can be a useful mixed-role pitcher in 2026.

Paul Waner - Pirates (1932-39)

Barry Larkin - Reds (1988-2004)

Carl Hubbell - Giants (1933-43)

Edgar Martínez - Mariners (1987-2004)

José Ramírez - Guardians (2014-2025)

Luis Aparicio - White Sox (1956-62, 68-70), Orioles 1963-67), Red Sox (1971-73)

Lefty Gomez - Yankees (1932-42)

Jimmy Rollins - Phillies (2001-14)

Bill Freehan - Tigers (1963-76)

Darrell Evans - Braves (1969-76, 89)

Dizzy Trout - Tigers (1941-52)

Jim Fregosi - Angels (1962-71)

Chuck Knoblauch - Twins (1991-97), Yankees (1998-2001)

Brett Gardner - Yankees (2008-21)

Doug DeCinces - Orioles (1974-81), Angels (1982-87)

Ryan Zimmerman - Nationals (2006-21)

Hal McRae - Reds (1968-72), Royals (1973-87)

1944: Marty Marion wins the 1944 NL MVP in a very close vote. “In an even closer vote than occurred in the American League, the National League Most Valuable Player Award goes to fielding wizard shortstop Marty Marion of the Cardinals, who tallies one more vote than Cubs slugger Bill Nicholson (189). The Cardinals committed only 112 errors and fielded .982, both better than previous records held by the 1940 Cincinnati Reds. Marion is the third different Cardinals player in three years to win MVP honors.”

1960: The Cubs decide to not have a manager for the 1961 season. “Chicago Cubs owner Philip K. Wrigley announces the club will not have a manager for the next season, but will instead use a college of coaches, who will take turns managing the ballclub. The original eight coaches include Charlie Grimm, Ripper Collins and Rube Walker. Before the season is over, Vedie Himsl, Harry Craft, El Tappe and Lou Klein will have taken turns leading the team. The results will be disastrous for the Cubs, who will finish the season 35 games out of first place, but the experiment will be repeated in 1962 before being shelved for good.”

Hall of Famer

14-year major league career in the Negro Leagues, spanning from 1930-1946, mostly with the Pittsford Crawfords and the Homestead Grays

All-Star in nine seasons

Was the top power hitter of the Negro Leagues, leading his league in HR eleven times, leading in RBI seven times, and earning him the nickname "The Black Babe Ruth"

Also hit for a very high batting average, with three seasons over .400 (though with limited known AB at baseball-reference.com).

Was also an outstanding defensive catcher

According to the data available at baseball-reference.com, he had 166 HR in 602 games, with a .373/.458/.718 slash line, and a 214 OPS+

Died at the young age of 35 due to a stroke and brain tumor (see Wikipedia).

19 year major league career, spanning from 1912-1930, all with the Cubs and Phillies

Led the NL in HR four times, with modest totals of 12 HR in 1916 and 15 HR in 1920, but then more robust tallies of 41 HR in 1923 and 30 HR in 1927.

Mostly played CF, but moved to RF late in his career

As noted at Wikipedia, “The infield shift, in which defensive players moved to the right side of the playing field was first employed against Williams during the 1920s. However, it later became known as the ‘Williams Shift’ because of another hitter, Ted Williams.”

Overall had 251 HR, 115 SB, 1,005 RBI, a .292/.365/.470 slash line, and a 125 OPS+

16-year major league career, spanning from 1971-1986, mostly with the Mets, Giants, Athletics, and Cubs

Three-time All Star

A feared slugger, he had 25+ HR ten times, including a career high of 48 HR in 1979 with the Cubs, which led the NL. Led the league again in 1982 with 37 HR for the Mets.

Very much an all-or-nothing swinger, he struck out a lot with 120+ K nine times, including leading the NL three times

Set a record in 1977 by playing for two teams in the NL (Mets and Padres) and two teams in the AL (Angels and Yankees). These teams spanned all four divisions in baseball at the time, and Kingman hit a HR for each team.

Overall had 442 HR, 1,210 RBI, a .236/.302/.478 slash line, and a 115 OPS+

First-round draft pick (6th overall) in 1979 by the Cardinals

13-year major league career, spanning from 1983-1995, mostly with the Cardinals and Pirates

Three-time All-Star

Played a mix of 1B, 3B, LF, and RF for the Cardinals, but then shifted to CF with the Pirates where he won five consecutive Gold Glove Awards

Had 20+ SB in his first six seasons, with a high of 34 SB in both 1985 and 1987

Had modest power, hitting 15+ HR four times including a career high 25 HR and 100 RBI in 1988

Led the NL with 15 triples in 1988, and led the NL with 199 hits and 45 doubles in 1992

Overall had 164 HR, 245 SB, a .274/.349/.443 slash line, and a 119 OPS+

14-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1982-1995, mostly with the Rangers and Blue Jays

Was a top closer of his era, and appropriately nicknamed The Terminator. He posted 25+ saves eight times, including an AL-leading 34 saves in 1987.

Two-time All-Star

Was generally good in the postseason, with a 1.83 ERA over 19.2 IP in 15 appearances

Retired while still at the top of his game, as he had 36 saves with a 1.82 ERA in his age-37 season in 1995.

Overall had 311 saves, 861 K in 789.2 IP, a 2.67 ERA, and a 157 ERA+

13-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1976-1988, mostly with the Astros and Cardinals

Four-time All-Star, and was a good fielding pitcher, taking home a Gold Glove Award in 1984

Went 20-14 with a 3.34 ERA in 1984, and then 21-12 with a 3.40 ERA in 1985

Overall had a 127-118 record and a 3.58 ERA

10-year major league career, spanning from 2002-2011, mostly with the Pirates, but starting with the Red Sox and finishing with the Giants

Played a mix of 3B, SS, and 2B early in his career, then primarily 2B for his last five seasons

Three-time All-Star

Was a high-average hitter, including leading the NL with a .344 average and 53 doubles in 2006

Overall had a .297/.335/.413 slash line

9-year major league career, spanning from 2013-2021, mostly with the Athletics and Brewers

Had 20+ HR six times, including 40+ HR three times, with an AL-leading 48 HR in 2018

Struck out a lot with 120+ K six times, and a career high 195 K in 2017

Had a famously consistent batting average from year to year, with a .244 mark in 2014 and then a .247 average for four consecutive seasons from 2015-2018

Overall had 221 HR, a .242/.314/.491 slash line, and a 117 OPS+

12-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1985-1996, mostly with the Mets, Phillies, and Dodgers

Was an important member of the 1986 Mets World Series Championship team, with 22 saves and a 3.02 ERA over 128 innings of relief

Had 20+ saves four times, including 23 saves in 1989, 19 of which came after being traded in mid-June to the Phillies, where he posted a 1.11 ERA over 56.2 IP the rest of the season.

Overall had 159 saves, a 3.30 ERA, and a 115 ERA+

21-year major league pitching career, spanning from 1995-2015, starting with nine seasons for the Twins, and the rest spread across ten different clubs

Struggled as a starting pitcher early in his career, but then was a more effective reliever including posting 25 saves with a 2.63 ERA for the Cubs in 2004, and 23 saves with a 3.31 ERA in his age-41 season with the Rockies in 2014

Overall had 127 saves, a 4.31 ERA, and a 106 ERA+

12 - Roberto Clemente

5 - Andy Van Slyke

3 - Barry Bonds

3 - Dave Parker

2 - Starling Marte

The most memorable recent 3-team deals, by Andrew Simon at MLB, 12/19/2025

Each team's best single-game performance of '25, by MLB writers, 12/19/2025

The top 20 playoff performers of 2025, by Theo DeRosa at MLB, 12/20/2025