Phillies events on January 9
January 9, 1996: The Phillies signed right-hander Dave Leiper, who had previously pitched for Oakland, San Diego, and Montreal. Leiper only lasted for 26 relief appearances and was released in June. He then re-signed with the Expos.
January 9, 2021: The Phillies acquired reliever Sam Coonrod from the Giants in exchange for pitching prospect Carson Ragsdale. Philadelphia targeted power bullpen help, while San Francisco turned present relief depth into a longer-term arm. Coonrod pitched two seasons in Philly with a 4.91 ERA. Ragsdale made his MLB debut with Baltimore last season, pitched in two games and had a 14.40 ERA.
January 9, 2023: The Phillies acquired right-hander Yunior Marte from the Giants for left-hander Erik Miller. Marte pitched parts of two seasons with the Phillies and recently signed a minor league deal with Cincinnati.
January 9, 2025: The Phillies avoided arbitration by reaching one-year agreements with Jesús Luzardo, Ranger Suarez, Alec Bohm, Edmundo Sosa, Bryson Stott, and Brandon Marsh. They also avoided arbitration with all 7 eligible players yesterday.
MLB events on January 9
January 9, 1903: Frank Farrell and Bill Devery bought the defunct Baltimore American League franchise and moved it to Manhattan, laying the groundwork for what became the New York Yankees.
January 9, 1952: With the Korean War ongoing, the Marines notified Ted Williams he would be recalled to active duty, interrupting his baseball career again. Williams missed the 1943-1945 seasons to serve in World War II.
January 9, 1957: The Cleveland Indians released Bob Feller, ending an era with one of the defining pitchers in franchise and MLB history. Feller retired from his Hall of Fame career with a 266-152, 3.25 career mark.
January 9, 1961: The new Minnesota Twins and the American Association reached an indemnity agreement for the Minneapolis–St. Paul territory, clearing a major hurdle in the franchise’s relocation setup.
January 9, 1976: A deal to sell the San Francisco Giants to a Toronto group was announced, sparking public outrage and legal action that ultimately helped keep the team in San Francisco.
January 9, 1989: Johnny Bench and Carl Yastrzemski were elected to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA, two one-team legends getting in on the first ballot.
January 9, 1990: Jim Palmer and Joe Morgan were elected to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA, each entering in his first year of eligibility.
Phillies birthdays on January 9
Charley Stanceu (born 1916): Charley Stanceu pitched in the majors for the Yankees and later the Phillies, finishing his MLB career in Philadelphia in 1946. He’s a good example of the wartime/early-postwar pitcher pipeline that teams leaned on for innings.
Ivan de Jesus (born 1953): Played with the Phillies from 1982-1984, and is especially remembered because he was acquired in the deal that sent Ryne Sandberg (and Larry Bowa) to the Cubs.
Stan Javier (born 1964): Acquired from the Dodgers in July of 1992 and played for the Phillies for the rest of the season before becoming a free agent and signing with the Angels. Played with eight different teams during a 17-year career. Ironically, five of the eight teams were west coast teams.
MLB birthdays on January 9
Ralph Terry (born 1936): A was a right-handed starter best known for his time with the Yankees, including being the 1962 World Series MVP. He also pitched for the A’s, Indians, and Mets across a 12-season career.
Otis Nixon (born 1959): A switch-hitting center fielder whose game revolved around speed—he finished with 620 career stolen bases. He played for a long list of teams, most famously the Braves in the early 1990s.
Kiko Calero (born 1975): was a right-handed reliever who spent much of his MLB run with the Cardinals, A’s, and Marlins. He carved out a solid late-inning career in the 2000s.
A DEEPER DIVE…. First ballot Hall of Famer players
Steve Carlton’s place in Phillies history is untouchable. Acquired from the Cardinals in exchange for pitcher Rick Wise, Carlton immediately became the ace the franchise had been searching for. His first season in Philadelphia in 1972 still feels almost mythical. He won 27 games for a team that finished 59-97, accounting for nearly half of the club’s total victories. It wasn’t just dominance, it was survival baseball, and Carlton carried the team on his left arm.
Over 15 seasons in Philadelphia, Carlton won four Cy Young Awards and routinely ranked among the league leaders in strikeouts, innings, and complete games. His devastating slider became his calling card, and hitters often looked beaten before they ever stepped into the box. Carlton was the unquestioned staff leader on the 1980 World Series championship team, helping finally deliver a title to a franchise that had waited nearly a century. By the time he retired, he stood as the National League’s all-time strikeout leader. When the writers elected him to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1994, it felt like a formality rather than a debate.
Mike Schmidt is the gold standard for Phillies position players. Drafted by the organization in 1971, Schmidt developed into a rare blend of elite defense and thunderous power. He wasn’t just the best third baseman of his era, many still consider him the best ever at the position. Ten Gold Gloves, 548 home runs, and three MVP awards only tell part of the story. Schmidt also played the game with an edge that resonated in Philadelphia. He demanded excellence from himself and from his teammates.
Schmidt delivered countless iconic moments at Veterans Stadium, from late-inning home runs to game-changing defensive plays. He was a central figure in the Phillies’ rise from lovable losers to perennial contenders, capped by the 1980 World Series championship. Even after that title, Schmidt remained the emotional and competitive anchor of the club throughout the early 1980s. His first-ballot Hall of Fame election in 1995 simply confirmed what fans already knew: the Phillies had been built around a once-in-a-generation superstar. In a great twist for Phillies fans, Schmidt was inducted along with fan favorite Richie Ashburn, who was voted in by the Veterans Committee.
Jim Thome’s Phillies tenure was short compared to some legends, but its impact was loud and immediate. Signed before the 2003 season, Thome brought instant credibility and middle-of-the-order power to a franchise still finding its identity after years of rebuilding. Citizens Bank Park became a showcase for his towering home runs, especially to right field, where balls seemed to disappear into the night.
Thome also brought leadership and professionalism to a young clubhouse. Even when injuries began to limit him later in his Phillies run, his presence mattered. Beyond Philadelphia, Thome’s career placed him among the most prolific power hitters in baseball history, finishing with 612 home runs and a reputation as one of the game’s most respected figures. His first-ballot Hall of Fame election in 2018 honored both the longevity of his production and the way he carried himself across the sport. Phillies fans still remember how electric those early seasons felt when every at-bat carried the possibility of something spectacular.
Roy Halladay’s time in Philadelphia was also brief, but it burned brightly. Acquired from Toronto prior to the 2010 season, Halladay instantly became the ace of a rotation that was already loaded with talent. His precision, competitiveness, and relentless preparation set a new tone for the staff and the clubhouse.
The signature moments came quickly. In May of 2010, Halladay threw a perfect game, the second in Phillies history. Later that year, he authored one of the most iconic performances the franchise has ever seen by throwing a no-hitter in the postseason. Those performances cemented his place in Phillies lore, even though injuries shortened his stay and ultimately his career.
Halladay represented pitching excellence in its purest form: command, durability, and an unbreakable will to compete. When he was elected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 2019, it validated just how dominant his peak truly was. For Phillies fans, his October no-hitter remains a defining memory of one of the franchise’s most talented eras.
Together, these four players reflect different chapters of Phillies history, from long-term franchise pillars to short-term impact superstars. What connects them is unmistakable greatness and the rare honor of being welcomed into Cooperstown the moment their names appeared on the ballot.
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