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1981 New York Yankees Trades and Transactions
(Franchise Encyclopedia: 1980 / 1982)
First Half: 34-22, Finished 1st
Second Half: 25-26, Finished 5th
Overall: 59-48, Finished 4th in AL East
View League Standings and Leaders
Scored 421 runs, Allowed 343 runs. Pythagorean W-L: 63-44
Manager: Gene Michael (48-34) and Bob Lemon (11-14)
Ballpark: Yankee Stadium II (ballparks.com)
Attendance: 1,614,353 (1st of 14)
Park Factors  Over 100 favors batters, under 100 favors pitchers.
  multi-year:
Batting - 98, Pitching - 97;   one-year: Batting - 99, Pitching - 98
Won AL Pennant
Postseason:  Lost World Series (4-2) to Los Angeles Dodgers
Won AL Championship Series (3-0) over Oakland Athletics
Won AL Division Series (3-2) over Milwaukee Brewers
BaseballAmerica.com: Franchise Executives
BR Bullpen: Find or enter more info for this team (what's this?)
Baseball Hall of Fame: Team Uniforms
American League  Champions

1980 / 1982 Trades and Transactions

Transactions listed are from November 1 of previous year to April 1 of the following year.

October 1, 1980

Traded a player to be named later and Ken Clay to the Texas Rangers. Received Gaylord Perry. The New York Yankees sent Marvin Thompson (minors) (October 1, 1980) to the Texas Rangers to complete the trade.

October 23, 1980

Gaylord Perry granted Free Agency.

October 24, 1980

Released Don Gullett.

Traded Roger Holt to the Texas Rangers. Received Tucker Ashford and cash.

October 27, 1980

Luis Tiant granted Free Agency.

November 3, 1980

Traded Fred Stanley to the Oakland Athletics. Received Mike Morgan.

November 4, 1980

Released Marshall Brant.

November 13, 1980

Johnny Oates granted Free Agency.

November 18, 1980

Traded Brad Gulden and $150,000 to the Seattle Mariners. Received a player to be named later and Larry Milbourne. The Seattle Mariners sent Brad Gulden (May 18, 1981) to the New York Yankees to complete the trade.

December 8, 1980

Don Cooper drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1980 rule 5 draft.

Brian Doyle drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 1980 rule 5 draft.

Tom Filer drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 1980 rule 5 draft.

Dave Wehrmeister drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 1980 rule 5 draft.

December 15, 1980

Signed Dave Winfield as a free agent.

January 5, 1981

Released Jim Nettles.

February 3, 1981

Signed Marshall Brant as a free agent.

February 16, 1981

Traded Rafael Santana to the St. Louis Cardinals. Received a player to be named later. The St. Louis Cardinals sent George Frazier (June 7, 1981) to the New York Yankees to complete the trade.

February 17, 1981

Signed Bill Castro as a free agent.

March 31, 1981

Traded Ruppert Jones, Joe Lefebvre, Tim Lollar and Chris Welsh to the San Diego Padres. Received Jerry Mumphrey and John Pacella.

April 3, 1981 (Standings)

The Kansas City Royals returned Dave Wehrmeister (earlier draft pick).

April 6, 1981 (Standings)

Signed Johnny Oates as a free agent.

Traded Byron Ballard (minors) to the San Diego Padres. Received a player to be named later. The San Diego Padres sent Dave Stegman (April 30, 1981) to the New York Yankees to complete the trade.

April 9, 1981 (Standings)

The Oakland Athletics returned Tom Filer (earlier draft pick).

April 17, 1981 (Standings)

Signed Dave LaRoche as a free agent.

April 27, 1981 (Standings)

Signed Bill Lindsey as an amateur free agent.

Traded Tom Filer and cash to the Chicago Cubs. Received Barry Foote.

May 17, 1981 (Standings)

Signed Orestes Destrade as an amateur free agent.

May 20, 1981 (Standings)

Traded Jim Spencer and Tom Underwood to the Oakland Athletics. Received Chuck Dougherty (minors), Mike Patterson and Dave Revering.

June 8, 1981 (Standings)

Drafted Scott Bradley in the 3rd round of the 1981 amateur draft.

Drafted Phil Lombardi in the 3rd round of the 1981 amateur draft.

Drafted Eric Plunk in the 4th round of the 1981 amateur draft. Player signed June 15, 1981.

Drafted Mike Pagliarulo in the 6th round of the 1981 amateur draft.

Drafted John Fishel in the 8th round of the 1981 amateur draft, but did not sign the player.

Drafted Fred McGriff in the 9th round of the 1981 amateur draft. Player signed June 11, 1981.

Drafted Dick Scott in the 17th round of the 1981 amateur draft.

Drafted Bob Tewksbury in the 19th round of the 1981 amateur draft.

Drafted Logan Easley in the 20th round of the 1981 amateur draft.

Drafted Les Lancaster in the 24th round of the 1981 amateur draft, but did not sign the player.

June 12, 1981 (Standings)

Traded a player to be named later, Doug Bird and $400,000 to the Chicago Cubs. Received Rick Reuschel. The New York Yankees sent Mike Griffin (August 5, 1981) to the Chicago Cubs to complete the trade.

August 19, 1981 (Standings)

Traded Pat Tabler to the Chicago Cubs. Received players to be named later. The Chicago Cubs sent Bill Caudill (April 1, 1982) and Jay Howell (August 2, 1982) to the New York Yankees to complete the trade.

October 13, 1981 (Standings)

Released Eric Soderholm.

October 21, 1981

Traded Willie McGee to the St. Louis Cardinals. Received Bob Sykes.

November 4, 1981

Traded a player to be named later and Brian Ryder (minors) to the Cincinnati Reds. Received Ken Griffey. The New York Yankees sent Freddie Toliver (December 9, 1981) to the Cincinnati Reds to complete the trade.

November 13, 1981

Ron Guidry granted Free Agency.

Reggie Jackson granted Free Agency.

Dave LaRoche granted Free Agency.

Bobby Murcer granted Free Agency.

November 17, 1981

Traded Aurelio Rodriguez to the Toronto Blue Jays. Received a player to be named later. The Toronto Blue Jays sent Mike Lebo (minors) (December 9, 1981) to the New York Yankees to complete the trade.

December 7, 1981

Paul Boris drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1981 rule 5 draft.

December 15, 1981

Signed Ron Guidry as a free agent.

December 23, 1981

Signed Dave Collins as a free agent.

January 12, 1982

Drafted Oddibe McDowell in the 1st round (9th pick) of the 1982 amateur draft (January Secondary), but did not sign the player.

February 21, 1982

Signed Roberto Kelly as an amateur free agent.

February 22, 1982

Purchased Barry Evans from the San Diego Padres.

March 24, 1982

Traded Bill Castro to the California Angels. Received Butch Hobson.

Traded Dennis Werth to the Kansas City Royals. Received Scot Behan (minors).

March 30, 1982

Traded Andy McGaffigan and Ted Wilborn to the San Francisco Giants. Received Doyle Alexander.

April 1, 1982

Traded a player to be named later, Bill Caudill and Gene Nelson to the Seattle Mariners. Received Shane Rawley. The New York Yankees sent Bobby Brown (April 6, 1982) to the Seattle Mariners to complete the trade.

The transaction information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. Last transaction is September 30, 2009.

1980 / 1982 Trades and Transactions