Ken Phelps - The Buhner Trade

The Buhner Trade

Phelps hit 14 more home runs in half a season in 1988. Impressed, George Steinbrenner and his New York Yankees traded Jay Buhner to Seattle in exchange for Phelps, who already had Don Mattingly and Jack Clark to play first base and DH. With limited playing time once again, Phelps found it difficult to maintain his production of the previous four-and-a-half seasons, while Buhner went on to become an All-Star and legendary Mariners player. A Seinfeld episode depicted Yankee fan Frank Costanza as more upset about the Buhner trade than about the supposed death of his own son George. Phelps only hit 17 home runs for the Yankees before finishing his career with the Oakland Athletics and Cleveland Indians. He won the World Series with Oakland in 1989, but had just two postseason at-bats, including a double in the AL Championship Series.

Phelps' final home run might have been his most notable. It came on April 20, 1990 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth against the Mariners (Phelps was playing for Oakland). Phelps was called out of the dugout to pinch hit against Brian Holman, who had retired the first 26 batters in succession. Phelps homered to ruin a perfect game. Years later, Phelps said he wanted to hit it out because he did not want to watch himself on ESPN's SportsCenter all season making the out to complete Holman's gem.