This Date In Transactions History: December 26th

The day after Christmas hasn't been a busy hot stove day historically, but there have certainly been a few notable deals struck. Let's review…

• On this date last year, the Mets signed Kelvim Escobar to an incentive-laden one-year deal with a $1.25MM base salary. Escobar had missed most of 2009 and all of 2008 due to shoulder surgery, and sure enough he wasn't able to pitch at all in 2010 (not even in Spring Training) due to another surgery.
• The Giants inked Randy Johnson to a one-year deal worth $8MM guaranteed on this day back in 2008. He gave the Giants 96 innings of 4.88 ERA pitching in return, winning his 300th career game along the way.
• The Padres officially signed Kevin Correia to a minor league contract on the same day San Fran signed The Big Unit. He rewarded them in 2009 with 198 innings and a 3.91 ERA.
• Seven years ago today the Indians signed Ronnie Belliard after the Brewers non-tendered him. He spent the next two-and-a-half years in Cleveland, hitting .285/.337/.433 along the way.
• The Orioles acquired David Wells from the Reds for Curtis Goodwin and minor leaguer Trovin Valdez back in 1995. Boomer posted a 5.14 ERA in 224.1 innings during his one year in Baltimore.
• All the way back in 1953, the Milwaukee Braves traded six players and $100K to the Pirates for 26-year-old Danny O'Connell. O'Connell finished his career as a .260/.333/.351 hitter, and the most notable player Pittsburgh received was Sid Gordon, who was near the end of his playing days.
• Some other players involved in transactions on this date: Bob Howry, R.A. Dickey, Mark Prior, Frank Menechino, and Esteban Yan.