Randy Smith’s mandated fire sale flared up again on this date — July 18 — in 1993 when the game’s youngest general manager was forced to unload Fred McGriff’s salary. Like Smith revealed in a look back at the Gary Sheffield trade in June 1993, there simply weren’t a lot of teams interested in taking on entire salaries in the middle of the season, even if McGriff — averaging 34 homers a season — looked to be worth every bit of his $4.25 million salary.
The Braves raised their hand.
The return: minor leaguers Melvin Nieves, Donnie Elliott and Vince Moore.