1981 in baseball
Encyclopedia

Major League Baseball

  • World Series
    1981 World Series
    The 1981 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking their third meeting in the Series in five years as well as a record eleventh Series meeting overall and last Series meeting to date...

    : Los Angeles Dodgers
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

     over New York Yankees
    New York Yankees
    The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

     (4-2); Ron Cey
    Ron Cey
    Ronald Charles Cey |Washington]]) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics . Cey batted and threw right-handed...

    , Pedro Guerrero, and Steve Yeager
    Steve Yeager
    Stephen Wayne "Steve" Yeager is an American right-handed former major league baseball catcher. Yeager spent 14 of the 15 seasons of his Major League Baseball career, from through , with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His last year, , he played for the Seattle Mariners...

    , co-MVPs

NOTE: Due to a strike in mid-season, the season was divided into a first half and a second half. The division winner of the first half (denoted East 1, West 1) played the division winner of the second half (denoted East 2, West 2).
  • American League Championship Series
    1981 American League Championship Series
    -Game 1:Tuesday, October 13, 1981 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkIn Billy Martin's return to Yankee Stadium , the Yankees drew first blood in front of their old skipper...

     MVP: Graig Nettles
    Graig Nettles
    Graig Nettles , nicknamed "Puff", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 22-year baseball career, he played for the Minnesota Twins , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , San Diego Padres , Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos .Nettles was one of the best...

  • National League Championship Series
    1981 National League Championship Series
    - Game 1 :Tuesday, October 13, 1981 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe Dodgers took the first game of the series behind the strong pitching of starter Burt Hooton. For the first seven innings the game stayed close, with the only scoring coming in the second inning when the Dodgers got...

     MVP: Burt Hooton
    Burt Hooton
    Burt Carlton Hooton , nicknamed "Happy" , is a coach and former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball...


  • All-Star Game
    Major League Baseball All-Star Game
    The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...

    , August 9 at Cleveland Stadium
    Cleveland Stadium
    Cleveland Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in Cleveland, Ohio. In its final years, the stadium seated 74,438, for baseball and 81,000, for football. It was one of the early multi-purpose stadiums, built to accommodate both baseball and football...

    : National League, 5-4; Gary Carter
    Gary Carter
    Gary Edmund Carter , nicknamed "Kid" and "Kid Carter", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 19-year baseball career, mostly with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, Carter established himself as one of the premier catchers in the National League, winning three Gold...

    , MVP

Other champions

  • College World Series
    1981 College World Series
    The 1981 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from May 30 to June 8. The thirty-fifth tournament's champion was Arizona State University coached by Jim Brock...

    : Arizona State
    Arizona State University
    Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...

  • Japan Series
    Japan Series
    , or is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a seven-game series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League....

    : Yomiuri Giants
    Yomiuri Giants
    The are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level of professional play in Japan. They play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988. The English-language press occasionally calls the...

     over Nippon Ham Fighters
    Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
    The are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Sapporo, Hokkaidō. They compete in the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball, playing the majority of their home games at the Sapporo Dome. The Fighters also host a select number of regional home games in cities across Hokkaidō,...

     (4-2)
  • Little League World Series
    1981 Little League World Series
    The 1981 Little League World Series took place between August 25 and August 29 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Taiping Little League of Taichung, Taiwan defeated the Belmont Heights Little League of Tampa, Florida in the championship game of the 35th Little League World Series.This was the fifth...

    : Tai-Ping, Taichung
    Taichung
    -Demographics:Taichung’s population was an estimated 1,040,725 in August 2006. There are slightly more females in the city than males.24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly....

    , Taiwan
    Taiwan
    Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...


Awards and honors

  • Most Valuable Player
    MLB Most Valuable Player Award
    The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...

    • Rollie Fingers
      Rollie Fingers
      Roland Glen Fingers is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During his 18-year baseball career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers . He became only the second reliever to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992...

      , Milwaukee Brewers
      Milwaukee Brewers
      The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

      , P (AL)
    • Mike Schmidt
      Mike Schmidt
      Michael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....

      , Philadelphia Phillies
      Philadelphia Phillies
      The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

      , 3B (NL)
  • Cy Young Award
    Cy Young Award
    The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...

    • Rollie Fingers, Milwaukee Brewers (AL)
    • Fernando Valenzuela
      Fernando Valenzuela
      Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea is a Mexican former left-handed pitcher, most notably with the Los Angeles Dodgers.In 1981, the 20-year-old Valenzuela took Los Angeles by storm, winning his first 8 decisions and leading the Dodgers to the World Championship...

      , Los Angeles Dodgers
      Los Angeles Dodgers
      The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

       (NL)
  • Rookie of the Year
    MLB Rookie of the Year Award
    In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...

    • Dave Righetti
      Dave Righetti
      David Allan Righetti is a former left-handed pitcher for various Major League Baseball teams, primarily the New York Yankees. He is currently the pitching coach for the San Francisco Giants and was the first player in history to both pitch a no-hitter and also lead the league in saves in his career...

      , New York Yankees
      New York Yankees
      The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

      , P (AL)
    • Fernando Valenzuela, Los Angeles Dodgers, P (NL)

MLB statistical leaders

EWLINE
  American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

Type Name Stat Name Stat
AVG
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...

 
Carney Lansford
Carney Lansford
Carney Ray Lansford is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball and the hitting coach of the Colorado Rockies...

 BOS
.336 Bill Madlock
Bill Madlock
Bill "Mad Dog" Madlock, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. From 1973 to 1987, Madlock was a right-handed hitter who won several National League batting titles. His record of four batting titles as a third baseman would be eclipsed in 1988 by Wade Boggs. Since 1970, only Tony Gwynn has...

 PIT
.341
HR
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...

 
Tony Armas
Tony Armas
Antonio Rafael Armas Machado is a former Venezuelan professional baseball player who played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He was one of the top sluggers in the American League in the early 1980s. Twice Armas led the league in home runs, and led all of Major League Baseball in RBIs in...

 OAK
Dwight Evans
Dwight Evans
Dwight Michael Evans , nicknamed "Dewey", is an American former professional baseball right fielder and right-handed batter who played with the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles in Major League Baseball....

 BOS
Bobby Grich
Bobby Grich
Robert Anthony "Bobby" Grich is an American former professional baseball second baseman who played for the Baltimore Orioles and California Angels of Major League Baseball...

 CAL
Eddie Murray
Eddie Murray
Eddie Clarence Murray , nicknamed "Steady Eddie", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and designated hitter. He was known as one of the most reliable and productive hitters of his era. Murray is regarded as one of the best switch hitters ever to play the game...

 BAL
22 Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Michael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....

 PHI
31
RBI  Eddie Murray
Eddie Murray
Eddie Clarence Murray , nicknamed "Steady Eddie", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and designated hitter. He was known as one of the most reliable and productive hitters of his era. Murray is regarded as one of the best switch hitters ever to play the game...

 BAL
78 Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Michael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....

 PHI
91
Wins
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...

 
Dennis Martinez
Dennis Martínez
José Dennis Martínez Emilia , nicknamed "El Presidente" , is a former Major League Baseball pitcher...

 BAL
Steve McCatty
Steve McCatty
Steven Earl McCatty is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Oakland Athletics from 1977 to 1985. He graduated from Troy High School in Troy, Michigan in 1972. On June 2nd, 2009 McCatty was named interim pitching coach of the Washington Nationals following Randy St...

 OAK
Jack Morris
Jack Morris
John Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...

 DET
Pete Vuckovich
Pete Vuckovich
Peter Dennis Vuckovich is a retired American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who came across as an intimidating presence on the mound with his 6'4" 220 lb frame and Fu Manchu moustache. Vuckovich was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 1974...

 MIL
14 Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...

 CIN
14
ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...

 
Sammy Stewart
Sammy Stewart
Samuel Lee "Sammy" Stewart , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1978-1987. He attended Owen High School in Asheville and Montreat College, and signed his first pro contract with the Baltimore Orioles in 1975...

 BAL
2.32 Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....

 HOU
1.69

First half of season

EWLINE
American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

Rank Club Wins Losses Win % GB
East Division
1st New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

 
34 22 .607    --
2nd Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...

 
31 23 .574   2.0
3rd Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

 
31 25 .568   3.0
4th Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

 
31 26 .544   3.5
5th Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

 
30 26 .536   4.0
6th Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

 
26 24 .520   5.0
7th Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....

 
16 42 .276 19.0
West Division
1st Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

 
37 23 .617    --
2nd Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...

 
33 22 .600   1.5
3rd Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...

 
31 22 .585   2.5
4th California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...

 
31 29 .517   6.0
5th Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...

 
20 30 .400 12.0
6th Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...

 
21 36 .368 14.5
7th Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...

 
17 39 .304 18.0

EWLINE
National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

Rank Club Wins Losses Win %   GB
East Division
1st Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

 
34 21 .618    --
2nd St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

 
30 20 .600   2.5
3rd Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...

 
30 25 .545   4.0
4th Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...

 
25 23 .521   5.5
5th New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

 
17 34 .333 15.0
6th Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

 
15 37 .288 17.5
West Division
1st Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

 
36 21 .632    --
2nd Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

 
35 21 .625   0.5
3rd Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...

 
28 29 .491   8.0
4th Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

 
25 29 .463   9.5
5th San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

 
27 32 .458 10.0
6th San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...

 
23 33 .411 12.5


 

Second half of season

EWLINE
American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

Rank Club Wins Losses Win % GB
East Division
1st Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

 
31 22 .585    --
2nd Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

 
29 23 .558   1.5
2nd Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

 
29 23 .558   1.5
4th Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...

 
28 23 .549   2.0
5th Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

 
26 27 .491   5.0
6th New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

 
25 26 .490   5.0
7th Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....

 
21 27 .438   7.5
West Division
1st Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...

 
30 23 .566    --
2nd Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

 
27 22 .551   2.0
3rd Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...

 
24 26 .480   5.5
4th Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...

 
24 29 .453   6.0
5th Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...

 
23 29 .442   6.5
6th Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...

 
23 30 .434   7.0
7th California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...

 
20 30 .400   8.5

EWLINE
National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

Rank Club Wins Losses Win %   GB
East Division
1st Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...

 
30 23 .566    --
2nd St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

 
29 23 .558   0.5
3rd Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

 
25 27 .481   4.5
4th New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

 
24 28 .462   5.5
5th Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

 
23 28 .451   6.0
6th Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...

 
21 33 .389   9.5
West Division
1st Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...

 
33 20 .623    --
2nd Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

 
31 21 .596   1.5
3rd San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

 
29 23 .558   3.5
4th Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

 
27 26 .509   6.0
5th Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

 
25 27 .481   7.5
6th San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...

 
18 36 .333 15.5

 

Overall record

EWLINE
American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

Rank Club Wins Losses Win % GB
East Division
1st Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

 
62 47 .569    --
2nd Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...

 
59 46 .562   1.0
3rd New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

 
59 48 .551   2.0
4th Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

 
60 49 .550   2.0
5th Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

 
59 49 .546   2.5
6th Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

 
52 51 .505   7.0
7th Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....

 
37 69 .349 23.5
West Division
1st Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

 
64 45 .587    --
2nd Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...

 
57 48 .543   5.0
3rd Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...

 
54 52 .509   8.5
4th Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...

 
50 53 .485 11.0
5th California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...

 
51 59 .464 13.5
6th Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...

 
44 65 .404 20.0
7th Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...

 
41 68 .376 23.0

EWLINE
National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

Rank Club Wins Losses Win %   GB
East Division
1st St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

 
59 43 .578    --
2nd Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...

 
60 48 .556   2.0
3rd Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

 
59 48 .551   2.5
4th Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...

 
46 56 .451 13.0
5th New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

 
41 62 .398 18.5
6th Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

 
38 65 .369 21.5
West Division
1st Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

 
66 42 .611    --
2nd Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

 
63 47 .573   4.0
3rd Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...

 
61 49 .555   6.0
4th San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

 
56 55 .505 11.5
5th Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

 
50 56 .472 15.0
6th San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...

 
41 69 .373 26.0

January–March

  • January 15 - In his first year of eligibility, former St. Louis Cardinals
    St. Louis Cardinals
    The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

     pitcher Bob Gibson
    Bob Gibson
    Robert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals...

     is the only person elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America
    Baseball Writers Association of America
    The Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...

    , gathering 337 votes (84.04%). Players falling short of the 301 votes needed for election include Don Drysdale
    Don Drysdale
    Donald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...

     (243), Gil Hodges
    Gil Hodges
    Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...

     (241), Harmon Killebrew
    Harmon Killebrew
    Harmon Clayton Killebrew , nicknamed "Killer" and "Hammerin' Harmon", was an American professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and left fielder. During his 22-year career in Major League Baseball , he played for the Washington Senators, a team which later became the Minnesota Twins, and...

     (239), Hoyt Wilhelm
    Hoyt Wilhelm
    James Hoyt Wilhelm was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985....

     (238) and Juan Marichal
    Juan Marichal
    Juan Antonio Marichal Sánchez is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Playing for the San Francisco Giants most of his career, Marichal was known for his high leg kick, pinpoint control and intimidation tactics, which included aiming pitches directly at the opposing batters'...

     (233).

  • January 23 - Fred Lynn
    Fred Lynn
    Fredric Michael "Fred" Lynn is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox , California Angels , Baltimore Orioles , Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres .Fred Lynn was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in and to the College Baseball Hall of Fame...

     traded by the Boston Red Sox
    Boston Red Sox
    The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

     with Steve Renko
    Steve Renko
    Steve Renko, Jr. is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Montreal Expos , Chicago Cubs , Chicago White Sox , Oakland Athletics , Boston Red Sox , California Angels and Kansas City Royals .He helped the Angels win the 1982 American League Western...

     to the California Angels for Frank Tanana
    Frank Tanana
    Frank Daryl Tanana is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He was the California Angels' 1st round draft pick in 1971....

    , Jim Dorsey
    Jim Dorsey (baseball)
    James Edward Dorsey is a retired professional baseball player who played 3 seasons for the California Angels and Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.-References:...

    , and Joe Rudi
    Joe Rudi
    Joseph Oden Rudi is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Kansas City & Oakland Athletics , California Angels and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...

    .

  • February 12 - Reputedly because the Boston Red Sox
    Boston Red Sox
    The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

     mailed out his contract two days late, catcher Carlton Fisk
    Carlton Fisk
    Carlton Ernest Fisk , nicknamed "Pudge" or "The Commander", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 24-year baseball career, he played for both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox .Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his 6'2", 220 lb frame...

     is declared a free agent. He will later sign with the Chicago White Sox
    Chicago White Sox
    The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...

    .

  • February 28 - The New York Mets
    New York Mets
    The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

     reacquire Dave Kingman
    Dave Kingman
    David Arthur Kingman , nicknamed "Kong" and "Sky King", is a former Major League Baseball left fielder, first baseman, third baseman, and designated hitter. The towering 6' 6" Kingman was one of the most feared sluggers of the 1970s and 1980s...

     from the Chicago Cubs
    Chicago Cubs
    The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

     for Steve Henderson
    Steve Henderson
    Steven Curtis Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who is best remembered for being one of the players the New York Mets acquired in the infamous "Midnight Massacre."-Cincinnati Reds:...

     and cash. Henderson had originally been acquired by the Mets from the Cincinnati Reds
    Cincinnati Reds
    The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

     as part of the infamous "Midnight Massacre" on June 15, , the same day the Mets traded Kingman to the San Diego Padres
    San Diego Padres
    The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...

     for Paul Siebert
    Paul Siebert
    Paul Edward Siebert is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched parts of five seasons in the majors, from until . Paul's father was former major league first baseman Dick Siebert....

     and Bobby Valentine
    Bobby Valentine
    Robert John "Bobby V" Valentine is an American professional baseball manager and former player who is currently the manager of the Boston Red Sox. He previously managed the Texas Rangers and New York Mets as well as the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan...

    .

  • March 11 - Johnny Mize
    Johnny Mize
    John Robert "Johnny" Mize was a baseball player who was a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, and New York Yankees...

     and Rube Foster are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee. Mize hit .312 with 359 home runs in 15 seasons for the Cardinals and New York Giants
    San Francisco Giants
    The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

    , while Foster was a star pitcher, manager and pioneer of the Negro Leagues
    Negro league baseball
    The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...

     during the first quarter of the 20th century.

April–May

  • April 9 - After pitcher Jerry Reuss
    Jerry Reuss
    Jerry Reuss -- pronounced "royce" -- is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, best known for his years with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the United States, who had a 22-year career from to ....

     pulls a muscle, rookie Fernando Valenzuela
    Fernando Valenzuela
    Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea is a Mexican former left-handed pitcher, most notably with the Los Angeles Dodgers.In 1981, the 20-year-old Valenzuela took Los Angeles by storm, winning his first 8 decisions and leading the Dodgers to the World Championship...

     is given his first starting assignment. His first Major League start results in a five-hit shutout. It is the beginning of what will be called "Fernandomania" in Southern California.

  • April 10 - Carlton Fisk
    Carlton Fisk
    Carlton Ernest Fisk , nicknamed "Pudge" or "The Commander", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 24-year baseball career, he played for both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox .Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his 6'2", 220 lb frame...

     debuts with the Chicago White Sox
    Chicago White Sox
    The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...

    , coincidentally in Fenway Park
    Fenway Park
    Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...

     against his former team, the Boston Red Sox
    Boston Red Sox
    The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

    . Fisk hits a three-run home run
    Home run
    In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...

     in the eighth to secure a 5-3 win for Chicago.

  • April 18 - Tom Seaver
    Tom Seaver
    George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...

     of the Cincinnati Reds
    Cincinnati Reds
    The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

     records his 3000th career strikeout. Keith Hernandez
    Keith Hernandez
    Keith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...

     is the victim.

  • April 27 - Just 18 days after his first start, Fernando Valenzuela
    Fernando Valenzuela
    Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea is a Mexican former left-handed pitcher, most notably with the Los Angeles Dodgers.In 1981, the 20-year-old Valenzuela took Los Angeles by storm, winning his first 8 decisions and leading the Dodgers to the World Championship...

     has grabbed the attention of the baseball world. In just his fifth start, he pitches his fourth complete game shutout running his record to 5-0 with a microscopic 0.20 ERA. He is also batting
    Batting average
    Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...

     over 0.400 to help his own cause.

  • April 29 - Steve Carlton
    Steve Carlton
    Steven Norman Carlton , nicknamed "Lefty", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965-1988 for six different teams in his career, but it is his time with the Philadelphia Phillies where he received his greatest acclaim as a professional and won four Cy Young Awards...

     of the Philadelphia Phillies
    Philadelphia Phillies
    The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

     records his 3000th career strikeout. April 1981 is the only month in history to have two pitchers reach this milestone. He is the first left-handed pitcher in Major League history to reach that mark.

  • May 10 - In the second game of a doubleheader, Charlie Lea
    Charlie Lea
    Charles William Lea was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From through , Lea played for the Montreal Expos and Minnesota Twins...

     of the Montreal Expos
    Montreal Expos
    The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...

     no-hits
    No-hitter
    A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...

     the San Francisco Giants
    San Francisco Giants
    The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

     4-0. The no-hitter is the first in the history of Olympic Stadium
    Olympic Stadium (Montreal)
    The Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics...

    , which will witness only one other no-hitter, by Philadelphia
    Philadelphia Phillies
    The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

    's Tommy Greene
    Tommy Greene
    Ira Thomas Greene , is a former Major League Baseball player who pitched from 1989 to 1995 and 1997. He pitched for the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros.-Pro career:...

     in .

  • May 15 - Len Barker
    Len Barker
    Leonard Harold Barker III , better known as Lenny Barker or Len Barker, is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He pitched the tenth perfect game in baseball history. Barker pitched for the Texas Rangers , Cleveland Indians , Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers...

     of the Cleveland Indians
    Cleveland Indians
    The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

     pitches a perfect game
    Perfect game
    A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...

     against the Toronto Blue Jays
    Toronto Blue Jays
    The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....

    , 3-0, at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. He struck out 11, all swinging, after the third inning and never had a 3-ball count on any batter on a misty, rain-soaked night where only 7,290 fans took in the game. Current Indians broadcaster Rick Manning
    Rick Manning
    Richard Eugene Manning is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers...

     caught the 27th out of the night on a fly ball to center field. Barker's catcher, Ron Hassey
    Ron Hassey
    Ronald William Hassey is a retired Major League Baseball catcher. Hassey began his career with the Cleveland Indians after the Indians drafted him in the 18th round of the 1976 MLB amateur draft...

     will later catch Dennis Martinez's
    Dennis Martínez
    José Dennis Martínez Emilia , nicknamed "El Presidente" , is a former Major League Baseball pitcher...

     1991
    1991 in baseball
    -Major League Baseball:*World Series: Minnesota Twins over Atlanta Braves ; Jack Morris, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Kirby Puckett*National League Championship Series MVP: Steve Avery...

     perfect game making him the first catcher in history to catch two perfect games.

  • May 21 - Ron Darling
    Ron Darling
    Ronald Maurice Darling, Jr. is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos...

     of Yale University
    Yale University
    Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...

     pitches a no-hitter
    No-hitter
    A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...

     through eleven innings against St. John's University
    St. John's University (New York City)
    St. John's University is a private, Roman Catholic, coeducational university located in New York City, United States. Founded by the Congregation of the Mission in 1870, the school was originally located in the borough of Brooklyn in the neighborhood of Bedford–Stuyvesant...

    . In the 12th inning, St. John's broke up the no-hitter and then scored on a double-steal
    Stolen base
    In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...

     to beat Yale 1-0. Darling's performance remains the longest no-hitter in NCAA history and the game is considered by some to be the best in college baseball history. Frank Viola
    Frank Viola
    Frank John Viola, Jr. is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Minnesota Twins , New York Mets , Boston Red Sox , Cincinnati Reds and Toronto Blue Jays . A three-time All-Star, he was named World Series MVP with the Twins in 1987 and won the AL Cy Young Award in 1988...

     was the opposing pitcher for St. John's.

  • May 25 - Carl Yastrzemski
    Carl Yastrzemski
    Carl Michael Yastrzemski is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. Yastrzemski played his entire 23-year baseball career with the Boston Red Sox . He was primarily a left fielder, with part of his later career...

     plays in his 3,000th major league game, scoring the winning run in Boston
    Boston Red Sox
    The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

    's 8–7 triumph over Cleveland
    Cleveland Indians
    The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

    . Yaz joins Ty Cobb
    Ty Cobb
    Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...

    , Stan Musial
    Stan Musial
    Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial is a retired professional baseball player who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals . Nicknamed "Stan the Man", Musial was a record 24-time All-Star selection , and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball...

     and Hank Aaron as the fourth major leaguer to appear in 3,000 games.

  • May 27 - While visiting the Seattle Kingdome
    Kingdome
    The Kingdome was a multi-purpose stadium located in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood. Owned and operated by King County, the Kingdome opened in 1976 and was best known as the home stadium of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League , the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball , and the...

    , Kansas City Royals
    Kansas City Royals
    The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...

     centerfielder Amos Otis
    Amos Otis
    Amos Joseph Otis is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets , Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted and threw right-handed....

     hits a slow roller down the third base line in the sixth inning. Seattle Mariners
    Seattle Mariners
    The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...

     third baseman
    Third baseman
    A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...

     Lenny Randle
    Lenny Randle
    Leonard Shenoff Randle is a former Major League Baseball player. He was the first-round pick of the Washington Senators in the secondary phase of the June 1970 Major League Baseball Draft, tenth overall.-Early years:...

     gets on his hands and knees and tries unsuccessfully to blow the ball foul
    Foul ball
    In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that:* Settles on foul territory between home and first base or between home and third base, or* Bounds past first or third base on or over foul territory, or...

    .

June–July

  • June 5 - Nolan Ryan
    Nolan Ryan
    Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....

     issues the 1,777th walk in his career, breaking the record previously held by Early Wynn
    Early Wynn
    Early Wynn Jr. , nicknamed "Gus", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 25-year baseball career, he pitched for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox...

    .

  • June 8 - With their twelfth pick in the June amateur draft
    1981 Major League Baseball Draft
    -First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1981 Major League Baseball draft.- Other notable players :*John Elway was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 2nd round of the 1981 amateur draft...

    , the New York Mets
    New York Mets
    The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

     select Roger Clemens
    Roger Clemens
    William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...

    . He declines, deciding instead to attend the University of Texas at Austin
    University of Texas at Austin
    The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...

    . He is drafted by the Boston Red Sox
    Boston Red Sox
    The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

     in the first round (19th overall) of the 1983 Major League Baseball Draft
    1983 Major League Baseball Draft
    -First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1983 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Other notable players :*Kevin Ward, 6th round...

    .

  • June 10 - Pete Rose
    Pete Rose
    Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....

     hits a Nolan Ryan
    Nolan Ryan
    Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....

     pitch for the 3,630th safe hit of his career; tying Stan Musial's
    Stan Musial
    Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial is a retired professional baseball player who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals . Nicknamed "Stan the Man", Musial was a record 24-time All-Star selection , and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball...

     National League
    National League
    The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

     record for career hits.

  • June 12 - After meeting with major league owners for most of the previous day, players' union chief Marvin Miller
    Marvin Miller
    Marvin Julian Miller is a former executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association , from 1966 to 1982. Under Miller's direction, the players' union was transformed into one of the strongest unions in the United States...

     announces, "We have accomplished nothing. The strike is on," thus beginning the longest labor action to date in baseball history. By the time the season resumes on August 10, 706 games (38 percent of the season schedule) will have been canceled.

  • June 16 - In the midst of the players' strike, William Wrigley III
    William Wrigley III
    William Wrigley III, known as William Wrigley, was President of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, founded by his grandfather William Wrigley, Jr. from 1961 until his death from pneumonia in March 1999. His father P.K. Wrigley preceded him as president. He was succeeded by his son Bill Wrigley, Jr. as...

     announces the sale of the Chicago Cubs
    Chicago Cubs
    The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

     to the Tribune Company
    Tribune Company
    The Tribune Company is a large American multimedia corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. It is the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher, with ten daily newspapers and commuter tabloids including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida...

     for $20 million. This ends the decades long association between the Wrigley family and the Cubs.

  • June 23 - Minor league teams from Pawtucket and Rochester clash in a 33 inning game that extends eight hours and 25 minutes; the longest professional baseball game up to that time. Future Hall of Famers Wade Boggs
    Wade Boggs
    Wade Anthony Boggs is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He spent his 18-year baseball career primarily with the Boston Red Sox, but also played for the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays...

     and Cal Ripken, Jr.
    Cal Ripken, Jr.
    Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. , nicknamed "Iron Man", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles ....

     go a combined 6-for-25 in the game.

August–September

  • August 6 - As a result of the nearly two-month interruption in play because of the strike, major league owners elect to split the 1981 season into two halves, with the first-place teams from each half in each division (or a wild card
    Wild card (sports)
    The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...

     team if the same club wins both halves) meeting in a best-of-five divisional playoff series
    Division Series
    In baseball, the Division Series is the official name for the first round of the Major League Baseball playoffs. Currently, a total of four series are played in this opening round, two each for both the American League and the National League.-1981 season:...

    . The last time the major leagues played a split season was 1892
    1892 in baseball
    -Champions:*National League: Boston Beaneaters defeated Cleveland Spiders, 5 games to 0 - First half of season :-Second half of season:-Overall record:-Events:...

    . The Oakland Athletics
    Oakland Athletics
    The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

    , New York Yankees
    New York Yankees
    The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

    , Philadelphia Phillies
    Philadelphia Phillies
    The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

     and Los Angeles Dodgers
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

     suddenly find themselves guaranteed playoff spots as first-half champions (a problem noted at this time is that those teams will not have much left to play for in the rest of that year's regular season).

  • August 9 - At Cleveland Stadium
    Cleveland Stadium
    Cleveland Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in Cleveland, Ohio. In its final years, the stadium seated 74,438, for baseball and 81,000, for football. It was one of the early multi-purpose stadiums, built to accommodate both baseball and football...

    , the National League
    National League
    The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

     wins its tenth consecutive All-Star Game
    Major League Baseball All-Star Game
    The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...

     over the American League
    American League
    The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

    , 5-4. Gary Carter
    Gary Carter
    Gary Edmund Carter , nicknamed "Kid" and "Kid Carter", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 19-year baseball career, mostly with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, Carter established himself as one of the premier catchers in the National League, winning three Gold...

     hits two home runs and is selected the MVP. The 1981 Midsummer Classic becomes the second All-Star Game ever played during the month of August, the first having taken place on August 3, 1959
    1959 in baseball
    -Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over Chicago White Sox ; Larry Sherry, MVP*All-Star Game , July 7 at Forbes Field: National League, 5-4*All-Star Game , August 3 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: American League, 5-3...

    .

  • September 4 - In the conclusion of the longest game in Fenway Park
    Fenway Park
    Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...

     history, the Seattle Mariners
    Seattle Mariners
    The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...

     beat the Boston Red Sox
    Boston Red Sox
    The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

     8–7 in 20 innings. The game began on September 3, but was suspended after 19 innings with the score tied 7-7.

  • September 6 - Despite having won the first-half American League East title, New York Yankees
    New York Yankees
    The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

     manager Gene Michael is replaced by Bob Lemon
    Bob Lemon
    Robert Granville Lemon was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976....

    , who managed the club in 1978
    1978 in baseball
    -Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Indios de Mayagüez *College World Series: USC*Japan Series: Yakult Swallows over Hankyu Braves *Little League World Series: Pin-Kuang, Pin-Tung, Taiwan-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player...

    -79
    1979 in baseball
    -Major League Baseball:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Baltimore Orioles ; Willie Stargell, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: None.*National League Championship Series MVP: Willie Stargell...

    . The Yankees are under .500 in the second half of the season.

  • September 6 - The Los Angeles Dodgers
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

    ' Fernando Valenzuela
    Fernando Valenzuela
    Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea is a Mexican former left-handed pitcher, most notably with the Los Angeles Dodgers.In 1981, the 20-year-old Valenzuela took Los Angeles by storm, winning his first 8 decisions and leading the Dodgers to the World Championship...

     beats the St. Louis Cardinals
    St. Louis Cardinals
    The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

     5-0 to tie the National League record of seven shutouts by a rookie pitcher.

  • September 26 - Nolan Ryan
    Nolan Ryan
    Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....

     of the Houston Astros
    Houston Astros
    The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...

     breaks the record of four no hitters by pitcher Sandy Koufax
    Sandy Koufax
    Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...

     by pitching his fifth career no hitter in the Astrodome against, coincidentally, Koufax's former team, the Los Angeles Dodgers
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

    .

  • September 30 - The Kansas City Royals
    Kansas City Royals
    The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...

     defeat the Minnesota Twins
    Minnesota Twins
    The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...

    , 5-2, to clinch the second half of the American League Western Division title. More importantly, it is the last Major League game to be played at Metropolitan Stadium
    Metropolitan Stadium
    Metropolitan Stadium was a sports stadium that once stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. The area where the stadium once stood is now the site of the Mall of America...

    , as the Twins prepare to move into the new Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
    Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
    The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...

    .

October–December

  • October 3 - Bob Horner hits two home runs and scores the winning run to give the Atlanta Braves
    Atlanta Braves
    The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

     a 4–3 win over the Cincinnati Reds
    Cincinnati Reds
    The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

    , and give the Houston Astros
    Houston Astros
    The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...

     the second-half title in the NL West division. Cincinnati, which lost the first-half title to the Dodgers
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

     by one-half game, will finish with the best overall record (66-42) in the major leagues, but will miss the playoffs due to not winning either half's division title.

  • October 3 - The Milwaukee Brewers
    Milwaukee Brewers
    The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

     (playing since 1970
    1970 in baseball
    -Major Leagues:*World Series MVP: Brooks Robinson*All-Star Game, July 14 at Riverfront Stadium: National League, 5-4 ; Carl Yastrzemski, MVP-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Navegantes del Magallanes *College World Series: USC...

    ) and Montreal Expos
    Montreal Expos
    The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...

     (since 1969
    1969 in baseball
    -Expansion:Four expansion teams joined Major League Baseball for this season: the San Diego Padres, the Kansas City Royals, the Seattle Pilots, and the first MLB team in Canada, the Montreal Expos. To accommodate the additional teams, the two leagues were split into two divisions of East and West...

    ) clinch their first-ever postseason appearances. Milwaukee beats Detroit
    Detroit Tigers
    The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

     2–1 to wrap up the second-half title in the AL East division, while Montréal edges the Mets
    New York Mets
    The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

     5–4 to win the NL East division's second playoff spot. (St. Louis finishes with the best overall record in the NL East but misses the playoffs for the same reason as the Cincinnati Reds.)

  • October 5 - The Kansas City Royals
    Kansas City Royals
    The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...

     shut out Cleveland
    Cleveland Indians
    The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

     9–0 in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader to clinch the second-half title in the AL West division. The second game is canceled as irrelevant. This was a make-up game after the scheduled season ended the day before.

  • October 19 - Rick Monday
    Rick Monday
    Robert James "Rick" Monday, Jr. is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball and is currently a broadcast announcer. From 1966 through 1984, Monday, a center fielder for most of his career, played for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics , Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers...

     of the Los Angeles Dodgers
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

     hits a ninth inning home run
    Home run
    In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...

     to break a 1-1 tie, and secure a Game five victory in the National League Championship Series
    1981 National League Championship Series
    - Game 1 :Tuesday, October 13, 1981 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe Dodgers took the first game of the series behind the strong pitching of starter Burt Hooton. For the first seven innings the game stayed close, with the only scoring coming in the second inning when the Dodgers got...

    . The losing Montréal Expos
    Montreal Expos
    The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...

     had been leading the series 2 games-to-one in what would be their only post season appearance.

  • October 28 - Pedro Guerrero drives in five runs, and pitcher Burt Hooton
    Burt Hooton
    Burt Carlton Hooton , nicknamed "Happy" , is a coach and former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball...

     and the Los Angeles Dodgers
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

     beat the New York Yankees
    New York Yankees
    The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

    , 9–2, to win the 1981 World Series
    1981 World Series
    The 1981 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking their third meeting in the Series in five years as well as a record eleventh Series meeting overall and last Series meeting to date...

     in six games. In a remarkable postseason, the Dodgers rallied from a 2-0 deficit against the Astros in the division series, they rallied from a 2 games to 1 deficit against the Expos in the National League Championship series, and they rallied from a 2-0 deficit against the Yankees in the World Series. Guerrero, Ron Cey
    Ron Cey
    Ronald Charles Cey |Washington]]) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics . Cey batted and threw right-handed...

     and Steve Yeager
    Steve Yeager
    Stephen Wayne "Steve" Yeager is an American right-handed former major league baseball catcher. Yeager spent 14 of the 15 seasons of his Major League Baseball career, from through , with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His last year, , he played for the Seattle Mariners...

     are named co-MVPs.

  • November 11 - Fernando Valenzuela
    Fernando Valenzuela
    Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea is a Mexican former left-handed pitcher, most notably with the Los Angeles Dodgers.In 1981, the 20-year-old Valenzuela took Los Angeles by storm, winning his first 8 decisions and leading the Dodgers to the World Championship...

     of the Los Angeles Dodgers
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

     wins the National League
    National League
    The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

     Cy Young Award
    Cy Young Award
    The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...

    , becoming the first rookie to win the award.

  • November 20 - In a blockbuster three team trade, the Cleveland Indians
    Cleveland Indians
    The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

     send catcher
    Catcher
    Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...

     Bo Diaz
    Bo Diaz
    Baudilio José Díaz Seijas was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds between and...

     to the Philadelphia Phillies
    Philadelphia Phillies
    The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

    ; the Phillies sent Lonnie Smith
    Lonnie Smith
    Lonnie Smith is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He made his debut for the Philadelphia Phillies on September 2, 1978 and later played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Baltimore Orioles...

     to the St. Louis Cardinals
    St. Louis Cardinals
    The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

    ; the Cardinals sent pitchers Silvio Martinez
    Silvio Martínez
    Silvio Ramón Martínez Cabrera is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Martínez pitched all or part of five seasons in the majors, from until , for the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals.-Sources:...

     and Lary Sorensen
    Lary Sorensen
    Lary Alan Sorensen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Milwaukee Brewers , St...

     to the Indians, and the Phillies sent a player to be named later to the Indians. The Phillies sent Scott Munninghoff
    Scott Munninghoff
    Scott Andrew Munninghoff is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played briefly for the Philadelphia Phillies during the season. Listed at 6' 0", 175 lb., he batted and threw right-handed....

     to the Indians on December 9 to complete the trade.

  • November 25 - Rollie Fingers
    Rollie Fingers
    Roland Glen Fingers is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During his 18-year baseball career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers . He became only the second reliever to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992...

     of the Milwaukee Brewers
    Milwaukee Brewers
    The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

     becomes the first relief pitcher ever to win the American League MVP Award, edging Rickey Henderson
    Rickey Henderson
    Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...

     of the Oakland Athletics
    Oakland Athletics
    The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

    , 319 to 308. Fingers saved 28 games while posted a significant 1.04 ERA.

  • December 2 - Los Angeles Dodgers
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

     pitcher Fernando Valenzuela
    Fernando Valenzuela
    Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea is a Mexican former left-handed pitcher, most notably with the Los Angeles Dodgers.In 1981, the 20-year-old Valenzuela took Los Angeles by storm, winning his first 8 decisions and leading the Dodgers to the World Championship...

     became the third consecutive Dodgers player to be named National League Rookie of the Year. The Mexican left-hander posted a 13-7 record with a 2.48 ERA and led the NL in strikeouts (180), games started (25), complete games (11), shutouts (eight) and innings pitched (192 1/3). His 13 wins tied him with Steve Carlton
    Steve Carlton
    Steven Norman Carlton , nicknamed "Lefty", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965-1988 for six different teams in his career, but it is his time with the Philadelphia Phillies where he received his greatest acclaim as a professional and won four Cy Young Awards...

     in second place behind Tom Seaver
    Tom Seaver
    George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...

    , who finished with 14. Valenzuela also made his first All-Star appearance and received both the Cy Young Award
    Cy Young Award
    The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...

     and TSN Rookie of the Year.

January

  • January 2 - Ryan Garko
    Ryan Garko
    Ryan Francis Garko is a professional baseball outfielder, first baseman, and designated hitter, who plays for the Samsung Lions of the Korean Baseball Organization. In college, he was a catcher. He has played for the Cleveland Indians, the San Francisco Giants, and the Texas Rangers in Major...

  • January 4 - Jailen Peguero
    Jailen Peguero
    Jailen Lorenzo Peguero is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher in the Houston Astros organization. His uncle, Leo Peguero, was a minor league player in the Yankees organization...

  • January 5 - Andy Cavazos
    Andy Cavazos
    Andres "Andy" Cavazos is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He made his major league debut for the St. Louis Cardinals on June 7, 2007, against the Cincinnati Reds....

  • January 8 - Daniel Davidson
    Daniel Davidson
    Daniel Davidson is a pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization.Davidson is 6 ft 4in tall and weighs 225 lbs.-Education:...

  • January 8 - Jeff Francis
    Jeff Francis
    Jeffrey William Francis is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Early life:...

  • January 8 - Derek Thompson
    Derek Thompson (baseball)
    Derek Ryan Thompson is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 1st round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft and pitched in the Indians minor league system for the Burlington Indians , Columbus Indians and Kinston Indians...

  • January 13 - José Capellán
  • January 13 - Darrell Rasner
    Darrell Rasner
    Darrell Wayne Rasner is a starting pitcher for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League.Rasner attended the University of Nevada, where he was a health ecology major...

  • January 16 - Mitch Stetter
    Mitch Stetter
    Mitchel Blake Stetter is an American professional baseball pitcher.-College:Stetter attended Indiana State University where he was a pitcher. He was then drafted in the 16th round by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft...

  • January 20 - John Baker
    John Baker (baseball)
    John David Baker is an American professional baseball catcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball.-Personal:...

  • January 20 - Brandon Fahey
    Brandon Fahey
    Brandon Michael Fahey is a Major League Baseball utility player and is a free agent. He played high school baseball for Marshfield High School in Marshfield, Wisconsin...

  • January 20 - Freddy Guzmán
    Freddy Guzmán
    Freddy Antonio Guzmán is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.-Baseball career:...

  • January 21 - Wilfredo Ledezma
    Wilfredo Ledezma
    Wilfredo Jose Ledezma is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher who is with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. He has previously played for the Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, Washington Nationals, and Pittsburgh Pirates...

  • January 25 - Andy Machado
  • January 26 - Juan Lara
    Juan Lara
    Juan Manuel Lara is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher in the Cleveland Indians organization...

  • January 26 - Josh Sharpless
    Josh Sharpless
    Joshua David Sharpless is a Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher who is currently a free agent. Sharpless grew up in the greater Pittsburgh area, attending Freedom High School in Freedom, Pennsylvania...

  • January 28 - Doug Waechter
    Doug Waechter
    Douglas Michael Waechter is a former American professional baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Florida Marlins and Kansas City Royals in Major League Baseball. He graduated from Northeast High School and was then drafted by the Devil Rays in the 3rd round of the 1999 Major League...


February

  • February 4 - Ben Hendrickson
    Ben Hendrickson
    Benjamin John Hendrickson is a free-agent baseball pitcher.Hendrickson originally signed with the Milwaukee Brewers in the tenth round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft...

  • February 4 - Tom Mastny
    Tom Mastny
    Thomas Raymond Mastny is a Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher who plays in the Florida Marlins organization. He is pitching with Class AAA New Orleans Zephyrs. He stands 6 feet, 6 inches in height and weighs 220 pounds...

  • February 7 - Seth McClung
    Seth McClung
    Michael Seth McClung , nicknamed Big Red, is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. In his career, he has pitched as a starting pitcher and as a relief pitcher....

  • February 12 - Chris Snyder
    Chris Snyder
    Christopher Cornelius Snyder is a catcher in Major League Baseball who is a Free Agent. He has played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Arizona Diamondbacks. He bats and throws right-handed.-High school and college:...

  • February 14 - Brad Halsey
    Brad Halsey
    Bradford Alexander Halsey is currently a pitcher in the New York Yankees organization.-Amateur career:Halsey attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he was the No...

  • February 16 - Sergio Mitre
    Sergio Mitre
    Sergio Armando Mitre is a American professional baseball pitcher.-Background:Mitre is of Mexican American descent. He grew up in Tijuana, Mexico, where he trained in the arts of kenpo, boxing and wrestling due to frequent street fights.Mitre graduated from Montgomery High School in San Diego,...

  • February 16 - Jerry Owens
    Jerry Owens
    Jerry Lee Owens is a Major League Baseball center fielder who is currently a free agent. He played most of the season with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights of the International League, but was called up and made his major league debut as a pinch runner on September 11...

  • February 17 - Andrew Brown
  • February 18 - Alex Ríos
    Alex Ríos
    Alexis Israel "Alex" Ríos is a Puerto Rican-American Major League Baseball outfielder who plays for the Chicago White Sox. He bats and throws right-handed.-Professional career:...

  • February 18 - Alex Serrano
    Alex Serrano
    Alex Eleazar Serrano Hernandez is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently playing for the Rimini Baseball Club in the Italian Serie A1 baseball league....

  • February 21 - Adam Greenberg
  • February 24 - Paul McAnulty
    Paul McAnulty
    Paul Michael McAnulty is a Major League Baseball infielder. He played college baseball at Long Beach State.-San Diego Padres:...

  • February 28 - Brian Bannister
    Brian Bannister
    Brian Patrick Bannister is a former baseball starting pitcher who most recently pitched for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball.-Personal:...

  • February 28 - Rob Bowen
    Rob Bowen
    Robert McClure Bowen is a former Major League Baseball catcher.Bowen spends the regular season living in San Diego, California, but spends his offseasons in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. He also has a baseball camp each winter back in Fort Wayne, Indiana.-High school years:Bowen attended Homestead...


March

  • March 5 - Francisley Bueno
    Francisley Bueno
    Francisley Trueba Bueno is a Korea Baseball Organization pitcher for the Hanwha Eagles. He bats and throws left-handed. He is a childhood friend of Braves shortstop Yunel Escobar and Royals catcher Brayan Pena....

  • March 9 - Clay Rapada
    Clay Rapada
    Clayton Anthony Rapada is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball.-Career:...

  • March 12 - Carlos Muñiz
    Carlos Muñiz
    Carlos Javier Muñiz is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the New York Mets organization.Muñiz made his major league debut on September 25, . He threw 1.1 innings and gave up 2 earned runs....

  • March 13 - Mike Avilés
    Mike Aviles
    Michael Anthony Avilés [ah-ve-les' ] is a Puerto Rican professional baseball infielder with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.-Education and college career:Avilés was born in New York City, to a Puerto Rican family...

  • March 14 - Bobby Jenks
    Bobby Jenks
    Robert Scott "Bobby" Jenks is an American professional baseball relief pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...

  • March 16 - Curtis Granderson
    Curtis Granderson
    Curtis Granderson is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Before joining the Yankees in 2010, he played with the Detroit Tigers . A center fielder, Granderson is known for being a five-tool player...

  • March 18 - Darren Clarke
    Darren Clarke (baseball)
    Darren Lawrence Clarke is a free agent Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who most recently played for the Colorado Rockies...

  • March 19 - José Castillo
  • March 23 - Anderson García
    Anderson García
    Anderson Garcia is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent....

  • March 23 - Tony Peña
  • March 24 - Dirk Hayhurst
    Dirk Hayhurst
    Dirk Von Hayhurst is a Major League Baseball pitcher.-Early life:Hayhurst played college baseball for four seasons from – for Kent State University and played with the Bethesda Big Train in .-San Diego Padres:...

  • March 26 - Josh Wilson
  • March 27 - Brian Slocum
    Brian Slocum
    Brian John Slocum is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. After high school, he was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 14th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft, but chose to attend Villanova University...

  • March 28 - Edwar Ramírez
    Edwar Ramírez
    Edwar Emilio Ramírez is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent.-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: 2002–2005:...


April

  • April 2 - Brian Barden
    Brian Barden
    Brian David Barden is an American professional baseball infielder for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball. He has played as a second baseman, third baseman, and shortstop.-Early life:...

  • April 3 - Ryan Doumit
    Ryan Doumit
    Ryan Matthew Doumit is an American professional baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball. He played the first seven years of his career for the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Professional career:...

  • April 4 - Casey Daigle
    Casey Daigle
    Sean Casey Daigle is a Minor League Baseball pitcher for the Fresno Grizzlies, the AAA affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.- Arizona Diamondbacks :...

  • April 5 - Jorge de la Rosa
    Jorge de la Rosa
    Jorge Alberto de la Rosa Gonzalez is a starting pitcher for the Colorado Rockies.-Minor leagues:...

  • April 8 - Brian Burres
    Brian Burres
    Brian Burres is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Burres' best pitch is his changeup, which is highly regarded...

  • April 8 - Matt Ford
    Matt Ford
    Matthew Lee "Matt" Ford is an American left-handed professional baseball pitcher.-High school:Ford attended J. P. Taravella High School in Coral Springs, Florida. Ford was named Broward County High School player of the year in 1998–99...

  • April 9 - A. J. Ellis
    A. J. Ellis
    Andrew James Ellis is a catcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers.-High school:...

  • April 9 - Dennis Sarfate
    Dennis Sarfate
    Dennis Scott Sarfate is a Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles organization.-High school career:...

  • April 9 - Chris Smith
    Chris Smith (pitcher)
    Christopher Michael Smith is a Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He is a 1999 graduate of Hesperia High School in Hesperia, California, and attended the University of California, Riverside.-College:While attending the University of California, Riverside, Smith posted a...

  • April 17 - Ryan Raburn
    Ryan Raburn
    Ryan Neil Raburn is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Detroit Tigers. Though primarily an outfielder, Raburn can also play third base, second base, first base, and catcher....

  • April 18 - Brian Buscher
    Brian Buscher
    Brian Phillip Buscher , nicknamed "The Urban Legend", is a retired Major League Baseball third baseman and served in 2011 as the undergraduate assistant coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team....

  • April 21 - Ronny Paulino
    Ronny Paulino
    Ronny Leonel Paulino is a professional baseball player. He currently plays catcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball...

  • April 23 - Sean Henn
    Sean Henn
    Sean Michael Henn is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball...

  • April 25 - Sean White
    Sean White
    Sean Thomas White is an American Major League Baseball relief pitcher. A right-handed pitcher, White made his Major League Baseball debut with the Mariners in...

  • April 27 - Joey Gathright
    Joey Gathright
    Joey Renard Gathright is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.-Early life:...

  • April 28 - Yoslan Herrera
    Yoslan Herrera
    Yoslan Herrera is a baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He is well known for his defection from Cuba.Herrera earned the nickname "The Pinata" from WPGB radio's Rocco Demaro.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...

  • April 28 - Shawn Hill
    Shawn Hill
    Shawn Richard Hill is a Canadian Major League Baseball pitcher in the Florida Marlins organization...

  • April 28 - Chad Santos
    Chad Santos
    Chad Roque Santos is a Major League Baseball first baseman who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws right-handed....

  • April 29 - Omir Santos
    Omir Santos
    Omir Santos Rios is a Major League Baseball catcher. Santos has played for the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets and Detroit Tigers.-Career:...


May

  • May 1 - Manny Acosta
    Manny Acosta
    Manuel Alcides "Manny" Acosta Molina is a Panamanian professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball.-Professional career:...

  • May 5 - Chris Duncan
    Chris Duncan
    Christopher Edwin Duncan is a Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman who is currently a free agent.He is the youngest son of Dave Duncan, a former catcher and current pitching coach for the St. Louis Cardinals...

  • May 6 - Dustin Nippert
    Dustin Nippert
    Dustin David Nippert is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Doosan Bears of the Korean Baseball Organization. He previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball...

  • May 8 - John Maine
    John Maine
    John Kevin Maine is an American professional baseball pitcher. He has played for the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets. He bats and throws right-handed.-Early life and college:Maine was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia...

  • May 8 - Alfredo Simón
    Alfredo Simón
    Alfredo Simón Cabrera is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher with the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball. From 2001 through part of 2004 he pitched under the name Carlos Cabrera.-Minor leagues:...

  • May 9 - Bill Murphy
  • May 11 - Daniel Ortmeier
  • May 15 - Justin Morneau
    Justin Morneau
    Justin Ernest George Morneau is a Canadian Major League Baseball first baseman for the Minnesota Twins. At 6 feet 4 inches and 225 lbs, Morneau was originally drafted as a catcher by the Twins in 1999. He converted to first base in the minor leagues and made his MLB debut in 2003...

  • May 21 - Josh Hamilton
  • May 26 - Ben Zobrist
    Ben Zobrist
    Benjamin Thomas "Ben" Zobrist is an American baseball player currently with Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays. A switch-hitter who throws right-handed, he has exhibited a versatility to play most positions with the exception of pitcher and catcher. He has been the Rays' starting second...

  • May 28 - Daniel Cabrera
    Daniel Cabrera
    Daniel Alberto Cabrera Cruz is a Major League Baseballright-handed starting pitcher who is currently a free agent. He is one of the taller pitchers in the league, standing at 6' 9" and 270 lb....

  • May 28 - Leo Rosales
    Leo Rosales
    Leonel Rosales is a free agent Major League Baseball relief pitcher.-Baseball career:Before and during his time at California State University, Northridge Rosales played with the East L.A. Dodgers, a SCC baseball team, his number 11 was retired on December 15, 2008Rosales graduated from Reseda...

  • May 30 - Reggie Willits
    Reggie Willits
    Reggie Gene Willits is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent.-Early life:...

  • May 31 - Jake Peavy
    Jake Peavy
    Jacob Edward Peavy is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Chicago White Sox. He bats and throws right-handed...

  • May 31 - Ray Olmedo
    Ray Olmedo
    Rainer Gustavo "Ray" Olmedo is a Major League Baseball infielder who is currently in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He is a switch-hitter who throws right-handed....


June

  • June 1 - Carlos Zambrano
    Carlos Zambrano
    Carlos Alberto Zambrano is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball. Zambrano, who stands 6' 5" and weighs 260 pounds, was signed by the Cubs as a free agent in 1997 and made his debut in 2001...

  • June 2 - Jared Burton
    Jared Burton
    Levi Jared Burton is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball....

  • June 2 - Chin-hui Tsao
    Chin-hui Tsao
    Chin-Hui Tsao is a former Major League Baseball and CPBL pitcher. He is the second major league player and the first major league pitcher of Republic of China nationality, and like the first, former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Chin-Feng Chen, he is a Taiwanese aborigine...

  • June 3 - Rich Rundles
    Rich Rundles
    Richard Lambert Rundles is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals organization. From to , Rundles played in minor league baseball with six different organizations....

  • June 6 - Eddie Bonine
    Eddie Bonine
    Eddie Keith Bonine is Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently in the Philadelphia Phillies system.- College career :...

  • June 7 - Tyler Johnson
    Tyler Johnson
    Tyler James Johnson is a left-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent.-Professional career:...

  • June 8 - Kevin Mahar
    Kevin Mahar
    Kevin Eric Mahar is a professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has played part of one season in Major League Baseball for the Texas Rangers in 2007, and most recently played in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.Mahar made his major league debut on May 16, 2007, in a...

  • June 9 - Drew Anderson
  • June 11 - Jason Waddell
    Jason Waddell
    Jason Robert Waddell is a former left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher. Waddell played baseball at La Sierra High School in Riverside, California before moving on to the minor leagues....

  • June 15 - Jeremy Reed
    Jeremy Reed
    Jeremy Thomas Reed is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent.Reed graduated from Bonita High School in 1999, and went on to play college baseball at Long Beach State University...

  • June 16 - Joe Saunders
    Joe Saunders
    Joseph Francis Saunders is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks.-College and minor league career:...

  • June 18 - Ben Johnson
  • June 19 - Val Majewski
    Val Majewski
    Walter Val Majewski is an American professional baseball outfielder. He has played part of one season in Major League Baseball for the Baltimore Orioles in 2004, and currently plays in the Texas Rangers organization.-Early life:Majewski grew up in Freehold Township, New Jersey, where he went to...

  • June 21 - Jeff Baker
  • June 21 - Garrett Jones
    Garrett Jones
    Garrett Thomas Jones is a Major League Baseball outfielder/first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates.In 1999, Jones graduated from Victor J. Andrew High School in Tinley Park, Illinois....

  • June 28 - Brandon Phillips
    Brandon Phillips
    Brandon Emil Phillips is a second baseman for Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds. The Raleigh, North Carolina native was selected in the second round of the 1999 draft by the former Montreal Expos after signing a letter of intent to play both baseball and football at the University of Georgia...


July

  • July  9 - Tommy Hottovy
    Tommy Hottovy
    Thomas L. Hottovy is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2004 Major League Baseball draft...

  • July  2 - Angel Pagán
    Angel Pagán
    Ángel Anthony Pagán is a Puerto Rican professional baseball player. He currently plays outfield for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. Pagan's original contract in Major League Baseball was with the Mets, but he was transferred to the Chicago Cubs when they bought his contract...

  • July  3 - Dan Meyer
    Dan Meyer (pitcher)
    Daniel Livingston Meyer is a left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher, who is currently in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization....

  • July  4 - Francisco Cruceta
    Francisco Cruceta
    Francisco Alberto Cruceta is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher and former starting pitcher for the Samsung Lions in the Korea Baseball Organization.-Los Angeles Dodgers:...

  • July  5 - Jesse Crain
    Jesse Crain
    Jesse Alan Crain is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher with the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball.-High school and college:...

  • July  7 - Jon Huber
    Jon Huber
    Jonathon Lloyd "Jon" Huber is a professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. Huber has played in professional baseball since 2000. Huber has played in the San Diego Padres organization, the Seattle Mariners organization, the Atlanta Braves organization, and the Los Angeles Dodgers...

  • July 11 - Blaine Boyer
    Blaine Boyer
    Blaine Thomas Boyer is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played for the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, and New York Mets.-Baseball career:...

  • July 12 - Phil Dumatrait
    Phil Dumatrait
    Phillip Anthony Dumatrait is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Early life:Born in Bakersfield, California, Dumatrait played for Bakersfield College before he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft.-Cincinnati Reds:On July 30, 2003,...

  • July 12 - Sam Narron
    Sam Narron (pitcher)
    Samuel Franklin Narron is a professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in one game for the Texas Rangers in the season. He was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 15th round of the amateur draft. On April 28, 2008, Narron hit a home run for the Huntsville Stars, the first home run on the season...

  • July 19 - Jimmy Gobble
    Jimmy Gobble
    Billy James Gobble is a Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently in the Colorado Rockies organization.-High school career:...

  • July 22 - Angel Chávez
    Ángel Chávez
    Ángel Aristedes Chávez is a Panamanian professional baseball infielder with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He made his Major League Baseball debut as an infielder with a late-season call up in for the San Francisco Giants...

  • July 23 - Hong-Chih Kuo
    Hong-Chih Kuo
    Hong-Chih Kuo is a Major League Baseball pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Kuo made his debut in , he became the fourth MLB player from Taiwan ....

  • July 25 - Kevin Kouzmanoff
    Kevin Kouzmanoff
    Kevin Kouzmanoff is an American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent.Kouzmanoff had trouble with various sports in high school. He got special help for batting practice, just to learn how to swing a bat for three years, implementing a swing...


August

  • August 3 - Travis Bowyer
    Travis Bowyer
    Travis Charlton Bowyer is a relief pitcher in the Florida Marlins organization. He is listed at 6 foot, 3 inches and 210 pounds. He bats and throws right-handed....

  • August 3 - Félix Sánchez
    Félix Sánchez (baseball)
    Félix Antonio Sánchez is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in the major leagues briefly with the Chicago Cubs as a September callup in ....

  • August 5 - Carl Crawford
    Carl Crawford
    Carl Demonte Crawford is an American professional baseball outfielder who plays for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws left-handed...

  • August 8 - Eddy Rodríguez
    Eddy Rodríguez
    Eddy Rodríguez is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. In , Rodríguez pitched for the Florida Marlins organization....

  • August 10 - Fernando Cortez
    Fernando Cortez
    Fernando Cortez is a Major League Baseball infielder who is currently with the Somerset Patriots in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. His most recent Major League Baseball team was the Kansas City Royals.Cortez was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 9th round of the 2001 Major...

  • August 13 - Cory Doyne
    Cory Doyne
    Michael Cory Doyne is a Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently in the Washington Nationals organization. He spent most of the season with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. He made his major league debut on June 16, 2007,...

  • August 13 - Randy Messenger
    Randy Messenger
    Randall Jerome Messenger is a right-handed relief pitcher for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball. He is tall and weighs , and made his Major League debut on June 22, , for the Florida Marlins. Messenger graduated from Sparks High School in 1999.Messenger is nicknamed Big Mess...

  • August 14 - Chris Sáenz
    Chris Sáenz
    Christopher Andrew Sáenz is a former professional baseball pitcher. Sáenz appeared in one Major League Baseball game with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2004....

  • August 15 - Oliver Pérez
    Oliver Pérez
    Óliver Pérez Martínez is a left-handed pitcher currently in the Washington Nationals organization.-San Diego Padres:...

  • August 18 - Pat Misch
    Pat Misch
    Patrick "Pat" Theodore Joseph Misch is an American Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.-Early life:Misch was born in Northbrook, Illinois...

  • August 24 - Omar Beltré
    Omar Beltré
    Omar Beltre is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Early years:...

  • August 28 - Yuniesky Maya
  • August 29 - Drew Meyer
    Drew Meyer
    Drew Edward Meyer is a Major League Baseball player in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization. Meyer made his major league debut on April 21, , for the Texas Rangers in a game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays...

  • August 30 - Adam Wainwright
    Adam Wainwright
    Adam Parrish Wainwright is a right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was drafted 29th overall by the Atlanta Braves in the 2000 amateur draft. He made his major league debut for the St...

  • August 31 - Dennis Dove
    Dennis Dove
    Dennis A. Dove is an American pitcher who is currently a free agent.-External links:*...

  • August 31 - Ramón Ramírez

September

  • September 3 - Jake Woods
    Jake Woods
    Jacob Thomas Woods is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher who is a free agent.After attending Bakersfield College, a junior college, Woods was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 3rd round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft...

  • September 6 - Mark Teahen
    Mark Teahen
    Mark Thomas Teahen is an American-Canadian professional baseball infielder for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball....

  • September 10 - Kameron Loe
    Kameron Loe
    Kameron David Loe is a professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers.He previously pitched in Major League Baseball for the Texas Rangers. At 6' 9" tall, Loe is one of the tallest players in the game, and also has a 7 foot boa constrictor named Angel which he keeps in the clubhouse...

  • September 10 - Connor Robertson
    Connor Robertson
    James Connor Robertson is a currently inactive right-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher...

  • September 12 - Franquelis Osoria
    Franquelis Osoria
    Franquelis Antonio Osoria is a Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent....

  • September 23 - Justin James
    Justin James
    Justin Duane James is an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics in 2010....

  • September 17 - Casey Janssen
    Casey Janssen
    Robert Casey Janssen is a right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays.He was selected by the Blue Jays out of UCLA in the fourth round of the draft. When an injury to A.J...

  • September 19 - Scott Baker
  • September 20 - Jordan Tata
    Jordan Tata
    Jordan Arthur Tata is a retired major league starter/reliever. Tata made his major league debut, April 6, 2006 against the Texas Rangers in a 10-6 win. For college he attended Sam Houston State. He is 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 220 pounds...

  • September 21 - Billy Sadler
    Billy Sadler
    William Henry "Billy" Sadler IV is a right-handed relief pitcher who is currently a free agent...

  • September 22 - Alexei Ramírez
    Alexei Ramírez
    Alexei Fernando Ramírez is a Major League Baseball second baseman and shortstop for the Chicago White Sox...

  • September 25 - Rocco Baldelli
    Rocco Baldelli
    Rocco Dan Baldelli is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter. Because of his excellent size and speed, and in reference to his hometown, he was nicknamed, "The Woonsocket Rocket," early in his professional career...

  • September 25 - Jay Bergmann
  • September 27 - Mike Esposito
    Mike Esposito (baseball)
    Michael Anthony Esposito is a Major League baseball starting pitcher in the Colorado Rockies organization...

  • September 30 - Brandon Watson
    Brandon Watson
    Brandon Eric Watson is an American outfielder who is a free agent. Although he bats left-handed, Watson throws right-handed.Watson spent a portion of the and the with the Washington Nationals...


October

  • October 2 - Marino Salas
    Marino Salas
    Marino Salas Ortega is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent....

  • October 3 - Matt Murton
    Matt Murton
    Matthew Henry Murton is an outfielder for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan...

  • October 4 - Joe Thatcher
    Joe Thatcher
    Joseph Andrew Thatcher is Major League Baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres. Nicknamed "The Prime Minister, and The Throw'in Kokomoan" he is 6'2" tall and weighs . In college, he pitched for Indiana State University...

  • October 6 - Joel Hanrahan
    Joel Hanrahan
    Joel Ryan Hanrahan , nicknamed The Hammer, is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Los Angeles Dodgers:...

  • October 13 - Taylor Buchholz
    Taylor Buchholz
    Taylor Buchholz is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent.-Biography:...

  • October 14 - Boof Bonser
    Boof Bonser
    Boof Bonser is a professional American baseball player. He is currently a pitcher in the New York Mets organization of Major League Baseball.-High school career:...

  • October 16 - Anthony Reyes
    Anthony Reyes
    Anthony Loza Reyes is a right-handed pitcher who is currently a free agent.Reyes has a younger brother, Erik, who pitched for Concordia University Irvine in .-High School:...

  • October 17 - Brett Campbell
    Brett Campbell
    Richard Brett Campbell is a former professional baseball pitcher. He was previously assigned to the Nashville Sounds, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Prior to that, he played for the Washington Nationals system...

  • October 17 - Edwin Maysonet
    Edwin Maysonet
    Edwin Maysonet is a professional baseball shortstop. He has played parts of two seasons in Major League Baseball for the Houston Astros in 2008-09...

  • October 18 - David Murphy
  • October 23 - Ben Francisco
    Ben Francisco
    Louis Ben Francisco is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies. He bats and throws right handed.-Early life:...

  • October 24 - Beltrán Pérez
    Beltrán Pérez
    Beltrán Ogilbio Pérez is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Arizona Diamondbacks in , he was traded in to the Los Angeles Dodgers with Dioner Navarro for Shawn Green...

  • October 24 - Omar Quintanilla
    Omar Quintanilla
    Omar Quintanilla is an American professional baseball infielder who is a free agent.-Early life:He attended Socorro High School in El Paso, Texas, where he led the city of El Paso in home runs, RBI, and was elected to the Texas All-State shortstop...

  • October 28 - Nate McLouth
    Nate McLouth
    Nathan Richard McLouth is a Major League Baseball player. Primarily a center fielder, McLouth bats from the left side and throws from the right. He is 5' 11" tall and weighs 185 pounds...

  • October 30 - Ian Snell
    Ian Snell
    Ian Dante Snell is an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. From -, he went by the name Ian Oquendo, adopting the last name of his wife, and during the 2009 World Baseball Classic he went by Ian Davila-Snell, adopting his stepfather's surname...

  • October 31 - Mike Napoli
    Mike Napoli
    Michael Anthony Napoli is a Major League Baseball catcher/first baseman with the Texas Rangers.-Early career:Napoli attended Charles Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines, Florida...

  • October 31 - Jared Wells
    Jared Wells
    Jared Linn Wells is a Major League Baseball pitcher currently with the Houston Astros organization.-San Diego Padres:...


November

  • November 2 - Wilson Betemit
    Wilson Betemit
    Wilson Betemit is a Dominican professional baseball infielder. He is 6'2" and weighs 220 pounds...

  • November 4 - Erick Threets
    Erick Threets
    Erick Morgan Threets is an American Major League Baseball currently a free agent. Threets made his Major League Baseball debut with the San Francisco Giants in...

  • November 7 - Dave Krynzel
    Dave Krynzel
    David Benjamin Krynzel , is a Major League Baseball outfielder. He made his major league debut on September 1, ....

  • November 9 - Chuck James
    Chuck James
    Charles Hamilton "Chuck" James is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins.-Atlanta Braves:...

  • November 10 - Tony Blanco
    Tony Blanco
    Tony Hemiphere Blanco is a professional baseball player , He last played in Major League Baseball for the Washington Nationals...

  • November 10 - Tony Blanco
    Tony Blanco
    Tony Hemiphere Blanco is a professional baseball player , He last played in Major League Baseball for the Washington Nationals...

  • November 10 - Merkin Valdez
    Merkin Valdéz
    Merkin R. Valdéz Mola is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Valdez graduated from Escuela Rural Palenque High School in his native Dominican Republic.-Atlanta Braves:...

  • November 16 - Fernando Cabrera
  • November 19 - Jeff Gray
    Jeff Gray (2000s pitcher)
    Jeffrey Michael Gray is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball. He graduated from Lafayette High School in Chesterfield, Missouri, and attended Southwest Missouri State University...

  • November 20 - Sam Fuld
    Sam Fuld
    Samuel Babson "Sam" Fuld is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball....

  • November 21 - Enrique Cruz
    Enrique Cruz
    Enrique Manuel Cruz is Dominican baseball player currently playing for the Edmonton Capitals of the Golden Baseball League. He has spent two seasons at the major league level, playing for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cincinnati Reds. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Mets in...

  • November 22 - Oscar Villarreal
    Óscar Villarreal
    Óscar Eduardo Villarreal is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in the majors for the Arizona Diamondbacks , Atlanta Braves , and Houston Astros .-Arizona Diamondbacks:...

  • November 29 - Guillermo Quiróz
    Guillermo Quiroz
    Guillermo Antonio Quiroz [gee-YARE-mo kee-ROZE] is a Major League Baseball catcher who is currently in the San Diego Padres organization.-Biography:...

  • November 30 - Rich Harden
    Rich Harden
    James Richard Harden is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher.-Early years:Harden attended Claremont Secondary School in Victoria, British Columbia. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 38th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft...


December

  • December 3 - Chris Snelling
    Chris Snelling
    Christopher Doyle Snelling is a former Major League Baseball outfielder of Christopher Doyle Snelling is a former [[Major League Baseball]] [[outfielder]] of Christopher Doyle Snelling is a former [[Major League Baseball]]...

  • December 4 - Jerome Williams
    Jerome Williams (baseball)
    Jerome Lee Williams is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball...

  • December 8 - Kory Casto
    Kory Casto
    Kory C. Casto is a former Major League Baseball player. Casto began his career with the Washington Nationals. He made his Major League debut April 3, , in a game against the Florida Marlins...

  • December 10 - Víctor Díaz
    Víctor Díaz
    Víctor Israel Díaz is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent....

  • December 12 - Shane Costa
    Shane Costa
    Shane Jeremy Costa is a professional baseball player who is currently with the St. Paul Saints. At 6'0" and 220 lbs. from California State University, Fullerton, Costa made his Major League debut on June 2, , against the New York Yankees...

  • December 14 - Ángel Guzmán
    Ángel Guzmán
    Ángel Moisés Guzmán is a professional baseball pitcher. Listed at 6-3 , 195 pounds , Guzmán bats and throws right-handed. He made his major league debut on April 26, .-Career:...

  • December 14 - Shaun Marcum
    Shaun Marcum
    Shaun Michael Marcum is an American professional baseball starting pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball.-Early life:...

  • December 15 - Andy González
  • December 15 - Luis Montañez
  • December 18 - Jeremy Accardo
    Jeremy Accardo
    Jeremy Lee Accardo is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-San Francisco Giants:...

  • December 20 - Chris Narveson
    Chris Narveson
    Christopher Gregg Narveson is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers. He won a World Series Championship in his rookie year as a brief member of the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals...

  • December 20 - James Shields
  • December 25 - Willy Taveras
    Willy Taveras
    Willy Taveras is a Major League Baseball center fielder.-Houston Astros:Taveras played in 10 games at the end of the Astros season, mostly as a pinch runner....

  • December 26 - Alvin Colina
    Alvin Colina
    Alvin Enrique Colina is a Major League Baseball catcher currently with the independent Lancaster Barnstormers....

  • December 26 - Dustin Moseley
    Dustin Moseley
    Dustin Aaron Moseley is an American Major League Baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres.-Career:Moseley was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the first round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft. Prior to the season, he was ranked by Baseball America as the fourth best prospect in the...

  • December 26 - Omar Infante
    Omar Infante
    Omar Rafael Infante [in-FAHN-tay] is a Major League Baseball utility player who is currently on the Miami Marlins...

  • December 27 - David Aardsma
    David Aardsma
    David Allan Aardsma is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball. He is the first player alphabetically in the list of all-time Major League Baseball players, having displaced Hank Aaron upon his MLB debut....


January

  • January 3 - Lou Fette
    Lou Fette
    Louis Henry William Fette was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Boston Bees , Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves . Fette batted and threw right-handed...

    , 73, All-Star pitcher who posted a 41-40 record and a 3.15 ERA in 109 games with the Boston Braves and Brooklyn Dodgers, leading the National League for the most shutouts in 1937 and 1939.

  • January 6 - Fred Stiely
    Fred Stiely
    Fred Warren "Lefty" Stiely was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the St. Louis Browns from to .-External links:*...

    , 79, pitcher who played from 1929 through 1931 for the St. Louis Browns of the American League.

  • January 7 - Irv Stein
    Irv Stein
    Irvin Michael Stein was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played in with the Philadelphia Athletics. He batted and threw right-handed.-External links:...

    , 69, pitcher for the 1932 Philadelphia Athletics of the American League.

  • January 17 - Owen Kahn
    Owen Kahn
    Owen Earle Kahn was a Major League Baseball player. He played in one game for the Boston Braves in , serving as a pinch runner and scoring a run in his only major league appearance....

    ,75, pinch-hitter in one game for the 1930 Boston Braves.

  • January 26 - Ray Oyler
    Ray Oyler
    Raymond Francis Oyler was an American Major League Baseball shortstop. He played for the Detroit Tigers , Seattle Pilots , and California Angels...

    , 42, shortstop known for excellent glovework with the Detroit Tigers' 1968 champions, afterwards taken in the expansion draft by the Seattle Pilots.

  • January 27 - Huck Geary
    Huck Geary
    Eugene Francis Joseph "Huck" Geary is a former Major League Baseball player...

    , 64, shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1942 to 1943.

  • January 30 - Marino Pieretti
    Marino Pieretti
    Marino Paul Pieretti , was a Major League Baseball player who played pitcher from -. He would play for the Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox, and Cleveland Indians....

    , 60, Italian pitcher who posted 30-38 record and a 4.53 ERA for the Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians from 1945 to 1950.

February

  • February 2 - Al Van Camp
    Al Van Camp
    Albert Joseph Van Camp was a backup first baseman/left fielder in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox . Listed at 5' 10", 175 lb., Van Camp batted and threw right-handed...

    , 77, first baseman/left fielder who played from 1928 to 1932 for the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox.

  • February 4 - Grant Gillis
    Grant Gillis
    Grant Gillis was an utility infielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1927 through 1929 for the Washington Senators and Boston Red Sox . Listed at 5' 10", 165 lb., Gillis batted and threw right-handed...

    , 70, utility infielder for the Washington Senators and Boston Red Sox between 1927 and 1929.

  • February 6 - Cactus Keck
    Cactus Keck
    Frank Joseph "Cactus" Keck was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the Cincinnati Reds.-External links:...

    , 82, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds from 1922 to 1923.

  • February 15 - Cotton Pippen
    Cotton Pippen
    Henry Harold "Cotton" Pippen was a 6'2" Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher for three years with St. Louis Cardinals , Philadelphia Athletics , and Detroit Tigers . Pippen was born in Cisco, Texas , where his father was a rancher...

    , 69, pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers from 1936 to 1940, better known as the pitcher that struck out Ted Williams
    Ted Williams
    Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...

     in his first major league at-bat.

  • February 19 - Sam Barnes
    Sam Barnes
    Samuel Thomas Barnes was a Major League Baseball player. Barnes played for the Detroit Tigers in the 1921 season.Barnes was born in Suggsville, Alabama and died in Montgomery, Alabama....

    , 81, second baseman for the Detroit Tigers in the 1921 season.

  • February 22 - Andy High
    Andy High
    Andrew Aird High , is a former professional baseball player who played third base in the Major Leagues from 1922-1934. He would play for the Brooklyn Robins, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Braves, and Philadelphia Phillies.-External links:...

    , 83, National League third baseman who hit a .284 average in 1314 games for five different teams, and a member of the St. Louis Cardinals 1931 World Series Champions.

  • February 23 - Myrl Brown, 86, pitcher who posted a 3-1 record in seven games for the 1922 Pittsburgh Pirates.

  • February 25 - Frank McCrea
    Frank McCrea
    Francis William McCrea was a Major League Baseball catcher who played for one season. He played in one game for the Cleveland Indians on September 26 during the 1925 Cleveland Indians season, earning one hit in five at-bats.-External links:...

    , 84, backup catcher for the 1925 Cleveland Indians.

March

  • March 6 - Wade Lefler
    Wade Lefler
    Wade Hampton Lefler was a Major League Baseball player. He played in six games for two different major league teams in , mostly as a pinch hitter. He also played in one game as a right fielder...

    , 84, backup outfielder who played for the Boston Braves and Washington Senators during the 1924 season.

  • March 7 - Pee-Wee Wanninger
    Pee-Wee Wanninger
    Paul Louis Wanninger was a backup shortstop in Major League Baseball who played from through for the New York Yankees , Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds...

    , 78, backup shortstop for the Yankees, Red Sox and Reds, better known as the player who replaced Everett Scott
    Everett Scott
    Lewis Everett Scott , nicknamed "Deacon", was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for 12 seasons with the Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees , Washington Senators , Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds . Scott batted and threw right-handed...

     with the Yankees in to end his then major league record of 1,307 consecutive games.

  • March 8 - Gowell Claset
    Gowell Claset
    Gowell Sylvester Claset was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics during the season.-References:...

    , 73, pitcher for the 1933 Philadelphia Athletics of the American League.

  • March 10 - Bob Elson
    Bob Elson
    Robert A. Elson was a pioneering American sportscaster.-Early life and career:Born in Chicago, Elson got into broadcasting by accident. While vacationing in St. Louis in 1928, Elson was touring KWK when a receptionist saw him among 40 men in line for an audition and thought he was going for one...

    , 76, broadcaster for the Chicago White Sox from 1931 to 1970, who also worked with the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics.

  • March 11 - Vince Gonzales
    Vince Gonzales
    Wenceslao Gonzales O'Reilly was a Cuban-born professional baseball player during the 1950s and 1960s. A left-handed pitcher who stood tall and weighed , Gonzales appeared in one Major League Baseball game in 1955 as a member of the Washington Senators.Gonzales entered pro baseball in 1951 as a...

    , 55, Cuban-born Mexican pitcher who played with the Washington Senators in 1955.

  • March 17 - Paul Dean
    Paul Dean (baseball)
    Paul Dee "Daffy" Dean was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. Born in Lucas, Arkansas, he pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals , the New York Giants , and the St. Louis Browns ....

    , 67, pitcher who joined his older brother Dizzy
    Dizzy Dean
    Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the last National League pitcher to win 30 games in one season. Dean was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953....

     on the St. Louis Cardinals, winning 19 games in each of his first two seasons – the brothers each won two games in the 1934 World Series.

  • March 17 - Joe Giebel
    Joe Giebel
    Joseph Henry Giebel was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics during the season.-References:...

    , 89, backup catcher in three games for the 1913 Philadelphia Athletics.

  • March 19 - Zinn Beck
    Zinn Beck
    Zinn Bertram Beck was a Major League Baseball Third baseman, Shortstop and First Baseman also minor league manager and baseball scout. Beck played for the St. Louis Cardinals from to , and the New York Yankees in . In 290 career games, he had a .226 batting average with 204 hits in 902 At-bats....

    , 95, backup infielder who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees, hitting .226 in 124 games between 1913 and 1918.

  • March 19 - Frank Lane
    Frank Lane
    Frank Lane was an American executive in professional baseball, most notably serving as a general manager in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox, St...

    , 85, general manager of the White Sox, Indians, Brewers and Cardinals known for his numerous trades.

  • March 20 - Gee Walker
    Gee Walker
    Gerald Holmes "Gee" Walker was a Major League Baseball outfielder. During his fifteen year career, he played with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and Cincinnati Reds...

    , 73, All-Star outfielder who played from 1931 through 1945 for the Tigers, White Sox, Senators, Indians and Reds, collecting a career batting average of .294, 1,991 hits, 223 stolen bases, and 124 home runs.

  • March 25 - Red Morgan
    Red Morgan
    James Edward "Red" Morgan was a professional baseball player. He played part of one season in Major League Baseball for the Boston Americans in 1906 as a third baseman...

    , 97, third baseman for the 1906 Boston Americans, at the time of his death the oldest living former major leaguer.

April

  • April 2 - Ben Rochefort
    Ben Rochefort
    Bennett Harold Rochefort was an American Major League Baseball infielder. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics during the season.-References:...

    , 84, first baseman who appeared in two games with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1914.

  • April 3 - Clayton Lambert, 64, Cincinnati Reds pitcher in the 1946 and 1947 seasons.

  • April 6 - Steve Mesner
    Steve Mesner
    Stephan Mathias Mesner , is a former professional baseball player who was a infielder in the Major Leagues from 1938 to 1945. He would play for the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and Cincinnati Reds.-External links:...

    , 63, third baseman for the Cubs, Cardinals and Reds in parts of six seasons, who led the National League for the most assists in 1945.

  • April 12 - Dick Hoover
    Dick Hoover (baseball)
    Richard Lloyd Hoover was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Braves during the 1952 season. Listed at 6' 0", 170 lb., he batted and threw left-handed....

    , 55, relief pitcher for the 1952 Boston Braves of the National League.

  • April 16 - Effa Manley
    Effa Manley
    Effa L. Manley was an American sports executive, and the first woman inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. She co-owned the Newark Eagles baseball franchise in the Negro leagues with her husband Abe from 1935 to 1946 and was sole owner through 1948 after his death...

    , 84, owner of the Negro Leagues' Newark Eagles from 1935 to 1948.

  • April 27 - Emerson Dickman
    Emerson Dickman
    George Emerson Dickman was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Boston Red Sox . Listed at 6' 2", 175 lb., Dickman batted and threw right-handed...

    , 66, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox between 1936 and 1941, who later became a coach at Princeton University in the 1950s.

May

  • May 26 - George Smith
    George Smith (American League pitcher)
    George Shelby Smith was a middle relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox . Listed at 6' 1", 175 lb., Smith batted and threw right-handed...

    , 79, pitcher who played from 1926 to 1930 for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox.

July

  • July 1 - Dan Daniel
    Dan Daniel (sportswriter)
    Dan Daniel , born Daniel Margowitz, was an American sportswriter whose prolific contributions over a long period led him to be called the Dean of American Baseball Writers....

    , 91, sportswriter for The Sporting News and various New York newspapers for over 50 years; also a member of baseball's Rules Committee.

  • July 8 - Merl Combs
    Merl Combs
    Merrill Russell "Merl" Combs was a backup shortstop in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Boston Red Sox , Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians . Combs batted left-handed and threw right-handed...

    , 61, shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians between 1947 and 1952.

August

  • August 2 - Dorothy Maguire
    Dorothy Maguire
    Dorothy Maguire was a catcher and outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Maguire batted and threw right-handed...

    , 62, All-Star catcher and member of two championship teams in the AAGPBL.

  • August 9 - Sammy T. Hughes
    Sammy T. Hughes
    Samuel Thomas Hughes was an American second baseman in baseball's Negro Leagues. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he played primarily for the Elite Giants through their various stops in Nashville, Columbus, Washington and Baltimore, always in the Negro National League.He died at age 70 in Los...

    , 70, 6-time All-Star second baseman of the Negro Leagues, mainly with the Elite Giants.

September

  • September 2 - George Lowe
    George Lowe (baseball)
    George Wesley Lowe [″Doc″] was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds during the season. Listed at 6' 2", 180 lb., Lowe batted and threw right handed...

    , 86, relief pitcher for the 1920 Cincinnati Reds
    1920 Cincinnati Reds season
    The Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The team finished third in the National League with a record of 82-71, 10½ games behind the Brooklyn Robins.- Regular season :...

    .

October

  • October 4 - Freddie Lindstrom
    Freddie Lindstrom
    Frederick Charles Lindstrom was a National League Baseball player with the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and Brooklyn Dodgers from 1924 until 1936...

    , 75, Hall of Fame third baseman for the New York Giants who batted .311 lifetime, twice collecting 230 hits and batting .333 in the 1924 World Series at age 18; later coach at Northwestern.

  • October 17 - Johnny Peacock
    Johnny Peacock
    John Gaston Peacock was a part-time catcher in Major League Baseball who played for three different teams between and . Listed at 5' 11", 165 lb., Peacock batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was born in Fremont, North Carolina.A light-hitting catcher, Peacock was good defensively and...

    , 71, catcher for the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Blue Jays/Phillies and Brooklyn Dodgers, between 1937 and 1945.

  • October 22 - Taffy Wright
    Taffy Wright
    Taft Shedron "Taffy" Wright was an outfielder in professional baseball from 1938 to 1949. Wright made a splash in his rookie season, leading the American League in batting with a .350 average...

    , 70, outfielder for the Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Athletics between the 1938 and 1949 seasons.

  • October 25 - Pete Reiser
    Pete Reiser
    Harold Patrick "Pete" Reiser , nicknamed "Pistol Pete," was an outfielder in Major League Baseball during the 1940s and early 1950s. He played primarily for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and later for the Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Cleveland Indians.-Early career:A native of St...

    , 62, All-Star center fielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers who led the National League in batting and four other categories in 1941 and in steals twice, but whose fearless defensive style led to numerous injuries.

December

  • December 10 - John F. Kieran
    John F. Kieran
    John Francis Kieran was an American author, journalist, amateur naturalist and radio and television personality.-Biography:...

    , 89, New York sportswriter and radio and television personality who authored books on numerous subjects.

  • December 22 - Ed Gallagher
    Ed Gallagher (baseball)
    Edward Michael Gallagher [Lefty] was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the season. Listed at 6' 2", 197 lb., Gallagher was a switch-hitter and threw left-handed...

    , 71, pitcher for the 1932 Boston Red Sox.

  • December 28 - John Bischoff, 87, catcher for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox in the 1920s, and one of the first foreign ballplayers to play in Cuban baseball.
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