Champions
Major League Baseball World Series: Oakland Athletics over San Francisco Giants (4–0); Dave Stewart, MVP
American League Championship Series MVP: Rickey Henderson National League Championship Series MVP: Will Clark All-Star Game, July 11 at Anaheim Stadium: American League, 5–3; Bo Jackson, MVP
Other champions Caribbean World Series: Águilas del Zulia (Venezuela) College World Series: Wichita State Japan Series: Yomiuri Giants over Kintetsu Buffaloes (4–3) Korean Series: Haitai Tigers over Binggrae Eagles Big League World Series: Taipei, Taiwan Junior League World Series: Manatí, Puerto Rico Little League World Series: Trumbull National, Trumbull, Connecticut Senior League World Series: Pingtung, Taiwan
Awards and honors Baseball Hall of Fame Al Barlick Johnny Bench Red Schoendienst Carl Yastrzemski Most Valuable Player Robin Yount, Milwaukee Brewers (AL) Kevin Mitchell, San Francisco Giants (NL) Cy Young Award Bret Saberhagen, Kansas City Royals (AL) Mark Davis, San Diego Padres (NL) Rookie of the Year Gregg Olson, Baltimore Orioles (AL) Jerome Walton, Chicago Cubs (NL) Manager of the Year Award Frank Robinson, Baltimore Orioles (AL) Don Zimmer, Chicago Cubs (NL) Woman Executive of the Year (major or minor league): Pat Hamilton, Toledo Mud Hens, International League Gold Glove Award Don Mattingly (1B) (AL) Harold Reynolds (2B) (AL) Gary Gaetti (3B) (AL) Tony Fernández (SS) (AL) Gary Pettis (OF) (AL) Kirby Puckett (OF) (AL) Devon White (OF) (AL) Bob Boone (C) (AL) Bret Saberhagen (P) (AL) Andrés Galarraga (1B) (NL) Ryne Sandberg (2B) (NL) Terry Pendleton (3B) (NL) Ozzie Smith (SS) (NL) Eric Davis (OF) (NL) Tony Gwynn (OF) (NL) Andy Van Slyke (OF) (NL) Benito Santiago (C) (NL) Ron Darling (P) (NL)
MLB statistical leaders American League National League Type Name Stat Name Stat AVG Kirby Puckett MIN .339 Tony Gwynn SD .336 HR Fred McGriff TOR 36 Kevin Mitchell SF 47 RBI Rubén Sierra TEX 119 Kevin Mitchell SF 125 Wins Bret Saberhagen KC 23 Mike Scott HOU 20 ERA Bret Saberhagen KC 2.16 Scott Garrelts SF 2.28
Major League Baseball final standings
American League Rank Club Wins Losses Win % GB East Division 1st Toronto Blue Jays 89 73 .549 -- 2nd Baltimore Orioles 87 75 .537 2.0 3rd Boston Red Sox 83 79 .512 6.0 4th Milwaukee Brewers 81 81 .500 8.0 5th New York Yankees 74 87 .460 14.5 6th Cleveland Indians 73 89 .451 16.0 7th Detroit Tigers 59 103 .364 30.0 West Division 1st Oakland Athletics 99 63 .611 -- 2nd Kansas City Royals 92 70 .568 7.0 3rd California Angels 91 71 .562 8.0 4th Texas Rangers 83 79 .512 16.0 5th Minnesota Twins 80 82 .494 19.0 6th Seattle Mariners 73 89 .451 26.0 7th Chicago White Sox 69 92 .429 29.5
National League Rank Club Wins Losses Win % GB East Division 1st Chicago Cubs 93 69 .574 -- 2nd New York Mets 87 75 .537 6.0 3rd St. Louis Cardinals 86 76 .531 7.0 4th Montreal Expos 81 81 .500 12.0 5th Pittsburgh Pirates 74 88 .457 19.0 6th Philadelphia Phillies 67 95 .414 26.0 West Division 1st San Francisco Giants 92 70 .568 -- 2nd San Diego Padres 89 73 .549 3.0 3rd Houston Astros 86 76 .531 6.0 4th Los Angeles Dodgers 77 83 .481 14.0 5th Cincinnati Reds 75 87 .463 17.0 6th Atlanta Braves 63 97 .394 28.0
Events January
January 5 – ESPN and Major League Baseball agree to a $400 million deal enabling the cable sports network to telecast 175 MLB regular-season games a year from through and paving the way for its long-running Sunday Night Baseball programming. The contract follows last month's mammoth $1.1 billion deal with over-the-air broadcast network CBS for the MLB All-Star Game, League Championship Series, World Series, and 12 Saturday Games of the Week. January 6: The bizarre, bitter and ongoing feud between George Steinbrenner and his All-Star (and future Hall-of-Fame) outfielder Dave Winfield flares again when Winfield's foundation, to which the New York Yankees' owner is contractually bound to contribute, sues Steinbrenner in U.S. District Court for failure to make $450,000 in payments since September 1, 1987. The suit is the third that Winfield's foundation has filed since against Steinbrenner, who reveals that he has initiated a private investigation of the organization's practices. The owner will also file a countersuit against Winfield on January 9. The Texas Rangers re-sign relief pitcher Cecilio Guante, 28, and veteran catcher Jim Sundberg, 37, both of whom had been granted free agency on November 4, 1988. January 9: Johnny Bench and Carl Yastrzemski are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America in their first year of eligibility. Bench is named on 96.4 percent of the ballots, the third-highest figure in history behind Ty Cobb and Hank Aaron. The Texas Rangers bring back third baseman Buddy Bell, 37, unconditionally released by the Houston Astros last December 21. Bell was a six-time Gold Glove Award winner and 3x AL All-Star during his first term (–) with the Rangers. January 10 – The New York Yankees trade veteran starting pitcher Rick Rhoden to the Astros for outfielder John Fishel and minor league pitchers Pedro DeLeón and Mike Hook. Rhoden, 35, made 30 starts and won 12 games for the 1988 Yankees. January 13 – The Detroit Tigers bring back 38-year-old right-hander Doyle Alexander, who won 14 games for them last season. Alexander had been granted "new look" free agency last October 24 by an arbitrator in the "Collusion II" grievance settlement. January 17 – The California Angels sign former Yankees' outfielder Claudell Washington, 34, also granted "new look" free agency on October 24, 1988, in the Collusion II finding. The Angels' three-year, $2.63 million offer doubles Washington's annual pay. January 18 – Outgoing U.S. President Ronald Reagan pardons Yankees owner George Steinbrenner relating to his conviction for illegally contributing to the campaign of Richard Nixon in 1972. January 23 – The Cleveland Indians trade third baseman Eddie Williams, 24, to the Chicago White Sox for right-handed pitchers Joel Davis, 23, and Ed Wojna, 28. January 24 – The Baltimore Orioles trade catcher Terry Kennedy to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for catcher Bob Melvin. January 27 – The Philadelphia Phillies purchase the contract of shortstop Dickie Thon, 30, from the San Diego Padres. Former NL All-Star Thon has battled back from a beaning that compromised his vision to have a productive big-league career. He had filed for arbitration earlier this month, forcing the Padres to trade him.
February
February 3 – Bill White, former eight-time All-Star first baseman and 7x Gold Glove Award winner, primarily as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, becomes the highest-ranking Black executive in MLB history when he is unanimously elected the 13th president of the National League. White, 55, is also the first African-American to head a major sports league. He succeeds A. Bartlett Giamatti, who will become the seventh Commissioner of Baseball on April 1. February 6: The Boston Red Sox sign outfielder/first baseman Danny Heep, 31, unconditionally released by the Los Angeles Dodgers last December 21. Heep will hit .300 with 96 hits in 113 games for the 1989 Bosox. The resurgent Pittsburgh Pirates, whose 85–75, second-place record in 1988 was their best since the Bucs' world-championship, 1979 season, announce that their April 11, 1989, home opener against the New York Mets is already sold out—believed to be the first Opening Day advance sell-out in the team's 107-year history. Led by stars Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla and Andy Van Slyke, the 1988 Pirates set a franchise record by attracting 1.867 million fans to Three Rivers Stadium. February 20 – Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose is called to New York City from the club's Florida spring training camp by Commissioner of Baseball Peter Ueberroth and NL president Giamatti for "questioning." Although the details of the meeting are meant to be secret, it proves to be the start of an investigation into Rose's gambling habits and allegations that he is betting on baseball. February 28 – Red Schoendienst, 66, a ten-time All-Star second baseman and World Series-winning manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, and Al Barlick, 73, who umpired in the National League for 28 seasons, are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee.
March March 12 – The Los Angeles Dodgers acquire starting pitcher Mike Morgan from the Baltimore Orioles for centerfielder Mike Devereaux. March 17 – Julie Croteau, an 18-year-old freshman first baseman at Division III St. Mary's College of Maryland, becomes the first woman to play in an NCAA baseball game. She grounds out three times and handles six chances without a miscue in the field during a 4–1 loss to Spring Garden College. March 19: George W. Bush, the 42-year-old future governor of Texas and 43rd President of the United States—and son of the sitting President—acquires a controlling 58 percent interest in the Texas Rangers from oilman Eddie Chiles for a reported $46 million. Bush's ownership group includes two Dallas–Fort Worth businessmen and Bill DeWitt Jr., future managing partner and chairman of the St. Louis Cardinals. Chiles, 78, has owned the franchise since . The Cleveland Indians trade outfielder Mel Hall to the New York Yankees in exchange for catcher Joel Skinner and outfielder Turner Ward. March 21: Sports Illustrated reports that Major League Baseball is investigating allegations that Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose is betting on baseball games, which could lead to punishment ranging from a year's suspension to a lifetime ban for the all-time hits leader, surefire Hall of Famer, and Cincinnati icon. Outgoing Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth, scheduled to depart in ten days, confirms a probe of "serious allegations" against Rose. The Yankees' Byzantine front office gains another strong personality and opinionated voice when owner George Steinbrenner—known for making most baseball decisions on his own—hires recently fired Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Syd Thrift as senior vice president, baseball operations, to work under, over or alongside incumbent GM Bob Quinn. Thrift, 60, rebuilt the Pirates' roster between and , but was sacked by the Bucs' board of directors for his brazen management style last October. He'll last only five months with the Bombers before he resigns, August 29. Steve Lombardozzi, the 1987 world-champion Minnesota Twins' light-hitting, starting second baseman who batted .412 in that year's Fall Classic, is traded to the Houston Astros for two players to be named later, pitcher Gordon Farmer and outfielder Ramón Cedeño. March 23: The Yankees remain on the back page of New York's tabloids when star right-fielder Dave Winfield, publicly battling with Steinbrenner, undergoes successful surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back. Winfield, 37, will be sidelined for the entire 1989 season. The Chicago White Sox trade outfielder/third baseman Kenny Williams to the Detroit Tigers for pitcher Eric King. Williams, now 24, will return to the White Sox in a front-office job in 1994, and serve as the club's general manager between and —including during its 2005 world-championship season. The Tigers send third baseman Tom Brookens to the Yankees for right-hander Charles Hudson. March 25 – The Atlanta Braves purchase the contract of second baseman Jeff Treadway from the Cincinnati Reds. March 26: The Cleveland Indians trade outfielder Carmelo Castillo to the Minnesota Twins for relief pitcher Keith Atherton. The Baltimore Orioles send outfielder Ken Gerhart to the San Francisco Giants for first baseman Francisco Meléndez.