Champions
Major League Baseball World Series: New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves (4-0); Mariano Rivera, MVP
American League Championship Series MVP: Orlando Hernández American League Division Series: National League Championship Series MVP: Eddie Pérez National League Division Series All-Star Game, July 13 at Fenway Park: American League, 4–1; Pedro Martínez, MVP
Other champions Caribbean World Series: Tigres del Licey (Dominican Republic) College World Series: Miami (Florida) Cuban National Series: Santiago de Cuba over Industriales European Championship: Netherlands over Italy (3-0) Japan Series: Fukuoka Daiei Hawks over Chunichi Dragons (4-1) Korean Series: Hanwha Eagles over Lotte Giants (4-1) Big League World Series: Orlando, Florida Junior League World Series: Arroyo, Puerto Rico Little League World Series: Hirakata, Osaka, Japan Senior League World Series: Conway, Florida Pan American Games: Cuba over USA (5-1) Taiwan Series: Wei Chuan Dragons over Koos Group Whales
Awards and honors Baseball Hall of Fame George Brett Orlando Cepeda Nestor Chylak Nolan Ryan Frank Selee Joe Williams Robin Yount Most Valuable Player Iván Rodríguez (AL) Texas Rangers Chipper Jones (NL) Atlanta Braves Cy Young Award Pedro Martínez (AL) Boston Red Sox Randy Johnson (NL) Arizona Diamondbacks Rookie of the Year Award Carlos Beltrán (AL) Kansas City Royals Scott Williamson (NL) Cincinnati Reds Manager of the Year Award Jimy Williams (AL) Boston Red Sox Jack McKeon (NL) Cincinnati Reds Woman Executive of the Year (major or minor league): Judy Ellis, Missoula Osprey, Pioneer League Gold Glove Award Rafael Palmeiro (1B) (AL) Roberto Alomar (2B) (AL) Scott Brosius (3B) (AL) Omar Vizquel (SS) (AL) Shawn Green (OF) (AL) Ken Griffey Jr. (OF) (AL) Bernie Williams (OF) (AL) Iván Rodríguez (C) (AL) Mike Mussina (P) (AL) J. T. Snow (1B) (NL) Pokey Reese (2B) (NL) Robin Ventura (3B) (NL) Rey Ordóñez (SS) (NL) Steve Finley (OF) (NL) Andruw Jones (OF) (NL) Larry Walker (OF) (NL) Mike Lieberthal (C) (NL) Greg Maddux (P) (NL)
MLB statistical leaders American League National League Type Name Stat Name Stat AVG Nomar Garciaparra BOS .357 Larry Walker COL .379 HR Ken Griffey Jr. SEA 48 Mark McGwire STL 65 RBI Manny Ramírez CLE 165 Mark McGwire STL 147 Wins Pedro Martínez1 BOS 23 Mike Hampton HOU 22 ERA Pedro Martínez1 BOS 2.07 Randy Johnson AZ 2.48 Ks Pedro Martínez1 BOS 313 Randy Johnson AZ 364 1American League Triple Crown Pitching Winner
Major League Baseball final standings
American League Rank Club Wins Losses Win % GB East Division 1st New York Yankees 98 64 .605 -- 2nd Boston Red Sox * 94 68 .580 4.0 3rd Toronto Blue Jays 84 78 .519 14.0 4th Baltimore Orioles 78 84 .481 20.0 5th Tampa Bay Devil Rays 69 93 .426 29.0 Central Division 1st Cleveland Indians 97 65 .599 -- 2nd Chicago White Sox 75 86 .466 21.5 3rd Detroit Tigers 69 92 .429 27.5 4th Kansas City Royals 64 97 .398 32.5 5th Minnesota Twins 63 97 .394 33.0 West Division 1st Texas Rangers 95 67 .586 -- 2nd Oakland Athletics 87 75 .537 8.0 3rd Seattle Mariners 79 83 .488 16.0 4th Anaheim Angels 70 92 .432 25.0
National League Rank Club Wins Losses Win % GB East Division 1st Atlanta Braves 103 59 .636 -- 2nd New York Mets * 97 66 .595 6.5 3rd Philadelphia Phillies 77 85 .475 26.0 4th Montreal Expos 68 94 .420 35.0 5th Florida Marlins 64 98 .395 39.0 Central Division 1st Houston Astros 97 65 .599 -- 2nd Cincinnati Reds 96 67 .589 1.5 3rd Pittsburgh Pirates 78 83 .484 18.5 4th St. Louis Cardinals 75 86 .466 21.5 5th Milwaukee Brewers 74 87 .460 22.5 6th Chicago Cubs 67 95 .414 30.0 West Division 1st Arizona Diamondbacks 100 62 .617 -- 2nd San Francisco Giants 86 76 .531 14.0 3rd Los Angeles Dodgers 77 85 .475 23.0 4th San Diego Padres 74 88 .457 26.0 5th Colorado Rockies 72 90 .444 28.0
The asterisk denotes the club that won the wild card for its respective league. The New York Mets defeated the Cincinnati Reds 5-0 in a one-game playoff to determine the NL wild card.
Events
January January 5 – Nolan Ryan, George Brett and Robin Yount are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. It is the first time since that three players are elected simultaneously on their first try. Carlton Fisk finishes 4th in the voting, missing election by 43 votes. January 26 – The Oakland Athletics signed outfielder Tim Raines as a free agent.
February February 2 – The San Diego Padres trade Greg Vaughn to the Cincinnati Reds. Vaughn had hit 50 home runs for the Padres the previous season, making him the first player in major league history to be traded after a 50-homer season. February 5 – MLB honors each league's best hitter with an award named after Hank Aaron. The all-time home run king learns about the honor on his 65th birthday at an event which includes US President Bill Clinton and Hall of Famers Ernie Banks and Reggie Jackson. February 15 – The Cincinnati Reds announce that they are dropping their long-standing policy of no facial hair for players. The change is the result of a talk between Reds owner Marge Schott and newly acquired outfielder Greg Vaughn. February 18: The U.S. Postal Service issues a Jackie Robinson stamp as part of their "Celebrate the Century" program. Robinson is selected to represent the 1940s, and is the second baseball player chosen. Babe Ruth, chosen in May , represents the 1920s. The Yankees end the trade rumors by acquiring Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for pitchers David Wells and Graeme Lloyd, and infielder Homer Bush. February 21 – Florida Marlins rookie third baseman Mike Lowell, acquired from the New York Yankees on February 1, undergoes surgery for testicular cancer after a small mass is found during a routine exam.
March March 2 – Orlando Cepeda, Frank Selee, Smokey Joe Williams and Nestor Chylak are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. March 7 – In a historic agreement, it is announced that the Baltimore Orioles travel to Cuba for a March 28 exhibition game against the Cuba national team in Havana. The Cuban team travels to the US for a return contest at a future date. It is the first time in 40 years that Americans play a professional game in Cuba. March 10 – Yankees manager Joe Torre is diagnosed with prostate cancer. While he is undergoing treatment, the team is run by coach Don Zimmer. March 21 – The Toronto Blue Jays signed pitcher Vicente Palacios, despite the fact he hadn't pitched on the professional level since 1995. He fails to stick with the team out of spring training, but later signs a minor league deal with the New York Mets. March 28 – The Orioles make the first visit to Cuba by major leaguers since , and defeat a team of Cuban amateurs by a score of 3–2 in 11 innings. Pitcher José Contreras hurls eight innings of 2–hit, 10–K ball in relief for the Cubans, while catcher Charles Johnson hits a two–run home run, and DH Harold Baines drives in the winning run for the Orioles. The two teams play a rematch at Camden Yards in Baltimore on May 3.
April April 4 – In the first season opener ever played outside of the United States or Canada, the Colorado Rockies defeat the San Diego Padres, 8–2, before an overflow crowd of 27,104 in Monterrey, Mexico. Outfielder Dante Bichette has four hits, including a home run, and four RBI for the winners. Local hero Vinny Castilla also has four hits for the Rockies, while Darryl Kile picks up the victory. April 11 – The Tampa Bay Devil Rays defeat the Boston Red Sox‚ 5–4‚ as pitcher Scott Aldred picks up the win in relief. The victory ends Aldred's major league record streak of 50 appearances without a win‚ loss or save. April 19 – The Baltimore Orioles' Cal Ripken Jr. is placed on the disabled list for the first time in his 19–year career because of irritation in his lower back. Ripken's record consecutive game streak ended in September at 2,632. April 20: Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott agrees to sell her controlling interest in the Reds to a group headed by Carl H. Lindner, ending her 14–year tenure. The group pays a total of $67 million. The Nolan Ryan Museum opens in Alvin, Texas. The Colorado Rockies postpone the first of 2 consecutive home games against the Montreal Expos in the aftermath of the Columbine High School massacre. April 23: The St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 12–5, as third baseman Fernando Tatís sets a major league record by hitting two grand slams in a single inning. His two homers come in St. Louis' 11–run third inning. Tatís, with eight runs batted in, shattered the mark for an inning set 109 years before by Ed Cartwright, who drove seven runs in an inning while playing for the 1890 St. Louis Browns. After that, the modern-day six RBI mark for an inning was shared by Fred Merkle (NY Giants, 1911), Indian Bob Johnson (Philadelphia A's, 1937) and Jim Ray Hart (SF Giants, 1970). Besides, Dodgers pitcher Chan Ho Park becomes the first 20th century pitcher – and only the second ever – to surrender two grand slams in a single frame. The first is Bill Phillips of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who does so in 1890. Park is the 36th major-leaguer to serve up two grand slams to the same player in his career. The Milwaukee Brewers sink the Pittsburgh Pirates, 9–1, as pitcher Steve Woodard hurls the complete game victory. The win ends Milwaukee's NL record streak of 113 games without a complete game. April 28 – Larry Walker hits three home runs helping the Colorado Rockies beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9–7.
May May 3: In a 12–11, 10-inning loss to the Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox rookie Creighton Gubanich becomes only the fourth player to hit a grand slam for his first major league hit. The Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the San Francisco Giants, 9–8. In a losing effort, Jeff Kent collects five hits for the Giants while hitting for the cycle. Kent is just the second player to do so in Three Rivers Stadium, joining Joe Torre, who did it on June 27, 1973. May 9: The New York Yankees defeat the Seattle Mariners 6–1. Reliever Mike Stanton makes his first major league start for the Yankees, ending his major league record streak of 552 consecutive relief appearances prior to his first start. The previous record of 443 is set by San Francisco Giants pitcher Gary Lavelle. Florida St. junior second baseman Marshall McDougall goes 7-for-7, with an NCAA-record six consecutive home runs and 16 runs batted in, as the Seminoles defeat Maryland 26–2. McDougall opens the game with a single. His mark breaks the home run record set by Henry Rochelle of Campbell, who hit five homers in a game in . The RBI mark was previously held by Jim LaFountain of Louisville, who scored 14 runs batted in against Western Kentucky in . May 10 – The Boston Red Sox defeat the Seattle Mariners, 12–4, as shortstop Nomar Garciaparra leads the way with three home runs, including two grand slams. Garciaparra drives home 10 of Boston's runs as he slugs a bases-loaded grand slam in the 1st inning, a two-run shot in the 3rd, and another grand slam in the 8th. Garciaparra is the first Red Sox since Jim Tabor in to hit two slams in a game, and just the ninth in major league history. Fernando Tatís is the last player to do it, almost a month earlier. Before that, Robin Ventura hit two in . May 12: Pedro Martínez strikes out 15 batters for the second consecutive game in a Boston Red Sox 9–2 victory over the Seattle Mariners. The Anaheim Angels shut out the New York Yankees, 1–0, behind the combined three-hit pitching of Chuck Finley and Troy Percival. Finley strikes out 11 Yankees in his eight innings of work, including four in the third inning. He is the 33rd pitcher in major league history to strike out four batters in a single frame.