2010 in baseball

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following are the baseball events of the year 2010 throughout the world.

Major League Baseball

  • Regular Season Champions
League Eastern Division Champions Central Division Champions Western Division Champions Wild Card Qualifier
American League Tampa Bay Rays Minnesota Twins Texas Rangers New York Yankees
National League Philadelphia Phillies Cincinnati Reds San Francisco Giants Atlanta Braves
Division Series
(ALDS, NLDS) 		League Championship Series
(ALCS, NLCS) 		World Series
         
1 Tampa Bay 2
3 Texas 3
3 Texas 4
American League
4 NY Yankees 2
2 Minnesota 0
4 NY Yankees 3
AL3 Texas 1
NL2 San Francisco 4
1 Philadelphia 3
3 Cincinnati 0
1 Philadelphia 2
National League
2 San Francisco 4
2 San Francisco 3
4 Atlanta 1
Higher seed had home field advantage during Division Series and League Championship Series.
The National League champion has home field advantage during the World Series as a result of the NL victory in the All-Star Game.

Other Champions

Calendar

Major League Baseball

December

  • December 4–7: Baseball winter meetings, Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
  • December 12: Last day for teams to offer 2011 contracts to unsigned players.
Sources: Associated Press

Awards and honors

American League National League
PlayerTeamPositionPlayerTeam
Vladimir GuerreroTexas RangersDH / PitcherYovani GallardoMilwaukee Brewers
Joe MauerMinnesota TwinsCatcherBrian McCannAtlanta Braves
Miguel CabreraDetroit Tigers1st basemanAlbert PujolsSt. Louis Cardinals
Robinson CanóNew York Yankees2nd baseman    Dan UgglaFlorida Marlins
Adrián BeltréBoston Red Sox3rd basemanRyan ZimmermanWashington Nationals
Alexei RamírezChicago White SoxShortstopTroy TulowitzkiColorado Rockies
José BautistaToronto Blue JaysOutfielderRyan BraunMilwaukee Brewers
Carl CrawfordTampa Bay RaysOutfielderCarlos GonzálezColorado Rockies
Josh HamiltonTexas RangersOutfielderMatt HollidaySt. Louis Cardinals
American League National League
PlayerTeamPositionPlayerTeam
Mark BuehrleChicago White SoxPitcherBronson ArroyoCincinnati Reds
Joe MauerMinnesota TwinsCatcherYadier MolinaSt. Louis Cardinals
Mark TeixeiraNew York Yankees1st basemanAlbert PujolsSt. Louis Cardinals
Robinson CanóNew York Yankees2nd baseman    Brandon PhillipsCincinnati Reds
Evan LongoriaTampa Bay Rays3rd basemanScott RolenCincinnati Reds
Derek JeterNew York YankeesShortstopTroy TulowitzkiColorado Rockies
Carl CrawfordTampa Bay RaysOutfielderCarlos GonzálezColorado Rockies
Franklin GutiérrezSeattle MarinersOutfielderMichael BournHouston Astros
Ichiro SuzukiSeattle MarinersOutfielderShane VictorinoPhiladelphia Phillies

Others

  • Woman Executive of the Year (major or minor league): Sharon Ridley, Nashville Sounds, Pacific Coast League

Major Leagues

PlayerTeamPosition
Mark BuehrleChicago White SoxPitcher
Yadier MolinaSt. Louis CardinalsCatcher
Daric BartonOakland Athletics1st baseman
Chase UtleyPhiladelphia Phillies2nd baseman
Evan LongoriaTampa Bay Rays3rd baseman
Troy TulowitzkiColorado RockiesShortstop
Brett GardnerNew York YankeesLeft fielder
Michael BournHouston AstrosCenter fielder
Ichiro SuzukiSeattle MarinersRight fielder

Minor Leagues

Events

January

  • January 2 – Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Edwin Encarnación is discharged from a Miami, Florida, hospital after suffering first- and second-degree burns to his face when he gets hit by fireworks during a New Year's celebration in his native La Romana, Dominican Republic. Encarnación is treated for minor facial injuries to the front and right side of his face after he is struck by a firecracker rocket near his jaw and it explodes. He goes to a local clinic in the Dominican Republic on the 1st, but is later transported to Miami, where he sees a face specialist for his injuries.
  • January 4 – The New York Mets announce the official signing of Jason Bay to a four-year, $66 million contract, which includes a fifth-year vesting option. The two sides originally agree on the deal on December 29, 2009, however, it is not official until after Bay passes his physical.
300 win club member Randy Johnson announced his retirement in January 2010.

I wish it never came into my life. But we're sitting here talking about it. I'm so sorry that I have to. I apologize to everybody at Major League Baseball, my family, the Marises, Bud Selig... Today was the hardest day of my life.

February

Lincecum and the Giants agree on a 2-year, $23 million deal
  • February 11
    • Tom Glavine retires after 22 major league seasons and accepts a front office job with the Atlanta Braves. The 300-game winner pitched at the major league level in 2008, and became eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2014, alongside longtime Braves teammate and fellow 300-game winner Greg Maddux.
    • After sitting out the entire 2009 season, Frank Thomas announces his official retirement from baseball.
  • February 12
    • Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants avoid arbitration, and agree on a two-year, $23 million deal that takes him through the 2011 season.
    • Texas Rangers pitching prospects Omar Beltré, 28, and Alexi Ogando, 26, are granted visas, and allowed to attend Spring training, arriving in the U.S. on the 16th. The two players had previously confessed to involvement in a human trafficking ring in the Dominican Republic in 2004, and had been subsequently banned from entering the United States for five years, limiting them to winter ball, the Dominican Summer League and international tournaments.
  • February 22
    • Johnny Damon joins the Detroit Tigers, signing a one-year, $8 million contract.
    • British rugby league player Terry Newton is the first professional athlete suspended for testing positive for human growth hormone. The blood test has been in existence since the 2004 Summer Olympics, but baseball officials say that its validity is not universally accepted by the scientific community, until now. Bud Selig introduces a plan to test minor leaguers for HGH shortly afterwards.
  • February 23 – Aaron Boone announces his retirement.
  • February 25 – The Texas Rangers void the contract of off-season acquisition Khalil Greene, who does not report to Spring training due to social anxiety disorder. Greene went on the disabled list twice during the 2009 season while with the St. Louis Cardinals due to his disorder.
  • February 26 – Female pitcher Eri Yoshida, formerly of the Kobe 9 Cruise in the Kansai Independent Baseball League in Japan, is drafted by the Chico Outlaws of the Golden Baseball League. She is introduced as a member of the team on May 7, less than two weeks after graduating from high school and only a few hours after she lands in San Francisco following a flight from Tokyo. She becomes the first woman to play at the professional level in an American baseball league alongside men since Ila Borders and the first to play in professional baseball in two countries.

March

Garciaparra, with the Red Sox in 2002, retired as a member of the Red Sox during Spring training 2010

April

Ryan Howard signed a five-year, $125 million contract extension with the Phillies on April 26
  • April 22
  • April 24 – Ted Lilly pitches six shutout innings in his season debut, Carlos Zambrano made his first appearance out of the bullpen in almost eight years, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 5–1, at Miller Park. Lilly struck out four and walked two after being activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game. He was out while recovering from left shoulder surgery in November. Zambrano gave up a run in 1+1⁄3 innings and had a sacrifice fly in Chicago's three-run eighth.
  • April 25 – David Price, the first overall pick of the 2007 MLB draft, pitches the first complete game and shutout of his career in a 6–0 Tampa Bay Rays victory win at Tropicana Field against the Toronto Blue Jays. Besides, Jays catcher José Molina guns down a team-record, four Tampa Bay baserunners trying to steal against him, but to no avail.
  • April 26 – The Philadelphia Phillies sign Ryan Howard to a five-year, $125 million contract extension that will keep Howard with the Phillies through 2016. It is the largest contract in Phillies history, and the third-largestaverage annual value of a contract ($25 million per year) in baseball history.
  • April 28 – Commissioner Bud Selig's special committee for on-field matters expands All-Star rosters again, with each team bringing 34 players, with 13 pitchers per team, to the July 13 game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, as part of several changes. Another change is that a pitcher who starts on the final Sunday before the All-Star break will be ineligible to pitch in the ASG and will be replaced on the roster. In addition, a designated hitter will be used in the ASG every year, including in National League cities; the AL's starting DH will continue to be elected by fans, and the NL's starting DH will be chosen by the NL All-Star manager. Under a change that runs contrary to normal baseball rules, each manager may designate a position player who will be eligible for re-entry to the game if the final position player, at any position, is injured.[4]
  • April 29 – A new report shows Major League Baseball equaled its best grades for racial and gender diversity hiring, even as the percentage of African American players dropped again in 2009, from 10.2 percent to 9 percent. The sport had made a small stride since reaching a low of 8.2 percent in 2007, but the latest data indicates a steady rise in the percentage of black players might be years away.[5]
  • April 30 – Johnny Damon becomes the 68th player to score 1,500 runs. He is driven in by Magglio Ordóñez' sacrifice fly.

May

June

Ken Griffey Jr. announced his retirement on June 2, 2010
  • June 2
    • After 22 seasons, Ken Griffey Jr. announces he is retiring, effective immediately.[16]
    • Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz and starting pitcher Jon Lester earn American League Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for May. Ortiz hit .363 (29–80) in 23 games, including four doubles, 10 home runs, 16 runs and 27 RBI. He also posted a Major League-best .788 slugging percentage and a .424 on-base percentage. Lester, who posted a perfect 5–0 record in six outings, allowed just 24 hits through 44.0 innings of work while leading the Majors with 45 strikeouts. His 1.84 ERA, was the lowest of any AL pitcher with more than 27 innings pitched, while his five wins in May boosted his career record to 48–18, and his .727 winning percentage is the best in ML history (since 1901) among pitchers with at least 50 decisions and the ninth-best winning percentage ever through a pitcher's first 100 starts. It is the fourth career Player of the Month Award for Ortiz and the third Pitcher of the Month honor for Lester. It marks the first time that the two AL monthly awards were captured by teammates in the same month since June 2006, when Joe Mauer and Johan Santana of the Minnesota Twins won the honors.[17]
    • Atlanta Braves first baseman Troy Glaus and Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Ubaldo Jiménez are selected National League Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for May. Glaus led the NL with 28 RBI, while hitting .330 (34–103) with six home runs, 17 runs and a .534 slugging percentage. The 2002 World Series Most Valuable Player finished the month riding a six-game hitting streak. Jiménez became the first pitcher in the majors to win the monthly award in April and May since Pedro Martínez of the Boston Red Sox did it in 1999. He also is the first NL pitcher to repeat the feat since John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves did it in 1996. Jiménez ranked first in the NL in ERA (0.78) and was tied for first in victories (5) and innings pitched (46.0) for the month. On May 3 he struck out a career-high 13 batters in 7.0 innings of work against the San Diego Padres, and ended the month with 26.0 consecutive scoreless innings. This scoreless stretch marks the second time this season that Jiménez has pitched 25 or more consecutive innings of shutout ball.[18]
    • Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga comes within one out of throwing a perfect game. With two outs in the ninth inning, Cleveland Indians shortstop Jason Donald hits a soft ground ball to Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who tosses the ball to Galarraga covering first base. Though video replay showed that Galarraga beat Donald to the bag, first base umpire Jim Joyce calls Donald safe. Joyce is heckled by Tigers players and coaches for several minutes afterward, almost causing a brawl. The next batter, Trevor Crowe, grounds out to Brandon Inge, ending the game in a 3–0 victory for the Tigers.[19] Later on Fox Sports Detroit's Tigers Live post-game show, Galarraga said Joyce apologized to him and gave him a hug.

I just cost that kid a perfect game, I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay.

July

  • July 1 – The Arizona Diamondbacks fire manager A. J. Hinch and general manager Josh Byrnes. Kirk Gibson takes over as interim manager and Jerry Dipoto becomes interim general manager.[25]
  • July 3 – At Target Field, Jim Thome of the Minnesota Twins hits two home runs in an 8–6 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. The home runs give Thome 574 on his career, moving him past Harmon Killebrew into 10th place on the all-time home run list.[26]
  • July 6
    • Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton and Seattle Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee earn American League Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for June. Hamilton led all Major League batters with a .454 average. That, combined with 10 doubles, nine homers a club-record 49 hits and a 23-game hitting streak, secured the honor for Hamilton. He capped his monster month by officially hitting the longest home run in the history of Rangers Ballpark, in a June 27 game against the Astros. Lee, who posted a 4–1 record with a 1.76 ERA, struck out 36 batters while walking only two. At one point, he completed a streak of 38+1⁄3 innings without giving up a walk.
    • New York Mets third baseman David Wright and Florida Marlins pitcher Josh Johnson are voted National League Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for June. Wright led the league with a .404 average and 29 RBI, placed second in slugging (.683) and on-base percentage (.447), and was tied for third in doubles (11), while hitting six home runs and swiping four bases in 26 games. He also became the first player in Mets history to hit at least .400 with 25 or more RBI in a calendar month while recording a 29-RBI month for the second time in his career (June 2006). Johnson compiled a 3–1 record in five June starts with a 1.18 ERA, while striking out 38 in 38.0 innings and walking just six. His ERA was second-best among N.L. starters on the month while placing third in strikeouts. Johnson allowed no more than two earned runs in each of his starts this month and has not allowed more than two earned runs in nine-consecutive starts (dating back to June 13).
Cliff Lee & Mark Lowe go to the Texas Rangers for Justin Smoak & 3 pitching prospects

August

National League Player of the Month Buster Posey
  • August 4:
    • At Yankee Stadium, Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees hits his 600th home run, becoming the seventh player in Major League history to do so, in a 5–1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. The shot comes in the first inning against the Jays' Shaun Marcum and three years to the day of Rodriguez' 500th home run. Rodriguez also becomes the youngest player to hit his 600th home run, at 35 years, 8 days; Babe Ruth had held the previous record at 36 years, 196 days.[37]
    • San Francisco Giants rookie catcher Buster Posey and Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay are voted the National League Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for July. Posey led the NL with 43 hits and ranked third with a .417 average (43-for-103). His 24 RBI were tied for third-best in the N.L., while his .466 on-base percentage and .699 slugging percentage ranked fourth and fifth in the league, respectively. He belted seven home runs, while his 21-game hitting streak from July 4–29 marked the longest streak in the NL this season. In five July starts, Halladay went 3–1 with a 1.54 ERA. His 39 strikeouts were good for second in the National League while his 41.0 innings pitched ranked fourth. He notched his Major League-leading eighth complete game of the season, while his 158 strikeouts and 2.17 ERA rank second in the Majors and his 13 wins are tied for fourth.
    • Toronto Blue Jays outfielder José Bautista and Minnesota Twins designated hitter Delmon Young are voted the American League Players of the Month for July, while Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Gavin Floyd has been voted the American League Pitcher of the Month for July. Bautista led the Majors with 11 home runs during July, marking the second time this season he has recorded the most home runs in a single month (12 in May). He also led the AL with a .765 slugging percentage and ranked third with 29 RBI while posting a .347 batting average with eight doubles and 20 runs scored, including a 10 multi-hit efforts during the month. Young paced the AL with 46 hits during the month, batting .434 (46-for-106), and tied for the league-lead with 12 doubles. He also finished second in the league with 30 RBI and collected six home runs with 17 runs scored while slugging .736, hitting safely in 23 of 26 games, and had multi-hit performances in 16 contests. Floyd posted a Major League-leading 0.80 ERA en route to a 3–1 mark over five starts in July. In 33.2 innings pitched, he allowed just three earned runs on 28 hits with seven walks and 25 strikeouts while holding opposing hitters to a .228 batting average. He earned victories in back-to-back home starts to begin the month, allowing just one earned run in each start. He later tossed 15 shutout innings and not allowed more than two earned runs in 11 consecutive outings. In addition, his 1.06 ERA since June 8 ranks first in the Majors ahead of San Diego Padres' Mat Latos (1.57).
  • August 6 – In Detroit, the Angels' Torii Hunter gets ejected for arguing a strikeout. In a fit of rage, he throws a bag of balls on to the field. The next day, he is suspended four games.[38]
  • August 7 – The Blue Jays hit eight home runs in a 17–11 victory over the Rays. Leading the way is J. P. Arencibia with two in his Major League debut. Arencibia becomes the first player in the modern era to have four hits and two home runs in his major league debut.[39]
  • August 8 – At Rogers Centre, Brandon Morrow of the Toronto Blue Jays tosses his first shutout, first complete game with a career-high 17 strikeouts in a 1–0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. A two-out RBI-single by Vernon Wells in the first inning marks the difference. Morrow only allows a two-out single by Evan Longoria in the ninth inning. It marks the fifth time this season the Rays have taken one or zero hits in a single game, including a perfect game and one no-hitter. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the most such games in a single season in the live ball era (since 1920). Eleven other teams have four such games in a season. Only twice in the modern era (since 1900) has a team been held to one hit or fewer in more than five games in a season. In 1910, the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Browns both had six such games. To date, Dave Stieb has pitched the only no-hitter in Blue Jays history (September 2, 1990).[40][41]
  • August 9 – After accumulating an AL West-worst record (and third worst in all of baseball) of 42–70, the Seattle Mariners fire manager Don Wakamatsu, bench coach Ty Van Burkleo, pitching coach Rick Adair and performance coach Steve Hecht. They are replaced by Daren Brown, Roger Hansen, and Carl Willis, respectively.[42]
  • August 11 – The Arizona Diamondbacks tie a major league record by hitting four consecutive home runs, with Adam LaRoche, Miguel Montero, Mark Reynolds and Stephen Drew connecting in the fourth inning to beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 8–2, at Miller Park. The Diamondbacks became just the seventh team in major league history to accomplish the feat.[43]
  • August 17 – At Target Field, Jim Thome hits a two-run walk-off home run in the tenth inning to lift the Minnesota Twins over the Chicago White Sox, 7–6. It was the 12th walk-off home run of his career, tying him for first all time with Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Frank Robinson, and Babe Ruth (among others).
  • August 18 – At Fenway Park, the Red Sox defeat the Angels, 7–5. By striking out the side in the ninth inning, Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon becomes the first pitcher to notch at least 30 saves in five consecutive major league seasons.
  • August 19 – Former major league pitcher Roger Clemens is indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of lying to Congress over his use of performance-enhancing drugs.
  • August 22 – Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who had previously announced that he would retire at the end of the season, announces his immediate retirement in order to care for his ailing mother.[44]
  • August 30 – The Chicago White Sox acquire slugger Manny Ramirez from the Los Angeles Dodgers off waivers.[45]

September

  • September 1 – Nyjer Morgan of the Washington Nationals charges the mound after Florida Marlins pitcher Chris Volstad throws behind him, starting a brawl.[46] Morgan receives an eight-game suspension which he begins serving on September 17, while Volstad begins serving a six-game suspension on September 13.
  • September 2
    • Toronto Blue Jays outfielder José Bautista and Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz earn the American League Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for August. Bautista led the league in home runs (12), runs batted in (24), slugging percentage (.724) and total bases (72), and tied for the lead in extra-base hits (18). This is the second career monthly award for Bautista, who shared last month's honor with Delmon Young of the Minnesota Twins. Buchholz went 4–0 with a 1.03 earned run average and 28 strikeouts over six August starts. He finished the month second in ERA, tied for second in wins, tied for third in innings pitched (43.2), and also led the majors with a 2.21 ERA on the season. This is the first career monthly award for Buchholz.
    • St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols and Atlanta Braves starter Tim Hudson are voted the National League Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for August. In 26 games last month, Pujols batted .379 (39-for-103) and led the circuit with 11 home runs, a .777 slugging and 29 runs scored while driving in 23 runs. On August 26, Pujols clubbed his 400th career home run, his 34th of the season, becoming the first player to reach the 400-homer plateau in his first 10 Major League seasons. This is the fifth career monthly award for Pujols, the most recent being earned in June 2009. Hudson went 4–0 with a 1.71 earned run average in six starts and struck out 35 while walking only nine in 42 innings of work. On August 28, he notched his 1,500th career strikeout and his 600th for Atlanta in a 12–3 victory over the Florida Marlins. This is the second career monthly award for Hudson and his first since winning American League honors in September 2000 with the Oakland Athletics.
  • September 4 – At Target Field, Jim Thome of the Minnesota Twins hits two home runs in the Twins' 12–4 victory over the Texas Rangers. The home runs give Thome 584 on his career, moving him past Mark McGwire for ninth place on the all-time list.[47]
  • September 6 – At Yankee Stadium, Alex Rodriguez sets a Major League record by registering 100 runs batted in for the 14th time in his career. After homering in the fourth inning of the New York Yankees' 4–3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, Rodriguez records his 100th RBI in the sixth inning, on a sacrifice fly that scores Nick Swisher. Rodriguez breaks a four-way tie that he had shared with Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx with 13 seasons of at least 100 RBIs.[48]
  • September 8 – In the Milwaukee Brewers' 4–2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Miller Park, Trevor Hoffman records his 600th save.[49]
  • September 11 – At Progressive Field, Jim Thome of the Minnesota Twins hits a 12th-inning home run for the lone run of the game in the Twins' 1–0 victory over his former team, the Cleveland Indians. The home run gives Thome 587 on his career, passing Frank Robinson for eighth place on the all-time home run list.[50]
Ichiro is the first player to record 200 hits in 10 consecutive seasons
  • September 19
  • September 23 – At Rogers Centre, Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners becomes the first player to record 200 hits in 10 consecutive seasons. His 200th hit, a double, comes off Toronto Blue Jays starter Shawn Hill in the third inning. Suzuki also breaks an American League record he had shared with Ty Cobb of nine seasons with 200 hits, and ties Pete Rose's record of ten 200-hit seasons. However, the Blue Jays defeat the Mariners 1–0 as José Bautista, who had already broken George Bell's single-season franchise record of 47 home runs in 1987, hits number 50 in the first inning off Félix Hernández for the game's only run.[51][52]
  • September 24 – Cincinnati Reds left-hander Aroldis Chapman throws the fastest pitch ever recorded in a major league game at 105 M.P.H. to the San Diego Padres' Tony Gwynn Jr.
  • September 25 – Texas Rangers' rookie closer Neftalí Feliz acquires his 38th save of the season against the Oakland Athletics, setting a record for most saves by a rookie in a single season. He surpasses the previous record of 37 held by former Seattle Mariners' closer Kazuhiro Sasaki in 2000. Feliz's total for the year is at 40 saves. The win by the Texas Rangers also clinched their first AL West division title since 1999.[53]
  • September 28
  • September 30 – MLB players and owners agree to free agency changes. Under the deal announced on this date, players no longer have to file for free agency but automatically are set free. The exclusive period for teams to negotiate with their free agent-eligible players is cut from 15 days to five. The deadline is moved up for clubs to offer salary arbitration to their former players who became free agents, as is the deadline for teams to offer contracts for the following season to players on their 40-man rosters. In addition, teams, players and agents will be restricted in their ability to conduct free-agent negotiations in the media.[55]

October

  • October 3 – On the final day of the regular season, the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves clinch playoff berths. The Giants defeat the San Diego Padres 3–0 to win the NL West, simultaneously clinching the wild-card berth for the Braves, who had beaten the Philadelphia Phillies earlier in the day.
  • October 4
    • New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki are selected American League and National League Players of the Month, respectively, for September. Rodriguez provided a bright spot for the Yankees down the final stretch run, leading the American League in RBIs (26) and slugging percentage (.667), while tying for second with nine home runs. He also reached safely in 18 of 22 games for his team, propelling the Yankees to their 15th postseason berth in the last 16 years. Tulowitzki provided plenty of support for Colorado, leading the Majors with 15 home runs, 40 RBIs, 30 runs scored and an .800 slugging percentage. Tulowitzki finished the season ranked first among Major League shortstops in home runs (27), RBIs (95), batting average (.315), slugging percentage (.568) and OPS (.949), to become the first player to lead all National League shortstops in both slugging percentage and fielding percentage (.984) since Jay Bell accomplished the feat in 1993 with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
    • David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays and Derek Lowe of the Atlanta Braves are voted the American League and National League Pitchers of the Month, respectively, for September. Price was instrumental in the Rays winning their second AL East Championship in club history, as he posted a 4–0 record with 33 strikeouts and a 1.67 ERA over six starts. Lowe was equally impressive for the Braves, who secured the NL Wild Card for their first trip to the playoffs since 2005, collecting a perfect 5–0 in five September starts, with a 1.17 ERA and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 29:3. Lowe also pitched on three days' rest, winning a critical game against the Florida Marlins on September 29, and finished the regular season with a 16–12 record and a 4.00 ERA, with 136 strikeouts in 193 2⁄3 innings of work.
    • The New York Mets announce that both manager Jerry Manuel and general manager Omar Minaya would not return for the 2011 season.
  • October 5 – In Japanese baseball, former major leaguer Matt Murton breaks Ichiro Suzuki's record for the most hits in a single season. Murton gets his 211th hit of the year with a two-run single to center in the second inning for the Hanshin Tigers against the Yakult Swallows. Suzuki set the record of 210 in 1994 for the Orix BlueWave.[56]
  • October 6 – In Game One of the NLDS at Citizens Bank Park, Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies no-hits the Cincinnati Reds 4–0. A fifth-inning walk to Jay Bruce is the only base runner against Halladay, who had already pitched a perfect game on May 29. The no-hitter is the second in postseason play, joining Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series. Halladay also becomes the first pitcher to throw two no-hitters in one season since Nolan Ryan in 1973.
  • October 9 – The New York Yankees defeat the Minnesota Twins 6–1, sweeping the ALDS in three games.
  • October 10 – The Philadelphia Phillies defeat the Cincinnati Reds 2–0, completing a three-game sweep of the NLDS.
  • October 11 – The San Francisco Giants defeat the Atlanta Braves 3–2 to win the NLDS 3 games to 1. All four games in the series are decided by one run.
  • October 12 – The Texas Rangers defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 5–1 in Game 5 of the ALDS to win a postseason series for the first time. Each game in the series is won by the road team.
  • October 22 – The Texas Rangers defeat the New York Yankees 6–1 to win the ALCS four games to two.
  • October 23 – The San Francisco Giants defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 3–2 to win the NLCS four games to two.
  • October 28 – The San Francisco Giants defeat the Texas Rangers 9–0 in Game 2 of the World Series. Texas reliever Derek Holland issues three consecutive walks in the eighth inning on only 13 pitches, including 11 balls in a row. The three consecutive walks tie a World Series record.
  • October 29 – The New York Mets name Sandy Alderson their new general manager.
  • October 31 – In Game 4 of the World Series, Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants become the first all-rookie battery in a World Series game since 1947. Bumgarner combines with Brian Wilson to three-hit the Texas Rangers in a 4–0 San Francisco victory. Combined with a 9–0 loss to the Giants in Game 2, the Rangers become the first team to be shut out twice in a World Series since 1966. It is also the Giants pitching staff's fourth shutout of the postseason, tying a Major League record.

November

December

  • December 1 – Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser and Bobby Valentine will be in the booth for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball next season, the network announces.[58]
  • December 5 – Outfielder Jayson Werth signs as a Free Agent with the Washington Nationals for seven years and $122 million.
  • December 6
  • December 7
    • A lawsuit is filed against Fred Wilpon, Jeff Wilpon, Saul Katz and various entities affiliated with the New York Mets and Sterling Equities Associates to recover money for the victims of the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. The civil suit, brought by court-appointed trustee Irving Picard, alleges that the partners in Sterling knew or should have known that Madoff's investment operation was a fraud.
    • The Baseball Writers' Association of America announces Bill Conlin as the 2011 recipient of the J. G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing. He will receive the award on July 23, 2011, as part of the Hall of Fame induction festivities.
  • December 8 – The National Baseball Hall of Fame announces Dave Van Horne as the 2011 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in baseball broadcasting. He will receive the award alongside Conlin on July 23, 2011.
  • December 11 – Outfielder Carl Crawford signs as a Free Agent with the Boston Red Sox for seven-years and $142 million.
  • December 15 – Pitcher Cliff Lee returns to the Philadelphia Phillies, signing a five-year, $120 million contract with a vesting option for a sixth season in 2016, which would increase the value of the deal to $135 million.
  • December 16 – The New York Yankees sign free agent catcher Russell Martin.
  • December 17
    • Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees agree on a new three-year, $51 million contract that includes a player option for the 2014 season.
    • The Tampa Bay Rays trade Jason Bartlett and a player to be named to the San Diego Padres for Cole Figueroa, Brandon Gomes, Cesar Ramos and Adam Russell.
  • December 19 – The Kansas City Royals trade pitcher Zack Greinke and shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt to the Milwaukee Brewers for Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, Jeremy Jeffress and Jake Odorizzi. The Royals had a deal in place that would have sent Greinke to the Washington Nationals for infielder Danny Espinosa, reliever Drew Storen and pitcher Jordan Zimmermann, however, Greinke invoked his no-trade clause to reject the deal.
  • December 20 – Florida International University baseball star Garrett Wittels and four friends are arrested in the Bahamas and charged with raping two seventeen-year-old girls at the Atlantis Resort & Casino on Paradise Island. Wittels and two friends were released on $10,000 bond apiece after a court hearing on the 23rd.
  • December 21
    • All-Star closer Bobby Jenks joins the Boston Red Sox, signing a two-year, $12 million deal to be the setup man for Jonathan Papelbon.
    • Pitcher Rich Harden rejoins the Oakland Athletics, signing a one-year, $1.5 million contract.
  • December 23 – The Houston Astros send relief pitcher Matt Lindstrom to the Colorado Rockies for pitchers Jonnathan Aristil and Wes Musick.
  • December 30 – Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew reveals in a statement that he has recently been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, and is being treated by a team of medical professionals at the Mayo Clinic.[59]

Deaths

References

External links

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