Baseball – 1990

Baseball in 1990

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January

January 9Jim Palmer‚ a 3-time AL Cy Young Award winner‚ and Joe Morgan‚ a 2-time NL MVP‚ are elected to the Hall of Fame in their first years of eligibility.
January 15Former Blue Jay Cecil Fielder signs with Detroit as a free agent after spending last season with Japan’s Hanshin Tigers‚ where he hit 38 HRs.
January 26Boston hires Elaine Weddington as assistant GM‚ making her the highest-ranking black female in the major leagues.

February

February 4The St. Petersburg Pelicans get home runs from Lamar Johnson and Steve Kemp and rout the West Palm Beach Tropics 12-4 to win the first-ever championship of the Senior Professional Baseball Association.
February 15ML owners refuse to open the spring training camps without a new Basic Agreement with the Players’ Association‚ beginning a lockout that will last 32 days and postpone the start of the regular season by one week.
February 24Former Red Sox slugger Tony Conigliaro dies of pneumonia and kidney failure at the age of 45. Conigliaro was the youngest ML player ever to reach 100 career home runs‚ and then he was nearly blinded by a 1967 beaning.
February 27For the 2nd time in 3 years‚ the Special Veterans Committee chooses not to elect a single player to the Hall of Fame in its annual balloting.

March

March 18The players and owners reach a new collective-bargaining agreement that will end the 32-day lockout of spring training camps. Highlights of the deal include increasing the clubs’ contributions to the players’ pension fund‚ raising the minimum ML salary to $100‚000‚ and a compromise on salary arbitration that leaves 17 percent of players with between 2 and 3 years of ML experience eligible.
March 22The ML umpires announce that they will boycott exhibition games to protest not having been consulted in the revision of the regular season schedule after the lockout. They will return to work on April 1st.
March 28A plan to allow starting pitchers to earn victories with only 3 innings pitched (because of the abbreviated spring training period) is scrapped‚ but teams will be allowed to open the regular season with 27-man rosters instead of the allowed maximum of 25.

April

April 9On Opening Day‚ Houston’s Glenn Davis ties a ML record when he is hit by pitches 3 times in an 8-4‚ 11-inning loss to the Reds. For the Reds‚ it is just their 3rd road opener since 1876. On hand are members of the 1965 Yankees and 1965 Astros‚ the two teams that opened the Astrodome. Of the 32 old timers on hand‚ former Astro Nolan Ryan has struck out 14 of them.

On Opening Day in Texas‚ the Rangers beat Toronto‚ 4-2. Texas ace Nolan Ryan pitches 7 innings of no hit ball and then is lifted by Bobby Valentine. Because of the baseball strike‚ Ryan had pitched just 7 innings of spring training and Valentine does not want to risk injury.

At Kansas City‚ Sam Horn blasts a pair of three-run homers to pace the Orioles to a 7-6‚ 11-inning win over the Royals. It is the most RBIs on Opening Day by an Oriole.

At St. Louis‚ the Cardinals edge the Expos‚ 6-5‚ in 11 innings. Rookie Delino DeShields has 4 hits‚ including a pair of doubles‚ half the Expo hit total. He’s just the 2nd player (11th overall) to debut on Opening Day with 4 hits.

At Shea‚ the Pirates pound Doc Gooden (0-1) for 5 runs in 4.1 innings and go on to win‚ 12-3. Doug Drabek gets the win as Bonilla and Van Slyke homer to back his pitching. Gooden has a losing record for the first time in 9 seasons.

At Chicago‚ the White Sox open against Milwaukee‚ winning‚ 2-1. Cuban-born Tony Fossas pitches a rare 6th inning‚ retiring the side on 3 pitches‚ but then gives up the winning run in the 7th
April 10Wade Boggs is intentionally walked 3 times in Boston’s 4-2 win over Detroit‚ tying the ML record for a 9-inning game.

In the home opener at Toronto‚ President George Bush‚ guest of Canadian PM Brian Mulroney‚ becomes the 1st US president to throw out a first pitch on foreign soil. Toronto then beats Texas‚ 2-1 in front of 49‚673.

Rain washes out the Indians opener at home against the Yankees.
April 11California’s Mark Langston and Mike Witt combine to no-hit the Mariners 1-0 for the first combined no-hitter in the major leagues since 1976. It is Langston’s first start for the Angels since signing as a free agent in the off-season. 1B Wally Joyner makes an error in the 5th when he overthrows Langston on Pete O’Brien’s grounder. O’Brien tries for 2B‚ not realizing that C Lance Parrish baked up the play and has the ball. He’s thrown out.

The A’s Mike Norris relieves Mike Moore in 8th and pitches 2 scoreless innings in a 3-0 win over Minnesota. It is Norris’s first ML appearance since 1983 because of drug‚ shoulder and tax problems.
April 12San Francisco’s Brett Butler ties the ML record by drawing 5 walks in a 13-4 win over Atlanta.

The Yankees open the season in New York in front of 50,114 with Billy Martin‘s son throwing out the first ball. The Yankees win 6–4 win over the Indians, scoring twice in the 8th inning to break a 4–4 tie. Luis Polonia‘s hit breaks the tie and the Yanks score another run on an error. Eric Plunk is the winner over Jesse Orosco. Polonia will be rewarded for his hit by being sent to the Angels in two weeks for Claudell Washington.
April 14Bret Saberhagen gets the win and Mark Davis earns the save as Kansas City beats Toronto‚ 3-1. It is the first time ever that 2 reigning Cy Young Award winners have figured in the same victory.
April 16At Fenway‚ the Brewers have 20 hits‚ but no HRs‚ in pounding Boston‚ 18-0. It is Milwaukee’s largest shutout margin ever. Parker has 4 hits including 3 doubles as Teddy Higuera is the easy winner over Mike Boddicker. All 5 Sox pitchers allowed runs.
April 18In a 6-2 win at San Francisco‚ Dodger 1B Eddie Murray homers from both sides of the plate‚ the first major leaguer to pull the feat in both leagues. Murray has done it 8 times in the AL. Brooks adds a HR for LA and Mike Morgan takes the win.
April 20Less than a year after being banished from baseball for his illegal gambling activities‚ all-time hit king Pete Rose pleads guilty to 2 felony counts of filing false income tax returns. On July 19th‚ he will be sentenced to 5 months in prison and fined $50‚000.

Seattle’s Brian Holman has a perfect no-hitter with one out to go but loses it on his first pitch to the A’s Ken Phelps. Phelps hits a HR‚ but then Holman fans Rickey Henderson for a 6-1 win.
April 21The Reds beat the Braves 8-1 to run their record to 9-0‚ the best start in club history. The lone Brave score is a HR by Dale Murphy‚ his 335th as an Atlanta Braves‚ passing Hank Aaron. The Reds will lose tomorrow to Atlanta‚ the team with the best (13-0 in 1982) start ever.

California’s Bert Blyleven lasts just 4 innings‚ allowing 7 runs in an 8-0 loss to Minnesota. Blyleven allows 9 hits‚ including homers to Hrbek and Randy Bush. He’s now reached the 400 mark in gopher balls‚ 7th on the all-time list. West is the winner with help from Candelaria.

In a White Sox-Cubs exhibition game‚ Steve Lyons plays all 9 positions for the South Siders.
April 25At Fenway‚ gimpy-legged Bill Buckner‚ 41‚ hoofs out an inside-the-park home run for the Red Sox. It will be his only homer in this‚ his last‚ season as he will play just 22 games. The Red Sox lose‚ 3-1‚ to the Angels McCaskill.
April 26Nolan Ryan pitches a one-hitter and sets a Ranger record with 16 strikeouts in a 1-0 win over the White Sox. It is Ryan’s 12th career one-hitter (which ties him with ML leader Bob Feller‚) and 200th career game with at least 10 strikeouts.
April 27Dodgers ace Orel Hershiser will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his pitching shoulder. He hadn’t missed a start since joining the club’s rotation in 1984.

Wally Backman goes 6-for-6 in Pittsburgh’s 9-4 win over San Diego to become the first NL player in 15 years to get 6 hits in a game.
April 28Frank Tanana wins his 200th career game‚ as Detroit tops Milwaukee‚ 13-5.

At Fenway‚ the Red Sox beat the A’s‚ 12-3. At the 12:07 start‚ the temperature is 95 degrees; when the game ends 3 hours‚ 50 minutes later‚ the temperature is 55 degrees and windy.
April 29The Cubs Greg Maddux sets a ML record for pitchers when he records 7 putouts in a 4-0 win over the Dodgers. Maddux will record 39 putouts for the year to tie Vic Willis‘s NL mark for the century set in 1904. Greg will then match it again in 1991 and 1993.

Rather than go on the disabled list for the first time in his career‚ Dan Quisenberry announces his retirement. The Q man retires as the all-time AL save king with 238.
April 30Steve Finley takes away a 3-run homer from Lance Parrish when he makes an 8th inning catch above the wall. The play preserves a tie and the Orioles then win‚ 2-1‚ in the 12th inning over the visiting Angels.

May

May 1The Braves Derek Lilliquist homers twice in a 5-2 win over the Mets‚ becoming the first pitcher to do so since Jim Gott in 1985.
May 3New York rookie Mike Blowers‚ handed the starting 3B job‚ ties an AL record by committing 4 errors at 3B in the Yankees’ 10-5 loss to the Indians.
May 4The Red Sox trade reliever Lee Smith to the Cardinals for OF Tom Brunansky.
May 6Cecil Fielder clubs 3 home runs‚ and Chet Lemon a pair but the Tigers still lose to the Blue Jays 11-7. Toronto’s Kelly Gruber hits 2 HRs to give him 9 for the year‚ one behind Fielder. Ten home runs are hit in the game‚ one shy of the ML record.

Rickey Henderson hits a leadoff HR for the second game in a row and Curt Young stifles the Red Sox on 2 hits in 8 innings. Oakland wins‚ 4-2. Henderson pushes his leadoff HR record to 43.

Mariners 3B Edgar Martinez makes 4 errors in a 5-4 win over the Orioles‚ tying the AL record last equaled by Mike Blowers just 3 days ago.
May 9At New York‚ the A’s edge the Yankees‚ 2-1 in 11 innings. Rickey Henderson plates the first run‚ scoring from 2B on a 6-3 ground out. Honeycutt is the winning pitcher.

Louisville OF Bernard Gilkey sets an American Association record by collecting 3 hits-2 singles and a HR-in the Redbird’s 16-run 3rd inning against the Nashville Sounds. 21 players collect 14 hits in the frame. The Redbirds win 18-4 after losing to the Sounds yesterday‚ 17-5.
May 11Citing a no-trade clause in his contract‚ Yankee OF Dave Winfield refuses to report to the Angels after being traded for Mike Witt. Winfield will eventually accept the trade on May 16th‚ ending his often stormy relationship with Yankee owner George Steinbrenner.
May 13The Dodgers trade veteran 2B Willie Randolph to the A’s for OF Stan Javier.
May 18In a 7-0 loss to the Astros‚ Cubs 2B Ryne Sandberg finally commits an error. This ends his ML-record errorless streaks at 123 games and 584 chances. Joe Morgan held the previous record of 91 games.

Paul O’Neill of the Reds cracks a two-out game-ending homer in the 9th as Cincy edges the Cardinals‚ 1-0. Ken Dayley takes the loss while Norm Charlton is the winner in relief.
May 19The Red Sox roll over the Twins at Fenway‚ winning 13-1‚ behind Roger Clemens. Tom Brunansky paces the 20 hit attack‚ going 5-for-5.
May 20Ahead 10-4 after two innings‚ the Braves hold on for a 13-11 win over the visiting Pirates. Ron Gant and Dale Murphy each slug a pair of homers for Atlanta‚ while Bobby Bonilla hits two homers and scores 5 runs for the Bucs. It is only the 3rd time in history a player has scored 5 runs for a losing team. Barry Bonds adds a homer.
May 22Andre Dawson sets an ML record when he is intentionally walked 5 times during a 16-inning 2-1 Cubs’ win over the Reds. Cincinnati issues 7 intentional passes altogether to tie a ML record set by Houston in 1984.
May 27John Smoltz is 2 outs away from a no-hitter when the Phillies Len Dykstra doubles. Smoltz finishes with a 6-1 two-hit win for the Braves.
May 28The Twins Scott Erickson shuts out the Rangers‚ 3-0‚ stopping their 14-game win streak. Erickson will be named AL pitcher of the Month‚ going 5-0.

At Texas‚ Roger Clemens (8-2) and the Red Sox beat Charlie Hough‚ 2-1. The Rocket and the Knuckler combine to toss over to first base 51 times. Only Hough is around to finish.

In San Diego‚ the Phils Mike Schmidt announces his retirement.
May 29Rickey Henderson steals his 893rd career base in Oakland’s 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays‚ surpassing Ty Cobb as the AL’s all-time leader. Lou Brock‘s mark of 938 is next.

With the team struggling (20-22)‚ the Mets fire manager Davey Johnson‚ whose 6-year winning percentage was .593. Coach Buddy Harrelson replaces him and the Mets will win 20 of their next 23 games before cooling down.

June

June 2Seattle’s Randy Johnson‚ at 6 feet 10 inches the tallest pitcher in ML history‚ pitches the first Mariners’ no-hitter‚ a 2-0 win over the Tigers. He walks 6 and strikes out 8. Fifty of the pitches are clocked at 94 MPH or above as the only threat is a Gary Ward deep flyball to CF.
June 4The Dodgers Ramon Martinez‚ 22‚ strikes out 18 Braves in a 2-0 win. He ties Sandy Koufax‘s club record and is one short of the NL mark. Martinez whiffed none in the 9th inning.

The Braves wisely select Florida high school SS Chipper Jones with the first pick in the annual free-agent draft. The Tigers follow with Tony Clark and the Phils use the 3rd pick on Mike Lieberthal. The A’s use their 14th choice to take the much sought after Todd Van Poppel‚ passed over because of his stated intention to pitch at the University of Texas. The A’s change his mind and he signs on July 16th for $1.2 million. Picking 20th‚ the Orioles take Stanford’s Mike Mussina. Late in the 6th round‚ the independent Class A Miami Miracle drafts Mike Lansing under a never-before-used rule. The rule will be abolished‚ but Lansing will play two years with the Miracle and make the majors with the Expos. Troy Percival (Angels) and Mike Hampton (Mariners) go in the 6th round‚ Rusty Greer (Rangers) in the 10th‚ and on the 12th round‚ the Twins take SS Pat Meares. The White Sox end up with the best draft‚ taking Alex Fernandez (1st round)‚ Bob Wickman (2nd)‚ Robert Ellis (3rd)‚ James Baldwin (4th)‚ Ray Durham (5th)‚ Brandon Wilson (18th)‚ and Jason Bere (36th). After selecting Carl Everett with the 10th overall pick‚ the Yanks pull 3 winners out of the low rounds: Andy Pettitte in the 20th round‚ Jorge Posada in the 24th‚ and Shane Spencer in the 25th.
June 6A week after the Mets fire their manager‚ the Yankees follow suit. Bucky Dent‚ the Yank’s skipper for just 89 games‚ is replaced by Stump Merrill‚ who managed the Columbus farm team.

For the 2nd time this season‚ Cecil Fielder belts 3 HRs in a game‚ as Detroit beats the Indians 6-4. Fielder is only the 4th AL player to have two 3-HR games in a season.
June 7At Fenway‚ Red Sox pitchers Greg Harris and Jeff Reardon combine on a one-hitter‚ beating the Yankees‚ 3-0.
June 9Dodger Eddie Murray homers from each side of the plate for the 10th time in his career (the 2nd time in 1990) to tie Mickey Mantle‘s ML record. The Dodgers beat the Padres 5-4 in 11 innings. The Reds Rick Mahler gives up 4 runs in less than 4 innings as Houston wins‚ 4-1. For Mahler‚ it is his 11th consecutive loss to the Astros.
June 11Ageless Nolan Ryan pitches his unprecedented 6th career no-hitter‚ striking out 14 batters in a 5-0 win over the A’s. He is the first to pitch a no-hitter for 3 different teams‚ and the first to throw a no-hitter in 3 different decades. The A’s are missing McGwire‚ Canseco‚ and Lansford in the lineup.

The Phils Lenny Dykstra‘s hitting streaks stops at 23 games‚ as he goes 0-for-8 in a doubleheader with Montreal. Dykstra’s average drops from .407 to .392.
June 12Baltimore wins in dramatic fashion‚ beating Milwaukee‚ 4-3 in 10 innings. Dan Plesac serves up a 2-out HR in the 9th to Mickey Tettleton which ties the game‚ then tees up a leadoff homer to Milligan in the 10th. Orioles SS Cal Ripken plays in his 1‚308th consecutive game to move past Everett Scott into 2nd place on the all-time list. By passing Scott‚ Ripken sets a record for consecutive games at one position. Gehrig’s longest was 885 games at 1B.

The Mets outhit the Cubs 21 to 16 and outscore then 19-8. Magadan and McReynolds homer to back Dwight Gooden (4-5).
June 13Kansas City’s Willie Wilson steals his 600th career base in an 11-4 win over California.

Highly touted prospect Steve Avery makes his ML debut for the Braves and gives up 8 runs in 21?3 innings. The Reds scalp the Braves 13-4.

The Giants Trevor Wilson no-hits the Padres for 8 innings before Mike Pagliarulo singles. Wilson settles for a 6-0 one hitter‚ the Giants’ 14th win in their last 15 games.
June 14The NL announces plans to expand from 12 to 14 teams for the 1993 season. The price of admission is 95 million dollars.
June 19Gary Carter catches his 1‚862nd career game to break Al Lopez’s NL mark. He goes 0-for-3 in the Giants’ 4-3 loss to San Diego. Batting for Ed Vosberg in the bottom of the 5th‚ Giants Don Robinson becomes the first pitcher to hit a pinch HR since 1971. San Diego’s Bruce Hurst serves up the gopher. His job done‚ Robinson does not pitch.
June 22The last-place Braves fire manager Russ Nixon and replace him with GM Bobby Cox‚ who last managed Toronto in 1985.
June 24The Twins Scott Erickson wins his 12th game in a row‚ stopping the Yankees‚ 5-0‚ and allowing just 2 hits. He retires 24 of the final 25 batters. Erickson will go on the DL for the first 2 weeks in July with a strained elbow.
June 27Brewers DH Dave Parker gets his 2‚500th career hit in a 5-4 win over the Yankees.
June 29Oakland’s Dave Stewart and the Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela both throw no-hitters today‚ the first time this has happened since Hippo Vaughan and Fred Toney‘s double no-hitter in 1917. Stewart blanks the Blue Jays 5-0‚ and a few hours later Valenzuela beats the Cardinals 6-0. The only threat to Stewart is a fly ball by Fred McGriff that Dave Henderson catches with his back pinned to the wall. Fernando almost loses his no-hitter with 1 out in the 9th when Pedro Guerrero hits a grounder up the middle with a runner on. Valenzuela‚ a former Gold Glover deflects the ball to 2B where SS Alfredo Griffin starts a DP.

Scott Erickson‚ 10-0 for the past 2 months‚ has his 12-game win streak snapped‚ as the Twins lose to the White Sox‚ 8-4.

July

July 1Yankees Andy Hawkins throws the season’s 6th no-hitter‚ but still loses 4-0 to the White Sox. With 2 out in the bottom of the 8th‚ New York’s Mike Blowers misplays Sosa’s routine grounder for an error‚ and Hawkins walks 2 to load the bases. Outfielders Jim Leyritz and Jesse Barfield drop back-to-back ?y balls to allow all 4 runs to score. Barfield loses Ivan Calderon‘s fly ball in the sun and the ball bounces off his mitt. Ken Johnson in 1964 was the last pitcher to lose a no-hitter.
July 2Nolan Ryan strikes out 7 batters in a 3-2 loss to the Red Sox. This gives him a record 22 seasons with at least 100 strikeouts. He had shared the record of 21 with Don Sutton.

The Braves send Dion James to the Indians for CF Odibe McDowell. The Braves will move Dale Murphy back to RF.
July 6In his first start since losing a no-hitter‚ Hawkins pitches 112?3 innings of shutout ball only to lose in the 12th 2-0 to the Twins. Hawkins is now 1-6 for the Yankees..

Disgusted with the team’s performance‚ Whitey Herzog resigns as manager of the Cardinals after 10 years. Red Schoendienst will replace him temporarily and Joe Torre will be named permanent manager on August 1st.
July 8Losing 7-0 to California in the 3rd‚ the Brewers score 20 unanswered runs‚ including 13 in the 5th‚ to win. This is the biggest swing of runs since 1980 and will not be topped in the 90s. Looking for his 279th win‚ Bert Blyleven starts for the Angels but never makes it out of the 4th. He’ll win only once more the rest of the year.
July 10Six AL pitchers combine for a 2-hitter and a 2-0 victory over the NL in a rain-delayed All Star game at Wrigley Field. Rangers 2B Julio Franco drives in both runs in the 7th inning and is named MVP.

At the half-way mark in the season‚ the Reds are leading the NL West by 8 games‚ while Pittsburgh is a half game ahead in the East. In the AL‚ Boston leads by a half game and Oakland by one game.
July 11At Comiskey Park‚ the White Sox honor their 1917 World Championship team by donning old-fashioned uniforms and scaling concessions back to W W I prices. Chicago then loses 12-9 to Milwaukee in 13 innings.

Jack McKeon resigns as manager of the Padres but keeps his position as San Diego’s vice president of baseball operations. He is replaced in the dugout by Greg Riddoch. Later in the season‚ McKeon will lose his front-office job as well.
July 12The White Sox Melido Perez pitches a rain-shortened 6-inning no-hitter over the Yankees‚ as Chicago wins‚ 8-0. This is the 7th no-hitter this season‚ the most since 1917. Lance Johnson makes a diving over-the-shoulder catch in the 5th to save a hit and also bangs a 3-run HR.
July 14Dante Bichette‚ Dave Winfield‚ and Brian Downing each homer twice in California’s 8-7 win over Toronto. This is the 8th time 3 teammates have done this in the ML.
July 15Gerald Perry again paces the Royals to a victory by collecting a single‚ double‚ triple and 3 steals in the 13-4 win over the Red Sox. Yesterday‚ Perry set a club record by going 7-for-9 in a doubleheader.

At Atlanta‚ the Braves out-homer the Expos‚ 5-3‚ but lose 16-14 as the two teams collect 34 hits. Treadway‚ Presley and Justice all homer in the 7th off Dale Mohoric‚ but Tim Wallace’s grand slam and Galarraga’s 3-run HR offset them. Kremer and Murphy for Atlanta‚ and Fitzgerald for Montreal also homer.

RF Felix Jose robs Robin Yount of a HR in the top of the 1st‚ then hits a grand slam in the bottom of the frame as the A’s beat the Brewers‚ 4-1. Jose also throws out Parker at the plate. Chris Bosio and Jamie Navarro combine on a 2-hitter.

The White Sox sweep the 4-game series with the host Yankees‚ winning 8-5‚ and sending the last place Bombers to their 14th loss in 19 games.
July 17The Twins pull off a ML first-2 triple plays in the same game‚ in the 4th and 8th innings. Both are started on grounders to 3B Gary Gaetti‚ who has started five of the Twins’ last 6 triple killings. Despite the ML record‚ the Red Sox win anyway‚ 1-0.

At Yankee Stadium‚ Bo Jackson slugs 3 straight HRs‚ the 3rd his career 100th‚ then separates his shoulder in the 6th inning diving for a line drive off the bat of Yankee Deion Sanders. Sanders ends up with an inside-the-park HR‚ but Kansas City takes home a 10-7 win. Jackson will be out for 6 weeks. Mel Stottlemyre‚ Jr. makes his ML debut‚ pitching an inning of relief inning against the Bronx Bombers.
July 18A day after setting a ML record for triple plays‚ the Twins and Red Sox set one for DPs. The Red Sox hit into 6 double plays‚ while the Twins ground into 4 to set the ML record‚ as the Red Sox win again‚ 5-4. The previous mark of 9 DPs in regulation was last accomplished on May 1‚ 1966 by Boston and California.

Arbitrator George Nicolau rules in favor of the players association saying that the 26 ML owners colluded and were aware of a databank that detailed 1987 salary offers. In September he will decide the damage amounted to $102.5 million.
July 20Kevin Appier fires a shutout for the last-place Royals‚ beating Roger Clemens and the Red Sox‚ 5-0. The Sox take the nitecap‚ 3-1‚ scoring a pair on Mike Greenwell‘s 2-run homer off starter Aquino (4-1).

The Orioles pick up Ron Kittle from the White Sox‚ and send Chicago OF Phil Bradley.

New York Mets Lefthander Sid Fernandez strikes out 10 batters in 7 1/3 innings as the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves, 6-1. El Sid strikes out 7 consecutive batters.
July 21In his first ML start‚ Baltimore’s Big Ben McDonald shuts out Chicago 2-0. McDonald was the first pick in the 1989 June draft. It is the first shut out in a AL debut in 15 years.
July 24Who needs a pickoff motion? Atlanta pitcher Charlie Leibrandt picks off Craig Biggio by beating him back to 1B. Hough wins the game‚ 9-3. Atlanta takes the nitecap from Houston scoring in the 8th and 9th to win‚ 9-8.
July 25For the 2nd time in his career‚ George Brett hits for the cycle‚ as Kansas City beats Toronto‚ 6-1.

Before the start of the Padres-Reds game in San Diego‚ comedienne Roseanne Barr screeches out a rendition of the National Anthem‚ finishing with a crotch grab that causes a crescendo of boos. Ed Whitson then wins‚ 2-1 for the Pads.

Twenty-five-year veteran umpire Bob Engel resigns after pleading no contest to charges of shoplifting baseball cards in California.
July 27The Braves drop 10 runs on the Giants in the 6th inning to win‚ 10-1. The big inning features two home runs and six RBIs by Dale Murphy‚ just the 3rd player in history to pull off the feat.
July 28Cal Ripken’s errorless streak ends at 95 consecutive games‚ as Baltimore loses to Kansas City 10-9. The streak is a new ML record for a SS‚ eclipsing Kevin Elster’s 89-game mark.

Cubs SS Shawon Dunston ties a ML record with 3 triples in a 10-7 win over the Expos. Shawon also drives in 5 runs.

With one out to go‚ the Giants Scott Garrelts loses a no-hitter when the Reds Paul O’Neill singles. Garrelts finishes with a 4-0 one-hit win.
July 29At Detroit‚ the Red Sox bang out 12 doubles‚ setting an AL record‚ in a 13-3 win over the Tigers. Boggs has 3‚ while Naehring‚ Jody Reed‚ and Burks each have 2. Harris wins easily. The previous AL record was 11‚ set on July 14‚ 1934 by Detroit against New York. The 12 two-baggers will be tied in 1996 by Cleveland.
July 30In a surprisingly harsh ruling‚ Commissioner Fay Vincent orders Yankees owner George Steinbrenner to resign as the club’s general partner by August 20th and bans him from day-to-day operation of the team for life. The ruling is a result of Steinbrenner’s $40‚000 payment to confessed gambler Howie Spira for damaging information about since-traded Yankee star Dave Winfield.

Jack Clark hits his 300th career HR in San Diego’s 4-3 eleven-inning loss to the Braves. His homer in the 10th ties the game and is his 17th homer in extra innings. He’s now in 2nd place in overtime homers to Mays’ 22.

Nolan Ryan becomes the 20th 300 game winner in history‚ in a 11-3 Texas win over Milwaukee. Ryan is not around to finish‚ joining Steve Carlton and Early Wynn as the only pitchers not to hurl a complete game for their 300th win.

August

August 1Dave Stewart beats the Mariners for the 14th straight time‚ but it takes him 11 innings to do it as the A’s win‚ 1-0. Stewart scatters 5 hits‚ 3 by Ken Griffey‚ Jr. Erik Hanson allows just 2 safeties through 10 innings‚ but the A’s collect 3 hits off reliever Schooler in the 11th to win. Stewart’s 14 game win streak started August 13‚ 1986. There won’t be another extra inning shutout thrown by a pitcher in the regular season until Roy Halladay on September 2003.

In the Cleveland Indians‘ 4-1 win over the Kansas City Royals, Indians outfielder Alex Colesteals 5 bases.

In the Cleveland Indians 4-1 win over the Kansas City Royals, Indians outfielder Alex Colesteals 5 bases.
August 2Yankees rookie Kevin Maas hits his 10th HR in just 77 at bats‚ the fastest any player has ever reached that mark. But the Yanks lose to Detroit 6-5 in 11 innings.
August 3Cleveland’s Tom Candiotti has his no hitter spoiled in the 8th inning when New York’s Oscar Azocar singles. Candy leaves the game then and takes the loss as the Tribe drops a 6-4 decision. In just his 2nd week in the majors‚ Cleveland’s Alex Cole ties a ML record by stealing 7 bases in 2 games. He set the club record by swiping 5 bases against the Royals on August 1st.

The Braves trade 2-time MVP OF Dale Murphy to the Phillies for reliever Jeff Parrett and a pair of players to be named later.

Pittsburgh’s Doug Drabek is one out away from a no-hitter when he gives up a single to the Phillies Sil Campusano‚ who is hitting .188. Drabek finishes with an 11-0 one-hitter.
August 5Hall of Fame induction ceremonies for Jim Palmer and Joe Morgan are rained out in Cooperstown‚ NY. The ceremony will be conducted the following day at a local high school.
August 6Giants outfielder Rick Leach is suspended for 60 days following a positive drug test.
August 7Dave Winfield collects his 2‚500th career hit‚ a single off Tom Bolton‚ as California loses to Boston 6-3.

The Expos send pitcher Zane Smith to the Pirates for rookie OF Moises Alou. Alou will have just 20 at bats this year and miss all of next year because of shoulder surgery.
August 8Pete Rose begins serving his 5-month prison sentence at Marion (IL) Federal prison camp.
August 9San Diego SS Garry Templeton collects his 2‚000 ML hit‚ exactly 14 years after getting his first. The Padres beat the Braves 7-0‚ with Bruce Hurst winning over Charlie Leibrandt.

The Yankees beat Brad Radke and the Twins‚ 4-1‚ stopping Radke’s 12-game winning streak. Luis Sojo snaps a 1-1 tie in the 8th with a 2-run HR. Since 1950‚ only 3 pitchers have won 12 straight games.
August 12After a 71?2 hour rain delay‚ the White Sox-Rangers game is finally postponed.
August 14California posts a 9-5 win over the Yankees with the winning margin coming on an inside-the-park grand slam by Luis Polonia. Yankee RF Jesse Barfield misses a shoe string catch and his leisurely pursuit of the ball allows Polonia to score. Jim Abbott is the winner. Barfield will misplay another drive into an 4-run IPHR in 2 weeks.

Kansas City edges Texas‚ 1-0 on Jim Eisenreich‘s 9th inning game-ending HR. Gary Mielke serves up the gopher. Steve Farr wins with 3 innings of relief.
August 15The Phillies Terry Mulholland spins the major leagues’ 8th no-hitter of the season. Mulholland faces the minimum 27 batters in blanking the Giants 6-0‚ as just one runner reaches base on a throwing error by Charlie Hayes. But Hayes makes the last putout by grabbing a Gary Carter line drive. John Kruk also makes a crucial play by reaching into the stands to pull back a one-out popup by Matt Williams in the 8th.

Herm Winningham of the Reds hits 3 triples in a 3-1‚ 12-inning win over the host Crdinals. His 3rd triple breaks the 1-1 tie. Herm adds a double for 4 long hits‚ tying the club mark.

Mark McGwire hits a game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the 10th to give Oakland a 6-2 win over Boston. He becomes the first player to hit 30 HRs in each of his first 4 seasons.
August 16In a 7-5 loss to the Indians‚ the Twins Kirby Puckett starts off in RF and then moves to SS‚ 3B‚ and 2B in the 8th inning. Newman switch from 3B to SS back to 3B in the frame. Cleveland fails to score.
August 17In Chicago’s 4-2 game 2 win over Texas‚ Carlton Fisk homers off Charlie Hough to become the White Sox’ all-time HR leader (with 187) and the all-time leader in HRs by a catcher (328). Texas wins the opener in the bottom of the 13th inning when Gary Pettis hits a leadoff triple‚ and scores on Ruben Sierra‘s drive. Texas wastes a 10-inning effort from Nolan Ryan in which he strikes out 15. Hibbard goes 8 frames for the Chisox.

Oakland’s Bob Welch (20-4) wins his 20th game of the season‚ 8-3‚ over the Orioles. McGwire hits his 31st homer and drives in 3.
August 19Dodger SS Jose Offerman leads off the bottom of the first with a HR in his first ML at bat‚ but that is all the LA scoring as Montreal wins 2-1. Offerman had not homered all season in the minors.
August 21Trailing 11-1 after 7 innings‚ the Phillies score 2 in the 8th and 9 more in the 9th inning to beat the Dodgers 12-11.

Billy Hatcher ties a ML record with 4 doubles to pace the Reds to an 8-1 win over the Cubs. Mahler beats Harkey. The only score for Chicago in Ryne Sandberg‘s 29th homer.

For the last time this century‚ two rookie pitchers debut against each other as Paul Abbott of the Twins squares off against Jim Campbell of the Royals. Abbott is the loser as the Royals win‚ 8-7. He’ll do better in his next outing‚ allowing 3 Texas hits in 8 innings.
August 25Red Sox farmhand Kevin Morton pitches a 7-inning perfect game as New Britain (AA) beats Reading‚ 1-0.
August 26In his first game after 6 weeks on the disabled list‚ Bo Jackson homers in his first at bat‚ off Randy Johnson‚ to tie a ML record with 4 consecutive homers. Bo adds a single and double as KC rolls by Seattle‚ 8-2.

The Red Sox shut out the Blue Jays for the 3rd consecutive day to extend their lead in the AL East to 4 games. Toronto‚ leading the ML in runs scored‚ loses 2-0‚ 1-0‚ and 1-0. Harris (7 2/3 IP) is the winner today‚ Clemens (CG) yesterday‚ and Kieker (8IP) on the 24th.
August 27Boston’s Ellis Burks homers twice in an 8-run 4th inning of a 12-4 pasting of Cleveland. It is only the 2nd time a Sox hitter has homered twice in an inning (Bill Regan‚ June 16‚ 1928). Burks has 5 RBIs to back Mike Boddicker‘s win. Boddicker holds the Tribe scoreless through 6 frames.

The Brewers-Blue Jays game is delayed 35 minutes when a huge swarm of gnats descends onto the field through the open SkyDome roof. Milwaukee scratches out a 4-2 win.

For Texas‚ Charlie Hough allows 10 walks in 5 innings before being lifted in the 6th. But California can score just 3 runs off him but scores 4 off 2 reliever to win‚ 7-3.
August 28Ryne Sandberg homers in the Cubs’ 5-2 win over the Astros to become the first 2B ever to post back-to-back 30-HR seasons. He will finish the year with 40 HRs to become the first 2B since Rogers Hornsby in 1925 to lead the league in that category.
August 29The defending World Champion A’s seemingly lock up another pennant by acquiring slugger Harold Baines from the Rangers for a pair of minor leaguers (P Scott Chiamparino and P Joe Bitker) and OF Willie McGee from the Cardinals for Felix Jose and 2 more minor leaguers (3B Stan Royer and P Daryle Green). McGee‚ who will be a free agent at the end of the year‚ is hitting (.335)‚ which will lead the NL in hitting.

At Minnesota‚ Twins SS Greg Gagne has a homer and 3 steals‚ including home‚ in a 6-1 win over the White Sox. Mark Guthrie goes the distance for the win.
August 30Boston’s Roger Clemens reaches 20 wins for the 3rd time in 5 years by beating Cleveland‚ 9-2. Rocket K’s 9 and walks none.

Minnesota CF John Moses misplays a long drive by Ron Karkovice‚ and the White Sox catcher ends up with an inside-the-park grand slam. That’s all the scoring Jack McDowell needs as the Sox win‚ 4-3.
August 31Ken Griffeys-Jr. in CF and Sr. in LF-become the first father-and-son combination in ML history to play as teammates‚ and they each go 1-for-4 in Seattle’s 5-2 win over the Royals‚ The Mariners had signed the elder Griffey after he was waived by the Reds last week.

Dennis Eckersley saves his 40th game of the season in Oakland’s 4-2 win over Texas to join Dan Quisenberry and Jeff Reardon as the only pitchers to save 40 games twice.

September

September 1The 3rd inside-the-park grand slam of the season is hit by Boston’s Mike Greenwell off Greg Cadaret‚ as the Red Sox beat visiting New York 15-1. Greenwell’s grounder eludes Jesse Barfield in the RF corner: Barfield’s shoetop miss on August 14 gave Polonia his slam. The last season with 3 inside-the-park slams? 1947. Greenwell’s only other inside-the-park slam was also off Cadaret‚ in 1989 at Fenway. Boston jumps on Yankee starter Andy Hawkins who lasted 1?3 of an inning. Hawkins has now pitched a total of one inning in 3 starts at Fenway Park and given up 18 runs (ERA 162.).

Bobby Witt allows 10 walks against Oakland in 7 innings‚ the 2nd Ranger in a 4 days to hand out 10 walks. Before this season‚ the last pitcher to hand out 10 walks was Andy Hassler‚ in 1974. Witt also has 10 strikeouts and wins‚ 3-2‚ for his 10th victory in a row.
September 2In the year of no-hitters‚ Dave Stieb pitches the 9th and final one of the season‚ blanking Cleveland 3-0. It is the first no-hitter in Blue Jays’ history‚ and the first for Stieb after three close-calls‚ which were ended by 9th-inning hits. Steib had previously thrown 5 one-hitters. He K’s 9 in beating Bud Black.
September 3The White Sox Bobby Thigpen tops Dave Righetti‘s ML record with his 47th save of the season in Chicago’s 4-2 win over the Royals. Thigpen will finish the season with a superlative 57 saves.
September 5The Pirates beat the Mets 1-0 and 3-1 to open a 21?2 game lead over New York in the NL East. Zane Smith pitches a one-hitter in the opener for the Bucs‚ which has swept all 5 of its doubleheaders this season.
September 6The last-place Phils top the first place Cubs 9-1 behind Bruce Ruffin‘s first complete game in three seasons. With the Cards beating the Mets‚ Chicago leads St. Louis by 1/2 game in the NL East.

At Yankee Stadium‚ Deion Sanders strikes out in the 6th for the Yankees ending his rookie (14 games in 1989) season with a .158 average in 57 games. Neon then shakes hands in the dugout‚ and heads for Atlanta to join the Falcons. On the 10th‚ he will return a punt for a TD. California scores 6 in the 9th to beat the Yanks‚ 12-6.
September 9Dave Stewart wins his 19th, as the Oakland Athletics score 4 runs in the top of the 9th to beat the Yankees , 7-3. In the frame, Willie McGee hits a two-run triple, his 3rd hit of the game, and the A’s sweep the season series with the Yankees, 12-0.

Seattle’s Matt Young strikes out 4 batters in the first inning of a 3-1 win over the Red Sox. He’s the 2nd pitcher this year to K four batters in an inning.

The Cubs Luis Salazar singles in the tying run in 8th‚ then doubles in the winner in the 10th to give Chicago a 3-2 win over St. Louis. The Cubs now lead the Cards by 1 1/2 games. Yesterday‚ the Cubs blew a 7-2 lead to lose 9-8 to the Cards.

Oops. Tiger RF Scott Lusader loses the battle to bright sun and soggy turf and makes 3 errors (2 fielding and 1 throwing) in the first inning against the White Sox. It’s a first in the AL since 1925. The Sox score 7 runs in the inning and coast home 13-3‚ snapping the Tigers’ 7-game winning streak.
September 10In the first head-to-head matchup of pitchers named Abbott‚ Jim’s Angels beat Paul’s Twins 3-1. Minnesota’s Carmen Castillo pinch hits late in the game to complete the successful “Abbott and Castillo” revival.
September 11New York beats Texas 5-4 to snap pitcher Bobby Witt’s personal 12-game winning streak. The Yanks score 2 in both the 7th and 8th innings to come from behind. Dave Righetti saves his 31st.

Coming off his first ML start where he threw 7 shutout innings‚ Mel Stottlemyre‚ Jr. is roughed up by visiting Toronto‚ allowing 5 runs in 3 frames. The Jays win 8-4‚ handing Mel his only ML decision in this‚ his last ML appearance. Tomorrow‚ he can console his brother Todd‚ who allows 6 runs in 5 innings in losing to the Royals‚ 7-5.
September 12Yankees starter Steve Adkins doesn’t allow a hit in his ML debut‚ but he walks 8 batters in just 1 1/3 innings‚ as Texas wins 5-4. Adkins walks the first three batters‚ then retires the side. After a fly out in the 2nd‚ he walks the next five before being lifted‚ two shy of Dolly Gray‘s consecutive walk record.
September 14Ken Griffey‚ Sr. and Jr.‚ hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning of a Seattle 7-5 loss to California. Kirk McCaskill serves up both Griffey homers.

Oakland’s Dave Stewart wins his 20th game of the season 9-1 over the Twins to become the first pitcher since Jim Palmer (1975-78) to post 4 straight 20-game seasons.
September 15Despite solo homers in the 5th by brothers Billy and Cal Ripken‚ both off David Wells‚ the Orioles lose 4-3 to Toronto. The Jays score 3 in the bottom of the 9th on Kelly Gruber‘s home run to make a winner of reliever Blair. The brothers Ripken will homer together one more time‚ in 1996‚ again in the same inning.
September 16Pirates ace John Smiley (12-7) scatters 9 hits to top the Cubs Greg Maddux (17-12). The Bucs win 8-6‚ but the Cubs still lead by 5 1/2 games over the Mets and Cardinals.

Cleveland trades pending free agent Bud Black (11-10) to Toronto for Mauro Guzzo‚ Steve Cummings‚ and Alex Sanchez. Black will sign with the Giants on November 9.
September 17The Blue Jays’ 6-4 win over the Yankees is watched by 49‚902 at the SkyDome‚ giving Toronto a ML-season attendance record. The Jays will finish the season with 58 consecutive sellouts and a total attendance of 3‚885‚284.

Arbitrator George Nicolau, who ruled in July that the baseball owners colluded to keep down the salaries of free agents in 1987-88, decides damages amounted to $102.5 million to the players association. It is the 5th win in a row for the players.
September 18In Toronto‚ the Red Sox beat the Jays 6-3 to cut Toronto’s lead to 2 games over Baltimore. Boston has now won 4 out of 5 in the Dome‚ but has a 15-game losing streak to the Blue Jays at Fenway.
September 19Doug Drabek wins his 20th game and Bobby Bonds hits his 30th and 31st HRs‚ as Pittsburgh beats Chicago 8-7. Two days later Bonds will steal his 50th base of the season.
September 21The Padres fire Jack McKeon‚ who has been the San Diego GM for 10 years.
September 23Gary Gaetti hits a grand slam off the Rangers Charlie Hough for his 200th career HR‚ as the Twins win 6-4. It comes 9 years and 4 days after his first ML homer‚ also off of Hough.
September 25The Oakland A’s clinch their 3rd consecutive AL West title by beating Kansas City 5-0. Dave Stewart (22-10) goes the distance for the win.

The Yankees tie a ML record when their first 8 batters all hit safely in a 15-3 rout of the Orioles. Tony Telford allows the first 6 hits to take the loss. The Yanks hit 6 homers in the game.

Tough day at the office for Terry Mulholland. The Phillies P allows just 2 Card baserunners-Bernard Gilkey’s leadoff triple and double later-and loses 1-0.
September 29The Reds clinch the NL West title during a rain delay of their 3-1 loss to the Padres when the 2nd-place Dodgers lose 4-3 to San Francisco. The Reds‚ never out of first place‚ are the first NL team ever to lead from wire to wire in a 162-game schedule.
September 30Pittsburgh beats St. Louis 2-0 behind Doug Drabek’s 3-hitter to clinch its first NL East title since 1979. The loss assures the Cards of finishing last for the first time since 1918.

The White Sox beat Seattle 2-1 in the last game played at historic Comiskey Park‚ which is to be torn down after 80 seasons of major-league ball. Chicago will play next season at the new Comiskey Park located across the street.

October

October 1The Dodgers young ace Ramon Martinez wins his 20th game of the season 2-1 over the Padres. LA scores in the 8th and 9th for the win over Benes.
October 2Oakland’s Bob Welch wins his 27th game of the year‚ beating California‚ 6-4. The 2 Hendersons-Dave and Rickey-score 5 runs total. Welch wins his 27 in just 238 innings‚ a ML-record average of one win per 9 innings‚ the best ratio for a 20-game winner Welch had no wins out of the bullpen (as noted by Bill Deane)‚ unlike Bob Grim‚ who won 20 games in 1954 in 199 IP. Fred Fitzsimmons‚ 16-2 in 134 innings in 1940‚ is the only starter with a better ratio.
October 3Boston beats Chicago 3-1 on the final day of the season to wrap up its 3rd AL East title in 5 seasons. Tom Brunansky ends the game with a spectacular sliding catch in the RF corner with the tying runs on base.

Cecil Fielder becomes the 11th player ever to hit 50 HRs when he belts his 50th and 51st in the Tigers’ season finale‚ a 10-3 win over New York. He is the first AL player since 1961 to reach the 50 mark. Kevin Maas and Gary Ward also homer as Jack Morris (15-18) is the winner. Maas ends the season with 21 homers and 41 RBI‚ the only player‚ till Barry Bonds in 2001 to not double his homer total in RBI.

George Brett pinch hits a single in Kansas City’s finale‚ a 5-2 loss to Cleveland‚ to end the season at .329 and win the AL batting crown‚ his 3rd in 3 decades. Willie McGee’s .335 wins the NL batting title despite having been traded out of the league in August. He hits .324 overall.

Eddie Murray is 2-for-3 in the Dodgers’ 7-3 loss to San Diego. Murray ends the season with a .330 batting average‚ the highest in the majors‚ but he wins no title.

At Pittsburgh‚ Frank Viola wins his 20th when the Mets beat the Pirates 6-3. In front of his hometown fans‚ New York’s George Jelic homers-his first‚ last‚ and only hit in the majors. It comes off Doug Bair on his last at bat. Buc Jerry Reuss‚ in his only start this year‚ gives up one earned run‚ a HR to Teufel in the 6th‚ but gets no decision in his last appearance in the majors. Reuss‚ with 4 appearances this year‚ joins the exclusive 4-decade club (1969-90) and also closes out his career with 220 wins‚ but never 20 in a season‚ a ML record. Milt Pappas also won 200 that way as did Tanana this year. Tanana will end his career with 233 wins and no 20-win seasons.
October 4Trailing 3-0 after one inning‚ the Pirates come from behind to beat the Reds 4-3 in game 1 of the NLCS.
October 5Right fielder Paul O’Neill drives in both Cincinnati runs and throws out a runner at 3rd base to spark the Reds to a 2-1 win in game 2 of the NLCS‚ tying the series at one game apiece.
October 6Boston’s Roger Clemens pitches 6 shutout innings‚ but Oakland rallies for one run in the 7th‚ one in the 8th‚ and 7 in the 9th to win game 1 of the ALCS 9-1. The A’s 7-run 9th ties the ALCS record for runs in an inning.
October 7Late-season acquisition Harold Baines drives in 3 runs to lead the A’s to a 4-1 win over the Red Sox and a 2-0 lead in the ALCS.
October 8Mariano Duncan belts a 3-run home run and Reds relievers Rob Dibble‚ Norm Charlton‚ and Randy Myers combine to strike out 7 batters in 3 2?3 innings as Cincinnati beats Pittsburgh 6-3 in game 3 of the NLCS.
October 9The Red Sox fail to hold a 1-0 lead for the 3rd consecutive game as Oakland opens up a commanding 3-0 lead in the ALCS with a 4-1 victory. In Pittsburgh‚ Paul O’Neill and Chris Sabo each homer to lead the Reds to a 5-3 win and a 3-1 lead in the NLCS.
October 10After Red Sox starter Roger Clemens is ejected in the 2nd inning for cursing at home plate umpire Terry Cooney‚ Oakland beats Boston 3-1 to complete a 4-game sweep of the ALCS and earn its 3rd-straight trip to the World Series.

Bob Patterson gets Jeff Reed to hit into a game-ending double play with the bases loaded to save the Pirates’ 3-2 win over the Reds and send the NLCS back to Cincinnati for game 6.
October 12Danny Jackson‚ Norm Charlton‚ and Randy Myers combine on a one-hitter‚ as Cincinnati beats the Pirates 2-1 to win the NLCS in 6 games.
October 16In game 1 of the World Series‚ Eric Davis becomes the 22nd player ever to homer in his first WS at bat and the Reds go on to rout the A’s 7-0‚ ending Oakland’s 10-game post-season winning streak.
October 17In the first extra-inning WS game since 1986‚ the underdog Reds beat the A’s 5-4 in 10 innings to take a surprising 2-0 lead in the Series. Reds OF Billy Hatcher goes 4-for-4 to run his consecutive hit streak to 7‚ tying Thurman Munson‘s WS record.
October 19Cincinnati moves within one game of a shocking World Series sweep by beating Oakland 8-3 in game 3. 3B Chris Sabo slugs a pair of home runs for the Reds.
October 20The talk of an Oakland dynasty is proven premature‚ as Cincinnati beats Oakland 2-1 to complete one of the most stunning sweeps in WS history. Series MVP Jose Rijo (2-0‚ 0.59 ERA) retires the last 20 batters he faces to give the Reds their first World Championship since 1976. Not joining the celebration at the end is Eric Davis‚ who ruptures his kidney diving for a ball during the game and is taken to the hospital. It will take Davis several years to fully recover.
October 24The Red Sox announce that they will not renew the contract of veteran Dwight Evans‚ who had been with the club since 1972. Evans will eventually sign a one-year contract with Baltimore.

November

November 6Braves OF Dave Justice wins the NL Rookie of the Year award. He hit .282 with 28 HRs‚ 20 coming after he replaced Dale Murphy in RF in early August.
November 7Cleveland’s Sandy Alomar‚ Jr. wins the AL Rookie of the Year Award unanimously‚ joining Carlton Fisk and Mark McGwire as the only players to do so.
November 8Free-agent slugger Darryl Strawberry signs a 5-year contract with his hometown Dodgers‚ formally ending his 8-year stay with the Mets. He is the Mets all-time HR leader with 252.
November 11California’s Chuck Finley and Seattle’s Randy Johnson combine to pitch a no-hitter in the finale of an 8-game exhibition series between American and Japanese all-star teams. But Japan still wins the series 4-3 with one tie‚ the first time since 1970 that a touring US team has left Japan with a losing record.
November 13Oakland’s Bob Welch wins the AL Cy Young Award. His 27 wins were the most in the majors since Steve Carlton in 1972.
November 14Doug Drabek (22-6) wins the NL Cy Young Award‚ collecting 23 of a possible 24 first-place votes.
November 19Pirates OF Barry Bonds wins the NL MVP Award‚ easily outdistancing teammate and runner-up Bobby Bonilla. Bonds hit .301 with 33 home runs‚ 114 RBI‚ and 52 stolen bases.
November 20Oakland’s Rickey Henderson edges Detroit’s Cecil Fielder for the AL MVP Award. Henderson hit .325 with 28 HRs and a ML-best 65 stolen bases.

Red Sox ace Roger Clemens is suspended for the first 5 games of the 1991 season and fined $10‚000 for his outburst in game 4 of the ALCS.
November 21Veteran P Mike Boddicker (17-8 with Boston) signs as a free agent with the Royals‚ while Danny Jackson signs with the Cubs. Tom Browning re-signs with the Reds.
November 23Former catcher Bo Diaz‚ 37‚ is crushed to death when a rooftop satellite dish topples over at his home in Venezuela. Diaz last played for the Reds in 1989.
November 29A consortium of Canadian investors led by Expos president Claud Brochu agrees to buy the club from Charles Bronfman for a reported $85 million‚ assuring that the team will remain in Montreal.

December

December 3NL batting champion Willie McGee signs as a free agent with the Giants‚ ending his 3-month stint across the bay with Oakland.
December 4Reliever Dave Righetti signs as a free agent with the Giants. San Francisco now has spent $33 million for free agents Righetti‚ Willie McGee‚ and Bud Black since the end of the season.
December 5In a major trade‚ the Blue Jays send 1B Fred McGriff and veteran SS Tony Fernandez to San Diego for 2B Roberto Alomar and slugging OF Joe Carter.

Free-agent OF Vince Coleman signs a 4-year contract with the Mets. He has led the NL in stolen bases each of the last 6 seasons‚ and this year (June 3rd) copped his 500th theft in his 804th game‚ the quickest player to reach that plateau.
December 6Free agent George Bell signs with the Cubs.

Fifteen more players become “free look” free agents as part of the settlement of the most recent collusion case against the owners. It will also cost the clubs a whopping $280 million in damages.

At Leland’s auction house in New York City‚ Shoeless Joe Jackson’s signature is sold for $23‚100‚ the most money ever paid for a 19th or 20th century signature. Jackson‚ who could not read or write‚ copied the signature from one written out by his wife. The signature‚ which was resold within hours‚ was cut from an unknown document.
December 15AL Cy Young winner and free agent Bob Welch re-signs with Oakland‚ while “free look” free agents Jack Clark and Brett Butler sign with the Red Sox and Dodgers‚ respectively.

The Mets send veteran lefty Bob Ojeda and minor leaguer Greg Hansell to the Dodgers for OF Hubie Brooks.
December 18The NL announces the 6 finalist cities for the 2 expansion clubs that will join the league in 1993: Buffalo‚ Denver‚ Miami‚ Orlando‚ Tampa-St. Petersburg‚ and Washington‚ DC.
December 20The Chicago White Sox sign veteran knuckler Charlie Hough‚ a free agent. Hough spent every year of the 70’s with the Dodgers and every year of the 1980s with Texas.
December 24The Expos trade Tim Raines and a pair of minor leaguers to the White Sox for OF Ivan Calderon and reliever Barry Jones.
December 26The Senior Professional Baseball Association folds in the middle of its 2nd season when the Fort Myers Sun Sox franchise collapses due to a financial dispute among club owners.
December 31A’s 3B Carney Lansford is severely injured in a New Year’s Eve snowmobile accident. He will undergo surgery on January 6th to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee as well as repair other ligament damage. Lansford will play just 5 games in 1991‚ but return to the starting lineup in 1992.