1989 Major League Baseball season

Last updated

1989 MLB season
League Major League Baseball
Sport Baseball
DurationApril 9 – October 28, 1989
Number of games162
Number of teams26
TV partner(s) ABC, NBC
Draft
Top draft pick Ben McDonald
Picked by Baltimore Orioles
Regular season
Season MVP NL: Kevin Mitchell (SF)
AL: Robin Yount (MIL)
Postseason
AL champions Oakland Athletics
  AL runners-up Toronto Blue Jays
NL champions San Francisco Giants
  NL runners-up Chicago Cubs
World Series
Champions Oakland Athletics
  Runners-up San Francisco Giants
World Series MVP Dave Stewart (OAK)
MLB seasons

The 1989 Major League Baseball season saw the Oakland Athletics win their first World Series title since 1974.

Contents

The American League saw the Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays as the AL West and AL East pennant winners, respectively. Oakland dominated the entire American League with their second straight season of more than 100 wins (including postseason wins) and looked to be a future dynasty. [1] The Blue Jays, powered by their offense, won their pennant in the final weekend of the season. [1] The Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants stole the spotlight in the National League, but the Giants proved to be more dominant with a strong hitting presence, while the Cubs extended their streak without a World Series championship to 81 years. [1]

Awards and honors

Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards
BBWAA AwardNational LeagueAmerican League
Rookie of the Year Jerome Walton (CHC) Gregg Olson (BAL)
Cy Young Award Mark Davis (SD) Bret Saberhagen (KC)
Manager of the Year Don Zimmer (CHC) Frank Robinson (BAL)
Most Valuable Player Kevin Mitchell (SF) Robin Yount (MIL)
Gold Glove Awards
PositionNational LeagueAmerican League
Pitcher Ron Darling (NYM) Bret Saberhagen (KC)
Catcher Benito Santiago (SD) Bob Boone (KC)
First Baseman Andrés Galarraga (MTL) Don Mattingly (NYY)
Second Baseman Ryne Sandberg (CHC) Harold Reynolds (SEA)
Third Baseman Terry Pendleton (STL) Gary Gaetti (MIN)
Shortstop Ozzie Smith (STL) Tony Fernández (TOR)
Outfielders Eric Davis (CIN) Gary Pettis (DET)
Tony Gwynn (SD) Kirby Puckett (MIN)
Andy Van Slyke (PIT) Devon White (CAL)
Silver Slugger Awards
Pitcher/Designated Hitter Don Robinson (SF) Harold Baines (TEX)/( CWS )
Catcher Craig Biggio (HOU) Mickey Tettleton (BAL)
First Baseman Will Clark (SF) Fred McGriff (TOR)
Second Baseman Ryne Sandberg (CHC) Julio Franco (TEX)
Third Baseman Howard Johnson (NYM) Wade Boggs (BOS)
Shortstop Barry Larkin (CIN) Cal Ripken Jr. (BAL)
Outfielders Eric Davis (CIN) Kirby Puckett (MIN)
Tony Gwynn (SD) Rubén Sierra (TEX)
Kevin Mitchell (SF) Robin Yount (MIL)

Other awards

Player of the Month

MonthAmerican LeagueNational League
April Fred McGriff Von Hayes
May Ron Kittle Will Clark
June Rubén Sierra Howard Johnson
July Robin Yount Mark Grace
August George Bell
Nick Esasky
Pedro Guerrero
September Paul Molitor Will Clark

Pitcher of the Month

MonthAmerican LeagueNational League
April Jeff Ballard Mark Davis
May Chuck Finley Rick Reuschel
June Mark Gubicza Mike Scott
July Mike Moore Mark Langston
August Bret Saberhagen Tom Browning
September Bret Saberhagen Tim Belcher

Statistical leaders

Statistic American League National League
AVG Kirby Puckett MIN.339 Tony Gwynn SD.336
HR Fred McGriff TOR36 Kevin Mitchell SF47
RBIs Rubén Sierra TEX119 Kevin Mitchell SF125
Wins Bret Saberhagen KC23 Mike Scott HOU20
ERA Bret Saberhagen KC2.16 Scott Garrelts SF2.28
SO Nolan Ryan TEX301 José DeLeón STL201
SV Jeff Russell TEX38 Mark Davis SD44
SB Rickey Henderson NYY/OAK77 Vince Coleman STL65

Standings

American League

AL East
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Toronto Blue Jays 8973.54946354338
Baltimore Orioles 8775.537247344041
Boston Red Sox 8379.512646353744
Milwaukee Brewers 8181.500845363645
New York Yankees 7487.46014½41403347
Cleveland Indians 7389.4511641403249
Detroit Tigers 59103.3643038432160
AL West
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Oakland Athletics 9963.61154274536
Kansas City Royals 9270.568755263744
California Angels 9171.562852293942
Texas Rangers 8379.5121645363843
Minnesota Twins 8082.4941945363546
Seattle Mariners 7389.4512640413348
Chicago White Sox 6992.42929½35453447

National League

NL East
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Chicago Cubs 9369.57448334536
New York Mets 8775.537651303645
St. Louis Cardinals 8676.531746354041
Montreal Expos 8181.5001244373744
Pittsburgh Pirates 7488.4571939423546
Philadelphia Phillies 6795.4142638422953
NL West
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
San Francisco Giants 9270.56853283942
San Diego Padres 8973.549346354338
Houston Astros 8676.531647353941
Los Angeles Dodgers 7783.4811444373346
Cincinnati Reds 7587.4631738433744
Atlanta Braves 6397.3942833463051

Postseason

Bracket

League Championship Series
(ALCS, NLCS)
World Series
      
East Toronto 1
West Oakland 4
AL Oakland4
NL San Francisco 0
East Chicago Cubs 1
West San Francisco 4

Managers

American League

TeamManagerNotes
Baltimore Orioles Frank Robinson 2nd season as Orioles manager
Boston Red Sox Joe Morgan
California Angels Doug Rader
Chicago White Sox Jeff Torborg First season as White Sox manager
Cleveland Indians Doc Edwards, John Hart
Detroit Tigers Sparky Anderson
Kansas City Royals John Wathan
Milwaukee Brewers Tom Trebelhorn
Minnesota Twins Tom Kelly
New York Yankees Dallas Green, Bucky Dent
Oakland Athletics Tony La Russa Won World Series
Seattle Mariners Jim Lefebvre
Texas Rangers Bobby Valentine
Toronto Blue Jays Jimy Williams, Cito Gaston Won AL East

National League

TeamManagerNotes
Atlanta Braves Russ Nixon 2nd season as Braves manager
Chicago Cubs Don Zimmer Won NL East
Cincinnati Reds Pete Rose, Tommy Helms
Houston Astros Art Howe First season as Astros manager
Los Angeles Dodgers Tommy Lasorda
Montreal Expos Buck Rodgers
New York Mets Davey Johnson
Philadelphia Phillies Nick Leyva First season as Phillies manager
Pittsburgh Pirates Jim Leyland
St. Louis Cardinals Whitey Herzog
San Diego Padres Jack McKeon
San Francisco Giants Roger Craig Won National League Pennant

Home field attendance and payroll

Team nameWinsHome attendancePer gameEst. payroll
Toronto Blue Jays [2] 892.3%3,375,88330.1%41,678$16,586,66615.1%
St. Louis Cardinals [3] 8613.2%3,080,9806.5%37,120$16,078,83321.9%
Los Angeles Dodgers [4] 77-18.1%2,944,653-1.2%36,354$21,071,56222.9%
New York Mets [5] 87-13.0%2,918,710-4.5%36,033$19,885,07129.1%
Oakland Athletics [6] 99-4.8%2,667,22516.6%32,929$16,314,26553.1%
California Angels [7] 9121.3%2,647,29113.1%32,683$15,097,83323.2%
Baltimore Orioles [8] 8761.1%2,535,20852.7%31,299$10,916,401-24.1%
Boston Red Sox [9] 83-6.7%2,510,0121.8%30,988$18,556,74826.3%
Chicago Cubs [10] 9320.8%2,491,94219.3%30,765$11,918,000-14.6%
Kansas City Royals [11] 929.5%2,477,7005.4%30,589$18,914,06827.4%
Minnesota Twins [12] 80-12.1%2,277,438-24.9%28,117$16,806,66626.3%
New York Yankees [13] 74-12.9%2,170,485-17.6%26,796$17,114,375-16.0%
San Francisco Giants [14] 9210.8%2,059,70115.4%25,428$15,040,83417.3%
Texas Rangers [15] 8318.6%2,043,99329.2%25,234$11,893,78186.3%
San Diego Padres [16] 897.2%2,009,03133.3%24,803$15,295,00042.6%
Cincinnati Reds [17] 75-13.8%1,979,320-4.5%24,436$11,717,00020.8%
Milwaukee Brewers [18] 81-6.9%1,970,7352.5%24,330$12,716,00033.8%
Philadelphia Phillies [6] 673.1%1,861,985-6.4%22,987$10,779,000-22.5%
Houston Astros [19] 864.9%1,834,908-5.1%22,377$15,579,50023.2%
Montreal Expos [20] 810.0%1,783,53320.6%22,019$13,807,38937.4%
Detroit Tigers [21] 59-33.0%1,543,656-25.8%19,057$15,669,30416.7%
Pittsburgh Pirates [22] 74-12.9%1,374,141-26.4%16,965$13,992,50096.3%
Seattle Mariners [23] 737.4%1,298,44327.0%16,030$10,099,50030.2%
Cleveland Indians [24] 73-6.4%1,285,542-8.9%15,871$9,894,5006.8%
Chicago White Sox [25] 69-2.8%1,045,651-6.3%13,071$8,565,4100.3%
Atlanta Braves [26] 6316.7%984,93016.1%12,467$11,180,334-14.4%

Television coverage

This was the last season under the TV contracts with ABC and NBC. MLB signed new deals with CBS and ESPN to begin broadcasting games in 1990.

NetworkDay of weekAnnouncers
ABC Thursday nights Al Michaels, Jim Palmer, Tim McCarver, Gary Thorne, Joe Morgan
NBC Saturday afternoons Vin Scully, Tom Seaver, Bob Costas, Tony Kubek

Events

Movies

Deaths

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References

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  4. "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  5. "New York Mets Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
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  7. "Los Angeles Angels Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
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  9. "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  10. "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  11. "Kansas City Royals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  12. "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  13. "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  14. "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  15. "Texas Rangers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  16. "San Diego Padres Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
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  18. "Milwaukee Brewers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  19. "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  20. "Washington Nationals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
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  22. "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  23. "Seattle Mariners Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
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  26. "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com . Retrieved September 8, 2020.
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