1996 Major League Baseball season

Last updated

1996 MLB season
League Major League Baseball
Sport Baseball
DurationMarch 31 – October 26, 1996
Number of games162
Number of teams28
TV partner(s) Fox, ESPN, NBC [n1 1]
Draft
Top draft pick Kris Benson
Picked by Pittsburgh Pirates
Regular Season
Season MVP AL: Juan González (TEX)
NL: Ken Caminiti (SD)
Postseason
AL champions New York Yankees
  AL runners-up Baltimore Orioles
NL champions Atlanta Braves
  NL runners-up St. Louis Cardinals
World Series
Champions New York Yankees
  Runners-up Atlanta Braves
World Series MVP John Wetteland (NYY)
MLB seasons
Usa edcp relief location map.png
ButtonGreen.svg
   Giants
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Pirates   
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      Phillies
Locations of teams for the 1995–1996 National League seasons
ButtonGreen.svg West   ButtonViolet.svg Central   ButtonBlue.svg East

The 1996 Major League Baseball season was the final season of league-only play before the beginning of interleague play the following season. The season ended with the New York Yankees defeating the defending champion Atlanta Braves in six games for the World Series title, the Yankees' first championship since 1978. The record for most home runs hit in an MLB regular season, set at 4,458 in 1987, [1] was broken, as the AL and NL combined to hit 4,962 home runs. [2] Only 196 shutouts were recorded in the 2,266 MLB regular-season games. [3] This was the first season in the Divisional Series era to be played to the full 162 games, as the 1994–95 player's strike caused the first two seasons of the era to be abbreviated.

Contents

Standings

American League

AL East
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
New York Yankees 9270.56849314339
Baltimore Orioles 8874.543443384536
Boston Red Sox 8577.525747343843
Toronto Blue Jays 7488.4571835463942
Detroit Tigers 53109.3273927542655
AL Central
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Cleveland Indians 9962.61551294833
Chicago White Sox 8577.52514½44374140
Milwaukee Brewers 8082.49419½38434239
Minnesota Twins 7884.48121½39433941
Kansas City Royals 7586.4662437433843
AL West
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Texas Rangers 9072.55650314041
Seattle Mariners 8576.52843384238
Oakland Athletics 7884.4811240413843
California Angels 7091.43519½43382753

National League

NL East
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Atlanta Braves 9666.59356254041
Montreal Expos 8874.543850313843
Florida Marlins 8082.4941652292853
New York Mets 7191.4382542392952
Philadelphia Phillies 6795.4142935463249
NL Central
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
St. Louis Cardinals 8874.54348334041
Houston Astros 8280.506648333447
Cincinnati Reds 8181.500746353546
Chicago Cubs 7686.4691243383348
Pittsburgh Pirates 7389.4511536443745
NL West
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
San Diego Padres 9171.56245364635
Los Angeles Dodgers 9072.556147344338
Colorado Rockies 8379.512855262853
San Francisco Giants 6894.4202338443050

Postseason

Bracket

Division Series
(ALDS, NLDS)
League Championship Series
(ALCS, NLCS)
World Series
         
East NY Yankees 3
West Texas 1
East NY Yankees4
American League
WC Baltimore 1
WC Baltimore 3
Central Cleveland 1
AL NY Yankees4
NL Atlanta 2
East Atlanta 3
WC Los Angeles 0
East Atlanta4
National League
Central St. Louis 3
West San Diego 0
Central St. Louis 3

Awards and honors

Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards
BBWAA AwardNational LeagueAmerican League
Rookie of the Year Todd Hollandsworth (LAD) Derek Jeter (NYY)
Cy Young Award John Smoltz (ATL) Pat Hentgen (TOR)
Manager of the Year Bruce Bochy (SD) Johnny Oates (TEX)
Joe Torre (NYY)
Most Valuable Player Ken Caminiti (SD) Juan González (TEX)
Gold Glove Awards
PositionNational LeagueAmerican League
Pitcher Greg Maddux (ATL) Mike Mussina (BAL)
Catcher Charles Johnson (FLA) Iván Rodríguez (TEX)
First Baseman Mark Grace (CHC) J. T. Snow (CAL)
Second Baseman Craig Biggio (HOU) Roberto Alomar (BAL)
Third Baseman Ken Caminiti (SD) Robin Ventura (CWS)
Shortstop Barry Larkin (CIN) Omar Vizquel (CLE)
Outfielders Barry Bonds (SF) Kenny Lofton (CLE)
Marquis Grissom (ATL) Jay Buhner (SEA)
Steve Finley (SD) Ken Griffey Jr. (SEA)
Silver Slugger Awards
Pitcher/Designated Hitter Tom Glavine (ATL) Paul Molitor (MIN)
Catcher Mike Piazza (LA) Iván Rodríguez (TEX)
First Baseman Andrés Galarraga (COL) Mark McGwire (OAK)
Second Baseman Eric Young (COL) Roberto Alomar (BAL)
Third Baseman Ken Caminiti (SD) Jim Thome (CLE)
Shortstop Barry Larkin (CIN) Alex Rodriguez (SEA)
Outfielders Barry Bonds (SF) Albert Belle (CLE)
Ellis Burks (COL) Juan González (TEX)
Gary Sheffield (FLA) Ken Griffey Jr. (SEA)

Other awards

Player of the Month

MonthAmerican LeagueNational League
April Frank Thomas Barry Bonds
May Mo Vaughn Jeff Bagwell
June Mark McGwire Dante Bichette
July Juan González Sammy Sosa
August Alex Rodriguez Ken Caminiti
September Frank Thomas Ken Caminiti

Pitcher of the Month

MonthAmerican LeagueNational League
April Juan Guzmán John Smoltz
May Charles Nagy John Smoltz
June Orel Hershiser Jeff Fassero
July Pat Hentgen Jeff Fassero
August Pat Hentgen Kevin Brown
September Charles Nagy Hideo Nomo

MLB statistical leaders

Statistic American League National League
AVG Alex Rodriguez SEA.358 Tony Gwynn SD.353
HR Mark McGwire OAK52 Andrés Galarraga COL47
RBI Albert Belle CLE148 Andrés Galarraga COL150
Wins Andy Pettitte NYY21 John Smoltz ATL24
ERA Juan Guzmán TOR2.93 Kevin Brown FLA1.89
SO Roger Clemens BOS257 John Smoltz ATL276
SV John Wetteland NYY43 Jeff Brantley CIN
Todd Worrell LA
44
SB Kenny Lofton CLE75 Eric Young COL53

Managers

American League

TeamManagerNotes
Baltimore Orioles Davey Johnson
Boston Red Sox Kevin Kennedy
California Angels Marcel Lachemann, John McNamara, Joe Maddon
Chicago White Sox Terry Bevington
Cleveland Indians Mike Hargrove
Detroit Tigers Buddy Bell
Kansas City Royals Bob Boone
Milwaukee Brewers Phil Garner
Minnesota Twins Tom Kelly
New York Yankees Joe Torre Won World Series
Oakland Athletics Art Howe
Seattle Mariners Lou Piniella
Texas Rangers Johnny Oates
Toronto Blue Jays Cito Gaston

National League

TeamManagerNotes
Atlanta Braves Bobby Cox Won National League Pennant
Chicago Cubs Jim Riggleman
Cincinnati Reds Ray Knight
Colorado Rockies Don Baylor
Florida Marlins Rene Lachemann, Cookie Rojas, John Boles
Houston Astros Terry Collins
Los Angeles Dodgers Tommy Lasorda, Bill Russell
Montreal Expos Felipe Alou
New York Mets Dallas Green, Bobby Valentine
Philadelphia Phillies Jim Fregosi
Pittsburgh Pirates Jim Leyland
St. Louis Cardinals Tony La Russa
San Diego Padres Bruce Bochy
San Francisco Giants Dusty Baker

Home field attendance and payroll

Team nameWinsHome attendancePer gameEst. payroll
Colorado Rockies [4] 837.8%3,891,01414.8%48,037$40,324,82318.1%
Baltimore Orioles [5] 8823.9%3,646,95017.7%44,475$54,599,31524.3%
Cleveland Indians [6] 99−1.0%3,318,17416.7%41,477$48,216,36026.7%
Los Angeles Dodgers [7] 9015.4%3,188,45415.3%39,364$35,355,000−10.0%
Atlanta Braves [8] 966.7%2,901,24213.2%35,818$49,698,5005.2%
Texas Rangers [9] 9021.6%2,889,02045.5%35,667$39,041,52812.9%
Seattle Mariners [10] 857.6%2,723,85065.8%33,628$41,328,50113.3%
St. Louis Cardinals [11] 8841.9%2,654,71851.1%32,774$40,269,6678.5%
Toronto Blue Jays [12] 7432.1%2,559,573−9.4%31,600$30,555,083−39.6%
Boston Red Sox [13] 85−1.2%2,315,2317.0%28,583$42,393,50030.6%
New York Yankees [14] 9216.5%2,250,87732.0%28,136$54,191,79210.9%
Chicago Cubs [15] 764.1%2,219,11015.7%27,396$33,081,00012.1%
San Diego Padres [16] 9130.0%2,187,886110.0%27,011$28,348,1727.5%
Houston Astros [17] 827.9%1,975,88844.9%24,394$28,487,000−16.6%
Cincinnati Reds [18] 81−4.7%1,861,4281.3%22,981$42,526,334−1.4%
California Angels [19] 70−10.3%1,820,5214.1%22,476$28,847,000−7.6%
Philadelphia Phillies [20] 67−2.9%1,801,677−11.8%22,243$34,314,50012.3%
Florida Marlins [21] 8019.4%1,746,7672.7%21,565$31,132,00027.0%
Chicago White Sox [22] 8525.0%1,676,4034.1%20,696$45,289,500−3.6%
Montreal Expos [23] 8833.3%1,616,70923.4%19,959$16,264,50030.4%
New York Mets [24] 712.9%1,588,32324.8%19,609$24,479,500−11.5%
Minnesota Twins [25] 7839.3%1,437,35235.9%17,529$23,117,000−9.0%
Kansas City Royals [26] 757.1%1,435,99716.4%17,950$20,281,250−31.3%
San Francisco Giants [27] 681.5%1,413,92213.9%17,243$37,144,7251.9%
Pittsburgh Pirates [28] 7325.9%1,332,15047.1%16,652$23,017,50025.4%
Milwaukee Brewers [29] 8023.1%1,327,15522.0%16,385$21,730,00022.1%
Detroit Tigers [30] 53−11.7%1,168,610−1.0%14,427$23,438,000−36.7%
Oakland Athletics [31] 7816.4%1,148,380−2.2%14,178$21,243,000−43.7%

Television coverage

This was the first season under new five-year rights agreements with ESPN, Fox, and NBC. ESPN continued to air Sunday Night Baseball and Wednesday Night Baseball . Fox basically reinstated the Saturday afternoon Game of the Week with its own Fox Saturday Baseball broadcasts, initially offering up to four regionalized telecasts per week. NBC declined to broadcast any regular season games, and instead agreed to a limited deal in which the network aired the All-Star Game and the American League Championship Series in even-numbered years, the World Series and National League Championship Series in odd-numbered years, and three Division Series games in each of these five years. Fox handled the All-Star Game and the American League Championship Series in odd-numbered years, the World Series and National League Championship Series in even-numbered years, and five Division Series games each year. ESPN then aired any Division Series games not picked up by either Fox or NBC.

NetworkDay of weekAnnouncers
ESPN Sunday nights
Wednesday nights
Jon Miller, Joe Morgan
Fox Saturday afternoons Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Thom Brennaman, Bob Brenly
NBC None [n1 1] Bob Costas, Joe Morgan, Bob Uecker

Events

January–June

July–December

Movies

Deaths

Notes

  1. 1 2 NBC did not broadcast any regular season games. They only broadcast the All-Star Game, three divisional playoff games in prime time, and the ALCS.

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  2. "1996 Major League Baseball Standard Batting".
  3. "1996 Major League Baseball Standard Pitching".
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