2008 in baseball

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The following are the baseball events of the year 2008 throughout the world.  

This year in baseball

2000s

2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005
2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000

1990s

1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996 • 1995
1994 • 1993 • 1992 • 1991 • 1990

1980s

1989 • 1988 • 1987 • 1986 • 1985
1984 • 1983 • 1982 • 1981 • 1980

1970s

1979 • 1978 • 1977 • 1976 • 1975
1974 • 1973 • 1972 • 1971 • 1970

1960s

1969 • 1968 • 1967 • 1966 • 1965
1964 • 1963 • 1962 • 1961 • 1960

1950s

1959 • 1958 • 1957 • 1956 • 1955
1954 • 1953 • 1952 • 1951 • 1950

1940s

1949 • 1948 • 1947 • 1946 • 1945
1944 • 1943 • 1942 • 1941 • 1940

1930s

1939 • 1938 • 1937 • 1936 • 1935
1934 • 1933 • 1932 • 1931 • 1930

1920s

1929 • 1928 • 1927 • 1926 • 1925
1924 • 1923 • 1922 • 1921 • 1920

1910s

1919 • 1918 • 1917 • 1916 • 1915
1914 • 1913 • 1912 • 1911 • 1910

1900s

1909 • 1908 • 1907 • 1906 • 1905
1904 • 1903 • 1902 • 1901 • 1900

1890s

1899 • 1898 • 1897 • 1896 • 1895
1894 • 1893 • 1892 • 1891 • 1890

1880s

1889 • 1888 • 1887 • 1886 • 1885
1884 • 1883 • 1882 • 1881 • 1880

1870s

1879 • 1878 • 1877 • 1876 • 1875
1874 • 1873 • 1872 • 1871 • 1870

Early Years

1845-1868 • 1869
See also
Sources

Contents

[edit] Calendar

[edit] Major League Baseball

Main article: 2008 Major League Baseball season

Regular season

Postseason

[edit] Minor League Baseball

Regular season

Postseason

[edit] Other

[edit] Champions

[edit] Awards and honors

[edit] Events

[edit] March

[edit] April

  • April 2 - With his 194th consecutive game without an error, Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis surpasses Steve Garvey's major league record (set from 1983 to 1985) for an errorless streak at first base; the streak began on July 5, 2006. He is given the first base bag from the game against the Athletics.
  • April 8:
    • Chase Utley of the Phillies ties a major league record by being hit by pitches three times in a 5-2 win over the Mets.
    • Placido Polanco's record streaks of 186 games and 911 chances at second base without an error come to an end with a throwing error in the third inning of the Tigers' 5-0 loss to the Red Sox; his last error was on July 1, 2006.
  • April 9 - Ivan Rodriguez becomes the first catcher in major league history to collect 2,500 hits, reaching the milestone with a single in the eighth inning of the Tigers' 7-2 win over the Red Sox.
  • April 11 - The Florida Marlins set a team record by hitting six home runs in their 10-6 win over the Astros.
  • April 12 - The home run ball which Barry Bonds hit for his record 762nd (and possibly final) home run is auctioned for $376,612 to an anonymous bidder.
  • April 13 - Joe Crede and Paul Konerko both hit grand slams as the White Sox beat the Tigers 11-0.
  • April 15 - José López becomes the 12th player in major league history to collect three sacrifice flies in one game, in the Mariners' 11-6 win over the Royals.
  • April 17:
    • At Petco Park, the Colorado Rockies defeat the San Diego Padres 2-1 in 22 innings, in a game that lasts 6 hours 16 minutes and ends at 1:21 am after Troy Tulowitzki's RBI double with two out in the top of the inning drives in an unearned run. Inning-wise, the game is the longest in the majors since another 22-inning contest on August 21, 1993, the longest in the history of both teams and the longest in Petco Park's 5-year history.
    • Chipper Jones, Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann hit consecutive home runs in the fifth inning of the Braves' 8-0 win over the Marlins.
  • April 21 - Chase Utley ties a Phillies record by homering in his fifth consecutive game.
  • April 22 - John Smoltz becomes the 16th major league pitcher to record 3,000 strikeouts, retiring Nationals pitcher John Lannan in the third inning at Turner Field, but Lannan earns the victory as Washington wins 6-0.
  • April 23 - The Chicago Cubs become the second major league franchise to record 10,000 victories (joining the Giants), with a 7-6 win over the Rockies in 10 innings.
  • April 24 - A David Ortiz Red Sox jersey which was exhumed from the construction site of New Yankee Stadium eleven days earlier after a foiled jinx attempt is auctioned for $175,100, with the proceeds going to a Red Sox-affiliated charity.

[edit] May

  • May 6 - Gavin Floyd of the White Sox takes a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Twins before giving up a double to Joe Mauer with one out; Floyd and Bobby Jenks settle for a combined 7-1 one-hitter.
  • May 7:
  • May 10 - Greg Maddux of the Padres wins his 350th career game against the Rockies.
  • May 12 - Indians second baseman Asdrúbal Cabrera turns the 14th unassisted triple play in major league history in the second game of a doubleheader against the Blue Jays at Progressive Field. He makes a diving catch of Lyle Overbay's fifth-inning line drive for the first out, steps on second to double up Kevin Mench, then tags out Marco Scutaro, who had just passed second base. Ron Hansen, who accomplished the feat in 1968, is in attendance as a scout.
  • May 16 - Jayson Werth hits three home runs in the Phillies' 10-3 win over the Blue Jays, tying a team record with eight runs batted in.
  • May 18 - After tying the record the previous night, Ichiro Suzuki sets a Mariners record with his 291st stolen base for the team, breaking the mark held by Julio Cruz.
  • May 19 - Jon Lester of the Red Sox pitches a 7-0 no-hitter against the Royals. His first complete game in the majors, it is the fourth no-hitter by a Red Sox pitcher since 2001, the first by a Red Sox left-hander since Mel Parnell in 1956, the fourth ever by a left-hander at Fenway Park (the first since Parnell's), and only the second against the Royals (Nolan Ryan, 1973). It is also the fourth no-hitter Jason Varitek has caught, tying Ray Schalk's major league record; he also caught the Red Sox' three previous no-hitters: Hideo Nomo (2001), Derek Lowe (2002) and Clay Buchholz (2007).
  • May 20 - 12-time All-Star catcher Mike Piazza announces his retirement.
  • May 22 - J. D. Drew and Mike Lowell both hit grand slams in the Red Sox' 11-8 win over the Royals.
  • May 25 - Playing in both games of a doubleheader as the Giants are swept by the Marlins, Omar Vizquel breaks Luis Aparicio's record of 2,583 career games as a shortstop.
  • May 27:
    • In a 9-6 win over the Pirates, Adam Dunn hits a 3-run home run, his 252nd home run for the Reds, breaking Ted Kluszewski's team record for homers by a left-handed hitter.
    • In their 8-2 win over the White Sox, the Indians pull off the first triple steal in the major leagues since October 1, 1987. With the bases loaded in the sixth inning, pitcher Ehren Wasserman fakes a throw to third before throwing to first, catching Jamey Carroll in a rundown. First baseman Paul Konerko tries to gun down David Dellucci at the plate, but his throw to catcher Toby Hall is off target, allowing Dellucci to score and Carroll and Grady Sizemore to advance.
  • May 31 - At Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Manny Ramirez of the Red Sox becomes the 24th major leaguer to hit 500 home runs. His homer comes off Chad Bradford of the Orioles in the seventh inning of a 6-3 Red Sox victory.

[edit] June

[edit] Deaths

[edit] January-March

  • January 1 - Chuck Daniel, 74, pitcher for the 1957 Detroit Tigers, and the only major leaguer to come out of the University of the Ozarks
  • January 2 - Gerry Staley, 87, All-Star pitcher for six teams from 1947-1961 who won 19 games for the 1951 Cardinals and led AL in games as a reliever for the 1959 White Sox
  • January 2 - Richard J. Thompson, 52, baseball historian and author who was a SABR member for more than 25 years and authored the book The Ferrell Brothers of Baseball
  • January 4 - Bill Ramsey, 87, outfielder for the 1945 Boston Braves
  • January 8 - Steve Ridzik, 78, pitcher for five teams from 1950 to 1966
  • January 13 - Johnny Podres, 75, All-Star pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers who was MVP of the 1955 World Series and also pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers' 1959 and 1963 World Series champions; led NL in ERA, shutouts and winning percentage once each
  • January 14 - Don Cardwell, 72, pitcher for five NL teams who threw a no-hitter in his first start with the Cubs in 1960
  • January 17 - John McHale, 86, executive who served as general manager of the Tigers, Braves and Expos between 1957 and 1986; previously a reserve first baseman on Detroit's 1945 World Series champions
  • January 22 - Lance Clemons, 60, relief pitcher for the Royals, Cardinals and Red Sox from 1971 to 1974
  • January 24 - Art Frantz, 86, American League umpire from 1969 to 1977 who was crew chief for the 1975 World Series; also worked the 1972 and 1976 ALCS and 1974 All-Star Game
  • January 27 - Ken Hunt, 69, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds 1961 NL champions who won the TSN Rookie Pitcher Award in the same season
  • February 2 - Ed Vargo, 79, National League umpire from 1960 to 1983 who officiated in the World Series, NLCS and All-Star Game four times each
  • February 19 - Bob Howsam, 89, general manager of the Reds from 1967 to 1977 who built the "Big Red Machine" dynasty that won four NL pennants; previously general manager of the Cardinals, and owner of minor league teams in Denver
  • March 16 - Bob Purkey, 78, All-Star pitcher for the Reds who was 23-5 in 1962 after losing 3-2 in Game 3 of the 1961 World Series
  • March 21 - Roy Foster, 62, outfielder for the Indians from 1970 to 1972 who won the 1970 TSN Rookie of the Year Award
  • March 27 - Billy Consolo, 73, shortstop for five teams from 1953 to 1962 who later served as the Tigers dugout coach for 14 seasons

[edit] April-June

  • April 5 - Walt Masterson, 87, All-Star pitcher for the Senators and Red Sox from 1939 to 1953 who started the 1948 All-Star Game; baseball coach at George Mason University in 1980-81
  • April 8 - Hersh Lyons, 92, pitcher who appeared in one game for the 1941 Cardinals
  • April 14 - Tommy Holmes, 91, All-Star right fielder for the Boston Braves from 1942 to 1951 who hit .302 lifetime and set a modern NL record in 1945 with a 37-game hitting streak; later a New York Mets executive
  • April 19 - John Marzano, 45, backup catcher for the Red Sox and Mariners who played for division champions with both teams, batting .287 for the 1997 Mariners; member of the 1984 US Olympic team
  • April 27 - Art Johnson, 88, pitcher for the Boston Bees/Braves from 1940 to 1942
  • May 1 - Buzzie Bavasi, 93, general manager of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1951-68 who assembled teams that won eight NL pennants and the club's first four World Series titles; later the first GM of the San Diego Padres, and GM of the California Angels teams that won the club's first two division titles
  • May 20 - Herb Hash, 97, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox in 1940 and 1941
  • May 25 - Geremi González, 33, Venezuelan pitcher for five teams between 1997 and 2006 who led the Cubs with 11 wins as a rookie
  • June 10 - Eliot Asinof, 88, writer on baseball best known for his nonfiction book 8 Men Out about the 1919 Black Sox scandal

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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