:1989 Major League Baseball season

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}

{{MLBseason|year=1989}}

{{Infobox sports season

| title = 1989 MLB season

| league = Major League Baseball

| sport = Baseball

| duration = April 9 – October 28, 1989

| no_of_games = 162

| no_of_teams = 26

| TV = ABC, NBC

| draft = Draft

| draft_link = 1989 Major League Baseball draft

| top_pick = Ben McDonald

| top_pick_link = List of first overall MLB draft picks

| picked_by = Baltimore Orioles

| season = Regular season

| season_champs =

| MVP = NL: Kevin Mitchell (SF)
AL: Robin Yount (MIL)

| MVP_link = Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award

| playoffs = Postseason

| playoffs_link = 1989 Major League Baseball postseason

| conf1 = AL

| conf1_link = 1989 American League Championship Series

| conf1_champ = Oakland Athletics

| conf1_runner-up = Toronto Blue Jays

| conf2 = NL

| conf2_link = 1989 National League Championship Series

| conf2_champ = San Francisco Giants

| conf2_runner-up = Chicago Cubs

| finals = World Series

| finals_link = 1989 World Series

| finals_champ = Oakland Athletics

| finals_runner-up = San Francisco Giants

| World_Series_MVP = Dave Stewart (OAK)

| World_Series_MVP_link = World Series Most Valuable Player Award

| seasonslist = List of Major League Baseball seasons

| seasonslistnames = MLB

| prevseason_link = 1988 Major League Baseball season

| prevseason_year = 1988

| nextseason_link = 1990 Major League Baseball season

| nextseason_year = 1990

}}

{{MLB Team Maps (1989–1990)}}

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

The American League saw the Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays as the AL West and AL East division 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.{{cite book |title= Complete Book of 1990 Baseball Cards |last= |first= |year=1990 |publisher=Publications International, Ltd. |isbn= 0-88176-804-9|pages=12–13 |url= |access-date=}} The Blue Jays, powered by their offense, won their division title in the final weekend of the season. 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.

Awards and honors

{{further|1989 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting}}

class="wikitable"

|+

! colspan="3" |Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards

BBWAA Award

!National League

!American 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)

colspan="3" |Gold Glove Awards
Position

!National League

!American 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)

rowspan="3" |Outfielders

|Eric Davis (CIN)

|Gary Pettis (DET)

Tony Gwynn (SD)

|Kirby Puckett (MIN)

Andy Van Slyke (PIT)

|Devon White (CAL)

colspan="3" |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)

rowspan="3" |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=

class="wikitable"
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=

class="wikitable"
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

Standings

{{Flexbox wrap|start}}

=American League=

{{1989 AL East standings|highlight=Toronto Blue Jays}}{{1989 AL West standings|highlight=Oakland Athletics}}

{{Flexbox wrap|break}}

=National League=

{{1989 NL East standings|highlight=Chicago Cubs}}{{1989 NL West standings|highlight=San Francisco Giants}}

{{Flexbox wrap|end}}

Postseason

{{Main article|1989 Major League Baseball postseason}}

=Bracket=

{{4TeamBracket

| RD1=League Championship Series
(ALCS, NLCS)

| RD2=World Series

| RD1-seed1 = East | RD1-team1=Toronto

| RD1-seed2 = West | RD1-team2=Oakland

| RD1-score1 = 1 | RD1-score2=4

| RD1-seed3 = East | RD1-team3=Chicago Cubs

| RD1-seed4 = West | RD1-team4=San Francisco

| RD1-score3 = 1 | RD1-score4=4

| RD2-seed1 = AL | RD2-team1=Oakland

| RD2-seed2 = NL | RD2-team2=San Francisco

| RD2-score1 = 4 | RD2-score2=0

}}

Managers

=American League=

=National League=

Home field attendance and payroll

class="wikitable sortable"
style="text-align:center; font-size:larger;"
Team name

!Wins

!{{abbr|%±|Percent change}}

!Home attendance

!{{abbr|%±|Percent change}}

!{{abbr|Per game|Average home attendance per game}}

!Est. payroll

!{{abbr|%±|Percent change}}

Toronto Blue Jays{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TOR/attend.shtml|title=Toronto Blue Jays Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|89

|2.3%

|3,375,883

|30.1%

|41,678

|$16,586,666

|15.1%

St. Louis Cardinals{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/STL/attend.shtml|title=St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|86

|13.2%

|3,080,980

|6.5%

|37,120

|$16,078,833

|21.9%

Los Angeles Dodgers{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/attend.shtml|title=Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|77

| −18.1%

|2,944,653

| −1.2%

|36,354

|$21,071,562

|22.9%

New York Mets{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/attend.shtml|title=New York Mets Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|87

| −13.0%

|2,918,710

| −4.5%

|36,033

|$19,885,071

|29.1%

Oakland Athletics{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/OAK/attend.shtml|title=Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|99

| −4.8%

|2,667,225

|16.6%

|32,929

|$16,314,265

|53.1%

California Angels{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ANA/attend.shtml|title=Los Angeles Angels Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|91

|21.3%

|2,647,291

|13.1%

|32,683

|$15,097,833

|23.2%

Baltimore Orioles{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/attend.shtml|title=Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|87

|61.1%

|2,535,208

|52.7%

|31,299

|$10,916,401

| −24.1%

Boston Red Sox{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/attend.shtml|title=Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|83

| −6.7%

|2,510,012

|1.8%

|30,988

|$18,556,748

|26.3%

Chicago Cubs{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/attend.shtml|title=Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|93

|20.8%

|2,491,942

|19.3%

|30,765

|$11,918,000

| −14.6%

Kansas City Royals{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/attend.shtml|title=Kansas City Royals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|92

|9.5%

|2,477,700

|5.4%

|30,589

|$18,914,068

|27.4%

Minnesota Twins{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/attend.shtml|title=Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|80

| −12.1%

|2,277,438

| −24.9%

|28,117

|$16,806,666

|26.3%

New York Yankees{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/attend.shtml|title=New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|74

| −12.9%

|2,170,485

| −17.6%

|26,796

|$17,114,375

| −16.0%

San Francisco Giants{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/attend.shtml|title=San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|92

|10.8%

|2,059,701

|15.4%

|25,428

|$15,040,834

|17.3%

Texas Rangers{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TEX/attend.shtml|title=Texas Rangers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|83

|18.6%

|2,043,993

|29.2%

|25,234

|$11,893,781

|86.3%

San Diego Padres{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SDP/attend.shtml|title=San Diego Padres Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|89

|7.2%

|2,009,031

|33.3%

|24,803

|$15,295,000

|42.6%

Cincinnati Reds{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/attend.shtml|title=Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|75

| −13.8%

|1,979,320

| −4.5%

|24,436

|$11,717,000

|20.8%

Milwaukee Brewers{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIL/attend.shtml|title=Milwaukee Brewers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|81

| −6.9%

|1,970,735

|2.5%

|24,330

|$12,716,000

|33.8%

Philadelphia Phillies{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/attend.shtml|title=Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|67

|3.1%

|1,861,985

| −6.4%

|22,987

|$10,779,000

| −22.5%

Houston Astros{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/HOU/attend.shtml|title=Houston Astros Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|86

|4.9%

|1,834,908

| −5.1%

|22,377

|$15,579,500

|23.2%

Montreal Expos{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/WSN/attend.shtml|title=Washington Nationals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|81

|0.0%

|1,783,533

|20.6%

|22,019

|$13,807,389

|37.4%

Detroit Tigers{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/attend.shtml|title=Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|59

| −33.0%

|1,543,656

| −25.8%

|19,057

|$15,669,304

|16.7%

Pittsburgh Pirates{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PIT/attend.shtml|title=Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|74

| −12.9%

|1,374,141

| −26.4%

|16,965

|$13,992,500

|96.3%

Seattle Mariners{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SEA/attend.shtml|title=Seattle Mariners Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|73

|7.4%

|1,298,443

|27.0%

|16,030

|$10,099,500

|30.2%

Cleveland Indians{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CLE/attend.shtml|title=Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|73

| −6.4%

|1,285,542

| −8.9%

|15,871

|$9,894,500

|6.8%

Chicago White Sox{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHW/attend.shtml|title=Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|69

| −2.8%

|1,045,651

| −6.3%

|13,071

|$8,565,410

|0.3%

Atlanta Braves{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ATL/attend.shtml|title=Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|63

|16.7%

|984,930

|16.1%

|12,467

|$11,180,334

| −14.4%

Television coverage

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

class="wikitable"

! Network

Day 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

  • January 9 – Bill Terry, 90, Hall of Fame first baseman for the New York Giants who batted .341 lifetime and was the last National Leaguer to hit .400 (.401 in 1930); also managed Giants to 1933 World Series title
  • January 21 – Carl Furillo, 66, All-Star right fielder for the Dodgers who batted .300 five times and won 1953 batting title
  • January 22 – Willie Wells, 83, All-Star shortstop of the Negro leagues who combined batting power with excellent defense
  • January 23 – George Case, 73, All-Star outfielder for the Washington Senators who led the AL in stolen bases six times
  • February 17 – Lefty Gómez, 80, Hall of Fame pitcher for the New York Yankees who had four 20-win seasons and a .649 career winning percentage; led AL in strikeouts three times and in wins and ERA twice each, and was 6–0 in World Series
  • April 8 – Bus Saidt, 68, sportswriter who covered the Phillies, Mets and Yankees for the Trenton Times since 1967; previously a minor league broadcaster
  • April 16 – Jocko Conlan, 89, Hall of Fame umpire who worked in the National League from 1941 to 1964, including five World Series and six All-Star Games
  • May 17 – Specs Toporcer, 90, infielder for the Cardinals for eight seasons, and the first non-pitcher to wear eyeglasses; later a minor league manager
  • June 8 – Bibb Falk, 90, left fielder who batted .314 with White Sox and Indians; coached Texas to two College World Series titles
  • June 8 – Emil Verban, 73, All-Star second baseman for four NL teams who hit .412 in the 1944 World Series
  • June 15 – Judy Johnson, 89, Hall of Fame third baseman of the Negro leagues who became the major leagues' first black coach, and later a scout
  • July 18 – Donnie Moore, 35, All-Star relief pitcher who never overcame the disappointment from giving up a pivotal home run in the 1986 ALCS
  • August 17 – Fred Frankhouse, 85, All-Star pitcher for the Cardinals, Braves and Dodgers who ended Carl Hubbell's 24-game winning streak in 1937
  • August 30 – Joe Collins, 66, first baseman for the New York Yankees who hit four World Series homers
  • September 1 – A. Bartlett Giamatti, 51, commissioner of baseball since April, previously NL president since 1986, known for numerous writings on the sport as well as his banishment of Pete Rose

References

{{Reflist}}