:2004 Major League Baseball season
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{MLBseason|year=2004}}
{{Infobox sports season
| title = 2004 MLB season
| league = Major League Baseball
| sport = Baseball
| duration = March 30 – October 27, 2004
| no_of_games = 162
| no_of_teams = 30
| draft = Draft
| draft_link = 2004 Major League Baseball draft
| top_pick = Matt Bush
| top_pick_link = List of first overall MLB draft picks
| picked_by = San Diego Padres
| season = Regular Season
| season_champs =
| MVP = AL: Vladimir Guerrero (ANA)
NL: Barry Bonds (SF)
| MVP_link = Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award
| playoffs = Postseason
| playoffs_link = 2004 Major League Baseball postseason
| conf1 = AL
| conf1_link = 2004 American League Championship Series
| conf1_champ = Boston Red Sox
| conf1_runner-up = New York Yankees
| conf2 = NL
| conf2_link = 2004 National League Championship Series
| conf2_champ = St. Louis Cardinals
| conf2_runner-up = Houston Astros
| finals = World Series
| finals_link = 2004 World Series
| finals_champ = Boston Red Sox
| finals_runner-up = St. Louis Cardinals
| World_Series_MVP = Manny Ramirez (BOS)
| World_Series_MVP_link = World Series MVP Award
| seasonslist = List of Major League Baseball seasons
| seasonslistnames = MLB
| prevseason_link = 2003 Major League Baseball season
| prevseason_year = 2003
| nextseason_link = 2005 Major League Baseball season
| nextseason_year = 2005
}}
{{MLB Team Maps (2004)}}
The 2004 Major League Baseball season ended when the Boston Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in a four-game World Series sweep. The Red Sox championship ended an 86-year-long drought known as the Curse of the Bambino. The Red Sox were also the first team in MLB history and the third team from a major North American professional sports league ever to come back from a 3–0 postseason series deficit and win. This happened in the ALCS against the New York Yankees.
The Montreal Expos would play their last season in Montreal, before relocating to Washington DC, becoming the Washington Nationals in 2005.
Statistical leaders
| class="wikitable" | ||||
| Statistic
! colspan=2 | American League ! colspan=2 | National League | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVG | Ichiro Suzuki SEA | .372 | Barry Bonds SF | .362 |
| HR | Manny Ramírez BOS | 43 | Adrián Beltré LA | 48 |
| RBI | Miguel Tejada BAL | 150 | Vinny Castilla COL | 131 |
| Wins | Curt Schilling BOS | 21 | Roy Oswalt HOU | 20 |
| ERA | Johan Santana MIN | 2.61 | Jake Peavy SD | 2.27 |
| SO | Johan Santana MIN | 265 | Randy Johnson AZ | 290 |
| SV | Mariano Rivera NYY | 53 | Armando Benítez FLA Jason Isringhausen STL | 47 |
| SB | Carl Crawford TB | 59 | Scott Podsednik MIL | 70 |
Standings
{{Flexbox wrap|start}}
=American League=
{{2004 AL East standings|highlight=New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox|seeds=1:New York Yankees, 4:Boston Red Sox}}{{2004 AL Central standings|highlight=Minnesota Twins|seeds=3:Minnesota Twins}}{{2004 AL West standings|highlight=Anaheim Angels|seeds=2:Anaheim Angels}}
{{Flexbox wrap|break}}
=National League=
{{2004 NL East standings|highlight=Atlanta Braves|seeds=2:Atlanta Braves}}{{2004 NL Central standings|highlight=St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros|seeds=1:St. Louis Cardinals, 4:Houston Astros}}{{2004 NL West standings|highlight=Los Angeles Dodgers|seeds=3:Los Angeles Dodgers}}
{{Flexbox wrap|end}}
Postseason
{{Main article|2004 Major League Baseball postseason}}
2004 was the last postseason until 2020 where both LCS went to 7 games.
=Bracket=
{{8TeamBracket
| RD1=Division Series
(ALDS, NLDS)
| RD2=League Championship Series
(NLCS, ALCS)
| RD3=World Series
| RD1-group1 = American League
| RD1-group2 = National League
| score-width=30
| team-width=160
| RD1-seed1=1
| RD1-team1=NY Yankees
| RD1-score1=3
| RD1-seed2=3
| RD1-team2=Minnesota
| RD1-score2=1
| RD1-seed3=2
| RD1-team3=Anaheim
| RD1-score3=0
| RD1-seed4=4
| RD1-team4=Boston
| RD1-score4=3
| RD1-seed5=1
| RD1-team5=St. Louis
| RD1-score5=3
| RD1-seed6=3
| RD1-team6=Los Angeles
| RD1-score6=1
| RD1-seed7=2
| RD1-team7=Atlanta
| RD1-score7=2
| RD1-seed8=4
| RD1-team8=Houston
| RD1-score8=3
| RD2-seed1=1
| RD2-team1=NY Yankees
| RD2-score1=3
| RD2-seed2=4
| RD2-team2=Boston
| RD2-score2=4
| RD2-seed3=1
| RD2-team3=St. Louis
| RD2-score3=4
| RD2-seed4=4
| RD2-team4=Houston
| RD2-score4=3
| RD3-seed1=AL4
| RD3-team1=Boston
| RD3-score1=4
| RD3-seed2=NL1
| RD3-team2=St. Louis
| RD3-score2=0
}}
Note: Two teams in the same division could not meet in the division series.
Managers
=[[American League]]=
| class="wikitable" |
| Team
! Manager ! Comments |
|---|
| Anaheim Angels
| |
| Baltimore Orioles
| |
| Boston Red Sox
|Won the World Series |
| Chicago White Sox
| |
| Cleveland Indians
| |
| Detroit Tigers
| |
| Kansas City Royals
| |
| Minnesota Twins
| |
| New York Yankees
| |
| Oakland Athletics
| |
| Seattle Mariners
| |
| Tampa Bay Devil Rays
| |
| Texas Rangers
| |
| Toronto Blue Jays
| |
=[[National League (baseball)|National League]]=
| class="wikitable" |
| Team
! Manager ! Comments |
|---|
| Arizona Diamondbacks
|Replaced during the season by Al Pedrique |
| Atlanta Braves
| |
| Chicago Cubs
| |
| Cincinnati Reds
| |
| Colorado Rockies
| |
| Florida Marlins
| |
| Houston Astros±
|Replaced during the season by Phil Garner |
| Los Angeles Dodgers
| |
| Milwaukee Brewers
| |
| Montreal Expos
| |
| New York Mets
| |
| Philadelphia Phillies
| |
| Pittsburgh Pirates
| |
| St. Louis Cardinals
|Won the National League pennant |
| San Diego Padres
| |
| San Francisco Giants
| |
±hosted the MLB All Star Game
Milestones
The following players reached major milestones in 2004:
=Perfect game=
Randy Johnson pitched the 17th perfect game in MLB history on May 18, 2004.
=4000 strikeouts=
Randy Johnson struck out Jeff Cirillo on June 29, 2004, for his 4000th strikeout.
=500 Home Run Club=
Ken Griffey Jr. – June 20
=300 Wins Club=
Greg Maddux – August 7, 2004
=Single-Season hits record broken=
Ichiro Suzuki – 262 hits (broke George Sisler's 84-year-old record of 257)
=Walk-off home runs=
There were a total of 80 walk-off home runs, which was then the MLB single-season record until 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-sets-single-season-walk-off-homer-record/c-292484692|title=There's a new MLB walk-off home run record|website=MLB.com }}
Awards
=Other awards=
- Edgar Martínez Award (Best designated hitter): David Ortiz (BOS)
- Hank Aaron Award: Manny Ramirez (BOS, American); Barry Bonds (SF, National).
- Roberto Clemente Award (Humanitarian): Edgar Martínez (SEA).
- Rolaids Relief Man Award: Mariano Rivera (NYY, American); Éric Gagné (LA, National).
- Warren Spahn Award (Best left-handed pitcher): Johan Santana (MIN)
=Player of the Month=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| Month | American League | National League |
|---|---|---|
| April | ||
| May
| Melvin Mora || Lance Berkman | ||
| June
| Iván Rodríguez || Jim Thome | ||
| July
| Mark Teixeira || Jim Edmonds | ||
| August
| Ichiro Suzuki || Barry Bonds | ||
| September |
=Pitcher of the Month=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| Month | American League | National League |
|---|---|---|
| April
| Kevin Brown || Roger Clemens | ||
| May | ||
| June
| Mark Mulder || Carl Pavano | ||
| July
| Johan Santana || Russ Ortiz | ||
| August
| Johan Santana || Jake Peavy | ||
| September |
=Rookie of the Month=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| Month | American League | National League |
|---|---|---|
| April | ||
| May | ||
| June
| Bobby Crosby || Jason Bay | ||
| July
| Robb Quinlan || Jason Bay | ||
| August | ||
| September
| Ross Gload || Jason Bay |
Home field attendance and payroll
Television coverage
This was the fourth season that national television coverage was split between ESPN and Fox Sports. ESPN and ESPN2 aired selected weeknight and Sunday night games, and selected Division Series playoff games. Fox televised Saturday baseball, the All-Star Game, selected Division Series games, both League Championship Series, and the World Series.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2004-schedule.shtml 2004 Major League Baseball season schedule at Baseball Reference]
{{2004 MLB season by team}}
{{MLB seasons}}
{{2004 MLB Playoffs navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2004 Major League Baseball Season}}