League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award
American League winners
Table:
Year

Player

Team

Position

Selected statistics

Ref

1980

Frank White

Kansas City Royals

Second baseman

.545 batting average

1 home run

3 runs batted in

[18]

1981

Graig Nettles

New York Yankees

Third baseman

.500 batting average

3 extra-base hits

9 runs batted in

[19]

1982

Fred Lynn

California Angels§

Outfielder

.611 batting average

11 hits

5 runs batted in

[20]

1983

Mike Boddicker

Baltimore Orioles

Starting pitcher

1–0 record over 1 start; 1 shutout

9 scoreless innings pitched

14 strikeouts

[21]

1984

Kirk Gibson

Detroit Tigers

Outfielder

.417 batting average

1 home run

2 runs batted in

[22]

1985

George Brett†

Kansas City Royals

Third baseman

.348 batting average

3 home runs

5 runs batted in

[23]

1986

Marty Barrett

Boston Red Sox

Second baseman

.367 batting average

11 hits

5 runs batted in

[24]

1987

Gary Gaetti

Minnesota Twins

Third baseman

.300 batting average

2 home runs

5 runs batted in

[25]

1988

Dennis Eckersley†

Oakland Athletics

Relief pitcher

4 saves over 4 appearances

6 scoreless innings pitched

5 strikeouts

[26]

1989

Rickey Henderson†

Oakland Athletics

Outfielder

.400 batting average

2 home runs

8 stolen bases

[27]

1990

Dave Stewart

Oakland Athletics

Starting pitcher

2–0 record over 2 games started

2 runs allowed over 16 innings

0.63 WHIP

[28]

1991

Kirby Puckett†

Minnesota Twins

Outfielder

.429 batting average

2 home runs

5 runs batted in

[29]

1992

Roberto Alomar†

Toronto Blue Jays

Second baseman

.423 batting average

2 home runs

4 runs batted in

[30]

1993

Dave Stewart (2)

Toronto Blue Jays

Starting pitcher

2–0 record over 2 games started

3 runs allowed over 13 1⁄3 innings

8 strikeouts

[31]

1994

—

—

—

Series cancelled due to player's strike

[32]

1995

Orel Hershiser (2)

Cleveland Indians

Starting pitcher

2–0 record over 2 games started

2 earned runs allowed over 14 innings

15 strikeouts

[33]

1996

Bernie Williams

New York Yankees

Outfielder

.474 batting average

2 home runs

6 runs batted in

[34]

1997

Marquis Grissom

Cleveland Indians

Outfielder

Game-winning home run in 8th inning of Game 2

6 hits

3 stolen bases

[35]

1998

David Wells

New York Yankees

Starting pitcher

2–0 record over 2 games started

5 runs allowed over 15 2⁄3 innings

18 strikeouts

[36]

1999

Orlando Hernández

New York Yankees

Starting pitcher

1–0 record over 2 games started

3 earned runs allowed over 15 innings

13 strikeouts

[37]

Taking into account the accompanying table and the background passages listed.

Give the answer to the question: What County is a team based in that had the first player to win MLB 's Rookie of the Year Award and Most Valuable Player Award in the same year ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Base your answer solely on the given information.

The 1980 American League Championship Series featured the Kansas City Royals facing the team that had defeated them three straight years in the ALCS from 1976-78 , the New York Yankees .
Frank White Jr. ( born September 4 , 1950 ) is an American politician and former professional baseball player , who spent 18 years with the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) . After his playing career , he has worked as a professional baseball coach and sports commentator , and has been elected to public office in Jackson County , Missouri .
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City , Missouri . They compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member team of the American League ( AL ) Central division . The team was founded as an expansion franchise in 1969 , and has participated in four World Series , winning in 1985 and 2015 , and losing in 1980 and 2014 . The name Royals pays homage to the American Royal , a livestock show , horse show , rodeo , and championship barbeque competition held annually in Kansas City since 1899 as well as the identical names of two former negro league baseball teams that played in the first half of the 20th century ( one a semi-pro team based in Kansas City in the 1910s and 1920s that toured the Midwest and a California Winter League team based in Los Angeles in the 1940s that was managed by Chet Brewer and included Satchel Paige and Jackie Robinson on its roster ) . The Los Angeles team had personnel connections to the Monarchs but could not use the Monarchs name . The name also fits into something of a theme for other professional sports franchises in the city , including the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL , the former Kansas City Kings of the NBA , and the former Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro National League . In 1968 , the team held a name-the-team contest that received more than 17,000 entries . Sanford Porte , a bridge engineer from the suburb of Overland Park , Kansas was named the winner for his Royals entry . His reason had nothing to do with royalty . Kansas Citys new baseball team should be called the Royals because of Missouris billion-dollar livestock income , Kansas Citys position as the nations leading stocker and feeder market and the nationally known American Royal parade and pageant , Porte wrote . The team 's board voted 6-1 on the name , with the only opposition coming from team owner Ewing Kauffman , who eventually changed his vote and said the name had grown on him . Entering the American League in 1969 along with the Seattle Pilots , the club was founded by Kansas City businessman Ewing Kauffman .
In baseball and softball , second baseman is a fielding position in the infield , between second and first base . The second baseman often possesses quick hands and feet , needs the ability to get rid of the ball quickly , and must be able to make the pivot on a double play . In addition , second basemen are usually right-handed ; only four left-handed throwing players have ever played second base in Major League Baseball since 1950 . In the numbering system used to record defensive plays , the second baseman is assigned the number 4 . Good second basemen need to have very good range since they have to field balls closer to the first baseman who is often holding runners on , or moving towards the base to cover . On a batted ball to right field , the second baseman goes out towards the ball for the relay . Due to these requirements , second base is sometimes a primarily defensive position in the modern game , but there are hitting stars as well .
In baseball , the batting average ( BA ) is the number of hits divided by at bats . It is usually rounded to three decimal places and read without the decimal : A player with a batting average of .300 is batting three-hundred . If necessary to break ties , batting averages could be taken beyond the .001 measurement . In this context , .001 is considered a point , such that a .235 batter is 5 points higher than a .230 batter .
In baseball , a home run ( abbreviated HR ) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process . In modern baseball , the feat is typically achieved by hitting the ball over the outfield fence between the foul poles ( or making contact with either foul pole ) without first touching the ground , resulting in an automatic home run . There is also the inside-the-park home run where the batter reaches home safely while the baseball is in play on the field . A home run with a high exit velocity and good launch angle is sometimes called a no-doubter , because it leaves no doubt that it is going to leave the park when it leaves the bat . When a home run is scored , the batter is also credited with a hit and a run scored , and an RBI for each runner that scores , including himself . Likewise , the pitcher is recorded as having given up a hit and a run , with additional runs charged for each runner that scores other than the batter . Home runs are among the most popular aspects of baseball and , as a result , prolific home run hitters are usually the most popular among fans and consequently the highest paid by teams - hence the old saying , Home run hitters drive Cadillacs , and singles hitters drive Fords ( coined , circa 1948 , by veteran pitcher Fritz Ostermueller , by way of mentoring his young teammate , Ralph Kiner ) .
A run batted in ( RBI ) , plural runs batted in ( RBI or RBIs ) , is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored ( except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play ) . For example , if the batter bats a base hit , then another player on a higher base can head home to score a run , and the batter gets credited with batting in that run . Before the 1920 Major League Baseball season , runs batted in were not an official baseball statistic . Nevertheless , the RBI statistic was tabulated - unofficially - from 1907 through 1919 by baseball writer Ernie Lanigan , according to the Society for American Baseball Research . Common nicknames for an RBI include ribby ( or ribbie ) , rib , and ribeye . The plural of RBI is generally RBIs , although some commentators use RBI as both singular and plural , as it can also stand for runs batted in .
The 1981 American League Championship Series was a best-of-five series between the New York Yankees and the Oakland Athletics .
Graig Nettles ( born August 20 , 1944 ) , nicknamed Puff , is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman . During a 22-year baseball career , he played for the Minnesota Twins ( 1967-1969 ) , Cleveland Indians ( 1970-1972 ) , New York Yankees ( 1973-1983 ) , San Diego Padres ( 1984-1986 ) , Atlanta Braves ( 1987 ) , and Montreal Expos ( 1988 ) . Nettles was one of the best defensive third basemen of all time , and despite his relatively low career batting average , he was an excellent offensive contributor , setting an American League record for career home runs by a third baseman . As a part of four pennant-winning Yankee teams , Nettles enjoyed his best season in 1977 when he won the Gold Glove Award and had career-highs in home runs ( 37 ) and runs batted in ( 107 ) in leading the Yankees to the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers .
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx . They compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) East division . They are one of two major league clubs based in New York City , the other being the National League 's ( NL ) New York Mets . The Yankees began play in the 1901 season as the Baltimore Orioles ( no relation to the modern Baltimore Orioles ) . In 1903 , Frank Farrell and Bill Devery purchased the franchise after it ceased operations and moved it to New York City , renaming the club the New York Highlanders . The Highlanders were officially renamed the New York Yankees in 1913 . The team is owned by Yankee Global Enterprises , an LLC that is controlled by the family of the late George Steinbrenner , who purchased the team in 1973 . Brian Cashman is the team 's general manager , and Aaron Boone is the team 's field manager . The team 's home games were played at the original Yankee Stadium from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008 . In 1974 and 1975 , the Yankees shared Shea Stadium with the Mets , in addition to the New York Jets and the New York Giants . In 2009 , they moved into a new ballpark of the same name that was constructed adjacent to the previous facility , which was closed and demolished . The team is perennially among the leaders in MLB attendance .
A third baseman , abbreviated 3B , is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base - the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run . In the scoring system used to record defensive plays , the third baseman is assigned the number ' 5 ' . The third baseman requires good reflexes in reacting to batted balls , as he is often the closest infielder ( roughly 90-120 feet ) to the batter . The third base position requires a strong and accurate arm , as the third baseman often makes long throws to first base . The third baseman sometimes must throw quickly to second base in time to start a double play . The third baseman must also field fly balls in fair and foul territory . Third base is known as the hot corner , because the third baseman is relatively close to the batter and most right-handed hitters tend to hit the ball hard in this direction . A third baseman must possess good hand-eye coordination and quick reactions in order to catch hard line drives sometimes in excess of 125 miles per hour ( 201 km/h ) . Third basemen often must begin in a position even closer to the batter if a bunt is expected , creating a hazard if the ball is instead hit sharply . As with middle infielders , right-handed throwing players are standard at the position because they do not need to turn their body before throwing across the infield to first base . Mike Squires , who played fourteen games at third base in 1982 and 1983 , is a very rare example of a third baseman who threw lefty . Some third basemen have been converted from middle infielders or outfielders because the position does not require them to run as fast .
In baseball , an extra-base hit ( EB , EBH or XBH ) , also known as a long hit , is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner ( see fielder 's choice ) . Extra-base hits are often not listed separately in tables of baseball statistics , but are easily determined by calculating the sum total of a batter 's doubles , triples , and home runs . Another related statistic of interest that can be calculated is extra bases on long hits . A batter gets three of these for each home run , two for each triple , and one for each double . Thus , leading the league in Most extra bases in long hits is a significant accomplishment in power hitting . The statistic Extra-Base Hits Allowed ( for example by a pitcher or by the fielding team in general ) is denoted by the abbreviation XBA .
The 1982 American League Championship Series was played between the Milwaukee Brewers and the California Angels from October 5 to 10 , 1982 . Milwaukee won the series three games to two to advance to the franchise 's first World Series , where they would lose to the St. Louis Cardinals , four games to three . The 1982 ALCS was marked by a dramatic comeback by the Brewers , who lost the first two games of the series and were trailing late in the final game . This is also the first of only two Championship Series between Milwaukee and a Los Angeles team , the other being 2018 . The series was noteworthy as being the first to feature a matchup between two expansion teams ( i.e. , franchises not included among the sixteen operating in the major leagues for most of the first half of the twentieth century ) , for featuring two teams that had never before won a pennant , and for being the first time a team came from a 2-0 deficit to win the series . This was the first ALCS not to feature the Athletics , Orioles , or Yankees .
Fredric Michael Lynn ( born February 3 , 1952 ) is an American former professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) from 1974 through 1990 as a center fielder with the Boston Red Sox , California Angels , Baltimore Orioles , Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres . He was the first player to win MLB 's Rookie of the Year Award and Most Valuable Player Award in the same year , which he accomplished in 1975 with the Red Sox . Lynn was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2002 and to the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007 .
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the city of Anaheim , California , part of Orange County and the Los Angeles metropolitan area . They compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) West division . The Angels have played home games at Angel Stadium since 1966 . The current MLB franchise was established as one of the league 's first two expansion teams in 1961 by Gene Autry , the team 's first owner . Autry was a famous singing cowboy actor in a series of films in the 1930s to 1950s , and later was the subject of the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum . The Angels name was taken by Autry in tribute to the previous original Los Angeles Angels , a Minor League franchise in the Pacific Coast League ( PCL ) , which played in South Central Los Angeles from 1903 to 1957 . He bought the rights to the Angels name from Walter O'Malley , the then-Los Angeles Dodgers owner , who acquired the PCL franchise from Philip K. Wrigley , also the owner of the parent Chicago Cubs at the time , as part of the Dodgers ' move to Southern California .
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball , farthest from the batter . These defenders are the left fielder , the center fielder , and the right fielder . As an outfielder , their duty is to catch fly balls and/ ground balls then to return them to the infield for the out or before the runner advances , if there is any runners on the bases . As an outfielder , they normally play behind the six players located in the field . By convention , each of the nine defensive positions in baseball is numbered . The outfield positions are 7 ( left field ) , 8 ( center field ) and 9 ( right field ) . These numbers are shorthand designations useful in baseball scorekeeping and are not necessarily the same as the squad numbers worn on player uniforms . Outfielders named to the MLB All-Century Team are Hank Aaron , Ty Cobb , Joe DiMaggio , Mickey Mantle , Willie Mays , Stan Musial , Pete Rose , Babe Ruth , Ted Williams and Ken Griffey Jr .
In baseball statistics , a hit ( denoted by H ) , also called a base hit , is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory , without the benefit of an error or a fielder 's choice .
The 1983 American League Championship Series was played between the Chicago White Sox and the Baltimore Orioles from October 5 to 8 . The Orioles won the series three games to one . Although the White Sox took Game 1 by a score of 2-1 , the Orioles came back to win the last three games of the series . The Orioles went on to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in five games in the 1983 World Series . In the regular season the White Sox won the West Division by twenty games with a 99-63 record . The Orioles won the East Division by six games with a 98-64 record .
Michael James Boddicker ( born August 23 , 1957 ) is an American right-handed former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles ( 1980-1988 ) , Boston Red Sox ( 1988-1990 ) , Kansas City Royals ( 1991-1992 ) , and Milwaukee Brewers ( 1993 ) . He was the ALCS MVP in 1983 and was an American League All-Star in 1984 .
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore , Maryland . They compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) East division . As one of the American League 's eight charter teams in 1901 , this particular franchise spent its first year as a major league club in Milwaukee , Wisconsin , as the Milwaukee Brewers before moving to St. Louis , Missouri , to become the St. Louis Browns in 1902 . After 52 years in St. Louis , the franchise was purchased in November 1953 by a syndicate of Baltimore business and civic interests led by attorney and civic activist Clarence Miles and Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro , Jr . The team 's current owner is American trial lawyer Peter Angelos . The Orioles adopted their team name in honor of the official state bird of Maryland ; it had also been used by several previous major and minor league baseball clubs in Baltimore , including another AL charter member franchise also named the Baltimore Orioles , which moved north in 1903 to eventually become the New York Yankees . Nicknames for the team include the O 's and the Birds . The Orioles experienced their greatest success from 1966 to 1983 , when they made six World Series appearances , winning three of them ( 1966 , 1970 , 1983 ) . This era of the club featured several future Hall of Famers who would later be inducted representing the Orioles , such as third baseman Brooks Robinson , outfielder Frank Robinson , starting pitcher Jim Palmer , first baseman Eddie Murray , shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. , and manager Earl Weaver . The Orioles have won a total of nine division championships ( 1969-1971 , 1973-1974 , 1979 , 1983 , 1997 , 2014 ) , six pennants ( 1966 , 1969-1971 , 1979 , 1983 ) , and three wild card berths ( 1996 , 2012 , 2016 ) . Since moving to Baltimore in 1954 , the franchise has a win-loss record of 5306-5174 ( with a winning percentage of .506 ) as of the end of the 2019 season . After suffering a stretch of 14 straight losing seasons from 1998 to 2011 , the team qualified for the postseason three times under manager Buck Showalter and general manager Dan Duquette , including a division title and advancement to the American League Championship Series for the first time in 17 years in 2014 .
In baseball ( hardball or softball ) , a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team . A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent 's first batter of a game . Starting pitchers are expected to pitch for a significant portion of the game , although their ability to do this depends on many factors , including effectiveness , stamina , health , and strategy . A starting pitcher in professional baseball usually rests three , four , or five days after pitching a game before pitching another . Therefore , most professional baseball teams have four , five or six starting pitchers on their rosters . These pitchers , and the sequence in which they pitch , is known as the rotation . In modern baseball , a five-man rotation is most common . In contrast , a pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher . Occasionally , an opening pitcher is used for only a few innings , and is replaced by a long reliever or a pitcher who would typically be a starting pitcher .
In baseball and softball , a pitcher 's win-loss record ( also referred to simply as their record ) indicates the number of wins ( denoted W ) and losses ( denoted L ) they have been credited with . For example , a 20-10 win-loss record would represent 20 wins and 10 losses . In each game , one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win ( the winning pitcher ) and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss ( the losing pitcher ) in their respective statistics . These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record . The designation of win or loss for a pitcher is known as a decision , and only one pitcher for each team receives a decision . A starting pitcher who does not receive credit for a win or loss is said to have no decision . In certain situations , another pitcher on the winning team who pitched in relief of the winning pitcher can be credited with a save , and holds can be awarded to relief pitchers on both sides , but these are never awarded to the same pitcher who is awarded the win . The decisions are awarded by the official scorer of the game in accordance with the league 's rules . The official scorer does not assign a winning or losing pitcher in some games which are forfeited , such as those that are tied at the time of forfeiture . If the game is tied ( a rare event ) , no pitcher is awarded any decision . A pitcher 's winning percentage is calculated by dividing the number of wins by the number of decisions ( wins plus losses ) , and it is commonly expressed with three decimal places .
In baseball statistics , games started ( denoted by GS ) indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team . A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he throws the first pitch to the first opposing batter . If a player is listed in the starting lineup as the team 's pitcher , but is replaced before facing an opposing batter , the player is credited with a game pitched but not a game started ; there have been instances in major league history in which a starting pitcher was removed before his first pitch due to an injury , perhaps suffered while batting or running the bases during the top half of the first inning . The all-time leader for games started is Cy Young with 815 over a 22-year career . The players with the most starts in a single season are Pud Galvin and Will White , each with 75 games started . For position players , games started is also used to denote the number of times their names appear in a team 's starting lineup during the season .
In team sports , a shutout ( US ) or clean sheet ( UK ) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points . While possible in most major sports , they are highly improbable in some sports , such as basketball . Shutouts are usually seen as a result of effective defensive play even though a weak opposing offense may be as much to blame . Some sports credit individual players , particularly goalkeepers and starting pitchers , with shutouts and keep track of them as statistics ; others do not .
In baseball , innings pitched ( IP ) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed , measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game . Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched . One out counts as one-third of an inning , and two outs counts as two-thirds of an inning . Sometimes , the statistic is written 34.1 , 72.2 , or 91.0 , for example , to represent ​34 1⁄3 innings , ​72 2⁄3 innings , and 91 innings exactly , respectively . Runners left on base by a pitcher are not counted in determining innings pitched . It is possible for a pitcher to enter a game , give up several hits and possibly even several runs , and be removed before achieving any outs , thereby recording a total of zero innings pitched . Alternatively , it is possible for a pitcher to enter a situation where there are two runners on base and no outs . He 'll throw one pitch which will result in a triple play , and for that one pitch he 'll be credited with a full inning pitched .
In baseball or softball , a strikeout ( or strike-out ) occurs when a batter racks up three strikes during a time at bat . It usually means the batter is out . A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters , and is denoted by K. A strikeout looking - in which the batter does not swing and the third strike is called by the umpire - is usually denoted by a ꓘ . Although a strikeout suggests that the pitcher dominated the batter , the free-swinging style that generates home runs also leaves batters susceptible to striking out . Some of the greatest home run hitters of all time - such as Alex Rodriguez , Reggie Jackson , and Jim Thome - were notorious for striking out .
The 1984 American League Championship Series matched the East Division champion Detroit Tigers against the West Division champion Kansas City Royals . The Tigers took the series in a three-game sweep to advance to the 1984 World Series against the San Diego Padres . Due to a strike by major league umpires , the series was played using local and collegiate umpires , with former AL umpire and league supervisor Bill Deegan working home plate for all three games .
Kirk Harold Gibson ( nicknamed Gibby ) ( born May 28 , 1957 ) is an American former professional baseball player and manager . He is currently a color commentator for the Detroit Tigers on Fox Sports Detroit and a special assistant for the Tigers . As a player , Gibson was an outfielder who batted and threw left-handed . He spent most of his career with the Detroit Tigers but also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Kansas City Royals , and Pittsburgh Pirates . While with the Dodgers , Gibson was named the National League MVP in 1988 . During his career , he hit two dramatic home runs in the World Series , off of two eventual Hall of Fame relief pitchers . With the Tigers , he clinched the 1984 World Series with a three-run homer off Goose Gossage , who had refused to walk him with a base open . In Game 1 of the 1988 World Series , Gibson faced closer Dennis Eckersley and hit a pinch-hit walk-off home run - often described as one of the most exciting moments in World Series history . He was named to the All-Star team twice , in 1985 and 1988 , but declined the invitation both times . He announced his retirement from baseball in August 1995 . Following his retirement as a player , he spent five seasons as a television analyst in Detroit and then became a coach for the Tigers in 2003 . He became the Diamondbacks ' bench coach in 2007 and was promoted to interim manager in 2010 following the mid-season dismissal of A. J. Hinch .
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit , Michigan . They compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member of the American League ( AL ) Central division . One of the AL 's eight charter franchises , the club was founded in Detroit as a member of the minor league Western League in 1894 and is the only Western League team still in its original city . They are also the oldest continuous one name , one city franchise in the AL . Since their establishment as a major league franchise in 1901 , the Tigers have won four World Series championships ( 1935 , 1945 , 1968 , and 1984 ) , 11 AL pennants ( 1907 , 1908 , 1909 , 1934 , 1935 , 1940 , 1945 , 1968 , 1984 , 2006 , 2012 ) , and four AL Central division championships ( 2011 , 2012 , 2013 , and 2014 ) . They also won division titles in 1972 , 1984 , and 1987 as a member of the AL East . The team currently plays its home games at Comerica Park in Downtown Detroit . The Tigers constructed Bennett Park at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Trumbull Avenue in Corktown ( just west of Downtown Detroit ) and began playing there in 1896 . In 1912 , the team moved into Navin Field , which was built on the same location . It was expanded in 1938 and renamed Briggs Stadium . It was renamed Tiger Stadium in 1961 and the Tigers played there until moving to Comerica Park in 2000 . From 1901 to 2019 , the Tigers ' overall win-loss record is 9,346-9,191 ( a winning percentage of .504 ) .
The 1985 American League Championship Series was played between the Kansas City Royals and the Toronto Blue Jays from October 8 to 16 . Major League Baseball decided to extend the Championship Series in both leagues from its best-of-five ( 1969-1984 ) to the current best-of-seven format starting with this year , and it proved pivotal in the outcome of the ALCS . The Blue Jays seemingly put a stranglehold on the Series , earning a three games to one lead over the Royals after four games . However , Kansas City staged an improbable comeback , winning the next three games to win the American League Championship Series four games to three . The Royals would proceed to defeat their cross-state rivals , the St. Louis Cardinals , in the World Series four games to three .
George Howard Brett ( born May 15 , 1953 ) is an American former professional baseball player who played 21 years , primarily as a third baseman , in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for the Kansas City Royals . Brett 's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history and 16th all-time . He is one of four players in MLB history to accumulate 3,000 hits , 300 home runs , and a career .300 batting average ( the others being Hank Aaron , Willie Mays , and Stan Musial ; Albert Pujols currently fulfills all three conditions , but is still an active player ) . He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 on the first ballot and is the only player in MLB history to win a batting title in three different decades . Brett was named the Royals ' interim hitting coach in 2013 on May 30 , but stepped down from the position on July 25 in order to resume his position of vice president of baseball operations .
In baseball , a home run ( abbreviated HR ) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process . In modern baseball , the feat is typically achieved by hitting the ball over the outfield fence between the foul poles ( or making contact with either foul pole ) without first touching the ground , resulting in an automatic home run . There is also the inside-the-park home run where the batter reaches home safely while the baseball is in play on the field . A home run with a high exit velocity and good launch angle is sometimes called a no-doubter , because it leaves no doubt that it is going to leave the park when it leaves the bat . When a home run is scored , the batter is also credited with a hit and a run scored , and an RBI for each runner that scores , including himself . Likewise , the pitcher is recorded as having given up a hit and a run , with additional runs charged for each runner that scores other than the batter . Home runs are among the most popular aspects of baseball and , as a result , prolific home run hitters are usually the most popular among fans and consequently the highest paid by teams - hence the old saying , Home run hitters drive Cadillacs , and singles hitters drive Fords ( coined , circa 1948 , by veteran pitcher Fritz Ostermueller , by way of mentoring his young teammate , Ralph Kiner ) .
The 1986 American League Championship Series was a back-and-forth battle between the Boston Red Sox and the California Angels for the right to advance to the 1986 World Series to face the winner of the 1986 National League Championship Series . The Red Sox came in with a 95-66 record and the AL East division title , while the Angels went 92-70 during the regular season to win the AL West .
For the 19th-century baseball catcher , see Marty Barrett ( catcher ) .
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston , Massachusetts . They compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) East division . The team have won nine World Series championships , tied for the third-most of any MLB team , and they have played in 13 . Their most recent World Series appearance and win was in 2018 . In addition , they won the 1904 American League pennant , but were not able to defend their 1903 World Series championship when the New York Giants refused to participate in the 1904 World Series . Founded in 1901 as one of the American League 's eight charter franchises , the Red Sox ' home ballpark has been Fenway Park since 1912 . The Red Sox name was chosen by the team owner , John I. Taylor , circa 1908 , following the lead of previous teams that had been known as the Boston Red Stockings , including the forerunner of the Atlanta Braves . The Red Sox were a dominant team in the new league , defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first World Series in 1903 and winning four more championships by 1918 . However , they then went into one of the longest championship droughts in baseball history , dubbed the Curse of the Bambino after its alleged inception due to the Red Sox ' sale of Babe Ruth to the rival New York Yankees two years after their world championship in 1918 , an 86-year wait before the team 's sixth World Championship in 2004 . The team 's history during that period was punctuated with some of the most memorable moments in World Series history , including Enos Slaughter 's mad dash in 1946 , the Impossible Dream of 1967 , Carlton Fisk 's home run in 1975 , and Bill Buckner 's error in 1986 . Following their victory in the 2018 World Series , they became the first team to win four World Series trophies in the 21st century , with championships in 2004 , 2007 , 2013 and 2018 . The team 's history has also been marked by the team 's intense rivalry with the New York Yankees , arguably the fiercest and most historic in North American professional sports .
The 1987 American League Championship Series pitted the Minnesota Twins , the American League West champions , against the Detroit Tigers , the American League East champions . Minnesota won the Series four games to one , en route to winning the 1987 World Series four games to three over the St. Louis Cardinals .
Gary Joseph Gaetti ( /ˈɡaɪ.ɛti/ ; born August 19 , 1958 ) , is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins ( 1981-1990 ) , California Angels ( 1991-1993 ) , Kansas City Royals ( 1993-1995 ) , St. Louis Cardinals ( 1996-1998 ) , Chicago Cubs ( 1998-1999 ) and Boston Red Sox ( 2000 ) . Gaetti won a World Series with Minnesota in 1987 and was the MVP of that year 's American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers . In 1987 , Gaetti became the first player ever to hit home runs in his first two postseason plate appearances . Gaetti also managed the independent league Sugar Land Skeeters from 2012-2017 .
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis , Minnesota . They compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) Central division . The team is named after the Twin Cities area comprising Minneapolis and St. Paul . The franchise was founded in Washington , D.C. in 1901 as the Washington Senators . The team relocated to Minnesota and was renamed the Minnesota Twins at the start of the 1961 season . The Twins played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome from 1982 to 2009 . The team played its inaugural game at Target Field on April 12 , 2010 . The franchise won the World Series in 1924 as the Senators , and in 1987 and 1991 as the Twins . Through the 2019 season , the team has fielded 19 American League batting champions . The team has hosted five All-Star Games : 1937 and 1956 in Washington , D.C. ; and 1965 , 1985 , and 2014 in Minneapolis-St. Paul .
The 1988 American League Championship Series was a best-of-seven series that pitted the East Division champion Boston Red Sox against the West Division champion Oakland Athletics . It was the second meeting between the two in ALCS play . The Athletics swept the Series four games to none and would go on to lose to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1988 World Series .
Dennis Lee Eckersley ( born October 3 , 1954 ) , nicknamed Eck , is an American former professional baseball pitcher . Between 1975 and 1998 , he pitched in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox , Chicago Cubs , Oakland Athletics , and St. Louis Cardinals . Eckersley had success as a starter , but gained his greatest fame as a closer , becoming the first of two pitchers in MLB history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career . He is the pitcher who gave up a dramatic walk-off home run ( a phrase Eckersley coined ) to the injured Kirk Gibson in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series . Eckersley was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004 , his first year of eligibility . He works with New England Sports Network ( NESN ) as a part-time color commentator for Red Sox broadcasts , and is also a game analyst for Turner Sports for their Sunday MLB Games and MLB Post Season coverage on TBS .
The Oakland Athletics , often referred to as the A 's , are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland , California . They compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) West division . The team plays its home games at the Oakland Coliseum . They have won nine World Series championships . One of the American League 's eight charter franchises , the team was founded in Philadelphia in 1901 as the Philadelphia Athletics . They won three World Series championships from 1910 to 1913 and back-to-back titles in 1929 and 1930 . The team 's owner and manager for its first 50 years was Connie Mack and Hall of Fame players included Chief Bender , Frank Home Run Baker , Jimmie Foxx , and Lefty Grove . The team left Philadelphia for Kansas City in 1955 and became the Kansas City Athletics before moving to Oakland in 1968 . They won three consecutive World Championships between 1972 and 1974 , led by players including Vida Blue , Catfish Hunter , Reggie Jackson , ace reliever Rollie Fingers , and colorful owner Charlie O. Finley . After being sold by Finley to Walter A. Haas Jr. , the team won three consecutive pennants and the 1989 World Series behind the Bash Brothers , Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire , as well as Hall of Famers Dennis Eckersley , Rickey Henderson and manager Tony La Russa . From 1901 to 2019 , the Athletics ' overall win-loss record is 9,028-9,452 ( .489 ) .
In baseball and softball , a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury , ineffectiveness , fatigue , ejection , or for other strategic reasons , such as inclement weather delays or pinch hitter substitutions . Relief pitchers are further divided informally into various roles , such as closers , setup men , middle relief pitchers , left/right-handed specialists , and long relievers . Whereas starting pitchers usually rest several days before pitching in a game again due to the number of pitches thrown , relief pitchers are expected to be more flexible and typically pitch more games but with fewer innings pitched . A team 's staff of relievers is normally referred to metonymically as a team 's bullpen , which refers to the area where the relievers sit during games , and where they warm-up prior to entering the game .
In baseball , a save ( abbreviated SV or S ) is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances . Most commonly a pitcher earns a save by entering in the ninth inning of a game in which his team is winning by three or fewer runs and finishing the game by pitching one inning without losing the lead . The number of saves or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted are oft-cited statistics of relief pitchers , particularly those in the closer role . The save statistic was created by journalist Jerome Holtzman in 1959 to measure the effectiveness of relief pitchers and was adopted as an official MLB statistic in 1969 . The save has been retroactively measured for pitchers before that date . Mariano Rivera is MLB 's all-time leader in regular-season saves with 652 .
The 1989 American League Championship Series was played between the Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays from October 3 to 8 . A dominant Oakland team took the Series four games to one , en route to a sweep of their cross-bay rivals , the San Francisco Giants , in a World Series marred by the destructive Loma Prieta earthquake .
Rickey Nelson Henley Henderson ( born December 25 , 1958 ) is an American retired professional baseball left fielder who played in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for nine teams from 1979 to 2003 , including four separate tenures with his original team , the Oakland Athletics . Nicknamed the Man of Steal , he is widely regarded as baseball 's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner . He holds the major league records for career stolen bases , runs , unintentional walks and leadoff home runs . At the time of his last major league game in 2003 , the ten-time American League ( AL ) All-Star ranked among the sport 's top 100 all-time home run hitters and was its all-time leader in base on balls . In 2009 , he was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot appearance . Henderson holds the single-season record for stolen bases ( 130 in 1982 ) and is the only player in AL history to steal 100 bases in a season , having done so three times . His 1,406 career steals is 50% higher than the previous record of 938 by Lou Brock . Henderson is the all-time stolen base leader for the Oakland Athletics and previously held the New York Yankees ' franchise record from 1988 to 2011 . He was among the league 's top ten base stealers in 21 different seasons . Henderson was named the AL 's Most Valuable Player in 1990 , and he was the leadoff hitter for two World Series champions : the 1989 Oakland A 's and the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays . A 12-time stolen base champion , Henderson led the league in runs five times . His 25-year career elevated Henderson to the top ten in several other categories , including career at-bats , games , and outfield putouts and total chances .
In baseball , a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base to which he is not entitled and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner . The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or out at the next base , but the official scorer rules on the question of credit or blame for the advance under Rule 10 . A stolen base most often occurs when a base runner advances to the next base while the pitcher is pitching the ball to home plate . Successful base stealers are not only fast but have good baserunning instincts and timing .
The 1990 American League Championship Series was a best-of-seven series that matched the East Division champion Boston Red Sox against the West Division champion Oakland Athletics . For the second time in three years , the Athletics swept the Red Sox four games to none . The sweep was capped by a Roger Clemens ejection in Game 4 for arguing balls and strikes . The Athletics lost to the Cincinnati Reds in the 1990 World Series .
David Keith Stewart ( born February 19 , 1957 ) , nicknamed Smoke , is an American professional baseball executive , pitching coach , sports agent , and retired starting pitcher . The Los Angeles Dodgers ' 16th-round selection in the 1975 MLB draft , Stewart 's MLB playing career spanned from 1978 through 1995 , winning three World Series championships while compiling a career 3.95 earned run average ( ERA ) and a 168-129 won-lost record , including winning 20 games in four consecutive seasons . He pitched for the Dodgers , Texas Rangers , Philadelphia Phillies , Oakland Athletics , and Toronto Blue Jays . Stewart was an MLB All-Star and was known for his postseason performance - winning one World Series Most Valuable Player Award and two League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Awards - and for staring down batters when pitching to them . After his playing career , he served as a pitching coach for the San Diego Padres , Milwaukee Brewers , and Blue Jays and as an assistant GM . General managers he has worked under include : Sandy Alderson , Kevin Towers , Gord Ash , and Dean Taylor . He later became a sports agent based in San Diego until the Arizona Diamondbacks hired him as general manager at the end of the 2014 season . He was fired as the Diamondbacks ' GM in 2016 .
In baseball , an earned run is any run that was fully enabled by the offensive team 's production in the face of competent play from the defensive team . Conversely , an unearned run is a run that would not have been scored without the aid of an error or a passed ball committed by the defense . An unearned run counts just as much as any other run for the purpose of determining the score of the game . However , it is unearned in that it was , in a sense , given away by the defensive team . Both total runs and earned runs are tabulated as part of a pitcher 's statistics . However , earned runs are specially denoted because of their use in calculating a pitcher 's earned run average ( ERA ) , the number of earned runs allowed by the pitcher per nine innings pitched ( i.e. , averaged over a regulation game ) . Thus , in effect , the pitcher is held personally accountable for earned runs , while the responsibility for unearned runs is shared with the rest of the team . To determine whether a run is earned , the official scorer must reconstruct the inning as it would have occurred without errors or passed balls .
An inning in baseball , softball , and similar games is the basic unit of play , consisting of two halves or frames , the top ( first half ) and the bottom ( second half ) . In each half , one team bats until three outs are made , with the other team playing defense . A full baseball game typically is scheduled for nine innings , while softball games consist of seven innings ; although this may be shortened due to weather or extended if the score is tied at the end of the scheduled innings . Inning , in baseball and softball , is always singular , which contrasts with cricket and rounders in which the singular is innings .
In baseball statistics , walks plus hits per inning pitched ( WHIP ) is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched . WHIP is calculated by adding the number of walks and hits allowed and dividing this sum by the number of innings pitched . WHIP reflects a pitcher 's propensity for allowing batters to reach base , therefore a lower WHIP indicates better performance . While earned run average ( ERA ) measures the runs a pitcher gives up , WHIP more directly measures a pitcher 's effectiveness against batters . WHIP accounts for pitcher performance regardless of errors and unearned runs . On-base plus slugging , or OPS , a comparable measurement of the ability of a hitter , is another example of comparison .
The 1991 American League Championship Series was played between the Minnesota Twins and the Toronto Blue Jays from October 8 to 13 . The Twins defeated the favored Blue Jays , winning the Series four games to one . Minnesota would go on to face ( and ultimately defeat ) the Atlanta Braves in seven games in 1991 World Series , ranked by ESPN as the greatest ever played . This was the first postseason series played entirely indoors , as both teams played in domed stadiums ( although Toronto 's , then as now , had a retractable roof ) . Minnesota outfielder Kirby Puckett was named the Series MVP , based on his .429 batting average , two home runs , and five RBI .
Kirby Puckett ( March 14 , 1960 - March 6 , 2006 ) was an American professional baseball player . He played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball ( MLB ) career as a center fielder for the Minnesota Twins ( 1984-1995 ) . Puckett is the Twins ' all-time leader in career hits , runs , and total bases . At the time of his retirement , his .318 career batting average was the highest by any right-handed American League batter since Joe DiMaggio . Puckett was the fourth baseball player during the 20th century to record 1,000 hits in his first five full calendar years in Major League Baseball , and was the second to record 2,000 hits during his first ten full calendar years . After being forced to retire in 1996 at age 36 due to loss of vision in one eye from a central retinal vein occlusion , Puckett was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001 , his first year of eligibility .
The 1992 American League Championship Series was played between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Oakland Athletics from October 7 to 14 , 1992 . The Blue Jays won the series four games to two to advance to the World Series . The series was a rematch of the 1989 ALCS , which Oakland won in five games . Blue Jays second baseman Roberto Alomar was named Most Valuable Player of the series . In six games , Alomar rapped 11 hits in 26 at bats for a .423 batting average , including a double and two home runs .
Roberto Robbie Alomar Velázquez ( /ˈæləmɑːr/ ; Spanish pronunciation : [ aloˈmaɾ ] ; born February 5 , 1968 ) is a Puerto Rican former Major League Baseball ( MLB ) player who played for the San Diego Padres , Toronto Blue Jays , Baltimore Orioles , Cleveland Indians , New York Mets , Chicago White Sox , and Arizona Diamondbacks ( 1988-2004 ) . He is regarded as one of the greatest second basemen and all-around players of all time . During his career , the 12-time All-Star won more Gold Glove Awards for his defense ( 10 ) than any other second baseman in baseball history , in addition to winning four Silver Slugger Awards for his hitting . Among second basemen , he ranks third in games played ( 2,320 ) , fifth in stolen bases ( 474 ) , sixth in plate appearances ( 10,400 ) , seventh in doubles ( 504 ) and assists ( 6,524 ) , and eighth in hits ( 2,724 ) , runs ( 1,508 ) , at bats ( 9,073 ) , and double plays turned ( 1,407 ) . In 2011 , Alomar was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame , becoming the first Hall of Fame member to be depicted as a Blue Jays player on his plaque . The son of MLB second baseman Sandy Alomar Sr. , Alomar followed in his father 's footsteps , signing with the Padres as an amateur free agent in 1985 . He made his major league debut with the team three years later , establishing himself as an exceptional base-stealing , hitting , and fielding threat before becoming an All-Star in 1990 . He was traded to the Blue Jays the following off-season , leading the team to three consecutive American League Championship Series ( ALCS ) appearances and being named the 1992 ALCS Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) , culminating in back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993 . Alomar signed with the Orioles after the 1995 season , led the team to two ALCS appearances , and won the 1998 All-Star Game MVP Award in his final year with the team . He then joined the Indians for three seasons and had the most productive years of his career in 1999 and 2001 , again leading his team to the playoffs and becoming an AL MVP Award finalist both years . Alomar spent the final years of his career with the Mets , White Sox , and Diamondbacks before retiring at spring training in 2005 . A switch hitter , Alomar finished his career with a .300 batting average ; he is the Blue Jays ' franchise record holder for career batting average .
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto , Ontario . They compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) East division . The team plays its home games at Rogers Centre . The name Blue Jays originates from the bird of the same name , and blue is also the traditional colour of two of Toronto 's other professional sports teams : the Maple Leafs ( ice hockey ) and the Argonauts ( Canadian football ) . In addition , the team was originally owned by the Labatt Brewing Company , makers of the popular beer Labatt 's Blue . Colloquially nicknamed the Jays , the team 's official colours are royal blue , navy blue , red , and white . An expansion franchise , the club was founded in Toronto in 1977 . Originally based at Exhibition Stadium , the team began playing its home games at SkyDome upon its opening in 1989 . Since 2000 , the Blue Jays have been owned by Rogers Communications and in 2004 , SkyDome was purchased by that company , which renamed it Rogers Centre . They are the second MLB franchise to be based outside the United States , and currently the only team based outside the U.S. after the first Canadian franchise , the Montreal Expos , became the Washington Nationals in 2005 . In the late 1970s and early 1980s , the Blue Jays went through struggles typical of an expansion team , frequently finishing in last place in its division . In 1983 , the team had its first winning season and two years later , they became division champions .
The 1993 American League Championship Series was played between the East Division champion Toronto Blue Jays and the West Division champion Chicago White Sox from October 5 to 12 . The defending champion Blue Jays defeated the White Sox , 4-2 , to advance to the 1993 World Series which they would win 4-2 over the Philadelphia Phillies thanks to Joe Carter 's dramatic three-run walk-off home run in Game 6 . The 1993 ALCS was the last played under the AL 's two-division format , as the league realigned into three divisions the following year .
The 1994-95 Major League Baseball strike was the eighth work stoppage in baseball history , as well as the fourth in-season work stoppage in 22 years . The strike began on August 12 , 1994 , and resulted in the remainder of that season being cancelled , including the postseason and , for the first time since 1904 , the World Series . The strike was suspended on April 2 , 1995 , after 232 days , making it the longest such stoppage in MLB history and the longest work stoppage in major league professional sports at the time ( breaking the record set by the 1981 strike ) ; its length would be surpassed by the 2004-05 NHL lockout , which ran for 310 days and caused the cancellation of that league 's entire 2004-05 season . 948 games were cancelled in all , and MLB became the first major professional sports league to lose an entire postseason due to labor struggles . Due to the strike , both the 1994 and 1995 seasons were not played to a complete 162 games ; the strike was called after most teams had played at least 113 games in 1994 . Each team played 144 games in 1995 .
The 1994-95 Major League Baseball strike was the eighth work stoppage in baseball history , as well as the fourth in-season work stoppage in 22 years . The strike began on August 12 , 1994 , and resulted in the remainder of that season being cancelled , including the postseason and , for the first time since 1904 , the World Series . The strike was suspended on April 2 , 1995 , after 232 days , making it the longest such stoppage in MLB history and the longest work stoppage in major league professional sports at the time ( breaking the record set by the 1981 strike ) ; its length would be surpassed by the 2004-05 NHL lockout , which ran for 310 days and caused the cancellation of that league 's entire 2004-05 season . 948 games were cancelled in all , and MLB became the first major professional sports league to lose an entire postseason due to labor struggles . Due to the strike , both the 1994 and 1995 seasons were not played to a complete 162 games ; the strike was called after most teams had played at least 113 games in 1994 . Each team played 144 games in 1995 .
The 1995 American League Championship Series ( ALCS ) , the second round of the 1995 American League playoffs , matched the Central Division champion Cleveland Indians against the West Division champion Seattle Mariners . The Mariners had the home field advantage , which was predetermined and assigned to either the West Division champion or their opponents in the Division Series . The two teams were victorious in the AL Division Series ( ALDS ) , with the Indians defeating the East Division champion Boston Red Sox three games to none , and the Mariners defeating the wild card qualifier New York Yankees three games to two . The Indians won the series four games to two to become the American League champions , and lost to the National League champion Atlanta Braves in the 1995 World Series .
Orel Leonard Hershiser IV ( born September 16 , 1958 ) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) from 1983 to 2000 . He later became a broadcast color analyst for the Dodgers . He is also a professional poker player . After playing baseball in high school at Cherry Hill High School East and at Bowling Green State University , Hershiser was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1979 . After several years in the minor leagues , he made his major league debut with the Dodgers in 1983 . During his tenure with the team , Hershiser was a three-time All-Star . Hershiser 's most successful season came in 1988 , when he set a major league record by pitching 59 consecutive innings without allowing a run . He helped lead the Dodgers to a championship in the 1988 World Series , and was named the National League ( NL ) Championship Series Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) and the World Series MVP . That season , he won the NL Cy Young Award and an NL Gold Glove Award . He later pitched in two more World Series and earned the American League Championship Series MVP Award . After 12 seasons with the Dodgers , Hershisher spent time with the Cleveland Indians , San Francisco Giants , and New York Mets before returning to Los Angeles for his final season . After retirement as a player , he briefly worked as a coach and team executive for the Texas Rangers before serving as a color analyst for ESPN and then the Dodgers .
The Cleveland Indians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland , Ohio . They compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) Central division . Since 1994 , they have played at Progressive Field . The team 's spring training facility is at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear , Arizona . Since their establishment as a major league franchise in 1901 , the team has won 10 Central Division titles , six American League pennants , and two World Series championships , ( in 1920 and 1948 ) . The team 's current 71-year World Series championship drought is the longest active among all 30 current Major League teams . The name Indians originated from a request by club owner Charles Somers to baseball writers to choose a new name to replace Cleveland Naps following the departure of Nap Lajoie after the 1914 season . It was a revival of the nickname that fans gave to the Cleveland Spiders while Louis Sockalexis , a Native American , was playing for the team . Common nicknames for the Indians include the Tribe and the Wahoos , the latter referencing their former logo , Chief Wahoo . The team 's mascot is named Slider . The franchise originated in 1894 as the Grand Rapids Rustlers , a minor league team in the Western League . The team relocated to Cleveland in 1900 and was renamed the Cleveland Lake Shores .
The 1996 American League Championship Series ( ALCS ) , the second round of the 1996 American League playoffs , matched the East Division champion New York Yankees against the Wild Card team , the Baltimore Orioles . The Yankees had the home field advantage in the series because they had won their division and the Orioles were the Wild Card team .
Bernabé Williams Figueroa Jr. ( born September 13 , 1968 ) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player and musician . He played his entire 16-year career in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) with the New York Yankees from 1991 through 2006 . A center fielder , Williams was a member of four World Series championship teams with the Yankees . He ended his career with a .297 batting average , 287 home runs , 1,257 runs batted in ( RBI ) , 1,366 runs scored , 449 doubles , and a .990 fielding percentage . He was a five-time All-Star and won four Gold Glove Awards , a Silver Slugger Award , the American League ( AL ) batting title in 1998 , and the 1996 AL Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award . Known for his consistency and postseason heroics , Williams is one of the most beloved Yankees . The team honored him by retiring his uniform number 51 and dedicating a plaque to him in Monument Park in May 2015 . Williams is widely regarded as one of the greatest switch-hitting center fielders in Yankee history . Williams is also a classically trained guitarist . Following his retirement from baseball , he has released two jazz albums . He was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2009 .
The 1997 American League Championship Series ( ALCS ) pitted the Cleveland Indians , who won coming back against the defending World Series champion New York Yankees in the AL Division Series , and the Baltimore Orioles , who went wire-to-wire and beat the Seattle Mariners in the Division Series . The Indians stunned the Orioles , winning on bizarre plays or remarkable comebacks , and won the Series four games to two , but went on to lose to the Florida Marlins in the well-fought , seesaw , seven-game battle of the 1997 World Series . The Orioles had home field advantage , which was predetermined and assigned to either the East Division champions or their opponents in the Division Series .
Marquis Deon Grissom ( born April 17 , 1967 ) is an American former professional baseball center fielder . He played in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for the Montreal Expos , Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , Milwaukee Brewers , Los Angeles Dodgers , and San Francisco Giants between 1989 and 2005 .
The 1998 American League Championship Series ( ALCS ) , the second round of the 1998 American League playoffs , was played between the East Division champion New York Yankees and the Central Division champion Cleveland Indians . The Yankees defeated the Indians four games to two and went on to sweep the National League champion San Diego Padres in the 1998 World Series to win their twenty-fourth World Series championship . New York , who won 114 games during the regular season , recorded their only two losses of the 1998 postseason in this series .
David Lee Wells ( born May 20 , 1963 ) , nicknamed Boomer , is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher . Wells was considered to be one of the game 's better left-handed pitchers , especially during his years with the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays . He pitched the 15th perfect game in baseball history . He is tied only with Kenny Lofton for appearing in the post-season with six teams . Wells is currently a broadcaster on MLB on TBS and the host of The Cheap Seats on FOXSports.com .
The 1999 American League Championship Series ( ALCS ) was a matchup between the East Division Champion New York Yankees ( 98-64 ) and the Wild Card Boston Red Sox ( 94-68 ) . The Yankees had advanced to the Series after sweeping the West Division Champion Texas Rangers in the AL Division Series for the second consecutive year , and the Red Sox advanced by beating the Central Division Champion Cleveland Indians three games to two . The Yankees won the series , 4-1 . They won their 36th American League pennant and went on to win the World Series against the Atlanta Braves .
Orlando Hernández Pedroso ( born October 11 , 1965 ) , nicknamed El Duque ( Spanish for The Duke ) , is a Cuban-born right-handed former professional baseball pitcher . He pitched for the Industriales of the Cuban National Series , the New York Yankees , Chicago White Sox , Arizona Diamondbacks , and New York Mets of Major League Baseball , and the Cuban national baseball team in international play . Hernández 's greatest success came as a starting pitcher for the Yankees during that team 's run of World Series championships in 1998 , 1999 , and 2000 . He also won a World Series ring in 2005 with the Chicago White Sox . He is the half-brother of major league pitcher Liván Hernández . Hernández is known for his extremely high leg kick and his frequent use of the Eephus pitch .