2008 in baseball
overview of the events of 2008 in baseball
The following are the baseball events of the year 2008 throughout the world.
Calendar
Major League Baseball
Champions
Major League Baseball
Regular Season Champions
World Series Champions – Philadelphia Phillies
American League Champions – Tampa Bay Rays
National League Champions – Philadelphia Phillies
Postseason – October 1 to October 29
Other champions
Minor League Baseball
Triple-A Championship: Sacramento River Cats (Athletics)
International League: Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees (Yankees)
Pacific Coast League: Sacramento River Cats (Athletics)
Mexican League: Diablos Rojos del México
AA
Eastern League: Trenton Thunder (Yankees)
Southern League: Mississippi Braves (Braves)
Texas League: Arkansas Travelers (Angels)
A
California League: Stockton Ports (Athletics)
Carolina League: Potomac Nationals (Nationals)
Florida State League: Daytona Cubs (Cubs)
Midwest League: Burlington Bees (Royals)
South Atlantic League: Augusta GreenJackets (Giants)
New York–Penn League: Batavia Muckdogs (Cardinals)
Northwest League: Spokane Indians (Rangers)
Rookie
Appalachian League: Elizabethton Twins (Twins)
Gulf Coast League: Gulf Coast Phillies (Phillies)
Pioneer League: Great Falls Voyagers (White Sox)
Arizona League: Arizona League Giants (Giants)
Independent baseball leagues
Alaska Baseball League: Anchorage Glacier Pilots
American Association: Sioux Falls Canaries
Atlantic League: Somerset Patriots
Canadian-American Association: Sussex Skyhawks
Frontier League: Windy City ThunderBolts
Golden Baseball League: Orange County Flyers
Northern League: Kansas City T-Bones
United League Baseball: Amarillo Dillas
Amateur
College
College World Series: Fresno State
NCAA Division II: Mount Olive College
NCAA Division III: Trinity College
NAIA: Lewis-Clark State College
Youth
Big League World Series: Taylors, South Carolina
Junior League World Series: Waipi`o, Hawaii
Little League World Series: Willemstad, Curaçao
Senior League World Series: Upper Deerfield, New Jersey
International
National teams
Summer Olympics at Beijing, China: South Korea (gold); Cuba (silver); United States (bronze)
World Junior Baseball Championship: South Korea
International club team competitions
Caribbean Series: Tigres del Licey, Dominican Republic
European Cup: Kinheim, Netherlands
Asia Series: Saitama Seibu Lions, Japan
Domestic leagues
Australia – Claxton Shield: Perth Heat
China Baseball League: Tianjin Lions
Cuban National Series: Santiago de Cuba
Dominican League: Águilas Cibaeñas
France – Division Elite: Rouen Baseball 76
Holland Series: Amsterdam Pirates
Italy – Serie A1: San Marino
Japan Series: Saitama Seibu Lions
Central League: Yomiuri Giants (Climax Series Champion – Yomiuri Giants)
Pacific League: Saitama Seibu Lions (Climax Series Champion – Saitama Seibu Lions)
Eastern League (Minor): Tokyo Yakult Swallows
Western League (Minor): Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Korean Series: SK Wyverns
Mexican Pacific League: Yaquis de Obregón
Taiwan Series: Uni-President Lions
Venezuelan League: Tigres de Aragua
Awards and honors
Baseball Hall of Fame honors
Rich "Goose" Gossage is elected by the BBWAA in his ninth year of eligibility. Executives Barney Dreyfuss, Bowie Kuhn and Walter O'Malley and managers Billy Southworth and Dick Williams are also inducted following their election by the Veterans Committee.
Larry Whiteside, sportswriter for The Boston Globe from 1973 until 2004, receives the J. G. Taylor Spink Award.
Dave Niehaus, broadcaster for the Seattle Mariners since 1977, receives the Ford C. Frick Award.
MVP Awards
American League – Dustin Pedroia (BOS)
National League – Albert Pujols (STL)
Cy Young Awards
American League – Cliff Lee (CLE)
National League – Tim Lincecum (SF)
Rookie of the Year Awards
American League Evan Longoria (TB)
National League Geovany Soto (CHC)
Manager of the Year Awards
American League – Joe Maddon (TB)
National League – Lou Piniella (CHC)
Silver Slugger AwardsAmerican LeagueDH: Aubrey Huff (BAL)C: Joe Mauer (MIN)1B: Justin Morneau (MIN)2B: Dustin Pedroia (BOS)3B: Alex Rodriguez (NYY)SS: Derek Jeter (NYY)OF: Josh Hamilton (TEX)OF: Carlos Quentin (CWS)OF: Grady Sizemore (CLE)
National LeagueP: Carlos Zambrano (CHC)C: Brian McCann (ATL)1B: Albert Pujols (STL)2B: Chase Utley (PHI)3B: David Wright (NYM)SS: Hanley Ramírez (FLA)OF: Ryan Braun (MIL)OF: Matt Holliday (COL)OF: Ryan Ludwick (STL)
Gold Glove AwardsAmerican LeagueP: Mike Mussina (NYY)C: Joe Mauer (MIN)1B: Carlos Peña (TB)2B: Dustin Pedroia (BOS)3B: Adrián Beltré (SEA)SS: Michael Young (TEX)OF: Torii Hunter (LAA)OF: Grady Sizemore (CLE)OF: Ichiro Suzuki (SEA)
National LeagueP: Greg Maddux (SD/LAD)C: Yadier Molina (STL)1B: Adrián González (SD)2B: Brandon Phillips (CIN)3B: David Wright (NYM)SS: Jimmy Rollins (PHI)OF: Carlos Beltrán (NYM)OF: Nate McLouth (PIT)OF: Shane Victorino (PHI)
Others
Hank Aaron Award – Kevin Youkilis (AL, BOS) / Aramis Ramírez (NL, CHC)
Hutch Award – Jon Lester (BOS)
Players Choice Award – Albert Pujols (STL)
Roberto Clemente Award – Albert Pujols (STL)
Tony Conigliaro Award – Rocco Baldelli (TB)
TSN Awards
MLB Player of the Year – Albert Pujols (STL)
Pitcher of the Year – Cliff Lee (AL, CLE) / Tim Lincecum (NL, SF)
Reliever of the Year – Francisco Rodríguez (AL, LAA) / Brad Lidge (NL, PHI)
Rookie of the Year – Evan Longoria (AL, TB) / Geovany Soto (NL, CHC)
Comeback Player of the Year – Cliff Lee (AL, CLE) / Fernando Tatís (NL, NYM)
Manager of the Year – Joe Maddon (AL, TB) / Fredi González (NL, FLA)
Woman Executive of the Year (major or minor league): Carol Gehr, Hagerstown Suns, South Atlantic League
Events
January
January 6 – Roger Clemens appears on CBS's 60 Minutes, denying that he ever uses performance-enhancing drugs.
January 8 – Closer Rich "Goose" Gossage and his former manager with the San Diego Padres, Dick Williams, are elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
January 14 - The St. Louis Cardinals acquire Troy Glaus from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Scott Rolen.
January 29 – The Minnesota Twins agree to deal Johan Santana to the New York Mets for outfielder Carlos Gómez and pitchers Deolis Guerra, Philip Humber and Kevin Mulvey.
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