2010 Major League Baseball season

This article is about the 2010 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 2010 in baseball.
2010 MLB season
League Major League Baseball
Sport Baseball
Duration April 4, 2010 – November 1, 2010
Regular season
Season MVP NL: Joey Votto (CIN)
AL: Josh Hamilton (TEX)
League postseason
AL champions Texas Rangers
  AL runners-up New York Yankees
NL champions San Francisco Giants
  NL runners-up Philadelphia Phillies
World Series
Champions San Francisco Giants
  Runners-up Texas Rangers
World Series MVP Edgar Rentería (SF)

The 2010 Major League Baseball season began Sunday, April 4, when the Boston Red Sox defeated their longtime rivals, the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees at Fenway Park, 9–7; the regular season ended on October 3. The 2010 All-Star Game was played on July 13 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, California. The National League ended a 13-game winless streak with a 3–1 victory. Due to this result, the 2010 World Series began October 27 in the city of the National League Champion, the San Francisco Giants, and ended November 1 when the Giants defeated the American League Champion Texas Rangers in the 2010 World Series, four games to one.

Standings

Green backgrounds indicate teams that made the playoffs. Numbers in parentheses indicate seedings for the playoffs, determined by won-lost records.

American League

AL East
W L Pct. GB Home Road
(1) Tampa Bay Rays 96 66 .593 49–32 47–34
(4) New York Yankees 95 67 .586 1 52–29 43–38
Boston Red Sox 89 73 .549 7 46–35 43–38
Toronto Blue Jays 85 77 .525 11 45–33 40–44
Baltimore Orioles 66 96 .407 30 37–44 29–52
AL Central
W L Pct. GB Home Road
(2) Minnesota Twins 94 68 .580 53–28 41–40
Chicago White Sox 88 74 .543 6 45–36 43–38
Detroit Tigers 81 81 .500 13 52–29 29–52
Cleveland Indians 69 93 .426 25 38–43 31–50
Kansas City Royals 67 95 .414 27 38–43 29–52
AL West
W L Pct. GB Home Road
(3) Texas Rangers 90 72 .556 51–30 39–42
Oakland Athletics 81 81 .500 9 47–34 34–47
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 80 82 .494 10 43–38 37–44
Seattle Mariners 61 101 .377 29 35–46 26–55

National League

NL East
W L Pct. GB Home Road
(1) Philadelphia Phillies 97 65 .599 54–30 43–35
(4) Atlanta Braves 91 71 .562 6 56–25 35–46
Florida Marlins 80 82 .494 17 41–40 39–42
New York Mets 79 83 .488 18 47–34 32–49
Washington Nationals 69 93 .426 28 41–40 28–53
NL Central
W L Pct. GB Home Road
(3) Cincinnati Reds 91 71 .562 49–32 42–39
St. Louis Cardinals 86 76 .531 5 52–29 34–47
Milwaukee Brewers 77 85 .475 14 40–41 37–44
Houston Astros 76 86 .469 15 42–39 34–47
Chicago Cubs 75 87 .463 16 35–46 40–41
Pittsburgh Pirates 57 105 .352 34 40–41 17–64
NL West
W L Pct. GB Home Road
(2) San Francisco Giants 92 70 .568 49–32 43–38
San Diego Padres 90 72 .556 2 45–36 45–36
Colorado Rockies 83 79 .512 9 52–29 31–50
Los Angeles Dodgers 80 82 .494 12 45–36 35–46
Arizona Diamondbacks 65 97 .401 27 40–41 25–56

Postseason

Bracket

  Division Series
(ALDS, NLDS)
League Championship Series
(ALCS, NLCS)
World Series
                           
  1  Tampa Bay Rays 2  
3  Texas Rangers 3  
  3  Texas Rangers 4  
American League
  4  New York Yankees 2  
2  Minnesota Twins 0
  4  New York Yankees 3  
    AL  Texas Rangers 1
  NL  San Francisco Giants 4
  1  Philadelphia Phillies 3  
3  Cincinnati Reds 0  
  1  Philadelphia Phillies 2
National League
  2  San Francisco Giants 4  
2  San Francisco Giants 3
  4  Atlanta Braves 1  

League Division Series

American League

2010 American League Division Series
Texas Rangers defeat Tampa Bay Rays, 3–2
Game Date Score Series
(TEX-TB)
Location Attendance Time Weather (°F)
1 October 6 Rangers 5, Rays 1 1–0 Tropicana Field 35,474 3:06 indoors
2 October 7 Rangers 6, Rays 0 2–0 Tropicana Field 35,535 3:10 indoors
3 October 9 Rays 6, Rangers 3 2–1 Rangers Ballpark 51,746 3:38 84 degrees, sunny
4 October 10 Rays 5, Rangers 2 2–2 Rangers Ballpark 49,218 3:22 82 degrees, sunny
5 October 12 Rangers 5, Rays 1 3–2 Tropicana Field 41,845 3:00 indoors
2010 American League Division Series
New York Yankees defeat Minnesota Twins 3-0
Game Date Score Series
(NYY-MIN)
Location Attendance Time Weather (°F)
1 October 6 Yankees 6, Twins 4 1–0 Target Field 42,032 3:47 63 degrees, clear
2 October 7 Yankees 5, Twins 2 2–0 Target Field 42,035 2:59 73 degrees, clear
3 October 9 Yankees 6, Twins 1 3–0 Yankee Stadium 50,840 3:06 63 degrees, clear

National League

2010 National League Division Series
Philadelphia Phillies defeat Cincinnati Reds, 3–0
Game Date Score Series
(PHI-CIN)
Location Attendance Time Weather (°F)
1 October 6 Phillies 4, Reds 0 1–0 Citizens Bank Park 46,411 2:34 61 degrees, partly cloudy
2 October 8 Phillies 7, Reds 4 2–0 Citizens Bank Park 46,511 3:39 72 degrees, clear
3 October 10 Phillies 2, Reds 0 3–0 Great American Ball Park 44,599 3:00 82 degrees, clear
2010 National League Division Series
San Francisco Giants defeat Atlanta Braves, 3–1
Game Date Score Series
(SF-ATL)
Location Attendance Time Weather (°F)
1 October 7 Giants 1, Braves 0 1–0 AT&T Park 43,936 2:26 61 degrees, partly cloudy
2 October 8 Braves 5, Giants 4 (11) 1–1 AT&T Park 44,046 3:47 65 degrees, partly cloudy
3 October 10 Giants 3, Braves 2 2–1 Turner Field 53,284 3:23 84 degrees, sunny
4 October 11 Giants 3, Braves 2 3–1 Turner Field 44,532 2:56 76 degrees, partly cloudy

League Championship Series

American League

2010 American League Championship Series
Texas Rangers defeat New York Yankees, 4–2
Game Date Score Series
(TEX-NYY)
Location Attendance Time Weather (°F)
1 October 15 Yankees 6, Rangers 5 0–1 Rangers Ballpark 50,930 3:50 80 degrees, clear
2 October 16 Rangers 7, Yankees 2 1–1 Rangers Ballpark 50,362 3:52 83 degrees, sunny
3 October 18 Rangers 8, Yankees 0 2–1 Yankee Stadium 49,480 3:18 53 degrees, partly cloudy
4 October 19 Rangers 10, Yankees 3 3–1 Yankee Stadium 49,977 4:05 54 degrees, clear
5 October 20 Yankees 7, Rangers 2 3–2 Yankee Stadium 49,832 3:48 59 degrees, cloudy
6 October 22 Rangers 6, Yankees 1 4–2 Rangers Ballpark 51,404 2:57 77 degrees, cloudy

National League

2010 National League Championship Series
San Francisco Giants defeat Philadelphia Phillies, 4–2
Game Date Score Series
(SF-PHI)
Location Attendance Time Weather (°F)
1 October 16 Giants 4, Phillies 3 1–0 Citizens Bank Park 45,929 2:59 59 degrees, clear
2 October 17 Phillies 6, Giants 1 1–1 Citizens Bank Park 46,099 3:01 70 degrees, clear
3 October 19 Giants 3, Phillies 0 2–1 AT&T Park 43,320 2:39 62 degrees, partly cloudy
4 October 20 Giants 6, Phillies 5 3–1 AT&T Park 43,515 3:40 62 degrees, partly cloudy
5 October 21 Phillies 4, Giants 2 3–2 AT&T Park 43,713 3:15 61 degrees, overcast
6 October 23 Giants 3, Phillies 2 4–2 Citizens Bank Park 46,062 3:41 61 degrees, clear

World Series

Main article: 2010 World Series
2010 World Series
San Francisco Giants defeat Texas Rangers, 4–1
Game Date Score Series
(SF-TEX)
Location Attendance Time Weather (°F)
1 October 27 Giants 11, Rangers 7 1–0 AT&T Park 43,601 3:36 62 degrees, overcast
2 October 28 Giants 9, Rangers 0 2–0 AT&T Park 43,622 3:17 65 degrees, cloudy
3 October 30 Rangers 4, Giants 2 2–1 Rangers Ballpark 52,419 2:51 70 degrees, fair
4 October 31 Giants 4, Rangers 0 3–1 Rangers Ballpark 51,920 3:09 77 degrees, clear
5 November 1 Giants 3, Rangers 1 4–1 Rangers Ballpark 52,045 2:32 68 degrees, clear

The Year of the Pitcher

For much of the season, 2010 was frequently labeled the Year of the Pitcher (though this title is also taken by the 1968 season). 2010 saw many prominent pitching occurrences, including:

Managerial changes

General managers

Off-season

Team Former GM New GM Former job
San Diego Padres Kevin Towers Jed Hoyer Hoyer served as the Boston Red Sox assistant GM.
Toronto Blue Jays J. P. Ricciardi Alex Anthopoulos Anthopoulos was Riccardi's assistant GM in Toronto.

In-season

Date Team Former GM New GM Former job
July 1 Arizona Diamondbacks Josh Byrnes Jerry Dipoto Dipoto was assistant GM.
September 22 Arizona Diamondbacks Jerry DiPoto Kevin Towers Towers signed a two-year deal in September.

Field managers

Off season

Team Former manager New manager Former job
Cleveland Indians Eric Wedge Manny Acta Was manager of Washington Nationals 2007–2009.
Houston Astros Dave Clark * Brad Mills Bench coach for Boston Red Sox.

* Served as interim manager, replacing Cecil Cooper.

The following managers who were interim managers for 2009 will lead their respective teams in 2010:

Team Manager that started 2009 season Replacement Job prior to becoming manager
Colorado Rockies Clint Hurdle Jim Tracy Bench Coach for the Rockies during the 2009 season. After Hurdle was fired, Tracy took over as interim manager and won Manager of the Year in the National League, and will continue to serve as the manager for the 2010 season.
Arizona Diamondbacks Bob Melvin A. J. Hinch Director of player development for the Diamondbacks. Melvin was fired during the 2009 season and Hinch served as the interim manager for the remainder of the season.
Washington Nationals Manny Acta Jim Riggleman Bench Coach for the Nationals during the 2009 season. Riggleman took over as interim manager for the 2009 season after Acta was fired during the All-Star Break.

In-season changes

Date Team Former manager Replacement Previous Job
May 13 Kansas City Royals Trey Hillman Ned Yost Yost last managed with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008. Yost signed a two-year extension July 31 to remain manager.
June 4 Baltimore Orioles Dave Trembley Juan Samuel Third base coach; serving on an interim basis from June 4 through August 3, when Buck Showalter replaced him.
June 23 Florida Marlins Fredi González Edwin Rodríguez Spent the past 1½ years managing the New Orleans Zephyrs, the Marlins' Triple-A affiliate.
July 1 Arizona Diamondbacks A. J. Hinch Kirk Gibson Best known for his dramatic walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Gibson was the D-Backs' bench coach.
August 3 Baltimore Orioles Juan Samuel Buck Showalter Showalter, who was with ESPN as an analyst on Baseball Tonight, last managed with the Texas Rangers in 2006.
August 9 Seattle Mariners Don Wakamatsu Daren Brown Brown was in his fourth season managing the Tacoma Rainiers, the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate.
August 22 Chicago Cubs Lou Piniella Mike Quade Piniella stepped down early from an earlier announcement of his retirement at the end of the season to tend to his mother's failing health.[3] Quade served as the third-base coach of the Cubs and was named interim manager for the remainder of the season.

League leaders

American League

Batting leaders

Stat Player Total
AVG Josh Hamilton (TEX) .359
HR José Bautista (TOR) 54
RBI Miguel Cabrera (DET) 126
R Mark Teixeira (NYY) 113
H Ichiro Suzuki (SEA) 214
SB Juan Pierre (CWS) 68

Pitching leaders

Stat Player Total
W CC Sabathia (NYY) 21
L Kevin Millwood (BAL) 16
ERA Félix Hernández (SEA) 2.27
K Jered Weaver (LAA) 233
IP Félix Hernández (SEA) 249.2
SV Rafael Soriano (TB) 45

National League

Batting leaders

Stat Player Total
AVG Carlos Gonzalez (COL) .336
HR Albert Pujols (STL) 42
RBI Albert Pujols (STL) 118
R Albert Pujols (STL) 115
H Carlos Gonzalez (COL) 197
SB Michael Bourn (HOU) 52

Pitching leaders

Stat Player Total
W Roy Halladay (PHI) 21
L Rodrigo Lopez (ARI) 16
ERA Josh Johnson (FLA) 2.30
K Tim Lincecum (SF) 231
IP Roy Halladay (PHI) 250.2
SV Brian Wilson (SF) 48

Milestones

Reached

Batters

Pitchers

Perfect games
No-hitters
Postseason no-hitter
Other accomplishments

Miscellaneous

Awards and honors

Regular Season

Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards
BBWAA Award National League American League
Rookie of the Year Buster Posey (SF) Neftalí Feliz (TEX)
Cy Young Award Roy Halladay (PHI) Félix Hernández (SEA)
Manager of the Year Bud Black (SD) Ron Gardenhire (MIN)
Most Valuable Player Joey Votto (CIN) Josh Hamilton (TEX)
Gold Glove Awards
Position National League American League
Pitcher Bronson Arroyo (CIN) Mark Buehrle (CWS)
Catcher Yadier Molina (STL) Joe Mauer (MIN)
1st Base Albert Pujols (STL) Mark Teixeira (NYY)
2nd Base Brandon Phillips (CIN) Robinson Canó (NYY)
3rd Base Scott Rolen (CIN) Evan Longoria (TB)
Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (COL) Derek Jeter (NYY)
Outfield Carlos González (COL) Ichiro Suzuki (SEA)
Michael Bourn (HOU) Carl Crawford (TB)
Shane Victorino (PHI) Franklin Gutiérrez (SEA)
Silver Slugger Awards
Position National League American League
Pitcher/Designated Hitter Yovani Gallardo (MIL) Vladimir Guerrero (TEX)
Catcher Brian McCann (ATL) Joe Mauer (MIN)
1st Base Albert Pujols (STL) Miguel Cabrera (DET)
2nd Base Dan Uggla (FLA) Robinson Canó (NYY)
3rd Base Ryan Zimmerman (WAS) Adrián Beltré (BOS)
Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (COL) Alexei Ramírez (CHW)
Outfield Carlos González (COL) Josh Hamilton (TEX)
Ryan Braun (MIL) Carl Crawford (TB)
Matt Holliday (STL) José Bautista (TOR)

Player of the Month

Month American League National League
April Robinson Canó Kelly Johnson
May David Ortiz Troy Glaus
June Josh Hamilton David Wright
July Delmon Young
José Bautista (tie)
Buster Posey
August José Bautista Albert Pujols
September Alex Rodriguez Troy Tulowitzki

Pitcher of the Month

Month American League National League
April Francisco Liriano Ubaldo Jiménez
May Jon Lester Ubaldo Jiménez
June Cliff Lee Josh Johnson
July Gavin Floyd Roy Halladay
August Clay Buchholz Tim Hudson
September David Price Derek Lowe

Rookie of the Month

Month American League National League
April Austin Jackson Jason Heyward
May Brennan Boesch Jason Heyward
June Brennan Boesch Gaby Sánchez
July Wade Davis Buster Posey
August Brian Matusz Daniel Hudson
September Neftalí Feliz Pedro Alvarez

Other awards

New stadium

Target Field celebrated the return of outdoor Major League Baseball to Minnesota for the first time since September 30, 1981.

The Minnesota Twins inaugurated Target Field, their new 39,504-seat home field, in an exhibition game on April 2 against the St. Louis Cardinals (the Twins lost 8–4). On April 12, the Twins played their first regular season game in their new ballpark with a 5–2 win over the Boston Red Sox. The team moved from the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, which they shared with the Minnesota Vikings since the stadium opened in 1982 and also with the University of Minnesota football program until the Golden Gophers returned to their campus and opened TCF Bank Stadium in September 2009. The Twins last played outdoor baseball at home in 1981 when Metropolitan Stadium (where the Mall of America now stands) closed.

Target Field is also the first stadium to have been built specifically for the Twins since their arrival in the Twin Cities in 1961, and the first stadium to have been built specifically for the franchise since Griffith Stadium was built for the original Washington Nationals in 1911. Also, the 2010 season was the first since 1936 in which the Twins/Senators franchise did not share its stadium with an NFL team.

Ownership change

The Texas Rangers were sold at an auction in U.S. Bankruptcy Court on August 5 to a group led by Chuck Greenberg and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan from former owner Tom Hicks. The ownership change was approved by MLB owners on August 12.

Broadcasting

Television

The 2010 season marked the first full season in the USA for baseball games to be telecast in the digital format. The national telecast breakdown is as follows, along with the maximum number of appearances per team:

In Canada, Toronto Blue Jays games will be televised on Rogers Sportsnet and Rogers Sportsnet One. RSN also holds the Canadian rights to air the Fox and ESPN/ESPN2 games if they do not conflict with Blue Jays games, as well as the All-Star Game and the entire postseason. Starting May 16, TSN2 holds rights to the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball telecasts.

In Australia free to air channel One HD shows up to 5 regular season games live per week (no postseason coverage), and European channel ESPN America broadcasts games as well.

Radio

ESPN Radio will again serve as MLB's national radio network, broadcasting Sunday Night Baseball as well as selected Saturday and holiday games during the regular season, the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game, and all postseason series. ESPN Deportes Radio holds the Spanish language rights to the Fall Classic.

Uniforms, patches, and logo changes

Uniforms

New uniforms and uniform changes

Retired numbers

Throwbacks

Patches

Anniversaries

Memorials

Caps

Retirements

Venue changes

References

  1. "2010 Major League Baseball Standard Pitching". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  2. "1972 Major League Baseball Standard Pitching". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  3. Lou Piniella, Former Yankees Manager and Player, Will Retire as Manager of Cubs at End of Season, New York Daily News, July 20, 2010
  4. "Manny reaches 2,500-hits milestone". Major League Baseball. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  5. "Major League Baseball: The last five seasons". Thomson Sport. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  6. "Stat Speak: Cubs' 'Wildfire' a 20–20 visionary". Major League Baseball. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
  7. "Conrad relishes chance to contribute". Major League Baseball. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  8. A-Rod youngest in history to 600 homers, MLB.com, August 4, 2010
  9. "Ryan Howard fastest to 250 HR all-time". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on September 11, 2010. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  10. Bastian, Jordan (September 23, 2010). "Bautista hits milestone homer No. 50". MLB.com. Archived from the original on September 25, 2010. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
  11. Blown Call Costs Galarraga Perfect Game in Ninth, AP via Comcast.net, June 2, 2010
  12. Record-Setting Moyer Fires Two-Hit Shutout, philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com, May 7, 2010
  13. "Félix Hernández becomes fourth-youngest pitcher to record 1,000 strikeouts". NBCSports.com. Archived from the original on August 31, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
  14. Brewers Introduce Alternate Road "Milwaukee" Jersey, milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com February 17, 2010
  15. Irvin's 20 to be Retired, Henry Schulman, San Francisco Chronicle, May 27, 2010
  16. Cardinals Retire Herzog's No. 24, Rick Hummel, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 23, 2010
  17. Glavine to Have Number retired by Braves, Mark Bowman, atlanta.braves.mlb.com, May 11, 2010
  18. D-Backs to Retire Gonzo's Number August 7, Andrew Pentis, arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com, June 23, 2010
  19. White Sox to Retire Uniform No. 35 in Honor of Frank Thomas; Announce "Frank Thomas Day" Will Be Celebrated August 29, chicago.whitesox.mlb.com, February 12, 2010
  20. Vizquel to Wear Aparicio's No. 11, Scott Melkin, chicago.whitesox.mlb.com, February 8, 2010
  21. Brewers Announce Plans to Celebrate 40th Anniversary Season, milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com, January 20, 2010
  22. Royals in Monarch Duds: Interview with Curt Nelson, Kansas City Baseball History Blog, July 19, 2010
  23. Well, That Didn't Take Long, UniWatchBlog.com, July 12, 2010
  24. UniWatch 2010 MLB Preview, Paul Lukas, ESPN.com, April 1, 2010
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