1984 Major League Baseball season

This article is about the 1984 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 1984 in baseball.

The 1984 Major League Baseball season started with a 9-game winning streak by the eventual World Series champions Detroit Tigers who started the season with 35 wins and 5 losses and never relinquished the first place lead.

1984 MLB season
League	Major League Baseball
Sport	Baseball
Duration	April 2 – October 14, 1984
Number of games	162
Number of teams	26
TV partner(s)	ABC, NBC
Draft
Top draft pick	Shawn Abner
Picked by	New York Mets
Regular season
Season MVP	NL: Ryne Sandberg (CHC) AL: Willie Hernández (DET)
Postseason
AL champions	Detroit Tigers
AL runners-up	Kansas City Royals
NL champions	San Diego Padres
NL runners-up	Chicago Cubs
World Series
Champions	Detroit Tigers
Runners-up	San Diego Padres
World Series MVP	Alan Trammell (DET)

Angels

White Sox

Royals

Twins

     Athletics

Mariners

Rangers

Orioles

Red
Sox

Indians

Tigers   

Brewers

Yankees

Blue
Jays

Locations of teams for the 1982–1988 American League seasons
West   East

Braves

Reds

Astros

Dodgers

Padres

  Giants

Cubs

Expos

Mets

     Phillies

Pirates  

Cardinals

Locations of teams for the 1977–1992 National League seasons
West   East

New commissioner

On March 3, 1984, Peter Ueberroth was elected by the owners as the sixth commissioner of baseball (replacing retiring commissioner Bowie Kuhn) and officially took office on October 1 of that year. As a condition of his hiring, Ueberroth increased the commissioner's fining ability from US$5,000 to $250,000. His salary was raised to a reported $450,000, nearly twice what Kuhn was paid.

Just as Ueberroth was taking office, the Major League Umpires Union was threatening to strike the postseason. Ueberroth managed to arbitrate the disagreement and had the umpires back to work before the League Championship Series were over.

Awards and honors

• Baseball Hall of Fame
  • Luis Aparicio
  • Don Drysdale
  • Rick Ferrell
  • Harmon Killebrew
  • Pee Wee Reese

Further information: 1984 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting

Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards
BBWAA Award	National League	American League
Rookie of the Year	Dwight Gooden (NYM)	Alvin Davis (SEA)
Cy Young Award	Rick Sutcliffe (CHC)	Willie Hernández (DET)
Manager of the Year	Jim Frey (CHC)	Sparky Anderson (DET)
Most Valuable Player	Ryne Sandberg (CHC)	Willie Hernández (DET)
Gold Glove Awards
Position	National League	American League
Pitcher	Joaquín Andújar (STL)	Ron Guidry (NYY)
Catcher	Tony Peña (PIT)	Lance Parrish (DET)
First Baseman	Keith Hernandez (NYM)	Eddie Murray (BAL)
Second Baseman	Ryne Sandberg (CHC)	Lou Whitaker (DET)
Third Baseman	Mike Schmidt (PHI)	Buddy Bell (TEX)
Shortstop	Ozzie Smith (STL)	Alan Trammell (DET)
Outfielders	Andre Dawson (MTL)	Dwight Evans (BOS)
	Bob Dernier (CHC)	Dwayne Murphy (OAK)
	Dale Murphy (ATL)	Dave Winfield (NYY)
Silver Slugger Awards
Pitcher/Designated Hitter	Rick Rhoden (PIT)	Andre Thornton (CLE)
Catcher	Gary Carter (MTL)	Lance Parrish (DET)
First Baseman	Keith Hernandez (NYM)	Eddie Murray (BAL)
Second Baseman	Ryne Sandberg (CHC)	Lou Whitaker (DET)
Third Baseman	Mike Schmidt (PHI)	Buddy Bell (TEX)
Shortstop	Garry Templeton (SD)	Cal Ripken Jr. (BAL)
Outfielders	José Cruz (HOU)	Tony Armas (BOS)
	Tony Gwynn (SD)	Jim Rice (BOS)
	Dale Murphy (ATL)	Dave Winfield (NYY)

Other awards

• Outstanding Designated Hitter Award: Dave Kingman (OAK)
• Roberto Clemente Award (Humanitarian): Ron Guidry (NYY)
• Rolaids Relief Man Award: Dan Quisenberry (KC, American); Bruce Sutter (STL, National).

Player of the Month

Month	American League	National League
April	Alan Trammell	Tony Gwynn
May	Eddie Murray	Leon Durham
June	Tony Armas	Ryne Sandberg
July	Kent Hrbek	José Cruz
August	Gary Ward	Keith Moreland
September	Greg Walker	Dale Murphy

Pitcher of the Month

Month	American League	National League
April	Jack Morris	Rick Honeycutt
May	Mike Boddicker	Nolan Ryan
June	Charlie Hough	Ron Darling
July	Willie Hernández	Orel Hershiser
August	Roger Clemens	Rick Sutcliffe
September	Doyle Alexander	Dwight Gooden

Statistical leaders

Statistic	American League		National League
AVG	Don Mattingly NYY	.343	Tony Gwynn SD	.351
HR	Tony Armas BOS	43	Dale Murphy ATL Mike Schmidt PHI	36
RBIs	Tony Armas BOS	123	Gary Carter MTL Mike Schmidt PHI	106
Wins	Mike Boddicker BAL	20	Joaquín Andújar STL	20
ERA	Mike Boddicker BAL	2.79	Alejandro Peña LA	2.48
SO	Mark Langston SEA	204	Dwight Gooden NYM	276
SV	Dan Quisenberry KC	44	Bruce Sutter STL	45
SB	Rickey Henderson OAK	66	Tim Raines MTL	75

Standings

American League

• v
• t
• e

AL East

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Detroit Tigers	104	58	.642	—	53‍–‍29	51‍–‍29
Toronto Blue Jays	89	73	.549	15	49‍–‍32	40‍–‍41
New York Yankees	87	75	.537	17	51‍–‍30	36‍–‍45
Boston Red Sox	86	76	.531	18	41‍–‍40	45‍–‍36
Baltimore Orioles	85	77	.525	19	44‍–‍37	41‍–‍40
Cleveland Indians	75	87	.463	29	41‍–‍39	34‍–‍48
Milwaukee Brewers	67	94	.416	36½	38‍–‍43	29‍–‍51

• v
• t
• e

AL West

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Kansas City Royals	84	78	.519	—	44‍–‍37	40‍–‍41
California Angels	81	81	.500	3	37‍–‍44	44‍–‍37
Minnesota Twins	81	81	.500	3	47‍–‍34	34‍–‍47
Oakland Athletics	77	85	.475	7	44‍–‍37	33‍–‍48
Chicago White Sox	74	88	.457	10	43‍–‍38	31‍–‍50
Seattle Mariners	74	88	.457	10	42‍–‍39	32‍–‍49
Texas Rangers	69	92	.429	14½	34‍–‍46	35‍–‍46

National League

• v
• t
• e

NL East

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Chicago Cubs	96	65	.596	—	51‍–‍29	45‍–‍36
New York Mets	90	72	.556	6½	48‍–‍33	42‍–‍39
St. Louis Cardinals	84	78	.519	12½	44‍–‍37	40‍–‍41
Philadelphia Phillies	81	81	.500	15½	39‍–‍42	42‍–‍39
Montreal Expos	78	83	.484	18	39‍–‍42	39‍–‍41
Pittsburgh Pirates	75	87	.463	21½	41‍–‍40	34‍–‍47

• v
• t
• e

NL West

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
San Diego Padres	92	70	.568	—	48‍–‍33	44‍–‍37
Atlanta Braves	80	82	.494	12	38‍–‍43	42‍–‍39
Houston Astros	80	82	.494	12	43‍–‍38	37‍–‍44
Los Angeles Dodgers	79	83	.488	13	40‍–‍41	39‍–‍42
Cincinnati Reds	70	92	.432	22	39‍–‍42	31‍–‍50
San Francisco Giants	66	96	.407	26	35‍–‍46	31‍–‍50

Postseason

Main article: 1984 Major League Baseball postseason

Bracket

	League Championship Series (ALCS, NLCS)					World Series
	East	Detroit	3
	West	Kansas City	0
						AL	Detroit	4
						NL	San Diego	1
	East	Chicago Cubs	2
	West	San Diego	3

All-Star game

• All-Star Game, July 10 at Candlestick Park: National League, 3–1; Gary Carter, MVP

Home field attendance

Team name	Wins	%±	Home attendance	%±	Per game
Los Angeles Dodgers[1]	79	−13.2%	3,134,824	−10.7%	38,702
Detroit Tigers[2]	104	13.0%	2,704,794	47.8%	32,985
California Angels[3]	81	15.7%	2,402,997	−5.9%	29,667
Chicago White Sox[4]	74	−25.3%	2,136,988	0.2%	26,383
Toronto Blue Jays[5]	89	0.0%	2,110,009	9.3%	26,049
Chicago Cubs[6]	96	35.2%	2,107,655	42.4%	26,346
Philadelphia Phillies[7]	81	−10.0%	2,062,693	−3.1%	25,465
Baltimore Orioles[8]	85	−13.3%	2,045,784	0.2%	25,257
St. Louis Cardinals[9]	84	6.3%	2,037,448	−12.1%	25,154
San Diego Padres[10]	92	13.6%	1,983,904	28.8%	24,493
New York Mets[11]	90	32.4%	1,842,695	65.6%	22,749
New York Yankees[12]	87	−4.4%	1,821,815	−19.3%	22,492
Kansas City Royals[13]	84	6.3%	1,810,018	−7.8%	22,346
Atlanta Braves[14]	80	−9.1%	1,724,892	−18.6%	21,295
Boston Red Sox[15]	86	10.3%	1,661,618	−6.8%	20,514
Milwaukee Brewers[16]	67	−23.0%	1,608,509	−32.9%	19,858
Montreal Expos[17]	78	−4.9%	1,606,531	−30.8%	19,834
Minnesota Twins[18]	81	15.7%	1,598,692	86.1%	19,737
Oakland Athletics[19]	77	4.1%	1,353,281	4.5%	16,707
Cincinnati Reds[20]	70	−5.4%	1,275,887	7.2%	15,752
Houston Astros[21]	80	−5.9%	1,229,862	−9.0%	15,183
Texas Rangers[22]	69	−10.4%	1,102,471	−19.1%	13,781
San Francisco Giants[23]	66	−16.5%	1,001,545	−20.0%	12,365
Seattle Mariners[24]	74	23.3%	870,372	7.0%	10,745
Pittsburgh Pirates[25]	75	−10.7%	773,500	−36.9%	9,549
Cleveland Indians[26]	75	7.1%	734,079	−4.5%	9,063

Television coverage

Network	Day of week	Announcers
ABC	Monday nights Sunday afternoons	Al Michaels, Jim Palmer, Howard Cosell, Don Drysdale, Tim McCarver, Earl Weaver, Reggie Jackson
NBC	Saturday afternoons	Vin Scully, Joe Garagiola, Bob Costas, Tony Kubek

Events

• April 7: Jack Morris of the Detroit Tigers threw a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park in Chicago.
• June 23: On a broadcast of NBC's Game of the Week between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg hits two crucial, game tying home runs off of Cardinals closer Bruce Sutter in both the bottom of the ninth and tenth innings. The Cubs would go on to win the game in eleven innings, by the score of 12–11.
• September 30: Mike Witt of the California Angels threw a perfect game against the Texas Rangers. He finished with 94 pitches and ten strikeouts.

Movies

• The Natural

Deaths

• March 18: Charley Lau
• March 20: Stan Coveleski
• August 14: Lynn McGlothen
• August 25: Waite Hoyt
• September 7: Joe Cronin
• October 1: Walter Alston
• October 26: Gus Mancuso
• November 25: Ival Goodman