2003 in baseball
The following are the baseball events of the year 2003 throughout the world.
See also: 2003 Major League Baseball season and 2003 Nippon Professional Baseball seasonThe had one of the worst records in baseball history, going 43-119, a .265 winning percentage.
Detroit Tigers
The blew a 2-0 series lead against the Boston Red Sox in the 2003 ALDS, making it four straight years they lost the ALDS in five games, including an 0-9 mark in games in which they could have clinched the series.
Oakland Athletics
The Yankees beat the Red Sox in a thrilling , highlighted by Aaron Boone's walk-off home run in the 11th inning in Game 7 off Tim Wakefield.
ALCS
Regular Season Champions
Baseball Hall of Fame
Most Valuable Player
Cy Young Award
Rookie of the Year
Manager of the Year Award
Woman Executive of the Year (major or minor league): Luchy Guerra, , National League
Los Angeles Dodgers
The asterisk denotes the club that won the for its respective league.
wild card
January 22 – After having been released by the at the close of the 2002 season, David Ortiz signs with the Boston Red Sox.
Minnesota Twins
, written by Michael Lewis, is an examination of the present-day Oakland Athletics as run by their general manager Billy Beane, and how the application of sabermetric principles has allowed the A's to be competitive despite having one of the lowest payrolls in baseball.
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
January 6 –
Andry Lara
February 7 –
Jasson Domínguez
April 10 –
Andrew Painter
April 11 –
Adael Amador
April 15 –
Eury Pérez
April 19 –
Jackson Merrill
July 5 –
Junior Caminero
December 4 –
Jackson Holliday
January 2 – , 87, World War II-era New York Yankees' outfielder who played all but three of his 376 big-league games during the wartime seasons of 1943–1945; member of 1943 World Series champions.
Bud Metheny
January 3 – , 86, pitcher for the St. Louis Browns and New York Yankees in five seasons from 1948 to 1952, who was also a part of three Yankees World Series champion teams between 1950 and 1952.
Joe Ostrowski
January 3 – , 72, pinch-hitter for the 1955 Philadelphia Phillies.
Jim Westlake
January 6 – , 56, center fielder who played from 1968 to 1970 for the California Angels.
Jarvis Tatum
January 7 – , 84, pitcher who appeared in 19 career games for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1941) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1946), posting an 0–8 record and 6.15 earned run average.
Ed Albosta
January 9 – , 66, speedy center fielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants in part of eight seasons spanning 1957–1966.
Don Landrum
January 11 – , 64, American League umpire from 1977 to 1999 who worked in the 1988 World Series, five ALCS, and two All-Star games.
Durwood Merrill
January 13 – , 93, relief pitcher for the 1945 Brooklyn Dodgers.
Ernie Rudolph
January 14 – , 79, sportswriter who covered the Cincinnati Reds from 1949 to 1985, often drawing criticism for his harsh commentary on players.
Earl Lawson
January 14 – , 80, catcher who is recognized as the first African American man to play organized baseball in the twentieth century, as he won batting titles in both the Negro leagues and the Minor Leagues.
Johnny Ritchey
January 16 – , 85, pitcher who appeared in one game for the Washington Senators during the 1942 season.
Phil McCullough
January 17 – , 76, All-Star center fielder for the Racine Belles of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
Claire Schillace
January 19 – , 87, second baseman who played with the Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians in a span of six seasons from 1937 to 1946.
Dutch Meyer
January 25 – , 78, catcher who played from 1952 through 1956 for the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates and Milwaukee Braves.
Toby Atwell
January 27 – , 52, pitcher for the New York Yankees from 1978 to 1979, who later was named the Pitcher of the Year for the International League while pitching for the Syracuse Chiefs.