2008 in baseball
The following are the baseball events of the year 2008 throughout the world.
See also: 2008 Major League Baseball season and 2008 Nippon Professional Baseball seasonRegular Season Champions
Baseball Hall of Fame honors
Rich "Goose" Gossage
MVP Awards
Dustin Pedroia
Cy Young Awards
Cliff Lee
Rookie of the Year Awards
Evan Longoria
Manager of the Year Awards
Joe Maddon
American League
DH: 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)
Silver Slugger Awards
January 6 – appears on CBS's 60 Minutes, denying that he ever uses performance-enhancing drugs.
Roger Clemens
January 8 – Rich "Goose" Gossage and his former manager with the San Diego Padres, Dick Williams, are elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Closer
January 29 – The agree to deal Johan Santana to the New York Mets for outfielder Carlos Gómez and pitchers Deolis Guerra, Philip Humber and Kevin Mulvey.
Minnesota Twins
Sugar
Touching Home
January 1 – , 74, pitcher for the 1957 Detroit Tigers, and the only major leaguer to come out of the University of the Ozarks
Chuck Daniel
January 2 – , 87, All-Star pitcher for six teams from 1947 to 1961 who won 19 games for the 1951 St. Louis Cardinals and led AL in games as a reliever for the 1959 Chicago White Sox
Gerry Staley
January 2 – , 52, baseball historian and author who was a SABR member for more than 25 years and authored the book The Ferrell Brothers of Baseball
Richard J. Thompson
January 4 – , 87, outfielder for the 1945 Boston Braves
Bill Ramsey
January 7 – , 77, general partner and co-owner of the Boston Red Sox from May 23, 1978, to March 30, 1987; began sporting career as an athletic trainer before becoming a successful businessman
Buddy LeRoux
January 8 – , 78, relief pitcher who worked in 314 games for five teams, principally the expansion Washington Senators and Philadelphia Phillies, over a dozen seasons between 1950 and 1966
Steve Ridzik
January 13 – , 75, All-Star pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers who was MVP of the 1955 World Series and also pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers' 1959 and 1963 World Series champions; led NL in ERA, shutouts and winning percentage once each
Johnny Podres
January 14 – , 72, pitcher for five NL teams over 14 seasons (1957–1970) who threw a no-hitter in his first start with the Chicago Cubs, May 15, 1960; member of 1969 "Miracle" New York Mets
Don Cardwell
January 17 – , 86, executive who served as general manager or club president of the Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos between 1957 and 1986; previously a reserve first baseman on Detroit's 1945 World Series champions
John McHale
January 18 – , 64, second baseman for the 1972 Chicago Cubs
Al Montreuil
January 22 – , 60, relief pitcher for the Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox from 1971 to 1974
Lance Clemons
January 24 – , 86, American League umpire from 1969 to 1977 who was crew chief for the 1975 World Series; also worked the 1972 and 1976 ALCS and 1974 All-Star Game
Art Frantz
January 27 – , 69, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds 1961 NL champions who won the TSN Rookie Pitcher Award in the same season—which was his only campaign in Major League Baseball