2006 Major League Baseball season

This article is about the 2006 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 2006 in baseball.

2006 MLB season
League	Major League Baseball
Sport	Baseball
Duration	April 2, 2006 – October 27, 2006
Regular Season
Season MVP	AL: Justin Morneau (MIN) NL: Ryan Howard (PHI)
League Postseason
AL champions	Detroit Tigers
AL runners-up	Oakland Athletics
NL champions	St. Louis Cardinals
NL runners-up	New York Mets
World Series
World Series champions	St. Louis Cardinals
Runners-up	Detroit Tigers
World Series MVP	David Eckstein (STL)
MLB seasons
← 2005	2007 →

In 2006, the Major League Baseball season ended with the National League's St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series with the lowest regular season victory total in history. The American League continued its domination at the All-Star Game by winning its fourth straight game; the A.L. has won nine of the last ten contests (the 2002 game was a tie). This season, the Atlanta Braves failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 1990. Individual achievements included Barry Bonds who, despite questions surrounding his alleged steroid use and involvement in the BALCO scandal, surpassed Babe Ruth for second place on the career home runs list.

Major league baseball final standings

American League Rank Club Wins Losses Win %   GB East Division 1st New York Yankees 97   65 .599    – 2nd Toronto Blue Jays 87   75 .537 10.0 3rd Boston Red Sox 86   76 .531 11.0 4th Baltimore Orioles 70   92 .432 27.0 5th Tampa Bay Devil Rays 61 101 .377 36.0 Central Division 1st Minnesota Twins 96   66 .593    – 2nd Detroit Tigers† 95   67 .586   1.0 3rd Chicago White Sox 90   72 .556   6.0 4th Cleveland Indians 78   84 .481 18.0 5th Kansas City Royals 62 100 .383 34.0 West Division 1st Oakland Athletics 93   69 .574    – 2nd Los Angeles Angels 89   73 .549   4.0 3rd Texas Rangers 80   82 .494 13.0 4th Seattle Mariners 78   84 .481 15.0 † Won the wild card for its respective league. ‡ Awarded division championship based on 13–5 season series edge over the Dodgers.

National League Rank Club Wins Losses Win %   GB East Division 1st New York Mets   97 65 .599    – 2nd Philadelphia Phillies   85 77 .525 12.0 3rd Atlanta Braves   79 83 .488 18.0 4th Florida Marlins   78 84 .481 19.0 5th Washington Nationals   71 91 .438 26.0 Central Division 1st St. Louis Cardinals   83 78 .516    – 2nd Houston Astros   82 80 .506   1.5 3rd Cincinnati Reds   80 82 .494   3.5 4th Milwaukee Brewers   75 87 .463   8.5 5th Pittsburgh Pirates   67 95 .414 16.5 6th Chicago Cubs   66 96 .407 17.5 West Division 1st San Diego Padres‡   88 74 .543    – 2nd Los Angeles Dodgers†   88 74 .543    – 3rd San Francisco Giants   76 85 .472 11.5 4th Arizona Diamondbacks   76 86 .469 12.0 4th Colorado Rockies   76 86 .469 12.0

Postseason

• American League Champion - Detroit Tigers
• National League Champion - St. Louis Cardinals
• World Series Champion - St. Louis Cardinals

• Postseason - October 3 to October 27

	Division Series TV: ESPN/FOX					League Championship Series TV: FOX					World Series TV: FOX
	1	New York Yankees	1
	4	Detroit Tigers	3
						4	Detroit Tigers	4
	American League
						3	Oakland Athletics	0
	2	Minnesota Twins	0
	3	Oakland Athletics	3
											AL4	Detroit Tigers	1
											NL3	St. Louis Cardinals	4
	1	New York Mets	3
	4	Los Angeles Dodgers	0
						1	New York Mets	3
	National League
						3	St. Louis Cardinals	4
	2	San Diego Padres	1
	3	St. Louis Cardinals	3

Click on any series score to link to that series' page.
Higher seed had home field advantage during Division Series and League Championship Series.
The American League champion had home field advantage during the World Series as a result of the AL victory in the 2006 All-Star Game.

• Postseason MVPs
  • World Series MVP - David Eckstein
  • ALCS MVP - Plácido Polanco
  • NLCS MVP - Jeff Suppan

All-Star game

• All-Star Game, July 11 at PNC Park - American League, 3-2; Michael Young, MVP
  • Century 21 Home Run Derby, July 10 - Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies

Awards

Award	National League	American League
Most Valuable Player	Ryan Howard, PHI	Justin Morneau, MIN
Cy Young	Brandon Webb, ARI	Johan Santana, MIN
Manager of the Year	Joe Girardi, FLA	Jim Leyland, DET
Rookie of the Year	Hanley Ramirez, FLA	Justin Verlander, DET
Relief Man of the Year	Trevor Hoffman, SD	Francisco Rodríguez, LAA
Comeback Player of the Year	Nomar Garciaparra, LAD	Jim Thome, CWS
Hank Aaron Award	Ryan Howard, PHI	Derek Jeter, NYY	Sammy Sosa, CHC
Roberto Clemente Award	Carlos Delgado, NYM

• Gold Glove Awards:
  • AL: Kenny Rogers (P), Iván Rodríguez (C), Mark Teixeira (1B), Mark Grudzielanek (2B), Eric Chavez (3B), Derek Jeter (SS), Torii Hunter (OF), Ichiro Suzuki (OF), Vernon Wells (OF)
  • NL: Greg Maddux (P), Brad Ausmus (C), Albert Pujols (1B), Orlando Hudson (2B), Scott Rolen (3B), Omar Vizquel (SS), Carlos Beltrán (OF), Mike Cameron (OF), Andruw Jones (OF)

Statistical leaders

American League National League Type Name Stat Name Stat AVG Joe Mauer, MIN .347 Freddy Sanchez, PIT .344 HR David Ortiz, BOS 54 Ryan Howard, PHI 58 RBI David Ortiz, BOS 137 Ryan Howard, PHI 149 Wins Johan Santana, MIN Chien-Ming Wang, NYY 19 Aaron Harang, CIN Derek Lowe, LAD Brad Penny, LAD John Smoltz, ATL Brandon Webb, ARI Carlos Zambrano, CHC 16 ERA Johan Santana, MIN 2.77 Roy Oswalt, HOU 2.98 SO Johan Santana, MIN 245 Aaron Harang, CIN 216 SV Francisco Rodríguez, LAA 47 Trevor Hoffman, SD 46 SB Carl Crawford, TB 58 José Reyes, NYM 64

Milestones

300-300 Club members

• Reggie Sanders — June 10
• Steve Finley — June 14

Home Runs

The following players reached major home run milestones in 2006:

Barry Bonds' countdown to 715

• May 21 — reached 714 career homers, tying Babe Ruth for second all time
• May 28 — reached 715 career homers, passing Ruth for second all time

400 career homers

• Mike Piazza — April 26
• Carlos Delgado — August 22

300 career homers

• Jeromy Burnitz — April 4
• Moisés Alou — April 13
• Reggie Sanders — June 10 (also joining the 300-300 club)
• Steve Finley — June 14 (also joining the 300-300 club)

200 career homers

• Jeff Conine — April 16
• Magglio Ordóñez — April 29
• Eric Chavez — May 2
• Jermaine Dye — May 14
• Carlos Lee — May 24
• Phil Nevin — June 19
• Lance Berkman — June 21
• Carl Everett — June 21
• Nomar Garciaparra — June 25
• David Ortiz — June 29
• Alfonso Soriano — August 13
• Bobby Abreu — August 22
• Carlos Beltrán — August 26

Entry into the top 500

• Trot Nixon on April 5 with his 126th career homer
• Jason Varitek on June 13 with his 126th career homer
• Vernon Wells on June 14 with his 126th career homer
• Aubrey Huff on July 1 with his 126th career homer
• Raúl Ibáñez on July 15 with his 126th career homer
• Mark Teixeira on August 19 with his 127th career homer

Pitching

• Trevor Hoffman of the San Diego Padres broke Lee Smith's record of 478 Saves on September 24, 2006 at Petco Park.

Hitting

• Alfonso Soriano of the Washington Nationals become only the fourth player to join the 40-40 Club, joining José Canseco, Barry Bonds, and Alex Rodriguez when he stole his 40th base of the season on September 16. Six days later he became the first person ever to reach 40 home runs, 40 stolen bases and 40 doubles in one season.

See also

2006 in baseball