2004 Major League Baseball season

This article is about the 2004 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 2004 in baseball.

2004 MLB season
League	Major League Baseball
Sport	Baseball
Duration	April 4, 2004 – October 27, 2004
Regular Season
Season MVP	AL: Vladimir Guerrero (ANA) NL: Barry Bonds (SF)
League Postseason
AL champions	Boston Red Sox
AL runners-up	New York Yankees
NL champions	St. Louis Cardinals
NL runners-up	Houston Astros
World Series
Champions	Boston Red Sox
Runners-up	St. Louis Cardinals
Finals MVP	Manny Ramirez (BOS)

The 2004 Major League Baseball season ended when the Boston Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in a four-game World Series sweep. This season was particularly notable since the Red Sox championship broke the 86-year-long popular myth known as the Curse of the Bambino. The Red Sox were also the first team in MLB history and the third team from a major North American professional sports league to ever come back from a 3–0 postseason series deficit, in the ALCS against the New York Yankees.

Statistical leaders

	American League		National League
Type	Name	Stat	Name	Stat
AVG	Ichiro Suzuki SEA	.372	Barry Bonds SF	.362
HR	Manny Ramírez BOS	43	Adrián Beltré LA	48
RBI	Miguel Tejada BAL	150	Vinny Castilla COL	131
Wins	Curt Schilling BOS	21	Roy Oswalt HOU	20
ERA	Johan Santana MIN	2.61	Jake Peavy SD	2.27
SO	Johan Santana MIN	265	Randy Johnson ARI	290
SV	Mariano Rivera NYY	53	Armando Benítez FLA Jason Isringhausen STL	47
SB	Carl Crawford TB	59	Scott Podsednik MIL	70

Major league baseball final standings

American League

AL East

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
(1) New York Yankees	101	61	.623	—	57‍–‍24	44‍–‍37
(4) Boston Red Sox	98	64	.605	3	55‍–‍26	43‍–‍38
Baltimore Orioles	78	84	.481	23	38‍–‍43	40‍–‍41
Tampa Bay Devil Rays	70	91	.435	30½	41‍–‍39	29‍–‍52
Toronto Blue Jays	67	94	.416	33½	40‍–‍41	27‍–‍53

AL Central

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
(3) Minnesota Twins	92	70	.568	—	49‍–‍32	43‍–‍38
Chicago White Sox	83	79	.512	9	46‍–‍35	37‍–‍44
Cleveland Indians	80	82	.494	12	44‍–‍37	36‍–‍45
Detroit Tigers	72	90	.444	20	38‍–‍43	34‍–‍47
Kansas City Royals	58	104	.358	34	33‍–‍47	25‍–‍57

AL West

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
(2) Anaheim Angels	92	70	.568	—	45‍–‍36	47‍–‍34
Oakland Athletics	91	71	.562	1	52‍–‍29	39‍–‍42
Texas Rangers	89	73	.549	3	51‍–‍30	38‍–‍43
Seattle Mariners	63	99	.389	29	38‍–‍44	25‍–‍55

National League

NL East

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
(2) Atlanta Braves	96	66	.593	—	49‍–‍32	47‍–‍34
Philadelphia Phillies	86	76	.531	10	42‍–‍39	44‍–‍37
Florida Marlins	83	79	.512	13	42‍–‍38	41‍–‍41
New York Mets	71	91	.438	25	38‍–‍43	33‍–‍48
Montreal Expos	67	95	.414	29	35‍–‍45	32‍–‍50

NL Central

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
(1) St. Louis Cardinals	105	57	.648	—	53‍–‍28	52‍–‍29
(4) Houston Astros	92	70	.568	13	48‍–‍33	44‍–‍37
Chicago Cubs	89	73	.549	16	45‍–‍37	44‍–‍36
Cincinnati Reds	76	86	.469	29	40‍–‍41	36‍–‍45
Pittsburgh Pirates	72	89	.447	32½	39‍–‍41	33‍–‍48
Milwaukee Brewers	67	94	.416	37½	36‍–‍45	31‍–‍49

NL West

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
(3) Los Angeles Dodgers	93	69	.574	—	49‍–‍32	44‍–‍37
San Francisco Giants	91	71	.562	2	47‍–‍35	44‍–‍36
San Diego Padres	87	75	.537	6	42‍–‍39	45‍–‍36
Colorado Rockies	68	94	.420	25	38‍–‍43	30‍–‍51
Arizona Diamondbacks	51	111	.315	42	29‍–‍52	22‍–‍59

Managers

American League

Team	Manager	Comments
Anaheim Angels	Mike Scioscia
Baltimore Orioles	Lee Mazzilli
Boston Red Sox	Terry Francona	Won the World Series
Chicago White Sox	Ozzie Guillén
Cleveland Indians	Eric Wedge
Detroit Tigers	Alan Trammell
Kansas City Royals	Tony Peña
Minnesota Twins	Ron Gardenhire
New York Yankees	Joe Torre
Oakland Athletics	Ken Macha
Seattle Mariners	Bob Melvin
Tampa Bay Devil Rays	Lou Piniella
Texas Rangers	Buck Showalter
Toronto Blue Jays	John Gibbons

National League

Team	Manager	Comments
Arizona Diamondbacks	Bob Brenly	Replaced during the season by Al Pedrique
Atlanta Braves	Bobby Cox
Chicago Cubs	Dusty Baker
Cincinnati Reds	Dave Miley
Colorado Rockies	Clint Hurdle
Florida Marlins	Jack McKeon
Houston Astros±	Jimy Williams	Replaced during the season by Phil Garner
Los Angeles Dodgers	Jim Tracy
Milwaukee Brewers	Ned Yost
Montreal Expos	Frank Robinson
New York Mets	Art Howe
Philadelphia Phillies	Larry Bowa
Pittsburgh Pirates	Lloyd McClendon
St. Louis Cardinals	Tony La Russa	Won the National League pennant
San Diego Padres	Bruce Bochy
San Francisco Giants	Felipe Alou

±hosted the MLB All Star Game

Postseason

• World Series Champions – Boston Red Sox
• Playoffs – October 4 to 27, 2004.

• Playoff MVPs
  • Manny Ramírez (WS)
  • David Ortiz (ALCS)
  • Albert Pujols (NLCS)
• All-Star Game, July 13 at Minute Maid Park: American League, 9–4; Alfonso Soriano, MVP

Milestones

The following players reached major milestones in 2004:

500 Home Run Club

Ken Griffey, Jr – June 20

300 Wins Club

Greg Maddux – August 7, 2004

Single-Season Hits Record Broken

Ichiro Suzuki – 262 Hits (broke George Sisler's 84-year-old record of 257)

Awards

Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards
BBWAA Award	National League	American League
Rookie of the Year	Jason Bay (PIT)	Bobby Crosby (OAK)
Cy Young Award	Roger Clemens (HOU)	Johan Santana (MIN)
Manager of the Year	Bobby Cox (ATL)	Buck Showalter (TEX)
Most Valuable Player	Barry Bonds (SF)	Vladimir Guerrero (ANA)
Gold Glove Awards
Position	National League	American League
Pitcher	Greg Maddux (CHC)	Kenny Rogers (TEX)
Catcher	Mike Matheny (STL)	Iván Rodríguez (DET)
1st Base	Derrek Lee (CHC)	Darin Erstad (ANA)
2nd Base	Luis Castillo (FLA)	Bret Boone (SEA)
3rd Base	Mike Lowell (FLA)	Eric Chavez (OAK)
Shortstop	Cesar Izturis (LA)	Derek Jeter (NYY)
Outfield	Bobby Abreu (PHI) Jim Edmonds (STL) Steve Finley (ARI/LA)	Torii Hunter (MIN) Ichiro Suzuki (SEA) Vernon Wells (TOR)
Silver Slugger Awards
Position	National League	American League
Pitcher/Designated Hitter	Liván Hernández (MTL)	David Ortiz (BOS)
Catcher	Johnny Estrada (ATL)	Víctor Martínez (CLE) Iván Rodríguez (DET)
1st Base	Albert Pujols (STL)	Mark Teixeira (TEX)
2nd Base	Mark Loretta (SD)	Alfonso Soriano (TEX)
3rd Base	Adrián Beltré (LA)	Melvin Mora (BAL)
Shortstop	Jack Wilson (PIT)	Miguel Tejada (BAL)
Outfield	Bobby Abreu (PHI) Barry Bonds (SF) Jim Edmonds (STL)	Vladimir Guerrero (ANA) Manny Ramirez (BOS) Gary Sheffield (NYY)

Other awards

• Hank Aaron Award: Manny Ramirez (BOS, American); Barry Bonds (SF, National).
• Roberto Clemente Award (Humanitarian): Edgar Martínez (SEA).
• Rolaids Relief Man Award: Mariano Rivera (NYY, American); Éric Gagné (LA, National).

Player of the Month

Month	American League	National League
April	Carlos Beltrán	Barry Bonds
May	Melvin Mora	Lance Berkman
June	Iván Rodríguez	Jim Thome
July	Mark Teixeira	Jim Edmonds
August	Ichiro Suzuki	Barry Bonds
September	Vladimir Guerrero	Adrián Beltré

Pitcher of the Month

Month	American League	National League
April	Kevin Brown	Roger Clemens
May	Mark Buehrle	Jason Schmidt
June	Mark Mulder	Carl Pavano
July	Johan Santana	Russ Ortiz
August	Johan Santana	Jake Peavy
September	Johan Santana	Carlos Zambrano

Rookie of the Month

Month	American League	National League
April	Gerald Laird	Khalil Greene
May	Kevin Youkilis	Terrmel Sledge
June	Bobby Crosby	Jason Bay
July	Robb Quinlan	Jason Bay
August	Frank Francisco	Khalil Greene
September	Ross Gload	Jason Bay

References

• Baseball-Reference.com, 2004 American League season
• Baseball-Reference.com, 2004 National League season