Coordinates	18°55′23″N48°17′19″N
Current season	2011 Major League Baseball season
Logo	Major League Baseball.svg
Pixels	250px
Sport	Baseball
Founded	1869
Ceo	Bud Selig
Teams	30
Champion	San Francisco Giants (6th title)
Most champs	New York Yankees (27 titles)
Country	(29 teams) (1 team)
Continent	North America
Tv	FoxTBSESPNMLB Network
Website	MLB.com }}

Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League. The two leagues merged in 2000 into a single MLB organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball after 100 years as separate legal entities.

MLB constitutes one of the major professional sports leagues of the United States and Canada. It is composed of 30 teams — 29 in the United States and one in Canada. With the International Baseball Federation, MLB also manages the World Baseball Classic.

MLB organizational structure

MLB is governed by the Major League Baseball Constitution that has undergone several incarnations since 1876 with the most recent revisions being made in 2005. Under the direction of the Commissioner of Baseball (currently Bud Selig), Major League Baseball hires and maintains the sport's umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts. As is the case for most of the sports leagues in the United States and Canada, the "closed shop" aspect of MLB effectively prevents the yearly promotion and relegation of teams into and out of Major League Baseball because of their performance. Major League Baseball maintains a unique, controlling relationship over the sport, including most aspects of minor league baseball. This is due in large part to a 1922 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in ''Federal Baseball Club v. National League'', which held that baseball is not interstate commerce and therefore not subject to federal antitrust law. This ruling has been weakened only slightly in subsequent years.

Executives

The chief executive of MLB is the commissioner. MLB has five executive vice-presidents in charge of the following areas: baseball operations, business, labor relations and human resources, finance, and administration (whose vice-president is MLB's Chief Information Officer).

Multimedia and production

The multimedia branch of MLB is New York–based MLB Advanced Media, which oversees MLB.com and each of the thirty teams' websites. Its charter states that MLB Advanced Media holds editorial independence from the League, but it is under the same ownership group and revenue-sharing plan. MLB Productions is a similarly structured wing of the league, focusing on video and traditional broadcast media.

League organization

Major League Baseball is divided into the American League (14 teams) and the National League (16 teams). Currently, each league is further subdivided into three divisions – labeled East, Central, and West. The three-division structure dates back to 1994, one season after the National League expanded to 14 teams. From 1969 through 1993 each league consisted of an East and West division. Before 1997, the two leagues met on the field only during the World Series and the All-Star Game: regular-season interleague play was introduced in 1997.

In March 1995, two new franchises—the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays—were awarded by Major League Baseball, to begin play in 1998. This addition would bring the total number of franchises to 30. In early 1997, Major League Baseball decided to assign one new team to each league: Tampa Bay joined the American League and Arizona joined the National League. The original plan was to have an odd number of teams in each league (15 per league, with 5 in each division). Interleague play, introduced in 1997, would have had to be extended throughout the entire season to allow every team to play every day. It was unclear though if interleague play would continue after the 1998 season, as it had to be approved by the players' union. For this and other reasons, it was decided that both leagues should continue to have an even number of teams; one existing club would have to switch leagues. The Milwaukee Brewers agreed in November 1997 to move from the American League to the National League, thereby making the National League a 16-team league.

The two leagues were once totally separate rival corporate entities, but that distinction has all but disappeared. In 1903, the two leagues began to meet in an end-of-year championship series called the World Series. In 1920, the weak National Commission, which had been created to manage relationships between the two leagues, was replaced with the much more powerful Commissioner of Baseball, who had the power to make decisions for all of professional baseball unilaterally. In 2000, the American and National Leagues were dissolved as legal entities, and Major League Baseball became a single league ''de jure'', although it had operated as a ''de facto'' single entity for many years.

The same rules and regulations are played between the two leagues with one exception: the American League operates under the Designated Hitter Rule, while the National League does not. This difference in rules between leagues is unique to MLB; the other sports leagues of the US including the NFL, NBA, NHL each have all teams playing under the same rules.

History

Differing definitions of MLB's founding year

For its founding year, Major League Baseball (the current official organization) uses ''1869''—the year the first professional team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, was established—and held official celebrations for its 100th anniversary in 1969 and its 125th anniversary in 1994, both of which were commemorated with league-wide shoulder patches. The modern Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves franchises trace their histories back to the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players in the early 1870s. The National League in 1876 is often pointed to as the beginning of Major League Baseball.

Founding

The first attempt at a national major league was the short-lived National Association, which existed from 1871 to 1875. Two current major league franchises, the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs, can trace their origins to the National Association.

Currently, there are two major leagues: the National League (founded in 1876) and the American League (founded in 1901).

Other Leagues

Several other defunct leagues are officially considered to be major, and their statistics and records are included with those of the two current major leagues. These include the Union Association (1884), the American Association (1882–1891, not to be confused with later minor leagues of the same name), the Players League (1890) and the Federal League (1914–1915). In the late 1950s, a serious attempt was made to establish a third major league, the Continental League, but that league never played.

Several Negro League players have been enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. However, the Negro Leagues are not officially considered major, primarily because the statistical record is incomplete.

Japanese professional baseball, divided into the Pacific League and the Central League, are not officially considered major leagues. No Japanese players have been inducted into the Hall of Fame; however, Sadaharu Oh is famous on both sides of the Pacific for holding the all-time unofficial world record for career home runs: 868.

Rise

In the 1860s, aided by the Civil War, "New York"-style baseball expanded into a national game and baseball's first governing body, The National Association of Base Ball Players, was formed. The NABBP existed as an amateur league for twelve years. By 1867, more than 400 clubs were members, although most of the strongest clubs remained those based in the northeastern part of the country.

In 1870, a schism developed between professional and amateur ballplayers, after the 1869 founding of the first professional baseball team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings. The NABBP split into two groups. The National Association of ''Professional'' Base Ball Players was formed in 1871. Some consider it to have been the first major league. Its amateur counterpart disappeared after only a few years.

In 1876, the National League of Professional Base Ball ''Clubs''—which still exists—was established, after the National Association proved ineffective. The emphasis was now on "clubs" rather than "players". Clubs could now enforce player contracts, preventing players from jumping to higher-paying clubs. For their part, clubs were required to play the full schedule of games, instead of forfeiting scheduled games when the club was no longer in the running for the league championship, which happened frequently under the National Association. A concerted effort was made to curb gambling on games which was leaving the validity of results in doubt.

The early years of the National League were tumultuous, with threats from rival leagues and a rebellion by players against the hated "reserve clause", which restricted the free movement of players between clubs. Competitive leagues formed regularly, and also disbanded regularly. The most successful was the American Association (1881–1891), sometimes called the "beer and whiskey league" for its tolerance of the sale of alcoholic beverages to spectators. For several years, the National League and American Association champions met in a postseason championship series—the first attempt at a World Series.

The Union Association survived for only one season (1884), as did the Players League (1890). Both leagues are considered major leagues by many baseball researchers because of the perceived high caliber of play (for a brief time anyway) and the number of star players featured. However, some researchers have disputed the major-league status of the Union Association, pointing out that franchises came and went and contending that the St. Louis club, which was deliberately "stacked" by the league's president (who owned that club), was the only club that was anywhere close to major-league caliber. There were dozens of leagues, large and small, at this time. What made the National League "major" was its dominant position in the major cities, particularly New York City. The large cities offered baseball teams national media distribution systems and fan bases that could generate revenues, enabling teams to hire the best players in the country.

The resulting bidding war for players led to widespread contract-breaking and legal disputes. One of the most famous involved star second baseman Napoleon Lajoie, who in 1901 went across town in Philadelphia from the National League Phillies to the American League Athletics. Barred by a court injunction from playing baseball in the state of Pennsylvania the following year, Lajoie was traded to the Cleveland team, where he played and managed for many years.

The war between the American and National leagues caused shock waves throughout the baseball world. At a meeting at the Leland Hotel in Chicago in 1901, the other baseball leagues negotiated a plan to maintain their independence. On September 5, 1901, Patrick T. Powers, president of the Eastern League, announced the formation of the second National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, the NAPBL or "NA" for short.

Ban Johnson had other designs for the NA. While the NA continues to this day (known as "Minor League Baseball"), he saw it as a tool to end threats from smaller rivals who might some day want to expand in other territories and threaten his league's dominance.

After 1902, the three leagues—the NL, the AL, and the NAPBL—signed a new National Agreement. The new agreement tied independent contracts to the reserve-clause national league contracts. Baseball players became a commodity. The agreement also set up a formal classification system for independent minor leagues that regulated the dollar value of contracts, the forerunner of the system refined by Branch Rickey that is still used today.

It also gave the NA great power. Many independents walked away from the 1901 meeting. The deal with the NA punished those other indies who had not joined the NA and submitted to the will of the 'majors.' The NA also agreed to the deal to prevent more pilfering of players with little or no compensation for the players' development. Several leagues, seeing the writing on the wall, eventually joined the NA, which grew in size over the next several years.

Dead-ball era

At this time the games tended to be low scoring, dominated by such pitchers as Walter Johnson, Cy Young, Christy Mathewson, Mordecai Brown, and Grover Cleveland Alexander, to the extent that the period 1900–1919 is commonly called the "dead-ball era". The term also accurately describes the condition of the "baseball". A baseball cost three dollars, a hefty sum then, equal to $}} today (in inflation-adjusted US dollars). Club owners were therefore reluctant to spend much money on new balls, if not necessary. It was not unusual for a single baseball to last an entire game, by the end of which, the ball would be dark with grass, mud, and tobacco stains, and misshapen from contact with the bat. Balls were replaced only if they were hit into the crowd and lost, and many clubs employed security guards solely to retrieve balls hit into the stands.

Home runs were thus rare, and "small ball"—singles, bunts, stolen bases, the hit-and-run play, and other tactics—dominated the strategies of the time. Hitting methods, like the Baltimore Chop, were used to increase the number of infield singles.

The foul strike rule was a major rule change that, in just a few years, sent baseball from a high-scoring game to one where scoring runs became a struggle. Prior to this rule, foul balls were not counted as strikes: a batter could foul off any number of pitches with no strikes counted against him; this gave an enormous advantage to the batter. In 1901, the National League adopted the foul strike rule, and the American League followed suit in 1903.

The World War II era

On January 14, 1942, Major League Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis wrote a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt regarding the continuation of baseball during the war, called the Green Light Letter. In this letter, the commissioner pleaded for the continuation of baseball in hopes for a start of a new major league season. President Roosevelt responds "I honestly feel that it would be best for the country to keep baseball going. There will be fewer people unemployed and everybody will work longer hours and harder than ever before. And that means that they ought to have a chance for recreation and for taking their minds off their work even more than before."

With the approval of President Roosevelt, Major League Baseball began its spring training in 1942 with little repercussions. Although some men were being pulled away from the baseball fields and sent to the battlefield, baseball continued to field teams.

Breaking the color barrier

In the mid-1940s, Branch Rickey, president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, selected player Jackie Robinson from a list of promising Negro leagues players. After obtaining a commitment from Robinson to "turn the other cheek" to any racial antagonism directed at him, Rickey agreed to sign him to a contract for $600 a month. In what was later referred to as "The Noble Experiment", Robinson was the first black baseball player in the International League since the 1880s, joining the Dodgers' farm club, the Montreal Royals, for the 1946 season.

The following year, the Dodgers called Robinson up to the major leagues. On April 15, 1947, Robinson made his major league debut at Ebbets Field before a crowd of 26,623 spectators, including more than 14,000 black patrons. Black baseball fans began flocking to see the Dodgers when they came to town, abandoning their Negro league teams which they had followed exclusively. Robinson's promotion met a generally positive, although mixed, reception among newspapers and white major league players. Manager Leo Durocher informed his team, "I do not care if the guy is yellow or black... I'm the manager of this team, and I say he plays. What's more, I say he can make us all rich. And if any of you cannot use the money, I will see that you are all traded." After a strike threat by some players, National League President Ford Frick and Baseball Commissioner Happy Chandler let it be known that any striking players would be suspended. Robinson received significant encouragement from several major league players, including Dodgers teammate Pee Wee Reese who said, "You can hate a man for many reasons. Color is not one of them."

That year, Robinson earned the inaugural Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award (separate National League and American League rookie of the year honors were awarded until 1949).[128]

The next year, racial pressure on Robinson eased, as a number of other black players entered the major leagues. Larry Doby and Satchel Paige were signed by the Cleveland Indians, and the Dodgers added three other black players besides Robinson.

Expanding west, south and north

For half a century, from 1903 to 1953, the two major leagues consisted of two eight team leagues. The 16 teams were located in just ten cities, all in the northeastern and midwestern United States: New York City had three teams and Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and St. Louis each had two teams. St. Louis was the southernmost and westernmost city with a major league team. The longest possible road trip, from Boston to St. Louis, took about 24 hours by railroad. The era of expansion and realignment began in 1953 when the National League's Boston Braves became the Milwaukee Braves. In 1954, the St. Louis Browns became the Baltimore Orioles. In 1955, the Philadelphia Athletics became the Kansas City Athletics. These were three of the least successful major league franchises, even though the Braves were usually an above-.500 team, and they and the Browns had each won a league championship during the 1940s. These three moves were not controversial. The next pair of franchise moves is still controversial.

Baseball experts consider the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers' boss Walter O'Malley to be "perhaps the most influential owner of baseball's early expansion era." Before the 1958 Major League Baseball season, he moved the Brooklyn Dodgers to Los Angeles. When O'Malley moved the Dodgers from Brooklyn, the story transcended the world of sport and he found himself on the cover of ''TIME'' magazine. The cover art for the issue was created by sports cartoonist Willard Mullin, long noted for his caricature of the "Brooklyn Bum" that personified the team. O'Malley was also influential in persuading the rival New York Giants to move west, to become the San Francisco Giants. The Giants were already suffering from slumping attendance records at their aging ballpark, the Polo Grounds. Had the Dodgers moved out west alone, the St. Louis Cardinals— away— would have been the closest National League team. The joint move would make West Coast road trips economical for visiting teams. O'Malley invited San Francisco Mayor George Christopher to New York to meet with Giants owner Horace Stoneham. Stoneham was considering moving the Giants to Minnesota, but he was convinced to join O'Malley on the West Coast at the end of the 1957 campaign. The meetings occurred during the 1957 season and against the wishes of Commissioner of Baseball Ford Frick. The dual moves broke the hearts of New York's National League fans but ultimately were successful for both franchises—and for Major League Baseball. The move was an immediate success as well, because the Dodgers set a major-league, single-game attendance record in their first home appearance with 78,672 fans.

In 1961, the "first" Washington Senators franchise moved to Minneapolis-St. Paul to become the Minnesota Twins. Two new teams were added to the American League at the same time: the Los Angeles Angels (who soon moved from downtown L.A. to nearby Anaheim) and a new "second" Washington Senators franchise. The National League followed suit by adding the Houston Astros and the New York Mets in 1962. The Astros (known as the "Colt. 45s" during their first three seasons) became the first southern major league franchise since the Louisville Colonels folded in 1899. The Mets established a reputation for futility by going 40–120 during their first season of play in the nation's media capital— and by playing only a little better in subsequent campaigns— but in their eighth season (1969) the Mets became the first of the 1960s expansion teams to win a World Series.

In 1966, Major League Baseball moved to the "Deep South" when the Braves moved to Atlanta. In 1968, the Kansas City Athletics moved west to become the Oakland Athletics.

In 1969, the two major leagues added two teams each. The American League added the Seattle Pilots (who became the Milwaukee Brewers after one disastrous season in Seattle) and the Kansas City Royals. The National League added the first Canadian franchise, the Montreal Expos as well as the San Diego Padres.

In 1972, the Washington Senators moved to Dallas-Fort Worth to become the Texas Rangers. In 1977, baseball added a second Canadian team, the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as the Seattle Mariners. This marked the end of the expansion era: no new teams were added and no teams moved until the 1990s. In 1993, the National League added the Florida Marlins in Miami and the Colorado Rockies in Denver. In 1998, the Milwaukee Brewers switched leagues by joining the National League and two new teams were added: the National League's Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix and the American League's Tampa Bay Devil Rays in St. Petersburg, Florida.

After the 2001 season, the team owners voted in favor of contraction. The Montreal Expos and the Minnesota Twins were expected to be the two teams which would cease to exist. Thanks to lawsuits from various parties, this plan was first delayed and finally killed for good in June 2002. The Twins ironically finished in first place in 2002.

The Expos became the first franchise in over three decades to move when they became the Washington Nationals in 2005. This move left Canada with just one team, but it also returned baseball to the United States capital city after a 33-year absence. This franchise shift, like many previous ones, involved baseball's return to a city which had been previously abandoned. Although there are a number of cities which permanently lost major league baseball in the 19th century, since 1901 only Montreal has lost its major league team without eventually getting another one. (This is not counting the short-lived Federal League. However, the two established leagues have only passed over two Federal League markets— Buffalo and Indianapolis.)

Pitching dominance and rules changes

By the late 1960s, the balance between pitching and hitting had swung in favor of the pitchers. In 1968—later nicknamed "the year of the pitcher"—Boston Red Sox player Carl Yastrzemski won the American League batting title with an average of just .301, the lowest in history. Detroit Tigers pitcher Denny McLain won 31 games, making him the first pitcher to win 30 games in a season since Dizzy Dean in 1934. St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Bob Gibson achieved an equally remarkable feat by allowing an ERA of just 1.12.

Following these pitching performances, in December 1968 the rules committee voted to reduce the strike zone from knees to shoulders to top of knees to armpits and lower the pitcher's mound from 15 to 10 inches, beginning in the 1969 season.

In 1973 the American League, which had been suffering from much lower attendance than the National League, sought to increase scoring even further by initiating the designated hitter (DH) rule.

Power age

Routinely in the late 1990s and early 2000s, baseball players hit 40 or 50 home runs in a season, a feat that was considered rare even in the 1980s. It has become apparent since that at least some of this power surge was a result of players using steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. Many modern baseball theorists believe that the need of pitchers to combat the rise in power could lead to a pitching revolution at some point. New pitches, such as the mysterious gyroball, could shift the balance of power back to the defensive side. A pitching revolution would not be unprecedented; several pitches have changed the game of baseball, including the slider in the '50s and '60s and the split-fingered fastball in the '70s to '90s. Since the 1990s, the changeup has made a resurgence, being thrown masterfully by pitchers such as Trevor Hoffman, Greg Maddux, Jamie Moyer, Tom Glavine, Johan Santana, Pedro Martinez and Tim Lincecum. Recently, pitchers such as Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez, and Ubaldo Jimenez have been throwing changeups with a split-finger grip, creating a dropping movement, dubbed the "split change."

MLB uniforms

A baseball uniform is a type of uniform worn by baseball players, and by some non-playing personnel, such as field managers and coaches. It is worn to indicate the person's role in the game and — through the use of logos, colors, and numbers — to identify the teams and their players, managers, and coaches.

The New York Knickerbockers were the first baseball team to use uniforms, taking the field on April 4, 1849, in pants made of blue wool, white flannel shirts (jerseys) and straw hats. The practice of wearing a uniform soon spread, and by 1900, all major league teams had adopted them. By 1882, most uniforms included stockings, which covered the leg from foot to knee, and had different colors that reflected the different baseball positions. In the late 1880s, the Detroit Wolverines and Washington Nationals of the National League and the Brooklyn Bridegrooms of the American Association were the first to wear striped uniforms.

Caps, or other types of headgear with eyeshades, have been a part of baseball uniforms from the beginning. Baseball teams often wore full-brimmed straw hats or no cap at all since there was no official rule regarding headgear. Completing the baseball uniform are cleats and stockings, both of which have also been around for a long time.

By the end of the 19th century, teams began the practice of having two different uniforms, one for when they played at home in their own baseball stadium and a different one for when they played away (on the road) at the other team's ballpark. It became common to wear white pants with a white color vest at home and gray pants with a gray or solid color vest when away. Most teams also have one or more alternate uniforms, usually consisting of the primary or secondary team color on the vest instead of the usual white or gray. Teams on occasion will also wear throwback uniforms.

Traditionally home uniforms have displayed the team name on the front, while away uniforms have displayed the name of the city (or state) that the team is from. There are many exceptions to that rule, however.

Season structure

Spring training

Spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to audition for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play. Spring training has always attracted fan attention, drawing crowds who travel to the warmer climates to enjoy the weather and watch their favorite teams play, and spring training usually coincides with spring break for many college students. Autograph seekers also find greater access to players during Spring Training.

Spring training typically lasts almost two months, starting in mid February and running until just before the season opening day (and often right at the end of spring training, some teams will play spring training games on the same day other teams have opening day of the season), traditionally the first week of April. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training first because pitchers benefit from a longer training period due to the exhaustive nature of the position. A week or two later, the position players arrive and team practice begins.

Regular Season

The current MLB regular season consists of 162 games per team, which typically begins on the first Sunday in April and ends on the first Sunday in October. Each team's schedule is organized typically into 3-game series, with occasional 2- or 4-game series, and the rare 5-game series. Postponed games or continuations of suspended games can result in an ad hoc 1-game or 5-game series. A team's series are organized into homestands and road trips that group multiple series together. Teams generally play games six days per week, commonly having Monday or Thursday as an off day. Frequently, games are scheduled at night, but during the vacation months of June, July, and August, more day games are played. Sunday games are generally played during the afternoon, allowing teams to travel to their next destination prior to a Monday night game.

In one weekend in mid-May and in the last two thirds of June, teams participate in interleague play, allowing fans to see infrequent team matchups between teams in different leagues. Use of the DH rule is determined by the home team's league rules.

Over the course of a season, teams compete for one of the four playoff berths in their league. They can win one of these berths by either winning their division, or by capturing a wild card spot. In many seasons, post-season teams are not determined until the very end of the season, while in other years, a post-season team can be decided as early as August.

Infrequently, after the conclusion of the 162-game season, an additional tie-breaking game (or games) may be needed to determine postseason participation.

All-Star Game

In early July — just after the midway point of the season — a three-day break is taken and the Major League Baseball All-Star Game is held. The All-Star game features a team of players from the National League (NL) — led by the manager of the previous NL World Series team — and a team of players from the American League (AL), similarly managed, in an exhibition game. From 1959 to 1961, two games were held, one in July and one in August. The designated-hitter rule was used in the All-Star game for the first time in 1989. Following games used a DH when the game was played in an AL ballpark. Starting in 2010, the DH rule will be in effect regardless of venue.

The 2002 contest in Milwaukee controversially ended in an 11-inning tie. Since 2003, the league which wins the All-Star game gets home-field advantage in the World Series: the league champion hosts the first two games at its own ballpark as well as the last two (if necessary.) 2010 marked the first time that a National League champion benefited from this rule. The National League did, however, manage to win three out of the seven World Series played between 2003 and 2009.

The first All-Star Game was held as part of the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago, Illinois, and was the brainchild of Arch Ward, then sports editor for ''The Chicago Tribune''. Initially intended to be a one-time event, its great success resulted in making the game an annual one. Ward's contribution was recognized by Major League Baseball in 1962 with the creation of the "Arch Ward Trophy", given to the All-Star Game's most valuable player each year. (In 2002, this was renamed the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award.)

Beginning in 1947, the eight position players in each team's starting lineup have been voted into the game by fans. The fan voting was discontinued after a 1957 ballot-box-stuffing scandal in Cincinnati: seven of the eight slots originally went to Reds players, two of whom were subsequently removed from the lineup to make room for Willie Mays and Hank Aaron. Fan voting was reinstated in 1970 and has continued ever since, including Internet voting in recent years.

From the first All-Star Game, players have worn their regular team uniforms, with one exception: In the first game, the National League players wore uniforms made for the game, with the lettering "National League" across the front of the shirt.

Post-season

style="background:silver;" colspan="5"	World Series Records
!Rank	!Team	!World Serieswon	!LastSerieswon	!Leaguepennantswon
1st		27	2009	40
	2nd	style="background:#acf;"	St. Louis Cardinals (NL)		10		2006		17
3rd		9	1989	14
		7	2007	12
		6	2010	18
	6	1988	18
		5	1990	9
	5	1979	7
9th		4	1984	10
		3	1995	9
	3	1983	7
	3	1991		6
style="background:#fbd;"	Chicago White Sox (AL)	3	2005		5
		2	1908	10
	2	2008	7
	2	1948	5
	2	1986	4
	2	1993	2
	2	2003	2
		0		2
	0		1 [AL]
	0		1
	0		1
	0		1
style="background:#fbd;"	0		1
	0		0
	0		0

When the regular season ends after the first Sunday in October (or the last Sunday in September), eight teams enter the post-season playoffs. Six teams are division champions; the remaining two "wild-card" spots are filled by the team in each league that has the best record but is not a division champion (best second-place team). Three rounds of series of games are played to determine the champion:

# American League Division Series and National League Division Series, each a best-of-five-games series. # American League Championship Series and National League Championship Series, each a best-of-seven-games series played between the surviving teams from the ALDS and NLDS. The league champions are informally referred to as the American and National League pennant winners. # World Series, a best-of-seven-games series played between the pennant winners of each league.

Within each league, the division winners are the #1, No.2 and No.3 seeds, based on win–loss records. The wild-card team is the fourth seed—regardless of its record—and is paired with the highest seed outside of its own division in the first round of the playoffs, while the remaining two division champions play each other. In the first two rounds, the better-seeded team has home-field advantage, regardless of record. The team belonging to the league that won the mid-season All-Star Game receives home-field advantage in the World Series.

Because each postseason series is split between the two teams' home fields, home-field advantage theoretically does not play a significant role unless the series goes to its maximum number of games, in which case the final game takes place on the field of the team holding the advantage. Home-field advantage, however, can play a role, if the team with home-field advantage wins the first two games (at home), thereby gaining some momentum for the rest of the Series.

Use of the DH rule in the World Series is determined by the home team's league rules.

International play

Since 1986, a team of Major League Baseball All-Stars has made a biennial end-of-the-season tour of Japan, playing exhibition games against the Nippon Professional Baseball All-Stars in the MLB Japan All-Star Series. Starting in 1992 and continuing intermittently, several Major League Baseball teams have played exhibition games against Japanese teams.

In 2008, Major League Baseball played the MLB China Series in the People's Republic of China. It was a series of two spring-training games played by the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. The games were an effort to popularize baseball in China.

MLB steroid policy

The original steroid policy provided for a 10-game suspension for a first positive test, a 30-game suspension for a second positive test, a 60-game suspension for a third positive test, a one year suspension for a fourth positive test, and a penalty at the commissioner’s discretion for a fifth positive test. Players were tested at least once per year, with the chance that several players could be tested many times per year.

A former Senate Majority Leader, federal prosecutor, and ex-chairman of The Walt Disney Company, George Mitchell was appointed by Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig on March 30, 2006 to investigate the use of performance-enhancing drugs in MLB. Mitchell was appointed during a time of controversy over the 2006 book ''Game of Shadows'' by ''San Francisco Chronicle'' investigative reporters Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada, which chronicles alleged extensive use of performance enhancers, including several different types of steroids and growth hormone by baseball superstars Barry Bonds, Gary Sheffield, and Jason Giambi. The appointment was made after several influential members of the U.S. Congress made negative comments about both the effectiveness and honesty of MLB's drug policies and Commissioner Selig.

According to the report, after mandatory random testing began in 2004, HGH Treatment for Athletic Enhancement became popular among players, as HGH is not detectable in tests, though the Mitchell report was careful to point out that HGH is likely a placebo with no performance enhancing effects. Also, at least one player from each of the thirty Major League Baseball teams was involved in the alleged violations.

On December 12, 2007, the day before the report was to be released, Bud Selig said, regarding his decision to commission the report, "I haven't seen the report yet, but I'm proud I did it."

According to ESPN, some people questioned whether Mitchell being a director of the Boston Red Sox created a conflict of interest, especially because no "prime [Sox] players were in the report." Mitchell described his role with the team as that of a "consultant". Despite the lack of "prime" Boston players, the report had named several prominent Yankees who were parts of World Series clubs. This made some people feel that there was a conflict of interest on Mitchell's part, due to the fierce rivalry between the two teams. Cleveland Indians pitcher Paul Byrd, along with his teammates, felt the timing of publicizing Byrd's alleged use was suspicious, as the information was leaked prior to the deciding Game 7 of the 2007 American League Championship Series between the Indians and the Red Sox. Former U.S. prosecutor John M. Dowd also brought up allegations of Mitchell's conflict of interest. Dowd, who had defended Senator John McCain of Arizona during the Keating Five investigation in the late 1980s, cited how he took exception to Mitchell's scolding of McCain and others for having a conflict of interest with their actions in the case and how the baseball investigation would be a "burden" for him when Mitchell was named to lead it. After the investigation, Dowd later told the ''Baltimore Sun'' that he was convinced the former Senator has done a good job. The ''Los Angeles Times'' reported that Mitchell acknowledged that his "tight relationship with Major League Baseball left him open to criticism". Mitchell responded to the concerns by stating that readers who examined the report closely "will not find any evidence of bias, of special treatment of the Red Sox".

The current MLB drug policy provides for a 50-game suspension for a first positive test, a 100-game suspension for a second positive test, and a lifetime suspension for a third positive test.

Since the opening of the 2009 season, Major League Baseball and its fans have been rocked by the steroid allegations against Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz and the positive test result and 50-game suspension of Manny Ramirez, three of baseball's biggest stars. In early April of 2011, Manny Ramirez retired from baseball rather than face a 100 game suspension for his second positive steroid test.

Major League Baseball in media

Blackout policy

Major League Baseball has several blackout rules. A local broadcaster has priority to televise games of the team in their market over national broadcasters. For example, at one time TBS showed many Atlanta Braves games nationally and internationally in Canada. Fox Sports Net (FSN) also shows many games in other areas. If the Braves played a team that FSN or another local broadcaster showed, the local station will have the broadcast rights for its own local market, while TBS would have been blacked out in the same market during the game. A market that has a local team playing in a weekday ESPN or ESPN2 game and is shown on a local station will see ESPNews, or, in the past, another game scheduled on ESPN or ESPN2 at the same time (if ESPN or ESPN2 operates a regional coverage broadcasting and operates a game choice), or will be subject to an alternative programming feed. MLB's streaming Internet video service is also subject to the same blackout rules.

MLB on television

It was announced on July 11, 2006 that Fox Sports will remain with MLB through 2013 and broadcast ''Fox Saturday Baseball'' throughout the entire season, rather than the previous May to September format. Fox will also hold rights to the All-Star Game each season. Fox will also alternate League Championship Series broadcasts, broadcasting the American League Championship Series in odd-numbered years and the National League Championship Series in even-numbered years as part of the new contract. Fox will continue to broadcast all games of the World Series, which will begin on a Wednesday evening rather than the current Saturday evening format.

ESPN will continue to broadcast Major League Baseball through 2013 as well, beginning with national Opening Day coverage. ESPN will continue to broadcast ''Sunday Night Baseball'', ''Monday Night Baseball'', ''Wednesday Night Baseball'', and ''Baseball Tonight''. ESPN also has rights to the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game each July.

TBS will air Sunday afternoon regular season games (non-exclusive) nationally from 2008 to 2013. In 2007, TBS began its exclusive rights to any tiebreaker games that determine division or wild card champions at the end of each regular season in the event of a tie with one playoff spot remaining and exclusive coverage of the Division Series round of the playoffs. TBS carries the League Championship Series that are not included under Fox's television agreement; TBS shows the National League Championship Series in odd-numbered years and the American League Championship Series in even-numbered years as part of the new contract through 2013.

In January 2009, MLB launched MLB Network, which aired 26 live games that year.

In Canada, all Toronto Blue Jays games are broadcast nationwide over Rogers Sportsnet.

MLB on radio

ESPN Radio holds national broadcast rights and broadcasts Sunday Night Baseball weekly throughout the season in addition to all playoff games. The rights to the World Series are exclusive to ESPN.

In addition, each team employs its own announcers, who broadcast during the regular season. Most teams operate regional networks to cover their fan base; some of these supposedly regional networks (such as the New York Yankees Radio Network) have a national reach with affiliates located across the United States.

Major League Baseball has an exclusive rights deal with XM Satellite Radio, which includes the channel MLB Home Plate and live play-by-play of all games.

Internet

All games are available through MLB.tv from MLB.com. (Blackout rules apply)

International broadcasting

ESPN America televises a large number of games in Europe.

ESPN Deportes televises a large number of Major League Baseball games in Spanish and Portuguese, which air throughout Latin America. Five previously screened MLB on Sunday and Wednesday in the United Kingdom, (including the All-Star Game and the postseason games, but not including Spring Training) usually starting at 1 am BST. It was most recently presented by Johnny Gould and Josh Chetwynd as "MLB on Five". Their coverage began on the channel's opening night in 1997, but for financial reasons, the decision was made not to pick up MLB for the 2009 season. As of June 2009, no decision has been made by ''Five'' about the 2010 season. As of July 2009, no free-to-view channel in the UK shows MLB.

ESPN America and ESPN UK show live and recorded games several times a week — it is available with Sky Digital and (on a subscriber-basis) Virgin Media in the UK.

Rogers Sportsnet televises Toronto Blue Jays games in Canada as well as numerous other regular season Major League Baseball games, the All-Star Game, most playoff games, and the World Series.

TSN carries ESPN ''Sunday Night Baseball'' in Canada.

MLB Network.

In Australia, MLB games are regularly shown on ESPN Australia (subscription), Fox Sports (subscription) and One HD (free-to-air).

Digital+ broadcasts several matches (mostly delayed) a week in Spain.

Current major league franchises

; Notes

See also

Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.)

List of MLB awards

List of MLB retired numbers

List of MLB spring-training stadiums

List of MLB stadiums

"Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities" (RBI) (ages 13-18)

National all-stars tournament (ages 16-18)

Negro league baseball

List of professional sports leagues

Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada

List of professional sports teams in the United States and Canada

List of American and Canadian cities by number of major professional sports franchises

List of Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico

List of Major League Baseball players from the United States Virgin Islands

List of countries with their first Major League Baseball player

Australian Baseball League

References

Further reading

External links

Category:Organizations established in 1869 Category:Monopolies Category:Professional sports leagues Category:Baseball governing bodies in the United States

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Coordinates	18°55′23″N48°17′19″N
name	Roy Halladay
width	270
position	Starting pitcher
team	Philadelphia Phillies
number	34
bats	Right
birth date	May 14, 1977
birth place	Denver, Colorado
throws	Right
debutdate	September 20
debutyear	1998
debutteam	Toronto Blue Jays
statyear	August 1, 2011
stat1label	Win–loss record
stat1value	184–91
stat2label	Earned run average
stat2value	3.26
stat3label	Strikeouts
stat3value	1,896
stat4label	Complete games
stat4value	65
stat5label	Shutouts
stat5value	19
teams	Toronto Blue Jays (–) Philadelphia Phillies (–present)
Highlights	8× All-Star (, , , , , , , ) AL Cy Young Award () NL Cy Young Award () Pitched a perfect game on May 29, 2010 Pitched a postseason no-hitter on October 6, 2010 }}

Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III (born May 14, 1977), nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. His nickname, coined by the late Toronto Blue Jays announcer Tom Cheek, is a reference to Wild West gunslinger "Doc" Holliday.

He was the Blue Jays' first draft selection in the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft, the 17th pick overall, and played for the team from 1998 through 2009, after which he was traded to Philadelphia. Halladay is known for his ability to effectively pitch deep into games, and is currently the active major league leader in complete games with 63, including 19 shutouts.

On May 29, 2010, Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game in MLB history, beating the Florida Marlins by a score of 1–0. On October 6, 2010, in his first post-season start, Halladay threw the second no-hitter in MLB postseason history (Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series being the first) against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of the 2010 NLDS. It was his second no-hitter of the year (following the May 29 perfect game), making Halladay the fifth pitcher in major league history (and the first since Nolan Ryan in 1973) to throw multiple no-hitters in the same season. Halladay has won 2 Cy Young Awards, in 2003 and 2010.

Early life

Born in Denver, Colorado, he grew up in the suburb of Arvada; his father was a pilot for a food-processing company, while his mother was a homemaker. From an early age, Halladay loved baseball, trying every position on the field until, by age 14, his success on the pitcher’s mound attracted the attention of major league scouts. By the age of 13, he had begun training with legendary Colorado baseball guru Bus Campbell, who had helped almost every promising pitcher from the Denver area, including Goose Gossage and Brad Lidge. In 1995, after graduating from Arvada West High School, he was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the amateur draft, in the first round, as the 17th overall pick. He was promoted to the major-league club as a September call-up in 1998.

Career

Toronto Blue Jays (1998–2009)

1998–2001

In his second career start, against the Detroit Tigers on September 27, 1998, Halladay had what would have been the third no-hitter ever pitched on the final day of a regular season broken up with two outs in the ninth. The feat would have joined the combined no-hitter by four Oakland Athletics pitchers (Vida Blue, Glenn Abbott, Paul Lindblad and Rollie Fingers) in 1975 and Mike Witt's perfect game in 1984. The bid was broken up by a Bobby Higginson solo home run. The home run was the only hit Halladay would allow in a 2–1 Blue Jays victory, as he recorded his first major league win. The game was completed in 1 hour 45 minutes.

During the season, Halladay sported a 10.64 earned run average (ERA) in 19 games, 13 of which he started, making his 2000 season the worst in history for any pitcher with at least 50 innings pitched. At the beginning of the season, Halladay was optioned to Class A Dunedin Blue Jays to rebuild his delivery.

Halladay's fastball was clocked up to , but it had little movement, and his pitches were up in the strike zone, which was ultimately the reason why his 2000 season was so unsuccessful. He worked with former Blue Jays pitching coach Mel Queen. The problem, Queen realized, was Halladay’s total reliance on his strength—his attempt to overpower batters with straight-ahead pitches. Within two weeks, Halladay had altered his arm angle for a more deceptive delivery, and added pitches that sank and careened. Instead of throwing over the top, he chose to use a three-quarters delivery (the middle point between throwing overhand and sidearm). Originally a fastball pitcher, he became reliant on keeping his pitches low across the plate, regardless of the type of pitch thrown. The adjustments proved successful. After a month and a half, he was promoted to class AA Tennessee, and a month later, to class AAA Syracuse. By mid-season, he was back in the Blue Jays’ rotation. He posted a 5–3 win–loss record with a 3.19 ERA for the Blue Jays in 16 starts in 2001.

2002–2006

In , Halladay had a breakout season, finishing with a 19–7 record, while posting a 2.93 ERA with 168 strikeouts in 239.1 innings. Halladay was named to the American League All-Star team. His 19 wins were the most by a Blue Jay since David Wells won 20 in 2000.

Halladay continued his success in the season, posting a 22–7 record with a 3.25 ERA in 266.0 innings. He also recorded 204 strikeouts and only 32 walks, good for a remarkable 6.38 strikeouts per walk ratio. Halladay pitched the first extra-inning shutout in the major leagues since Jack Morris in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series, leading the Blue Jays to victory over the Tigers on September 6. He pitched 10 innings and had not allowed a hit until Kevin Witt doubled with two outs in the top of the eighth. Halladay won the American League Cy Young Award, while being once again named an All-Star and leading the Blue Jays to a surprising 86 victories. He was named by his peers as the ''Players Choice Awards'' AL Outstanding Pitcher. He was also named the ''Sporting News'' AL Pitcher of the Year and the ''Baseball Prospectus'' Internet Baseball Awards AL Cy Young award winner.

In , Halladay was placed on the disabled list twice due to right shoulder problems. In just 133.0 innings, he went 8–8 with a 4.20 ERA. He walked 39 batters, seven more than he had walked in 2003 when he had pitched twice as many innings. He later revealed that he had been injured throughout the entire season with a "tired throwing arm", which he believed was from intense workouts in preseason.

The season began successfully for Halladay, as he proved to be one of the best pitchers in the American League by going 12–4 with a 2.41 ERA in 19 starts. A favorite to win his second Cy Young award within three years, he was selected to his third All-Star team and was slated to be the starting pitcher for the American League at the All-Star Game in Detroit. However, on July 8, Halladay's leg was broken by a line drive off the bat of Texas Rangers left fielder Kevin Mench. As a result, he was replaced in the All-Star Game by Matt Clement of the Boston Red Sox, while Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox was named the starting pitcher for the American League. Despite rehabilitation of his leg, Halladay would sit out the remainder of the season.

On March 16, , Halladay signed a 40 million, three year contract extension that would last through .

During 2006, Halladay finished near the top of the MLB in wins with 16. He was named to the American League All-Star Team as a reserve on July 3, 2006, along with four of his Blue Jays teammates. It marked the second-most appearances in club history, and Halladay's fourth as an All-Star. Although Halladay's strikeout total was lower in 2006 than in previous seasons, his groundball-to-flyball ratio, complete games, and innings pitched were all among the American League leaders.

2007–2009

Halladay was the American League pitcher of the month in April 2007, going 4–0, highlighted by a 10-inning complete game win over the Detroit Tigers. However, he pitched poorly in his two starts in May, and on May 11 was placed on the disabled list and underwent an appendectomy. He returned to the rotation in his usual form on May 31 against the Chicago White Sox. Halladay went 7 innings, giving up just six hits and allowing no runs on his way to his 100th career win. 2007 also saw Halladay hit his first career RBI. Against the LA Dodgers on June 10, his ground ball single to center field allowed John McDonald to score. He shut out the Seattle Mariners on July 22, allowing only three hits.

In 2008, for the sixth consecutive year, Halladay was Toronto's opening-day starter, improving his own club record. He lost 3–2 in a pitcher's duel with New York's Chien-Ming Wang. His first win of the season came in his next start against Boston, when he outpitched Josh Beckett in his season debut. In his third start, Halladay pitched a complete game against the Texas Rangers, in a 4–1 win. Three of his nine complete game efforts resulted in losses due to Toronto's underachieving offense early in the season. In fact, those three complete game losses came in three consecutive starts. On June 20 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Halladay was struck in the temple by a line-drive off the bat of Nyjer Morgan. The ball caromed off Halladay's head and was caught by third baseman Scott Rolen, ending the inning. Halladay was able to walk back to the dugout, but was taken out of the game for safety concerns. Although he was given a clean bill of health for his next start, it was later suggested by television commentators that Halladay may have in fact suffered a temporary lapse in recognition of what happened on the play. Halladay pitched his 10th career shutout against the Seattle Mariners on June 30. He limited them to four hits in his sixth complete game of the season. The shutout tied him with the Cardinals' Mark Mulder for 10th among active pitchers. On July 11, 2008, Halladay pitched his 7th complete game and second shutout of the season against the New York Yankees, allowing 0 runs on 2 hits for his 38th career complete game. Halladay was named to the American League All-Star Team as a reserve. He pitched in the fourth inning, yielding only one hit and striking out Lance Berkman. In his last start of the season, he fittingly pitched a complete game against the Yankees to win his 20th game of the year. In so doing, he became the first pitcher to win five games against the Yankees in a single season since Luis Tiant in 1974. In addition, he led the AL with a 1.05 WHIP. Halladay finished second in the 2008 American League Cy Young Award voting, behind Cliff Lee of the Indians. He also led the AL with 9 complete games, and struck out a career-high 206 batters (two more than his 2003 season) as well as posted a 2.78 ERA (the second-best of his career) that was second only to Cliff Lee's 2.54 ERA. Halladay also became just the fourth pitcher in major league history to post two seasons of 200 strikeouts and fewer than 40 walks. He was presented the George Gross/Toronto Sun Sportsperson of the Year award.

On April 6, 2009, Halladay made his team-record seventh straight Opening Day start for Toronto, defeating the Detroit Tigers. Halladay then also won his next two starts, on the road against the Cleveland Indians and the Minnesota Twins. Halladay would lose his next game to the Rangers giving up 5 earned runs over 8 innings only to go on and win his next 6 games to bring his record up to 8–1 with a 2.75 ERA. With season-ending injuries to planned 2009 Jays' starters Dustin McGowan and Shawn Marcum, and with #2 starter Jesse Litsch on the disabled list early in the season, Halladay led a staff of young, mostly inexperienced starters. Halladay was named the AL Player of the Week for the period ending May 17. Doc was 2–0 with a 1.13 ERA over 16.0 innings in his two starts the week prior. In a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on June 2, Halladay struck out 14 batters and threw 133 pitches, both career highs.

On June 12, he left the game early because of a strained hip adductor muscle, commonly referred to as a ''pulled groin'', and was placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 17. On July 5, 2009, he was selected to represent Toronto at the 2009 All Star Game. On July 14, 2009, he started the All Star game representing the American League pitching 2 innings giving up 3 runs, 1 of which was unearned.

In 2009 he was named #7 on the ''Sporting News''' list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. A panel of 100 baseball people, many of them members of the Baseball Hall of Fame and winners of major baseball awards, was polled to arrive at the list.

As of the conclusion of his start on September 20, 2009, Halladay was tied for the second-longest streak in the American League that season with a 24-inning scoreless streak. Halladay finished the season with a 17–10 record, giving him a career win percentage of .660, good enough for 18th all-time.

In December 2009, ''Sports Illustrated'' named Halladay as one of the five pitchers in the starting rotation of its MLB All-Decade Team.

Philadelphia Phillies (2010–present)

On December 15, Halladay was traded from the Blue Jays to the Philadelphia Phillies for minor league prospects Travis D'Arnaud, Kyle Drabek, and Michael Taylor. He agreed to a contract extension worth US$60 million that includes a US$20 million vesting option for a fourth season.

2010

On Opening Day, Halladay pitched seven innings while giving up a run against the Washington Nationals in his first game with the Phillies. He had nine strikeouts and allowed six hits. He also drove in his second career RBI and earned his first win of the season. He followed this start with a complete game on April 11 against the Houston Astros, giving up one unearned run while striking out eight and not giving up any walks in the Phillies' 2–1 victory.

Halladay pitched his first shutout in the National League, against the Atlanta Braves on April 21, becoming the first pitcher to reach four wins in the 2010 season. On May 1, Halladay pitched his second shutout of the season, limiting the New York Mets to three hits and striking out six.

On September 21, Halladay became the first Phillies pitcher to win 20 games in a season since Steve Carlton accomplished it in 1982. He was the first right-handed Phillies pitcher to accomplish the feat since Robin Roberts in 1955. One week later, on September 27, he completed his 21st victory, helping the Phillies clinch their fourth consecutive National League East title.

Halladay was named by his peers as the ''Players Choice Awards'' NL Outstanding Pitcher. He was also unanimously chosen as the recipient of the 2010 National League Cy Young Award, becoming the first Phillie to win the award since Steve Bedrosian in 1987 and only the fifth pitcher in MLB history to win the award in both leagues, joining Gaylord Perry, Pedro Martínez, Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens. He was likewise selected as the ''Sporting News'' NL Pitcher of the Year, the ''USA Today'' NL Cy Young, and the ''Baseball Prospectus'' Internet Baseball Awards NL Cy Young. He also was named the MLB "This Year in Baseball Awards" Starting Pitcher of the Year. ''Baseball America'' named him its Major League Player of the Year (including all positions in both leagues). MLB named him its "MLB Clutch Performer of the Year". He was given the Heart & Hustle Award by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association. He was also named Pro Athlete of the Year by both the ''Sporting News'' and the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association and Sportsperson of the Year by the ''Philadelphia Daily News''. The Philadelphia chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America presented him the "Steve Carlton Most Valuable Pitcher" and "Dallas Green Special Achievement" awards.

In innings pitched, Halladay finished the 2010 regular season with a 21–10 record and a 2.44 ERA, setting a career high with 219 strikeouts while issuing just 30 walks. He led the National league in wins, innings pitched, with 9 complete games including 4 shutouts. He became just the seventh pitcher in the history of Major League baseball to pitch 250 or more innings with 30 or fewer walks, the first pitcher to do so since Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1923 with the Chicago Cubs.

Perfect game

On May 29, Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game in MLB history, against the Florida Marlins in Miami, retiring all 27 batters, including 11 strikeouts, no hits, no runs, no walks, and no errors. This was the first time in the modern era that two pitchers (Dallas Braden of the Oakland A's and Halladay) had thrown perfect games in the same month and that multiple perfect games had been achieved in the same season. When Halladay's former manager, Cito Gaston, called to congratulate him, Halladay was unable to take the call because he was busy with the post-game media frenzy. On August 24, 2010, to commemorate his perfect game, Halladay presented around 60 Swiss-made Baume and Mercier watches he had purchased to everyone in the clubhouse. The watches were presented in brown boxes that bore the inscription: "We did it together. Thanks, Roy Halladay." Additionally, the back of each watch was engraved with the date of the game, the line score, and the individual recipient's name.

Postseason no-hitter

On October 6, 2010, in his first postseason appearance, Halladay pitched a no-hitter (his second of the season), against the Cincinnati Reds in the first game of the National League Division Series. He became the second player ever to pitch a no-hitter in the postseason, joining Don Larsen of the 1956 New York Yankees, who pitched a perfect game in the World Series. He also became the first pitcher since Nolan Ryan in 1973 to throw two no-hitters in a season, as well as the seventh pitcher to hurl both a perfect game and a regular no-hitter in his career, joining Cy Young, Addie Joss, Jim Bunning, Sandy Koufax, Randy Johnson and Mark Buehrle. Halladay allowed just one walk to right fielder Jay Bruce with two outs in the fifth inning, and faced just one batter above the minimum 27. This also marked the first time in Major League history that a pitcher threw a perfect game and a no-hitter in the same season.

2011

On April 24, 2011, Halladay struck out 14 and allowed just 5 hits in the game as his team swept the San Diego Padres in all four games. Halladay took a two-hitter into the ninth before allowing three straight singles. He allowed just one run and won, 3–1.

In May, Halladay was named the 2011 winner of the John Wanamaker Athletic Award, by the Philadelphia Sports Congress, based on his 2010 season.

On July 12, Halladay was the NL starting pitcher in the All-Star Game.

Approach to pitching

Halladay's uniqueness is characterized by his ability to throw the hard two-seam sinking fastball ranging in the low 90s with pinpoint control. In addition, he throws a four-seam fastball in the low 90s, a curveball in the high 70s, a cut fastball from 90–92 mph which he had modified the grip for in 2007 at the suggestion of former catcher Sal Fasano. The change-up is one pitch that Halladay had problem commanding in the past, which he had used very rarely. But since joining the Phillies in 2010, Halladay started throwing a change-up pitch that is really a version of the split-finger fastball that he uses as a strikeout pitch with the help of pitching coach Rich Dubee.

In spite of his reputation as a ground ball pitcher who works at an efficient pace, Halladay's strikeout totals have increased steadily in recent years as a result of his fastball velocity and his willingness to use his curveball and change-up in strikeout counts. Halladay's efficiency and durability are reflected in his total innings pitched every year, also due to his ability to strike out hitters in addition to induce ground ball outs to escape jams. He usually leads the league in innings pitched and complete games, while ranking among the leaders in WHIP and ERA.

Prior to and during each start, Halladay has a distinct trademark in which he goes into a complete "isolation mode", immersing himself in complete concentration and in more or less his own words: To plan every pitch he would pitch while on the mound. During this time, he does not talk to anyone except the manager or the pitching coach. He will not even reply to a "hello" or wave from a teammate or spectator, nor talk to the media until he has been relieved or he completes a game.

Personal life

Halladay is married to his wife Brandy and they have two children. He and his wife Brandy were raised as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, although they are now non-practicing. While he was a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, Halladay and his wife invited children and their families from the Hospital for Sick Children into "Doc's Box" at Rogers Centre during Blue Jays games. As part of his contract with the Blue Jays, he also donated US$100,000 each year to the Jays Care Foundation.

He was the Blue Jays' nominee numerous times for the Roberto Clemente Award for his work with underprivileged children. For the same reason, he was also the Blue Jays' nominee in 2008 for the ''Players Choice Awards'' Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award.

During the offseason, Halladay and his family live in Odessa, Florida.

Halladay was announced by 2K Sports as the cover athlete for ''Major League Baseball 2K11''.

References

External links

Roy Halladay, Perfect Game: May 29, 2010. Philadelphia Phillies official website

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Category:Major League Baseball pitchers who have pitched a perfect game Category:Cy Young Award winners Category:American League wins champions Category:American League All-Stars Category:National League All-Stars Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Philadelphia Phillies players Category:Toronto Blue Jays players Category:Dunedin Blue Jays players Category:Gulf Coast Blue Jays players Category:Knoxville Smokies players Category:Syracuse SkyChiefs players Category:Tennessee Smokies players Category:American Latter Day Saints Category:Baseball players from Colorado Category:People from Denver, Colorado Category:1977 births Category:Living people

de:Roy Halladay es:Roy Halladay fr:Roy Halladay ko:로이 할러데이 la:Roy Halladay lv:Rojs Heladejs ja:ロイ・ハラデイ simple:Roy Halladay fi:Roy Halladay zh:洛伊·哈勒戴

Coordinates	18°55′23″N48°17′19″N
Name	Ken Griffey, Jr.
Width	275
Position	Center fielder
Bats	Left
Throws	Left
Birth date	November 21, 1969
Birth place	Donora, Pennsylvania
Debutdate	April 3
Debutyear	1989
Debutteam	Seattle Mariners
Finaldate	May 31
Finalyear	2010
Finalteam	Seattle Mariners
Stat1label	Batting average
Stat1value	.284
Stat2label	Home runs
Stat2value	630
Stat3label	Hits
Stat3value	2,781
Stat4label	Runs batted in
Stat4value	1,836
Teams	Seattle Mariners (–) Cincinnati Reds (–) Chicago White Sox () Seattle Mariners (–)
Highlights	13× All-Star (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2007) 10× Gold Glove Award winner (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999) 7× Silver Slugger Award winner (1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999) 1997 AL MVP 1992 MLB All-Star Game MVP 2005 NL Comeback Player of the Year 3× Home Run Derby winner (1994, 1998, 1999) Major League Baseball All-Century Team }}

George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey, Jr. (born November 21, 1969), nicknamed "Junior" and "The Kid", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder, occasional firstbaseman, and during his final years, designated hitter. Griffey was both one of the most prolific home run hitters and best defensive players in baseball history, fifth on the list of most career home runs, and is tied for the record of most consecutive games with a home run (8 games, tied with Don Mattingly and Dale Long). Griffey, playing for the Seattle Mariners in two separate tenures, Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago White Sox, won 10 Gold Glove awards and appeared in 13 All-Star games. Upon his retirement, the Associated Press noted: "In his prime, Ken Griffey Jr. was unanimously considered the best player in baseball."

Throughout his major league baseball career, Griffey was a popular player and a fan favorite around the league. Griffey attained widespread recognition by signing lucrative deals with companies of international prominence like Nike and Nintendo (owners of the Mariners); his popularity reflected well upon MLB and is credited by some with helping restore its image after the 1994 labor dispute. He currently works in the Mariners' front office as a special consultant. Griffey is one of only 29 players in baseball history to date to have appeared in Major League games in four different calendar decades.

He is the son of former MLB player Ken Griffey, Sr.

Early life

Griffey shares his birthday (November 21) and birthplace (Donora, Pennsylvania) with Hall of Famer Stan Musial. His family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where father Ken Griffey, Sr. played for the Cincinnati Reds when Jr. was six. Ken was in the clubhouse during his father's back-to-back championships in the 1975 and 1976 World Series. He attended Archbishop Moeller High School, where he was the baseball player of the year in 1986 and in 1987, and played football for three years.

Professional career

Seattle Mariners

1989–1999 seasons

In 1987, Griffey was selected with the first overall pick of that year's amateur draft by the Seattle Mariners. In his eleven seasons with Seattle (1989–1999) Griffey established himself as one of the most prolific and exciting players of the era, racking up 1,752 hits, 398 home runs, 1,152 RBIs, and 167 stolen bases. He led the American League in home runs four seasons (1994, 1997, 1998, and 1999), was voted the A.L. MVP in 1997, and maintained a .297 batting average. His first major league at-bat was a double, and the first time he stepped to the plate in Seattle, he homered.

His defense in center field was widely considered the standard of elite fielding during the decade, exemplified by his streak of 10 straight Gold Gloves from 1990-1999. His impressive range allowed frequent spectacular diving plays, and he often dazzled fans with over-the-shoulder basket catches and robbed opposing hitters of home runs by leaping up and pulling them back into the field of play. He was featured on the Wheaties cereal box and had his own signature sneaker line from Nike, Inc..

Griffey was a frequent participant in the All-Star Game during the 1990s. He led his league multiple times in different hitting categories.

In 1990 and 1991, Griffey and his father became the first son and father to play on the same team at the same time. In his father's first game as a Mariner, on August 31, 1990, the pair hit back-to-back singles in the first inning and both scored. On September 14, the pair hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the first off California Angels pitcher Kirk McCaskill, becoming the first father-son duo to hit back-to-back home runs. The duo played a total of 51 games together before Griffey, Sr., retired in June 1991.

At the MLB Home Run Derby in 1993, which was held at Oriole Park in Baltimore, Griffey hit the warehouse beyond the right field wall on the fly and, through the 2009 season, he is still the only player ever to do so. As with every home run that hits Eutaw Street, each feat is honored with a circular plaque, embedded horizontally onto the concourse's walkway, in the exact spot where the home run landed. In 1994, he led the league in voting for All Star game selection. That season, which ended prematurely on August 12 due to the labor dispute, saw Griffey hit 30 home runs in the Mariners' first 65 games. He would go on to have 4 multi-home run games that year. While his pace cooled somewhat in the final eight weeks of the season (he only hit 10 home runs in the Mariners' last 47 games), his 40 home runs by August 12 still put him two ahead of Chicago's Frank Thomas and four ahead of Cleveland's Albert Belle for the AL lead. In 1997, Griffey won the American League Most Valuable Player Award, hitting .304, with 56 home runs and 147 RBIs.

One of the most memorable moments of Griffey's career with the Mariners came during the 1995 American League Division Series (ALDS) against the New York Yankees. After losing the first two games, the Mariners and Griffey were on the verge of elimination, but came back to win the next two games, setting up a decisive fifth game. In the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 5, with Griffey on first base, teammate Edgar Martínez hit a double. Griffey raced around the bases, slid into home with the winning run, and popped up into the waiting arms of the entire team. The 1995 AL Division Series would kick off a brief rivalry between the Yankees and the Mariners. Griffey may have escalated it by saying that he would never play for the Yankees, because the Yankees allegedly treated his father, Ken Griffey Sr. badly. Also, when Griffey was a kid visiting his dad in the Yankee clubhouse, Yankee manager Billy Martin would chase him out, believing that children did not belong in the clubhouse. Although the Mariners subsequently lost the ALCS to the Cleveland Indians (managed by later Mariners manager Mike Hargrove), that moment remains one of the most memorable in Mariners history, capping a season that "saved baseball in Seattle", Seattle's improbable late season playoff run that year, spurred by the return of Griffey from injury, led to the construction of Safeco Field and the future security of a franchise rumored for years to be on the move. The play also inspired the title of the video game ''Ken Griffey, Jr.'s Winning Run'' for the Super Nintendo.

As the Mariners were playing to sellout crowds in the Kingdome, the citizens of Washington State's King County narrowly defeated a ballot proposal to build a new baseball stadium. Following the success of the team that season and the narrowness of the vote, the Governor of Washington at the time, Mike Lowry, called the state Legislature into Special Session where a new stadium authority was created, and a new tax on hotels and rental cars were added to support the baseball stadium. Contrary to the long-held opinions on both sides of the debate, there was never a statewide vote taken on the legislative finance package that created the new ballpark. Today, this facility is known as Safeco Field, and is referred to by some as "The House That Griffey Built".

In 1999, he ranked 93rd on ''The Sporting News''' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players. This list was compiled during the 1998 season, counting only statistics through 1997. At age 29 (going on 30), he was the youngest player on the list. That same year, Griffey was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. However, when ''TSN'' updated their list for a new book in 2005, despite having surpassed 400 and 500 home runs, Griffey remained at Number 93.

While playing with Seattle, Griffey was a 10-time American League Gold Glove winner, the 1992 All-Star Game MVP, 1997 AL MVP, 1998 ESPY co-winner for Male Athlete of the Year, 1999 ''Players Choice Awards'' Player of the Decade (by the players), and was named to the All-Century team in 1999.

Departure from Seattle (1999–2000)

Griffey used to live in the same neighborhood in Orlando as golfer Payne Stewart. After Stewart's death in a plane crash on October 25, 1999, Griffey started expressing a desire to live closer to his relatives in his hometown of Cincinnati. Not only did Griffey want to live closer but he wanted to be able to raise his kids, Trey and Taryn (Tevin wasn't born at this time). On February 12, 2000, Griffey was traded to the Reds for pitcher Brett Tomko, outfielder Mike Cameron, and minor leaguers Antonio Perez and Jake Meyer. Griffey signed a 9 year $112.5 million dollar contract with the Reds after the trade was completed, with a club option for a tenth.

Cincinnati Reds

2000–2004 seasons

The 2000 season began what has generally been seen by the media as a decline in Griffey's superstar status. Although his statistics during this season were respectable, they were far below his previous level of play: in 145 games, Griffey hit .271 with 40 home runs, but his .943 on-base plus slugging was his lowest mark in five years. In 2000, Griffey also changed his number from 24 to 30, the number his father wore while playing in both Cincinnati and Seattle. The number 24 was already retired in honor of Tony Pérez. Additionally, from 2001 through 2004, Griffey was plagued by a string of injuries, including season-ending injuries in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Worse yet for Griffey, the cumulative effects of the injuries lowered his bat speed, resulting in less power and fewer home runs (he slugged only .426 before succumbing to injury in 2002, his lowest output in seven years). Injuries forced Griffey to miss 260 out of 486 games from 2002 through 2004, diminishing both his skills and his star reputation.

In 2004, Griffey avoided major injury during the first half of the season, and on June 20 became the 20th player to hit 500 career home runs. His 500th home run came on Father's Day in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, with his father in the stands; the homer tied Griffey with his father in career hits with 2,143. However, the injury bug bit again just before the All-Star break; he suffered a partial hamstring tear, knocking him out of the All-Star Game and putting him on the disabled list yet again.

Griffey finished the 2004 season on the disabled list after suffering a rupture of his right hamstring in San Francisco. The play in question occurred at AT&T; Park in a game against the San Francisco Giants. Griffey was starting in right field for the first time in his 16-year Major League career when he raced toward the gap to try to cut off a ball before it got to the wall. He slid as he got to the ball, but in the process hyper-extended his right leg, tearing the hamstring completely off the bone. He later came out of the game, complaining of "tightness" in the hamstring exacerbated by chilly conditions in San Francisco. However, there was far more to it than anyone realized at the time.

Shortly after this injury, the Reds' team physician, Timothy Kremchek, devised an experimental surgery dubbed "The Junior Operation" that would use three titanium screws to reattach Griffey's hamstring. For several weeks, Griffey's right leg was in a sling that kept it at a 90-degree angle, and he was not able to move the leg until late October. After an intense rehabilitation period, he returned for the 2005 season. In April, he hit .244 with one homer (on April 30) and nine RBIs.

2005–2006 seasons

Starting May 1, the 2005 season saw the resurgence of a healthy Griffey. His 35 home runs were his highest since his first year with the Reds as Griffey slowly moved up the career home run list. He ended the season tied with Mickey Mantle, after having passed Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, Willie McCovey, Ernie Banks, Eddie Mathews, Mel Ott, and Eddie Murray.

Early in September, he strained a tendon in his left foot (an injury unrelated to his past hamstring and calf problems), and was listed as day-to-day for several weeks. On September 22, with the Reds out of playoff contention, the team decided to bench him for the rest of the season so he could immediately have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and a separate operation to repair scars from his 2004 hamstring operation. Still, his 128 games in 2005 were the most he had played since 2000. Griffey's resurgence was recognized when he was named National League Comeback Player of the Year. He played in the World Baseball Classic for the American team that off-season with his father as a coach. Griffey batted .524, but the USA failed to reach the semifinals.

During the second game of the 2006 regular season, Griffey hit home run #537, surpassing Mickey Mantle for 12th on the all-time list. He returned on May 11 from a knee injury suffered April 12, and hit a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning against the Washington Nationals. On June 5, Griffey tied Fred McGriff's record by hitting a home run in his 43rd different ballpark, at the St. Louis Cardinals' Busch Stadium. On June 19, Griffey hit career home run 548, tying him with Mike Schmidt, and then six days later passed Schmidt with 549. On June 27, he hit his 550th career home run against the Kansas City Royals. On September 25, 2006, Griffey hit his 27th home run of the season against Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Scott Eyre to tie Reggie Jackson for tenth on the all time home run list.

Griffey's injuries continued in the 2006 off-season. While on holiday in the Bahamas with his family, he broke his wrist. Griffey said his hand felt fine and he expected to be ready to go for 2007 spring training.

2007 season

At the beginning of the 2007 Major League Baseball season, Ryan Freel took over center field for the Reds, and Griffey Jr. was moved to right field. Reds manager Jerry Narron said that "I've got to do everything I can do to put our best club out there. My feeling is that with Ryan Freel out there, it gives us strong defense up the middle." Griffey changed his number from 30 to 3 to honor his three children. During the next two seasons, Griffey would wear number 42 on April 15, beginning a tradition known as Jackie Robinson Day.

On May 10, 2007, Griffey hit his sixth home run of the season and the 569th of his career, tying Rafael Palmeiro for ninth place on the career home runs list. He passed Palmeiro on May 13. Griffey tied Harmon Killebrew for eighth on the all-time list hitting his 573rd career home run on May 22. He then surpassed him on May 25.

On June 22, 2007, Griffey made his first return to Seattle after his trade to the Reds. Before the game, the Mariners honored him with a 15-minute presentation which included a highlight reel of his playing career with the Mariners, a presentation of a "The House that Griffey Built" memorial by Mariners hall-of-famers and former teammates Jay Buhner and Edgar Martínez, and a 4 minute standing ovation from the sold-out crowd. Griffey did not expect such a welcome or a turnout by fans when he came back, and a short but emotional speech was given by Griffey afterwards. Many of the fans in attendance made signs professing their gratitude and adoration toward him with quotes such as: "The House that Griffey Built", "Seattle ♥ Junior", and "Griffey we miss you." Griffey went 1–5 in the game. On June 24, Griffey hit his 583rd and 584th career home runs, tying and passing Mark McGwire for 7th place on the all-time career home run list.

In an interview on an episode of "In My Own Words" with Angie Mentink on FSN Northwest, Griffey stated that he would like to end his career as a Seattle Mariner and that he feels that he owes it to the fans of Seattle: "Would I do it? Yeah. I think for the simple reason that this is the place where I grew up, and I owe it to the people of Seattle and to myself to retire as a Mariner."

Following the Cincinnati Reds versus Seattle Mariners series from June 22–24, 2007, a fan movement emerged petitioning Mariners' management to bring Griffey back. Over 1,900 signatures were collected on a fan vid-blog/petition.

Griffey received the most votes of any player in the National League for the 2007 All-Star balloting and on the July 10 game, he went on to drive in two runs for the National League. On July 16, 2007, Ken Griffey, Jr. hit his 587th home run to pass Frank Robinson for 6th place on the all-time home run list. On July 18, 2007, Griffey hit his 2,500th hit, a first inning single off Atlanta Braves starting pitcher John Smoltz.

On September 19, 2007, in a game against the Chicago Cubs, Griffey fielded a Derrek Lee single in right field, then suddenly went down in pain. He was on the ground for several minutes, but eventually walked off under his own power. The injury, first thought to be a lower abdominal strain, was later revealed to be a season-ending groin strain. This marked one of many seasons in Cincinnati in which Griffey had to end the year on the disabled list. Griffey ended the 2007 season with 593 career home runs.

On August 22, 2007, Griffey was selected as an all-time Gold Glove winner, on a list of nine players considered the greatest defensive players in the last fifty years. He finished the season with 78 runs, 146 hits, 24 doubles, one triple, 30 home runs, 93 RBIs, and a .277 batting average.

2008 season

On April 4, 2008, Ken Griffey, Jr. passed Reggie Jackson for 16th on the all-time list after driving in his 1,702nd RBI. On June 9, Griffey hit his 600th home run on a 3–1 pitch from Mark Hendrickson of the Florida Marlins in the first inning at Land Shark Stadium in Miami. Fans of both teams gave him a standing ovation.

Despite being ranked second in the National League All-Star voting for outfielders for most of the first half of the season, Griffey finished fourth with 2,907,746 ballots, 87,000 votes behind Kosuke Fukudome. He was not selected to the All-Star Game as a reserve. At the All-Star Break, Griffey was batting .239 with 12 home runs and 42 RBIs. "I always have a backup plan...If you can't hit a tough lefty, bunt. If you can't hit a tough righty, bunt. If you can't go to the All-Star Game, go to the Bahamas," Griffey said.

On July 30, Griffey hit his 608th career home run in his last game for the Reds. When the 2008 season ended he said he wouldn't retire, saying "I've got things to do."

Griffey has been criticized by some for his effort during his stint with the Reds. Gregg Doyel had this to say of the years Griffey was with the Reds in comparison to the 2010 Reds team. "It's a different Reds team than the older, beer-bellied softball teams of recent years. Those Reds were Ken Griffey and Adam Dunn lounging on the clubhouse's leather couches, hitting home runs, misplaying balls in the outfield and thinking they had it all figured out, when all they knew how to do was lose."

Chicago White Sox

On July 31, 2008, at the MLB trade deadline, Griffey was traded to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for pitcher Nick Masset and infielder Danny Richar, ending his nine-year tenure in Cincinnati. In his first game with the White Sox, he went 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs, a walk, and a run.

On August 20, 2008, Griffey hit his first home run as a member of the White Sox, off of the Mariners' R. A. Dickey, which moved him into a tie with former Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa for career home runs. He surpassed Sosa on September 23, with one off Minnesota's Matt Guerrier.

On October 30, 2008 the White Sox declined a $16 million option on Griffey, making him a free agent for the first time in his career. Griffey would instead receive a buyout for $4 million, split between the Reds and White Sox. Griffey hit 18 home runs with the Reds and White Sox in 2008.

Return to Seattle

Griffey accepted a contract offer from the Seattle Mariners to join the team again on February 18, 2009. After declaring free agency, Griffey was courted by the Mariners and the Atlanta Braves, and ultimately decided with the Mariners after "agonizing" over the decision. Griffey was motivated by sentimental reasons toward Seattle, where he received an overwhelmingly positive reception when he last played there as a Cincinnati Red in June 2007, but was inclined towards the Braves for its proximity to his home in Orlando, Florida, and his desire to be with his family during the season. Apparently, Griffey was very close to signing with the Braves; however, a premature report emerged from the ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' that an Atlanta deal was done and a conversation with Willie Mays and his own 13-year-old daughter played a factor in his choice. Griffey once again sported #24 with the Mariners. During the nine seasons (2000–2008) that he was away, the Mariners did not issue the #24 jersey to any player or coaching staff member that passed through (including during spring training).

Griffey went 1–2 with a home run in his regular season debut against the Minnesota Twins. On April 15, 2009, Griffey hit his 400th home run as a Mariner (613th of career) off of Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jered Weaver, becoming the first MLB player to hit 400 home runs with one club (Mariners) and 200 home runs with another (Reds). So popular and well respected he was in Seattle, he almost single-handedly transformed what had been a fractured, bickering clubhouse with his leadership, energy and constant pranks.

On June 23, 2009, at Safeco Field, Griffey hit the 5,000th home run in franchise history off of San Diego Padres pitcher Chad Gaudin. This was Griffey's 619th career home run. On September 1, Griffey hit career home run #621 at the new Yankee Stadium off of Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte in the 6th inning. It marked the 44th different ballpark in which he has hit a home run. On August 12, 2009, against his former team, the Chicago White Sox, he hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 14th inning to win the game, 1–0, for the Mariners.

Griffey returned to the Mariners for the 2010 campaign with a similar contract to that of 2009, but struggled offensively over the first two months while posting a mere .184 batting average. On May 20, 2010, in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Griffey hit a walk-off RBI single off Blue Jays' closer Kevin Gregg to win the game, 4–3, for the Mariners. After starting the 9th inning trailing 3–1, the Mariners rallied in the bottom of the 9th to load the bases on 2 singles and a walk, then tied the game at 3 via a walk and a sacrifice fly. The walk-off single was the final hit of Griffey's Major League Baseball career.

Retirement

On June 2, 2010, weeks after being taken out of the lineup due to a lack of productivity, Griffey released a statement through the Seattle Mariners organization announcing his retirement from Major League Baseball effective immediately. Griffey retired fifth on the all-time home run list. His retirement was announced at Safeco Field before the Mariners played the Twins and received much praise from the crowd. In an interview on March 17, 2011, Griffey revealed that the only reason he had retired was that he had become a distraction for the team, and not because of any rift with the Mariners or Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu.

A campaign has been formed to rename a section of First Avenue South, which runs adjacent to Safeco Field, to Ken Griffey Jr. Drive.

Post-playing career

On February 15, 2011, Griffey was hired by the Mariners as a special consultant. In his return to Seattle, his role is still being defined, but it is confirmed he'll be involved with the Mariners at spring training and the regular season, along with visiting most of the Mariners minor-league affiliates.

Philanthropy

In 2008, Griffey released a series of charity wines to support The Ken Griffey, Jr. Family Foundation, a fund that supports several causes, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and several children's hospitals across the United States of America.

Personal

In April 2007, Griffey was diagnosed with pleurisy, an inflammation of the lining of the cavity surrounding the lungs which can cause painful respiration and other symptoms.

Griffey and his wife Melissa have three children: George Kenneth III ("Trey"), daughter Taryn Kennedy, and adopted son Tevin Kendall. The Griffey family resides in Winter Garden, Florida, where Ken Griffey, Sr. is also a resident.

Griffey was named an American Public Diplomacy Envoy by then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on November 18, 2008.

Suicide attempt

In January 1988, Griffey, at the age of 18, attempted to commit suicide by swallowing 277 aspirin pills but wound up in intensive care in Providence Hospital in Mount Airy, Ohio. Griffey, Jr. cited arguments with his father, Ken Griffey, Sr., depression, and anger as reasons for his attempted suicide. On his failed attempt, Griffey, Jr. stated, "It seemed like everyone was yelling at me at baseball, then I came home and everyone was yelling at me there...I got depressed. I got angry. I didn't want to live." He stated that he had before contemplated taking his own life, however, he had not acted on it until this incident. After swallowing the aspirin, Griffey's girlfriend's mother drove him to the hospital. While in intensive care, he ripped the IV from his arm in order to stop an argument between him and his father. Both Griffey, Jr. and his father have stated that the incident changed their relationship, and there is now more "understanding" on both parts.

Trey Griffey

When Trey was born in 1994, the Mariners' then-General Manager, Woody Woodward, sent him a player's contract dated 2012. Peter Gammons once wrote in a column that Trey would indeed be the major league's #1 draft pick that year. At age twelve, Trey served as a batboy for the US team in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, with his father as a player and his grandfather as a coach. Now sixteen, Trey seems to have more of an interest in football, playing linebacker and running back on a youth-league team that includes Shane Larkin, son of Barry Larkin, and now being recruited to play wide receiver in college. He did, however, spend his summers with his father, often being spotted on the field during batting practice and in the dugout during games.

See also

50 home run club

500 home run club

List of Major League Baseball home run records

List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters

List of second-generation Major League Baseball players

List of Major League Baseball individual streaks

List of Major League Baseball players with 2000 hits

List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles

List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs

List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBIs

List of Major League Baseball RBI champions

List of Major League Baseball home run champions

List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions

List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases

Major League Baseball titles leaders

References

External links

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Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:Seattle Mariners players Category:Cincinnati Reds players Category:Chicago White Sox players Category:2006 World Baseball Classic players Category:African American baseball players Category:American League All-Stars Category:American League home run champions Category:American League Most Valuable Player Award winners Category:American League RBI champions Category:Baseball players from Cincinnati, Ohio Category:Baseball players from Pennsylvania Category:Gold Glove Award winners Category:Major League Baseball All-Star Game MVPs Category:Major League Baseball center fielders Category:National League All-Stars Category:People from Washington County, Pennsylvania Category:People from Orlando, Florida Category:Bellingham Mariners players Category:San Bernardino Spirit players Category:Vermont Mariners players Category:Tacoma Rainiers players Category:500 home run club

de:Ken Griffey junior es:Ken Griffey, Jr. fr:Ken Griffey Jr. ko:켄 그리피 2세 nl:Ken Griffey jr. ja:ケン・グリフィー・ジュニア simple:Ken Griffey, Jr. sv:Ken Griffey Jr zh:肯·小葛瑞菲

Coordinates	18°55′23″N48°17′19″N
name	Justin Verlander
team	Detroit Tigers
number	35
position	Starting pitcher
birth date	February 20, 1983
birth place	Manakin-Sabot, Virginia
bats	Right
throws	Right
debutdate	July 4
debutyear	2005
debutteam	Detroit Tigers
statyear	August 28, 2011
stat1label	Win–Loss record
stat1value	103–57
stat2label	Earned run average
stat2value	3.56
stat3label	Strikeouts
stat3value	1,183
teams	Detroit Tigers (–present)
awards	MiLB.com Pitcher of the Year () American League Rookie of the Year () 4× All-Star (, , , ) Pitched a no-hitter on June 12, 2007 Pitched a 2nd no-hitter on May 7, 2011 Led AL in strikeouts (269), innings pitched (240), tied AL lead in wins (19) in 2009 }}

}} Justin Brooks Verlander (born February 20, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. In 2006, he was named the American League Rookie of the Year. On June 12, 2007, he pitched a no-hitter—the first ever at Comerica Park—against the Milwaukee Brewers, striking out 12 batters and walking four. He pitched a second no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 7, 2011 in Toronto, walking one and facing the minimum 27 batters.

Playing career

Amateur career

His father Richard, who was president of the local Richmond chapter of the Communications Workers of America, told him to play baseball. Richard gave up catching Justin's ball because of the velocity, and sent Justin to The Richmond Baseball Academy. Justin clocked 84 mph shortly after joining the academy. The velocity kept getting faster and it passed 93 when he entered Goochland High School. He had been a top pitching prospect in high school, but his career suffered a setback when he came down with strep throat early in his senior season of baseball. A weakened Verlander topped out at 86 during that season, causing professional scouts to lose interest. After he recovered, his velocity reached 100 during his first year at Old Dominion.

Verlander played on the DeWitt Panthers AAA team that placed fourth in the nation. The tournament was played in Chickasha, Oklahoma.

Verlander, a 6' 5", 200 pound (1.96 m, 91 kg) right-hander, pitched for the Old Dominion University baseball team for three years. On May 17, 2002, he struck out a then school record 17 batters against James Madison. In 2003, he set a school single-season record by recording 139 strikeouts; in 2004, he broke his own record and established a new Colonial Athletic Association record with 151 strikeouts. Verlander completed his career as the all-time strikeout leader in Old Dominion, the Colonial Athletic Association and the Commonwealth of Virginia (Division I) history with 427 in 335⅔ innings. During his three years, he averaged 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings, and his career collegiate earned run average was 2.57.

Verlander pitched for Team USA in 2003 and helped the USA to a silver medal in the Pan Am Games. He was named CAA Rookie of the Year in 2002 and earned All-CAA honors in 2003 and 2004. Verlander was named the ODU Alumni Association's Male Athlete of the Year in 2004, and was the second overall pick in the 2004 Baseball draft by Detroit.

Minor leagues

Verlander's professional baseball career began when the Detroit Tigers selected him second overall in the 2004 MLB Draft. After lengthy negotiations, he signed a contract on October 25, 2004. Verlander started the 2005 season for the Lakeland Tigers, where he showed surprisingly good control. He was rewarded with a brief appearance in the majors, making his first major league start against the Cleveland Indians on July 4, 2005. After two starts in the majors, he returned to the minor leagues pitching for the Erie SeaWolves, the AA affiliate of the Tigers.

Major leagues

2006

In his first full season, Verlander went 17–9 with a 3.63 ERA, striking out 124 batters in 186 innings. He received the Rookie of the Year award. On July 4, 2006, at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, California, Verlander, Joel Zumaya, and Fernando Rodney each threw multiple fastballs clocked in at over 100 mph, becoming the first time in MLB history that three pitchers, on the same team, had done so during a game. He allowed only one stolen base in 2006 and picked off 7 baserunners. In 2006, he became the first rookie pitcher in the history of the game to win 10 games before the end of June, which eventually led to him being named Rookie of the Year at the end of the 2006 season.. During Game 1 of the 2006 World Series, Verlander was the Tiger's starting pitcher against Anthony Reyes of the St. Louis Cardinals; the first time two rookies faced off to start a World Series.

2007

His success continued in 2007, as he accumulated 18 wins and posted a 3.66 ERA with 183 strikeouts 201⅔ innings. On June 12, Verlander recorded a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers, striking out 12 and hitting 102 MPH on the radar gun.

2008

In 2008, he started off poorly with 4 straight losses before winning his first game. He could not match his 2007 success and finished with a career low 11 wins, while posting career highs in losses (17) and ERA (4.84).

2009

His 2009 season proved successful. He finished with a 19–9 record with an ERA of 3.45 and an MLB-leading 269 strikeouts. Verlander finished 3rd in the 2009 AL Cy Young Award voting.

2010

On February 4, 2010, it was announced that Verlander and the Tigers had reached a deal for an $80 million, 5 year contract extension. On July 3, Verlander earned his 10th win of the season. This marked the fourth time in five years he has had double digit wins before the all-star break. On September 18 Verlander beat the Chicago White Sox, throwing a complete game to earn his 17th win of the season. With that win he became the first pitcher to win 17 games in 4 of his first 5 seasons since Dwight Gooden. He would finish 2010 with an 18-8 record and 3.37 ERA.

2011

On April 22, Verlander recorded his 1,000th career strikeout in a 9–3 win over the White Sox, becoming the 15th Tiger to do so. On May 7 he recorded his second career no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays, throwing four strikeouts, walking one batter and throwing at a maximum speed of 101 MPH on the radar gun. He carried a perfect game into the 8th inning before surrendering a walk to J. P. Arencibia. Verlander became the second Tigers pitcher since Virgil Trucks, and the thirtieth pitcher in the history of baseball, to throw multiple no-hitters. On his next start, against the Kansas City Royals on May 13, Verlander took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before surrendering a triple. Altogether, he pitched 15⅔ consecutive no-hit innings, spread over three starts.

On June 14, Justin took a no-hitter into the eighth. He pitched 7⅓ innings until he gave up a base hit to Cleveland's Orlando Cabrera. Verlander ended up with a complete game shutout allowing two hits. In his next start on June 19, he threw another complete game allowing a solo home run to Ty Wigginton On June 26, he recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts against Arizona. On July 3, 2011, Verlander was selected to his fourth AL All-Star team, but he was unable to participate in the game due to the scheduling of his starts. On July 31, 2011, Verlander took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before surrenduring a single to Maicer Izturis. He walked two and struck out nine. On August 11th, Justin won his 100th major league game against the Cleveland Indians. On August 27th, he became the first pitcher in the major leagues to attain 20 wins in the current season. The victory also made Verlander the first Tiger since Bill Gullickson in 1991 to win 20 games, and the first major leaguer since Curt Schilling in 2002 to reach 20 wins before the end of August.

Repertoire

He features two fastballs: a four-seamer in the high-90s (which routinely pushes and occasionally eclipses 100 MPH) and a two-seamer in the mid-90s with good swing-back movement. He also throws a 12-6 curveball in the 78-83 mph range, a circle changeup in the low to mid-80s, and a slider which he throws 83-89 mph.

Awards and accolades

2006 American League Rookie of the Year

2006 Tigers Rookie of the Year award from the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association

American League Rookie of the Month (May, 2006)

American League Player of the Week (May 22–28, 2006)

American League Player of the Week (June 11–17, 2007)

7th in 2006 American League Cy Young Award Voting (the highest of any rookie pitcher)

5th in 2007 American League Cy Young Award Voting

15th in 2006 American League MVP Voting (the highest of any rookie and second highest of any pitcher – Johan Santana was 7th)

Named to 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011 American League All-Star Teams

Became first Tigers pitcher since Denny McLain in 1968 (31–6, .838) to lead the American League in winning percentage and qualify for an ERA title (18–6, .750) in 2007.

American League Pitcher of the Month (May, 2009)

Became the first Major League starter in 24 years to load the bases with nobody out in the ninth inning or later and get out of it without allowing a run when he pulled off the feat July 24, 2009. Then-Mariners hurler Mike Moore was the last to do it, on Sept. 16, 1985. 2009 Tiger of the Year

3rd in 2009 American League Cy Young Award Voting

Quotes about Verlander

"He's a special talent. I think he's one of the premier pitchers in the league, not just young pitchers." – Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland "My God, that guy's throwing 100 miles an hour in the sixth inning, you're not going to mount much against him. It's really tough for the best hitters in baseball to put that in play consistently." – Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones "It was the best thing that ever happened to me." – Verlander on his first no-hitter

See also

List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions

List of Major League Baseball wins champions

List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

References

External links

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Category:American League All-Stars Category:American League strikeout champions Category:American League wins champions Category:All-Star Futures Game players Category:Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award winners Category:Detroit Tigers players Category:Living people Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Baseball players from Virginia Category:Old Dominion Monarchs baseball players Category:1983 births Category:People from Goochland County, Virginia

de:Justin Verlander fr:Justin Verlander ko:저스틴 벌렌더 ja:ジャスティン・バーランダー zh:賈斯丁·韋蘭德

Coordinates	18°55′23″N48°17′19″N
{{infobox musical artist|name	Tinie Tempah|image_size | background solo_singer| name Tinie Tempah
birth name	Patrick Junior Chukwuemeka Okogwu
nationalism by birth	Nigerian, eastern zone
birth date	November 07, 1988
origin	Plumstead, London,England
genre	Hip Hop, Electro Hop, Grime
occupation	Rapper, songwriter
years active	2005–present
label	Parlophone/DL Records Ltd
Associated acts	Wiz Khalifa, Tinchy Stryder,Snoop Dogg, Chipmunk,Kelly Rowland, Ellie Goulding, JLS, Swedish House Mafia, Wiley, Labrinth, Eric Turner, Travis Barker, DJ Whoo Kid,Bei Maejor
website	}}

Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu (born November 7, 1988), better known by his stage name Tinie Tempah, is a British rapper. He made his first mixtape in 2007 with 28 songs, freestyles and remixes, the album features Mz Bratt, Chipmunk and G-Unit. His first album, ''Disc-Overy'', debuted at number one on 10 October 2010 and was preceded by the number-one singles "Pass Out" and "Written in the Stars" and the top-five singles "Frisky" and "Miami 2 Ibiza".

Career History

Early career

In 2006, Tinie gained a great deal of airplay on British music TV channel, Channel AKA, for his song "Tears" and then in late 2007, Tinie Tempah collaborated on a track with grime artist Ultra and producers/songwriters Agent X. The song was titled "Perfect GCD Hood Economics Room 147". He toured with [[Chipmunk (rapper)|Chipmunk ]] in February 2010. His first break as a musician came when Sony launched its PlayStation Portable (PSP) and used a track entitled "Listen To The Vibe" featuring Yasmin and DJ Ironik, and "Atlantic/Warner" for the futuristic racing game, ''Wipeout Pure''. This resulted in a promotional European tour alongside the likes of Sway and Dizzee Rascal.

Tinie and his manager and cousin Dumi Oburota founded the independent label Disturbing London primarily as an official outlet for Tinie's music, but with the idea of also signing other young artists. According to Dumi: "We wanted to have a platform to put out our music and there wasn't any Def Jam or Roc-A-Fella label equivalent in England. [Also] I wanted to create a major independent label with quality artists. I felt like the major labels had lost the passion for music." The activities of the label were initially largely funded by student loans and the proceeds from buying and selling cars.

When scout and music consultant Jade Richardson saw Tinie performing at the 2009 Wireless Festival she called Parlophone Records president Miles Leonard saying: “You’ve got to check out this guy Tinie Tempah. He came on at lunchtime and there’s about 1,000 kids screaming for him. He’s only put out one independent release and he’s got this huge audience.” Leonard and A&R; Nathan Thompson visited Tinie and his manager Dumi at their studio a few weeks later and were hugely impressed to hear about the work they had already done in developing Tinie's career and by the ambitious plans they had for his future. Leonard told HitQuarters: "I thought it was incredible that an artist and manager were doing so much so soon with so little ... That impressed as much as the music."

Tinie announced his signing to Parlophone in October 2009 by running a competition on his blog, with the winner invited to High Tea at Claridges to celebrate the deal.

2010-present: Disc-Overy

Tinie released his debut single "Pass Out" with Parlophone on 28 February 2010, with it entering the UK Singles Chart at number 1. Selling just over 92,000 copies, making this his first number 1 which it remained for two consecutive weeks. Tinie would later perform "Pass Out" on 25 June 2010 at Glastonbury on the Pyramid stage with Snoop Dogg. Tinie then announced his second single, "Frisky", which was released on 6 June 2010 entering the UK Singles Chart at number 2. Tinie supported Rihanna for four dates in May on her 10-date UK tour with Tinchy Stryder and Pixie Lott. Tinie performed at many summer balls at various universities around the United Kingdom. Tinie performed at Radio 1 Big Weekend in Bangor on 22 May 2010 on the In New Music We Trust stage. He also toured with Mr Hudson in May 2010. Tinie Tempah played the Summertime Ball at Wembley Stadium on 6 June 2010, at Wakestock in Abersoch on 3 July 2010, both T4 On The Beach and the Wireless Festival in London's Hyde Park on 4 July, and V Festival on 21 and 22 August 2010. Tinie released his third single "Written in the Stars" on 19 September 2010. This again charted at number 1 in the UK Singles Chart selling over 115,000 copies in its first week, making it his biggest-selling single to date. The song also went on to chart in a number of other countries. Tinie went on to team up with Swedish House Mafia for his fourth single "Miami 2 Ibiza" which was released on 1 October 2010. This went on to reach a peak of number 4 in the UK Singles Chart and his first number 1 in the Netherlands Mega Single Top 100 chart. He released his long-awaited debut album, ''Disc-Overy'' on 4 October 2010 which featured all his previous charted singles. On 11 October 2010, he kicked off his first UK tour which was supported by Chiddy Bang. He went on to win his first 2 MOBO Awards in October. Tinie also featured on the Tinchy Stryder single "Game Over" which was released on 15 November 2010. This reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart. On 25 December, Tinie released his fifth single "Invincible" featuring Kelly Rowland, which peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. "Wonderman", featuring Ellie Goulding, was released and was the fifth official single. Tinie joined Usher on the European leg of his OMG Tour in January 2011. Tinie was also nominated for 4 Brit Awards making him the most nominated artist at the awards. His single "Written in the Stars" was used for a WrestleMania XXVII countdown promo during the WWE PPV Royal Rumble on 30 January 2011. It was later confirmed by WWE that it will be the official theme for Wrestlemania XXVII. On 15 February 2011, he won his first ever Brit Award, for Best British Breakthrough Act. He also won a Brit for Best British Single. On 7 March 2011, Tempah expressed his desire for his next album to go triple platinum. "I reckon in 2011, towards the end of it, I'm going to do an arena tour - and sell it out - then I reckon I'm going to release another album, and fingers crossed it can go platinum again, and double platinum, and triple. Let's just sell a million."

In December 2010, Tinie confirmed he is writing a second album, saying there will be a more electronic and live feel to it. It is not yet known what the title will be. Originally intended for a late 2011 release, it is now expected to be released in 2012. During an interview, Tinie commented on his second album: "Yeah I’ve started it already so I’m hoping to get it out by October/November time. I always like to work with different people on each project I do, just so you get a different sound and angle. I will be working with some of the same people I did for the first album, you know what they say ‘if it ain't broke then don’t try and fix it’." According to a recent interview Tinie revealed his hopes of collaborating with some of music's hottest artists saying, "I really want to collaborate with Toronto's very own Drake. I think he's amazing at what he does. I'd also like to collaborate with Adele, Sleigh Bells, Lykke Li, Dev, James Blake ― those are the few that I'd really like to work with." Tinie announced in an interview with ''Rolling Stone'' that his next single is to be called "Till I'm Gone" which will feature Wiz Khalifa and is produced by Stargate. The single and the video song were released at the end of June 2011. Tinie Tempah, world renowned drummer Travis Barker and Irish boxing champion Katie Taylor, joined forces to launch Lucozade’s new ''Yes Campaign'', which signals a repositioning of its sports and energy drink brand. Featuring a performance of Tinie Tempah’s "Simply Unstoppable" with Travis Barker on drums, remixed especially for Lucozade Sport, the campaign was released in Summer 2011.

Awards and nominations

!Year	!Ceremony	!Category	!Nominated work	!Result	!Ref
		Best Newcomer
Best Video
Best UK Act
Best Song
	Hottest Boy
Hottest Hook-up
	The UGG Award (Urban/Garage/Grime)
	Best Newcomer
Best Video
Best Hip-Hop Act
Best Collaboration
	Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Best Male Artist
Best Newcomer
Best Video
Best Song
	Breakthrough Artist
	Best UK and Ireland New Act
		Pop Music	''Disc-Overy''
	Best British Male
Best Breakthrough Act
Best Single
Album of the Year	''Disc-Overy''
	Best Contemporary Song
	Best International Act: UK

Discography

''Disc-Overy'' (2010)

References

External links

Category:English rappers Category:Black British people Category:English people of Igbo descent Category:English people of Nigerian descent Category:Grime artists Category:Black British musicians Category:Igbo musicians Category:People from London Category:British hip hop musicians Category:1988 births Category:Living people

cs:Tinie Tempah da:Tinie Tempah de:Tinie Tempah es:Tinie Tempah fr:Tinie Tempah hr:Tinie Tempah it:Tinie Tempah he:טייני טמפה lv:Tinie Tempah lt:Tinie Tempah hu:Tinie Tempah nl:Tinie Tempah no:Tinie Tempah pcd:Tinie Tempah pl:Tinie Tempah pt:Tinie Tempah ru:Тайни Темпа simple:Tinie Tempah fi:Tinie Tempah sv:Tinie Tempah zh:泰尼·坦普