1994 Major League Baseball season

This article is about the 1994 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 1994 in baseball.

The 1994 Major League Baseball season ended with the infamous players strike ending the season on August 11, 1994.

Strike

As a result of a players' strike, the MLB season ended prematurely on August 11, 1994. No postseason (including the World Series) was played. Minor League Baseball was not affected.

Awards and honors

• Most Valuable Player
  • Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox (AL)
  • Jeff Bagwell, Houston Astros (NL)
• Cy Young Award
  • David Cone, Kansas City Royals (AL)
  • Greg Maddux, Atlanta Braves (NL)
• Rookie of the Year
  • Bob Hamelin, Kansas City Royals (AL)
  • Raúl Mondesí, Los Angeles Dodgers (NL)
• Manager of the Year Award
  • Buck Showalter, New York Yankees (AL)
  • Felipe Alou, Montreal Expos (NL)

Statistical leaders

Potential Statistics

At the time of the strike's beginning on August 12, 1994, several players were on pace to post impressive statistics.

Potential statistics by individuals:

• David Cone, Ken Hill, Greg Maddux and Mike Mussina were each on pace to have personal single-season records of 23 wins.
• Randy Johnson was on pace to pitch 6 shutouts and 13 complete games.
• Jimmy Key was on pace to win 24 games.
• Greg Maddux was on pace to pitch 287.0 innings and 14 complete games.
• Jeff Bagwell and Kirby Puckett were each on pace to collect more than 160 RBI.
• Albert Belle, Joe Carter, and Frank Thomas were each on pace to collect 145 RBI.
• Dante Bichette, Mike Piazza and Ruben Sierra were each on pace to drive in more than 130 runs.
• Ken Griffey was on pace to hit 58 home runs.
• Tony Gwynn, who had a .394 batting average, would have had a good chance to be the first player to hit .400 since Ted Williams in 1941.
• AL Rookie of the Year Bob Hamelin was on pace to hit 34 home runs and drive in 92 runs.
• Chuck Knoblauch was on pace to hit 65 doubles.
• Kenny Lofton was on pace to steal 86 bases and score 151 runs.
• Fred McGriff was on pace to hit a career-high 48 home runs and drive in 134 runs.
• Frank Thomas was on pace to score 152 runs.
• Larry Walker was on pace to hit 63 doubles.
• Matt Williams was on pace to drive in 135 runs and tie Roger Maris’ 1961 single-season record of 61 home runs.

In addition, a few teams were projected to have impressive numbers.

Potential statistics by teams:

• The Baltimore Orioles were on pace to have two 20-game winners: Ben McDonald and Mike Mussina.
• The Cincinnati Reds were on pace to collect 1,623 hits.
• The Cleveland Indians were on pace to score 973 runs, collect 1,670 hits, and hit 239 home runs: 1 home run short of the all-time single-season record set by the 1961 New York Yankees. Three other teams, namely the Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, and Seattle Mariners, were each projected to hit more than 200 home runs. If they had, it would have been the first time in Major League history that three or more teams each hit at least 200 home runs in a single season.
• The Montreal Expos were on pace to set single-season club records in wins (105), runs scored (832), hits (1,579), doubles (350), home runs (153) and runs batted in (770).

Major league baseball final standings

• On September 14, the remainder of the major league season was canceled by acting commissioner Bud Selig after 34 days of the players' strike.

Events

• January 12 - Steve Carlton is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America, receiving almost 96% of the vote. Orlando Cepeda falls seven votes short of the 75% required for election.

• February 7 - Basketball superstar Michael Jordan signs a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox. He is invited to spring training with the team as a non-roster player.

• February 25 - The Veterans Committee elects Phil Rizzuto and Leo Durocher to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

• April 4 - At Wrigley Field, Chicago Cubs outfielder Tuffy Rhodes blasts three home runs on Opening Day victimizing New York Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden. Rhodes becomes the first player in major league history to hit home runs in his first three at-bats of the season. In spite of Rhodes’ unexpected home run barrage, the Cubs lose the game, 12–8.

• July 12 - Moisés Alou's double in the 10th inning gives the National League an 8-7 victory over the American League in the All-Star Game. The NL is now a perfect 9-0 in extra-inning contests. John Hudek of the Houston Astros becomes the first pitcher in major league history to appear in an All-Star Game before recording a major league victory. Fred McGriff, whose two-run home run in the 9th inning tied the score, takes MVP honors.

• July 28 - Kenny Rogers of the Texas Rangers throws the fourteenth perfect game in Major League history.

• August 11 - The final games of the Major League season are played on this date. The next day, the players' strike begins. Minor League Baseball games are not affected.

• September 14 - The remainder of the major league season is canceled by acting commissioner Bud Selig after 34 days of the players' strike. There will be no World Series for the first time since 1904.

Movies

• Major League II
• Little Big League
• Angels in the Outfield
• Baseball: A Film by Ken Burns (TV documentary)
• The Scout
• Cobb

Deaths

• January 8 - Harvey Haddix, 68, All-Star pitcher best remembered for a 1959 game with the Pirates in which he threw 12 perfect innings before losing in the 13th; won 20 games for 1953 Cardinals and earned three Gold Gloves. Member of 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates, who won the World Series.
• January 9 - Johnny Temple, 66, All-Star second baseman, primarily for the Cincinnati Reds, who batted .300 three times
• January 10 - Chub Feeney, 72, National League president from 1970 to 1986
• February 12 - Ray Dandridge, 80, Hall of Fame third baseman of the Negro Leagues who often batted over .350
• March 16 - Eric Show, 37, pitcher who won 100 games for the San Diego Padres and surrendered Pete Rose's record 4,192nd hit
• May 9 - Ralph Brickner, 69, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox in the 1950s
• June 12 - Jim Brock, 57, coach at Arizona State since 1972 who led the school to two College World Series titles
• June 23 - Marv Throneberry, 62, first baseman for the Yankees, Orioles, Mets and Kansas City A's
• July 14 - César Tovar, 54, outfielder for the Minnesota Twins who in 1968 became the second major leaguer to play all nine positions in a game; had his team's only hit on five occasions
• September 5 - Hank Aguirre, 63, All-Star pitcher who led AL in ERA in 1962 with the Detroit Tigers
• December 26 - Allie Reynolds, 77, 6-time All-Star pitcher, mainly with the Yankees, who led AL in ERA in 1952 and in strikeouts and shutouts twice; in 1951 was first AL pitcher to throw two no-hitters in same year, and was MVP runnerup in 1952; career .630 winning percentage