1948
Changes- Foreign players limit (larger) - Teams are allowed 11 foreign players on their roster.
- Change DL time (larger) - Players now have to spent 24 days on the DL.
- Retire random 4*+ - Cy Blanton (Baltimore), the 39-year-old reigning AL Cy Young winner, retires.
Off-Season
- Outfielder Phil Cavarretta signed with Cleveland.
- Shortstop Joe Cronin signed with the Red Sox.
- Second baseman Bobby Doerr moved from the Giants to the Pirates.
- Ace Carl Fischer signed with the Yankees.
- Johnny Vander Meer moved from the Red Sox to the Giants.
American League East
Washington Senators (116-52)
Cleveland Indians (107-61)
Philadelphia Athletics (97-71)
New York Yankees (84-84)
Baltimore Orioles (80-88)
Boston Red Sox (76-92)
Akron Aeros (52-116)
American League West
Kansas City Royals (100-68)
California Angels (86-82)
Chicago White Sox (86-82)
Detroit Tigers (83-85)
St. Louis Browns (78-90)
Minnesota Twins (74-94)
Colorado Rockies (57-111)
AL MVP: Yogi Berra (Kansas City)
AL CYA: Cal McLish (Kansas City)
AL ROY: Roy Campanella (Colorado)
National League East
New York Giants (98-70)
Brooklyn Dodgers (97-71)
Durham Bulls (95-73)
Boston Braves (83-85)
Newark Bears (75-93)
Philadelphia Phillies (70-98)
Montreal Expos (61-107)
National League West
Louisville Colonels (100-68)
Houston Astros (91-77)
Pittsburgh Pirates (86-82)
Cincinnati Reds (84-84)
St. Louis Cardinals (83-85)
Milwaukee Brewers (77-91)
Chicago Cubs (76-92)
NL MVP: Joe DiMaggio (Louisville) (7th award)
NL MOP: Ken Raffensberger (Chicago) (2nd award)
NL ROY: Dick Kokos (Louisville)
Statistical Leaders
Batting Average: Yogi Berra (Kansas City) .258, Vic Wertz (Boston) .254
Home Runs: Eddie Robinson (California) 41, Ralph Kiner (Philadelphia) 49
Runs Batted In: Wally Judnich (Philadelphia) 114, Hank Sauer (Brooklyn) 121
Stolen Bases: Gil Coan (Minnesota) 26, Snuffy Stirnweiss (St. Louis) 38
WAR: Ken Keltner (Washington) 10.3, Joe DiMaggio (Louisville) 11.3
Wins: Marv Breuer (Washington) / Al Gettel (Washington) 23, Vic Raschi (Durham) 22
ERA: Ernie White (Washington) 1.54, Ewell Blackwell (Brooklyn) 1.51
Strikeouts: Cal McLish (Kansas City) 189, Ewell Blackwell (Brooklyn) 165
Saves: Stan Ferens (St. Louis) 39, Dick Mauney (Durham) 36
WAR: Cal McLish (Kansas City) 10.4, Ken Raffensberger (Chicago) 13.6
Notes
- The Senators broke the big-league record with 116 wins, and had the finest pitching in baseball. Detroit slipped back after their title, losing more games than they won.
- The Royals made the postseason for the first time since they were the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics. Yogi Berra won the batting title and hit 40 homers, with strong seasons from Ted Kluszewski and ace Cal McLish.
- The Giants out-lasted the Dodgers thanks to their outstanding pitching rotation.
- Louisville won the NL West with big seasons from Joe DiMaggio, Dick Kokos, Paul Gillespie, and Larry Jensen.
- Rookie Roy Campanella (Colorado) led the American League in OPS.
- Ted Williams (Athletics) played only 91 games because of injury.
- The Cubs traded starter Victor Starffin to the Braves for third baseman Ellis Clary.
Achievements & Milestones
- Johnny Mize (Minnesota) and Roy Cullenbine (Brooklyn) hit three home runs in a game.
- Junior Thompson (Houston) threw a no-hitter on opening day.
- Fred Hutchinson (Cleveland) threw no-hitters in back-to-back starts.
- Hal Gregg and Johnny Sain (Baltimore) no-hit the Athletics two days apart.
- Ben Chapman (Cardinals) reached 2000 hits.
- Rudy York (NY Giants) hit his 400th home run.
- Jimmie Foxx (Akron) drove in his 2000th runner.
- Johnny Broaca (Akron) won his 200th game.
- Schoolboy Rowe (NY Yankees) picked up his 250th win.
- Carl Fischer (NY Yankees) joined the 300 win club.
ALCS
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Kansas City defeated Washington, 4 games to 0.
- Yogi Berra was the series MVP. The catcher was 6-17 with three homers and seven RBI.
- Game One was won in eleven innings by the Royals. Berra hit a two-run homer, and Kansas City won 5-3.
- Taffy Wright (Kansas City) hit a three-run double in the top of the ninth inning of Game Two, leading the Royals to another 5-3 win.
- Gil Hodges (Kansas City) hit three homers for 7 RBI.
- Kansas City won the pennant for the first time.
NLCS
-
New York defeated Louisville, 4 games to 3.
- Larry Jensen (Louisville) was the MVP, throwing two scoreless games.
- Jensen threw a shutout in Game One. Joe DiMaggio and Dick Kokos hit home runs for a 2-0 Colonels win.
- The Giants were shutout again in Game Two. Jim Tobin (Louisville) threw six scoreless frames, then Johnny Podgajny took over for the save.
- Jensen threw another shutout in Game Five, allowing just two hits to the Giants.
- The Giants combined to no-hit Louisville in Game Six. Howie Pollet threw eight frames, before Scott Roser got the save. Johnny Lucadello (New York) homered for the only run in the game.
- Gene Mauch (New York) had seven hits.
- Tetsuharu Kawakami (New York) was 6-26.
- Joe Coleman (New York) won both of his starts.
- The Giants previously won the pennant in 1942.
World Series
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New York defeated Kansas City, 5 games to 0.
- Rudy York was series MVP, going 5-20 with three homers and eight RBI.
- Game Two was won by an extra innings blast. Bob Elliott (New York) hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 12th inning, winning the game 2-1.
- Howie Pollet (New York) threw a shutout in Game Three, a 3-0 Giants win.
- Gil Hodges (Kansas City) hit two home runs in Game Four, but the Giants piled on six runs, and won 6-3.
- Tetsuharu Kawakami (New York) had seven hits.
- Vic Lombardi (New York) won Games One and Five.
- The Giants' first World Series win.
Retirements
- Cy Blanton. 1934 NL MOP. 1936, 1940, 1947 AL CYA. 236-142, 151 ERA+. Hard-throwing ace who made eight All-Star games. Championship with Detroit in 1942.
- Johnny Broaca. 204-194 ace who led the league in wins in 1941. 114 ERA+ in 480 games.
- George Selkirk. Five-time All-Star outfielder who had several strong seasons for Detroit. A ring in 1942. 155 career OPS+.
Draft
- Akron picked Monte Irvin first overall.
- Smoky Burgess went second to Colorado.
- Montreal chose Minnie Minoso at #3.
- The Phillies picked Solly Hemus fourth.
Rudy York was World Series MVP.
