1933
Changes- Rename team - The Athletics become the Kansas City Royals.
- Clear roster - !!! For the second time, every player will become a free agent.
- Add minor league - AA ball is re-established.
Off-Season
Signings as a result of the roster clearance:
- SS Joe Cronin - Yankees to Brewers
- C Spud Davis - White Sox to Brewers
- CL George Dumont - Braves to Brewers
- 1B Hank Greenberg - Colonels to Brewers
- 2B Pat O'Farrell - Giants to Brewers
- RF Ripper Collins - Colonels to Browns
- C Carlton Fisk - Browns to Indians
- SP Van Mungo - Dodgers to Indians
- SP Schoolboy Rowe - Expos to Indians
- RF Babe Ruth - Braves to Orioles
- C Gabby Hartnett - Dodgers to Red Sox
- RF Goose Goslin - Browns to Red Sox
- 2B Tony Lazzeri - Pirates to Red Sox
- SP Red Lucas - Colonels to Red Sox
- SP Earl Whitehill - Giants to Red Sox
- 2B Don Bradman - Reds to Royals
- SP Whit Wyatt - Bears to Royals
- C Mickey Cochrane - Brewers to Senators
- SP Joe Wood - Braves to Senators
- 1B Jimmie Foxx - Yankees to Tigers
- SS Joe Sewell - Expos to Tigers
- LF Al Simmons - Cardinals to Tigers
- C Johnny Bassler - Yankees to Twins
- CF Wally Berger - Dodgers to Twins
- SP Bill Doak - Athletics to Twins
- 2B Frankie Frisch - Dodgers to Twins
- C Shanty Hogan - Indians to Twins
- SP Danny MacFayden - Browns to Twins
- SP Pete Donohue - Bears to White Sox
- SS Woody English - Phillies to White Sox
- RF Mel Ott - Red Sox to White Sox
- C Rick Ferrell - Athletics to White Sox
- CF Earl Averill - Reds to Bears
- 1B Roy Hobbs - Indians to Bears
- LF Ray Blades - Bears to Braves
- SP Paul Derringer - White Sox to Braves
- 1B Lou Gehrig - Reds to Braves
- 2B Charlie Gehringer - Bears to Braves
- SS Travis Jackson - Rangers to Braves
- LF Joe Medwick - Cardinals to Braves
- SP George Ruth - Pirates to Braves
- SP Lon Warneke - White Sox to Braves
- C Bill Dickey - Expos to Cardinals
- CF Johnny Frederick - Tigers to Cardinals
- SP Lefty Grove - Senators to Cardinals
- SP Bill James - Tigers to Cardinals
- 2B Buddy Myer - Browns to Cardinals
- SS Arky Vaughan - Brewers to Cardinals
- 2B Billy Herman - Orioles to Colonels
- SS Cecil Travis - Giants to Colonels
- 1B Don Hurst - Pirates to Cubs
- 1B Bill Terry - Bears to Cubs
- 1B Dale Alexander - Cubs to Dodgers
- SS Dick Bartell - White Sox to Dodgers
- SP Tommy Bridges - Cubs to Dodgers
- 2B Rogers Hornsby - Brewers to Dodgers
- C Ernie Lombardi - Cardinals to Dodgers
- LF John Stone - Reds to Dodgers
- SS Luke Appling - Yankees to Giants
- 2B Max Bishop - Senators to Giants
- SP Dizzy Dean - Remained with Giants
- SP Larry French - Browns to Giants
- LF Chuck Klein - Twins to Giants
- SP Lefty Gomez - Expos to Pirates
- 1B High Pockets Kelly - White Sox to Pirates
- SP Carl Hubbell - Browns to Rangers
- 1B Hal Trosky - Brewers to Reds
American League
Chicago White Sox (100-48)
Boston Red Sox (96-52)
Cleveland Indians (94-54)
Washington Senators (84-64)
Detroit Tigers (83-65)
Kansas City Royals (72-76)
Baltimore Orioles (68-80)
St. Louis Browns (65-83)
New York Yankees (63-85)
Milwaukee Brewers (59-89)
Minnesota Twins (59-89)
Providence Angels (45-103)
AL MVP: Jimmie Foxx (Detroit) (3rd award)
AL CYA: Pete Donohue (Chicago) (8th award, 1st in AL)
AL ROY: Dolph Camilli (Cleveland)
National League
Boston Braves (106-42)
St. Louis Cardinals (103-45)
New York Giants (91-57)
Texas Rangers (76-72)
Chicago Cubs (74-74)
Newark Bears (72-76)
Brooklyn Dodgers (65-83)
Pittsburgh Pirates (64-84)
Louisville Colonels (63-85)
Cincinnati Reds (61-87)
Montreal Expos (57-91)
Philadelphia Phillies (56-92)
NL MVP: Lou Gehrig (Boston)
NL MOP: Carl Hubbell (Texas) (2nd award, 1st in NL)
NL ROY: Hal Trosky (Cincinnati)
Statistical Leaders
Batting Average: Jimmie Foxx (Detroit) .273, Lou Gehrig (Boston) .283
Home Runs: Jimmie Foxx (Detroit) 41, Chuck Klein (New York) 48
Runs Batted In: Al Simmons (Detroit) 103, Lou Gehrig (Boston) 120
Stolen Bases: Don Bradman (Kansas City) 12, Gee Walker (Louisville) 20
WAR: Jimmie Foxx (Detroit) 14.3, Lou Gehrig (Boston) 10.6
Wins: Pete Donohue (Chicago) 23, Carl Hubbell (Texas) / Vic Sorrell (St. Louis) 23
ERA: Pete Donohue (Chicago) 0.71, Carl Hubbell (Texas) 1.12
Strikeouts: Schoolboy Rowe (Cleveland) 147, Tommy Bridges (Brooklyn) 141
Saves: Ray Roberts (Boston) 34, Benny Frey (Philadelphia) / John Michaels (New York) 26
WAR: Pete Donohue (Chicago) 12.6, Larry French (New York) 14.8
Notes
- Pete Donohue had one of the greatest seasons of all-time, as he led the White Sox to the AL pennant. He allowed just 21 ER in 267.2 IP, and all 31 of his starts were quality starts.
- The Braves set the NL record for wins, as they seamlessly replaced Ruth with Lou Gehrig, and led their league in run scoring and prevention, and look set to keep their dynasty rolling.
- Babe Ruth (Baltimore) hit 38 homers after signing with his hometown club, and had an impressive 208 OPS+.
- Rookie Schoolboy Rowe led the majors in strikeouts.
- The Cubs traded Bill Terry to Kansas City for Bill Lamar and Bill Swift.
Achievements & Milestones
- Gabby Hartnett (Braves) and rookie Hal Trosky (Cincinnati) both hit three homers in a game.
- Fred Schulte (Cleveland) hit for the cycle.
- There were 16 no-hitters.
- Al Wingo (Montreal) and Frankie Frisch (Minnesota) passed 2000 hits.
- Bob Meusel (Providence) and Chuck Klein (NY Giants) joined the 300 HR club.
- Babe Ruth (Baltimore) hit his 900th homer.
- Jim Shaw (Baltimore) won his 200th game.
- Bill Doak (Minnesota) and Pete Donohue (White Sox) passed 250 wins.
- Bill James (Cardinals) became the 7th man to win 300 games.
World Series
-
Chicago defeated Boston, 5 games to 1.
- Pete Donohue was the MVP, throwing two complete game shutouts. He was previously WS MVP in 1926 and 1929 for Newark/New Jersey.
- Donohue threw the first ever World Series no-hitter in Game One, as two walks to Billy Werber were the only baserunners that the big righty allowed, and Chicago won 3-0. Donohue had previously thrown six regular season no-nos.
- The White Sox won again in Game Two, as, with the game tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the tenth, Mel Ott drew a two-out walk, and Tony Cuccinello then hit a walk-off home run.
- Johnny Allen (Boston) fired back in Game Three, allowing only a single hit. Stu Clarke (Boston) hit a home run to give the Braves a 1-0 win.
- Donohue shutout the Beantowners again in Game Five, giving Chicago a 4-1 lead in the series.
- Cuccinello was 6-22 with a pair of homers and five RBI.
- Lou Gehrig (Boston) went 4-17 with a home run.
- Joe Medwick (Boston) missed the series through injury.
- The Pale Hose won the World Series for the first time since 1915.
Retirements
- Joe Bush. Workhorse starter with a 280-231 record and a 114 ERA+.
- Hod Eller. 1918 NL MOP, 1920 world champion. 264-189 record for Braves, Hoosiers, and Rangers. 118 ERA+.
- Happy Felsch. Long-serving Giants center fielder. Two All-Stars and two Gold Gloves. 2307 hits, 129 OPS+, twice led his league in triples.
- Harry Heilmann. Seven-time All-Star who was a strong outfielder for Newark/New Jersey. 2646 hits, 159 OPS+, two Gold Gloves, five Silver Sluggers, a ring in 1929.
- Rogers Hornsby. One of the greatest players of all-time. Nine-time AL MVP. Thirteen All-Stars and Silver Sluggers for the outstanding second baseman. 2379 hits, and a career 199 OPS+. Only Babe Ruth has a higher career OPS. A championship with Milwaukee in 1918.
- Bill James. 304-287, 114 ERA+ for veteran workhorse who twice led the NL in strikeouts. Worked diligently for six teams, most notably Louisville, Philadelphia, and Washington.
- Bob O'Farrell. Star backstop for Indians dynasty of the 1920s. Six All-Stars, four Gold Gloves, and four straight world championships. 121 OPS+, excellent for a catcher.
- Herb Pennock. 330-226 record, 5th in career wins. Never the league's best pitcher, but a very good one for a very long time. 117 ERA+. World champion as a Pittsburgh rookie in 1912.
- Edd Roush. 2166 career hits, 145 OPS+, for a strong two-way center fielder. Four-time All-Star, led NL in many categories in strong 1915 season.
- George Ruth. 1920 NL MOP. 263-204 career record, with 134 ERA+. Seven All-Star games, and a ring with Newark in 1929.
- Joe Wood. All-time leader in wins, starts and innings pitched. 1915 NL MOP. 395-268 career record, 120 ERA+. Nine All-Star games, and a ring in 1930. Also a fine hitter, who often played in the outfield between starts, totaling 1515 hits and a 117 OPS+.
Draft
- The Angels drafted George Selkirk first overall.
- Harlond Clift went second to Philadelphia.
- Montreal picked Rudy York at #3.
- The Brewers spent the fourth choice on Zeke Bonura.
Lou Gehrig won the pennant and NL MVP.
Schoolboy Rowe was a rookie sensation.