2005 Major League Baseball season

The 2005 Major League Baseball season was notable for the league's new steroid policy in the wake of the BALCO scandal, which enforced harsher penalties ever than before for steroid use in Major League Baseball. Several players, including veteran Rafael Palmeiro, were suspended under the new policy. Also, every team in the NL East division had at least 81 wins (at least half of the 162 games played). It was also notable for being the first season featuring a baseball team in Washington, D.C. for more than 4 decades, with the Washington Nationals having moved from Montreal.

The season ended when the Chicago White Sox defeated the Houston Astros in a four-game sweep in the World Series, winning their first championship since 1917.

Major league baseball final standings

The standings in the National League East were quite notable because all the teams in that division finished with at least a .500 record. The San Diego Padres' record of 82–80 was also notable as it was the worst ever by a division champion in a full-length season. (It is not, strictly speaking, the worst record by a division champion as the strike-shortened 1994 season ended with every team in the AL West at least 10 games under .500, nor is it the worst record by a team that made the postseason as due to the "split-season" format imposed in the wake of the 1981 Major League Baseball strike, the Kansas City Royals went to the playoffs as second-half AL West champions despite an overall record of 50–53.)

Postseason

The playoffs began on October 4, and ended on October 26. For more information, see the following articles:

• Division Series
  • American League
  • National League
• Championship Series
  • American League
  • National League
• World Series

Bracket

Click on any series score to link to that series' page.
Higher seed had home field advantage during Division Series and League Championship Series.
The American League champion had home field advantage during the World Series as a result of the AL victory in the 2005 All-Star Game.

Statistical leaders

Batting

Team

Individual

Pitching

Team

Individual

Managers

American League

National League

±hosted the MLB All Star Game

Awards and honors

Other awards

• Comeback Players of the Year: Jason Giambi (Designated hitter/first baseman, NYY, American); Ken Griffey, Jr. (Center fielder, CIN, National).
• Hank Aaron Award: David Ortiz (BOS, American); Andruw Jones (ATL, National).
• Roberto Clemente Award (Humanitarian): John Smoltz (ATL).
• Rolaids Relief Man Award: Mariano Rivera (NYY, American); Chad Cordero (WSH, National).
• Delivery Man of the Year (Best Reliever): Mariano Rivera (NYY).

Player of the Month

Pitcher of the Month

Rookie of the Month

Events

• June 18 – Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees hits the first grand slam of his 11-year major league career, as the Yankees defeat the Chicago Cubs 8-1.^[1]

References

• Baseball-Reference.com, 2005 American League season
• Baseball-Reference.com, 2005 National League season

1. ↑ Pellowski, Michael J (2007). The Little Giant Books of Baseball Facts. United States: Sterling Publishing Co. p. 352. ISBN 9781402742736.