2006 Baseball Season

by the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.
More 2006 Baseball Season Highlights

Below are more highlights from the 2006 baseball season, including Miguel Tejada playing in his 1,000th consecutive game and salaries for some Yankees soaring.

  • On July 1, Baltimore's Miguel Tejada becomes the seventh player in major league history to play in 1,000 consecutive games.

  • With two outs in the top of the ninth inning, Texas's Michael Young slams a two-run triple that gives the American League its ninth straight All-Star Game victory.

  • On September 6, Marlins rookie Anibal Sanchez pitches the first no-hitter in more than two years.

  • Francisco Rodriguez of the Angels leads the American League with 47 saves.

  • Philadelphia's Chase Utley paces the National League in runs (131).

  • Juan Pierre of the Cubs cracks a circuit-best 204 hits.

  • Four American League players make at least $19 million, and all are Yankees: Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi, Jeter, and Mussina.

  • Detroit flamethrower Justin Verlander (17-9) breezes to the 2006 American League Rookie of the Year Award.

  • Shortstop Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins is named the 2006 National League Rookie of the Year.

  • Randy Johnson pockets his 4,500th career strikeout, the third most in history.

  • The Cardinals open their new ballpark, which -- like its two predecessors -- is called Busch Stadium.

  • Three big-league pitchers push past the 200-win mark for their careers: Pedro Martinez, Schilling, and Kenny Rogers.

  • Former Negro Leaguer Buck O'Neil, age 94, becomes the oldest player to play in a professional game -- the Northern League All-Star Game in Kansas City, Kansas.

  • Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina becomes the first pitcher in American League history to win 10 or more games for 15 straight seasons.

  • Yankees closer Mariano Rivera records his 400th save.

  • Chipper Jones of the Braves ties a major league record with an extra-base hit in 14 straight games.

  • Carlos Delgado of the Mets belts his 400th career homer.

  • Atlanta's record of 14 consecutive division titles is finally snapped.

  • Six National League pitchers tie for the lead in wins with just 16: Webb, Aaron Harang, Derek Lowe, Brad Penny, John Smoltz, and Carlos Zambrano.

  • Two American League hurlers post 19 wins each -- Santana and the Yankees' Chien-Ming Wang.

  • Bonds leads the National League in walks for the 11th time.

  • The Marlins have an unprecedented four first-year hurlers with at least 10 wins: Sanchez, Josh Johnson, Scott Olson, and Ricky Nolasco.

  • Joe Girardi lasts just one season as manager of the Marlins, but he wins National League Manager of the Year honors after he is fired.

  • Tigers skipper Jim Leyland takes home the 2006 American League Manager of the Year Award.

  • Carl Crawford of Tampa Bay wins his third consecutive triples title (16) and his second consecutive stolen base crown (58).

  • Jose Reyes of the Mets repeats as National League leader in triples (17) and steals (64).

  • Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki tops the American League in hits (224).

  • Grady Sizemore of the Indians leads the American League with 53 doubles.

  • Rangers pitcher R.A. Dickey ties a major league record by allowing six home runs in just 3-1/3 innings.

  • The reigning champion White Sox have more wins than any National League team except the Mets, but they fail to make the playoffs.

  • Pitcher Greg Maddux wins his 16th Gold Glove Award, tying him with Jim Kaat and Brooks Robinson for the most Gold Gloves for a career.

  • The Baseball Hall of Fame's Special Committee on the Negro Leagues selects 17 Negro Leaguers for induction.

  • Pitcher Bruce Sutter is elected to the Hall of Fame.

  • On October 11, Yankees pitcher Corey Lidle dies when he pilots his small plane into a Manhattan building.

  • In November, the Red Sox pay $51.1 million for the rights to negotiate with Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. Then they sign him to a multiyear, $51 million contract.

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