Champions
Major League Baseball World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Baltimore Orioles (4–3); Willie Stargell, MVP
American League Championship Series MVP: None. National League Championship Series MVP: Willie Stargell All-Star Game, July 17 at the Kingdome: National League, 7–6; Dave Parker, MVP
Other champions College World Series: Cal State-Fullerton Cuban National Series: Sancti Spíritus Japan Series: Hiroshima Toyo Carp over Kintetsu Buffaloes (4–3) Big League World Series: West Hempstead, New York Little League World Series: Pu-Tzu Town, Hsien, Taiwan Senior League World Series: Tung–Feng LL Taichung, Taiwan Pan American Games: Cuba over Dominican Republic Winter Leagues 1979 Caribbean Series: Navegantes del Magallanes Dominican Republic League: Águilas Cibaeñas Mexican Pacific League: Mayos de Navojoa Puerto Rican League: Criollos de Caguas Venezuelan League: Navegantes del Magallanes
Awards and honors Baseball Hall of Fame Warren Giles Willie Mays Hack Wilson Most Valuable Player Don Baylor, California Angels, OF (AL) Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh Pirates, 1B and Keith Hernandez, St. Louis Cardinals, 1B (NL) Cy Young Award Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles (AL) Bruce Sutter, Chicago Cubs (NL) Rookie of the Year John Castino, Minnesota Twins, 3B and Alfredo Griffin, Toronto Blue Jays, SS (AL) Rick Sutcliffe, Los Angeles Dodgers, P (NL) Woman Executive of the Year (major or minor league) Doris Krucker, Midwest League Gold Glove Award (P) Jim Palmer, Baltimore Orioles (AL); Phil Niekro, Atlanta Braves (NL) (C) Jim Sundberg, Texas Rangers (AL); Bob Boone, Philadelphia Phillies (NL) (1B) Cecil Cooper, Milwaukee Brewers (AL); Keith Hernandez, St. Louis Cardinals (NL) (2B) Frank White, Kansas City Royals (AL); Manny Trillo, Philadelphia Phillies (NL) (3B) Buddy Bell, Texas Rangers (AL); Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies (NL) (SS) Rick Burleson, Boston Red Sox (AL); Dave Concepción, Cincinnati Reds (NL) (OF) Dwight Evans, Boston Red Sox (AL); Garry Maddox, Philadelphia Phillies (NL) (OF) Sixto Lezcano, Milwaukee Brewers (AL); Dave Parker, Pittsburgh Pirates (NL) (OF) Fred Lynn, Boston Red Sox (AL); Dave Winfield, San Diego Padres (NL)
MLB statistical leaders American League National League Type Name Stat Name Stat AVG Fred Lynn BOS .333 Keith Hernandez STL .344 HR Gorman Thomas MIL 45 Dave Kingman CHC 48 RBI Don Baylor CAL 139 Dave Winfield SD 118 Wins Mike Flanagan BAL 23 Joe Niekro HOUPhil Niekro ATL 21 ERA Ron Guidry NYY 2.78 J. R. Richard HOU 2.71
Major league baseball final standings
American League Rank Club Wins Losses Win % GB East Division 1st Baltimore Orioles 102 57 .642 -- 2nd Milwaukee Brewers 95 66 .590 8 3rd Boston Red Sox 91 69 .569 11.5 4th New York Yankees 89 71 .556 13.5 5th Detroit Tigers 85 76 .528 18 6th Cleveland Indians 81 80 .503 22 7th Toronto Blue Jays 53 109 .327 50.5 West Division 1st California Angels 88 74 .543 -- 2nd Kansas City Royals 85 77 .525 3 3rd Texas Rangers 83 79 .512 5 4th Minnesota Twins 82 80 .506 6 5th Chicago White Sox 73 87 .456 14 6th Seattle Mariners 67 95 .414 21 7th Oakland Athletics 54 108 .333 34
National League Rank Club Wins Losses Win % GB East Division 1st Pittsburgh Pirates 98 64 .605 -- 2nd Montreal Expos 95 65 .594 2 3rd St. Louis Cardinals 86 76 .531 12 4th Philadelphia Phillies 84 78 .519 14 5th Chicago Cubs 80 82 .494 18 6th New York Mets 63 99 .389 35 West Division 1st Cincinnati Reds 90 71 .559 -- 2nd Houston Astros 89 73 .549 1.5 3rd Los Angeles Dodgers 79 83 .488 11.5 4th San Francisco Giants 71 91 .438 19.5 5th San Diego Padres 68 93 .422 22 6th Atlanta Braves 66 94 .413 23.5
Events
January January 6 – The Minnesota Twins re-sign veteran relief ace Mike Marshall, who had been granted free agency on November 2, 1978. In the coming season, his second as a Twin, Marshall will lead the American League in games pitched (90) and saves (32). January 8 – Dan O'Brien, general manager of the Texas Rangers since September 2, 1973, resigns his post and is succeeded by Eddie Robinson, former GM of the Atlanta Braves from 1972 to 1976. Nine days later, O'Brien, 49, is appointed president and CEO of the Seattle Mariners, the Rangers' rivals in the AL West. January 15 – The Seattle Mariners re-sign outfielder Tom Paciorek, 32, who had been granted free agency after playing 103 games for Seattle in 1978. Paciorek will make the 1981 AL All-Star team in a Mariner uniform. January 19: The Pittsburgh Pirates sign veteran free-agent infielder Lee Lacy, formerly of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Montreal Expos sign 18 year old Andrés Galarraga as an international amateur free agent. January 23: Willie Mays receives 409 of 432 votes in the Baseball Writers' Association of America election to earn enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. The Toronto Blue Jays sell the contract of designated hitter Sam Ewing to the Nippon Ham Fighters of the Japanese Pacific League. January 27 – The Seattle Mariners sign veteran free-agent slugger Willie Horton, granted free agency from the Toronto Blue Jays on December 2, 1978. Horton, 36, will play in all 162 Mariners' games in 1979 as their designated hitter, blast 29 homers, and collect 106 runs batted in.
February
February 3: The Minnesota Twins are forced to trade first baseman Rod Carew to the California Angels for four young players:"Rod Carew Transactions". Baseball Reference. Ken Landreaux, Dave Engle, Paul Hartzell and Brad Havens. In his first season with the Angels, he helps his new team reach the post season for the first time, batting over .300 for the next five seasons, and is selected for the next six American League All-Star teams. The Oakland Athletics sell the contract of catching prospect Bruce Robinson to the New York Yankees for a reported $400,000—the highest cash amount Oakland owner Charlie Finley can demand, as dictated by Commissioner of Baseball Bowie Kuhn. February 12 – The Oakland Athletics fill their managerial vacancy by hiring Jim Marshall, previously skipper of the Chicago Cubs between July 25, and the end of . Ex-first baseman Marshall, 47, replaces Jack McKeon, who parted company with the Athletics and owner Charlie Finley after the 1978 season ended. February 15 – The Los Angeles Dodgers trade catcher Brad Gulden to the New York Yankees for outfielder Gary Thomasson. Gulden will later this season start the August 6 game against the Baltimore Orioles, the Yankees' first game after the funeral for Thurman Munson, who had died days earlier in a plane crash. February 23 – The Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies, NL East division rivals, pull off an eight-player trade. Chicago sends catcher Dave Rader, second baseman Manny Trillo and outfielder Greg Gross to Philadelphia for pitchers Derek Botelho and Henry Mack, catcher Barry Foote, second baseman Ted Sizemore and outfielder Jerry Martin. In Trillo's four years as a Phillie, he will win three Gold Gloves and make three NL All-Star teams.
March March 7: Amateur umpires officiate on the field as Cactus League and Grapefruit League exhibition contests begin. The Major League Umpires Association has called for a strike designed to improve working conditions, pay and benefits for arbiters of both the National and American leagues. The Special Veterans Committee selects Warren Giles, late National League executive who died February 7, and Hack Wilson, the all-time holder of the record for most runs batted in a single season (191 in ), for induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame. March 10 – The St. Louis Cardinals sign veteran outfielder and pinch hitter Bernie Carbo, granted free agency from the Cleveland Indians on November 2, 1978. March 26 – The New York Mets release infielder Bobby Valentine. March 27: The New York Mets acquire Richie Hebner and infielder/outfielder José Moreno from the Philadelphia Phillies for right-hander Nino Espinosa. The Phils expect recently signed Pete Rose to take over Hebner's old first base position. The California Angels sign free-agent veteran outfielder Willie Davis, 38, who spent 1977 and 1978 playing in Nippon Professional Baseball. March 28 – Pitcher Tom House is released by the Seattle Mariners. March 29: The Philadelphia Phillies sign veteran outfielder Del Unser, granted free agency from the Montreal Expos on December 2, 1978. The 34-year-old Unser will be a valuable left-handed pinch hitter and role player for the Phils, batting .455 (five for 11) during the 1980 NLCS and 1980 World Series, and earning a ring as a member of Philadelphia's 1980 world champions. The New York Mets release third baseman Lenny Randle.
April April 4 – The 1979 championship season begins with almost all MLB umpires on the picket lines. The only exceptions are Paul Pryor of the National League and Ted Hendry of the American League, who signed their contracts before the strike vote was taken and take the field on the advice of MLUA executive director Richie Phillips. Later this month, Pryor and Hendry notify their league presidents that they are joining their union brethren in the walkout. The leagues hire retired MLB arbiters, eight minor-league umpires, and amateur officials as "strikebreakers" during the work stoppage. April 7: In the earliest no-hitter in major league history, the Houston Astros' Ken Forsch shuts down the Atlanta Braves 6–0. His brother, the St. Louis Cardinals' Bob Forsch, had hurled a no-hitter the previous season against the Philadelphia Phillies—making them the first big league brothers to each toss a no-hitter. The Los Angeles Dodgers trade right-handed starting pitcher Rick Rhoden to the Pittsburgh Pirates for southpaw starter Jerry Reuss. Although Rhoden, 25, makes only one appearance in 1979 before he undergoes season-ending shoulder surgery, he becomes a dependable member of the Pirates' rotation the following year through . The 29-year-old Reuss, likewise, establishes himself as a Dodger, twice winning 18 games and taking a regular turn in the rotation through April 10, . April 11 – The start-up, Triple-A-level Inter-American League, under the leadership of Roberto Maduro, begins play with six independently operated franchises located in the Dominican Republic, Panama, Puerto Rico, the United States (Miami), and Venezuela. It's the first new Triple-A league in Organized Baseball since the American Association was reborn in . April 13 – The Chicago White Sox trade pitcher Jack Kucek to the Philadelphia Phillies for a "player to be named later". On July 10, the White Sox receive hard-hitting utility infielder Jim Morrison from the Phils to complete the deal. April 15 – The New York Mets sign 16-year-old infielder Jose Oquendo as a free agent. April 17 – The Oakland Athletics defeat the Seattle Mariners 6–5 before only 653 fans at the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, and some reports say that as few as 250 people attend the night game. April 19: New York Yankees' ace closer Rich Gossage breaks his right thumb in a clubhouse fight with teammate Cliff Johnson. Gossage will miss almost two months, while 1978 American League Cy Young Award winner Ron Guidry voluntarily replaces him in the bullpen for a short time. The Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets exchange veteran shortstops, with the Bucs obtaining Tim Foli, 28, from New York for Frank Taveras, 29. Both become regulars for their new teams. April 24 – The Toronto Blue Jays sign their shortstop of the future, 16-year-old Tony Fernández of San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic. Fernández will enter MLB in , help turn the Blue Jays into a winner, and win four consecutive Gold Glove Awards and make three AL All-Star teams through . Then, after being traded away, he will return to Toronto in to lash 14 hits in 45 at bats (.311) in the postseason and collect nine RBIs in the six-game 1993 World Series along with a world championship ring.
May