YEAR IN REVIEW : 2000 National League

Off the field...

"Y2K" spawned a paranoid phenomenon due to the impending threat of the world's computers crashing. Despite millions of dollars and countless man-hours spent in preparation, the impending cyber-disaster amounted to nothing.

The U.S. presidential race between Republican candidate George W. Bush and Democratic hopeful Al Gore ended amid controversy. The world watched as the most powerful nation on earth used the courts to sort out what was the most evenly divided recent presidential election of the United States.

After years of delays, the International Space Station was finally operating in orbit thanks to a combined effort of technological resources from the U.S., Canada, Japan, Russia, eleven nations of the European Space Agency and Brazil.

In the American League...

Shortstop sensation Nomar Garciaparra earned his second consecutive batting title and Pedro Martinez earned his third Cy Young Award in four years, but it wasn't enough to get the Red Sox to the playoffs for a third consecutive season. Despite their best efforts, "The Curse of the Bambino" continued to reign as the Sox finished 2½ games behind the Yankees in the American League East.

The Detroit Tigers topped the Minnesota Twins, 12-11 on October 1st, as Shane Halter became the fourth Major Leaguer in history to play all nine positions in a game. Both teams combined to use fifteen pitchers, tying the Major League mark and setting an American League record.

The Cleveland Indians became the leagues fifth, triple play victim at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles during a September 1st outing. With runners at first and second and no outs, shortstop Melvin Mora intentionally dropped Sandy Alomar's pop fly, then threw to Jerry Hairston who tagged the runner at second as well as the runner coming from first. A confused Alomar retreated to the dugout believing the infield fly rule is in effect and was called out for leaving the basepath.

In the National League...

Major league baseball ordered Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker to undergo psychological testing following racial remarks he had made during an off-season interview with Sports Illustrated. He was later suspended for fourteen days and allowed to attend Spring Training after paying an undisclosed fine and attending sensitivity training.

The Chicago Cubs christened the 2000 season by defeating the New York Mets, 5-3 in the Tokyo Dome in Japan marking the first Major League game ever played on Asian soil.

Following the death of Montreal Canadian Maurice Richard, the Expos announced that they would wear "The Rocket's" number nine for the remainder of the season as a tribute to the late hockey icon. It was the first time that a Major League Baseball team was believed to have honored an athlete from another sport.

Around the League...

American League president Gene Budig resigned and was appointed a senior adviser to baseball commissioner Bud Selig. The American and National leagues were officially disbanded as separate legal entities with all rights and functions consolidated in the commissioner's office.

Following a May 16th incident in which sixteen Los Angeles Dodger players and three coaches entered the stands during a fight with fans at Wrigley Field, nineteen suspensions are handed out resulting in the loss of sixty games for the players and twenty-four for the coaches.

Andrew Klein, a boy who was struck in the head and suffered permanent brain damage while attending batting practice before a Florida Marlins game in 1997, was finally awarded $1.05 million by a state court jury. The decision set the stage for limiting children's access to players on the field and required stricter safety guidelines for kid's pre-game ballpark programs.

Four American League teams finished with a better winning percentage than the New York Yankees. However, the Bronx Bombers were really not concerned with the final standings and progressed through the post-season with ease defeating their cross-town rival Mets four games to one in the fourteenth rendition of the "Subway Series".

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"He's (Mike Hampton of the New York Mets) been pitching that way all year (2000). We just haven't scored enough runs for him." - Robin Ventura

2000 National League Player Review

Hitting Statistics League Leaderboard

Base on Balls Barry Bonds San Francisco 117 Top 25
Batting Average Todd Helton Colorado .372 Top 25
Doubles Todd Helton Colorado 59 Top 25
Hits Todd Helton Colorado 216 Top 25
Home Runs Sammy Sosa Chicago 50 Top 25
On Base Percentage Todd Helton Colorado .463 Top 25
RBI Todd Helton Colorado 147 Top 25
Runs Jeff Bagwell Houston 152 Top 25
Slugging Average Todd Helton Colorado .698 Top 25
Stolen Bases Luis Castillo Florida 62 Top 25
Total Bases Todd Helton Colorado 405 Top 25
Triples Tony Womack Arizona 14 Top 25

2000 National League Pitcher Review

Pitching Statistics League Leaderboard

Complete Games Randy Johnson Arizona 8 Top 25
Curt Schilling Philadelphia
Arizona
ERA Kevin Brown Los Angeles 2.58 Top 25
Games Steve Kline St. Louis 83 Top 25
Saves Antonio Alfonseca Florida 45 Top 25
Shutouts Greg Maddux Atlanta 3 Top 25
Randy Johnson Arizona
Strikeouts Randy Johnson Arizona 347 Top 25
Winning Percentage Randy Johnson Arizona .731 Top 25
Wins Tom Glavine Atlanta 21 Top 25

2000 National League

Team Standings

Atlanta Braves 95 67 .586 0 $84,537,836
New York Mets 94 68 .580 1 $79,509,776
Florida Marlins 79 82 .491 15½ $20,072,000
Montreal Expos 67 95 .414 28 $34,807,333
Philadelphia Phillies 65 97 .401 30 $47,308,000
St. Louis Cardinals 95 67 .586 0 $61,453,863
Cincinnati Reds 85 77 .525 10 $46,867,200
Milwaukee Brewers 73 89 .451 22 $36,505,333
Houston Astros 72 90 .444 23 $51,289,111
Pittsburgh Pirates 69 93 .426 26 $28,928,333
Chicago Cubs 65 97 .401 30 $60,539,333
San Francisco Giants 97 65 .599 0 $53,737,826
Los Angeles Dodgers 86 76 .531 11 $88,124,286
Arizona Diamondbacks 85 77 .525 12 $81,027,333
Colorado Rockies 82 80 .506 15 $61,111,190
San Diego Padres 76 86 .469 21 $54,821,000
National League Team Standings

2000 National League Team Review

Hitting Statistics League Leaderboard

Base on Balls San Francisco 709
Batting Average Colorado .294
Doubles Colorado 320
Hits Colorado 1,664
Home Runs Houston 249
On Base Percentage Colorado .362
Runs Colorado 968
Slugging Average Houston .477
Stolen Bases Florida 168
Triples Colorado 53

2000 National League Team Review

Pitching Statistics League Leaderboard

Complete Games Arizona 16
ERA Atlanta 4.06
Fewest Hits Allowed Los Angeles 1,379
Fewest Home Runs Allowed San Francisco 151
Fewest Walks Allowed Atlanta 484
Saves Atlanta 53
Shutouts San Francisco 15
Strikeouts Arizona 1,220
Seasonal Events: All-Star Game | All-Star Game | All-Star Game | World Series
Navigation: Year in Review Menu | Previous Season | Next Season
Miscellaneous: A.L. Leaderboard
Retirements | Rookies List
Average Salary: $1,998,034.00
Minimum Salary: $200,000.00
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baseball almanac fast facts

On March 29, 2000, the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets opened the season in the first regular season game ever played outside of North America.

On March 30, 2000, the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets matched up again and the first ever regular season extra-inning game was played outside of North America.

Are the Colorado Rockies potent because they play in Coors Field or would their numbers be just as high elsewhere? Share your thoughts on Baseball Almanac's message boards.