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Circuit Clouts
Oct. 29, 1989 • Playoffs Edition
Oct. 29, 1989 • Playoffs Edition
WORLD SERIES
St. Louis Sweeps Toronto
Turning the Screws at the Wrench
Reed Wins 12th Title
Maroons Team of the Decade?
The St. Louis Maroons again jumped to a 3-0 series lead, only this time they took care a business in Game 4, completing a four-game sweep of the Toronto Polar Bears by holding the league's most potent offense to just 2.5 runs per game en route to their fourth UL title.
GAME 1 - STL 4, TOR 3, 10 inn.
Toronto took a 2-0 lead with Dwight Gooden on the mound, but the hosts chipped away, forced extra innings, then won it on Rickey Henderson's RBI single in the 10th. Gooden, the preumptive Cy Young Award winner, started solid, with five shutout innings, but Nick Esasky homered in the 6th and Darrell Porter in the 7th, and the teams exchanged runs in the 8th, setting up a battle of bullpens. Joe Sambito pitched two shutout innings and got the win after the Maroons rally sent Sportsman's Park into ecstasy. Jose Mesa retired the first two batters, but Mariano Duncan's error put Milt May—the hero of Semi Series Game 7—on base. The 38-year-old backup catcher then advanced to third on Lenny Dykstra's single (the throw from weenie-armed George Bell coming in a step too late), setting up Henderson's second RBI of the game.
Dave Schmidt pitched six innings, allowing six hits and two runs in a no-decision, and Rafael Palmeiro and Wally Joyner each had three hits in the losing effort.
GAME 2 - STL 4, TOR 3
In another 4-3 decision, it was St. Louis who took an early lead off Scott Sanderson. Kevin Seitzer and Henderson homered off the 32-year-old former Superba and Griffin, giving the Dark Reds a 3-1 lead that held behind the pitching of starter Craig McMurtry and relievers Steve Howe and Mark Eichhorn. Lenny Dykstra scored an insurance run in the eighth on catcher Mike Fitzgerald's throwing error. The errant toss was caused by Rickey Henderson, who stole second as the throw sailed into center field, allowing Dykstra to score easily. That run would prove decisive, as Joyner's two-run homer off reliever Donn Pall sliced the lead to one, before Pall struck out Bell for the final out. Joyner homered twice, drove in all three Toronto runs, and accounted for half of its hits.
GAME 3 - STL 4, TOR 0
With their backs against the wall in the first World Series home game, the Polar Bears drifted out to see, forlorn, on an iceberg. Steven Ontiveros and Howe combined for a shutout, holding the league's top offense to four singles. Toronto put two men on base in the bottom of the 3rd, but Joyner and Ellis Burks, who combined for 238 RBIs
during the regular season, popped up and grounded out. St. Louis scored in the 2nd, but their big inning was the 5th, when they plated three off Charlie Lea, including bases-loaded walks by Tony Phillips and Dale Berra. The win put the Maroons in a familiar situation—a 3-0 series lead—but with hopes that the series does not return to the Gateway City.
GAME 4 - STL 5, TOR 4
The Toronto offense finally came to life in Game 4, but it was too little, too late. Toronto scored a series-high four runs on 11 hits, but the St. Louis bullpen combo of Howe and Sambito proved itself superior to Dave Righetti and Jose Mesa. St. Louis led 3-0 on Dan Pasqua's two-run homer in the 1st and Seitzer's RBI single in the 3rd. The Polar Bears then scored four unanswered runs to seize a 4-3 advantage, with RBIs by Joyner and Burks putting the home side on top in the 7th.
But another two-out error, which led to defeat in Game 1, sparked a Maroons rally. This time it was former Maroon Howard Johnson, who bobbled a ball off the bat of Dale Berra. Instead of making what looked like a routine play for the third out, HoJo dropped the ball, loading the bases. Two pitches later Pat Tabler singled, scoring Juan Samuel and Darrell Porter and giving the Maroons a 5-4 lead that they would not relinquish.
Sambito then retired six straight, including strikeouts of HoJo, Kelly Gruber, and pinch hitter Pete Incaviglia. The Series-clinching play was a feeble groundout to third by Roberto Alomar.
Toronto lost three of the four games by a single run, and in all three cases the decisive run scored on a defensive error, highlighting a team weakness as the club settles into a long Ontario winter. Wally Joyner was the series MVP, batting .529 with two homers and driving in 6 of Toronto's 9 RBIs. Joyner was Player of the Game twice and Gooden once, giving the P-Bears 3/4th of the POTGs despite the series sweep.
The Lew Burdette Playoff MVP for a second year was Lenny Dykstra. The St. Louis leadoff man hit .375 with a .404 OBP, swiping 9 bases and scoring 8 runs in 11 games.
Reed's Crowded Trophy Cabinet
The win was GM Glen Reed's 12 United League title with four different teams, but his first back-to-back championships since the early '60s Brooklyn Superbas.
Glen Reed's Dirty Dozen
1955 Brooklyn Superbas (no playoffs)
1957 Brooklyn Superbas - 4-1 over St. Louis
1960 Brooklyn Superbas - 4-1 over Louisville
1961 Brooklyn Superbas - 4-1 over Chicago
1962 Brooklyn Superbas - 4-1 over Chicago
1963 Brooklyn Superbas - 4-1 over Chicago
1964 Brooklyn Superbas - 4-1 over Chicago
1967 Atlanta Hilltoppers - 4-0 over Cleveland
1971 Atlanta Hilltoppers - 4-0 over Washington
1980 Boston Federals - 4-1 over San Francisco
1988 St. Louis Maroons - 4-2 over Seattle
1989 St. Louis Maroons - 4-0 over Toronto
How Sweep It Is
St. Louis' triumph was just the fifth sweep in 33 UL World Series, and Toronto becomes the first team to be swept in their first World Series appearance.
1967 Atlanta Hilltoppers - 4-0 over Cleveland
1971 Atlanta Hilltoppers - 4-0 over Washington
1974 San Francisco Spiders 4-0 over Atlanta
1983 Detroit Griffins 4-0 over Los Angeles
1989 St. Louis Maroons - 4-0 over Toronto
With One Year to Go, Maroons Stake
Claim to "Team of the Decade"
The World Series win levels St. Louis with Detroit and Los Angeles, the only other teams with two rings since 1981. However, in the race to decided the unofficial "team of the decade" the Maroons hold several important tiebreakers, the most significant of which is their four President's Trophies for best regular season record (Detroit has three and Los Angeles has one). Another is total World Series appearances: St. Louis has four (Detroit also has four and Los Angeles three). Playoff record: St. Louis is 41-33, Detroit 33-33, and Los Angeles 44-47.
However, Peter Vays' Outlaws have the advantage is a couple other categories. Los Angeles has nine playoff appearances to Detroit's eight, and St. Louis' seven. And Los Angeles has 856 regular season wins to Detroit's 825 and St. Louis' 806.
If one of the three clubs wins the Fall Classic in the decade's final year, they will be undisputed Team of the Decade, but failing that, it will be a close call.
Look for a series of articles next season on the UL's previous Teams of the Decade.
SEMI SERIES
Maroons' Roller Coaster Ride
Regurgitating Victory from the Lower Intestines of Defeat
It isn't the prettiest of metaphors, it's true. But clutching victory from the jaws of defeat only partly conveys the drama that unfolded during this clash of titans.
St. Louis appeared to be running away with it, then took its foot off the gas and allowed Washington to level the series. Then in Game 7, it appeared the Maroons would set things right, taking an early 4-1 lead. Only then the Monuments roared back and took the lead in the 10th. Only then St. Louis got two homers that will live on in club lore for years to come.
St. Louis and Washington battled all year for not just Gulf Division dominance, but first place in the league. Washington's subsequent demotion to the #5 seed, with a 96-66 record that was second overall, set the stage for this Semi Series clash.
St. Louis rolled to a 3-0 series lead, then squandered the series lead and let Washington back into it. Then in Game 7, St. Louis squandered a 4-0 lead and let Washington back into it, leaving it to a dramatic 10th inning to secure their
fourth trip to the UL World Series in five years.
GAME 1 - STL 3, WAS 2
Washington led 2-1 after the second, but Dave Schmidt hunkered down, holding the Mons to just four hits, and the Maroons rallied for a 3-2 Game 1 win. Lenny Dykstra doubled in Rickey Henderson to tie it up in the fifth, then Alvin Davis' leadoff homer in the sixth gave the hosts the victory. Tim Raines had a pair of hits, a stolen base, and a run, and Joe Sambito got the two-out save for St. Louis.
GAME 2 - STL 7, WAS 1
Steven Ontiveros tossed a two-hit gem, allowing just one unearned run, as the Maroons rolled to an early 2-0 series lead. Teddy Higuera was again a no-show for Washington, prompting speculation about drug abuse, gambling ties, and narcolepsy—or some combination thereof. In his place, Pat "Puffy" Combs was pasted for for four runs, and the drubbing continued off Cecelio Guante, who was breaking Mark Waller's heart and breaking his confidence daily. Alvin Davis and Dykstra each contributed three hits and Dale Berra homered. The near-shutout was just Ontiveros' second win in nine playoff starts.
GAME 3 - STL 7, WAS 5
Back at Griffith Stadium, Floyd Bannister was off his game, giving up four early runs from which the Monuments could not recover. Darrell Porter was 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs and Tony Phillips added a pair of RBIs. Tim Raines was again a hot bat for Washington, with a single, double, and triple, and Washington tied it up 4-4 in the sixth only to leak three more runs in the final three innings courtesy of Bill Krueger and Carlos Diaz.
GAME 4 - WAS 7, STL 3
Facing elimination, the Monuments got the performance of a liftetime from Jay Tibbs, who pitched five no-hitter innings. A five spot in the sixth was all the hosts needed, as they piled up runs off Craig McMurtry and specialist Mark Eichhorn, with Dave Winfield and Cecil Fielder each contributing two-run homers.
GAME 5 - WAS 2, STL 1
Teddy Higuera showed up for Game 5, with some assistance from the visiting club's traveling staff, and was ready to play. Higgy tossed six innings of four-hit ball, striking out nine Maroons and the home team won it in the eighth on a clutch RBI single by Lloyd Moseby off Steve Howe. Bill Krueger and Barry Jones retired six in a row, including three by strikeout, to close out the game.
GAME 6 - WAS 7, STL 3
Steven Ontiveros apparently was still basking in the glow of his Game 2 gem, and one of the best outings of his life, when he took the mound in the potential clinching Game 6. Onti looked good for three innings, then the wheels, axles, anti-sway bars, control arm bushings, coil springs, and both sets of ball joints fell off. Washington scored six times in the fourth inning, with a pair of RBIs each for Floyd Bannister and Dave Winfield. Bannister was effective in his 3.1 innings, but the bullpen even more so, allowing just one run in the last six innings to preserve a 7-3 win. Dale Berra was 4-for-4 with two doubles and Darrell Porter homered in the losing effort. It was the third straight elimination game win for the Monuments, forcing a deciding seventh game in St. Louis.
GAME 7 - STL 7, WAS 5, 10 inn.
Pat "Fine Tooth" Combs was shaky from the get-go. The 21-year-old Rhode-Islander was not supposed to start any playoff games, yet here he was starting a Game 7. The home team got four quick runs, including solo homers by Berra and Porter. As before, Washington quickly yanked the ailing Combs, and the bullpen was much better. Four relievers combined for six shutout inning, allowing just three baserunners. Meanwhile, the offense chipped away: 2-4 in the 4th, 3-4 in the 6th, then 4-4 in the 8th after back-to-back doubles by Johnny Ray and Wade Boggs. In the 10th, Raines singled, stole second, and advanced to third on a groundout. When Winfield singled him home, you could hear a pin drop in Sportsman's Park. With perhaps the most effective closer in the league, Carlos Diaz, on the hill, it look as if the Maroons were headed for more playoff heartbreak.
Then it happened. With one out, Milt May sent a first pitch fastball 405 feet to right-center, tying the game with one swing. May, a 38-year-old backup catcher, hit .236 this year with just a 2.6 home run percentage for his career. Three batters later, Tony Phillips stepped to the plate with two outs and a runner on, and sent a 3-2 curveball 360 feet down the right field line, clearing the fence and unleashing pandemonium among the St. Louis faithful.
Lenny Dykstra was named series MVP, batting .400 with a .424 OBP, 3 RBIs, 3 stolen bases, and 4 runs.
The Maroons next face the red-hot Toronto Polar Bears in the final stage, with the title of Team of the Decade (1981-90) riding on the outcome. Though St. Louis has been dominant in regular season—averaging 100 wins a year and winning four President's Trophies since 1984—it has only one World Series win, to Detroit and Los Angeles' two.
SEMI SERIES
Toronto Smashes L.A.
Alomar Leads P-Bears To First World Series
The #2 seeded Toronto Polar Bears made quick work of the Pacific Division champions, taking four of five game behind an explosive offense and proficient pitching. The Outlaws felt the effects of their marathon Hex Series against Seattle, with an exhausted bullpen forcing starters to stay in longer and giving up late runs.
GAME 1 - TOR 5, LA, 4, 11 inn.
Toronto trailed 3-0 in the eighth but took advantage of an exhausted L.A. bullpen to rally to a 5-4 win. Dave Beard was untouchable through seven innings, but the lack of bullpen options forced him to pitch the eighth, where the P-Bears plated four runs on homers by Roberto Alomar and Ellis Burks. After Jose Mesa coughed up the tying run in the ninth, he did not give up a hit the next two innings, and pinch hitter Ron Gant delivered the game-winning double in the bottom of the 11th. Dwight Gooden struck out 10 in a no-decision.
GAME 2 - TOR 8, LA 2
The Outlaws again took an early lead that was quickly squandered. Two runs in the first would be the only action off of Charlie Lea, and Toronto decimated Bruce Ruffin in the fourth, sending 13 batters to the plate and scoring eight runs. Wally Joyner, Howard Johnson, and Lea himself each drove in a pair, and Lea went the distance for a five-hit complete game.
GAME 3 - LA 7, TOR 1
Back in Tinseltown, Toronto got chili-dogged. The hosts got a stellar performance from Jim Gott, who allowed just one run in seven innings, and Chili Davis homered twice, driving in four runs. Davis started just 52 games for the Outlaws but became the everyday center fielder when Jesse Barfield was injured in the one-game playoff Oct. 1. Andy Van Slyke had three hits, including a double, and Toronto starter Scott Sanderson was pulled in the sixth trailing 5-1.
GAME 4 - TOR 11, LA 5
The Sailors of the Floe again exploded, scoring nine runs in two innings in an 11-5 romp. Ellis Burks homered twice, and Howard Johnson and Alomar also homered, as Toronto feasted on Bruce Hurst and Ron Darling. Mario Soto was solid in victory.
GAME 5 - TOR 4, LA 2
In Gooden's second start of the series, he held L.A. to four hits, striking out nine, and the offense scored four in the last two innings off a leaky Lee Smith. Roberto Alomar was named series MVP with a .400 average, .478 OBP, 7 RBI, and 5 runs.
Debacle in D.C.!
GM Marky Mark Bustin’ a Move Nearly Busts the Mons’ Playoff Run!
by Sean Holloway, Circuit Clouts Beat Reporter
As the playoff series between MAN and WAS got underway, fans in DC expected the games to be close but were confident that the Mons had enough pitching ass-kickery to make it to the next round. All did not start well for the Mons, though, with their ace, Bret “Bert” Saberhagen getting hurt due to a freak repetitive motion injury that resulted from smoking too much free product that GM Waller received from his Accounting Firms clients, most of which are in the legal cannabis industry.
After losing Game 1 and Saberhagen, though, Mons fans thought they’d still be okay since Teddy “Bear” Higuera was waiting in the wings. However, in a move that shocked everyone, Pat Combs started Game 2, going 3.1 innings before making way for Joaquin “Not the Joker Actor” Andujar and a bevy of relievers. By some miracle, WAS was able to pull out an extra innings 5-3 win.
With the ship righted, everyone expected to see Teddy Bear for Game 3, but nope, no such luck. Floyd “Cy Young” Bannister took to the mound and pitched a stellar eight innings, allowing only one run on five hits. WAS was now up 2-1 in the series, but the question on everyone’s lips was “What the heck happened to the Mons' rotation?” It’s clear why Saberhagen was out after being injured, but why did Teddy Bear not see action until Game 4 (which he promptly lost), which was five days after the series started? What shenanigans are afoot and running amok?
After doing some digging with an anonymous source who frequents the seedy underworld of the UL and who may or may not have the initials TG, this reporter is ready to blow the lid off this pitching fiasco. My source, who states he was with Saberhagen when he smoked so much he hurt his elbow, claims that the Washington policy of accepting free gifts has gotten out of hand. My source went further and explained that after WAS’ playoff status was confirmed, a massive bake sale/dance party was held, resulting in a cloud that slowly dispersed from Griffith Stadium and reached as far north as Takoma Park, MD.
While the bake sale went swimmingly well, apparently GM Waller overslept and—despite the numerous reminders he had left himself all throughout the stadium and his office—he forgot to give orders to his manager to reset his rotation after the season ended, leaving Washington with a “strict order” seven-man rotation full of—let’s just say—not the best pitchers the team has.
An exhausted and regretful Waller went on the record about the debacle at a press conference after Washington finally won the series 4-3. “Definitely happy to have made it out of that sticky wicket. Luckily for me the boys took care of business. To ensure this doesn’t happen again, I have called in the consulting firm of Dewey, Cheatham and Howe (DCH) to analyze the current situation so we may improve the passing of information between me and my manager, as well as amongst all staff and employees. So far, DHC’s proposed future process looks very promising, and I am pleased that I can share with you a conceptual mock-up of our Proposed Information Delivery Process.”
Upon hearing this, one brave reporter yelled, “Are you still baked? How about just not smoking until you look like a character in a Cheech and Chong movie?” Alas, though, it was already too late. GM Waller was headed off the stage and into his limo, blunt in hand and a cloud of smoke trailing him. It seems as if we may see more inexplicable moves from the Monuments GM.
HEX SERIES
Mons Lose Bert, Win Series
Ace Out for Playoffs, But Mons Survive Tartabull Outburst
Washington looked in trouble early in the series, losing ace Bret "Bert" Saberhagen for the series in a Game 1 loss, then missing #2 man Teddy Higuera for the next two starts for undisclosed reasons. Danny Tartabull homered five times, driving in 11, to earn series MVP honors, but the rest of the Manhattan offense was shut down by the likes of Floyd Bannister, who won 4-1 and 4-2 decisions in Games 4 and 7.
GAME 1 - MAN 8, WAS 4
Washington ace Bret Saberhagen served up a two-run homer to Danny Tartabull, then left the game two batters later with an elbow injury. Tartabull homered again in the sixth off Pat Combs, and the Gray Sox rolled to an 8-4 win. Kelly Downs got the win for the hosts. Saberhagen, who was 19-9, 2.04 in the regular season, was diagnosed with an elbow strain that will rule him out of the rest of the playoffs.
GAME 2 - WAS 5, MAN 3, 10 inn.
Teddy Higuera was expected to pitch, but instead Joaquin Andujar took his place, promptly giving up three runs in two innings. But the Monuments bullpen came to rescue, allowing just 3 hits in seven shutout innings the rest of the way, as the Monuments' hitter chipped away at the deficit. Cecil Fielder's 2-run shot off Mike LaCoss tied the game in the fifth, and Johnny Ray won it with a 2-run double in the 10th.
GAME 3 - WAS 4, MAN 1
Teddy Higuera was expected to pitch, but instead Floyd Bannister took the mound and proceeded to author a five-hit gem over eight innings. Dave Winfield homered and Johnny Ray drove in another pair, as the Mons took a 2-1 series lead with a 4-1 win. Carlos Diaz got the save.
GAME 4 - MAN 4, WAS 2
Teddy Higuera was expected to pitch, and actually did, battling Jim Acker to a scoreless draw through five innings. Tartabull then blew the game open with a two-run blast in the sixth, adding a second in the eighth off Cecilio Guante. Acker was solid, allowing just two runs in eight innings. Tartabull is batting .538-4-9 in four games.
GAME 5 - WAS, 2, MAN 1, 10 inn.
Bill Krueger met Kelly Downs in another pitcher's duel. Jose Canseco's sac fly put the visitors on the board in the fourth, but Winfield singled in Ray in the seventh, knotting it up at 1-1. With two on and two out in the bottom of the 10th, pinch hitter Rey Quinones hit a sharp grounder to the left side, which 3B Chris Sabo bobbled, allowing Fielder to score the winning run.
GAME 6 - MAN 9, WAS 3
The Gray Sox exploded for six runs in the third, chasing Jay Tibbs and cruising to an easy 9-3 win behind the solid pitching of Mike LaCoss. Gary Carter homered and drove in four runs and Dickie Thon doubled and scored twice.
GAME 7 - WAS 4, MAN 2
The Monuments jumped to an early 3-0 lead and then held on to advance to the Semi Series for the fourth time in six years. Johnny Ray doubled in the first and immediately left the game with a calf injury, then the pinch runner scored on Roberto Kelly's throwing error. A rattled Tommy Boggs then threw two wild pitches to Rich Gedman, the second allowing Wade Boggs to score for an early 2-0 Washington advantage. A Lloyd Moseby RBI double put the Mons ahead 3-0 and Floyd Bannister settled in for seven solid innings, and relievers Carlos Diaz and Barry Jones shut the door. Danny Tartabull (.391-5-11) earned series MVP as Manhattan exited in the Hex Series for the third year in a row.
HEX SERIES
Nailbiters and Nub-biters
L.A. Survives Gauntlet of Close Contests
All six games were tied in the eighth or later, five were decided by one run, and four went to extra innings. Those were the key stats on one of the closest playoff series in UL history. The L.A. Outlaws prevailed in six games, but the series seemed much longer, due in large part to a total of 11 extra innings. The series was GM Doug Aiton's last with the Rainiers, as he prepares to switch coasts to take over the expansoin Keystone Starlings next month.
GAME 1 - LA 3, SEA 2
L.A. gave up two runs in the first, but were never scored on again, as Bruce Ruffin settled down and two relievers contiued to shut down the Rainiers offense. RBI doubles by Willie McGee and Chris Brown put the visitors on top, but Ken Caminiti levelled the account with a two-run single two innings later. The 2-2 tie persisted for six innings. In the ninth, Seattle closer Luis DeLeon immediately got into a jam, putting two men on with two outs before serving up a game-ending single to reserve shortstop Walt Weiss.
GAME 2 - LA 6, SEA 3, 13 inn.
Seattle again took an early 2-0 lead, and Seattle again lost on the last at-bat. Ozzie Guillen's two-run, two-out triple put the R's up 2-0 in the 2nd, but L.A. rallied and the teams exchanged runs in the eighth and ninth, sending it into extra innings tied 3-3. Caminiti homered twice for L.A., including a game-inning three-run shot off Jeff Pico in the 13th giving the Outlaws their 13th win in 14 games and a 2-0 series lead over their division rivals.
GAME 3 - SEA 5, LA 4, 12 inn.
Seattle again took an early lead, this time 4-2 after three innings, jumping on L.A. starter Jim Gott. But again Los Angeles rallied, scoring on a sac fly in the fifth and a botched pickoff attempt in the seventh—with Jeff Pico on the mound. DeLeon and two other Seattle relievers then shut down the Outlaws, and the hosts won it in the 12th on Willie McGee's leadoff double and Brian Harper's RBI single. The win ended Seattle's four-game losing streak against L.A.
GAME 4 - LA 5, SEA 4
Andy Van Slyke had four hits, including a home runs, powering L.A.'s offense to a narrow win over former Outlaw legend Larry Dierker. The hosts had a 4-3 lead going into the seventh, but L.A. scored in back-to-back innings as Seattle left Dierker in a bit too long. Glenn Hubbard's sac fly tied the game and then Tom Brunansky drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth. Relivers Mark Clear and Gary Lucas tossed three shutout innings and L.A. took a 3-1 series lead.
GAME 5 - SEA 2, LA 1, 10 inn.
In the series' last game in the King County Multipurpose Dome, Don "Caveman" Robinson battled Ruffin to a 0-0 tie until Seattle drew first blood in the sixth. Ricky Jordan's sac fly with the bases loaded plated Brian Harper and the Caveman took the 1-0 advantage into the ninth, then squandered it. With two outs in the ninth, Van Slyke singled, Chili Davis walked, and Caminiti singled, tying the game 1-1 and chasing Robinson. But Seattle grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat in the 10th, when Brian Harper singled in Willie Upshaw, sending the series back to Tinseltown.
GAME 6 - LA 3, SEA 2, 12 inn.
Cory Snyder's two-run homer in the seventh ended Allan Anderson's shutout bid, tied the game, and forced extra innings for the fourth time in five games. With two outs in the 12th, Tom Brunansky doubled, then scored on Mike Scioscia's series-clinching single. Reliever Gary Lucas took series MVP honors, with a 1.23 ERA, a win, and a save in 7.1 innings over four appearances.
Four By Four
Assessing the UL's Four-Division Era
With the United League's sixth expansion less than a month away and the imminent return of the two-division alignment, the editors of Circuit Clouts thought this an opportune moment to look back at the six years of the league's four-division format. (While others asked, why don't you wait until the playoffs are done, boneheads?)
The league moved to four divisions in 1984, when the addition of Toronto and Havana brought the league to a deliciously arithmatic 16 teams. In fit of exponential ecstasy, the powers that be could not resist carving the 16 teams into four divisions of four.
The format called for the division winners to be joined by two wildcard teams, with the top two division winners earning byes into the Semi Semis. While popular from the outset, the format has led to some wacky playoff seedings—none wackier than this year when 96-win Washington got the fifth seed with the second best record, while Manhattan got the fourth seed tied for the seventh best record. Nevertheless, the format has provided consistently thrilling playoff races at overall, divisional, and wildcard levels—often at the same time. And in five seasons so far, five different teams have lifted the UL Championship Trophy. So what more do you want?
Here's a ranking each of the four divisions based on how their teams have fared over the last six years. [This article will be updated with a final tally after the 1989 playoffs.]
4. Atlantic Division
1 titles (MAN 1986)
Playoff Record: 16-25
The Manhattan Gray Sox have the distinction of being the only team to win their division every year. The ManSox' consistency has been exemplary, even if this mini-dynasty is a far cry from the capital-D Dynasty of the C-Rob '70s. Critics may credit some of the Sox' success to playing in the weakest of the four division. Indeed, half of the division flags came despite winning less than 90 games, and the Sox have struggled in the postseason, going 14-21 with a single World Series win (1986). Still, six straight division wins is no small feat in an era.
Brooklyn is the only other Atlantic team to make the playoffs. That came in 1984 and required a one-game playoff win against Toronto, after which the Bas crashed out 2-4 in the Hex Series to Los Angeles. More recently, the division has been weak, with no winning teams below Manhattan in 1988 and 1989.
3. Lakes Division
1 title (DET 1984)
Playoff Record: 17-27
Detroit was king of the Lakes, with the division created at the midpoint of the Griffins' peak years, 1982-85, when they averaged 99.5 wins per year, captured three President's Trophies, and won back-to-back titles in 1983 and 1984. Though Detroit declined, they still won four straight Lakes crowns before finishing second and falling to a wildcard in 1988. In the last two years, Toronto has dominated, with back-to-back 95-win seasons and first round byes.
Detroit's playoff record during the four-division era was 13-19, including a 2-12 stretch from 1985-87 when they were bounced by Gulf foes St. Louis and Atlanta (twice). Toronto was a disappointing 1-4 last year, and Chicago was 3-4 in its lone Hex Series appearance in 1985.
2. Pacific Division
1 titles (LA 1985)
Playoff Record: 39-39
Once the weakest division by far (with 68-94 earning second place in 1984), the Pacific ends the era as arguably the strongest, or at least most competitive of the dour divisions. Much like Detroit in the Lakes, Los Angeles dominated in the early years, winning by 29 games in 1984, 18 in 1986, and 20 in 1987. But in 1988, a resurgent Seattle took the division by one game and in 1989, all four teams were in contention going into the final week. The Pacific has sent two teams to the playoffs in three of the last four seasons.
Los Angeles made the playoffs all six years, including a three-year run as a top-2 seed from 1985-87. They won the title in '85, but lost to Manhattan in six in the '86 Fall Classic, and were bounced 1-4 by Washington in '87. In '84, '86, and '87, they were eliminated by the eventual league champions.
The Outlaws playoff record is 39-41. San Francisco was 3-4 in 1986, losing a Hex Series Game 7 to St. Louis, while Seattle's was 10-8 with a deep run to the World Series in 1988.
1. Gulf Division
2 titles (WAS 1987, STL 1988)
Playoff Record: 71-54
From the day the divisions were created, the Gulf was lauded by pundits as the group of death. And while St. Louis has won the flag five of six times—missing by a single game in 1985—the Gulf Division was consistently the most competitive of the four divisions. The division has sent two teams to the playoffs every year but one, and sent three teams in 1987, with 92-win Atlanta finishing third. Washington averaged just under 90 wins throughout the era, won the division in 1985, and wildcards three other years, including the 1987 championship season.
St. Louis' playoff record was lackluster for a four-time #1 seed: 33-32, with one World Series win, two World Series losses, and two Semi Series exits. Washington was 27-17, including deep runs to the World Series as a wildcard team in 1984 and 1987. Atlanta qualified in 1986 and 1987, with an exemplary 11-9 record, advancing to the Semi Series both times.
A Look Ahead
Next year's reconsituted West Division will feature all four teams from the highly competitive Pacific Division, plus juggernaught St. Louis, contender Chicago, Atlanta, Havana, and expansion Florida. St. Louis, Los Angeles, and Seattle figure to be favorites for the three playoff spots.
The 1990 East Division will have the four Atlantic teams, plus Toronto, Washington, Cleveland, Detroit, and Keystone. Washington, Toronto, and Manhattan figure to be the top three.
Standings
Standings
Atlantic W L GB 2ndH R RA
Manhattan 84 78 - 39-43 2 13
Boston 79 83 5 36-47 5 14
Montreal 62 100 22 29-53 12 12
Brooklyn 62 100 22 32-50 15 16
Gulf W L GB 2ndH R RA
St. Louis 98 64 - 55-27 4 1
Washinton 96 66 2 55-28 9 2
Havana 72 90 26 36-47 7 15
Atlanta 71 91 27 35-47 10 11
Lakes W L GB Last R RA
Toronto 95 67 - 47-35 1 9
Chicago 87 75 8 47-36 16 3
Cleveland 76 86 19 40-43 14 6
Detroit 67 95 28 31-51 13 10
Pacific W L GB Last R RA
Los Angeles 91 72 - 46-36 11 4
Seattle 90 73 1 51-31 3 8
San Francisco 84 78 6½ 40-42 8 5
Denver 83 79 7½ 40-43 6 7
Overall W L GB
1 STL 98 64 +2
2 TOR 95 67 +8
3 LA 91 72 +1
4 MAN 84 78 +5
5 WAS 96 66 +5½
6 SEA 90 73 -
7 CHI 87 75 2½
8 SF 84 78 5½
9 DEN 83 79 6½
10 BOS 79 83 10½
11 CLE 76 86 13½
12 HAV 72 90 17½
13 ATL 71 91 18½
12 DET 67 95 22½
15 MON 62 100 27½
16 BRO 62 100 27½
Top seed - 1st round bye
Division winner
Wildcard
+GB refers to divisional lead
League Leaders
League Leaders
Batting Average
Tony Gwynn ATL .377
Wade Boggs WAS .367
Chris Brown SEA .350
Mark Grace SF .348
Willie McGee SEA .340
Willie Upshaw SEA .337
Kirby Puckett BOS .334
Barry Bonds BOS .334
Brian Harper SEA .332
Tim Raines WAS .329
Home Runs
Jose Canseco MAN 50
Rafael Palmeiro TOR 49
Ellis Burks TOR 44
Barry Bonds BOS 42
Sixto Lezcano DEN 42
Mark McGwire ATL 42
John Shelby SEA 42
Howard Johnson TOR 41
Eric Davis ATL 37
Rob Deer SF 36
Eddie Murray CLE 36
RBIs
Jose Canseco MAN 142
Rafael Palmeiro TOR 137
Eddie Murray CLE 131
Ellis Burks TOR 122
Barry Bonds BOS 121
Sixto Lezcano DEN 118
Wally Joyner TOR 116
Ruben Sierra MON 111
Chris Brown SEA 109
John Shelby SEA 109
bWAR
Barry Bonds BOS 10.2
Wade Boggs WAS 8.0
Ivan Calderon CHI 7.4
Ellis Burks TOR 6.9
Eric Davis ATL 6.7
Lenny Dykstra STL 6.5
Alan Trammell CHI 6.5
Chris Brown SEA 6.4
Kal Daniels HAV 6.3
Roberto Alomar TOR 6.3
Earned Run Average
Bret Saberhagen WAS 2.04
Joe Magrane CLE 2.41
Dwight Gooden TOR 2.46
Dave Schmidt STL 2.51
Ed Whitson STL 2.65
Stvn Ontiveros STL 2.86
Teddy Higuera WAS 3.02
Floyd Bannister WAS 3.07
Dave Beard LA 3.25
Fern Valenzuela ATL 3.33
Wins
Dwight Gooden TOR 20
Bret Saberhagen WAS 19
Ed Whitson STL 19
Greg Hibbard SF 18
Steven Ontiveros STL 18
Dave Schmidt STL 18
Tommy Boggs MAN 17
Don Robinson SEA 17
Mario Soto TOR 17
Floyd Bannister WAS 16
Rick Reuschel DEN 16
Strikeouts
Dwight Gooden TOR 271
Fern Valenzuela ATL 252
Dave Beard LA 235
Floyd Youmans MON 228
Teddy Higuera WAS 227
Jose Rijo SF 225
Rick Reuschel DEN 193
Jose DeLeon SF 191
Don Robinson SEA 191
Bret Saberhagen WAS 186
pWAR
Dwight Gooden TOR 11.3
Fern Valenzuela ATL 8.0
Bret Saberhagen WAS 7.6
Dave Beard LA 6.5
Bob Shirley ATL 5.4
Ed Whitson STL 5.3
Stvn Ontiveros STL 5.2
Tommy Boggs MAN 5.1
Dave Schmidt STL 5.0
Teddy Higuera WAS 5.0
Infield Zone Rating
Ozzie Smith DEN 15.2
Cal Ripken Jr. BOS 12.8
Ozzie Guillen SEA 8.8
Robin Yount WAS 8.8
Gary Gaetti DEN 8.5
Outfield Zone Rating
Stan Javier DEN 15.5
Tom Brunansky LA 14.9
Lloyd Moseby WAS 12.8
Andy Van Slyke LA 10.7
Ellis Valentine MAN 10.2
Awards
Awards
Batter of the Month
APR Barry Bonds BOS
MAY Rafael Palmeiro TOR
JUN Dave Winfield WAS
JUL John Shelby SEA
AUG Jose Canseco MAN
SEP Wally Joyner TOR
Pitcher of the Month
APR Dave Schmidt STL
MAY Ed Whitson STL
JUN Allan Anderson SEA
JUL Terry Mulholland CHI
AUG Dave Schmidt STL
SEP Steven Ontiveros STL
Rookie of the Month
APR Jeff M. Robinson CHI
MAY Steve Olin CLE
JUN Dwight Smith DET
JUL Ken Griffey Jr. BRO
AUG Greg Hibbard SF
SEP Scott Scudder HAV
Player of the Week
4/10 Lonnie Smith MON
4/17 Wally Joyner TOR
4/24 Brian Harper SEA
5/1 Barry Bonds BOS
5/8 Jose Canseco MAN
5/15 Jesse Barfield LA
5/22 Shane Mack HAV
5/29 Rafael Palmeiro TOR
6/5 Chris Brown SEA
6/12 Dave Winfield WAS
6/19 Terry Pendleton HAV
6/26 Ozzie Guillen SEA
7/3 Rafael Palmeiro TOR
7/10 Danny Tartabull MAN
7/17 Ivan Calderon CHI
7/24 Barry Bonds BOS
7/31 Barry Bonds BOS
8/7 Wade Boggs WAS
8/14 Tony Gwynn ATL
8/21 Jose Canseco MAN
8/28 Mark Grace SF
9/4 Mark McGwire ATL
9/11 Tony Gwynn ATL
9/18 Mike Stanley ATL
9/25 Barry Bonds BOS
Injuries
(playoff teams)
Injuries
(playoff teams)
LA SP Rick Camp (7 mo)
SEA SP Scott Garrelts (5 wk)
TOR SP Allen Ripley (10 mo)
TOR RP Michael Jackson (3 mo)
Team Capsules
Team Capsules
98-64 (-2)1st overall, 4th in runs, 1st in runs against
Glen Reed's charges finally captured the ring: the best pitching team in the league. After finishing second in runs allowed four times in the last five years—sometimes agonizingly close—the Maroons were the hurlers by a comfortable margin. And, oh yeah, they were the best team overall and won the Gulf Division for the fifth time in six years.
The star man was without a doubt Steven Ontiveros. Yes, Dave Schmidt was his usual stellar self (18-6, 2.51). But that's just it; Schmidt was just being Schmidt. The Dark Reds ace is 82-30, 2.63 since joining the St. Louis rotation in 1985. But Ontiveros was 18-7, 2.86 after never winning more than 12 games or posting an ERA under 3.28. He was both a workhorse (pitching
210 innings) and a clutch man, going 9-0 in the last two months.
Chris Welsh was stellar in the setup role (1.93 in 56 games) and Joe Sambito had the third best ERA of his 14-year career, notching 23 saves and knocking in an insurance run in the pennant clincher Sept. 29 with his fourth career hit.
The offense slipped a bit, and was only fourth, but got some stellar performances. Dan Pasqua led the club with 35 HR, Alvin Davis led with 107 RBI, Lenny Dykstra led with 203 hits. Rickey Henderson led with 111 SB. And then there is Kevin Seitzer, who didn't lead in anything yet batted .315-17-92, .867.
The Maroons now set their sights back-to-back UL titles.
Glen Reed's charges finally captured the ring: the best pitching team in the league. After finishing second in runs allowed four times in the last five years—sometimes agonizingly close—the Maroons were the hurlers by a comfortable margin. And, oh yeah, they were the best team overall and won the Gulf Division for the fifth time in six years.
The star man was without a doubt Steven Ontiveros. Yes, Dave Schmidt was his usual stellar self (18-6, 2.51). But that's just it; Schmidt was just being Schmidt. The Dark Reds ace is 82-30, 2.63 since joining the St. Louis rotation in 1985. But Ontiveros was 18-7, 2.86 after never winning more than 12 games or posting an ERA under 3.28. He was both a workhorse (pitching
210 innings) and a clutch man, going 9-0 in the last two months.
Chris Welsh was stellar in the setup role (1.93 in 56 games) and Joe Sambito had the third best ERA of his 14-year career, notching 23 saves and knocking in an insurance run in the pennant clincher Sept. 29 with his fourth career hit.
The offense slipped a bit, and was only fourth, but got some stellar performances. Dan Pasqua led the club with 35 HR, Alvin Davis led with 107 RBI, Lenny Dykstra led with 203 hits. Rickey Henderson led with 111 SB. And then there is Kevin Seitzer, who didn't lead in anything yet batted .315-17-92, .867.
The Maroons now set their sights back-to-back UL titles.
95-67 (+0)3rd overall, 1st in runs, 9th in runs against
Another year, another 95 wins, another first round bye. Such was the story of the 1989 Toronto Polar Bears. The Sailors of the Floe once again bludgeoned their opponents into submission, scoring 872 runs, 44 more than last year and 76 more than the next-best offense. Three players had at least 40 homers, a first since the '77 Gray Sox, and two of them were age 23.
Palmeiro (.305-49-137, .974) was the breakout player of the year, boosting his RBIs by 47 and his OPS by 130 points. The other U-23, Ellis Burks, hit exactly 44 dingers for the second straight year, walked more, struck out less, and ended fourth in bWAR. Wally Joyner and sophomore 2B Roberto Alomar each had over 200 hits, Alomar and Burks both swiped more than 50 bases, and Joyner and Mariano Duncan both had more than 30 doubles.
The pitching was roughly the same as last year, and the team 3.88 ERA was the franchise's best since its inaugural 1984 season. Dwight Gooden accounted for more than half of the team's pWAR. Doc went 20-8, 2.46 with 271 Ks and 11.3 WAR. He has won 20 games. His win against Detroit in his last start on Sept. 26 extended his run of 20-win seasons to four, putting him into Burdette/Conley/Antonelli territory. Even all-time win leader Larry Dierker has had only four 20-win seasons, spread across eight years.
Charlie Lea, Scott Sanderson, and Mario Soto all had WARs over 2.5, giving the P-Bears the rotation depth they have lacked in recent years.
GM Eric Clemons and the front office had the Midas touch. Free agent signing Charlie Lea (15-12, 3.80, 3.5 WAR) and midseason addition Scott Sanderson (10-3, 3.85, 3.0 WAR) had instant impact, and Mario Soto followed up his 20-win season last year with a 17-9 mark. The bullpen was the league's second worst, but with the second highest run differential in the league, it was rarely a factor (the club was 75-45 in non-one-run games). Rookie closer Jose Mesa had 14 saves with a 3.86 ERA.
As good as Toronto was, they got better as the season went on, going 35-19 in the final third, which bodes well as they try to avenge last year's five-game defeat by Seattle in the Semi Series.
Another year, another 95 wins, another first round bye. Such was the story of the 1989 Toronto Polar Bears. The Sailors of the Floe once again bludgeoned their opponents into submission, scoring 872 runs, 44 more than last year and 76 more than the next-best offense. Three players had at least 40 homers, a first since the '77 Gray Sox, and two of them were age 23.
Palmeiro (.305-49-137, .974) was the breakout player of the year, boosting his RBIs by 47 and his OPS by 130 points. The other U-23, Ellis Burks, hit exactly 44 dingers for the second straight year, walked more, struck out less, and ended fourth in bWAR. Wally Joyner and sophomore 2B Roberto Alomar each had over 200 hits, Alomar and Burks both swiped more than 50 bases, and Joyner and Mariano Duncan both had more than 30 doubles.
The pitching was roughly the same as last year, and the team 3.88 ERA was the franchise's best since its inaugural 1984 season. Dwight Gooden accounted for more than half of the team's pWAR. Doc went 20-8, 2.46 with 271 Ks and 11.3 WAR. He has won 20 games. His win against Detroit in his last start on Sept. 26 extended his run of 20-win seasons to four, putting him into Burdette/Conley/Antonelli territory. Even all-time win leader Larry Dierker has had only four 20-win seasons, spread across eight years.
Charlie Lea, Scott Sanderson, and Mario Soto all had WARs over 2.5, giving the P-Bears the rotation depth they have lacked in recent years.
GM Eric Clemons and the front office had the Midas touch. Free agent signing Charlie Lea (15-12, 3.80, 3.5 WAR) and midseason addition Scott Sanderson (10-3, 3.85, 3.0 WAR) had instant impact, and Mario Soto followed up his 20-win season last year with a 17-9 mark. The bullpen was the league's second worst, but with the second highest run differential in the league, it was rarely a factor (the club was 75-45 in non-one-run games). Rookie closer Jose Mesa had 14 saves with a 3.86 ERA.
As good as Toronto was, they got better as the season went on, going 35-19 in the final third, which bodes well as they try to avenge last year's five-game defeat by Seattle in the Semi Series.
91-72 (-1.5)4th overall, 11th in runs, 4th in runs against
On one level, the 1989 Los Angeles Outlaws season was their worst in a decade. On another level, the way the season ended made it one of the most dramatic and memorable seasons in club history.
Let's start with the former. The Outlaws run of seven years as the league's best pitching team came to an end and their offense ranked 11th—the lowest since 1979. L.A. was in last place most of June and July, and by Sept. 18, Seattle had the division won, with a four-game lead over Denver and five games over Los Angeles. Then the surge happened. Going 11-1 down the stretch, L.A. overtook their wildcard challengers and then snuck up on the division leaders, forcing a playoff, which they naturally won. Of all the statistics describing the insanity of Los Angeles' rise from the dead, this one perhaps captures it best: L.A. was in first place alone for five days all season; the first four were June 1-4 and the fifth was Oct. 1 —after game #163.
L.A. pitchers may have been unhittable down the stretch, but such was not the case in over the whole season. The club ranked 3rd in starters, 4th in runs against, and 11th in bullpen. Bruce Ruffin (3.15) was the only rotation regular with an ERA under 3.40. Three of the five most used relievers had ERAs over 4.00, including Bob Ojeda's 5.63.
The offense sank even lower. The team .251 average was the lowest in 13 years. Andy Van Slyke's .490 SLG led the team—and ranked 32nd in the league.
But none of that mattered in the end. And all fans will remember of the '89 season is that 11-1 surge and improbable climb at the end. Or perhaps the magic will extend into October?
On one level, the 1989 Los Angeles Outlaws season was their worst in a decade. On another level, the way the season ended made it one of the most dramatic and memorable seasons in club history.
Let's start with the former. The Outlaws run of seven years as the league's best pitching team came to an end and their offense ranked 11th—the lowest since 1979. L.A. was in last place most of June and July, and by Sept. 18, Seattle had the division won, with a four-game lead over Denver and five games over Los Angeles. Then the surge happened. Going 11-1 down the stretch, L.A. overtook their wildcard challengers and then snuck up on the division leaders, forcing a playoff, which they naturally won. Of all the statistics describing the insanity of Los Angeles' rise from the dead, this one perhaps captures it best: L.A. was in first place alone for five days all season; the first four were June 1-4 and the fifth was Oct. 1 —after game #163.
L.A. pitchers may have been unhittable down the stretch, but such was not the case in over the whole season. The club ranked 3rd in starters, 4th in runs against, and 11th in bullpen. Bruce Ruffin (3.15) was the only rotation regular with an ERA under 3.40. Three of the five most used relievers had ERAs over 4.00, including Bob Ojeda's 5.63.
The offense sank even lower. The team .251 average was the lowest in 13 years. Andy Van Slyke's .490 SLG led the team—and ranked 32nd in the league.
But none of that mattered in the end. And all fans will remember of the '89 season is that 11-1 surge and improbable climb at the end. Or perhaps the magic will extend into October?
84-78 (-5)7th-T overall, 2nd in runs, 13th in runs against
The boys completed the sweep. In the six years of the Atlantic Division, only won team raised the division pennant: the Manhattan Gray Sox. Having said that, the '89 flag is perhaps the least impressive of the bunch. The Sox won just 84 games and tied for seventh overall. But the most striking thing about the season is how the club completely flipped its profile from a pitching-dominant to a hitting-dominant in one season.
Last year, the Dingy Hose were 3rd in pitching and just 13th in hitting. This year, they were 2nd in hitting and 13th in pitching. The offense featured three 5-WAR players. Jose Canseco (.310-50-142) won the HR and RBI titles (throwing 41 stolen bases into the bargain), Ryne Sandberg (.273-32-86) regained some of his lost power, and Ellis Valentine (.316-22-88) set a career mark for batting and had the third highest WAR of his career. Add a .322 average for Scott Fletcher, 100 RBIs by Danny Tartabull, and 62 stolen bases by Roberto Kelly, and you have a run-scoring machine matched only by Toronto.
On the mound, however, it was a long season. Kelly Downs (15-9, 3.41) was the only starter under 3.50 in ERA. Tommy Boggs continued a five-year slide, with his ERA ballooning to 4.28. Dave Stieb had a negative WAR in 15 starts and 25 relief appearance. And closer Jeff Robinson posted a career-worst 3.36 ERA.
So the Sox go in as underdogs in their Hex Series clash with Washington, which will featured the 2nd best hitting against the second best pitching. But never count out a team that can score in bunches the way the mighty ManSox can.
The boys completed the sweep. In the six years of the Atlantic Division, only won team raised the division pennant: the Manhattan Gray Sox. Having said that, the '89 flag is perhaps the least impressive of the bunch. The Sox won just 84 games and tied for seventh overall. But the most striking thing about the season is how the club completely flipped its profile from a pitching-dominant to a hitting-dominant in one season.
Last year, the Dingy Hose were 3rd in pitching and just 13th in hitting. This year, they were 2nd in hitting and 13th in pitching. The offense featured three 5-WAR players. Jose Canseco (.310-50-142) won the HR and RBI titles (throwing 41 stolen bases into the bargain), Ryne Sandberg (.273-32-86) regained some of his lost power, and Ellis Valentine (.316-22-88) set a career mark for batting and had the third highest WAR of his career. Add a .322 average for Scott Fletcher, 100 RBIs by Danny Tartabull, and 62 stolen bases by Roberto Kelly, and you have a run-scoring machine matched only by Toronto.
On the mound, however, it was a long season. Kelly Downs (15-9, 3.41) was the only starter under 3.50 in ERA. Tommy Boggs continued a five-year slide, with his ERA ballooning to 4.28. Dave Stieb had a negative WAR in 15 starts and 25 relief appearance. And closer Jeff Robinson posted a career-worst 3.36 ERA.
So the Sox go in as underdogs in their Hex Series clash with Washington, which will featured the 2nd best hitting against the second best pitching. But never count out a team that can score in bunches the way the mighty ManSox can.
96-66 (+9)2nd overall, 9th in runs, 2nd in runs against
The Monuments were tied for the second-most improved club and will make their fourth playoff appearance in the last six years. They feature one of the most dominant starting duos in recent history. In fact, Bret Saberhagen and Teddy Higuera became the first teammates named to the All-UL Team in over 20 years.
Saberhagen won 19 games for the third straight year, and sliced his ERA nearly 150 points to 2.04, the fourth best ERA of the decade. It was his third straight year with a WHIP under 1.00, which must be some kind of record, and his 7.3 H/9 and 0.4 HR/9 were career bests. The sixth overall pick of the 1984 draft is now 99-58, 2.87 in 191 career starts. Oh, and he is only 25. Teddy Higuera did not pitch in the majors until he was 26. And his 5th UL season might have been his finest. The 30-year-old Mexican led the league with 0.88 WHIP and 6.8 H/9, and was second only to Gooden with three shutouts. Floyd Bannister exceeded expectations again, going 16-11, 3.07, and Carlos Diaz was a shut-down closer with 35 saves and 1.37 ERA.
With an offense that dominant, all you need is average offense, and the Monuments ranked 9th after three years in 10th. But look closely, and it is hard to imagine how eight teams outscored this bunch. Wade Boggs had 226 hits and hit .367, Dave Winfield had 34 HR and 107 RBI, Johnny Ray doubled 48 times, Tim Raines had a .404 OBP and swiped 109 bases. However, the rest of the lineup was subpar. Lloyd Moseby invented the role of designated fielder, while Cecil Fielder (.223, .679 OPS) was overmatched.
In a short series, the trio of Saberhagen, Higuera, and Bannister will be tough to beat. But finishing in the wildcard means the Monuments will need three series wins to recapture the title. Can they do it?
The Monuments were tied for the second-most improved club and will make their fourth playoff appearance in the last six years. They feature one of the most dominant starting duos in recent history. In fact, Bret Saberhagen and Teddy Higuera became the first teammates named to the All-UL Team in over 20 years.
Saberhagen won 19 games for the third straight year, and sliced his ERA nearly 150 points to 2.04, the fourth best ERA of the decade. It was his third straight year with a WHIP under 1.00, which must be some kind of record, and his 7.3 H/9 and 0.4 HR/9 were career bests. The sixth overall pick of the 1984 draft is now 99-58, 2.87 in 191 career starts. Oh, and he is only 25. Teddy Higuera did not pitch in the majors until he was 26. And his 5th UL season might have been his finest. The 30-year-old Mexican led the league with 0.88 WHIP and 6.8 H/9, and was second only to Gooden with three shutouts. Floyd Bannister exceeded expectations again, going 16-11, 3.07, and Carlos Diaz was a shut-down closer with 35 saves and 1.37 ERA.
With an offense that dominant, all you need is average offense, and the Monuments ranked 9th after three years in 10th. But look closely, and it is hard to imagine how eight teams outscored this bunch. Wade Boggs had 226 hits and hit .367, Dave Winfield had 34 HR and 107 RBI, Johnny Ray doubled 48 times, Tim Raines had a .404 OBP and swiped 109 bases. However, the rest of the lineup was subpar. Lloyd Moseby invented the role of designated fielder, while Cecil Fielder (.223, .679 OPS) was overmatched.
In a short series, the trio of Saberhagen, Higuera, and Bannister will be tough to beat. But finishing in the wildcard means the Monuments will need three series wins to recapture the title. Can they do it?
90-73 (-3.5)5th overall, 3rd in runs, 8th in runs against
A World Series team a year ago, the Rainiers looked all set to wrap up their second straight division title, with a five-game lead over Los Angeles with 12 games to go. Exactly how they squandered that huge lead and wound up in the last playoff spot is something that may haunt them, especially since they face their nemesis Los Angeles in the Hex Series.
But let's put the season in larger context. Seattle won 90 games for just the fourth time and secured back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time. They returned to the top 3 in scoring after a two-year absence and had four players in the top nine in batting.
Of those four hitter, Chris Brown was perhaps the most impressive. The 28-year-old third baseman hit .350 with 205 hits and a .913 OPS, leading the team with 6.4 WAR. Or maybe it was Willie McGee, who responded to his shift back from right to center field by batting a .340 with 228 hits and 64 stolen bases. But then again, maybe it was John Shelby, who hit a mere .291 but homered 42 times for 109 RBIs. No, it has to be Brian Harper, who led all catchers with a .332 average and drove in 72. You get the point...
The rotation resembled the Waltons, an intergenerational group home, with a pair of 24-year-old, a pair of 30-year olds, and a pair of 40-year olds. One of each proved to be the staff's most effective hurlers. Don Robinson, 30, led with team with 17 wins and 191 Ks. Allan Anderson, 24, had the best ERA (3.51) and win-loss record (15-7). And the ageless Larry Dierker, age 42, started all 33 games and added 13 to his career win tally, bringing it to 383. Dierker was particularly solid down the stretch, with three straight wins in September that helped build the insurmountable lead (which was later surmounted). Closer Luis DeLeon saved a club record 42 games, smashing a record set by Ray Crone in the Texan's inaugural season in 1962.
But getting back to that finish, the true test for this team will be psychological. To have success, they will have to put their huge collapse behind them, and start fresh at 0-0. Otherwise it will be "goodnight, John-Boy."
A World Series team a year ago, the Rainiers looked all set to wrap up their second straight division title, with a five-game lead over Los Angeles with 12 games to go. Exactly how they squandered that huge lead and wound up in the last playoff spot is something that may haunt them, especially since they face their nemesis Los Angeles in the Hex Series.
But let's put the season in larger context. Seattle won 90 games for just the fourth time and secured back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time. They returned to the top 3 in scoring after a two-year absence and had four players in the top nine in batting.
Of those four hitter, Chris Brown was perhaps the most impressive. The 28-year-old third baseman hit .350 with 205 hits and a .913 OPS, leading the team with 6.4 WAR. Or maybe it was Willie McGee, who responded to his shift back from right to center field by batting a .340 with 228 hits and 64 stolen bases. But then again, maybe it was John Shelby, who hit a mere .291 but homered 42 times for 109 RBIs. No, it has to be Brian Harper, who led all catchers with a .332 average and drove in 72. You get the point...
The rotation resembled the Waltons, an intergenerational group home, with a pair of 24-year-old, a pair of 30-year olds, and a pair of 40-year olds. One of each proved to be the staff's most effective hurlers. Don Robinson, 30, led with team with 17 wins and 191 Ks. Allan Anderson, 24, had the best ERA (3.51) and win-loss record (15-7). And the ageless Larry Dierker, age 42, started all 33 games and added 13 to his career win tally, bringing it to 383. Dierker was particularly solid down the stretch, with three straight wins in September that helped build the insurmountable lead (which was later surmounted). Closer Luis DeLeon saved a club record 42 games, smashing a record set by Ray Crone in the Texan's inaugural season in 1962.
But getting back to that finish, the true test for this team will be psychological. To have success, they will have to put their huge collapse behind them, and start fresh at 0-0. Otherwise it will be "goodnight, John-Boy."
87-75 (+25)6th overall, 16th in runs, 3rd in runs against
With a roster overhaul and an exciting young pitcher staff, the Colts were the most improved team in 1989, winning 25 more games and contending for a wildcard spot until the season's final days. A mid-June trade for Alan Trammell signalled GM Steve Haugh's intentions, and the Colts were53-40 after the trade, as Trammell hit .321 with a .869 OPS and +4.7 ZR in 86 games. RF Ivan Calderon (.328-30-91, .960) lit up the scoreboard with the third best WAR in the league and the highest OPS for a Colt in nearly 20 years. The rest of the offense was a non-factor, and the offense ranked dead last in scoring, though a 19-year-old rookie named Gary Sheffied hit .317/.429/.503 in 49 games.
The real story in Chi-Town was the return of Colt pitching. Historically a perennial pitching powerhouse, Chicago had lapses in recent years, ranking 12th in the last two seasons. But in 1989, the Colts staff sliced their team ERA by 75 points and ranked in the top 3 for the first time since 1981. The staff was led by a pair of 25-year-olds: lefthander Terry Mulholland (12-14, 3.55) and righthander Jamie Moyer (14-12, 3.47), and boasted the best bullpen in the league. Rob Dibble (36 saves, 0.82, 13.9 K/9) had one of the best seasons for a reliever of all time, with a 13.9 K/9, 0.2 HR/9 and 4.2 WAR. Dibble was supported by Ed Vande Berg (2.18 in 50 games) Jeff Montgomery (2.58 in 61).
Entering the last eight games tied for the last wildcard spot, the Ponies' playoff hopes were dashed by a pair of heartbreaking one-run losses in Toronto and a shutout by Detroit rookie Jimmy Jones.
With a roster overhaul and an exciting young pitcher staff, the Colts were the most improved team in 1989, winning 25 more games and contending for a wildcard spot until the season's final days. A mid-June trade for Alan Trammell signalled GM Steve Haugh's intentions, and the Colts were53-40 after the trade, as Trammell hit .321 with a .869 OPS and +4.7 ZR in 86 games. RF Ivan Calderon (.328-30-91, .960) lit up the scoreboard with the third best WAR in the league and the highest OPS for a Colt in nearly 20 years. The rest of the offense was a non-factor, and the offense ranked dead last in scoring, though a 19-year-old rookie named Gary Sheffied hit .317/.429/.503 in 49 games.
The real story in Chi-Town was the return of Colt pitching. Historically a perennial pitching powerhouse, Chicago had lapses in recent years, ranking 12th in the last two seasons. But in 1989, the Colts staff sliced their team ERA by 75 points and ranked in the top 3 for the first time since 1981. The staff was led by a pair of 25-year-olds: lefthander Terry Mulholland (12-14, 3.55) and righthander Jamie Moyer (14-12, 3.47), and boasted the best bullpen in the league. Rob Dibble (36 saves, 0.82, 13.9 K/9) had one of the best seasons for a reliever of all time, with a 13.9 K/9, 0.2 HR/9 and 4.2 WAR. Dibble was supported by Ed Vande Berg (2.18 in 50 games) Jeff Montgomery (2.58 in 61).
Entering the last eight games tied for the last wildcard spot, the Ponies' playoff hopes were dashed by a pair of heartbreaking one-run losses in Toronto and a shutout by Detroit rookie Jimmy Jones.
84-78 (+7)7th-T overall, 8th in runs, 5th in runs against
The Spids drastically improved their pitching and finished in the top half in both offense and defense for the first time in a decade. The result was their second winning season in the last nine years and a brief flirtation with a wildcard berth.
Alongside usual solid contributions from workhorses Jose Rijo (13-12, 3.86) and Jose DeLeon (11-15, 4.09), San Francisco coaxed a career year out of 30-year-old Walt Terrell (15-10, 3.45) and a Rookie of the Year-worthy performance from Greg Hibbard. The seventh overall pick was 18-7, 3.65, ranked 4th in wins, and 2nd in fewest HR/9. In the pen, Bobby Thigpen had 28 saves and both Mike Henneman and Terry Leach had 50+ appearances with sub-3.00 ERAs.
At the plate, last year's co-Rookie of the Year Mark Grace solidified his role as the key cog in the lineup, batting .348-13-82, .926 and finishing 4th in the batting race. Rob Deer had his second straight 35 HR/100 RBI year, and Jose Oquendo swiped 79 bases with a .378 OBP. On the downside Luis Aguayo slumped and LF Mike Aldrete was not quite ready for prime time.
Looking ahead, the upward swing projects forward. San Francisco has the second youngest roster among winning teams, and a decent stable of prospects, including 22-year-old SP Pete Harnish, who won 14-8 at Las Vegas.
The Spids drastically improved their pitching and finished in the top half in both offense and defense for the first time in a decade. The result was their second winning season in the last nine years and a brief flirtation with a wildcard berth.
Alongside usual solid contributions from workhorses Jose Rijo (13-12, 3.86) and Jose DeLeon (11-15, 4.09), San Francisco coaxed a career year out of 30-year-old Walt Terrell (15-10, 3.45) and a Rookie of the Year-worthy performance from Greg Hibbard. The seventh overall pick was 18-7, 3.65, ranked 4th in wins, and 2nd in fewest HR/9. In the pen, Bobby Thigpen had 28 saves and both Mike Henneman and Terry Leach had 50+ appearances with sub-3.00 ERAs.
At the plate, last year's co-Rookie of the Year Mark Grace solidified his role as the key cog in the lineup, batting .348-13-82, .926 and finishing 4th in the batting race. Rob Deer had his second straight 35 HR/100 RBI year, and Jose Oquendo swiped 79 bases with a .378 OBP. On the downside Luis Aguayo slumped and LF Mike Aldrete was not quite ready for prime time.
Looking ahead, the upward swing projects forward. San Francisco has the second youngest roster among winning teams, and a decent stable of prospects, including 22-year-old SP Pete Harnish, who won 14-8 at Las Vegas.
83-79 (+1)9th overall, 6th in runs, 7th in runs against
The 14ers were in the mix all year, and were tied for 1st overall as late as Aug. 17, but loss streaks of seven, five, and eight down the stretch, including the last eight games of the season, landed the preseason darlings in last place in the Pacific and ninth overall.
The 13-27 was only partly attributable to the loss of closer Tim Burke, who posted a 0.88 with 17 saves before a knee injury on July 31. Bill Swift had just two wins in his last 12 starts, and Mike Mason just two of his last eight. And the two relievers acquired at the deadline to compensate for Burke (Mike Maddux and Paul Assenmacher) had a combined 4.35 ERA and lost three key divisional games in the last two weeks.
Stan Javier had a breakout year, batting .295 with 49 stolen bases and narrowly edging teammate Ozzie Smith for the Willie Mays Award. Veteran RF Sixto Lezcano (.261-42-118) put up his best offensive numbers in nearly a decade, and Will Clark and Phil Bradley both hit over .300 with over 80 RBIs.
But the offense dried up when it was needed most, scoring just eight runs in the last eight games, including three shutouts, and leaving the Peaker high and dry in the cellar of the Pacific Division.
The 14ers were in the mix all year, and were tied for 1st overall as late as Aug. 17, but loss streaks of seven, five, and eight down the stretch, including the last eight games of the season, landed the preseason darlings in last place in the Pacific and ninth overall.
The 13-27 was only partly attributable to the loss of closer Tim Burke, who posted a 0.88 with 17 saves before a knee injury on July 31. Bill Swift had just two wins in his last 12 starts, and Mike Mason just two of his last eight. And the two relievers acquired at the deadline to compensate for Burke (Mike Maddux and Paul Assenmacher) had a combined 4.35 ERA and lost three key divisional games in the last two weeks.
Stan Javier had a breakout year, batting .295 with 49 stolen bases and narrowly edging teammate Ozzie Smith for the Willie Mays Award. Veteran RF Sixto Lezcano (.261-42-118) put up his best offensive numbers in nearly a decade, and Will Clark and Phil Bradley both hit over .300 with over 80 RBIs.
But the offense dried up when it was needed most, scoring just eight runs in the last eight games, including three shutouts, and leaving the Peaker high and dry in the cellar of the Pacific Division.
79-83 (-2)10th overall, 5th in runs, 14th in runs against
Contenders for most the year and within a half-game of first on June 30, the Feds faded away, as they did last year. A 2-22 skid in late August and early September knocked the team so far out of the playoff picture that they were not visible with a telephoto lens. A six-win streak Sept. 18-24 merely postponed Manhattan's pennant celebration.
But the story at Fenway continues to be LF Barry Bonds, who led the league in WAR for a second straight year with even more prodigious offensive stats. Bonds (.334-42-121, 1.075) led the league in OBP, SLG, OPS, and runs, and his 10.2 WAR was a full two points ahead of the field. Kirby Puckett set career marks with .504 SLG and 87 RBI, and Dion James hit .311 with a .382 OBP.
The pitching regressed, even discounting the midseason trade of Dave Beard. Both the rotation and bullpen ranked third from bottom, with Bob Sebra (7-18, 6.14) having a particularly ghastly campaign. Rookie Juan Nieves exceeded expectations with a 3.13 ERA in 53 appearances out of the bullpen.
Contenders for most the year and within a half-game of first on June 30, the Feds faded away, as they did last year. A 2-22 skid in late August and early September knocked the team so far out of the playoff picture that they were not visible with a telephoto lens. A six-win streak Sept. 18-24 merely postponed Manhattan's pennant celebration.
But the story at Fenway continues to be LF Barry Bonds, who led the league in WAR for a second straight year with even more prodigious offensive stats. Bonds (.334-42-121, 1.075) led the league in OBP, SLG, OPS, and runs, and his 10.2 WAR was a full two points ahead of the field. Kirby Puckett set career marks with .504 SLG and 87 RBI, and Dion James hit .311 with a .382 OBP.
The pitching regressed, even discounting the midseason trade of Dave Beard. Both the rotation and bullpen ranked third from bottom, with Bob Sebra (7-18, 6.14) having a particularly ghastly campaign. Rookie Juan Nieves exceeded expectations with a 3.13 ERA in 53 appearances out of the bullpen.
76-86 (+5)11th overall, 14th in runs, 6th in runs against
GM Charlie Qualls' shift to power and away from defense paid some dividends, but not enough to make the Barons a contender, as young stars Tom Glavine and B.J. Surhoff failed to progress.
The offense inched up to 4.0 runs per game, the highest in six years. New first baseman Eddie Murray's 131 RBIs set the club record and his 36 homers were the most for a Baron in a dozen years. Another former Outlaw, Dwayne Murphy, contributed 20 homers, and sophomore 2B Mark McLemore (.285-8-70, .741) had a breakout year. However, SS Garry Templeton became an automatic out, and RF Tracy Jones and 3B B.J. Surhoff proved to be both offensive and defensive liabilities. Cleveland's de-emphasis on defense resulted in the first negative team zone rating since the stats began in 1976. Cleveland ranked 10th and was hurt especially by Jones' -5.8 and Surhoff's -3.3 ZR.
Joe Magrane (10-7, 2.41) finished 2nd in ERA and 5th in WHIP and took a step toward elite ace status. The rest of the starters were just okay, and the rotation ranked a disappointing 7th in ERA. Bill Wegman (4.86) and John Smoltz (4.81) both regressed from a year ago. Rookie closer Steve Olin was the star of the pen, with 31 saves and a 2.10 ERA, while Ricky Horton and John Dopson both appeared in 80+ games.
GM Charlie Qualls' shift to power and away from defense paid some dividends, but not enough to make the Barons a contender, as young stars Tom Glavine and B.J. Surhoff failed to progress.
The offense inched up to 4.0 runs per game, the highest in six years. New first baseman Eddie Murray's 131 RBIs set the club record and his 36 homers were the most for a Baron in a dozen years. Another former Outlaw, Dwayne Murphy, contributed 20 homers, and sophomore 2B Mark McLemore (.285-8-70, .741) had a breakout year. However, SS Garry Templeton became an automatic out, and RF Tracy Jones and 3B B.J. Surhoff proved to be both offensive and defensive liabilities. Cleveland's de-emphasis on defense resulted in the first negative team zone rating since the stats began in 1976. Cleveland ranked 10th and was hurt especially by Jones' -5.8 and Surhoff's -3.3 ZR.
Joe Magrane (10-7, 2.41) finished 2nd in ERA and 5th in WHIP and took a step toward elite ace status. The rest of the starters were just okay, and the rotation ranked a disappointing 7th in ERA. Bill Wegman (4.86) and John Smoltz (4.81) both regressed from a year ago. Rookie closer Steve Olin was the star of the pen, with 31 saves and a 2.10 ERA, while Ricky Horton and John Dopson both appeared in 80+ games.
72-90 (+9)12th overall, 7th in runs, 15th in runs against
It is somehow fitting that Bill "Garage" Doran is Havana's longest-serving regular, because the Leones have been stuck in park for six years. After winning 77 games in a promising first year, Havana has never again reached that high-water mark, though this year they emerged from the Gul Division cellar for the first time.
Beginning as a weak hitting team with league-average pitching, the Leones have flipped their emphasis with similar results. This year, Havana ranked in the top half in offense for the first time, while their pitching sank to 15th. 2-3 hitters Shane Mack and Kal Daniels again provided the Leone's share of the offensive punch. Mack (.312-11-51, .965) improved his OPS by over 100 points, and Daniels, while well off his 1987 MVP peak, hit .309 with 82 RBIs and OPSed .934. New 1B Tim Teufel (.277-21-98) led the team in RBIs, Bill Doran lead in hits, Terry Pendleton in doubles, and Vince Coleman in steals.
So how did a team that ranked 8th in pitching drop to 15th in two short years? The short answer is Mark Davis and Mike LaCoss. The staff has yet to recover from the loss of these two stars. Davis' career was essentially ended with a ruptured ligament in mid-1987, while LaCoss was traded in early '88 for Pendleton and a first (which turned into Jaime Navarro).
Jose Guzman was the workhorse, with 238 innings, but his 4.98 ERA and 1.45 WHIP were far from elite. Kirk McCaskill was servicable, but has yet to trim his ERA below 4.40. As for Navarro, he struggled mightily in his first campaign, losing 15 with a 5.22 ERA in 28 starts, though he pitched much better out of the pen. If there is a pitching bright spot, it is Scott Scudder. The 20-year-old rookie and 76th overall pick was 4-1, 2.60 in 7 starts and was an improbable Rookie of the Month in September.
It is somehow fitting that Bill "Garage" Doran is Havana's longest-serving regular, because the Leones have been stuck in park for six years. After winning 77 games in a promising first year, Havana has never again reached that high-water mark, though this year they emerged from the Gul Division cellar for the first time.
Beginning as a weak hitting team with league-average pitching, the Leones have flipped their emphasis with similar results. This year, Havana ranked in the top half in offense for the first time, while their pitching sank to 15th. 2-3 hitters Shane Mack and Kal Daniels again provided the Leone's share of the offensive punch. Mack (.312-11-51, .965) improved his OPS by over 100 points, and Daniels, while well off his 1987 MVP peak, hit .309 with 82 RBIs and OPSed .934. New 1B Tim Teufel (.277-21-98) led the team in RBIs, Bill Doran lead in hits, Terry Pendleton in doubles, and Vince Coleman in steals.
So how did a team that ranked 8th in pitching drop to 15th in two short years? The short answer is Mark Davis and Mike LaCoss. The staff has yet to recover from the loss of these two stars. Davis' career was essentially ended with a ruptured ligament in mid-1987, while LaCoss was traded in early '88 for Pendleton and a first (which turned into Jaime Navarro).
Jose Guzman was the workhorse, with 238 innings, but his 4.98 ERA and 1.45 WHIP were far from elite. Kirk McCaskill was servicable, but has yet to trim his ERA below 4.40. As for Navarro, he struggled mightily in his first campaign, losing 15 with a 5.22 ERA in 28 starts, though he pitched much better out of the pen. If there is a pitching bright spot, it is Scott Scudder. The 20-year-old rookie and 76th overall pick was 4-1, 2.60 in 7 starts and was an improbable Rookie of the Month in September.
71-91 (-4)13th overall, 10th in runs, 11th in runs against
What happens when a top-3 offense suddenly goes fallow, while its pitching only improves around the margins? Just two years off back-to-back 90-win seasons, the Toppers suffered a 90-loss season and were never in playoff contention. Two years ago, the Red Blobs batted .296, averaging 5.4 runs. This year, those numbers were .253 and 4.2. What explains the sudden drop?
In 1987, Atlanta's top four hitters combined for 30.7 WAR. This year, that number was down to 20.1. Part of the decline is due to career 10+ WAR seasons by Eric Davis and Tony Gwynn two years ago. The two outfielders from L.A. were still top-tier hitters. Gwynn won his fourth batting title and Davis had his third straight 30/100 season. But look closer and you'll see that Gwynn's average dipped to .377 and his OBP to .410, 70 and 60 points off his peak year, and Davis' slugging was down 110 points.
Also, Bob Horner's decline accelerated. The 31-year-old 3B hit just .235 with a .713 OPS, easily his worst year. When Bump Wills wrenched his knee five weeks into the season, his replacements (Spike Owen and Ken Williams) were both unripe and unready, batting .210 and .206 respectively as defensive liabilities.
On the pitching side, perennial ace Fernie Valenzuela set career marks with 10.5 K/9 and 8.0 WAR, despite a lackluster 14-13 record and 1.30 WHIP. Bob Shirley (12-7, 3.69), acquired from Detroit, was the most effective starter, and Steve Howe led the team in saves for a ninth year before being shipped to St. Louis for cash.
What happens when a top-3 offense suddenly goes fallow, while its pitching only improves around the margins? Just two years off back-to-back 90-win seasons, the Toppers suffered a 90-loss season and were never in playoff contention. Two years ago, the Red Blobs batted .296, averaging 5.4 runs. This year, those numbers were .253 and 4.2. What explains the sudden drop?
In 1987, Atlanta's top four hitters combined for 30.7 WAR. This year, that number was down to 20.1. Part of the decline is due to career 10+ WAR seasons by Eric Davis and Tony Gwynn two years ago. The two outfielders from L.A. were still top-tier hitters. Gwynn won his fourth batting title and Davis had his third straight 30/100 season. But look closer and you'll see that Gwynn's average dipped to .377 and his OBP to .410, 70 and 60 points off his peak year, and Davis' slugging was down 110 points.
Also, Bob Horner's decline accelerated. The 31-year-old 3B hit just .235 with a .713 OPS, easily his worst year. When Bump Wills wrenched his knee five weeks into the season, his replacements (Spike Owen and Ken Williams) were both unripe and unready, batting .210 and .206 respectively as defensive liabilities.
On the pitching side, perennial ace Fernie Valenzuela set career marks with 10.5 K/9 and 8.0 WAR, despite a lackluster 14-13 record and 1.30 WHIP. Bob Shirley (12-7, 3.69), acquired from Detroit, was the most effective starter, and Steve Howe led the team in saves for a ninth year before being shipped to St. Louis for cash.
67-95 (-23)14th overall, 13th in runs, 10th in runs against
The Griffins dynasty is officially over. After a five-year decline that saw the team go from dominant to great to merely good, the Flyin' Lions fell of a cliff in 1989, winning 23 fewer games and missing the playoffs for the first time since 1980. If you had to carve a date into the tombstone, it would be June 16. That's the day GM Sean Holloway traded away franchise man Alan Trammell to Chicago, signalling the full-scale rebuild that began with trades of Scott Sanderson, Rickey Henderson, and Bob Horner in recent years.
The '89 Griffins dropped from 5th to 13th in scoring, lacking both power and team speed. Nevertheless, three youngsters arrived on the scene that could be cornerpieces for the Motown rebuild: Sophomore LF Chris James (.320-13-85) led the team in bWAR, RF Dwight Smith hit .315 with a .370 OBP, and rookie Pat Borders (.312-9-58) was second among catcher in batting and OBP. On the down side, Fred McGriff's development continued to stall (.244, .707 OPS) and Lou Whitaker turned into all-glove, no-bat.
On the pitching side, the team was about where it was last year, which is to say below average. Greg Mathews (11-12, 3.65), undisputed ace, trimmed his ERA by 70 points while reducing his walks and increasing his strikeouts.
A pair of 20-year old rookies offered a glimpse of the staff of the future. Fifth overll pick Andy Benes (9-13, 4.21) had a solid rookie campaign, with 162 Ks and a 3.0 WAR, while closer Mike Stanton notched 30 saves with a 2.75 ERA and 1.02 WHIP.
Next up is the 1990 rookie draft, in which Detroit will have 10 picks in the first two rounds.
The Griffins dynasty is officially over. After a five-year decline that saw the team go from dominant to great to merely good, the Flyin' Lions fell of a cliff in 1989, winning 23 fewer games and missing the playoffs for the first time since 1980. If you had to carve a date into the tombstone, it would be June 16. That's the day GM Sean Holloway traded away franchise man Alan Trammell to Chicago, signalling the full-scale rebuild that began with trades of Scott Sanderson, Rickey Henderson, and Bob Horner in recent years.
The '89 Griffins dropped from 5th to 13th in scoring, lacking both power and team speed. Nevertheless, three youngsters arrived on the scene that could be cornerpieces for the Motown rebuild: Sophomore LF Chris James (.320-13-85) led the team in bWAR, RF Dwight Smith hit .315 with a .370 OBP, and rookie Pat Borders (.312-9-58) was second among catcher in batting and OBP. On the down side, Fred McGriff's development continued to stall (.244, .707 OPS) and Lou Whitaker turned into all-glove, no-bat.
On the pitching side, the team was about where it was last year, which is to say below average. Greg Mathews (11-12, 3.65), undisputed ace, trimmed his ERA by 70 points while reducing his walks and increasing his strikeouts.
A pair of 20-year old rookies offered a glimpse of the staff of the future. Fifth overll pick Andy Benes (9-13, 4.21) had a solid rookie campaign, with 162 Ks and a 3.0 WAR, while closer Mike Stanton notched 30 saves with a 2.75 ERA and 1.02 WHIP.
Next up is the 1990 rookie draft, in which Detroit will have 10 picks in the first two rounds.
62-100 (-15)15th-T overall, 12th in runs, 12th in runs against
The 13-year Jo Lima era came to an end on a low note, at the Canoeists lost 100 for the first time in club history. But Lima's inheritance includes one of the best young pitching staffs in the league, with Floyd Youmans, Jim Abbot, and the league's #1 prospect Curt Schilling.
The four main starters were all 25 or under, but despite its youth, the rotation ranked 9th in ERA. Youmans (6-10, 4.11) took a step backwards, but still led the team in WAR. Abbott led the staff with 12 wins and Bosio had a 3.74 ERA. Veteran Mike Morgan was leading the team with a 3.61 ERA before an injury in early June ended his season.
The offense regressed a bit, dropping three spots to 9th, with the second fewest home runs, despite the emergence of two new stars. 22-year-old Ruben Sierra (.311-34-111, 4.0 WAR) established new career highs with 186 hits, 27 doubles, and a .917 OPS. And 3B Jeff Blauser had a monster rookie season, batting .284-17-75 and solid defense to lead the team with 5.4 WAR. But veterans Lonnie Smith, Kent Hrbek, and Dick Schofield Jr. all slumped, and a 9-19 August buried all hope of a respectable finish.
The 13-year Jo Lima era came to an end on a low note, at the Canoeists lost 100 for the first time in club history. But Lima's inheritance includes one of the best young pitching staffs in the league, with Floyd Youmans, Jim Abbot, and the league's #1 prospect Curt Schilling.
The four main starters were all 25 or under, but despite its youth, the rotation ranked 9th in ERA. Youmans (6-10, 4.11) took a step backwards, but still led the team in WAR. Abbott led the staff with 12 wins and Bosio had a 3.74 ERA. Veteran Mike Morgan was leading the team with a 3.61 ERA before an injury in early June ended his season.
The offense regressed a bit, dropping three spots to 9th, with the second fewest home runs, despite the emergence of two new stars. 22-year-old Ruben Sierra (.311-34-111, 4.0 WAR) established new career highs with 186 hits, 27 doubles, and a .917 OPS. And 3B Jeff Blauser had a monster rookie season, batting .284-17-75 and solid defense to lead the team with 5.4 WAR. But veterans Lonnie Smith, Kent Hrbek, and Dick Schofield Jr. all slumped, and a 9-19 August buried all hope of a respectable finish.
62-100 (+0)15th-T overall, 15th in runs, 16th in runs against
The blossoming of RF Mike Greenwell and a strong final month could not compensate for a feeling of despondency and malaise in Red Hook, as the Superbas fans suffered through a fourth straight losing campaign and a second straight 100-loss season.
Randy Johnson, David Cone, and Kevin Brown all broke into the rotation, and the Big Unit had the most success (8-7, 3.40, 109 K). But it was #1 starter Britt Burns who most typified Brooklyn's pitching, going 5-19 and avoid 20 losses with a gem on the final day.
Other than Greenwell, the batting stars were Matt Williams (26 HR, 68 RBI), and Ken Griffey Jr., the 18-year-old wunderkind who joined the big club after just six weeks in Triple-A. Griffey hit .327-19-58, .924 and was a leading Rookie of the Year candidate.
The blossoming of RF Mike Greenwell and a strong final month could not compensate for a feeling of despondency and malaise in Red Hook, as the Superbas fans suffered through a fourth straight losing campaign and a second straight 100-loss season.
Randy Johnson, David Cone, and Kevin Brown all broke into the rotation, and the Big Unit had the most success (8-7, 3.40, 109 K). But it was #1 starter Britt Burns who most typified Brooklyn's pitching, going 5-19 and avoid 20 losses with a gem on the final day.
Other than Greenwell, the batting stars were Matt Williams (26 HR, 68 RBI), and Ken Griffey Jr., the 18-year-old wunderkind who joined the big club after just six weeks in Triple-A. Griffey hit .327-19-58, .924 and was a leading Rookie of the Year candidate.
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