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Oct. 30, 1992 • World Series Edition
Oct. 30, 1992 • World Series Edition
WORLD SERIES
Fortress Kiner
Griff Ride 7-0 Home Record to Fourth UL Title
Detroit used dominant pitching to claim their fourth President's Trophy (for best regular season record). But in the postseason, they summoned the Griffins of old—the mashing, bashing monsters of Motown that claimed back-to-back UL crowns in '83-84—turning Kiner Field into a run factory. In seven home playoff games, Detroit batted .345 and scored 8.0 runs per game, sweeping all seven to win their fourth UL championship. Add a 15-hit, 13-run rout in Comiskey, and you have one of the most dominant hitting performances in UL playoff history.
Detroit had four regulars with over .900 OPS and 11+ RBIs in 13 postseason contests. Dwight Smith won both World Series and Lew Burdette Playoff MVPs. The 27-year-old left fielder batted .352-2-15, .982 OPS in the playoffs, .565-1-12, 1.469 in the World Series, and capped his performance with a game-winning three-run homer in the clincher. But Smith was not the only hot hand: Dave Nilsson hit 5 homers with a 1.076 OPS, Ozzie Guillen batted .413, and MVP favorite Fred McGriff hit 3 homers with 11 RBIs.
Most preseason predictions had Detroit hovering around mid-table, and GM Sean Holloway admitted that his only goal this year was to make the playoffs, a reasonable milestone for one of the circuit's youngest rosters. But Detroit's young stars grew up fast this year, leading the league in team batting and improving by 23 games to win the East by 12 games. Career years from 1B Fred McGriff and starting ace Andy Benes were just the most notable of a veritable raft of star performances.
For Chicago, despite the disappointment of the World Series loss, 1992 marks a key milestone, as the Colts finally broke out of the West Division after losing the last two Semi Series to Los Angeles. And with a similarly young cast of charaters, Colts fans can expect to see the boys in navy-and-red get many more chances at playoff glory.
GAME 1 - DET 6, CHI 2
Andy Benes got his 22nd win, allowing just one earned run in seven innings, Mark Wohlers got his 51st save, and Dwight Smith drove in three, as Detroit cruised to a 6-2 win in the opener. Alan Trammell homered and scored twice against his former club.
GAME 2 - DET 10, CHI 7
J.M. Robinson shut out the hosts through five innings as the visitors took an early 3-0 lead, but Detroit put up a 5-spot in the sixth and added five more in the next two innings, running up the score on Mark Guthrie and Jeff Montgomery. Rookie catcher Dave Nilsson had three hits, Jeff Treadway drove in two, and Ivan Calderon and Orlando Merced both homered in the eighth inning. Detroit collected 24 hits for a .353 team average in the two home wins.
GAME 3 - CHI 5, DET 2
Rookie Steve Cooke, fresh off team wins against Floyd Youmans and Dave Schmidt, added Pedro Astacio to his list, allowing two runs and striking out seven in seven innings and going 2-for-2 at the plate. Eric Davis and Benito Santiago hit solo homers in the second and Gary Sheffield doubled the lead with a two-run double in the third. Terry Mulholland got a two-inning save and Dwight Smith was 3-for-4 for the Griffins.
GAME 4 - DET 13, CHI 3
Dave Nilsson homered twice, Fred McGriff hit a bases-clearing double, and Dwight Smith hit 4-for-6 with 3 RBIs as the Flyin' Lions rapped 15 hits, including seven extra-base hits in a 13-3 rout. Anthony Young coughed up five runs, and each of the next three pitchers allowed at least two more runs. Santiago hit his sixth playoff homerun, driving in a pair, in the loss.
GAME 5 - CHI 6, DET 1
Facing elimination in their last game at Comiskey, the Bondage Ponies got a gem from Erik Hanson. The 26-year-old righthander allowed just two hits and one run in six innings and Mulholland and Guthrie tossed three shutout innings to silence Detroit's bats. John Kruk's two-run single put the hosts up 3-0 in the third and Albert Belle's two-run double highlighted a three-run seventh as the Colts cruised to victory, forcing the series back to Motown.
GAME 6 - DET 7, CHI 3
Detroit rallied from a 3-1 deficit, plating six unanswered runs to win their seventh straight home playoff game, clinch the series, and secure their fourth UL title. Orlando Merced homered twice, driving in three, but the key hit of the game came in the bottom of the seventh, when Dwight Smith cranked a three-run shot off Mulholland to break a 3-3 tie and send the Kiner Field faithful into delirium. Wohlers completed another two-out save, pushing his playoff line to 7.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, and three saves in five appearances.
• Detroit is the fifth franchise to win four titles and all four have come since 1975. Only Manhattan has more championships during that span.
• Detroit is the fourth team in five years to win the "league-cup double"—that is the President's Trophy and the World Series title. This used to be a rare feat, happening only once in the seven previous years (1981-87). The only team that did it was the 1983 Detroit Griffins.
• Chicago is now 2-8 in the World Series and 0-8 when their opponent is not Cleveland.
Oct. 22, 1992 • Playoff Edition 2
Oct. 22, 1992 • Playoff Edition 2
SEMI SERIES
Jugger-Not
Maroons Swept; Colts to First World Series Since '73
The Chicago Colts made quick work of the pennant-winning St. Louis Maroons, claiming four straight to advance to their first World Series in nearly two decades. The "Bondage Ponies" won in almost every way imaginable: a pitcher's duel, in extra innings, an epic comeback, and a series-winning grand slam at home to cap the sweep.
GAME 1 - CHI 3, STL 1
Erik Hanson held the hosts to a single run in seven innings, and Terry Mulholland notched a two-inning save. Mickey Morandini singled and doubled, driving in a run, and Alan Trammell added an RBI. Lenny Dykstra, Rickey Henderson, and Robin Yount had two hits apiece, but St. Louis could only muster one run in the defeat.
GAME 2 - CHI 5, STL 3 (15 inn)
St. Louis took a 3-1 lead in the seventh on a 3-run dinger by a patented St. Louis secret weapon: a 37-year-old catcher. In past years, this role has been filled by Milt May and Darrell Porter. This time around, it was Gary Carter's turn. But the hosts squandered the lead as quickly as they seized it, as relief man Tom Gordon walked two to set up John Kruk's game-tying single off Calvin Schiraldi. The score held at 3-3 until the top of the 15th, when Gary Sheffield and Albert Belle connected with back-to-back RBI doubles. Jeff M. Robinson was player of the game with 6.1 one-hit innings and eight strikeouts.
GAME 3 - CHI 9, STL 8
Back home in Comiskey with a 2-0 series lead, all optimism was wiped away early, as St. Louis clobbered second-year righthander Anthony Young with a seven-run 2nd inning highlighted by Tony Phillips' three-run homer. But in the department of "finding new and innovative ways of losing", St. Louis managed to squander the huge lead, as Steven Ontiveros gave up a five-spot in the third and Kruk cleared the bases with a go-ahead, three-run triple—again off Schiraldi—in the seventh for a 9-8 Colts lead. Six Chicago relievers combined to hold the Maroons to one run across 7.2 innings, though Dan Pasqua won player of the game with a 4-for-5 day with a home run.
GAME 4 - CHI 6, STL 2
Dave Schmidt locked horns with rookie Steve Cooke in Game 4, and as in Game 6 of the Hex Series, the rookie Cooke was not fazed in the least. In that game he outpitched the best pitcher in the league, Floyd Youmans, leading the Colts to victory in the clincher. In this game, Cooke faced the second greatest pitcher in Maroons' history (after Hall of Famer Billy Pierce), who had appeared in 27 previous playoff tilts.
Both pitchers brought their A-game, pitching identical four-hit shutout ball over six inning starts. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the 8th, when Belle hit a two-run homer, again off Tom Gordon, to move the Colts within three outs of the World Series. But Andres Galarraga's pinch two-run homer tied the game in the ninth, postponing Comiskey celebrations, if only momentarily. Steve Howe loaded the bases with the first three batters he faced, then struck out Trammell, giving him a shot at escaping unscathed with a double play. But instead of a feeble groundout, the next batter, John Olerud, lifted a 3-2 pitch 418 feet to left-center, clearing the bases with a walk-off grand slam and sending the Colts' faithful into unmitigated delirium.
John Kruk took series MVP honors with his .474-1-10, including game-tying and game-winning hits. Chicago now aims to become just the second team to advance from the Hex round to the UL championship (1987 Washington Monuments).
The win ends Chicago's run of four straight Semi Series exits, dating back to 1978, and sends Colts to their 10th World Series and first since 1973. Only the Brooklyn Superbas (11) have made more World Series appearances. The Colts, though, are just 2-7 in previous World Series (including 0-5 vs. Brooklyn).
Echoes of '84
The sweep represents a new nadir for GM Glen Reed's recent playoff woes. Since the Dark Red's back-to-back Doubles in 1988-89, Reed has lost three straight playoff series for the first time in his 41-year UL career. But this one stings a little more. This one has shades of 1984, when the Maroons compiled the best record in 24 years, only to lose 4-1 to the wildcard Washington Monuments, with 17 fewer regular season wins. What's more, only three teams have been swept in 38 Semi Series since its inception in 1974, and the Maroons are the first #1 seed to exit winless.
Reed, famously, is the winningest GM in UL history—a veritable Cornelius McGillicuddy—with 12 titles in his trophy case. However, nine of those triumphs came in his first 11 playoff appearances with Brooklyn and Atlanta up to 1971. The wizened former Barking Gastropod has made 15 playoff appearances since, yielding just three additional championships.
More recently, Reed's Maroons have taken postseason ineptitude to a new level. Forget winning a series—the Maroons have forgotten how to win a playoff game. St. Louis has lost nine straight postseason games since Game 7 of the 1990 Semis (the "ripped a new sphincter" game). All nine losses have come at the hands of Steve Haugh's Chicago Colts, which raises the question: it is still a rivalry if one side always wins? Even Lance Mueller's 1960s Chicago Colts, synonymous with postseason futility, were never swept.
The string of defeats has reportedly thrown Reedster into a deep funk, contemplating a complete retooling of both strategy and personnel heading into his 13th season as Maroons GM—which, coincidentally will equal his reign as the top man in Brooklyn from 1952-64.
SEMI SERIES
Flyin' Lions Edge Mons
GM Holloway Makes Fall Classic Return
In a rematch of the 1984 World Series, Sean Holloway's pennant-winning Griffins took on Mark Waller's Washington Monuments. That '84 Fall Classic went six games, with Detroit defending its title. Since then, however, Detroit lost four straight playoff series then missed the playoffs three years in a row. Over the same span, Washington was 7-5 in playoff series and won the World Series in 1987.
GAME 1 - DET 8, WAS 6
If St. Louis' secret weapon is the patented 37-year-old catcher, Detroit may have stumbled upon a secret weapon of its own: the rookie Australian catcher. Dave Nilsson's three-run homer chased Bob Tewksbury in the fifth, giving the hosts a 7-2 lead. Glenallen Hill's three-run triple pulled the Monuments within one, but Yorkis/Wohlers combo shut them down, as the UL's newly-minted single-season save leader got another one in his playoff debut.
GAME 2 - DET 11, WAS 4
Washington jumped to a 3-0 lead with second-inning homers by Rich Gedman and Glenallen Hill, and Bret Saberhagen, coming off a 2-0, 1.74 in the Hex Series against Manhattan, was coasting. Sabes pitched six innings of shutout ball, allowing just five hits. And then the seventh inning happened...
What followed was one of the biggest offensive outbursts in UL playoff history, as Detroit scored 11 runs in two innings, including five home runs and a pair by MVP front-runner Fred McGriff. The game ended 11-4 with Detroit racking up 19 hits, including a perfect 5-for-5 with three doubles for Chris James.
GAME 3 - WAS 5, DET 0
After allowing 19 runs in two road defeats, Mons fans had reason to feel a bit squeamish heading into Game 3. But Washington managed to rattle off three straight home wins to turn the series on its head. Teddy Higuera's Game 3 start was the turning point: a six-hit shutout that silence Detroit's bats. Ryne Sandberg launched a three-run homer off Pete Schourek in the third, and Rich Gedman and Kirby Puckett tacked on solo shots in the sixth, allowing Higuera to coast to his first playoff win after a pair of no-decisions against the Gray Sox.
GAME 4 - WAS 6, DET 3
Stan Javier's two-run homer in the second plate appearance of the game set the Mons on course for victory. Sandberg was 3-for-4, Wade Boggs homered, and Kevin Tapani pitched seven solid innings, allowing just three runs and striking out eight. Dave Nilsson got his third home run of the series and drove in two of the Griffins' three runs.
GAME 5 - WAS 6, DET 4
With the series all knotted up a 2-2, Washington jumped all over the league's only 20-game winner, plating six runs off Andy Benes, giving Tewksbury plenty of cushion. Mark McGwire was 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs, and Sandberg and Gedman each had a pair of hits and an RBI. Fred McGriff had three hit and Dwight Smith hit an RBI triple, but it was too little, too late, as Detroit faces elimination going home for Game 6.
GAME 6 - DET 6, WAS 1
With their backs against the wall in Kiner Park, the Flyin' Lions got a gem from rookie righthander "The Other" Pedro Astacio. The 22-year-old Dominican held Washington to three hits and a lone run in 7.2 innings. The hosts got production from the bottom of the order, with CF Orlando Merced and SS Ozzie Guillen each driving in a pair of runs. Saberhagen took his second loss in as many starts, pushing his series ERA to 9.28.
GAME 7 - DET 8, WAS 1
To keep its season alive, Washington needed a great start from Teddy Higuera. Instead, it got a good start, followed by a bullpen meltdown that put the game out of reach. Detroit scored three of Higgy—a two-run homer by Chris James in the first and a solo shot by McGriff in the sixth—to build a 3-1 lead after six. But little-known reliever Wayne Edwards gave up five in the next two innings, effectively ending the Monuments' season. McGriff was named series MVP with a .458-3-5, 1.483 OPS batting line.
The series win snapped Detroit's playoff losing streak at four series and send the Lions to the first Fall Classic since their back-to-back titles in 1983-84. Washington has now faltered in the Semi Series three times in the last four years.
Chi-Town vs Motown
World Series Preview
The 1992 UL World Series features one of the greatest sports and inter-city rivalries in the nation. Major industrial cities since the late 1800s, Chicago and Detroit have been sports rivals since the 1920s.
• Detroit was founded in 1701 by a French trader, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. Chicago was founded in 1833 by Haitian Jean Baptiste Point du Sable.
• The Detroit-Chicago Road, completed in 1829, connected Detroit with Fort Dearborn (Chicago). Stagecoaches started heading east in 1833, leading to the most astounding population surge ever experienced by a major American city.
• The booming auto industry made Detroit the fourth-largest city in the nation by 1920.
Chicago and Detroit are linked by having geographically defined and historic rivalries in every sport across the board. Not even Boston-New York or Los Angeles-San Francisco have sets of sports rivalries that run as wide and deep as Chicago vs. Detroit.
White Sox-Tigers
Both founding members of the American League, the Tigers and White Sox have
played in the same division since 1901 (except 1994-97) and met over 2,200 times.
Blackhawks–Red Wings
The Blackhawks and Red Wings are Original Six NHL franchises that have been rivals since 1926. Some notable moments in the rivalry include the 1992 Stanley Cup Playoffs and the 2013 Western Conference Final Game 7.
Bears–Lions
The Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions have been NFL division rivals playing in the same division since 1933. The rivalry is the longest-running annual series in the NFL, with the two teams meeting at least once a season since 1930.
Bulls–Pistons
The NBA's Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons have played in the same division since 1980 and had one of the most intense rivalries in the league in the late '80s during the Michael Jordan/Scottie Pippen-Isiah Thomas/Bill Laimbeer years.
Colts-Griffins
The Chicago Colts and Detroit Sound were both Original Eight founding members of the United League in 1951 and generally have not both been good at the same time.
The Joe DiMaggio/Ralph Kiner "Farting D's" finished third in 1951, but only matched their inaugural .539 winning percentage once in the next quarter-century. Starting in 1953, Chicago emerged as the more successful UL franchise. From 1961-73, the Lance Mueller-led Colts won eight pennants and two UL titles. Meanwhile, Detroit had exactly zero postseason appearances in its first 24 years, despite rebranding as the Griffins in 1958.
However, since Watergate, the Griffins have made 10 playoff appearances, won four President's Trophies, and two UL titles, while Chicago has appeared in exactly zero World Series.
Both teams have finished over .500 only 13 times in their 42 years in the league. This is their first playoff meeting and the closest they came to meeting in the postseason was in 1970, when the Griffins lost 22 of their last 25, including a one-game tiebreaker to the eventual champion Washington Monuments.
Detroit GM Sean Holloway is looking for his third UL trophy (since the 1975 win came under interim GM Doug Kohn, whom nobody remembers anything about). Chicago GM "Chicago" Steve Haugh is making the first trip to the Fall Classic in his ninth year with the Colts.
Oct. 11, 1992 • Playoff Edition 1
Oct. 11, 1992 • Playoff Edition 1
HEX SERIES
Big Mac Squeezes Juice
Monuments Top Sox in Battle of Bash Brothers
The Mons own MAN. For the fourth time in as many meetings, the Washington Monuments have knocked out the Manhattan Gray Sox in the Hex Series. Bret Saberhagen won twice and Mark McGwire homered three times, including in the decisive 1-0 win in Game 6, as Washington won 4-2 to advance to face the Detroit Griffins in the Semi Series. Jose Canseco homered four times and drove in nine runs, accounting for almost half of the Sox offense in a losing effort.
GAME 1 - WAS 7, MAN 1
Bret Saberhagen authored a three-hit gem, and Washington touch Sox hurlers for 12 hits and 7 runs to take a 1-0 series lead at home. Mark McGwire set the tone in the first inning with a two-run homer off Doug Drabek and Rich Gedman was 3-for-4.
GAME 2 - MAN 6, WAS 5
The visitors rallied from 2-4 behind with two runs each in the sixth and seventh innings. Wally Joyner's two-run shot off David Wells in the seventh put the Gray Sox on top and Heathcliff Slocumb earned a two-inning save. John Valentin and Jose Canseco also homered for Manhattan and Washington's Stan Javier was 4-for-5.
GAME 3 - MAN 3, WAS 1
It was Jim Gott Day at Hudson Yards. The 32-year-old former Outlaw allowed just a single unearned run and tied the game 1-1 with a leadoff homer in the sixth. Ed Sprague added a two-run shot later in the inning and Slocumb got his second straight two-inning save as the ManSox seized a 2-1 series lead.
GAME 4 - WAS 4, MAN 2
McGwire was 3-for-4 with a double and a homer and Kirby Puckett drove in a pair, as the visiting Monuments levelled the series 2-2. Saberhagen was solid again, allowing two runs in 6.1 innings before the bullpen shut it down. Canseco homered again for the hosts, driving in both runs in a losing effort.
GAME 5 - WAS 8, MAN 7
Higuera and Drabek were both shaky, as Washington jumped to a 6-4 lead in the first three innings. Javier and McGwire each had three hits, Mariano Duncan drove in four, and Ryne Sandberg homered. Meanwhile, Canseco continued his torrid series, homering twice and driving in five. Trailing 8-6, the Sox pulled within one in the ninth, before Paul Assenmacher shut the door for his second save.
GAME 6 - WAS 1, MAN 0
Melido Perez and Kevin Tapani dueled and Washington's bullpen again came through when it mattered most, preserving a 1-0 lead clinch the series. McGwire's third home run of the series in the second proved to be the game's only run, as Tapani held Manhattan to three hits with six strikeouts in five innings.
McGwire was named series MVP with a .476-3-5 stat line, though Manhattan's Canseco led all batters with 4 HR and 9 RBI.
HEX SERIES
"Bondage Ponies" Win in 7
Haugh's Colts Finally Get Past L.A.
The Chicago Colts handed Los Angeles its first-ever Hex Series loss in a series in which the home side won every game. It was a breakthrough for a Colts team that lost to the Outlaws two years in a row, thanks to GM Steve Haugh's "equine-kink" inspired sartorial selection.
Gary Sheffield took series MVP honors with .333-2-6, while Cory Snyder hit .360-6-10 for L.A. Next up for Chicago: a St. Louis Maroons they have defeated in the playoffs twice in a row.
GAME 1 - CHI 9, LA 2
Erik Hanson went the distance for a six-hit CG and Albert Belle hit 3-for-5 with 3 RBIs as the hosting Colts touched Greg Swindell early and coasted to an easy 9-2 win in the series opener. Alan Trammell scored three times and Andy Van Slyke had half of L.A.'s six hits.
GAME 2 - CHI 7, LA 5
Chicago squandered 4-0 and 5-4 leads before pulling ahead for good on a pinch-hit two-run double by Chad Curtis, arguably the 23rd most famous player on the 25-man roster. Gary Sheffield hit a three-run bomb off David Beard in the four-run third inning, but L.A. levelled it with Cory Snyder's two-run homer and Ken Caminiti's two-run double. The Outlaw's leaky bullpen let in three last runs, however, two of which were unearned, while Colts closer Todd Burns set down the side in the ninth for the save.
GAME 3 - LA 9, CHI 5
Back in the friendly confines of Arroyo Seco Stadium, the Outlaws' bats came alive, with 3-4-5 hitters Frank Thomas, Cory Snyder, and Tom Brunansky combining for 6 hits, 7 runs, and 8 RBIs. In a matchup between the presumptive Cy Young winner and a rookie starter, L.A. pinned five runs on Steve Cooke, then piled on three more on Charles Nagy. Youmans was not great, but went the distance with a 140-pitch, 10 K effort, despite allowing 11 hits and 3 walks. Brunansky won POG honors with his 2-3, HR, 4 RBI night.
GAME 4 - LA 1, CHI 0
In a classic postseason pitchers' duel, Rheal Cormier edged J.M. Robinson 1-0, with the clubs combining for a meager seven hits. The Franco-Canadian southpaw tossed seven shutout innings and a pair of relievers contributed perfect innings, while SS Rey Sanchez' 5th inning double was not only the game's only extra-base hit, but also drove in the game's only run.
GAME 5 - LA 9, CHI 5
A four-run 8th off Jeff Montgomery blew open a tight game, giving L.A. a third straight home win and a 3-2 series advantage heading back to the Windy City. Cory Snyder homered twice, including the first of three homers in four momentous at-bats in the bottom of the eighth. Tom Brunansky and Ron Karkovice hit the others, as L.A. turned a slim 5-4 advantage into a chasm. Alan Trammell had three hits, including a home run, for the Colts.
GAME 6 - CHI 6, LA 3
With their backs against the wall, Chicago got four early runs off Beard and then held on for a 6-3 win. Sheffield was 3-for-4 with a homer and John Kruk contributed a key two-run homer in the sixth after L.A. had pulled within one run. Anthony Young got the win, thanks largely to four shutout innings by Mark Guthrie and Terry Mulholland. Cory Snyder's three-run shot was his fifth HR of the series.
GAME 7 - CHI 4, LA 3
In a Game 7 instant classic, Chicago blew a 2-0 lead, Los Angeles blew a 3-2 lead, and Chicago ultimately prevailed with a pair of late runs off a tiring Floyd Youmans, who refused to yield to the bullpen. Trammell scored in the first on a Karkovice passed ball and scored again in the fifth on Sheffield's single after fouling off four pitches. The 2-0 lead vanished as soon as it appeared after solo homers by Caminiti and Brunansky in the top of the fourth, and L.A. took a 3-2 lead on Snyder's sixth homer of the series two innings later. Youmans retired 9 of 10 batters into the eighth inning, before issuing a walk to Eric Davis, who advanced to third on Kruk's double, then scored on Mickey Morandini's sac fly, which proved to be the game- and series-winning play. Mulholland gave up a single to Brunansky before fanning Jay Bell and Tony Bernazard and finding himself at the bottom of a doggie pile on the infield grass as 53,000+ Comiskey faithful celebrated finally getting past their playoff nemesis.
Griffins Back on Top
Detroit, Manhattan Make Playoff Returns
Two former UL giants will return to the postseason after a few years' absence. The Detroit Griffins improved by 23 wins to grab the East pennant and Manhattan improved by 19 to grab third place in the East. Detroit's last appearance was in 1988 and Manhattan's was in 1989. Both clubs took advantage of Toronto's decline, as a slew of injuries ended the Polar Bears' run of four straight division pennants.
In the West, St. Louis returned to the top of the pack after a pair of 3rd place finishes, while Los Angeles recovered from a slow start to secure their record 12th consecutive playoff appearance.
Top Stories from 1992:
1. Fred McGriff hit 55 homers (4th-T all-time), and 145 RBIs (6th all-time) to lead the Detroit Griffins back to the pennant as the most-improved team of 1992. Detroit was .500 last year and had 95 losses just three years ago. The Griffins claimed the President's Trophy for the fourth time, and the first since 1983.
2. Los Angeles ace Floyd Youmans struck out 316, earning his second strikeout title, the most since Whitey Ford in 1966.
3. Toronto set a new team home run record with 295 homers. A record four Polar Bears hit at least 40: Ellis Burks, Mickey Tettleton, Rafael Palmeiro, and Ron Gant. Despite the Beavertail Brothers' homer heroics, Toronto was just the second #1 offense in two decades to miss the playoffs (1980 Manhattan).
3. Bip Roberts won his second straight batting title in dramatic fashion. Tied with Atlanta's Tony Gwynn going into the last day, Bip homered his first time up and went on to bat 3-for-5 to finish with a .355 average. His 236 hits also led the league and tied for the 8th most all-time. Willie McGee had a 21-game hitting streak in September that lifted his batting average to .354 and put him in the thick of the race, only to have the streak end at the worst possible moment. McGee went hitless on Sept. 29, and 2-for-8 in his last two games, while Montreal's Bip Roberts went 5-for-10 to nab his second straight batting title.
4. Andy Benes started the season 12-0 and was 17-1 in early August before finishing 20-4. His .833 win percentage tied him for 10th all-time. Benes is Detroit's first 20-game winner since Pedro Ramos in 1966.
5. Teddy Higuera pitched a no-hitter in April 12. He struck out 11, making it just the third 11-K no-hitter after Ray Sadecki in 1964 and Mark Langston in 1990.
6. A record eight players hit homer hat tricks, including a pair by McGriff.
7. Boston's Pat Hentgen had two 15-strikeout games 15 days apart. He joins Whitey Ford (1966), Don Wilson (1978), and Dwight Gooden (1984). Wilson had three 15-K outings in a 12-day span.
West Triad Intact
Maroons Grab First Pennant Since '89
Despite spirting runs by the Havana Leones and even, briefly, the Denver 14ers, the same three clubs finished atop the West Division for the third year in a row. The only difference this year is that St. Louis and Los Angeles swapped places, with the Maroons improving by 14 games to grab their first pennant since 1989 and Los Angeles rebounding from a 27-33 start to claim their 12th straight playoff appearance. L.A. and St. Louis are the owners of the longest playoff streaks in UL history. But in between them are the Chicago Colts, who were bridesmaids for the fourth time in a row, but are looking to break through to the World Series for the first time since 1973 after four straight Semi Series defeats dating back to 1978.
Most Consecutive Playoff Appearances
12 - Los Angeles 1981-1992
10 - St. Louis 1983-92
8 - Brooklyn 1957-64
8 - Detroit 1981-88
6 - Chicago 1961-66
6 - Manhattan 1974-79
6 - Manhattan 1984-89
100-Win Seasons Since 1977
4 - St. Louis
3 - Detroit
3 - Los Angeles
2 - Manhattan
Havana was 44-40 and in third place as the midway point, before a 37-39 finish and L.A.'s surge landed them a distant fourth. Denver was 31-26 in the first two months, then floundered to a 47-56 record the rest of the season.
Ups and Downs
Churn in the East
The four biggest movers in terms of year-over-year change in wins were all in the East Division. Detroit was the most improved team in the league, and also had the biggest change (+23), while Toronto was the most diminished, winnning 17 games fewer. But the second biggest gainers and losers were also in the East: Manhattan (+19) and Brooklyn (-14). These big shifts explain the replace ment of the Superbas and Polar Bears with the Griffins and Gray Sox in the playoff field.
In the West, St. Louis was the most improved. Already a playoff team a year ago, if barely so, the Maroons won 14 more in 1992, while Denver won 11 more but still fell short of .500. On the declining side, Florida won 13 fewer and Los Angeles 11 fewer, with the rest of division hovering close to their 1991 performances.
Detroit's +23 comes just two years after a similar 21-win jump from 67 to 88, giving Detroit a three-year jump of 36 wins, which ranks in the top 8 in league history and is second only to the Griffins' meteoric rise from 1978-81. Incidentally, the biggest three-year rise in league history was the Atlanta Hilltoppers' 55-win improvement from 1964 to 1967, when they went from 44-118 to to World Series champions.
Year-on-Year Change in Wins
Detroit +23
Manhattan +19
St. Louis +14
Boston +13
Denver +11
Keystone +3
Washington +3
Chicago +2
Havana -2
Seattle -2
Atlanta -5
San Francisco -5
Cleveland -8
Los Angeles -11
Montreal -11
Florida -13
Brooklyn -14
Toronto -17
Hex Series Preview
Rivals Face Off in Round of Six
East: Washington vs Manhattan
Manhattan returns to the postseason for the first time since 1989, which was the tail-end of a six-year playoff run that saw the Gray Sox bounced in the Hex Series five times out of six, including three times by their archrivals Washington Monuments, who they face again this year.
Washington is making its fourth straight playoff appearance, having advanced to the Semi Series in two of the last three years. The Monuments are one of the most successful franchises in the Hex Series, going 5-1 since its introduction in 1984, and 3-0 against Manhattan.
Manhattan was 8-2 in regular season meetings; Roberto Kelly hit .355, Gaetti and Canseco each homered three times, and John Valentin drove in seven runs. Drabek, Gott, Pastore, and Perez were a combined 4-0. Washington's Rich Gedman feasted on Manhattan pitching, batting .487-3-11, 1.372. Saberhagen was 2-0, 2.12 and Higuera 0-3, 4.30.
West: Chicago vs Los Angeles
Chicago and Los Angeles meet in the playoffs for the third year in a row, this time in the Hex Series.
The Colts are 2-1 all-time in the Hex Round, including 4-3 and 4-0 wins over St. Louis the last two years. Their opponents in this year's Hex will be the team that knocked them out in the Semi Series the last two years: the Los Angeles Outlaws.
L.A. has little experience in the Hex Series, having won first round byes most years. However, in their three Hex Series appearances, Vays' charges are 3-0, most recently a 4-2 series win over Seattle in 1989.
Chicago was 8-3 against the Outlaws in the regular season. John Kruk hit .400, Gary Sheffield .372, and Bill Spiers .357; while Alan Trammell drove in 10 runs. Jeff M. Robinson had a 1.76 ERA in 15.1 innings and Terry Muholland was 1.90 in 23.2. L.A.'s hottest hitter was Tom Brunansky (.325-3-11, 1.014) and best pitcher was Floyd Youmans (2.53 in 21.1).
League Standings
League Standings
West W L GB 2ndH R RA
St. Louis 101 59 - 44-32 2 4
Chicago 93 67 8 42-34 7 5
Los Angeles 90 70 11 49-27 12 1
Havana 81 79 20 37-39 9 8
Seattle 80 80 21 40-36 11 15
Denver 78 82 23 35-41 15 7
San Francisco 67 93 34 28-48 13 16
Atlanta 61 99 40 35-41 18 6
Florida 56 104 40 12-15 17 9
East W L GB 2ndH R RA
Detroit 103 57 - 49-27 6 3
Washington 91 69 12 44-32 8 2
Manhattan 89 71 14 44-42 3 13
Toronto 83 77 20 32-44 1 18
Boston 80 80 23 40-36 5 14
Brooklyn 79 81 24 38-38 4 10
Montreal 75 85 28 35-41 10 12
Keystone 67 93 36 32-44 14 17
Cleveland 66 94 37 31-45 16 10
League Leaders
League Leaders
Batting Average
Bip Roberts MON .355
Tony Gwynn ATL .354
Willie McGee SEA .352
Kirby Puckett WAS .342
Chris Brown SEA .340
Fred McGriff DET .338
Ivan Calderon DET .332
Kal Daniels HAV .327
Lenny Dykstra STL .327
Wade Boggs WAS .324
Earned Run Average
Pedro Martinez ATL 2.13
Floyd Youmans LA 2.59
Greg Swindell LA 2.75
Pat Hentgen BOS 2.83
Anthony Young CHI 2.84
Bret Saberhagen WAS 2.87
Teddy Higuera WAS 2.96
Andy Benes DET 2.97
Erik Hanson CHI 3.07
Fern Valenzuela ATL 3.32
Infield Zone Rating
Alan Trammell CHI 16.3
Rey Sanchez LA 16.1
Ozzie Guillen DET 13.7
Bill Spiers CHI 10.1
Dickie Thon FLO 9.2
Home Runs
Fred McGriff DET 55
Jose Canseco MAN 49
Ken Griffey Jr BRO 49
Ellis Burks TOR 48
Cory Snyder LA 46
Rafael Palmeiro TOR 45
Mick Tettleton TOR 45
Mike Stanley HAV 43
Ron Gant TOR 41
Tim Salmon KEY 40
Wins
Andy Benes DET 20
Jeff M Robinson CHI 18
Greg Swindell LA 18
Teddy Higuera WAS 17
Charlie Lea TOR 16
Frank Pastore MAN 16
Kevin Ritz HAV 16
Mike Scott MON 16
Floyd Youmans LA 16
Outfield Zone Rating
Stan Javier WAS 18.8
Ken Griffey Jr BRO 17.3
Sammy Sosa BOS 9.3
Tim Salmon KEY 7.8
Chili Davis WAS 7.7
RBIs
Fred McGriff DET 145
Rich Gedman WAS 124
Mike Piazza BOS 124
Ricky Jordan SEA 123
Barry Bonds BOS 122
Rafael Palmeiro TOR 119
Junior Felix MON 118
Cory Snyder LA 117
Albert Belle CHI 116
Mike Stanley HAV 116
Strikeouts
Floyd Youmans LA 316
Pat Hentgen BOS 261
Roger Clemens BOS 257
Teddy Higuera WAS 256
Mike Mussina FLO 244
Fern Valenzuela ATL 241 Mark Langston HAV 238
Curt Schilling MON 230
Pedro Martinez ATL 212
Mike Scott MON 208
bWAR
Ken Griffey Jr BRO 10.1
Shane Mack HAV 8.3
Alan Trammell CHI 8.3
Fred McGriff DET 8.2
Gary Sheffield CHI 8.2
Ryne Sandberg WAS 7.9
Kal Daniels HAV 7.2
Ivan Calderon DET 7.1
Barry Bonds BOS 6.9
Bip Roberts MON 6.8
pWAR
Floyd Youmans LA 6.9
Teddy Higuera WAS 5.8
Bret Saberhagen WAS 5.6
Andy Benes DET 5.5
Pedro Martinez ATL 5.4
Fern Valenzuela ATL 5.2
Pat Hentgen BOS 5.2
Dave Schmidt STL 5.0
Greg Swindell LA 4.4
Kevin Brown BRO 4.4
Awards
Awards
Batter of the Month
APR Eric Davis MAN
MAY Howard Johnson TOR
JUN Rafael Palmeiro TOR
JUL Jose Canseco MAN
AUG Fred McGriff DET
SEP Fred McGriff DET
Pitcher of the Month
APR Ron Darling DEN
MAY Curt Schilling MON
JUN Pat Hentgen BOS
JUL Frank Pastore MAN
AUG Floyd Youmans LA
SEP Doug Henry SEA
Rookie of the Month
APR Tim Salmon KEY
MAY Pedro Martinez ATL
JUN Mike Piazza BOS
JUL Tim Salmon KEY
AUG Steve Cooke CHI
SEP Frank Castillo SF
Player of the Week
4/6 Phil Bradley CLE
4/13 Wade Boggs WAS
4/20 Mike Devereaux FLO
4/27 Mike Piazza BOS
5/4 Alan Trammell CHI
5/11 Junior Felix MON
5/18 Howard Johnson TOR
5/25 Fred McGriff DET
6/1 Kal Daniels HAV
6/8 Will Clark DEN
6/15 Benito Santiago CHI
6/22 Rafael Palmeiro TOR
6/29 Mike Stanley HAV
7/6 Glenallen Hill WAS
7/13 Frank Thomas LA
7/20 Rich Gedman WAS
7/27 Matt Williams BRO
8/3 Tim Salmon KEY
8/10 Mike Piazza BOS
8/17 Fred McGriff DET
8/24 Willie McGee SEA
8/31 Glenallen Hill WAS
9/7 Tony Phillips STL
9/14 Andy Van Slyke LA
9/21 Chris Brown SEA
9/28 Andy Van Slyke LA
Milestones
Milestones
July 25 - STL Rickey Henderson 2,000 hits (#46 all-time)
Aug 3 - DEN Tim Raines 700 stolen bases (#4 all-time)
Aug 3 - LA Andy Van Slyke 1,000 runs (#46 all-time)
Aug 19 - BRO Willie Upshaw 1,000 runs (#48 all-time)
Aug 25 - BRO Willie Upshaw 1,000 RBIs (#44 all-time)
Sep 1 - SEA Brian Harper 2,000 hits (#46 all-time)
Sep 3 - DEN Tim Raines 1,000 runs (#48 all-time)
Sep 11 - BRO Willie Upshaw 2,000 hits (#47 all-time)
Sep 11 - HAV Kal Daniels 400 stolen bases (#28 all-time)
Sep 13 - SF Jose Oquendo 400 stolen bases (#30 all-time)
Sep 27 - HAV Mark Langston 2,000 strikeouts (#37 all-time)
Injuries
(playoff teams)
Injuries
(playoff teams)
MAN RF Phil Bradley (2 mo)
STL 1B Pat Tabler (3 wk)
East Division
East Division
103-57 (+23)
1st overall
6th in runs • 3rd in runs against
After putting up C-Rob-like power numbers, Fred McGriff is a frontrunner to win Detroit's first MVP since Bob Horner in 1983. His 394 total bases were the third most since 1978 and ninth all-time. But the Crime Dog's exploits have overshadowed the real story: the emergence of a top-3 pitching staff in Motown. Detroit boasted the third lowest runs against and the third best bullpen. Ace Andy Benes (age 24) was 17-1 in early August and finished as the league's only 20-game winner (20-4, 2.97). Lefty Pete Schourek (23) adjusted well to a starting role in his second year, trimming his ERA to 3.39 and notching 11 wins. And 11th overall pick Pedro Astacio (22) had 157 strikeouts and a 1.14 WHIP in his freshman campaign. Closer Mark Wohlers (22) set the single-season save record with 49, along with a 2.02 ERA and 1.20 WHIP.
Offensively, the Flyin' Lions had the best team batting average, led by Ivan Calderon (.332), Kevin Mitchell (.310), and Chris James (.300). Calderon, the former Chicago Colt, drove in 87 and OPSed .945, compiling 7.1 WAR, 8th in the league. And shortstop Ozzie Guillen hit .292 with 57 RBIs while finishing third among infielders in zone rating.
The common denominator on the roster is youth. The entire rotation is 25 or under, and Calderon and Mitchell are the only regulars over 30. This team is built for the long haul and should contender for championships for many years to come.
91-69 (+3)
4th overall
8th in runs • 2nd in runs against
The Monuments made the playoffs for the seventh time in nine years with their usual recipe of elite pitching, solid defense, and league-average offense. The rotation ranked #1 with a 3.41 ERA, led as usual by Bert and Teddy, who both finished in the top 3 in WAR. Saberhagen's 2.87 ERA and 1.01 WHIP were just under his career averages, while Higuera turned in a WHIP under 1.00 for the fourth time in five years. At the bottom of the rotation, 30-year-old righthander Bob Tewksbury set career marks with 14 wins and a 3.68 ERA and Kevin Tapani found his groove (11-7, 3.62) after three years as a #5 starter in Atlanta and Cleveland.
The defense featured three of the best gloves in the league. CF Stan Javier won the Willie Mays Award, 2B Ryne Sandberg had a 8.0 ZR and RF Kirby Puckett 5.7.
The offense ranked just 8th in total runs, but featured some big-name contributors. Sandberg's 7.9 WAR was his best in five seasons, and he drove in over 100 runs for the second year in a row and swiped 32 bases. Wade Boggs had his 8th 200-hit season. Rich Gedman led with 124 RBI. Glenallen Hill led in slugging (.549) and OPS (.899). And 1B Mark McGwire led with 29 HR after coming over from Atlanta in mid-April.
89-71 (+19)
6th overall
3rd in runs • 13th in runs against
Manhattan was the second-most improved team (after Detroit) and also along with Detroit, one of the biggest surprise teams of 1992. The bulk of the credit goes to the offense, which produced the Gray Sox greatest run total since the Dynasty, despite (or perhaps because of) trading away future Hall of Famer Eric Davis on May 1.
The ManSox were 2nd in homers and 3rd in runs, led by LF Jose Canseco (.305-49-109), who had the highest OPS of his career (.991) and his second best overall season after his HR/RBI title in 1989. Rookie infielder John Valentin was the second most productive bat. The #5 overall pick batted .257-30-96, .816, Rookie of the Year numbers in any other season without a Salmon and a Piazza. 1B Ed N. Sprague had a breakout year (28 HR, 81 RBI), and the trades for veteran 3B Gary Gaetti (28/80) and CF Mike Devereaux (24/67) paid immediate dividends.
Meanwhile, the pitching was much improved from last year's last place finish. Sox hurlers allowed 0.7 fewer runs and moved up five spots to 13th in runs against. Of a trio of newcomers in the rotation, only Melido Perez pitched well (4.20 ERA, 1.35 WHIP), but 34-year-old Frank Pastore was a steady presence and an innings-eater and led the staff with 16 wins and 155 Ks. After a year with no legit closers, 25-year-old Heathcliff Slocumb, picked up in the Eric Davis trade on May 1, was thrust into the role and performed admirably with 20 saves and a 2.61 ERA.
83-77 (-17)
7th overall
1st in runs • 18th in runs against
It started with Jose Mesa on March 19, then Dwight Gooden April 21, Scott Sanderson on June 20, Ellis Burks on July 18, Chris Sabo on Aug. 30, Tom Candiotti Sept. 21. Call it the Curse of the Cusp. On nearly every month this season, right around the 20th, a key Toronto player went down to injury. Sum it all up, and the three-time defending division champions lost just under $10 million to the IL, more than a third of the league total. The Gooden injury three weeks into the season was the most damning. But it was also early enough that GM Eric Clemons could make some adjustments. But Gooden and Sanderson combined for 11 WAR last year, so it was always going to be a rough pitching year, but nobody expected the complete collapse to 18th in the league in runs allowed. Sanderson (3.60) and Charlie Lea (3.87) were the only starters with ERAs under 5.00, but Sanderson missed the second half and Lea was traded to Havana in a deal that included Greg Mathews, who tossed a 6.06 in 16 starts. Michael Jackson (31 saves, 3.52) performed well in the closer role, but the rest of the pen was only marginally better than the rotation.
Toronto set a new team home run record with 295 homers. A record four Polar Bears (the Beavertail Brothers) hit at least 40: Ellis Burks, Mickey Tettleton, Rafael Palmeiro, and Ron Gant. Howard Johnson would have made it five; HoJo had 26 HR in the first half but was traded to Havana on July 1 in the Lea/Mathews deal.
Toronto was the highest scoring team since Atlanta in 1971 but also just the second #1 offense in two decades to miss the playoffs (1980 Manhattan) and the first team ever to finish first in runs and last in runs against. Apart from the Beavertails, Roberto Alomar had another fine season (.319-18-83, .831 OPS).
Toronto's 17-game drop was the biggest decline in the league and the slew of pitching injuries illustrates that even a historically good offense can only carry you so far: in this case to 83-77 and their first playoff miss since 1987.
80-80 (+13)
9-T overall
5th in runs • 14th in runs against
Boston produced 4.9 runs per game, the most since 1954's Jackie Robinson, Larry Doby, Lou Boudreau New York Gothams, and they hit .500 or better for the fourth time in six years, but the 14th-ranked pitching staff kept the club from contending.
First, let's talk about that offense. Boston hitters walked over 500 times for the first time in a decade, which contributed to the 2nd-best team OBP of .340. The 3-4-5 trio of Barry Bonds, Mike Piazza, and Sammy Sosa all had 30/100 seasons. Bonds rebounded from last year's slump, but at .290/.949 OPS still hit below his career averages. Piazza, the #2 overall pick, had a stunning debut campaign (.305-36-124, .914, 4.6 WAR) that may still fall short of Rookie of the Year (see Keystone, below). And Sosa, in his second full year as a regular, had a breakout season, driving in 35 more runs and lifting his average 30 points to .287 and his OPS a stunning 170 points to .981. Another sophomore, 2B Chuck Knoblauch, led the team with a .322 average and 1B Edgar Martinez bat over .300 and OPSed over .800 for the second straight year.
Pat Hentgen was the only star on an otherwise lackluster pitching staff. Hentgen were exactly 15-9 for the second year in a row, while slicing his ERA 110 points to 2.83. Hentgen had two 15-strikeout games 15 days apart, the only pitcher to do the feat since Don Wilson had three 15s in 1978. Ace Roger Clemens, fresh off a $12 million contract extension, had his worst ERA (4.47), WHIP (1.33) and WAR (3.2) in a non-injury season since 1985. Rookies Scott Kamieniecki and Tim Wakefield were overmatched, with a combined ERA around 5.00, and the 16th-ranked bullpen was a sieve, with closer Bobby Witt posting a 5.82 ERA. One bright spot in the pen was lefty Chuck Finley, who had a 2.77 ERA in 40 appearances.
79-81 (-14)
11th overall
4th in runs • 10th in runs against
Widely predicted to be a playoff team, the Superbas were perhaps the season's biggest disappointment, other than Toronto, regressing by 14 games to a their first losing record since 1989. The main problem was that last year's top-5 pitching staff could not sustain their excellence. Kevin Brown's ERA shot up 70 points to 4.55, Ramon Martinez' 90 points to 4.50, and Britt Burns' 75 point to 4.22. The rotation ranked 12th in ERA and the bullpen wasn't much better, as Mike Timlin and John Wetteland both had ERAs over 4.00.
It was a different story at the plate, where Brooklyn ranked 2nd in OPS and WAR, 3rd in batting and OBP, and 4th in runs scored. Three regulars slugged over .500 and drove in over 100 runs, led by MVP frontrunner Ken Griffey Jr (.300-49-113, .983) who finished in the top 4 in OPS for the third straight year and led the leageu with 10.1 WAR. 3B Matt Williams had his third straight 100-RBI year, while compiling a career-best .955 OPS. And 34-year-old 1B Willie Upshaw had his best season in five years, batting .308-22-110 for a 4.4 WAR. Last, but not least, 2B Geronimo Pena, a year out from being ranked the #4 league prospect, turned in an All-Star performance with a .299 average and 87 RBIs.
75-85 (-11)
13th overall
10th in runs • 12th in runs against
After last year's 32-game improvement, the Canoeists regressed a bit to 75-85 and 7th place in the East. The pitching staff gave back half of last year's 1.0-run improvement, as Chris Bosio and Kenny Rogers had higher ERAs and newcomers Mike Scott and Larry McWilliams performed at or below league average. Former #1 league prospect Curt Schilling trimmed his ERA 20 points to 3.88 and was the staff workhorse with 252 innings, but suffered control problems, issuing a league-high 107 walks, or 3.8 per nine. At age 33, closer Lee Smith's ERA and WHIP number ticked slightly above his career averages, but he still managed 28 saves with a 3.09 ERA.
The offense scored at the same clip as a year ago (4.5 per game), but dropped four positions to 10th amid the leaguewide increase in scoring. Bip Roberts had 11 multi-hit games in his last 12 games, batting .475 (28-59) to raise his average 11 points and surge to the batting title, his second straight, with a career-high 236 hits, tied for 8th most all-time. In his second year as a full-time regular, RF Junior Felix was a production machine, hitting 35 homers and driving in 110 runs. LF Larry Walker, age 24, lifted his average 30 points and his OPS 85 to .314 and .811, respectively. And second-year catcher Ivan Rodriguez batted .304-10-84, .761. So the young hitters are coming into their stride.
67-93 (+3)
14-T overall
14th in runs • 17th in runs against
Keystone added a pair of #3 draft picks to their lineup and the move had an immediate impact, as the Starlings scored 75 more runs and climbed three spots to 14th in offense. 1B Jeff Bagwell had 21 HR and a .769 OPS in his rookie campaign, while Tim Salmon produced a rare 100-RBI/.900+ OPS rookie season. CF Reggie Sanders batted just .219 in his rookie outing, but still managed to drive in 89 runs and 1991 Rookie of the Year, 2B Carlos Baerga, hit .307 with an .818 OPS and fell one shy of his second straight 200-hit season.
Workhorse Kirk McCaskill led the staff with 239 innings and a 4.51 ERA while former Griffin Scott Bankhead led with 182 strikeouts and a 3.2 WAR. The bullpen was the league's second worst. Rod Beck and Roberto Hernandez failed to build on strong rookie seasons. Beck's ERA nearly tripled from 2.53 to 6.79 while RoHern exploded from 1.56 to 7.04. Former Cleveland Baron John Dopson was much better in the closer role, notching 29 saves with a 3.90 ERA.
66-94 (-8)
16th overall
16th in runs • 10th in runs against
After briefly touching .500 two years ago, the Barons have returned to the second division, suffering their seventh losing season in eight years and extending the league's longest playoff drought to 18 years. The biggest issue in 1992 was the pitching, which allowed 4.58 runs per game, the most since the club's first year in Cleveland in 1959. While the starters were league-average, the bullpen ranked dead last with a 4.83 ERA as Steve Olin's ERA almost doubled and John Costello struggled in the closer role. Joe Magrane was the best starter, but had an off year by his standards and could muster just 10 wins and a 3.40 ERA.
Tony Fernandez (.296, .739 OPS) rebounded from an off year and the Barons stole plenty of bases when they could get on base, which wasn't often, with a .313 team OBP. Midseason trades of their only longball threats Phil Bradley and Bob Horner left 26-year-old 1B Hal Morris as the top hitter, with .296-15-74, .791.
On the plus side, the Barons shelled out their smallest payroll in three decades and turned a profit for the first time in seven years.
West Division
West Division
101-59 (+14)
2nd overall
2nd in runs • 4th in runs against
St. Louis did something this year that only one other team has done—qualify for the postseason 10 years in a row—and won 100 games for the league-most fourth time since 1977. Thepitching rebounded from last year's 11th to place 4th, while the offense returned to the top 2 for the first time since 1988.
The Dark Reds were 1st in OBP and bWAR and the leader in both categories was 2B Tony Phillips, who turned in career highs with 186 and .313 batting to go with a .395 OBP and 6.8 WAR. While leadoff man Rickey Henderson slumped to a career-low .362 OBP, other leadoff man Lenny Dykstra contributed a career best .881 OPS and near career-best .394 OBP. Julio Franco also had a .395 OBP. With that table service, it is no surprised the Maroons scored a second-most 798 runs; those top 3 in the lineup scored over 300 of them.
But the hidden secret behind St. Louis' offensive success this year was the acquistition of a 36-year-old shortstop. Robin Yount, in his 19th season in the UL, hit .314-19-90, .863 with career best .365 OBP, his second best batting average and his highest WAR in four years. Yount was particularly hot in the last third of the season, batting .381 after Aug. 1.
Another oldster who turned back the hands of time was 34-year-old starter Dave Schmidt, who's 1.26 WHIP and 5.0 WAR were his best in three years, and 32-year-old Craig McMurtry, whose 2.85 ERA was his best in eight years and led the staff.
Tom Glavine led the staff with 15 wins and 162 strikeouts, despite a lackluster 4.43 ERA, while closer Steve Howe topped 30 saves for the seventh time and moved to #2 on the all-time save list with 379, just 15 behind Joe Sambito. St. Louis was 12-3 in extra innings, best in the league. The Maroons had their highest payroll in 20 years and suffered their biggest loss since 1983.
93-67 (+2)
3rd overall
7th in runs • 5th in runs against
Despite falling short of a division pennant with a fourth straight 2nd place finish, Chicago won 90 games and made the playoffs for the third year in a row for the first time under GM Steve Haugh and the first time since the 1961-66 dynasty. While the offense slipped a bit, from back-to-back years as #2 to just #5 this year, the offense more than compensated with the best offensive production in 25 years despite the loss of their best hitter Ivan Calderon.
The attack was led by 3-4 hitters Gary Sheffield (.324-28-93) and Albert Belle (.316-30-116), and was augmented by Benny Santiago, John Olerud, and Alan Trammell, who all contributed 80+ RBIs. Eric Davis was disappointing after a blockbuster trade with Manhattan on May 1, but still hit 26 HR and an .816 OPS in 127 games. Trammell led all infielders with a 16.3 zone rating and finished in the top 3 in WAR for the sixth time and the first time in six years.
Steve Cooke (13-5, 3.43) was second only to Pedro Martinez in WAR among rookie hurlers, while Jeff M. Robinson was 2nd in wins (18) and second-year righthander Anthony Young was 5th in ERA (2.84) and 1st in HR/9 (0.5). The bullpen was 3rd in the league and the rotation 4th. Closer Todd Burns (34 SV, 2.63) had a career best ERA and WHIP.
90-70 (-11)
5th overall
12th in runs • 1st in runs against
The defending champs were in 7th on June 1 and 5th at the midway point, but overtook Denver during their successful Founder's Cup campaign and took sole position of third by July 16. Their 49-27 second half tied with Detroit for the best in the league, and secured the Outlaws' 12th straight playoff appearance, despite its worst record and lowest finish during that span.
L.A. led the league in pitching for the ninth time in 11 years, led by Cy Young candidate Floyd Youmans, whose 316 strikeouts were the most since Whitey Ford in 1966, and who 2nd in ERA (2.59) and 1st in WAR (6.9). Greg Swindell followed up last year's solid year with a spectacular 1992 (18-7, 2.75) the 26-year old was third in ERA and tied for 2nd in wins. Former Griffin and 14er Todd Frohwirth seized the closer role by the horns (37 saves, 2.03 ERA).
L.A. ranked 12 in offense, their lowest finish since 1979, but that is misleading since Frank Thomas did not join the roster until June and several players suffered extended slumps in the first half. Indeed, L.A. ranked 15th in runs on July 1, then scored at least five in six of seven games during their 6-1 Founder's Cup run. Cory Snyder had his second straight 40 HR/100 RBI/.900 OPS season, and Andy Van Slyke had a torrid September (.398, 1.176 OPS) to finish with his highest WAR since 1985 and and his seventh 5+ WAR season.
If there are any weaknesses, they would be at the bottom of the rotation and lineup. Dave Beard's 4.74 ERA was a career worst, and Ron Karkovice and Rey Sanchez are close to automatic outs. Having said that, if Youmans and Swindell are on, they will carry this club to their first back-to-back titles in franchise history.
81-79 (-2)
8th overall
9th in runs • 8th in runs against
The Leones were in the playoff zone for much of the summer, then won six straight in late August to pull within one of L.A. on August 28, only to go 9-18 down the stretch to fade out of contention. Still, Havana's third straight winning season put their first six losing seasons further in the rearview mirror.
The Cats hit 198 homers, third in the league and smashing the former club record by 40. The 2-6 hitters (Kal Daniels, Shane Mack, Mike Stanley, Howard Johnson, and Kevin Mitchell) were the most fearsome Murderer's Row this side of the Beavertail Brothers, averaging 34 HR and 98 RBIs. Catcher Mike Stanley, in his second year with the Green-and-Gold, led the pack with 43 HR and 116 RBIs, while Shane Mack led with .975 OPS and Kal Daniels swiped 45 bases to go with his .956 OPS. Mack, Stanley, and Daniels were all in the top 7 in OPS, but so stark was the dropoff after those three that the club ranked just 8th in team OPS.
Veteran righthander Charlie Lea led the staff with a 3.36 ERA in 16 starts after coming over from Toronto midseason. Kevin Ritz trimmed his ERA 70 points to 3.59 and led the club with 16 wins. And Mark Langston had a third straight campaign with 200+ IP, 200+ strikeouts, and an ERA under 3.50. Havana was the worst team in the league in extra innings (3-13), partly attributable to closer Gene Nelson, who suffered 10 blown saves with a pedestrian 4.02 ERA.
80-80 (-2)
9-T overall
11th in runs • 15th in runs against
First year GM Brandon Tucker led the Rainiers to their third straight .500-ish season despite an offensive slump that saw Seattle plate its lowest run tally in eight seasons. Former MVP John Shelby fell short of 100 RBI in a full season for the first time in eight years, and the middle infield duo of Harold Reynolds and Delino DeShields slumped to below league average. On the other hand, 3B Chris Brown approached career highs with a .340 average and .906 OPS, and Willie McGee nearly won the batting title.
McGee had a 21-game hitting streak in September that lifted his batting average to .354 and put him in the thick of the batting race, only to have the streak end at the worst possible moment. McGee went hitless on Sept. 29, and 2-for-8 in his last two games, while Montreal's Bip Roberts went 5-for-10 to nab his second straight batting title.
On the pitching side, closer Doug Henry's 44 saves tied for the third most in league history, but was only second most this year behind record-setter Mark Wohlers. Mike Mason (13-7, 3.59) led the staff in ERA, wins, and innings pitched, while southpaw David West struggled (4.23) in his first full year in the rotation.
The Rainiers struggled again at the gate, ranking 17th in attendance, but improved the farm system, particularly with C Javy Lopez, the #2 rated prospect in the league.
78-82 (+11)
12th overall
15th in runs • 7th in runs against
The ultimate teasers, Denver again overperformed early on, occupying a top-3 spot as late as June 28, but the loss of top slugger Jesse Barfield and a second-half offense slump consigned the 14ers to a familiar under-.500 territory. The club did start to feel the effects of its new pitcher-friendly ballpark; in their second year in Ralph Carr Field, Denver allowed just 4.2 runs per game, the second-best pitching performance in club history.
Bill Swift finally exorcised the demons of his recent seasons and posted a 3.54 ERA and 1.22 ERA, his best season since 1987. Ron Darling led the club with 14 wins, 163 Ks, and 3.3 WAR, despite ballooning his ERA by 65 pts to 3.70. Rookie Donovan Osbourne, the 18th overall pick, was unhittable early on, going 6-0, 2.55 in his first six starts before slumping to a 3-10, 6.10 finish. Fellow rookie Mike Trombley was surprisingly efficient in a short-starter role, posting a 3.74 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 22 mostly-five-inning starts.
The offense was again in the bottom quartile in most categories outside of stolen bases. Tim Raines led the club with a .324 average and league-best .411 OBP, while swiping his 700th career stolen base. Will Clark led the club with 21 HR and 94 RBI while replicating last year's .299 batting and .371 OBP clips. And Mark McLemore continued to develop into an elite middle infielder with his second 4.0+ WAR season and first .800-OPS campaign.
67-93 (-5)
14-T overall
13th in runs • 16th in runs against
Jeff Tonole celebrated his 30th year as GM of the Spiders—the third longest continuous tenure with one team after Charlie Qualls and Peter Vays—if celebrate is the right word for a club that has endured 10 losing seasons in the last 12 years. The Spiders have averaged 88 losses since their last playoff appearance in 1986, but the 1992 team was an uncharacteristically bad pitching team, ranking 16th in runs allowed and giving up the most runs since 1965.
Following the complete meltdown of former frontman Jose Rijo, all eyes were on Jose DeLeon to take over the ace mantel. DeLeon responded with his worst ERA (3.94) and WHIP (1.27) of his career, contributing to a 9-14 record. Lefty Greg Hibbard also regressed to 5.06 after a 3.72 ERA last year. On the plus side, Frank Castillo, the #22 overall pick in 1991, led all rookies with 15 wins and posted a solid 3.43 ERA in 31 starts.
Mark Grace had his first 200-hit, .300 average season since 1989, Rob Deer smashed 30 homers while raising his OPS 80 points to .754, and Barry Larkin (.315, .829 OPS) had his best year at the plate since becoming a regular in 1987.
61-99 (-5)
17th overall
18th in runs • 6th in runs against
In their first year in Aaron-Antonelli Field, the Toppers felt the effect of their new pitcher-friendly confines. Atlanta finished dead-last in offense for the first time ever and had a top-third pitching staff for first time since Woodstock.
The story of the year of course, was rookie phenom Pedro Martinez (10-9, 2.13), who won the ERA title handily and led all rookies with 212 strikeouts and a 5.4 WAR. Pedro started and ended the year on high notes, with 0.92 and 0.54 ERAs in April and September. Fernie Valenzuela showed his amazing consistency, with his fourth straight year with an ERA between 3.32-3.36 in 32-34 starts. Dan Plesac was solid in the closer role, with 19 saves and a 2.29 ERA after a June 16 trade with Cleveland.
Offensively, the team struggled, ranking dead-last in most offensive categories. Tony Gwynn was his usual elite self, compiling his seventh season with at least 200 hits and a .350+ average, though he lost the batting title on the last day to Bip Roberts. 2B Jose Valentin, the 13th overall pick, had a promising first year, batting .267 with a .771 OPS and net-positive defensive.
Most importantly for GM Andy Chaney, attendance skyrocketed 47 percent and the club turned a profit for the first time in six years, thanks in part to its lowest payroll in 11 years.
56-104 (-13)
18th overall
17th in runs • 9th in runs against
The Pink Birds produced exactly the same runs (3.4) and runs allowed (4.5) per game as last year, yet somehow managed to win 13 fewer games, the third biggest drop in the league. What accounts for this strange and sudden shift? The '91 Flamingos were Pythagorean outperformers by 10 wins, the third greatest "outperformance" in UL history. That means they won 10 more games than they should have giving their runs and runs allowed. This year they were five-game underperformers with a -5 differential. Last year's birds were 31-21 in one-run games, this year they were 22-33, an 11.5-game swing.
As for Florida's young stars, Mike Mussina showed little progress, with roughly the same ERA (4.32) and WHIP (1.22) as his rookie season, while leading the league with 36 HR allowed. SS Omar Vizquel (.281, .675 OPS) took a big step forward in his third season, raising his batting by 30 points and his OPS by 75. And of course, the face of the franchise, Frank Thomas, was traded to Los Angeles on June 1, in a deal netting LF Ruben Sierra and four draft picks. Sierra's bat turned ice-cold in the South Florida sun.
Terry Puhl, age 35, was the club's best hitter with a .304 average and 2.0 WAR, while SP Shane Reynolds had a good rookie campaign, leading the team with a 4.13 ERA in 26 starts.
The #18 finish gives Florida the biggest shot at Chipper Jones or Manny Ramirez in next year's draft.
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