Oct. 25, 1984
Rolaids Relief Man of the Year!
American League: Dave J Schmidt - TEX - 19 SV, 2.72 ERA (over Quisenberry, who finished fifth!)
National League: Jeff Reardon - MTL - 48 SV, 0.75 ERA. He was nearly unanimous.
Meanwhile, I offered Bruce Fields a minor league contract extension. Fully awaiting him to decline it.
And this was our first day of a week filled of draft planning, since we’re about a week away from that. Hunkering down in a hotel conference room with rotating pots of coffee, Tastykake treats, and the occasional Canadian Club. Giddyup.
Oct. 26, 1984
Silver Sluggers are announced, and Juan Samuel gets one! But amazingly, Mike Schmidt (.253/.351/.452, 26 HR) loses his bid to Bob Horner, who hit .263/.328/.463 with 32 HR. I guess. Boy, I hope the decline isn’t real.
Oct. 27, 1984
Rookie of the Year!
American League: Tony Fernandez - TOR - .338, 9 HR, 82 RBI (over Danny Tartabull).
National League: Dwight Gooden - NYM - 18-8, 2.13 ERA, 300 K. Juan Samuel finished in second place with two first-place votes! Hey!
Oct. 28, 1984
Phone calls have been received: Len Matuszek and Joe Lefebvre are on board for 1985. Cool.
Manager of the Year!
American League: Bobby Cox - TOR
National League: Chuck Tanner - PIT
Kinda weird seeing Cox get the award while Seattle stormed into the postseason after never finishing above sixth place. Oh well.
Oct. 29, 1984
Cy Young!
American League: Jack Morris - DET. Unanimous!
National League: Dwight Gooden - NYM … not unanimous! Fernando got a first-place vote; also, Charles Hudson got one vote (Jayson Stark’s)!
Also, Bruce Fields signed my minor league deal. Kind of shocked!
Oct. 30, 1984
MVP Award!
American League: Wade Boggs - BOS - .370. Enough said. He beats Kirk Gibson and Don Mattingly (?)
National League: Darryl Strawberry - NYM - .302, 43 HR, 127 RBI. Beats his teammate Gooden, plus Pedro Guerrero and Fernando. Juan Samuel finished seventh in voting!
Meanwhile, teams keep proposing us trades where we give up Darren Daulton and Don Carman for a first baseman. That’s why I’m not moving Daulton.
***
Next time: A look at our 1985 (December 1984) First-Year Player Draft Board.