82-91 Best of the Best

[dime]

For years I’ve been playing around looking at baseball-reference and its precursors, compiling lists and lineups of each franchise’s best teams etc. I’ve had a plan on paper for a 162 game season and playoffs featuring each franchise’s best team, but while this seems easy for some teams it is not easy for others.

So why not have a 4 team playoff for each franchise to determine who represents in to the regular season?

Time period is 1982-1991, because that’s an era I kind of grew up with and there are no jarring inconsistencies in terms of strategy and player usage across those years. 81 was a mess because of the strike, so I started with 82. I ended with 91 because that was the last “real” world series in some ways.

I spent MANY hours doing this in ootp 9, I have 10 but haven’t even fired it up yet, I hope the process is easier. I had to import each team (4 per franchise) one at a time. I also had to go put the right guys on the roster and fix all the stupid career-based hitting, pitching, defensive and speed ratings because I want to capture each team in a vacuum, as it was that season.

In other words, 87 Matt Nokes should be a beast and not a crummy reserve. Similarly, guys who were lights-out in 200 Abs will not be in the starting lineup even if they’re a superior tactical choice to whoever got the lion’s share of playing time that season. For the playoffs, team rosters will play with who they had at the end of the season. This is a big advantage for some teams and a big disadvantage for others, who sold stars for prospects once they realized they were going to finish in 3rd place that year. For the regular season I’ll try to move players around to match their real-life trade dates.

Seeding was done by reviewing real record, playoff qualifying, Pythagorean record, and my own biases. Here are the seeds:

   AL WEST

#1 - CAL 82   CHW 83   KC 85   MIN 91   OAK 88   SEA 91   TEX 86
#2 - CAL 86   CHW 90   KC 82   MIN 87   OAK 90   SEA 87   TEX 91
#3 - CAL 89   CHW 82   KC 84   MIN 88   OAK 89   SEA 89   TEX 83
#4 - CAL 85   CHW 91   KC 89   MIN 84   OAK 87   SEA 90   TEX 90


   AL EAST

#1 - BAL 83   BOS 86   CLE 86   DET 84   MIL 82   NYY 85   TOR 85
#2 - BAL 82   BOS 88   CLE 84   DET 87   MIL 87   NYY 86   TOR 87
#3 - BAL 85   BOS 90   CLE 90   DET 83   MIL 83   NYY 83   TOR 89
#4 - BAL 89   BOS 82   CLE 88   DET 86   MIL 88   NYY 87   TOR 90


   NL WEST

#1 - ATL 91   CIN 90   HOU 86   LA 85   SD 84   SF 89
#2 - ATL 82   CIN 88   HOU 89   LA 88   SD 89   SF 87
#3 - ATL 83   CIN 85   HOU 83   LA 83   SD 85   SF 86
#4 - ATL 84   CIN 87   HOU 85   LA 91   SD 82   SF 88


   NL EAST

#1 - CHC 84   MON 82   NYM 86   PHI 83   PIT 91   STL 85
#2 - CHC 89   MON 90   NYM 88   PHI 86   PIT 90   STL 82
#3 - CHC 83   MON 87   NYM 85   PHI 82   PIT 88   STL 87
#4 - CHC 88   MON 88   NYM 87   PHI 84   PIT 82   STL 89

[GrimmyDee]

I am on board with this. I love this era and lately the MLB network have been showing the greatest games (most have been during this era) and made me realize just why.

I am excited to see where this goes.

[dime]

88 Oakland (#1) vs 87 Oakland (#4)

The 88 A's took the AL by storm, going 104-58 and overmatching the Red Sox in an ALCS sweep before suffering a stunning world series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Jose Canseco (307, 42, 121) became baseball's first 40hr/40sb player and won the MVP at the tender age of 23. Mark McGwire and Dave Henderson contributed additional power to an offense that was second in the AL in runs scored and home runs. The A's pitching staff (Dave Stewart, 3.23, 21-12) featured four double-digit winners, leading the league in wins, innings pitched and saves. Oakland was second in fewest earned runs and home runs allowed.


The 1987 Oakland A's (81-81) were an interesting team, transitioning from local stalwarts like Dwayne Murphy and Mike Davis to emerging superstars such as Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco. McGwire won the rookie of the year award, blasting 49 home runs in the process. Davis, Canseco and Reggie Jackson (in his final year) helped the A's finish 4th in home runs and 2nd in strikeouts. A middling pitching staff was highlighted by 20-game winner Dave Stewart and Dennis Eckersley, who won the closer job from Jay Howell in his first year in that role at the age of 32.

Prediction:
88 Oakland's power, bullpen and deep starting staff make them a favorite and they should benefit from the #1 seed in a monster bracket with three ALCS champions. The 87 squad will score runs, but they don't have the staff or the bullpen to keep their counterparts down. The 88 A's in 5 games.



90 Oakland (#2) vs 89 Oakland (#3)

The 1990 version of the Oakland dynasty won 103 games, and again swept the unfortunate Red Sox in the ALCS before (again) being stunned in the World Series, this time in a clean sweep by Cincinnati. The formula of power hitting, a sterling bullpen and a deep starting staff again proved to be successful over the long haul, but not in a series starting in an NL park, sans DH. Dave Duncan's pitchers led the AL in wins, hits, earned runs, shutouts, and innings pitched. Dave Stewart (22-11, 2.95) and Cy Young winner Bob Welch (27-6, 2.56) each sported ERAs under 3. Dennis Eckersley was also in Cy Young contention thanks to his 48 saves and 0.61(!) ERA. The ambitious A's signed Rickey Henderson (.325, 28, 65sb) in the winter and traded for Willie Randolph, Harold Baines and Willie McGee (who won the NL batting title in absentia) during the season.


The 89 Athletics were the only Tony LaRussa team to hold serve as the favorite and win the Fall Classic, sweeping San Francisco in a series remembered more for the earthquake than for its baseball. The A's won "just" 99 games and actually dropped a game in the ALCS, to Toronto, before rolling onward. After acquiring Rickey Henderson from New York, the offense took on another dimension as Henderson scored 72 times in just 85 games. Carney Lansford (.336) had his finest season in green and gold, and 38 year-old Dave Parker hit 22 home runs to help offset an injury-shortened season from Jose Canseco. Dave Stewart won 21 games and was followed by a surprising season from perpetual underachiever Mike Moore (19-11, 2.61) Dennis Eckersley (1.56) and Rick Honeycutt (2.35) were superb in relief.

Prediction:
A healthy Canseco and a dominant Rickey Henderson should help the 90 A's edge their more-accomplished, but less talented, dopplegangers. 90 Oakland in Six.

[Powderguy]

Nice concept, good luck with this.

[dime]

83 Chicago (#1) vs 91 Chicago (#4)

The 1983 White Sox, managed by Tony LaRussa, captured Southsiders' imaginations by winning 99 games and putting the Sox in the postseason for the first time since 1959. LaMarr Hoyt (24-10, 3.68) won the Cy Young in front of a powerhorse rotation that had five double-digit winners. The bullpen was not as deep, but Salome Barojas (2.47, 12 sv) was the best of the closer-by-committee gang. The offense was just 12th in the AL in hits and lead the league in strikeouts, but managed to score more runs than anyone else in the junior circuit thanks to a lot of home runs and stolen bases. Ron Kittle (.254, 35, 100) was ROY, teaming with Greg Luzinski (.255, 32, 99) for a slow, strong middle of the order. Harold Baines and Carlton Fisk each hit over .280 with 20+ homers to try and compensate for a particularly punchless infield.

The '91 Chicago White Sox finished 2nd behind Minnesota at 87-75, but the lack of progress from the previous year was a disappointment and skipper Jeff Torborg was let go in the offseason. Frank Thomas (318, 32, 109) asserted himself as a hitting machine in his first full season at the age of 23, but the offense was less than the sum of its parts thanks to the league-leading 74 caught stealing attempts. Robin Ventura (284, 23, 100) had a breakout year as well. Again, strong pitching in Comiskey is what made Chicago a contender: Jack McDowell (17-10, 3.41) threw 15 complete games and an outstanding bullpen filled in the gaps.

Prediction:
The '83 rotation should be able to pitch around Thomas and Ventura, and the '91 rotation is a bit soft after McDowell and Charlie Hough(!). '83 Chicago, 4 games to 2.



90 Chicago (#2) vs 82 Chicago (#3)

In 1990, the upstart White Sox (94-68) chased the Oakland juggernaut all year but inspired hope in Sox fans for the first time in nearly a decade. The offense was a whole lot of just-enough, stealing 140 bases but being caught 90 times while trying to compensate for a lack of power (just 106 HR) and discipline (13th in OBP). At 42, Carlton Fisk's renaissance season saw him lead the team in average (.285) and home runs (15). Sox pitching was very strong, however, with a consistent rotation headed up by Jack McDowell and Greg Hibbard backed by a tough bullpen. Closer Bobby Thigpen (1.83) set a record with 57 saves, and Barry Jones (2.31) won 11 games in relief.


The 1982 Chicago White Sox were a year away, but a 3rd place finish and an 87-75 record sailed them into this franchise playoff. A deep, if not dangerous, lineup featured six hitters with double-digit home run totals, led by Greg Luzinski (.292, 18, 102). Harold Baines (.275, 25, 105) provided the muscle while Rudy Law (.318, 36 sb) and Ron LeFlore (.287, 28 sb) showed speed in their part-time appearances. LaMarr Hoyt (19-11, 3.53) and Richard Dotson (11-15, 3.84) anchored the staff, while aouthpaw Kevin Hickey (3.00) and Salome Barojas (3.54, 21 sv) highlighted the relief corps.

Prediction:
The bullpen advantage definitely goes to the 1990 Sox, but will their offense be able to create enough runs to get a lead? 82 Chicago's offense has fewer easy outs, that should be the difference in a series that goes 7 games.

[dime]

82 California (#1) vs 85 California (#4)

The first edition of Angels postseason heartbreak was in 1982, when Gene Mauch's club won 93 games, not including the first 2 of a best-of-5 ALCS vs Milwaukee. The Halos dropped the next 3, however, and missed out on what would have been their first World Series appearance. A veteran lineup led the AL in OBP and was 2nd in slugging, bopping 186 home runs. Reggie Jackson (.275, 39, 101), Doug DeCinces (.301, 31, 97) and Brian Downing (.281, 28, 84) exemplified this. The pitching was not nearly as impressive, but Geoff Zahn (3.73) won 18 games. A shaky bullpen totaled just 27 saves, as Mauch opted to let Zahn and Ken Forsch (13-11) finish their starts instead.

The 85 Angels (90-72) finished 2nd to eventual champion Kansas City, providing momentum for a more memorable season to follow. The rocking chair offense (with regulars aged 39, 37, 36, 34, 34, and 39) hit just .251 as a team but led the AL in base on balls, and four players hit at least twenty homers. Some young bloods on the mound (Mike Witt, 15-9 and Ron Romanick, 14-9) helped balance things out. Stew Cliburn (9-3, 2.09) and Donnie Moore (1.92, 31 sv) were superb in relief.

Prediction:
The 85 Angels overachieved, as their pythagorean record was just 84-78. The 82 club has too much power and patience for a nice, but less-than-impressive 85 California staff to handle. 82 California's achilles heel bullpen will not be a factor in this series. 82 California in a 4 game sweep.


86 California (#2) vs 89 California (#3)

Lost in the Boston bellyaching regarding 1986 was a similar nightmare that played out in Anaheim; one with darker undertones. Closer Donnie Moore (2.97, 21 sv) surrendered a 2-out, go-ahead home run to Boston's Dave Henderson in the 9th inning of game 5 of the ALCS. The Angels (92-70) proceeded to lose that game in 11 innings and were listless in Boston, losing games six and seven to drop the series. Moore later committed suicide, and while his issues may not have been related to his baseball, the act has colored the memory of this team.

Wally Joyner (.290, 22, 100) was a much-needed infusion of youth to an effective, but very old attack. At just 23, future mainstay Dick Schofield (.249, 13, 57, 23 sb) had his finest season. Mike Witt (2.84, 18-10) was the ace, with Kirk McCaskill (3.36, 17-10) also pitching very well for a staff finishing the top of the AL in every major statistical category.

Winning 91 games but finishing 3rd in a top-heavy AL West, the 1989 Angels are notable for their fantastic pitching. With a team ERA of 3.28, California led the league in complete games (32) and shutouts (12). Only a mediocre year from vanguard Mike Witt (9-15, 4.54) marred a sterling rotation featuring Bert Blyleven (17-5, 2.73), Kirk McCaskill (15-10, 2.93), Chuck Finley (16-9, 2.57) and rookie Jim Abbott (12-12, 3.92). The offense quietly led the AL in home runs, topped by Chili Davis (.271) and his modest 22 long balls. The Angels hit just .256 as a team and had a lowly .311 OBP, whiffing a league-worst 1011 times.

Prediction:
The electronic 86 Angels may be doomed to suffer heartbreak in dramatic fashion, but it won't be against a team whose offense consists of solo home runs. 86 California, 4 games to 1.

[dime]

First, let me say...blegh. 82-91 was not a bright era for Seattle baseball.

91 Seattle (#1) vs 90 Seattle (#4)

The only Mariner squad with a winning record in this era was the 1991 team, whose 83-79 record still left them back in 5th place. A sub-par offense was hurt by a lot of at-bats given to fading vets such as Pete O'Brien (.248, 17, 88) and Alvin Davis (.221, 12, 69) Edgar Martinez (.307, 14, 52) and Ken Griffey Jr (.327, 22, 100) continued to improve. Jay Buhner (.244, 27, 77) won a full-time job in right field. Randy Johnson (13-10, 3.98) walked 152 hitters but struck out 228. Brian Holman (3.69) and Bill Kreuger (3.60) were effective in the middle of the rotation. Bill Swift (1.99, 17 sv) was again excellent in relief, aided by Mike Jackson (3.25, 15 sv)

26 games out of first, Jim Lefebvre's M's were 77-85 in 1990. The offense was 12th in the AL (out of 14 teams) in total bases. Young Griffey (.300, 22, 80) was 20 years old now and beginning to blossom. Edgar Martinez (.302, 11, 49) provided some support and the long-suffering Alvin Davis (.283, 17, 68) had his last solid year. This team had just four shutouts all year, surprising considering the respectable team ERA of 3.72. The revolving door at the back of the rotation didn't affect Erik Hanson (18-9, 3.24) or tough-luck Matt Young (8-18, 3.51). Randy Johnson's (14-11, 3.65) first full year in the Kingdome went well. Mike Schooler (2.25, 30 sv) and Bill Swift (2.39) were super in relief.

Prediction:
The seedings don't mean as much for this bracket, because all of the teams are pretty mediocre so there isn't much difference in quality. The 4th-seeded 90 Mariners actually seem to have better pitching and a more consistent lineup on paper. I'll take them in 7 games for an "upset".



87 Seattle (#2) vs 89 Seattle (#3)

The 87 Mariners were 4th with a 78-84 record for Dick Williams, topping the league in triples and finishing second in doubles, but last in home runs. Alvin Davis (.295, 29, 100) did his thing and retro-SABR cause celebre Ken Phelps (.259, 27, 68) slugged .548 in just 424 at-bats. Phil Bradley (.297, 14, 67) hit 10 triples and stole 40 bags. Mickey Brantley (.302, 14, 54) was terrific in limited action. Mark Langston (19-13, 3.84) remained the staff's top gun, blowing away 262 batters. The rest of the rotation didn't fare well with the juicy baseballs of '87, and the bullpen was particularly flammable as only Jerry Reed (3.42) and Bill Wilkinson (3.66) were reliable.


At 73-89, the M's finished 6th in 1989 but were abuzz with the arrival of #1 pick Ken Griffey Jr (.264, 16, 61), who showed flashes of brilliance at just 19 years of age. Alvin Davis (.302, 21, 95) had another very good, underrated performance. Harold Reynolds hit .300, and DH Jeffrey Leonard clubbed 24 home runs and drove in 93 in a bounce-back year. Poor control (12th in walks given) doomed an otherwise decent pitching staff. Scott Bankhead (14-6, 3.34) had a great year for a rotation in flux. Mark Langston was dealt mid-year for Randy Johnson (7-13, 4.82), Brian Holman (9-12, 3.67) and rookie Gene Harris (5.91). Mike Schooler (2.81) managed to save 33 games.

Prediction:
The 87 team has an appealing offense with Reynolds and Bradley setting up Davis and Phelps, but the rotation and bullpen won't be able to get anyone out. There isn't much to like about the 89 Mariners, however, and unless Bankhead can outduel Langston I'm not sure who will be handling the 87 hitters. Should be a lot of high-scoring games. 87 Seattle, 4 games to 3.

[dime]

85 Kansas City (#1) vs 89 Kansas City (#4)

In a bit of delayed justice (don't tell Cardinal fans that), the Brett/McRae/White Royals finally got a ring in 1985. It was not, however, one of their strongest teams. They won 91 games but had a pythagorean record of 86-76. The Royals came back from 3-1 deficits to Toronto and St. Louis to win it all. The 85 Royals' offense, frankly, was not good. A 252/313/401 line is about as bad as it gets for a division winner, let alone a WS winner. George Brett (.335, 30, 112), of course, was great as usual. Hal McRae was still productive (.259, 14, 70) in limited duty at the age of 39, and Steve Balboni (.243, 88 rbi) hit 36 dingers. Willie Wilson (.278) hit 21(!) triples, but was otherwise very average at the plate. KC had very good pitching, and needed every ounce of it considering the lackluster offense. Charlie Liebrandt (17-9, 2.69) and 21-year old Bret Saberhagen (20-6, 2.87) were a deadly one-two punch in a rotation where all five starters won at least 10 games. Dan Quisenberry (2.37, 31 sv) was outstanding as always.


The 1989 Kansas City Royals (92-70) made a late run at Oakland before bowing out in second place, relying on timely hitting and the right arm of Cy Young winner Bret Saberhagen (23-6, 2.16, 12 CG). Mark Gubicza (15-11, 3.04) was very good in the 2nd spot, but the rest of the rotation was messy. Jeff Montgomery (1.37, 18 sv) established himself as a closer for the first time in what would be a long, successful career in that role. George Brett (.282, 12, 80) and enigmatic Danny Tartabull(.268, 18, 88) chipped in some home runs for the punchless Royals, who depnded on superfreak Bo Jackson (.256, 32, 105) for power. Bob Boone (.274, 1, 43) won his 7th and final gold glove at the age of 41.

Prediction:
A lot of low-scoring games...one big hit could make the difference in each game, as neither team hits consistently or has the power to come from behind. That said, I'll put my chips on the 85 Royals because of their deeper starting staff. 85 Royals in 6 games.


82 Kansas City (#2) vs 84 Kansas City (#3)

The 82 Royals were 90-72, but finished 3 games behind California. They led the American League in hitting (.285), hits, doubles, and triples. George Brett (.301, 21, 82) had a quiet season by his standards but 36-year-old Hal McRae (.308, 27, 133) was a monster. The lowest batting average in the regular lineup belonged to free-swinging Jerry Martin (15, 65 rbi with a respectable .266 clip. Dick Howser's pitchers were not as respectable, finishing in the bottom half of the AL in runs allowed and home runs given up. They were dead last in strikeouts. Larry Gura (4.03) rode great run support to 18 wins atop a middling rotation. A solid bullpen was again highlighted by Dan Quisenberry (2.57, 35 sv, 136.2 IP).

Just a year away from unexpected glory, the 84 Royals were far from impressive as they won an awful division by 3 games with an 84-78 record. KC gave up 13 more runs than they scored, however, so it could have been worse. Not surprisingly, Detroit made short work of Kansas City in the ALCS. The Royals' offense was offensive, ranking 11th out of 14 AL teams in runs scored, 12th in home runs and last in walks. George Brett (.284, 13, 69) struggled with injuries and hemorrhoids, totalling just 377 at-bats. Steve Balboni (.244) had 28 home runs to lead the team; Frank White (.271) was second with 17. A yeoman effort from Kansas City pitching kept the team afloat, although their superb control was tempered by their inability to strike out opposing hitters. Bud Black (17-12, 3.12), anchored the staff and Dan Quisenberry (2.64, 44 sv, 129 IP) continued to do the job of two men in the bullpen.

Prediction:
A couple of flawed teams here, but I don't really like anything about the 84 team at all. The 82 Royals can hit, at least, and they should do so in spades in this series. 82 Kansas City in 5 games.

[dime]

91 Minnesota (#1) vs 84 Minnesota (#4)

Worst to First, the 1991 Minnesota Twins (95-67) toppled a similarly storybook Atlanta team in an epic World Series thanks to Jack Morris (18-12, 3.43) pitching 10 shutout innings and Gene Larkin's (.283, 2, 19) game-winning bloop single in Game Seven. Offensively, the club's usual suspects were boosted this year by newcomer Chili Davis (.277, 29, 93) and Shane Mack (.310, 18, 74), in his second year as a Twin. 22-year-old Chuck Knoblauch (.281, 1, 50) won the Rookie of the Year award and stole 25 bases from the #2 spot. Minny led the AL in batting average (.280) and hits; while slugging .420 as a team. Ironically, without Frank Viola, the Minnesota rotation reached its greatest heights. In addition to Morris, Kevin Tapani (16-9, 2.99) threw a ton of quality innings and sensation Scott Erickson (20-8, 3.18) was the Cy Young runner-up at 23. Rick Aguilera (2.35, 42 sv) and Carl Willis (8-3, 2.63) were top relievers.


Billy Gardner's 1984 Twins were just 81-81, but that got them into a tie for second and just 3 games back of Kansas City in a butter-soft AL West. It was the last full season as Twins manager for Gardner, but he did get to see Kirby Puckett's (.296, 0, 31) major league debut. Puckett spent all year in center, but it was Kent Hrbek (.311, 27, 107) who captivated the Twin Cities and finished 2nd in AL MVP voting (to Willie Hernandez). The everyday lineup featured a lot of names who would become more familiar and more famous a few years later; but 23 year-old Tom Brunansky (.254, 32, 85) was the only one to shine in this season. Frank Viola (18-12, 3.21) was the ace at just 24 years of age, taking what would be an annual role as Minnesota's first, best, and only hope in the rotation. Ron Davis (7-11, 4.55, 29 sv) epitomized a bullpen that liked to keep things interesting.

Prediction:
The 91 champs should not have much trouble with the 84 Twins; outside of Hrbek and Brunansky the lineup is weak and the bullpen won' t be able to hold any late leads they do get. 91 Twins, 4 games to nil.




87 Minnesota (#2) vs 88 Minnesota (#3)

Homer Hankies. The Homerdome. One of the most unlikely World Series winners, the 87 Twins won just 85 games before ambushing Detroit and then upending St. Louis in 7 games thanks to the AL's home field advantage. Tom Kelly became a legend for winning the WS in his first full season as a manager, but his slugging offense deserves most of the credit. Kent Hrbek (.289, 34, 90), Tom Brunansky (.259, 32, 85) and Gary Gaetti (.257, 31, 109) did most of the heavy lifting. Kirby Puckett (.332, 28, 99) was 3rd in MVP voting and selected for the 2nd of his 10 consecutive All-Star games. Frank Viola (17-10, 2.90) was again the class of the Minnesota staff, although Bert Blyleven (15-12, 4.01, 46 HRA) soaked up innings. Juan Berenguer (8-1, 3.94) was the best of an average bullpen.


In 1988, Minnesota fans watched a team that may have been better than the defending champs of a year earlier win 91 games and fall 13 games short of Oakland in the AL West. The Twins led the AL in slugging percentage and were second in hits, batting average and on-base percentage. Kirby Puckett (.356, 24, 121) put up 358 total bases in what was quietly his best season. Gary Gaetti (.301, 28, 88) and Kent Hrbek (.312, 25, 76) had very good years despite the "dead" ball. A surprising April trade saw the popular Tom Brunansky dealt to St. Louis for the...less admired Tommy Herr. Herr batted just .260 as a Twin and failed to win anyone over at second base. He was shipped to Philadelphia in October. Minnesota pitching remained volatile, although standout Frank Viola (24-7, 2.64) won the Cy Young and finally got company in the form of southpaw Allan Anderson (16-9, 2.45). An improved bullpen was punctuated by stopper Jeff Reardon's (2.47, 42 sv) finest year.

Prediction:
I'm not sure how much OOTP accounts for luck, "magic", or indoor noise factors. I'll take the 88 Twins in 5 games; they're better in every way.

[dime]

91 Texas (#2) vs 83 Texas (#3)

Bobby Valentine's 91 Rangers (85-77) finished a respectable 3rd place on the strength of a some big bats; Texas outpaced the rest of the AL in runs scored and slugging, second in hits and home runs. Four Rangers hit at least 20 homers, and eight players had at least 15. Ruben Sierra (.307, 25, 116) hit 44 doubles; he would be dealt to Oakland for Jose Canseco in a blockbuster trade the following year. Rafael Palmeiro (.322, 26, 88) began to show some power, and Julio Franco (.341, 15, 78) won the batting title. 21 year-old Juan Gonzalez (.264, 27, 102) burst onto the scene in his first full season. Adding to Texas hopes for a bright future was the baby-faced Ivan Rodriguez (.264), who showed an amazing arm while sharing time behind the plate with Geno Petralli (.271) and Mike Stanley (.372 obp). Ranger pitchers led the AL in strikeouts but were close to the bottom in every other major category. Nolan Ryan (12-6, 2.91) and Juan Guzman (13-7, 3.08) were the lone bright spots.


The good news for Texas in 1983 was that finishing 3rd was a great improvement from the prior year. The bad news is that 77-85 is, well, bad. The short-lived Doug Rader era started with a fizzling offense and stupendous (for Ranger standards) pitching. A Texas Ranger team leading the AL in fewest earned runs and home runs allowed? A team ERA of 3.31? 43 complete games?!? Charlie Hough (15-13, 3.18), still wet behind the ears at 35, led the way for a tough-luck staff that had next to nothing for run support. Mike Smithson (10-14, 3.91), Danny Darwin (8-13, 3.49) and Frank Tanana (7-9, 3.16) deserved better. So did Rick Honeycutt (14-8, 2.42), who got his wish when he was dealt to the Dodgers for Dave Stewart (5-2, 2.14). Texas eeked out a .255 team batting average, finishing next to last in AL in runs scored, hits, home runs, and walks. Larry Parrish (.272, 26, 88) didn't see much to hit and guys like Jim Sundberg (.201, 2, 28), Pete O'Brien (.237, 8, 53), Bucky Dent (.237, 2, 34), and Wayne Tolleson (.260, 3, 20) couldn't hit what they saw anyway. Buddy Bell (.277, 14, 66) and George Wright (.276, 18, 80) weren't enough to overcome their teammates.


Prediction:
A very interesting matchup, as the 91 Rangers' sluggers will have to stare down a good staff and the hapless 83 Texas lineup will have a chance against some wild pitchers who give up plenty of long balls. I don't see how the 83 team can push across any runs on Ryan or Guzman, however, and that will be the difference as the loaded 91 lineup can get to the back half of the 83 staff. 91 Rangers in six games.



86 Texas (#1) vs 90 Texas (#4)

In '86 the Rangers finished second and won 87 games, inspiring hope of a long-awaited playoff berth in the near future. Young batters such as Pete Incaviglia (.250, 30, 88), Oddibe McDowell (.266, 18, 49, 33 sb) and Ruben Sierra (.264, 16, 55) showed great promise. A potent lineup revolved around dependable Larry Parrish (.276, 28, 94) and an oddly dangerous Pete O'Brien (.290, 23, 90). In his first year as a Ranger, Scott Fletcher (.300, .360 obp, 50 rbi) seemed to finally solidify the shortstop position in Arlington. Charlie Hough (17-10, 3.98) was an All-Star at 38 but the rest of the rotation was mediocre. A great bullpen starred Greg Harris (10-8, 2.83, 20 sv), Dale Mohoric (2.51), and rookie Mitch Williams (8-6, 3.58, 8.3 K/9ip).


The Rangers didn't seem to have made much progress by 1990, as they were still just slightly above average (83-79) and only technically within striking distance of the playoffs, finishing well behind Oakland and Chicago. The free-swinging offense struck out over a thousand times but slugged just 376, 11th out of 14 AL teams. Harold Baines (.290, 13, 44) had been acquired the previous year from Chicago but was sent to Oakland at the deadline. Baines and Rafael Palmeiro (.319, 14, 89) were the team's most efficient hitters. Ruben Sierra (.280, 16, 96) suffered a dropoff from his fantastic performance in 1989 and Pete Incaviglia (.233, 24, 85) was becoming exposed in what would be his last year as a Ranger. A pair of forty-somethings (Nolan Ryan and Charlie Hough) mixed very well with youngsters Bobby Witt (17-10, 3.36) and Kevin Brown (12-10, 3.60) Fried chicken magnate Kenny Rogers (10-6, 3.13, 15 sv) led the club in saves and Brad Arnsberg (6-1, 2.15) was outstanding in relief duty.


Prediction:
The 86 Rangers are thin on pitching, but their deep set of relievers should enable their offense to catch up in the middle innings when necessary. The 90 Rangers will miss Baines; without him the offense loses it's bite in the heart of the order. 86 Rangers, 4 games to 1.