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1983 Preseason / Spring Training
Fair to say the Indians have had a crack this offseason, while the Dodgers add Lefty to their already stacked staff and look tough to beat this year. P Steve Carlton: Dodgers, 3 years / $10.3m / AAV $3.44m 1B Cecil Cooper: Yankees, 5 years / $13.0m / AAV $2.61m P Rudy May: Phillies, 3 years / $7.8m / AAV $2.60m 1B Jason Thompson: Indians, 6 years / $15.3m / AAV $2.55m 3B Doug DeCinces: Angels, 5 years / $12.4m / AAV $2.48m P Don Sutton: Dodgers, 3 years / $5.8m / AAV $1.93m (extension) C Terry Kennedy: Red Sox, 6 years / $10.9m / AAV $1.82m OF Gary Roenicke: Royals, 4 years / $7.1m / AAV $1.76m 1B Reggie Smith: Blue Jays, 2 years / $3.5m / AAV $1.74m 3B Graig Nettles: Indians, 2 years / $3.4m / AAV $1.72m OF Cesar Cedeno: Cubs, 2 years / $3.4m / AAV $1.68m P Len Barker: Brewers, 3 years / $5.0m / AAV $1.66m P Scott Sanderson: Giants, 5 years / $8.3m / AAV $1.65m 3B Carney Lansford: Astros, 3 years / $4.5m / AAV $1.49m OF Larry Parrish: Mets, 3 years / $4.5m / AAV $1.49m OF Lyman Bostock: Cubs, 4 years / $5.9m / AAV $1.48m P Joe Niekro: Reds, 3 years / $4.3m / AAV $1.43m P Willie Hernandez: Cubs, 3 years / $4.1m / AAV $1.38m 3B Bill Madlock: Dodgers, 2 years / $3.2m / AAV $1.32m P Roger Erickson: Brewers, 3 years / $3.4m / AAV $1.14m P Jerry Koosman: Giants, 2 years / $2.2m / AAV $1.10m P John Montefusco: Indians, 4 years / $4.1m / AAV $1.02m P Jack Morris: Cubs, 3 years / $3.1m / AAV $1.01m 1B Ken Phelps from Giants to Expos for P Fred Breining SS Domingo Ramos and P Bob James from Giants to Cubs for P Bruce Sutter OF Mike Marshall from Mets to Phillies for OF Randy Johnson and P Odell Jones C Milt May (retaining 30%) from Tigers to Blue Jays for P Bob Ojeda and P Luis Sanchez P Mike Morgan, OF Albert Hall and P Kelly Scott from Mariners to White Sox for P LaMarr Hoyt SS Scott Fletcher from Tigers to White Sox for P Britt Burns OF Terry Francona and 2B Shooty Babitt from Royals to Brewers for OF Jose Cruz C Rich Gedman and $139k from Royals to Brewers for P Eduardo Rodriguez OF Jim Eisenreich from Royals to Rangers for P Mike Krukow OF Glenn Wilson from Padres to Cardinals for P Bill Gullickson (retaining 10%) OF Ron Kittle and P Tim Leary from Indians to Giants for C Ernie Whitt P Dave LaPoint from Indians to Yankees for P Rollie Fingers and OF David Green OF Brett Butler from Giants to Astros for C Bob Brenly OF Paul Householder and OF Kevin Bass from Rangers to Orioles for OF Lee Lacy We go 13-5 in Spring Training and reliever Victor Cruz will miss the season’s first month after badly spraining his ankle. BNN sees div wins to the O's, Royals, Expos (by 2 from us) and Dodgers. https://i.imgur.com/1R2RSoB.jpg |
The View from the Gangplank Opening Day, 1983
We’re arguably a better squad on paper than last year across the board but especially on defence. Will that translate into a repeat of 1982’s fine result? One can only hope so. So Kong moves to 1B, Johnny Ray to 2B and UL steps into SS, while Van starts at LF in the strong side of a platoon with Tony Armas. With him in his walk year, we’re going to use Jerry Reuss in a late-inning BP role to start off with and see how things go. Andy Hassler starts the season at AA and Kent Tekulve will likely join him when Victor returns from the IL. Our MiLB trawl nets Steve Nicosia, Ed Whitson and Rick Langford. https://i.imgur.com/bBfKXrf.jpg |
Cutlass Club / Financials Update 1983
John Tudor and Johnny Ray are our priority retentions in a fairly well-set roster for now. Victor Cruz is nearing his arb period so we'll look at what he wants to re-up and go from there. Dale Berra, as previously stated, will just be taken from year to year and Rod Scurry is the only other player at this stage uncontracted for '84. https://i.imgur.com/a5uXLow.jpg |
Worth the Wait
No no-nos in 1982 but we get one early in '83 courtesy of Toronto's Mike LaCoss, the franchise's first in this timeline.
Mike never threw one IRL. |
The View from the Gangplank June 1, 1983
The lads start strongly with 8 wins from our first 10 but we suffer an early setback with Dave Parker knocked out of action for 6 weeks by a neck injury. Gene Clines gets the call-up, making his first MLB appearance in four years. We regress a bit with the pitching – the BP in particular – really struggling, but eventually get it together and go on a nifty 8-2 run including one 13-2 win over the Mets in which every starter including pitcher Rick Rhoden gets at least two hits. We hit the 40-game waypoint at 23-17 and go on to close out the sectional at 26-21, a decent achievement given we’ve been without Cobra for almost the entirety of the season to date. Plans for him to do a rehab stint at Lincoln and be eased back in are derailed when Amos Otis goes down with an ankle injury that will keep him on ice for a few weeks. https://i.imgur.com/DxVHxEL.jpg We sort out the John Tudor situation nice and early and on friendly terms, signing him to a 4+1 extension at an AAV of less than $900k. We also re-up with Johnny Ray (1/275), Dale Berra (1/385), Victor Cruz (1/375) and Rod Scurry (1/128). https://i.imgur.com/W6Iz8g3.jpg The Yanks start the year strongly but Boston keeps them close with an 11-game win streak in May and these two look set for a titanic battle this season, with the Tribe looking up for the fight as well in a competitive division. The Royals are also looking strong again, at one point winning 15 straight. The Mets, on the other hand, start strong but then fall in a heap with a dozen losses on the trot. Monthly Award Winners April American League Batter – Wade Boggs (Red Sox): 481 / 2 HR / 12 RBI Pitcher – Les Cain (Yankees): 4-0 / 1.54 / 26 K / 41 IP Rookie – Randy Ready (Rangers): 358 / 3 HR / 13 RBI National League Batter – Darryl Strawberry (Mets): 272 / 12 HR / 19 RBI Pitcher – Bill Laskey (Phillies): 5-0 / 1.13 / 22 K / 39.2 IP Rookie – Orel Hershiser (Dodgers): 4-0 / 0.86 / 33 K / 42 IP May American League Batter – Eddie Murray (Orioles): 333 / 9 HR / 25 RBI Pitcher – Oil Can Boyd (Blue Jays): 7-0 / 2.30 / 27 K / 54.2 IP Rookie – Greg Brock (Orioles): 5-1 / 4.75 / 31 K / 41.2 IP National League Batter – Tony Gwynn (Padres): 266 / 5 HR / 16 RBI Pitcher – J.R. Richard (Braves): 4-0 / 1.23 / 54 K / 51.1 IP Rookie – Ken Phelps (Expos): 273 / 8 HR / 22 RBI News and Leaders https://i.imgur.com/0mFk0F2.jpg Milestones and Observations of Note 250 Wins: Nolan Ryan 2500 Hits: Al Oliver Mets rookie Darryl Strawberry belts 5 homers in his first 6 games in the bigs and 12 in his first 20. The Astros lose catcher Ron Hassey for 4 months to a severe hip strain, while White Sox pitcher Charlie Hough gets knocked out for the same amount of time by a finger injury. A knee injury ends Phillies OF Mickey Hatcher’s season very early, while Tigers star Lou Whitaker will have to take another maximum 3-month Legacy break after suffering a broken kneecap. |
1983 MLB All-Star Game
Three nods for us this year including a well-deserved maiden appearance for Ken Oberkfell.
American League
National League
Chet Lemon beats Darryl Strawberry in the HR Derby final, with an 8-1 win edging the NL back in front on a running total basis 25-24. Leon Durham wins the MVP. |
Cowley Licks 'em
A first for the Padres as Joe Cowley throws the club's first no-no in this timeline.
Joe threw one a couple of years later IRL, on September 19, 1986 for the White Sox against the Halos. |
Stat Check: RBI
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The View from the Gangplank August 1, 1983
We start June in ominously poor form being swept at Chicago, with the Cubs supplanting us atop the division but then bounce back with seven straight wins as the Cubs and ourselves pull away from the pack just a bit with the Expos riding in our slipstream. After losing his first six decisions for us, Don Robinson finally gets a win against the Cubs in a home series toward the end of July in a game that also sees Dave Kingman mash a pair of taters and drive in four. We take three of four in that series but two are lucky walkoff wins and our BP is still untrustworthy, as a 13-5 pummelling in the final game highlights. Rod Scurry in particular has completely lost the strike zone. Inconsistency continues to be our main bugbear throughout a 16-12 July and we enter August in a virtual tie for top spot with the Cubs. The All-Star break sees us 1˝ behind the Cubs at 45-35. We have to negotiate the next period without UL Washington, who is a bit banged up and unable to do much, but the lads dig deep on a west coast road trip, winning six straight but the Cubbies come with us and this looks like it’s going to be yet another dogfight between the two of us. In the meantime, we spend our last transaction ticket of the year in the following manner: https://i.imgur.com/lhKOKGJ.jpg No blockbuster by any stretch, but in return for Kent Tekulve – who has never really been of much use for us during his long tenure – and a couple ineligibles we get a much-needed LHRP and a young IF who should prove pretty handy in a backup role. Both come straight into the group, with Tim Foli making way. Al, who is in his walk year and whom we will consider extending if things work out OK, will have a go at the vacant Closer role to begin with. Despite a stretch of light hitting, we reach the 100-game mark at 59-41 and with a slight lead over the Cubs as our pitchers keep the runs down for a nice change, only for a the sectional to end in disaster as we lose Lance Parrish for the rest of the year to a broken kneecap. Steve Nicosia comes up in his place but it is a massive setback for us. https://i.imgur.com/61hurwv.jpg KC cools right off to open the AL West up for business just a little bit before steadying and they enter the stretch run NO clear. Boston and LA each has a similar break but plenty of work left to do. https://i.imgur.com/t1OEPwN.jpg Monthly Award Winners June American League Batter – Rickey Henderson (A’s): 333 / 3 HR / 21 RBI Pitcher – Bruce Hurst (Red Sox): 5-1 / 2.15 / 18 K / 46 IP Rookie – Danny Cox (White Sox): 3-1 / 2.82 / 20 K / 38.1 IP National League Batter – Greg Walker (Mets): 380 / 6 HR / 18 RBI Pitcher – Fernando Valenzuela (Dodgers): 4-1 / 1.76 / 42 K / 51 IP Rookie – Charles Hudson (Cardinals): 4-0 / 2.14 / 19 K / 33.2 IP July American League Batter – Eddie Murray (Orioles): 360 / 10 HR / 23 RBI Pitcher – Sid Fernandez (Twins): 5-1 / 1.36 / 39 K / 53 IP Rookie – Sid Fernandez National League Batter – Rudy Law (Mets): 455 / 2 HR / 20 RBI Pitcher – Orel Hershiser (Dodgers): 5-0 / 1.72 / 38 K / 47 IP Rookie – Orel Hershiser News, Leaders and Top 20s https://i.imgur.com/0PBq1wv.jpg Milestones and Observations of Note 3000 Hits: Rod Carew (16th player to reach this mark) 2000 Hits: Jose Cruz, Johnny Bench The Halos put a 22-2 whipping on the Rangers in late-July and re-up with outfielder Tim Corcoran in August with a 4/3030 deal. Another AAA no-no, with Dave Freisleben throwing one for Medford against Lamesa. Doc Medich pitches a no-hitter for our AAA Lincoln club against Ottawa. The Phillies lose pitcher Larry Christenson for the season to elbow surgery, as do the A’s with Pete Broberg after he suffers a torn labrum. Veteran Brewers backstop Buck Martinez is another gone for the season after suffering a broken elbow bone. Deadline trades of note: https://i.imgur.com/nuJNh0v.jpg |
The Hitless Road Less Travelled
A bit of an odd one here for Danny Jackson, but I'm sure he'll take it all the same.
Danny never pitched one IRL. |
#300 for Lefty
Steve Carlton becomes member number fourteen of this timeline's 300-Win club.
https://i.imgur.com/gFrtz9g.jpg Knucksie Niekro, with 270, is the only active player with a chance to join them. |
Often Down, Rarely Out
The pitchers do everything to throw this one away but the offence simply refuses to lie down and we get a dramatic walkoff win in extras against the FBB (Future Bin Bashers).
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Stat Check: IP
Which active pitchers are leading the MLB in career innings pitched?
All-time leader: Walter Johnson, 7887 |
Another First for Me
I've not seen a player hit two slams in a single game, as Ron Cey does here for the Jints against the Astros. Apparently it has only happened 13 times IRL (see below, courtesy www.baseball-almanac.com).
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In a Minor Key
Denver comes back from 0-2 to pinch their first-ever title from Medford, who had knocked out our Links in the previous round.
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The View from the Gangplank: end of regular season, 1983
We play some solid baseball in early August to just nab a little break on our pursuers but then undo all of our good work with a dreadful stretch and things tighten right up once more. If we do get home this year, we may well look at the game I have previously posted about against the Astros as one of the crucial wins, one of three straight in which we get home with the last play of the game. That leads into arguably our best stretch of the season as we eventually win seven straight only to finish off an otherwise positive August with three losses that put us at 77-55 and leave us 5 clear with 30 to play. Without playing our best baseball after that, we do enough to maintain a comfortable lead into the final 20 games. With the winning post in sight, we get an untimely dose of the staggers losing four of five but we pull ourselves together and eventually take out the NL East in relatively uncomplicated fashion. However, we do lose Steve Nicosia for the remainder to really test our depth at catcher, with age-39 Carl Taylor the best option available to us and he makes his first MLB appearance in seven years. Dave Henderson also has a hamstring issue and will need to be nursed through the rest of the regular season. Far from ideal preparation for the playoffs. https://i.imgur.com/Vu7VFs1.jpg No dramas in the two West races, with the Dodgers and Royals both getting the job done easily in the end. The AL East is another matter entirely as the season-long dogfight between the Red Sox and Yanks persists to the very end. At one point, Boston looks to have kicked clear but then collapse and the Yanks pounce, overhauling them to lead by a couple games with 10 to play. They cling to a 1-game advantage with six games left and then take two of three in a home series with the BoSox to lead by two with three to go. Both teams lose their 160th game to reduce the Yanks’ MN to 1 but a BoSox win and Yankee loss the next day sends them to their final games with the division still unresolved. The Yanks couldn’t possibly do it again, could they? They could, and do, setting up a one-game tiebreaker, which they also lose. Amazing how the fortunes of these two clubs are pretty much the inverse of the IRL. https://i.imgur.com/tJ3cTG2.jpg Final Leaders and Top 20s Batting titles to Wade Boggs and Tony Gwynn, surprise, surprise. Eddie Murray leads the MLB with 39 homers, while Harold Baines and Jesse Barfield tie for the most RBI with 118. Tim Raines' 113 SB just edge out Rickey's 112. Presumptive NL RoY Orel Hershiser leads the pack in Wins with 22 from a bunch including teammates Fernando Valenzuela and Steve Carlton on 20. Bulldog also posts the low ERA this year with 2.63 and must be a real chance for the double. JR Richard takes out this year's King of K title with 253, with Dave Lemonds' 40 Saves the most of any pitcher. On the topic of strikeouts, Nolan Ryan ends 1983 with 4483 for his career, just 13 short of second-placed Satchel Paige. He still needs nearly 900 to catch all-time leader Sandy Koufax's 5293 but should give it a shake in a few seasons. Monthly Award Winners August American League Batter – Harold Baines (White Sox): 375 / 9 HR / 24 RBI Pitcher – Sid Fernandez (Twins): 4-2 / 2.40 / 48 K / 48.2 IP Rookie – Sid Fernandez National League Batter – Andre Dawson (Expos): 390 / 7 HR / 21 RBI Pitcher – Fernando Valenzuela (Dodgers): 5-1 / 1.86 / 55 K / 48.1 IP Rookie – Orel Hershiser (Dodgers): 3-1 / 1.38 / 29 K / 52.1 IP September American League Batter – Eddie Murray (Orioles): 389 / 5 HR / 21 RBI Pitcher – Britt Burns (Tigers): 4-0 / 1.41 / 31 K / 44.2 IP Rookie – Sid Fernandez (Twins): 4-2 / 2.50 / 40 K / 50.1 IP National League Batter – Willie McGee (Cardinals): 381 / 2 HR / 13 RBI Pitcher – Don Sutton (Dodgers): 5-1 / 2.38 / 27 K / 45.1 IP Rookie – Ray Fontenot (Cardinals): 4-0 / 1.99 / 11 K / 22.2 IP Milestones and Observations of Note 250 Wins: Don Sutton 200 Wins: Vida Blue 2000 Hits: Bill Russell, Hal McRae Glenn Wilson’s 6-for-6 performance with 2 homers and a whopping 9 ribbies (for an astounding 149 GSc!) powers the Cards in a 22-3 thumping of Houston. Indians’ Closer Rollie Fingers has his season derailed by bone chips in his elbow, while an elbow injury also curtails 1983 for O’s veteran Al Bumbry. |
1983 League Championship Series
American League Kansas City Royals (92-70) v Boston Red Sox (88-75) Joaquin Andujar and, to a slightly lesser extent, Bruce Kison are two big losses here for the Royals and you just know the Red Sox rarely fail to take advantage of any edge presented them. KC has the home-field advantage and will need to use it if they want to get to the final stage. The Royals take a tight first game 3-1 behind Mike Krukow but the Red Sox tie the series the next day with a 6-3 win in which Wade Boggs and Ruppert Jones each have 4 hits. KC shows they mean business with a blowout 10-2 win at Fenway in Game 3 and finish it off with a dogged 4-3 win in a seesawing affair to book their first-ever appearance in the Fall Classic. George Brett wins the MVP. National League Los Angeles Dodgers (99-63) v Pittsburgh Pirates (95-67) This series will in all likelihood come down to whether our bats can master their tremendous pitching staff. It’s a big ask but we’re a group of gamers and if any bunch can do it ours can. Our pitching will also need to be parsimonious with allowing runners on because they have a few big bats that can really punish you if you give them too many chances. As we showed last year, we’re a decent hope here if we can just get a roll on and execute like we know we can. We push them in the opener despite managing just 6 hits all up but eventually come up short as they score late and hold on for a 4-3 win. We drop another heartbreaker the next night after John Candelaria pitches four no-hit frames and then keeps us in the game as we score in the top 9th to tie it but then lose 3-2 in 10. Back at home for Game 3, Larry McWilliams is the only thing between us and elimination but he has to see off Lefty Carlton to keep us alive. He does his level best but our bats have no answer to the quality of the opposing pitchers as we manage just 17 hits over the three games and drop out of the competition via another one-run defeat, this time 4 to 3. Former Pirate Bill Madlock is named series MVP, mainly by dint of his 2-homer performance in the clincher. https://i.imgur.com/oOasy92.jpg |
1983 World Series Preview
Los Angeles Dodgers v Kansas City Royals Best-of-seven, Royals with the home-field advantage. Always exciting to see a club in with a chance to earn their maiden title and this should be an engrossing contest between the two sides that have clearly been this year’s best. As previously noted, KC will be without pitcher Joaquin Andujar and they have also lost 2B Frank White to forearm tendinitis. That gets squared up a bit by the absence of Dodgers OF Hal McRae, who is done for the season due to a broken tibia. Sorry Royals fans, it’s the Dodgers in five for mine. Even with KC again having the home-field advantage, that pitching is just too good. https://i.imgur.com/zsHCweI.jpg |
1983 World Series Recap
Game 1 in Kansas City Mike Krukow (12-17, 4.89) v Orel Hershiser (22-7, 2.63) Wow, I did not see that coming as the Royals fall behind 8-3 only to explode with a dozen runs and prove very unhospitable with a 15-8 opening game win. Willie Wilson leads the way with 4 hits and 4 RBI in a massive wake-up call for the Dodgers as Hershiser gets bombed and can’t make it out of the 4th. https://i.imgur.com/7oa8ciV.jpg Game 2 in Kansas City Bruce Kison (19-10, 4.02) v Fernando Valenzuela (20-9, 3.04) Royals lead series 1-0 Game 2 goes a bit more according to script as Fernando Valenzuela pitches a 5-hitter and the Dodgers head home with the series tied at 1 after winning it 5-0. Just 8 hits for the victors with a bases-clearing trip in the 8th by Steve Sax the decisive blow. https://i.imgur.com/vnnmOn4.jpg Game 3 in Los Angeles Charlie Lea (17-11, 4.53) v Ron Guidry (11-15, 3.61) Series tied 1-1 Lefty Carlton’s late-30s renaissance has continued this season with just his second 20-win campaign (after winning 22 last year), including the 300th of his magnificent career and he gets the job done here with a CG effort in which he gives up 1 run on 6 hits while fanning 8. The bats do the rest, with Gamble, Madlock and Garvey all going yard in a comfortable 7-1 win. https://i.imgur.com/LnXTQMW.jpg Game 4 in Los Angeles Don Sutton (13-12, 3.57) v Dan Spillner (3-0, 2.30) Dodgers lead series 2-1 I’m sure there’s been some gentle ribbing for Don Sutton from his rotation mates about being one of the odd men out not to win 20 this year and, while he holds his own here, for most of the game he looks destined to wear the loss as the Royals take a 2-1 lead into the bottom 8th. But the home side rallies with a pair of runs off Dan Quisenberry and Rick Mahler closes it out to give LA a 3-1 series lead. https://i.imgur.com/ygBiJS7.jpg Game 5 in Los Angeles Orel Hershiser (1-0, 7.84) v Mike Krukow (1-0, 7.45) Dodgers lead series 3-1 Redemption is on offer for both of these pitchers after their Game 1 nightmares but it is the rookie who prevails as LA win their 5th Championship in dramatic fashion courtesy of a walkoff single by Bill Madlock to lock down a 4-3 win. Oscar Gamble’s 500 / 2 HR / 4 RBI effort earns him MVP honours. https://i.imgur.com/Ypqd2B1.jpg https://i.imgur.com/uLwgq47.jpg |
In a Minor Key - Major AAA Awards, 1983
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1983 Offseason
OUT & OUTS No managerial axings but both the Indians and Braves franchises change ownership. ROSTER MOVES We send Will McEnaney to arb. See below for why, even though he seems completely overmatched at the MLB level. We keep Steve Nicosia for two more years at a total cost of $550k and Vance Law on a 3/600 deal. We're going to be in all sorts from the LH pitching side with both Al Holland and Jerry Reuss having to be let walk because they both want nigh on $2m per. Thus the McEnaney retain. Along with Reuss and Holland, Tim Foli, and Andy Hassler also walk, along with a couple MiLBers. Carl Taylor retires. The following extensions of note were signed: Tony Perez (Royals) 4/9480 Chili Davis (Angels) 5/5718 Mike Witt (White Sox) 4/5510 SIM ACCURACY https://i.imgur.com/ALsyYpL.jpg *Ignore the SB figure, I often bump it up in the LTMs if I feel it's too low. HANGIN' THEM UP The two Reggies call it quits a bit earlier than expected and each should get some love in five years although neither is a lock. https://i.imgur.com/ODllK9z.jpg |
1983 MLB Awards
A rarity indeed, perhaps even a first, as Sid Fernandez and Orel Hershiser both pull off the Johnson-Waddell / Mantle-Mays double. The departing Al Holland saves us from a complete whiff.
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The Wheeling and the Dealing
We use our first trade ticket for 1984 shoring up our depleted LHP ranks in the following way:
We only ever saw Hendu as a stopgap option mainly because we feel his CC slot can be used more productively, and with Tony Armas on the books thru 1985 and the big wad of cash on offer this trade was impossible to refuse. We're looking to use that slot on a quality SS, a position we've had something of a revolving door at lately and to use the cash in some fashion to keep our transition on the move. We've got a bunch of guys tapping out in '84 and '85 so we need to set up the squad to replace those we don't retain, which will be most of them. Neal is far from dominant but we feel he'll give us some good middle-innings relief over the oncoming years. |
1983/84 Rookie Draft & Legacy Players
The big names from this era continue to enter the league, with three of the best arms among the seven new legacies for 1984.
These are the Legacy Players for the 1984 Season: Minnesota Twins: Kirby Puckett (51.2; 1783 – one-club player) MARQUEE conceded Boston Red Sox: Roger Clemens (139.2; 382 GS) California Angels: Mark Langston (50.1; 210 GS) Cincinnati Reds: Jose Rijo (36.5; 215 GS) Kansas City Royals: Bret Saberhagen (58.9; 226 GS) New York Mets: Dwight Gooden (53.0; 303 GS) Toronto Blue Jays: Jimmy Key (48.9; 250 GS) Mark Gubicza (37.4; 329 GS) was also eligible for the Royals, but Saberhagen’s higher WAR makes him the selection. There are 132 rookies for this season, and the Draft will consist of 5 rounds. The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1983 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round): Round 1 1. Boston Red Sox (481) 2. Kansas City Royals (488; dice roll) 3. New York Mets (420) 4. Minnesota Twins (432; dice roll) 5. California Angels (432; dice roll) 6. Toronto Blue Jays (549) 7. Cincinnati Reds (457; dice roll) 8. Seattle Mariners (370) 9. Cleveland Indians (432; dice roll) 10. Chicago Cubs (438) 11. Oakland Athletics (457; dice roll) 12. Texas Rangers (475) 13. San Francisco Giants (488; dice roll) 14. St. Louis Cardinals (488; dice roll) 15. San Diego Padres (500) 16. Montreal Expos (506) 17. Pittsburgh Pirates (519) 18. Houston Astros (525) 19. Milwaukee Brewers (537) 20. Atlanta Braves (543) 21. Philadelphia Phillies (556) 22. Los Angeles Dodgers (562; dice roll) 23. New York Yankees (562; dice roll) 24. Detroit Tigers (568) 25. Baltimore Orioles (605) 26. Chicago White Sox (611) Rounds 2 thru 5 1. Seattle Mariners (370) 2. New York Mets (420) 3. California Angels (432; dice roll) 4. Minnesota Twins (432; dice roll) 5. Cleveland Indians (432; dice roll) 6. Chicago Cubs (438) 7. Oakland Athletics (457; dice roll) 8. Cincinnati Reds (457; dice roll) 9. Texas Rangers (475) 10. Boston Red Sox (481) 11. San Francisco Giants (488; dice roll) 12. St. Louis Cardinals (488; dice roll) 13. Kansas City Royals (488; dice roll) 14. San Diego Padres (500) 15. Montreal Expos (506) 16. Pittsburgh Pirates (519) 17. Houston Astros (525) 18. Milwaukee Brewers (537) 19. Atlanta Braves (543) 20. Toronto Blue Jays (549) 21. Philadelphia Phillies (556) 22. Los Angeles Dodgers (562; dice roll) 23. New York Yankees (562; dice roll) 24. Detroit Tigers (568) 25. Baltimore Orioles (605) 26. Chicago White Sox (611) Eligible PIT players: 5 position players + 9 pitchers = 14 No Legacy and a late-ish pick tempers our expectations of gaining any real gems here, along with the fact that there’s not much by way of eligible players from which to choose. With three CC slots open, we’ll be keeping an eye out for the right ineligible player(s) if he / they appear(s). Here’s who we took: 1. P Zane Smith, 23 (PIT IRL: 1990-94, 1996)
5. SS Jim Scranton, 23 (INELIGIBLE)
More useful than we’d anticipated. https://i.imgur.com/s4mp3VM.jpg Somewhat ironically, Billy Beane ends up at the Mets. |
Call from the Hall
After a couple quiet years, C-Town gets busy with three inductees. A nice turnout for Jim O'Toole, who finds himself in fine company indeed!
https://i.imgur.com/h7uplsi.jpg |
More Wheeling and the Dealing
Some nice developments and big trade news for us in the early part of '84.
We pick up Mike Scott, unbelievably on a ridiculously cheap options deal which has the added bonus of not using up a transaction coupon, and also allows us to dump a fair whack of payroll while hopefully solving our SS problem via the following swap with the White Sox: https://i.imgur.com/kAefHOF.jpg We know last season was likely an off year for Bert and he has some good ones left in him, and would probably have preferred Don Robinson in this trade than him given their contracts are roughly the same cost and duration for us. But they weren't having a bar of that and we wanted this deal done so I threw in the cash rider and Terry Forster (again, don't ask me why...) and they agreed. Mike doesn't really hit his straps for another year so we'll have to wear that in '84 but we all know how good he gets from that point (once he discovers the "sp(l)itter" ahem, ahem...) and this means we are continually reducing our squad's age, or at least the key parts, with only Forster, Gene Garber and a few of the soon-to-exit position players now over 30. https://i.imgur.com/VLPQoZ5.jpg Our final move for now continues along the same vein: https://i.imgur.com/H5MuUKq.jpg That's another CC slot taken, but used well as Scott is a ripper and under contract thru 1987 on reasonably friendly terms. Gary will pick up at least CF ratings, if not RF as well and we'll use him across all three. He's still got two more years on the min and then his full arb section, so again we get a younger guy we can hang onto for years to come. Would have liked to keep Dale for just one more year and tried offering others but this was the only way we could get it done. All in all, a really productive offseason for us. |
1984 The First Time Around
An utterly dominant Tigers outfit – 35-5 over their first 40 games! – spoils the title dreams of the Padres, who had done likewise to the Cubs in their first postseason appearance since WW2.
AL EAST / WEST CHAMPIONS: Detroit Tigers (104-58) / Kansas City Royals (84-78) NL EAST / WEST CHAMPIONS: Chicago Cubs (96-65) / San Diego Padres (92-70) ALCS: Tigers 3, Royals 0 NLCS: Padres 3, Cubs 2 WORLD SERIES: Tigers 4, Padres 1 Pittsburgh Pirates: 75-87, 6th in NL East AL MVP: Willie Hernandez (Tigers) NL MVP: Ryne Sandberg (Cubs) AL CYA: Willie Hernandez (Tigers) NL CYA: Rick Sutcliffe (Cubs) AL RoY: Alvin Davis (Mariners) NL RoY: Dwight Gooden (Mets) Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com) NL Hitters 1. RYNE SANDBERG, CHICAGO
AL Hitters 1. EDDIE MURRAY, BALTIMORE
NL Pitchers 1. RICK RHODEN, PITTSBURGH
AL Pitchers 1. WILLIE HERNANDEZ, DETROIT
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1984 Preseason / Spring Training
Craig Reynolds scores himself another nice payday as shortstop prices get taken way out of whack due to a shortage across the league. Joe Morgan returns to Cincy, who look stacked especially in the pitching department and the two NY clubs splash plenty of cash to try and procure that elusive title, while the A’s make an uncharacteristically large investment as well. C Butch Wynegar: A’s, 5 year / $15.4m / AAV $3.08m SS Craig Reynolds: Dodgers, 5 years / $15.4m / AAV $3.08m 2B Joe Morgan: Mets, 2 years / $6.0m / AAV $3.00m OF Dave Collins: Brewers, 4 years / $10.9m / AAV $2.72m P Britt Burns: Yankees, 5 years / $15.5m / AAV $2.58m SS Dickie Thon: Mets, 4 years / $10.1m / AAV $2.52m 1B Rod Carew: Giants, 2 years / $4.7m / AAV $2.36m P Jerry Reuss: Astros, 4 years / $9.3m / AAV $2.32m OF Sixto Lezcano: Royals, 3 years / $6.9m / AAV $2.29m OF George Hendrick: Yankees, 2 years / $4.3m / AAV $2.16m 2B Tom Herr: Expos, 3 years / $6.4m / AAV $2.14m 2B Davey Lopes: Mets, 2 years / $4.1m / AAV $2.04m P Rick Sutcliffe: Yankees, 6 years / $11.6m / AAV $1.94m P Jim Beattie: Cardinals, 3 years / $5.6m / AAV $1.86m 3B Wayne Gross: Cardinals, 3 years / $5.2m / AAV $1.74m P Pat Zachry: Cardinals, 1 year / $1.7m / AAV $1.74m P Ray Burris: White Sox, 1 year / $1.6m / AAV $1.64m P Don Aase: A’s, 1 year / $1.6m / AAV $1.60m P Rick Reuschel: Cubs, 4 years / $5.9m / AAV $1.49m (extension) P LaMarr Hoyt: Mets, 3 years / $4.1m / AAV $1.36m P Al Holland: Expos, 3 years / $2.3m / AAV $1.09m P Doyle Alexander: Yankees, 3 years / $3.2m / AAV $1.08m P Sam Hinds and P Mike Mason from Tigers to Dodgers for 3B Bill Madlock and 2B Steve Sax OF Kevin Bass from Orioles to White Sox for OF Larry Herndon P Brad Havens and P Mark Davis from Red Sox to Giants for 1B Darrell Evans OF Jerry Mumphrey and OF Mike Young from Reds to Red Sox for 3B Buddy Bell P Mark Eichhorn and 3B Tom O’Malley from Astros to Blue Jays for OF Gary Matthews OF Terry Francona and P Gene Nelson from Brewers to Cubs for P Dave Righetti (retaining 70%) 2B Bryan Little and OF Candy Maldonado from Mariners to A’s for OF Jeff Burroughs (retaining 75%) 3B Brook Jacoby from Tigers to Indians for 3B Graig Nettles 3B Randy Ready from Rangers to Giants for 3B Ron Cey and 3B Nick Esasky OF Jim Eisenreich and SS Eddie Tanner from Rangers to Giants for P Jerry Koosman (retaining 70%) P Joe Niekro, 3B German Rivera and 1B Sid Bream from Reds to Royals for OF Dan Gladden C Mike Diaz and OF Kevin McReynolds from Braves to Mariners for P Danny Darwin (retaining 95%) We go 13-5 in Spring Training and will be without Scrap Iron Garner for the first fortnight due to a hammy strain. BNN are tipping division wins for the Red Sox, A’s, Cards and Padres in fairly tight races. They have pegged for a third-place, 83-79 finish which looks fair enough to me. https://i.imgur.com/loQ2FTJ.jpg |
The View from the Gangplank Opening Day, 1984
No doubt we’ve taken a step backward to try and move forward with more sustainability and confidence but we should still be competitive. Few changes from last season, with Armas the everyday CF (at which, along with 1B we are worryingly thin) and Fletcher into SS. Joe Orsulak makes his MLB debut and Dybzinski will make way for Garner when he returns. Candy heads the rotation, with Robertson at SP4 and Scott at 5. Guante gets a crack at Closer, with Ed Whitson called up in a BP role. John Tudor will spot start as needed. Our MiLB trawl nets Jim Morrison, Bill Almon, Milt May, Art Howe and our old pal Mario Mendoza. https://i.imgur.com/SZDJmL1.jpg |
Cutlass Club / Financials Update 1984
First priority is to lock Mike Scott down for a few years. We've got a bunch in their walk years - Dave Parker (will walk), Phil Garner (walk / be traded), UL Washington (price-dependent), Victor Cruz (price-dep), Ed Whitson (price-dep) and Will McEnaney (walk), while I doubt we'll exercise the team oppy on Amos Otis, who is done.
So we're in pretty good shape providing we can find suitable and affordable replacements for them. |
A Mouthful of Nando's
He famously had to wait until 1990 for one IRL, but we find ourselves on the wrong end of a no-no by Fernando Valenzuela here, his second in this timeline after throwing one in his rookie year against the Astros.
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The View from the Gangplank June 1, 1984
Our season starts in iffy form with a 4-6 road trip in which we are for the most part equally poor with both bat and ball. Phil Garner finally makes his return a couple weeks into the season after a slight setback but it doesn’t really help our performance in a thoroughly untidy beginning to the season that sees us struggle just to stay at 500 and play well below our best. Among our numerous problems, we are getting virtually nothing from Dave Kingman, who hits 153 with zero homers over the first 25 games (eventually breaking his duck in Game 32), although Andy Van offsets this with a red-hot start to his sophomore season and Wheel Parrish is also in fine early form. John Candelaria (1-5, 6.27 by early May) is another massive concern and it seems the juice from some of these lemons might have dried up ahead of time. We finally get into the green for the first time with a 3-game sweep of the Cards but are then no-hit by Fernando Valenzuela and the Dodgers as you might have seen in a separate post. Still, we grind out some wins over the next period to keep the Cards close at hand and then it all falls into place for a while as we win eight straight to briefly go top but it is already shaping up as another torrid stretch run in our division. We hold our form but lose Andy Van for a fortnight to a sprained ankle and Miguel Dilone comes up for his first go-around in the bigs since 1981. Joe Orsulak, killing it early in his rookie season, gets the chance to show us if he can do it on an everyday basis for a while. We drop for of our last five in this sectional to finish at 29-21, a game behind the Cubs with the Cards wedged between us and just 8 games separating top from bottom. https://i.imgur.com/Wk8aCnV.jpg We get Mike Scott on the books thru 1989, those five years costing us less than $3m total, and also make big investments in Scott Fletcher (5+1/$6.2m) and Ed Whitson (6/$3.4m) in the shape of long extensions. We also retain UL Washington for another year at a cost of $780k and both Neal Heaton and Rod Scurry on cheap one-year deals. https://i.imgur.com/0YnuzSw.jpg Nice to see the Jays finally being competitive. They’ve got a good squad – note the clean sweep of the May AL awards – and should give the AL East a run for its money this season. The Braves on the other hand lose 16 games on the trot to ensconce themselves in the NL West cellar. Monthly Award Winners April American League Batter – Dwight Evans (Red Sox): 425 / 8 HR / 18 RBI Pitcher – Kevin Gross (Indians): 4-1 / 1.00 / 31 K / 45 IP Rookie – Bret Saberhagen (Royals): 3-1 / 1.81 / 24 K / 44.2 IP National League Batter – Fred Lynn (Cardinals): 333 / 5 HR / 16 RBI Pitcher – Storm Davis (Braves): 4-0 / 0.57 / 28 K / 47.2 IP Rookie – Dwight Gooden (Mets): 2-1 / 1.37 / 38 K / 39.1 IP May American League Batter – Lloyd Moseby (Blue Jays): 426 / 7 HR / 24 RBI Pitcher – Dave Stieb (Blue Jays): 4-0 / 0.22 / 23 K / 41 IP Rookie – Jimmy Key (Blue Jays): 5-1 / 3.50 / 29 K / 43.2 IP National League Batter – Bob Horner (Braves): 367 / 8 HR / 19 RBI Pitcher –Dwight Gooden (Mets): 5-1 / 1.52 / 51 K / 47.1 IP Rookie – Dwight Gooden News and Leaders https://i.imgur.com/sMdHA0T.jpg Milestones and Observations of Note 2000 Hits: Ken Singleton 300 Saves: Rollie Fingers (third only to Rich Gossage and Hoyt Wilhelm) The sophomore curse strikes Orel Hershiser, who is forced to miss 6 weeks or so with a forearm strain. Down in AAA, Charlotte’s Francis McCann goes yard four times in a game against Evansville. |
1984 MLB All-Star Game
Scott Sanderson and Lance Parrish deservedly get nods and Tony Armas can rightly feel aggrieved he doesn't get his first.
American League
National League
Glenn Davis beats Kent Hrbek in the HR Derby final, while Bob Horner leads the NL to a big 14-5 win in the ASG. |
Stat Check: R
So, who is the active leader in the MLB in career runs?
All-time leader: Ted Williams, 2119 |
The View from the Gangplank August 1, 1984
We We get Van back in early June and Miguel Dilone, despite having done well, makes the trek back to Lincoln. We start the month well and it’s no coincidence Dave Kingman starts putting a few in the seats but Scott Fletcher picks up a niggle and will need to be treated with kid gloves for a couple weeks. With the deadline looming and not wanting to waste our final ticket for the year, we go looking for some way to spend it. It doesn’t take long before we find a most productive way to do so: https://i.imgur.com/XuHeYgC.jpg https://i.imgur.com/a4A72kV.jpg This is very much a “now” and “then” trade. “Now”, it is a clear upgrade from Don who has, quite simply, been an expensive bust. Danny, an IRL Pirate in 1996 and of whose $1.7m salary for this season Seattle is on the hook for almost all, is in his walk year. Which means we need to try take care of the “then”, starting negotiations immediately on a long-term deal. He’s not being remotely ridiculous in what he’s looking for and in the end we strike a 8+1 / $21m deal that I do believe is the biggest in this club’s long history. With Terry Foster part of the Braves deal, we call up young righty RP Jim Gott to take his spot. A nice little run puts us back into first place for a bit but our attempts to nurse Scott Fletcher fail and he needs an IL stint, with Jerry Dybzinski recalled from AAA. It’s a bit of a struggle after that as the runs dry up and we drop four of five before righting the ship. We reach the midpoint at 51-30 and then, after a sloppy series at San Diego in which we lose three from four, go into the All-Star Break at 52-34 trailing the Cubs by a game and a half. We come back strongly after the break but lose Ken Oberkfell for a minimum IL stint. Thankfully, Scott Fletcher has by this time returned to the fold and we’ll move him to 3B and keep Wash at SS for now. We completely drop our bundle over the latter part of July, all but killing ourselves off with an 8-game losing streak and only a similar fallow period for the Cubs keeps us in the race at all as we enter August trailing them by six entering the stretch drive. We’ve come back from further over shorter spans in the past but I’m not sure this group has it in them. They look all at sea. We do get Ken Oberkfell back right at the end of the month and hopefully that will at least put us partway back on track. https://i.imgur.com/CvNOZhU.jpg Rookie Zane Smith, spending his first year at AAA, is ruled out for 4 months with shoulder problems. https://i.imgur.com/MV5aKXT.jpg The Blue Jays and Friars go into the final section with their destinies in their own hands, narrowly leading their respective divisions. The A's look home. Monthly Award Winners June American League Batter – Chris Chambliss (Twins): 390 / 5 HR / 16 RBI Pitcher – Oil Can Boyd (Blue Jays): 5-1 / 1.70 / 27 K / 47.2 IP Rookie – Bret Saberhagen (Royals): 4-1 / 1.75 / 31 K / 46.1 IP National League Batter – Glenn Davis (Astros): 312 / 13 HR / 35 RBI Pitcher – Ken Dixon (Dodgers): 6-0 / 1.62 / 36 K / 44.1 IP Rookie – Ken Dixon July American League Batter – Gary Roenicke (Royals): 305 / 8 HR / 22 RBI Pitcher – Oil Can Boyd (Blue Jays): 5-0 / 1.40 / 33 K / 51.1 IP Rookie – Alvin Davis (Indians): 352 / 5 HR / 24 RBI National League Batter – Darrell Porter (Cubs): 319 / 9 HR / 24 RBI Pitcher –Dwight Gooden (Mets): 5-0 / 1.94 / 50 K / 46.1 IP Rookie – Dwight Gooden News, Leaders and Top 20s https://i.imgur.com/pknbknk.jpg Milestones and Observations of Note 200 Wins: Les Cain (A slight improvement on his 23 IRL…) 2000 Hits: Dave Concepcion, Graig Nettles, Buddy Bell The Indians lose veteran 2B Manny Trillo for the year to an elbow break. Yet another AAA no-no, by Moline’s Randy Lerch against North Platte. Deadline trades of note, with the Cubs busy: https://i.imgur.com/aJmxhop.jpg |
The View from the Gangplank: end of regular season, 1984
No doubt the lads are giving it the old college try and they string together some decent performances in early August inclusing a 10-0 win at St. Louis in which the much-maligned John Candelaria gives us 8 scoreless and drives in 4 himself. The problem, as it has been all season, is consistency as we also phone in a few shockers, meaning we make little headway on the Cubs over this period and what ground we have made up we give straight back with interest through a couple poor series at the Mets and Braves. We lose Gary Redus for three weeks to an oblique strain, more of an inconvenience than a big blow but given the circumstances it’s still a setback as we need all hands on deck. Miguel Dilone gets recalled. A strong homestand in which we take five of six keeps us in the hunt but we’re running out of games. We do still have seven to play against the Cubs, however, so all is not lost just yet. We get within two games of them but then fall away again with a run of 7 straight losses and if we come up short we need look no further than these two big post-ASB slumps for the cause. Those six yet-to-be-played games with the Cubbies loom larger with every loss and when a 3-HR game by Tony Armas doesn’t even put us in the win column you can’t help but get the feeling this isn’t going to be our year. And yet somehow, in spite of all this, we’re still not out of it heading into the last fortnight games and the lads show what they can do on their day when a 5-hit game by Ken Oberkfell leads us to a big 11-3 against young gun Dwight Gooden and the Mets and we follow that up with an 11-1 win a couple days later at St. Louis. When the long-awaited Cubs matchup finally rolls around, we trail them by five with 14 to play. The first four are at Wrigley and are virtually make-or-break for us. Cecilio Guante blows a save in the opener but we win the later game of the DH behind a fine Rick Rhoden outing with both bat and ball and then narrowly take the other two games as well to give ourself some chance of reeling them in, 3 back with 10 to play. These exertions seem to knock the stuffing out of us, however, as we drop two of three at home to the Phils and when Chicago comes to town we trail them by 4 with 6 to play and need a miracle. They all but finish us off with a 4-3 win in the first game, handing Scott Sanderson just his fourth loss in a fantastic season, but we rally to win the last to and at least not give them the satisfaction of clinching at our park and gives us a 13-5 season edge on our great rivals. That proves small consolation when they clinch with a home win against the Redbirds. A nice touch as, in ostensibly his final game as a Pirate, Dave Parker mashes a pair of taters and drives in 5 as we round off an encouraging campaign with a big 13-1 win at Philly to finish 90-72 on the season. https://i.imgur.com/3vyQPYX.jpg Pretty clear-cut in two of the other races as Oakland clinches early and easily and the Padres show nerves of steel down the stretch to book their maiden playoff appearance. Toronto seems to be cruising, leading by as many as 8 games at one point but a godawful collapse combined with the Tigers going on a tear puts them level going into the final day. Both lose, making it six in a row for the poor Jays, necessitating a tiebreaker. Kudos to Toronto, who somehow lift and clinch their first-ever postseason berth with a 10-1 thumping. https://i.imgur.com/2iH83KK.jpg Final Leaders and Top 20s Batting titles to Wade Boggs and Lyman Bostock, while Kirk Gibson belts 20 homers over the final two months and his total of 40 is easily the most in the MLB this year. Pete O'Brien's 114 RBI top either league and Rickey retains his rightful spot as the Man of Steal with 132 swipes on the year. Pitching wise, Doc Gooden just misses the NL Triple Crown by a win and a few ERA points, with Ron Guidry (clearly we cut bait a wee bit early there...) set to give him a run for the Johnson Waddell. But it is Oil Can Boyd who's the surprise packet, winning 25 games, the only player with more than 20. Bud Black (who wins 20 on the dot) is the ERA low-marker with 2.21and that, too, should be a tight tussle come awards season between those two in the AL. Doc is this year's King of K title with 269, while Rich Gossage just edges out Al Holland 42 to 41 in the Saves department. The Goose now has 363 and is well clear on top of the all-time list. Nolan Ryan's 245 K take his career total to 4728 and he's now in second place, 565 adrift of Sandy K. https://i.imgur.com/Mnu0Z78.jpg Monthly Award Winners August American League Batter – Kirk Gibson (Rangers): 344 / 9 HR / 25 RBI Pitcher – Nolan Ryan (Red Sox): 5-1 / 2.31 / 44 K / 46.2 IP Rookie – Joe Hesketh (Twins): 2-1 / 1.42 / 30 K / 31.2 IP National League Batter – Eddie Milner (Padres): 356 / 5 HR / 21 RBI Pitcher – Storm Davis (Braves): 4-2 / 1.61 / 30 K / 56 IP Rookie – Ken Dixon (Dodgers): 4-0 / 3.07 / 37 K / 44 IP September American League Batter – Kirk Gibson (Rangers): 320 / 11 HR / 23 RBI Pitcher – Mike Krukow (Tigers): 5-1 / 1.49 / 20 K / 42.1 IP Rookie – Roger Clemens (Red Sox): 3-1 / 1.23 / 38 K / 44 IP National League Batter – Johnny Bench (Padres): 359 / 7 HR / 19 RBI Pitcher – John Candelaria (Pirates): 4-2 / 2.19 / 30 K / 49.1 IP Rookie – Ken Howell (Padres): 2-1 / 2.05 / 7 SV / 18 K / 22 IP Milestones and Observations of Note The Halos keep gun catcher Brian Downing at the club with a 5-year, $12.6m extension. The Cards lose club favourite Ted Simmons for the season to a labrum tear and it’s worse news for Yankees pitcher Britt Burns, who’ll miss a full 12 months after suffering a more severe version of the same injury. Bert Blyleven is another to catch the injury bug and he’ll miss the rest of the season and perhaps a little bit of next with an elbow tendon injury. |
In a Minor Key
Our AAA Lincoln boys just avoid a nasty collapse and tiebreaker requirement with a walkoff win in their final game of the regular season, then look to be cruising to the title with a 2-0 lead before dropping three straight to hand Auburn the title, their third.
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1984 League Championship Series
American League Oakland A’s (99-63) v Toronto Blue Jays (94-69) One has to wonder how much that epic collapse and brave recovery has taken out of the Jays, especially in light of the cruisy passage the A’s enjoyed. Those sorts of experiences can either bond or break a group and we’ll see soon enough which is the case here. Both sides at full strength. The opener is a beauty as the A’s look to be cruising before this gutsy Toronto unit comes storming back to win it late with a 6-4 final score. Game 2 is another tight tussle, with the A’s needing extras before squaring the series with a walkoff 2-1 win in 10. In what turns out to be one heck of a series, the A’s blow a lead late in Game 3 but escape with a 4-3 win in 12 and then advance to the WS with another dogged 5-3 win the next day behind Dave Stewart. A’s outfielder Dwayne Murphy is named MVP. National League Chicago Cubs (92-70) v San Diego Padres (92-70) Another team without playoff experience and you’d think that gives the Cubs the edge over this up-and-coming Friars unit here. That said, it looks a very even matchup with Bench and Winfield able to give even the most poised pitcher plenty of conniptions. And it is the visiting Padres that strike first with a nifty 5-2 Game 1 win behind Bryn Smith before the Cubs win a seesawing affair 7-3 to get back on level terms heading to the west coast. The Padres ride a huge game from Jeff Heath, who belts a pair of homers and drives in 3, for a comfortable 10-5 Game 3 win but the Cubs fight back the next day with a tough 4-1 victory that sends them back to Wrigley for a decider. In the end, the Cubbies’ class gets them home with a dogged 5-2 win to give them a chance for their 6th title. Eric Davis wins MVP honours. https://i.imgur.com/Zg4fCA7.jpg |
1984 World Series Preview
Oakland A’s v Chicago Cubs Best-of-seven, Cubs with the home-field advantage. And then there were two… In this case, two evenly-matched, well-managed, well-rounded, balanced and extremely talented groups. Very few obvious points of differentiation here and this series could go either way. However, I just feel the A’s have a slight class edge, especially in the lower part of their rotation, which gives them a bit more room for error even though the Cubs have home-field advantage. I am almost certain this one will go the distance or near enough to, so my tip is Oakland in seven. https://i.imgur.com/J6IInVU.jpg |
1984 World Series Recap
Game 1 in Chicago Jack Morris (14-15, 3.34) v Bob Welch (15-11, 3.66) A cracking game to get things underway as the pitchers control proceedings early before Oakland scores 4 in the 4th. The Cubs chip away at that lead then edge in front with a 3-run 8th and hang on for a 5-4 win. https://i.imgur.com/L9Q0v4V.jpg Game 2 in Chicago Rick Reuschel (9-14, 4.02) v Bud Black (20-9, 2.21) Cubs lead series 1-0 Another one for the playoff purists as the game stays hitless thru 4 ˝ before a Darrell Porter solo shot gives the Cubs a lead they add to with another in the 8th and never relinquish to put themselves in the box seat heading to the Bay Area. Rick Reuschel is superb for the victors, allowing just a pair of singles over 7+ scoreless, while Black is the unlucky loser. https://i.imgur.com/BMBKxyz.jpg Game 3 in Oakland Dave Stewart (10-8, 3.88) v Ron Guidry (19-5, 2.27) Cubs lead series 1-0 Two fierce competitors take the mound for Game 3 and it is the younger of them who emerges victorious as Dave Stewart gives the A’s 7 scoreless and Rickey Henderson has 3 hits including a 2-run shot to lead off the game to put Oakland in the W column. https://i.imgur.com/zJQvy07.jpg Game 4 in Oakland Jim Clancy (16-13, 3.97) v Tom Candiotti (11-7, 3.38) Cubs lead series 2-1 Chicago gets to within one win of the title with a grinding 5-2 win in a game they control from the start and run away with in the end. Tom Candiotti is his typical workmanlike self over 7 and Ryne Sandberg puts one into the seats early, while Lyman Bostock has 4 hits. https://i.imgur.com/QxM39Lg.jpg Game 5 in Oakland Bob Welch (0-0, 2.57) v Jack Morris (1-0, 4.85) Cubs lead series 3-1 The A’s keep their hopes alive with easily their best performance of the series to date, scoring their runs in bunches in a comfortable 8-1 decision. Bob Welch is excellent again and Claudell Washington’s 5th-inning grand slam is a key blow. https://i.imgur.com/vaUc7KY.jpg Game 6 in Chicago Rick Reuschel (1-1, 5.19) v Bud Black (0-1, 1.29) Cubs lead series 3-2 Wrigley is pumping and full to the rafters and they don’t go home disappointed as Rick Reuschel excels again with 6+ 1-hit innings and series MVP Lyman Bostock goes 3-for-3 with a 2-run home run in a 6-2 win that delivers the Baby Bears their second title this decade and 5th overall. The win takes the running score over the 84 seasons to date to NL 46, AL 38. https://i.imgur.com/3e9eY4I.jpg https://i.imgur.com/wPaIO0f.jpg |
In a Minor Key - Major AAA Awards, 1984
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1984 Offseason
OUT & OUTS A couple of newly-unemployed among the managerial ranks with Karl Olson (Twins) and Bill Kennedy (Dodgers) given their marching orders. Mariners pilot Adolfo Phillips doesn't have his contract renewed, nor do Sam Jones with KC or Gene Gabler at Cleveland. On the flipside, Sandy Koufax gets a 5-year extension as Houston skipper. ROSTER MOVES We execute the team options of Tony Armas and Gene Garber for 1985, but void that of Amos Otis. We extend Johnny Ray on a 1/650 deal and send Jerry Dybzinski and Miguel Dilone to arb. Will McEnaney is non-tendered (finally!), while Victor Cruz, Phil Garner and Dave Parker all walk. The following extensions of note were signed at other clubs: P Atlee Hammaker (Giants) 3/8480 P Bryn Smith (Padres) 3/4100 2B Wally Backman (Cubs) 3/1904 SIM ACCURACY https://i.imgur.com/1N5zNAe.jpg *Ignore the SB figure, I often bump it up in the LTMs if I feel it's too low. HANGIN' THEM UP Some big-name pitchers take their leave of us but only Knucksie looks a decent chance of making it to the HoF. Bill Buckner, in a prescient move, retires before 1986 arrives... https://i.imgur.com/AwGPGMl.jpg |
A Quick FYI
As I think I might have mentioned previously, in an effort to keep the juice-junkies at bay over the remainder of this save, I am going to apply edited LTMs rather than historical ones from 1985 onwards.
They might need some work along the way, but the starting point for these edits looks like this: For those interested, they are the average of the 40 seasons previous to and inclusive of the one being calculated, scaled to that season's IRL AB figure. EG for 1985 the average of 1946 thru 1985. The average reduction in HR per season over the 39 in question is a smidge over 13% from the historical. |
1984 MLB Awards
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The Wheeling and the Dealing
With both Dave Kingman and Tony Armas in their walk years and not to be extended, this upcoming season will be our last roll of the dice with the TTO strategy. From there a transition - which is already in progress - to a smaller-ball, speed oriented offence where the longball is more peripheral to our run production than front-and-centre.
Our almost perennial need is for three main types of players: shortstops, CFs and LH pitchers of any distinction - and this season is no different. In our quest to stock the larder for these types of players this year, we see the Yankees have a SS and a LHP, both eligible PIT players, and approach them about a trade. After the requisite to-ing and fro-ing, the following deal is struck: We could in fact have expedited the aforementioned transition with this trade, as Tony Armas was on the list of acceptable players the Yanks brass sent through. But we wanted to give the bash-and-dash strategy one final hurrah and, while Ken has been great for us, he doesn't really fall into either strat cat and with Vance Law on the books almost an identical player we felt he was expendable. So Vance will become the everyday 3B and Tom (we've now had Tim Foli and Tom Foley in back and gold) will slot into a backup IF role, while Dave will start off in the BP but likely end up as a spot starter before too long. That big chunk of change will be put toward retaining Johnny Ray past his TC regime, which ends in '86. |
And with the 1985 legacy pick, you get...Barry Bonds!!!
Let's hope you win one (or two or three) with him in this sim... |
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Barry (who will actually be among the 1986 LPs) is eligible for both us (just) and the Giants, so it will all come down to who has the higher pick. This is decided from the IRL standings, not the in-game ones, so I have purposely given them a wide berth so I don't find out until the pool release date in early July. I'm perhaps surprisingly unfussed as to whether we get him or not. Clearly he'd be a huge plus for the squad but I just do not like him as a human being. So if it happens, it happens. If not, we'll just have to find the special sauce without him. TBH I think I'd rather we got Bobby Bo. Watch this space and thanks for following along! G |
Yeah, 1986 will be interesting with both Bonds and Bobby Bonilla available in the LP draft...
Still, it's your decision--and Bonds is not a likeable person, so I agree with you there... |
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The other thing I have to consider is that LPs usually come way cheaper than if they were just entering the game like "normal" players, because I apply the historical salary to LPs for the duration of their contract, the length of which again is determined by how long they spent at the club IRL, with some caveats attached. (I do like to make things complicated, don't I?) So to have Bonds on a discounted rate would be hugely beneficial to a small-market club like ours. As they say, "beggars can't be choosers" and, in the financial sense in this timeline, we definitely fall into the beggar category so if he does come our way I'll just have to swallow my personal feelings about the bloke and be thankful for the windfall... Suffice to say, however it plays out, I'll be very eagerly awaiting the pool reveal this year! G |
1984/85 Rookie Draft & Legacy Players
A fairly quiet year on the legacy front with just 4 coming in (the calm before the '85 storm?) and the pool overall is relatively nondescript on the whole.
These are the Legacy Players for the 1985 Season: Boston Red Sox: Mike Greenwell (25.8; 1269 – one-club player) Milwaukee Brewers: Teddy Higuera (30.3; 213 GS – one-club player conceded) New York Yankees: Paul O’Neill (38.8; 1254) Oakland Athletics: Jose Canseco (42.4; 1058) There are 125 rookies for this season plus an influx of 364 MiLBers for a total of 489, and the Draft will consist of 15 rounds. The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1984 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round): Round 1 1. Oakland Athletics (475) 2. New York Yankees (537) 3. Milwaukee Brewers (416) 4. Boston Red Sox (531) 5. San Francisco Giants (407) 6. Texas Rangers (429) 7. Cincinnati Reds (432) 8. Seattle Mariners (457; dice roll) 9. Chicago White Sox (457; dice roll) 10. Cleveland Indians (463; dice roll) 11. Pittsburgh Pirates (463; dice roll) 12. Montreal Expos (484) 13. Los Angeles Dodgers (488) 14. Houston Astros (494; dice roll) 15. Atlanta Braves (494; dice roll) 16. Minnesota Twins (500; dice roll) 17. Philadelphia Phillies (500; dice roll) 18. California Angels (500; dice roll) 19. St. Louis Cardinals (519; dice roll) 20. Kansas City Royals (519; dice roll) 21. Baltimore Orioles (525) 22. Toronto Blue Jays (549) 23. New York Mets (556) 24. San Diego Padres (568) 25. Chicago Cubs (596) 26. Detroit Tigers (642) Rounds 2 thru 15 1. San Francisco Giants (407) 2. Milwaukee Brewers (416) 3. Texas Rangers (429) 4. Cincinnati Reds (432) 5. Seattle Mariners (457; dice roll) 6. Chicago White Sox (457; dice roll) 7. Cleveland Indians (463; dice roll) 8. Pittsburgh Pirates (463; dice roll) 9. Oakland Athletics (475) 10. Montreal Expos (484) 11. Los Angeles Dodgers (488) 12. Houston Astros (494; dice roll) 13. Atlanta Braves (494; dice roll) 14. Minnesota Twins (500; dice roll) 15. Philadelphia Phillies (500; dice roll) 16. California Angels (500; dice roll) 17. St. Louis Cardinals (519; dice roll) 18. Kansas City Royals (519; dice roll) 19. Baltimore Orioles (525) 20. Boston Red Sox (531) 21. New York Yankees (537) 22. Toronto Blue Jays (549) 23. New York Mets (556) 24. San Diego Padres (568) 25. Chicago Cubs (596) 26. Detroit Tigers (642) Eligible PIT players: 6 position players + 5 pitchers = 11 Even with the high-ish pick, the pool this year means pickings look slim and we go in with tempered expectations. Here’s who we take home with us: 1. OF John Cangelosi, 21 (PIT IRL: 1987-90)
3. P Pat Clements, 22 (PIT IRL: 1985-86)
6. P John Cerutti, 24 (INELIGIBLE, just couldn’t resist…)
A decent enough night for us. https://i.imgur.com/AW6glwp.jpg Now, where's that Candiotti fella... |
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