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As the only of the pro leagues with a dedicated minor league system, Major League Baseball featured a secondary roster. Originally 40 players, it was reduced to 38 in 1965. For the 1992 season, MLB reduced it further to 36, forcing franchises to be more selective of whom to place on standby.



For the third time in four years, New York secured both the East Division title and the #1 overall seed in the National Association. The Yankees were 104-58, winning the division by 16 games. Their only real competitor for the top seed was 100-62 St. Louis, who easily claimed the Lower Midwest Division and the other first round playoff bye. This snapped a seven-year playoff drought for the Cardinals. Defending World Series champ Kansas City was a non-factor at 79-83, seeing their playoff streak end at three seasons. The Northeast Division was very competitive. After missing the field the prior season, 92-70 Hartford claimed the top spot. Since 1981, the Huskies have earned eight playoff berths and five division titles.

Boston (91-71) and Ottawa (89-73) were both close behind with both securing wild card spots. The Red Sox ended a 12 year drought, while the Elks earned their 10th playoff berth in 13 years. Three teams finished one short of the second wild card at 88-74; Philadelphia, Virginia Beach, and Columbus. Brooklyn was in the mix also at 86-76. In the Upper Midwest, 89-73 Winnipeg earned a second division title in three years. Chicago (78-84) was third, ending their playoff streak at three.

National Association MVP went to St. Louis veteran 2B Austin Shaw. It is his second MVP with the other a decade prior in 1983. The 33-year old’s resurgence saw a career and NA best 9.4 WAR, 114 runs, and 347 total bases. He added 187 hits, 35 home runs, and a .310/.372/.575 slash. Pitcher of the Year was Winnipeg’s Dirk Hughes. A 25-year old left-handed Englishman, Hughes led in wins at 22-7 and WHIP at 0.98. He added 5.9 WAR over 259.1 innings with a 2.46 ERA and 216 strikeouts.

Wild card Boston won 2-1 at Winnipeg in the first round, while Hartford swept divisional foe Ottawa. The Red Sox stunned New York in round two 3-1, giving Boston its first National Association Championship Series berth since their 1967 title. The Huskies prevailed in a five game classic at St. Louis, giving Hartford its fourth NACS appearance in a decade. The New England divisional rivals played to a seven game classic with the Huskies outlasting the Red Sox, giving Hartford its second pennant in four years. The Huskies have been NA champs six times (1916, 20, 48, 50, 89, 92).



In 1991, Calgary limped to a 69-93 record for their first losing season since 1981. The Cheetahs had an impressive turnaround to end their three-year playoff drought, taking the Northwest Division at 104-58 and earning the top seed in the American Association. Seattle was a strong second in the division at 97-65, giving the Grizzlies the first wild card and their first playoff appearance since 1975. Denver, the defending AA champ, saw its four-year playoff streak ended with an 80-82 season. Edmonton at 84-78 saw its chance for four berths in five years thwarted as well. The #2 seed went to Atlanta at 102-60, extending the Aces impressive Southeast Division title streak to six years, one short of the record set from 1932-38 by Ottawa.

Austin took the South Central Division at 96-66, the third division title in four years for the still relatively new Amigos franchise. Both Memphis and New Orleans finished at 91-71, five from the division title but tied for the second wild card. The Mountain Cats won the tiebreaker game over the Mudcats, ending a postseason drought for Memphis dating back to 1974. Dallas (88-74), Tampa (87-75), and Oakland (87-75) were the others in the wild card mix. At 94-68, Las Vegas won the Southwest Division, ending a nine-year playoff skid for the Vipers. Los Angeles’ three-year streak ended with a middling 80-82.

Taking American Association MVP was second-year New Orleans second baseman Curry Ard. The 22-year old from Houston led in total bases (355) and added a .314/.331/.531 slash, 7.3 WAR, 32 home runs, 210 hits, and 117 RBI. Ard also added a 12.5 zone rating and 1.056 EFF defensively. Atlanta’s Merle Hannah won Pitcher of the Year. The 26-year old led in ERA (2.45) and wins (21-7). Hannah added 8.2 WAR over 271.1 innings with 174 strikeouts and five shutouts.

Seattle upset Las Vegas 2-0 in the first round of the playoffs while Austin survived 2-1 over divisional foe Memphis. Calgary crushed the Grizzlies with a round two sweep, while Atlanta outlasted the Amigos 3-2. These were two teams that had seen recent American Association Championship Series berths. The Aces were making their third consecutive appearance and fourth in six years. The Cheetahs had made it four times from 1983-87. The successes were different, as Calgary had gone 3-1 in their run and Atlanta was 0-3. In a rematch of the 1987 AACS, the Cheetahs cruised to the pennant 4-1 over the Aces. Calgary now has won the pennant seven times (1902, 04, 40, 83, 86, 87, 92). Atlanta became only the second-ever MLB franchise to lose three consecutive ACS, joining 1978-80 Houston.



In the 92nd World Series, Hartford edged Calgary in a seven game classic, making the Huskies three-time MLB champs (1916, 1948). Calgary is now 2-5 in their World Series appearances. Earning World Series MVP was CF Mason Cushinberry, who had a historic postseason run. The 25-year old had 37 hits, 20 runs, 9 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs, and 18 RBI over 21 starts. The 37 hits set a MLB postseason record that still stands as of 2037. Cushinberry also had 64 total bases, a postseason record. He wasn’t the only one to set postseason records that still stand. Teammate Tony Evans had 51 innings and seven starts, reliever Robert Martin had 15 appearances, and LF Orion Davenport had 11 doubles.



Other notes: Aiya Kodama set a single season MLB record with 29 complete games. The seven-time Pitcher of the Year between Hiroshima and Denver was in his fourth season in MLB after a decade in Japan. Catcher Mason Wilkinson won his ninth and final Silver Slugger, tying Alejandro Fernandez for the position record. Shortstop Bernd Sprenger won his seventh in MLB. It was his 11th total, having won four with EBF’s Belfast.