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Sberl · 02-03-2026, 07:42 AM

A LOOK AT EVERY TEAM SEASON

BALTIMORE ORIOLES
A very good season for the Orioles, winning the AL East riding the great form of pitcher Mike Flanagan and 1B Eddie Murray with his 41 HR and 130 RBI. The team was first in On base PCT, OPS and HRS, 1st for Bullpen ERA and 3rd for starters ERA. A Young Cal Ripken completed his first full-time season in the majors, ranking 8th between shortstops.

BOSTON RED SOX
Second place in AL East after a bad start with Dennis Eckersley being the team MVP without any doubts. In hitting, very good season by RF Dwight Evans and the team was 1st in base running and 2nd in FIP and pitching WAR, with John Tudor being particular unlucky on the field. Also to note the great season of reliever Tom Burgmeier, one of the most efficient in the League, and the first full season of Wade Boggs, even if he is still not an everyday player.

NEW YORK YANKEES
Never easy playing in the big apple, where everybody wants to win, especially after a great 1980 campaign. They finish in 3rd place, but never contending the title. Reggie Jackson put good Numbers despite a woeful batting average while the pitching was not so lucky, with being the 1st in FIP but only 12th in starters ERA and 10th in bullpen ERA.

DETROIT TIGERS
Far from the division title at the end of the season, Detroit experienced a similar 1980 campaign, finishing 83-79 this year against a 84-78 last year. The good was the bullpen, 2nd in the majors, but the team excelled in nothing, except for Jack Morris (19 Wins). The good is Alan Trammell, who is one of the best SS in the League at only 23.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Horrible. They had some good season in last Years, even without winning the division, but in 1981 they finished with a 68-94 record without any particular joy. Their most representive men all played a down season (Cooper/Simmons/Molitor/Yount) and they need to bounce back next year.

CLEVELAND INDIANS
After a bad 1980, they did worse this year going 67-95. Team can smile only in strikeouts, 2nd in the League, but it's hard to find a good point for smile. Even in the minors their best prospect did not play well and it will be key for them making good moves in off-season

TORONTO BLUE JAYS
4th last place in a row, almost last in all stats and no signs of improvement. Times are tough in Toronto, but they could build on Dave Stieb, Joey McLaughlin and Jim Clancy, three Young pitchers with decent season and on Miguel Dilone, 26 year old LF with a good baserunning instinct. In the minors, they have Jesse Barfield, already called up, which could be an asset for the future.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX
There is not much to say about the 1981 World Champions. They did a wonderful rebound after some down seasons with a solid team play. Carlton Fisk, Chet Lemon and Greg Luzinski contribute greatly at bat while Lamp and Hoyt were the best team pitchers. It will be hard to repeat, but with Luzinski in prime age, Lemon growing, Fisk at his best and some younger pitchers developing, never say never

MINNESOTA TWINS
They gained second place despite not being able to compete for first all year, but they started a growth process and hope for even better going forward. Gary Ward and Roy Smalley starred in lineup while Roger Erickson had a breakout year with a 19 win season, but they will need more if they want to contend.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Tied in 2nd place with the Twins, for Kansas this was a down year after a great 1980 campaign. Team biggest star, George Brett, had a "down year" at the plate and rest of the batting team was not able to keep things rolling. However, Kansas can smile with the rise of ROY candidate Atlee Hammaker, one of the best pitchers in the League and the great season in the minors of their best prospect, Mark Gubicza.

CALIFORNIA ANGELS
After a rough 1980, they bounced back without being able to contend in the division. They close near .500 and they traded away one of their best players at the deadline (Don Baylor). Fred Lynn excelled at the plate while veteran Don Carew saw a drop in his plate efficiency, despite having not so bad Numbers. In Pitching, team was not so good (11th in FIP), off-season will be fundamental for next year ambitions.

SEATTLE MARINERS
Finished tied with the Angels, a small forward step after a brutal 1980 season. The step is small because no one really emerged as a team leader, to note is the continuos improvement by pitcher Floyd Bannister and team really hopes that prospects Mark Langston (P), Mike Moore (P) and Dave Henderson (CF) can breakout soon, improving the team.

TEXAS RANGERS
Similar record to 1980, with many problems in batting while pitchers were able to post good Numbers. Veteran Al Oliver was the better player and pitcher Doug Bird had a nice ride after being acquired from the Yankees. They need a really good off-season for trying to be competitive next season

OAKLAND ATHLETICS
After a good 1980 campaign, the board hoped for another good effort, but everything went bad. Last place, 90 losses and the only smiles were Rickey Henderson with his 85 stolen bases (but a drop in batting average) and defensive stats, best in the League. Won't be easy trying to rebound, especially if starting pitching continues to be no good (FIP > 4) and lineup does not hit (last pace in AL in almost every batting stat)

NL

PITTSBURGH PIRATES
After the 1979 Triumph and a positive record in 1980, the Pirates established themself as one of the top franchises in the majors. They went so close to World Series after being up 2-0 in the series with the Astros and top many batting stats in National League. Lee Lacy has been the team MVP in batting while Don Robinson has been the best pitcher, even if he was a bit lucky. To note also the presence of two great prospects, 3B Bobby Bonilla and P Cecilio Guante for what it seems a bright future

MONTREAL EXPOS
.500 record, worse than previous Years, with a good start and then a progressive decline despite pushing hard with the acquisition of Bert Blyleven, one of the top starters in the League. The team is solid and the franchise hopes to improve with the arrival of top prospect Andres Galarraga, but pitching will Always be the key.

CHICAGO CUBS
They improved a lot, going almost .500 and being able to contend for a while during the season. Bill Buckner and Leon Durham were the workhorses for this team, with a little bit of missing luck for pitching. It they do the right moves in the off-season, could stand a chance to compete next season

NEW YORK METS
Despite a 20 win season for starter Craig Swan, the record was under .500 and the team not able to contend. They improved, but lineup remains the weak part of the team (last in NL for Runs scored, batting avg, OBP, OPS). However, they have the number 1-5-9 prospect in the majors, Lenny Dykstra, Darryl Strawberry and Kevin Mitchell so the future could be bright for them.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
The defending Champs were one of the worst teams in NL for a good part of the season. Failure, this is the right word. Mike Schmidt had a decent season but the rest of lineup was not good at all; pitching was very good, with Steve Carlton being a legitimate candidate for Cy Young. From the minors, Julio Franco could be a great upgrade in the lineup.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Pre-season rankings saw them among the favorites, but the field told another story. Pitching penalised the RedBirds, while they had been average in batting. They had one of the best shortstops in the League, Terry Templeton, but there are many holes to fill with some talent being almost ready in the minors (Jim gott, Andy Van Slyke)

HOUSTON ASTROS
They confirmed themselves, with another playoff run which ended in game 6 of the World Series. The best part of the team was pitching, with three pitchers with an ERA under 3 and Nolan Ryan flirting with a 20 win season. Batting was solid, not spectacular and only a spirited team like the White Sox stopped them. Not much talent in the minors, we'll see if they can improve in the off-season

LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Like in the 1980, they fought all season but in the end Houston won and they came in 2nd place. Very solid team in pitching, with a stellar bullpen, but they could have done better in batting, especially behind the star duo Pedro Guerrero and Ron Cey. Rookie Steve Sax, who tasted the majors in 1981, could be a factor in next season

CINCINNATI REDS
Despite being third, 16 games back, they confirmed to be one of the best franchises in NL West. They had a stellar pitching, with Mario Soto being a Cy Young candidate and the problem was in the lineup. Minor League talent seems to be far from the majors, so if they do not right in the off-season, their ability to contend could fall next year

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Mediocre season in the Bay, with a subpar record and a little smile coming from Young pitching development. Fred Breining and Joe Beckwith had good seasons behind veteran Vida Blue while the lineup did not perform well. Off-season will be important because there are not major League ready talents at bat.

SAN DIEGO PADRES
Same as the San Francisco Giants, mediocre season, subpar record with some smiles coming from Young pitchers like Danny Boone and Tim Lollar. Also to note a very good defense, while the lineup was not able to support. If Giants have no talent in the minors, here there are two men who deserve a look: John Kruk and Tony Gwinn.

ATLANTA BRAVES
Bad, really really bad season even with the best starters FIP of all the National League. Bullpen was a key problem and also the lineup, despite Bob Horner hitting 36 HR/100 RBI, was not able to help. In the minors pitcher Ken Dayley could be a factor next year, but an off-season shakeup seems necessary.

02-03-2026, 07:42 AM	#9
Sberl Minors (Single A) Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 70	A LOOK AT EVERY TEAM SEASON BALTIMORE ORIOLES A very good season for the Orioles, winning the AL East riding the great form of pitcher Mike Flanagan and 1B Eddie Murray with his 41 HR and 130 RBI. The team was first in On base PCT, OPS and HRS, 1st for Bullpen ERA and 3rd for starters ERA. A Young Cal Ripken completed his first full-time season in the majors, ranking 8th between shortstops. BOSTON RED SOX Second place in AL East after a bad start with Dennis Eckersley being the team MVP without any doubts. In hitting, very good season by RF Dwight Evans and the team was 1st in base running and 2nd in FIP and pitching WAR, with John Tudor being particular unlucky on the field. Also to note the great season of reliever Tom Burgmeier, one of the most efficient in the League, and the first full season of Wade Boggs, even if he is still not an everyday player. NEW YORK YANKEES Never easy playing in the big apple, where everybody wants to win, especially after a great 1980 campaign. They finish in 3rd place, but never contending the title. Reggie Jackson put good Numbers despite a woeful batting average while the pitching was not so lucky, with being the 1st in FIP but only 12th in starters ERA and 10th in bullpen ERA. DETROIT TIGERS Far from the division title at the end of the season, Detroit experienced a similar 1980 campaign, finishing 83-79 this year against a 84-78 last year. The good was the bullpen, 2nd in the majors, but the team excelled in nothing, except for Jack Morris (19 Wins). The good is Alan Trammell, who is one of the best SS in the League at only 23. MILWAUKEE BREWERS Horrible. They had some good season in last Years, even without winning the division, but in 1981 they finished with a 68-94 record without any particular joy. Their most representive men all played a down season (Cooper/Simmons/Molitor/Yount) and they need to bounce back next year. CLEVELAND INDIANS After a bad 1980, they did worse this year going 67-95. Team can smile only in strikeouts, 2nd in the League, but it's hard to find a good point for smile. Even in the minors their best prospect did not play well and it will be key for them making good moves in off-season TORONTO BLUE JAYS 4th last place in a row, almost last in all stats and no signs of improvement. Times are tough in Toronto, but they could build on Dave Stieb, Joey McLaughlin and Jim Clancy, three Young pitchers with decent season and on Miguel Dilone, 26 year old LF with a good baserunning instinct. In the minors, they have Jesse Barfield, already called up, which could be an asset for the future. CHICAGO WHITE SOX There is not much to say about the 1981 World Champions. They did a wonderful rebound after some down seasons with a solid team play. Carlton Fisk, Chet Lemon and Greg Luzinski contribute greatly at bat while Lamp and Hoyt were the best team pitchers. It will be hard to repeat, but with Luzinski in prime age, Lemon growing, Fisk at his best and some younger pitchers developing, never say never MINNESOTA TWINS They gained second place despite not being able to compete for first all year, but they started a growth process and hope for even better going forward. Gary Ward and Roy Smalley starred in lineup while Roger Erickson had a breakout year with a 19 win season, but they will need more if they want to contend. KANSAS CITY ROYALS Tied in 2nd place with the Twins, for Kansas this was a down year after a great 1980 campaign. Team biggest star, George Brett, had a "down year" at the plate and rest of the batting team was not able to keep things rolling. However, Kansas can smile with the rise of ROY candidate Atlee Hammaker, one of the best pitchers in the League and the great season in the minors of their best prospect, Mark Gubicza. CALIFORNIA ANGELS After a rough 1980, they bounced back without being able to contend in the division. They close near .500 and they traded away one of their best players at the deadline (Don Baylor). Fred Lynn excelled at the plate while veteran Don Carew saw a drop in his plate efficiency, despite having not so bad Numbers. In Pitching, team was not so good (11th in FIP), off-season will be fundamental for next year ambitions. SEATTLE MARINERS Finished tied with the Angels, a small forward step after a brutal 1980 season. The step is small because no one really emerged as a team leader, to note is the continuos improvement by pitcher Floyd Bannister and team really hopes that prospects Mark Langston (P), Mike Moore (P) and Dave Henderson (CF) can breakout soon, improving the team. TEXAS RANGERS Similar record to 1980, with many problems in batting while pitchers were able to post good Numbers. Veteran Al Oliver was the better player and pitcher Doug Bird had a nice ride after being acquired from the Yankees. They need a really good off-season for trying to be competitive next season OAKLAND ATHLETICS After a good 1980 campaign, the board hoped for another good effort, but everything went bad. Last place, 90 losses and the only smiles were Rickey Henderson with his 85 stolen bases (but a drop in batting average) and defensive stats, best in the League. Won't be easy trying to rebound, especially if starting pitching continues to be no good (FIP > 4) and lineup does not hit (last pace in AL in almost every batting stat) NL PITTSBURGH PIRATES After the 1979 Triumph and a positive record in 1980, the Pirates established themself as one of the top franchises in the majors. They went so close to World Series after being up 2-0 in the series with the Astros and top many batting stats in National League. Lee Lacy has been the team MVP in batting while Don Robinson has been the best pitcher, even if he was a bit lucky. To note also the presence of two great prospects, 3B Bobby Bonilla and P Cecilio Guante for what it seems a bright future MONTREAL EXPOS .500 record, worse than previous Years, with a good start and then a progressive decline despite pushing hard with the acquisition of Bert Blyleven, one of the top starters in the League. The team is solid and the franchise hopes to improve with the arrival of top prospect Andres Galarraga, but pitching will Always be the key. CHICAGO CUBS They improved a lot, going almost .500 and being able to contend for a while during the season. Bill Buckner and Leon Durham were the workhorses for this team, with a little bit of missing luck for pitching. It they do the right moves in the off-season, could stand a chance to compete next season NEW YORK METS Despite a 20 win season for starter Craig Swan, the record was under .500 and the team not able to contend. They improved, but lineup remains the weak part of the team (last in NL for Runs scored, batting avg, OBP, OPS). However, they have the number 1-5-9 prospect in the majors, Lenny Dykstra, Darryl Strawberry and Kevin Mitchell so the future could be bright for them. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES The defending Champs were one of the worst teams in NL for a good part of the season. Failure, this is the right word. Mike Schmidt had a decent season but the rest of lineup was not good at all; pitching was very good, with Steve Carlton being a legitimate candidate for Cy Young. From the minors, Julio Franco could be a great upgrade in the lineup. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS Pre-season rankings saw them among the favorites, but the field told another story. Pitching penalised the RedBirds, while they had been average in batting. They had one of the best shortstops in the League, Terry Templeton, but there are many holes to fill with some talent being almost ready in the minors (Jim gott, Andy Van Slyke) HOUSTON ASTROS They confirmed themselves, with another playoff run which ended in game 6 of the World Series. The best part of the team was pitching, with three pitchers with an ERA under 3 and Nolan Ryan flirting with a 20 win season. Batting was solid, not spectacular and only a spirited team like the White Sox stopped them. Not much talent in the minors, we'll see if they can improve in the off-season LOS ANGELES DODGERS Like in the 1980, they fought all season but in the end Houston won and they came in 2nd place. Very solid team in pitching, with a stellar bullpen, but they could have done better in batting, especially behind the star duo Pedro Guerrero and Ron Cey. Rookie Steve Sax, who tasted the majors in 1981, could be a factor in next season CINCINNATI REDS Despite being third, 16 games back, they confirmed to be one of the best franchises in NL West. They had a stellar pitching, with Mario Soto being a Cy Young candidate and the problem was in the lineup. Minor League talent seems to be far from the majors, so if they do not right in the off-season, their ability to contend could fall next year SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS Mediocre season in the Bay, with a subpar record and a little smile coming from Young pitching development. Fred Breining and Joe Beckwith had good seasons behind veteran Vida Blue while the lineup did not perform well. Off-season will be important because there are not major League ready talents at bat. SAN DIEGO PADRES Same as the San Francisco Giants, mediocre season, subpar record with some smiles coming from Young pitchers like Danny Boone and Tim Lollar. Also to note a very good defense, while the lineup was not able to support. If Giants have no talent in the minors, here there are two men who deserve a look: John Kruk and Tony Gwinn. ATLANTA BRAVES Bad, really really bad season even with the best starters FIP of all the National League. Bullpen was a key problem and also the lineup, despite Bob Horner hitting 36 HR/100 RBI, was not able to help. In the minors pitcher Ken Dayley could be a factor next year, but an off-season shakeup seems necessary.