The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Makonnen

Which of course leads to the trivia question (the answer to which I have no clue ...) of what pitchers have been traded in the same season after throwing a no-hitter?

Yeah, no idea. It is (a no-no) such a freak outlier event that I don't think it would have too much weight in a decision against doing so.

I remember seeing it happen a few times in this timeline although the specifics now escape me. We have been trying unsuccessfully to acquire Neagle since he's been trade eligible and could have had him before he threw the no-no but the Giants wanted Burkett and I felt that left our already vulnerable pitching even more so. Then they moved him to the Rangers and the rest is simulated history.

[luckymann]

It has taken them 74 seasons but the Tulsa Oilers are finally AAA Champions, beating Syracuse in a riveting 5-game WS.

[luckymann]

Our battered bunch struggles early in August, unsurprising given the recent turn of events, but then dig deep to take 3 of 3 against the Mets at Shea and sit just one behind the Cards when they hit town for 4.

They take 3 of them to extend their lead and we push our luck after that with a number of fortuitous wins to keep them close.

Were it not for the strong play of Chris Gomez, that Dunston trade would rank with the worst of my career as Hernandez is dreadful early—his ERA sits above 8 after his first 10 appearances for us and the others around him aren’t any better as we lose a number of games late over this period and the Mets leapfrog us into second right at the end of August.

We get Bell and Bonds back in mid-September to be at full strength once more and by this point have our noses back in front by the barest margin with 20 games left.

We’re still 2 clear entering what should prove the key week of the season as first we head to the Loo for 3 with the Mets coming to TRS immediately after that for another 3.

As can often happen it turns out to be inconclusive as we win 2 at the Cards and lose 2 to the Mets to remain a couple clear entering the final week.

Sloppiness costs us a couple games we really should have won and it’s clear the earlier overusage of the group is now having an effect.

It also seems Bonds still isn’t right as he has barely contributed since his return.

Nevertheless, we do just enough right and our rivals just enough wrong for us to sneak home for our 6th straight NL East title.

A huge effort from the lads in the face of much adversity.

Quiet elsewhere for once as the Rangers, Yankees (finally!) and Padres all clinch easily within days of each other.

Final Leaders and Top 20s

Batting titles to Hal Morris and Tony Gwynn, with Big Mac's 41 HR, Rafa Palmeiro's 110 RBI and Luis Polonia's 78 SB the league highs.

No 20-game winners this year, with Mark Langston, Pedro Astacio and Cubs rookie Jason Bere logging 19. The Big Unit cruises to another King of K title, with Ben McDonald's 2.03 ERA easily this year's lowest. Mike Henneman sets a new MLB record with 53 Saves.

Greg Maddux hurls 16 Complete Games this season, almost twice as many as runner-up Jaime Navarro's 9 and the most that I can remember in some time.




Monthly Award Winners

August

American League

Batter – Tim Salmon (Angels): 402 / 8 HR / 20 RBI
Pitcher – Mike Mussina (Orioles): 3-0 / 1.03 / 26 K / 43.2 IP
Rookie – Kevin Stocker (A’s): 359 / 1 HR / 16 RBI


National League

Batter – Mark Grace (Cubs): 349 / 4 HR / 18 RBI
Pitcher – Jose Rijo (Reds): 5-1 / 1.53 / 33 K / 47 IP
Rookie – Steve Trachsel (Marlins): 3-1 / 2.58 / 29 K / 38.1 IP


September

American League

Batter – Rafael Palmeiro (Rangers): 319 / 8 HR / 32 RBI
Pitcher – Bob Tewksbury (Brewers): 5-1 / 1.70 / 19 K / 47.2 IP
Rookie – Manny Ramirez (Red Sox): 320 / 8 HR / 16 RBI


National League

Batter – Andres Galarraga (Pirates): 417 / 5 HR / 19 RBI
Pitcher – John Smiley (Pirates): 5-1 / 1.86 / 29 K / 48.1 IP
Rookie – Jason Bere (Cubs): 5-1 / 3.08 / 37 K / 38 IP


Milestones and Observations of Note

300 HR: Mark McGwire

2000 Hits: Tony Gwynn

200 Wins: Jack Morris, Danny Darwin

An ACL tear ends Orioles 3B BJ Surhoff’s season prematurely and Reds superstar SS Barry Larkin is also done for the year courtesy of a badly-sprained ankle.

Elbow problems end the season for A’s veteran Rick Honeycutt.

In AAA, Tucson’s Mike Hampton hurls a no-hitter against El Paso.

[luckymann]

American League
New York Yankees (101-61) v Texas Rangers (98-64)

Well, one way or another a long drought is set to be broken.

We are the most recent winners of the four remaining clubs, with that back in 1974. The Yanks won the last of their six Championships in 1951 and are making their first playoff appearance in 15 years, while the Padres and Rangers have only been here once before and each is yet to win it all or even advance past this point.

New York is at full strength, while Texas is a bit banged up with veteran 2B Scott Fletcher the main absentee.

The Rangers start off strongly with a 6-2 win at Yankee Stadium as veteran Oil Can Boyd gives them a fine performance and win a wild one the next day as Gary Sheffield hits for the cycle to head back to Arlington very much in control.

The Yanks break through for their first win in Game 3 with Danny Darwin a big reason and then tie it up with an 8-5 victory in which Tino Martinez goes deep twice and knocks in 7.

Texas finally breaks the trend by taking out Game 5 but the Yanks force a decider with a late score in Game 6, with both finishing 3-1.

Game 7 is a bit of a fizzer, though Yanks fans won’t think so as a Danny Darwin 2-hitter delivers them their first ticket to the Big Dance in nearly 20 years.

New York SS Ozzie Smith is named MVP and whatever happens from here it’ll be great to see him, Donny Baseball and Willie Randolph under the big top for the first time (actually, Willie made it with the Dodgers in ’88) in their careers.





National League
San Diego Padres (101-61) v Pittsburgh Pirates (94-68)

We will once again have to earn our WS berth by getting past a highly-talented squad, undoubtedly the strongest group the Padres have ever fielded. They beat us 8 of 12 this year.

No major injuries for either club.

Walt Terrell and Mike Benjamin are the unlucky ones to miss out for us.

They get some early runs in the opener and then, after we’ve pegged them back, blow out Smiley with a big 6th for an 8-3 final but we bounce back to win Game 2 on the back of a serviceable outing from Burkett and 3 RBI from Bonds.

Runs in each of the first 3 innings are all Doug Drabek needs a couple days later back at TRS as he allows just one on four over 7 and we take it 4-1 and 8 strong innings from Kevin Brown give us a 5-2 Game 4 win and the chance to close it out at home.

Which we duly do despite another shaky start from Burkett as the much-maligned BP stems the bleeding and the bats drag us back from 2-5 and 3-6 to win it 7-6.

Jay Bell takes the MVP although any of our main guys would have been a deserving recipient.

[luckymann]

New York Yankees v Pittsburgh Pirates
Best-of-seven, Yankees with the home-field advantage.


Given the desperation involved for both clubs to achieve some greatly-overdue success, one can only imagine this is set to be a big series.

If it ends before six games, I will be gobsmacked as these are two very evenly-matched squads who know that this is likely the best chance they’ll get to bring a title home.

Certainly that’s how I see it for us, at any rate.

No injuries of note; no changes for us from the LCS.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

Game 1 in New York

Juan Nieves (18-9, 4.04) v Doug Drabek (12-12, 3.06)

A game that begins sheepishly bursts to late life as we come back from an early 0-3 deficit to win it 7-4.

Drabek hangs tough thru 8 after wobbling in the mid-innings, while Alou and Oliver each go deep.




Game 2 in New York
Chris Haney (5-2, 4.14) v Kevin Brown (16-12, 2.71)
Pirates lead series 1-0

Once again most of the action in this one happens at the end as we score 4 in the 8th and 2 more in the 9th for a 9-4 win.

Alou makes it 2 homers in 2 games, while Big Cat has 3 hits and Brown gives us a strong 7.




Game 3 in Pittsburgh
John Smiley (17-8, 2.84) v Pete Harnisch (17-11, 4.24)
Pirates lead series 2-0

We’re never in this one from the moment they score 3 off a struggling Smiley in the 4th and only a 4-spot in the 9th makes the 6-5 final respectable.




Game 4 in Pittsburgh
John Burkett (9-7, 3.29) v Danny Darwin (18-6, 2.80)
Pirates lead series 2-1

Little doubt we cut bait on Danny Darwin just one year too early with him having arguably the best season of his career.

He's appearing in his second straight WS Game 4 and man, what a game it is.

The lead changes hands throughout and the game enters the 9th evenly-poised at 4-4.

When Roberto Hernandez disintegrates and they tag him for 3 we look cooked, only for the bats to do the almost impossible and win it walkoff as Bobby Bo puts one into the seats with a couple on.

The win comes at a cost, however, with the oft-injured Andy Van Slyke gone for the remainder with shoulder inflammation.




Game 5 in Pittsburgh
Doug Drabek (2-0, 3.00) v Juan Nieves (0-3, 5.85)
Pirates lead series 3-1

Is it too much to ask just this one time not to have to jet back to New York? Man, I hope not.

Reggie Sanders takes over CF duties from here on in.

One word: YES!

The lads make sure of it early with a 1-4-1 start and Drabek carries a no-hitter deep into the game, thereby enabling us to fully savour a victory that seemed like it would never happen for us again.

Andres Galarraga – one of the best signings we’ve ever made – is named MVP.

[luckymann]

OUT & OUTS

The major news is of course the realignment, which means that the last NL East title we won will be our very last as we are now in the newly-formed NL Central.

The Reds franchise changes hands.

Who'd wanna be an MLB Manager? Despite 4 titles as their skipper - including one just last year - and 1 as their Hitting Coach, the Red Sox axe Willie Davis.

He is joined in the unemployed queue by Davey Lopes (Twins), Dusty Baker (Braves) and Dave Dowling (Astros).


ROSTER MOVES

We void the option year of both Danny Darwin and Joe Orsulak. We'll be looking at trying to have (for us) a fair crack at the FA or trade market this offseason and we need the $$.

RP Mike Dyer is our only arb-eligible guy and we non-tender him.

Jim Gott, Charley Hayes, Neal Heaton, Tony Pena, Walt Terrell and Marvell Wynne all walk.


The following extensions of note were signed elsewhere:

OF Kenny Lofton (Cardinals) 8/30260
2B Carlos Baerga (Brewers) 5/20340
OF Juan Gonzalez (Angels) 5/29040


SIM ACCURACY



*From here on in I'll provide the in-game comparison as well as my own with the edited LTMs.


HANGIN' THEM UP

Two guys who spent a long time with us take their leave of the game and I'd actually say Rich - currently the all-time Saves leader with 437 - is by far the more likely to get a plaque and arguably the best chance among this group to do so.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

Well, as mentioned previously in passing, we've been looking at the main guy inbound from this trade for some time and finally swing a suitable deal as follows:

I don't see Denny as some "Great White Hope" or anything but you'd be amazed at the paucity of eligible pitchers available to us that aren't already at our club.

Here's the list down to 40 OVR rating with scouting at 100%:

Tham thar's slim pickens...

What Denny offers is 2 to 3 years' decent enough mid-low rotation service at what should be a reasonable price.

John is a corner OF candidate with the fact he plays 1B in his PRO column and the fact he doesn't play CF in the CON. We're already short there but hopeful Reggie Sanders steps up and gets some CF ratings with this being Van Slyke's walk season (and he will walk). So we'll need to figure that out come OD.

Burkett's exit opens up a CC slot and we'll look to deploy that in the most utilitarian fashion. We were eyeing Boomer Wells as a potential candidate for another Galarraga-style deal but he went on big $$ so it's back to the drawing-board.

[luckymann]

Things really quietening off with regard to Legacy Players with just 3 entering the league this year but I’m not going to move the flags on this designation as I feel it would undermine the integrity of its designed purpose.

Simple fact is that in the age of FAs, club loyalty is a greatly reduced consideration and so only the guys who buck the trend will be accorded this status throughout.

These are the Legacy Players for the 1994 Season:

California Angels: Garret Anderson (25.7; 2013)
New York Yankees: Alex Rodriguez (117.6; 1509)
Texas Rangers: Rusty Greer (22.4; 1027 – one-club player)

There are 114 rookies for this season plus 110 MiLBers being manually imported, and the Draft will consist of 6 rounds.

The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1993 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round):

Round 1

1. New York Yankees (543)
2. California Angels (438; dice roll)
3. Texas Rangers (531)
4. New York Mets (364)
5. San Diego Padres (377)
6. Florida Marlins (395)
7. Colorado Rockies (414)
8. Oakland Athletics (420)
9. Milwaukee Brewers (426)
10. Minnesota Twins (438; dice roll)
11. Cincinnati Reds (451)
12. Pittsburgh Pirates (463)
13. Cleveland Indians (469)
14. Boston Red Sox (494)
15. Los Angeles Dodgers (500)
16. Seattle Mariners (506)
17. Chicago Cubs (519; dice roll)
18. Kansas City Royals (519; dice roll)
19. Detroit Tigers (525; dice roll)
20. Baltimore Orioles (525; dice roll)
21. Houston Astros (525; dice roll)
22. St. Louis Cardinals (537)
23. Montreal Expos (580; dice roll)
24. Chicago White Sox (580; dice roll)
25. Toronto Blue Jays (586)
26. Philadelphia Phillies (599)
27. San Francisco Giants (636)
28. Atlanta Braves (642)


Rounds 2 thru 6

1. New York Mets (364)
2. San Diego Padres (377)
3. Florida Marlins (395)
4. Colorado Rockies (414)
5. Oakland Athletics (420)
6. Milwaukee Brewers (426)
7. Minnesota Twins (438; dice roll)
8. California Angels (438; dice roll)
9. Cincinnati Reds (451)
10. Pittsburgh Pirates (463)
11. Cleveland Indians (469)
12. Boston Red Sox (494)
13. Los Angeles Dodgers (500)
14. Seattle Mariners (506)
15. Chicago Cubs (519; dice roll)
16. Kansas City Royals (519; dice roll)
17. Detroit Tigers (525; dice roll)
18. Baltimore Orioles (525; dice roll)
19. Houston Astros (525; dice roll)
20. Texas Rangers (531)
21. St. Louis Cardinals (537)
22. New York Yankees (543)
23. Montreal Expos (580; dice roll)
24. Chicago White Sox (580; dice roll)
25. Toronto Blue Jays (586)
26. Philadelphia Phillies (599)
27. San Francisco Giants (636)
28. Atlanta Braves (642)


Eligible PIT players: 2 position players + 5 pitchers = 7.


A relatively high pick for us but very few eligibles up for grabs. We’ve got our eye on one of them in particular and will be surprised if he goes ahead of us having a crack at them.

We draft the following players:

1. P Jon Lieber, 23 (PIT IRL: 1994-98)

• As we suspected, Jon made it through and will in all likelihood be at the parent club fairly quickly.

2. C Kelly Stinnett, 23 (INELIGIBLE)

• By this point already our eligible players were almost gone so we opted for some trade bait in a year’s time.

3. P Jeff Tabaka, 29 (PIT IRL: 1994, 1998)

• As with Ross Powell at this exact point a year ago, our LHRP stocks remain precariously thin and Jeff is a good chance to be at the big club come OD.

4. P Stevenson Agosto, 18 (MiLB ONLY)
5. P Jim Lynch, 19 (MiLB ONLY)
6. P Julio Moreno, 19 (MiLB ONLY)

• A trio of guys who never made it to the bigs IRL which makes them eligible for us to use if one should blow up.

Just what the doctor ordered.

[luckymann]

An abbreviated version for obvious reasons.

AL MVP: Frank Thomas (White Sox)
NL MVP: Jeff Bagwell (Astros)

AL CYA: David Cone (Royals)
NL CYA: Greg Maddux (Braves)

AL RoY: Bob Hamelin (Royals)
NL RoY: Raul Mondesi (Dodgers)


Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. JEFF BAGWELL, HOUSTON

• Key Numbers: .368 average, 104 runs, 147 hits, 32 doubles, 39 home runs, 116 RBIs, 65 walks, 15 stolen bases, .750 slugging percentage.
• Regardless of whether his season was stopped at 110 games by the strike or a broken hand suffered on a pitch thrown too far in, Bagwell still set Astros records for home runs and RBIs. He became the first player in franchise history to win an MVP—and the last until Jose Altuve in 2017.

2. BARRY BONDS, SAN FRANCISCO

• Key Numbers: .312 average, 89 runs, 122 hits, 18 doubles, 37 home runs, 81 RBIs, 74 walks, 18 intentional walks, 29 stolen bases.
• Using the “he was on pace for” argument in this shortened season of offensive overload, Bonds might have done Jose Canseco one better and gone 50-40, with 50 homers and 40 steals.

3. FRED MCGRIFF, ATLANTA

• Key Numbers: .318 average, 81 runs, 135 hits, 25 doubles, 34 home runs, 94 RBIs.
• McGriff would never hit more than 37 homers in any of his 19 big-league years, but he certainly would have topped 40 had he continued at his rate of power within a 162-game sked.

4. LARRY WALKER, MONTREAL

• Key Numbers: .322 average, 76 runs, 127 hits, 44 doubles, 19 home runs, 86 RBIs, 15 stolen bases.
• Nobody had hit 60 or more doubles in a season since 1936, but Walker was one of three major leaguers (Craig Biggio and Chuck Knoblauch being the others) on target to do just that.

5. MOISES ALOU, MONTREAL

• Key Numbers: .339 average, 81 runs, 143 hits, 31 doubles, 5 triples, 22 home runs, 78 RBIs.
• Whether parental guidance was suggested or not, Alou made father (and Expos manager) Felipe proud in Montreal.

6. TONY GWYNN, SAN DIEGO

• Key Numbers: .394 average, 79 runs, 165 hits, 35 doubles, 12 home runs, 64 RBIs, 20 grounded into double plays, .454 on-base percentage.
• Somewhat lost in Gwynn’s curtailed ride to history was that it was the onset of a four-year stretch in which he would bat .371, collecting batting titles in all four seasons.

7. KEVIN MITCHELL, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: .326 average, 18 doubles, 30 home runs, 77 RBIs, 60 walks.
• A powerful bounceback for Mitchell in his second year with strike-shafted Cincinnati; rather than await the fate of 1995 baseball, he would coast across the Pacific to play a year in Japan.

8. CRAIG BIGGIO, HOUSTON

• Key Numbers: .318 average, 88 runs, 139 hits, 44 doubles, 5 triples, 6 home runs, 56 RBIs, 62 walks, 39 stolen bases.
• Along with Jeff Bagwell, Biggio’s game statistically mushroomed as he doubled, stole and scored almost at will. It’s hard to believe he actually came up to the Astros six years earlier as a catcher.

9. ANDRES GALARRAGA, COLORADO

• Key Numbers: .319 average, 77 runs, 133 hits, 21 doubles, 31 home runs, 85 RBIs.
• Like Jeff Bagwell, Galarraga’s opportunity to add to his prodigious numbers was cut short not by strike but by a broken hand after getting nailed by a pitch; his 30 RBIs in April broke a then-NL record.

10. GARY SHEFFIELD, FLORIDA

• Key Numbers: 87 games, .276 average, 61 runs, 27 home runs, 78 RBIs, 12 stolen bases.
• After a blazing start (10 home runs in April), Sheffield’s first somewhat full season in Miami was muted by a rotator cuff injuries that shortened his springtime duty.

AL Hitters

1. FRANK THOMAS, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .353 average, 106 runs, 141 hits, 34 doubles, 38 home runs, 101 RBIs, 109 walks, .487 on-base percentage, .729 slugging percentage.
• Helping to break in a go-go era of slugging dominance, Thomas—who nabbed his second straight MVP—joined Jeff Bagwell and Albert Belle to resoundingly combine average with power and become the first three players to record a .700+ slugging percentage in nearly 40 years.

2. ALBERT BELLE, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .357 average, 90 runs, 147 hits, 35 doubles, 36 home runs, 101 RBIs.
• Plant the asterisk on Belle as teammate Jason Grimsley—who boldly broke into the umpire’s dressing room in Chicago to grab one of the slugger’s corked bats earlier confiscated—later claimed that all of his bats were corked.

3. KEN GRIFFEY JR., SEATTLE

• Key Numbers: .323 average, 94 runs, 140 hits, 24 doubles, 4 triples, 40 home runs, 90 RBIs, 19 intentional walks, 11 stolen bases.
• The Kid’s 32 home runs at the end of June set a major league mark.

4. KENNY LOFTON, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .349 average, 105 runs, 160 hits, 32 doubles, 9 triples, 12 home runs, 57 RBIs, 60 stolen bases.
• The dynamic speedster was on his way to an unstoppable year—until the strike stopped it; he hit .500 or better against three teams (Detroit, Minnesota and Oakland).

5. PAUL O’NEILL, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .359 average, 68 runs, 132 hits, 25 doubles, 21 home runs, 83 RBIs, 72 walks.
• O’Neill’s very uptight attitude did anything but wilt under the pressure-packed New York spotlight, his game soaring with an AL batting title after years of attempted breakouts in Cincinnati.

6. KIRBY PUCKETT, MINNESOTA

• Key Numbers: .317 average, 79 runs, 139 hits, 32 doubles, 3 triples, 20 home runs, 112 RBIs.
• Puckett had a pair of seven-RBI games—both against the Red Sox—and hit .366 with 72 RBIs in 59 games at the Metrodome.

7. PAUL MOLITOR, TORONTO

• Key Numbers: 115 games, .341 average, 86 runs, 155 hits, 30 doubles, 4 triples, 14 home runs, 75 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, 0 caught stealing.
• While the rest of the two-time defending champion Blue Jays took an offensive dip and finished below .500, it wasn’t because of Molitor, who kept riding high; he became the first American Leaguer to steal 20 bases without once getting caught.

8. BOB HAMELIN, KANSAS CITY

• Key Numbers: .282 average, 25 doubles, 24 home runs, 65 RBIs.
• The book on how to stop the AL Rookie of the Year didn’t appear to show up at other team’s doorsteps until after 1994; he would last only four more years and bat .235 with fair power at best.

9. JULIO FRANCO, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .319 average, 72 runs, 138 hits, 19 doubles, 20 home runs, 98 RBIs, 62 walks.
• At age 35, Franco set personal home run and RBI marks despite the strike-shortened schedule; he was on pace to knock in 140. Like Kevin Mitchell (above), Franco took his act to Japan in 1995 while players and owners continued to feud.

10. KIRK GIBSON, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .317 average, 71 runs, 17 doubles, 23 home runs, 72 RBIs.
• Gibson had an eye-opening if brief return to his former glory at age 37, during his second year after being brought back to Detroit by new Tigers owner Mike Ilitch. (Previous management had publicly bad-mouthed Gibson and privately conspired against him via league-wide collusion).

NL Pitchers

1. GREG MADDUX, ATLANTA

• Key Numbers: 1.56 ERA, 16 wins, 6 losses, .727 win percentage, 25 starts, 10 complete games, 3 shutouts, 202 innings, 31 walks, 22 stolen bases allowed, 21 grounded into double plays.
• Maddux thoroughly defied the offensive bull market and produced the third lowest ERA since the Deadball Era.

2. BRET SABERHAGEN, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.74 ERA, 14 wins, 4 losses, .778 win percentage, 24 starts, 177.1 innings, 13 walks.
• ‘Even’ better: Saberhagen, who always thrived in odd-numbered years, finally pitched against type and scored a standout even-year performance.

3. DOUG DRABEK, HOUSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.84 ERA, 12 wins, 6 losses, 23 starts, 164.2 innings.
• A fine return to form for the one-time Cy Young winner, a year after losing an NL-high 18 games; 1994 would be the only solid return on investment the Astros would get on Drabek over four years and $19 million.

4. BOBBY JONES, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.15 ERA, 12 wins, 7 losses, 24 starts, 160 innings.
• The better of two pitchers both named Bobby Jones—they were actually teammates for a brief time in 2000—the Fresno, California-born version finished his first full campaign on a high, going 5-0 over his last eight starts.

5. DANNY JACKSON, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 3.26 ERA, 14 wins, 6 losses, .700 win percentage, 25 starts, 179.1 innings, 20 grounded into double plays.
• The spigot was briefly turned on hot for Jackson in a continuing hot-and-cold career.

6. SHANE REYNOLDS, HOUSTON

• Key Numbers: 3.05 ERA, 8 wins, 5 losses, 33 appearances, 14 starts, 124 innings, 21 walks.
• A bit of a revelation for the Astros, as Reynolds bounced around between the bullpen and rotation, performing much better in the latter role (5-4 record, 2.54 ERA in 14 starts).

7. KEN HILL, MONTREAL

• Key Numbers: 3.32 ERA, 16 wins, 5 losses, .762 win percentage, 23 starts, 154.2 innings, 19 stolen bases allowed.
• Firmly established as the Expos’ workhorse, Hill managed to match Greg Maddux in wins (if certainly not in ERA) and had a strong shot at setting the franchise record for wins in one season—had the strike not intervened.

8. BUTCH HENRY, MONTREAL

• Key Numbers: 2.43 ERA, 8 wins, 3 losses, 1 save, 24 appearances, 15 starts, 107.1 innings.
• Rescued from Colorado a year earlier after realizing how brutal pitching at 5,280 feet could be, the 25-year-old lefty was a brief wonder in the Expos’ rotation.

9. PEDRO MARTINEZ, MONTREAL

• Key Numbers: 3.42 ERA, 11 wins, 5 losses, .688 win percentage, 1 save, 23 starts, 144.2 innings, 11 hit-by-pitches.
• There were two Dominicans named Pedro Martinez in the majors in 1994, with clearly the better one beginning to make a name for himself at Montreal.

10. JEFF FASSERO, MONTREAL

• Key Numbers: 2.99 ERA, 8 wins, 6 losses, 21 starts, 138.2 innings.
• Fassero’s superlative season was highlighted by a near-no-hitter, lost with two outs in the ninth on June 13 vs. Pittsburgh.

AL Pitchers

1. DAVID CONE, KANSAS CITY

• Key Numbers: 2.94 ERA, 16 wins, 5 losses, .762 win percentage, 23 starts, 171.2 innings.
• After a wild (114 walks) and luckless (last in run support) first year at Kansas City, Cone got more disciplined with his location—and the Royals more disciplined in scoring runs for him.

2. MIKE MUSSINA, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: 3.06 ERA, 16 wins, 5 losses, .762 win percentage, 24 starts, 176.1 innings.
• The young Baltimore ace, who didn’t win 20 games until his last season (2008), could have ended the suspense much sooner had the strike allowed him as he was on pace for 23 triumphs in 1994.

3. RANDY JOHNSON, SEATTLE

• Key Numbers: 3.19 ERA, 13 wins, 6 losses, 23 starts, 9 complete games, 4 shutouts, 172 innings, 72 walks, 204 strikeouts, 22 stolen bases allowed, 15 caught stealing/picked off, 18 grounded into double plays.
• With the last pitch of the entire MLB season, the Big Unit struck out his 15th victim at Oakland on August 11 to match a major league season-high he earlier established; hours later, the players went on strike.

4. JIMMY KEY, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.27 ERA, 17 wins, 4 losses, .810 win percentage, 25 starts, 168 innings, 22 grounded into double plays.
• A supporting star back in Toronto, Key became the ace of the times in New York, running his two-year mark to 35-10.

5. ROGER CLEMENS, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.85 ERA, 9 wins, 7 losses, 24 starts, 170.2 innings, 71 walks.
• In the midst of a mid-career swoon, the Rocket briefly returned to star form in spite of a blasé record; opponents hit just .204 against him, the lowest figure since his breakout 1986 campaign.

6. STEVE ONTIVEROS, OAKLAND

• Key Numbers: 2.65 ERA, 6 wins, 4 losses, 27 appearances, 13 starts, 115.1 innings, 26 walks.
• His career almost always one step away from the operating room, the fragile Ontiveros qualified for the ERA title by pitching a complete-game effort against the White Sox on what would be the season’s penultimate day; ironically, he’d be the first Athletic to win the AL ERA crown since the last strike-shortened season, when Steve McCatty got the honors.

7. WILSON ALVAREZ, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.45 ERA, 12 wins, 8 losses, 24 starts, 161.2 innings.
• The tough southpaw, after winning his last seven decisions in 1993, ran that streak to 15 by taking his first eight of 1994.

8. PAT HENTGEN, TORONTO

• Key Numbers: 3.40 ERA, 13 wins, 8 losses, 24 starts, 174.2 innings.
• Establishing himself as Toronto ace, Hentgen found himself embracing Skydome (2.05 ERA in 12 home starts), but the love wouldn’t last; he would author a much more mediocre 4.58 figure at the stadium throughout the rest of his career.

9. DENNIS MARTINEZ, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 3.52 ERA, 11 wins, 6 losses, 24 starts, 176.2 innings, 17 grounded into double plays.
• Martinez brought his amazing career third act—that of the ageless ex-alcoholic—to the AL.

10. CHARLES NAGY, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 3.45 ERA, 10 wins, 8 losses, 23 starts, 169.1 innings, 19 grounded into double plays.
• Nagy rebounded from major shoulder woes the previous year, when he finished 2-6 with a wretched 6.29 ERA.

[Lord Byron]

And, with that, the Pirates have more titles here than the Yankees IRL, 28 to the Yankees' RL 27--hopefully, they can get to thirty before 2024-2025...

The Red Sox look to tie/surpass the Boston Celtics' 18 championships in this sim, IMO--how many do they have?

Waiting for more...

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Lord Byron

And, with that, the Pirates have more titles here than the Yankees IRL, 28 to the Yankees' RL 27--hopefully, they can get to thirty before 2024-2025...

The Red Sox look to tie/surpass the Boston Celtics' 18 championships in this sim, IMO--how many do they have?

Waiting for more...

Let's hope the wait isn't as long as for this one....

The Sox have 16, followed by the Tigers with 7 and Yanks and Cubs, 6.

I plan to do a full update of these when the big centennial celebration rolls around in 2000. More veterans' committee HoF additions at that time as well.

[luckymann]

We use our second trade ticket just to shore up our staff a bit more.

This will be Danny's third stint with us in this timeline and his addition hopefully allows us to hold Lieber back a year or a good part thereof. He'll come into the SP4 slot with Neagle at SP5.

[luckymann]

An induction-free year and Dick Allen will have to rely on the vets vote in 2000 to get his plaque.

[luckymann]

Nice to see among the usual suspects the Rockies very proactive over the break and the Reds’ new ownership splashing a bit of cash about albeit on 1-year deals.

OF Albert Belle: Red Sox, 4 years / $31.6m / AAV $7.90m
OF Dave Justice: Rockies, 8 years / $53.3m / AAV $6.66m
P Andy Benes: Yankees, 7 years / $45.0m / AAV $6.43m
P Ben McDonald: Phillies, 7 years / $43.3m / AAV $6.20m
1B John Olerud: Mets, 3 years / $17.6m / AAV $5.87m
OF Gregg Jefferies: White Sox, 1 year / $5.4m / AAV $5.40m
P Dennis Martinez: Reds, 1 year / $5.0m / AAV $4.96m
2B Bip Roberts: Rockies, 3 years / $33.3m / AAV $4.76m
2B Mariano Duncan: White Sox, 1 year / $4.6m / AAV $4.56m
1B Julio Franco: Phillies, 3 years / $12.2m / AAV $4.05m
OF Mike Kingery: Reds, 1 year / $3.8m / AAV $3.84m
2B Mike Gallego: Expos, 2 years / $7.6m / AAV $3.80m
3B Charlie Hayes: Yankees, 3 years / $11.3m / AAV $3.76m
OF Lance Johnson: Twins, 3 years / $11.0m / AAV $3.68m
2B Luis Alicea: Red Sox, 4 years / $14.1m / AAV $3.52m
P David Wells: Cubs, 3 years / $10.3m / AAV $3.44m
1B Gerald Perry: Twins, 5 years / $16.8m / AAV $3.36m
OF Tim Raines: Cardinals, 3 years / $10.0m / AAV $3.32m
OF Jerry Browne: Indians, 3 years / $9.8m / AAV $3.28m
P John Wetteland: Twins, 4 years / $11.0m / AAV $2.76m
OF Stan Javier: Phillies, 4 years / $10.4m / AAV $2.60m
1B Cecil Fielder: Padres, 4 years / $10.1m / AAV $2.52m
3B Todd Zeile: Brewers, 3 years / $9.8m / AAV $3.28m
P Britt Burns: Yankees, 2 years / $4.6m / AAV $2.32m
P Dennis Eckersley: Cubs, 1 year / $2.2m / AAV $2.16m


P Chris Haney from Yankees to Marlins for P Mark Guthrie
OF Ryan Thompson from Rangers to Twins for P Heathcliff Slocumb and P Steve Cooke
3B Scott Brosius from Mariners to Royals for P Tom Edens and P Scott Gardner
P Arthur Rhodes from Twins to Expos for P Jeff Russell
C Dan Wilson from Blue Jays to Angels for OF Alex Cole
OF Wil Cordero from Rangers to Phillies for P Jack McDowell (retaining 95%)
3B Jeff King and P Darryl Kile from Orioles to Rangers for OF Orlando Merced
C Tony Eusebio from Reds to White Sox for 1B Paul Molitor (retaining 75%)
P Tom Henke from Astros to Red Sox for C Mike LaValliere (retaining 60%)
OF Keith Mitchell from Tigers to Padres for P Steve Ontiveros
1B Kent Hrbek (retaining 40%) from Braves to Cardinals for 1B Greg Colbrunn
OF Chili Davis from A’s to Royals for OF Chad Curtis
OF Joe Carter from Royals to Padres for P Eric Gunderson
OF Dan Peltier and SS Mike DeKneef from Brewers to Cardinals for 1B Sid Bream and C Todd Hundley
2B Brent Gates from Tigers to Phillies for OF Randy Milligan (retaining 95%)
P David Cone (retaining 60%) from Tigers to Red Sox for 1B Hal Morris and P Albie Lopez
P Chris Bosio (retaining 70%) from Rockies to Angels for 2B Tony Womack and SS Andujar Cedeno
P Tom Lukish and C Dave Nilsson from Indians to Cardinals for SS Rod Correia and P Willie Banks
SS Mario Diaz from Braves to Cardinals for 1B Eric Karros
P Brian Anderson from Braves to Marlins for P Steve Trachsel and P Randy O’Neal
2B Damion Easley from A’s to Marlins for P Scott Scudder
P Dave Gumpert and P Donovan Osborne from Rockies to Angels for OF Damon Buford and P Alexis Santaella


We go 9-9 in Spring Training and will be without Danny Jackson for the first 3 weeks or so.

So many interesting things to follow this season, prominent among them the effect the new divisional alignment and playoff format has on how things play out.

I think we’re a decent enough chance but the Red Sox, Rangers and Yanks will prove stiff competition across the aisle and the Reds look on the upswing as well.

Mariners superstar Ken Griffey jr will miss the first 6 weeks of 1994 with some shoulder problems.

[luckymann]

OK so a bit of a rejig ahead of more changes with Van Slyke elsewhere at the end of this year and a fairly constant exodus after that as it stands, although that may of course change.

Tim Laker makes his first appearance in the bigs as backup C, Bobby Bo shifts back to 3B and Moises Alou takes the strong side of a platoon at RF with Reggie Sanders.

Ed Sprague also gets a call-up and he, Chris Gomez and Cesar Morillo form our IF second line.

Billy Hatcher joins Reggie as our backup OFs.

We have a waiver claim in for ineligible Terry Mulholland so our pitching formation may change should that go through (and in light of Danny's short-term absence), with Zane Smith likely to be sent down if it does.

For now, Rick Reed comes up and will get some starts to see how he goes, with Tim Wakefield in the BP.

[luckymann]

If this - the only game on Opening Day - is any indication of what's to come then we're in for one heck of a season...

[luckymann]

No real respite in the payroll when Van departs as his salary is eaten up by Barry's increase, so things are tighter than the summary might suggest.

Reggie Sanders, Joe Oliver, Denny Neagle and Roberto Hernandez are our extension priorities with Dan Plesac, Rick Reed and Jose Mesa also on the radar.

We've also not totally given up hope of keeping Bonds here for his entire career but that will of course depend upon his demands in a few years' time.