The 25 best MLB teams from the 1980s

The Angels claimed the AL West with 93 wins earlier than dropping to Milwaukee in a five-game ALCS. The balanced squad completed second within the league in runs, as Doug DeCinces and Reggie Jackson each had 30-plus homers.

Even 100 wins weren’t adequate for the O’s, who completed three video games again for the Yankees within the AL East. Ace Steve Stone did win the AL Cy Younger after going 25-7 with a 3.23 ERA in 37 begins, and first baseman Eddie Murray launched 32 dwelling runs with 116 RBI.

New York completed two video games behind Toronto within the AL East with 97 wins, giving them nothing to point out for an awesome common season effort. The staff led MLB with 839 runs scored, as Don Mattingly gained AL MVP and Rickey Henderson completed third place. Ace Ron Guidry additionally completed second to Bret Saberhagen within the AL Cy Younger voting.

Toronto is a forgotten staff after falling simply brief behind Detroit within the AL East with 96 wins. AL MVP George Bell had a spectacular season on the plate, hitting .308-47-134, whereas ace Jimmy Key completed second to Roger Clemens within the Cy Younger vote.

San Diego noticed fairly a 12 months from 24-year-old Tony Gwynn, who hit .351 with solely 23 strikeouts in 675 plate appearances to assist prop up the Padres offense. The staff gained 92 video games in the course of the common season earlier than falling to Detroit within the World Sequence.

Spurred by one other large season from Mike Schmidt and an awesome rotation led by Cy Younger winner John Denny, the Phillies gained 90 video games and the pennant earlier than falling to the Orioles within the World Sequence. Philly’s run prevention trailed solely the Dodgers within the NL.

Chicago led MLB with 99 wins in the course of the common season and a high-powered offense with massive years from Carlton Fisk, Greg Luzinski, and Ron Kittle. LaMarr Hoyt additionally gained the AL Cy Younger with 24 wins and 11 full video games, however the White Sox misplaced to Baltimore within the ALCS.

The Giants had been swept by Oakland within the Bay Bridge Sequence, which is able to lengthy be remembered for a significant disruption as a result of an earthquake. Nonetheless, the staff had loads of accomplishments with 92 common season wins and spectacular seasons from Kevin Mitchell and Will Clark, who completed one-two within the NL MVP voting. The pair mixed for 70 dwelling runs and 236 RBI because the offense generated 699 runs.

Detroit was upset by the Twins within the ALCS after a 98-win common seasons, placing a damper on an in any other case excellent 12 months. The staff led MLB with 896 runs scored, as shortstop Alan Trammell completed second within the AL MVP voting after hitting .343-28-105 with 21 stolen bases, whereas Matt Nokes and Darrell Evans additionally had over 30 dwelling runs.

One of many worst World Sequence winners ever? Minnesota allowed extra runs than they scored in the course of the common season, however managed to win 85 video games in the course of the common season and acquired sizzling on the proper time. The Twins defeated St. Louis in a seven-game World Sequence. Minnesota did function loads of energy, with 4 hitters contributing a minimum of 28 dwelling runs, together with Kirby Puckett, who completed third within the AL MVP vote.

The 1985 Jays squad is not remembered all that nicely after dropping to the Royals within the ALCS, however the gained 99 video games in the course of the common season whereas ending high 5 in runs scored and runs allowed in MLB. The offense was led by power-hitting outfielders Jesse Barfield and George Bell, whereas high starters Dave Stieb and Doyle Alexander had dominant seasons.

Two years after profitable the World Sequence, New York almost equaled their 1986 win complete with a 100-win common season. Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds completed second and third in NL MVP voting behind Kirk Gibson, whereas David Cone was third within the NL Cy Younger race with a 2.22 ERA in 231.1 innings. Sadly, the Mets fell to the Dodgers in a seven-game NLCS.

The Yanks had a formidable 103-win common season earlier than getting swept by the Royals within the ALCS. New York led MLB with 820 runs scored, as Reggie Jackson hit .300-41-111 to complete second within the MVP race. The staff additionally featured an awesome bullpen, with sub-3.00 ERAs from Wealthy Gossage, Rudy Could, and Ron Davis.

The A’s fell to the Dodgers within the World Sequence, however that should not dampen their accomplishments. The staff gained 104 video games in the course of the common season behind the ability bats of MVP Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, and Dave Henderson. Ace Dave Stewart completed fourth within the Cy Younger voting going 21-12 with a 3.23 ERA in 275.2 innings, and nearer Dennis Eckersley was second within the vote.

1981 was a break up season because of the participant’s strike, however it’s remembered because the 12 months of Fernando Mania in LA. The beginning pitcher gained NL Cy Younger and Rookie of the Yr at age 20, going 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA in 25 begins and throwing eight shutouts. The Dodgers rode Valenzuela’s arm, together with the offense of Pedro Guerrero, Ron Cey, and Dusty Baker all the way in which to the World Sequence, the place they defeated the Yankees in six video games.

Oh, what may have been. The Cardinals gained 101 video games in the course of the common season. They had been solely two winnings away from claiming the World Sequence vs. Kansas Metropolis when all of it unmatched following a botched name by first base umpire Don Denkinger. The 1985 St. Louis squad remains to be remembered fondly by followers with large seasons from MVP Willie McGee, Vince Coleman (110 stolen bases), and Jack Clark, plus a Cy Younger-worthy season from ace John Tudor.

Cardinals followers would argue that the 1985 Royals had been undeserving champs, after being awarded a good name by umpire Don Denkinger within the eighth inning of Sport 6 of the World Sequence. Nonetheless, KC was a superb staff in their very own proper after profitable 91 video games in the course of the common season led by a robust offense that included 30 dwelling run hitters George Brett and Steve Balboni, together with a Cy Younger season from Bret Saberhagen and a dominant 12 months from nearer Dan Quisenberry.

Kirk Gibson’s heroics all through the common season and into the playoffs drove the Dodgers to a World Sequence championship. He gained NL MVP after hitting .290-25-76 with 31 stolen bases, and his dramatic dwelling run in Sport 1 of the World Sequence vs. Oakland set the scene for a five-game collection win. After all, the 94-win staff additionally had a number of different stars, together with Cy Younger winner Orel Hershiser, a 20-home run season from Mike Marshall, and an awesome pen led by Jay Howell, Alejandro Pena, and Brian Holton.

Milwaukee’s elite offense launched 216 dwelling runs with 5 hitters recording a minimum of 19 dwelling runs. The offensive chief was shortstop Robin Yount, who win AL MVP after hitting .331-29-114, however Cecil Cooper, Ben Oglivie, and Gorman Thomas additionally had over 30 dwelling runs. Beginning pitcher Pete Vuckovich gained the AL Cy Younger Award after going 18-6 with a 3.34 ERA in 223.2 innings regardless of shaky management, because the Brew Crew gained 95 video games in the course of the common season however misplaced to the Cardinals within the World Sequence.

The 1982 Cardinals performed their justifiable share of small ball underneath Whitey Herzog, with three gamers swiping over 20 bases together with 68 steals from Lonnie Smith. The pitching workers noticed an exceptional season from Joaquin Andujar, going 15-10 with a 2.47 ERA in 265.2 innings, whereas nearer Bruce Sutter gained Cy Younger votes after posting a 2.90 ERA and tallying 36 saves in 102.1 innings. On-base machine Keith Hernandez and wizardly shortstop Ozzie Smith had been additionally key to the staff’s 92-win common season and eventual seven-game World Sequence victory over Milwaukee. Catcher Darrell Porter went on a sizzling streak in the course of the playoffs, profitable each the NLCS and World Sequence MVPs.

91 wins was sufficient for the Phils to win the NL East and ultimately the World Sequence in six video games over the Royals. Philadelphia noticed a historic season from NL MVP Mike Schmidt, who hit .286-48-121 and was the unanimous winner. The staff additionally had Cy Younger winner Steve Carlton, who went 24-9 with a 2.34 ERA in 304 innings with 13 full video games. Tug McGraw was a surehanded nearer on the finish of video games, with a 1.46 ERA and 20 saves, whereas younger Lonnie Smith gave the staff a spark as a rookie with a .339 batting common and 33 steals in 100 video games.

The late Nineteen Eighties had been a good time to be an A’s fan, with stars all through the roster. The 1989 squad gained 99 video games in the course of the common season underneath supervisor Tony La Russa, with Mark McGwire, Dave Parker, Jose Canseco, and Dave Henderson displaying off massive energy numbers whereas Rickey Henderson set the desk. Pitchers Dave Stewart, Mike Moore, and Dennis Eckersley every acquired AL Cy Younger votes, whereas Bob Welch, Todd Burns, and Rick Honeycutt had been additionally a part of a dominant pitching workers that solely allowed 576 runs in the course of the common season. Oakland swept San Francisco within the well-known Bay Bridge Sequence, which was disrupted by the tragic Loma Prieta earthquake.

Baltimore completed first within the AL East with 98 wins, with the league’s high two MVP vote-getters in Cal Ripken Jr. and Eddie Murray. The O’s additionally acquired nice pitching from rookie Mike Boddicker (16-8, 2.77 ERA in 179 innings) in addition to ace Scott McGregor. Baltimore defeated Philadelphia in 5 video games to win the World Sequence, with catcher Rick Dempsey claiming collection MVP honors.

Sparky Anderson’s solely World Sequence win in 17 seasons main the Tigers got here in 1984. The Tigers powered their means by the season with 104 wins, sporting three 20-plus dwelling run hitters led by catcher Lance Parrish. Nearer Willie Hernandez gained the AL MVP and Cy Younger Awards after posting a 1.92 ERA in 140.1 innings with 40 saves, whereas outfielder Kirk Gibson was additionally within the MVP working with 27 dwelling runs. Detroit defeated San Diego in a five-game collection to win the World Sequence, with shortstop Alan Trammell starring as collection MVP.

The legendary 1986 Mets squad gained 108 video games in the course of the common season, adopted by the World Sequence in seven video games over the Pink Sox with the assistance of Invoice Buckner’s well-known error in Sport 6. Specializing in the Buckner error should not overshadow a superb staff that had a plus-195 run differential with large offensive seasons from Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra, Keith Hernandez, and Gary Carter, in addition to an exceptional beginning rotation led by Dwight Gooden, Ron Darling, and Bob Ojeda.