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| Decade: The Reagan Years (1980-1989) |
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| Team Decade Pages (Average Win Shares /
Points per year in decade): |
Top Team
Builders In Decade: |
| AMERICAN LEAGUE: |
NATIONAL LEAGUE: |
1 - Whitey Herzog (Manager,
GM) - Cards |
| New York Yankees - 109 |
St. Louis Cardinals - 106 |
2 - Jim Campbell (GM), Sparky Anderson (Manager) -
Detroit |
| Detroit Tigers - 107 |
Los Angeles Dodgers - 106 |
3 - Syd Thrift (GM), Jim
Leyland (Manager) - Pirates |
| Kansas City Royals - 106 |
Houston Astros - 105 |
4 - Al Campanis (GM), Tom LaSorda (Manager) -
Dodgers |
| Boston Red Sox - 105 |
Montreal Expos - 104 |
5 - Pat Gillick (GM) - Toronto |
| Toronto Blue Jays - 104 |
New York Mets - 104 |
6 - John McHale (GM) -
Montreal |
| Milwaukee Brewers - 103 |
Cincinnati Reds - 101 |
7 - Frank Cashen (GM) - Mets |
| Oakland A's - 103 |
Philadelphia Phillies - 101 |
8 - Harry Dalton (GM) -
Milwaukee |
| Baltimore Orioles - 103 |
San Francisco Giants - 98 |
9 - Sandy Alderson (GM), Tony
LaRussa (Manager) - A's |
| Anaheim Angels - 100 |
San Diego Padres - 96 |
10 - Hank Peters (GM), Earl Weaver (Manager) -
Baltimore |
| Chicago White Sox - 97 |
Pittsburgh Pirates - 94 |
11 - Joe Burke (GM), John
Schuerholz (GM), Cedric Kauffman (Owner) - KC |
| Minnesota Twins - 93 |
Chicago Cubs - 94 |
12 - Haywood Sullivan (GM),
Lou Gorman (GM) - Red Sox |
| Texas Rangers - 93 |
Atlanta Braves - 92 |
13 - Al Rosen (GM) - Houston |
| Cleveland Indians - 91 |
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14 - George Steinbrenner
(Owner) - Yankees |
| Seattle Mariners - 86 |
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| Decade Highlights |
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| □ Nothing much happening was the big
story of the decade. |
| Free agency was
settling in and each owner was developing a strategy to deal with it. The
owners were having a hard time accepting that they lost the Reserve Clause.
They were still stuck |
| somewhere in the
anger and denial stage. They tried illegal collusion during the decade, but
the courts struck them down. |
| There was no
expansion. There were no franchise moves. |
| The game on the
field didn't change much. The DH and
the strategy around it was settling in. The balance between hitting and
pitching was stable. Whitey Herzog and the Cardinals made |
| baserunning a big
thing as Whitey moved from the Royals to St. Louis and won with fast guys in
a stadium that was built for that kind of baseball. |
| There was only one
new stadium, and, following the trend of the Sixties and Seventies, it was
awful. The Minnesota Hubert Humphrey Metrodome built in 1982. |
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| □ In the American League, George Steinbrenner, The Boss, was
imploding. After the Yankees won the 1981 pennant, they would not win another
title during the decade despite having the |
| best overall
won-lost record of all teams over the decade. Free agents were realizing that
they could take less money elsewhere and it was worth it to spare themselves
the drama of |
| having to deal with
George. There were now no dominant teams in the league during the decade.
There were some good ones like the Royals, particularly early on, Detroit,
Boston, Oakland, |
| Milwaukee, Baltimore
and Toronto. They took turns winning Divisions and Pennants. |
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| □ It was a similar situation in the National
League where there were no dominant clubs over the decade, but several good
ones. Whitey Herzog's Cardinals, the Dodgers, the Mets, |
| the Expos and the
Astros all had good decades and took turns winning Divisions and Pennants |
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| □ Outside of baseball it was the beginning of
the end. The Reagan-Thatcher era brought the incredibly destructive
neo-liberal era to the fore. This slow, steady downward spiral would |
| continue for the
next forty years and counting, destroying the American Working Class in the
process. No need to go thru the gory
details of the decade here. |
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| Top Players In Decade Pages (Win Shares /
Points and WAR (in parentheses) for Decade ): |
| All Positions - Top 50 |
Top Starting Pitchers |
Top 3 Catchers |
Top Outfielders |
| 1 - Rickey Henderson A's (71.08) - 178 |
7 - Jack Morris Detroit (30.53) - 113 |
12 - Gary Carter Montreal (44.87) - 103 |
1 - Rickey Henderson A's (71.08) - 178 |
| 2 - Tim Raines Montreal (45.76) - 124 |
16 - Dave Stieb Toronto (48.38) - 96 |
15 - Carlton Fisk Boston (26.34) - 97 |
2 - Tim Raines Montreal (45.76) - 124 |
| 3 - Mike Schmidt Phillies (56.55) - 120 |
18 - Charlie Hough Texas (30.45) - 94 |
17 - Lance Parrish Detroit (27.72) - 94 |
5 - Dale Murphy Braves (47.12) - 115 |
| 4 - Robin Yount Milwaukee (55.3) - 116 |
19 - Fernando Valenzuela
Dodgers (33.25) - 92 |
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8 - Willie Wilson KC (32.88) - 112 |
| 5 - Dale Murphy Braves (47.12) - 115 |
25 - Bob Welch Dodgers (35.32) - 87 |
Top First Basemen |
11 - Andre Dawson Montreal (47.34) - 104 |
| 6 - Eddie Murray Baltimore (45.94) - 115 |
34 Bert Blyleven Twins (38.35) - 81 |
6 - Eddie Murray Baltimore (45.94) - 115 |
20 - Chet Lemon Detroit (36.54) - 92 |
| 7 - Jack Morris Detroit (30.53) - 113 |
37 - Steve Carlton Phillies (26.92) - 79 |
14 - Keith Hernandez Cards (43.24) - 99 |
21 - Mookie Wilson Mets (20.89) - 92 |
| 8 - Willie Wilson KC (32.88) - 112 |
39 - Floyd Bannister Seattle (24.05) - 77 |
32 - Pedro Guerrero Dodgers (35.25) - 81 |
22 - Dwight Evans Boston (42.21) - 91 |
| 9 - Allen Trammell Detroit (52.85) - 107 |
40- Mike Scott Houston (23.57) - 77 |
44 - Leon Durham Cubs (16.25) - 76 |
29 - Brett Butler Cleveland (28.48) - 82 |
| 10 - Ozzie Smith Cards - (52.18) 105 |
41 - Mike Witt Angels (21.83) - 77 |
45 - Kent Hrbek Twins (30.39) - 76 |
30 - Tony Gwynn San Diego (35.55) - 82 |
| 11 - Andre Dawson Montreal (47.34) - 104 |
42- Frank Viola Twins (27.95) - 76 |
Don Mattingly Yankees (33.35) - 61 |
33 - Lloyd Moseby Toronto (26.03) - 81 |
| 12 - Gary Carter Montreal (44.87) - 103 |
Ron Guidry Yankees (27.34) - 72 |
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35 - Jack Clark Giants (34.43) - 79 |
| 13 - Wade Boggs Boston (60.16) - 102 |
Orel Hershiser Dodgers (32.95) - 72 |
Top Second Basemen |
36 - Kirk Gibson Detroit (31.78) - 79 |
| 14 - Keith Hernandez Cards (43.24) - 99 |
Nolan Ryan Texas (30.55) - 72 |
23- Paul Molitor Milwaukee (38.32) - 91 |
38 - Harold Baines Chicago (22.16) - 78 |
| 15 - Carlton Fisk Boston (26.34) - 97 |
Rick Sutcliffe Cubs (27.52) - 72 |
28 - Ryne Sandberg Cubs (37.7) - 84 |
43 - Jesse Barfield Toronto (33.61) - 76 |
| 16 - Dave Stieb Toronto (48.38) - 96 |
Jim Clancy Toronto (19.89) - 71 |
Lou Whitaker Detroit (43.55) - 63 |
47 - Darryl Strawberry Mets (30.3) - 75 |
| 17 - Lance Parrish Detroit (27.72) - 94 |
Rick Rhoden Pirates (24.59) - 71 |
Willie Randolph Yankees (37.36) - 62 |
49- Fred Lynn Boston (23.6) - 73 |
| 18 - Charlie Hough Texas (30.45) - 94 |
Doyle Alexander Detroit (26.48) - 70 |
Julio Franco Cleveland (19.01) - 61 |
50 - Lonnie Smith Cards (28.71) - 73 |
| 19 - Fernando Valenzuela Dodgers (33.25) - 92 |
Scott McGregor Baltimore (14.8) - 68 |
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Dwayne Murphy A's (32.73) - 72 |
| 20 - Chet Lemon Detroit (36.54) - 92 |
Mario Soto Reds (26.93) - 67 |
Top Shortstops |
Jim Rice Boston (23.22) - 65 |
| 21 - Mookie Wilson Mets (20.89) - 92 |
Frank Tanana Detroit (20.91) - 67 |
4 - Robin Yount Milwaukee (55.3) - 116 |
Kirby Puckett Twins (28.81) - 64 |
| 22 - Dwight Evans Boston (42.21) - 91 |
Don Sutton Dodgers (24.12) - 66 |
9 - Allen Trammell Detroit (52.85)
- 107 |
Dave Winfield Yankees (31.38) - 63 |
| 23- Paul Molitor Milwaukee (38.32) - 91 |
Dennis Martinez Montreal (14.93) - 64 |
10 - Ozzie Smith Cards - (52.18) 105 |
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| 24 - Cal Ripken Baltimore (50.23) - 89 |
Bret Saberhagen KC (32.12) - 63 |
24 - Cal Ripken Baltimore (50.23) - 89 |
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| 25 - Bob Welch Dodgers (35.32) - 87 |
Dwight Gooden Mets (30.7) - 62 |
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| 26 - George Brett KC (47.67) - 86 |
Mike Boddicker Baltimore (23.03) - 62 |
Top Third Basemen |
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| 27 - Von Hayes Cleveland (26.31) - 84 |
Jerry Reuss Dodgers (19.3) -
61 |
3 - Mike Schmidt Phillies (56.55) - 120 |
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| 28 - Ryne Sandberg Cubs (37.7) - 84 |
Bruce Hurst Boston (26.14) 61 |
13 - Wade Boggs Boston (60.16) - 102 |
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| 29 - Brett Butler Cleveland (28.48) - 82 |
Bill Gullickson Montreal (17.97) - 60 |
26 - George Brett KC (47.67) - 86 |
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| 30 - Tony Gwynn San Diego (35.55) - 82 |
Rick Reuschel Cubs (26.61) - 59 |
27 - Von Hayes Cleveland (26.31) - 84 |
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| 31 - Dave Righetti Yankees - 82 |
Roger Clemens Boston (35.65) - 59 |
46 - Darrell Evans Detroit (26.25) - 75 |
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| 32 - Pedro Guerrero Dodgers (35.25) - 81 |
John Tudor Boston (31.28) - 59 |
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| 33 - Lloyd Moseby Toronto (26.03) - 81 |
Dave Stewart A's (18.55) - 57 |
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| 34 Bert Blyleven Twins (38.35) - 81 |
Mark Langston Montreal (24.24) - 56 |
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| 35 - Jack Clark Giants (34.43) - 79 |
Mike Flanagan Toronto (16.15) - 54 |
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| 36 - Kirk Gibson Detroit (31.78) - 79 |
Teddy Higuera Milwaukee (29.04) - 53 |
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| 37 - Steve
Carlton Phillies (26.92) -
79 |
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| 38 - Harold Baines Chicago (22.16) - 78 |
Top 5 Relief Pitchers |
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| 39 - Floyd Bannister Seattle (24.05) - 77 |
31 - Dave Righetti Yankees -
82 |
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| 40- Mike Scott Houston (23.57) - 77 |
48 - Dennis Eckersley A's (25.68) - 73 |
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| 41 - Mike Witt Angels (21.83) - 77 |
Dan Quisenberry KC (24.95) - 71 |
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| 42- Frank Viola Twins (27.95) - 76 |
Jeff Reardon Montreal (14.99) - 71 |
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| 43 - Jesse Barfield
Toronto (33.61) - 76 |
Goose Gossage Yankees (18.36) - 68 |
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| 44 - Leon Durham Cubs (16.25) - 76 |
Lee Smith Boston (21.41) - 59 |
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| 45 - Kent Hrbek Twins (30.39) - 76 |
Dave Smith Houston (10.99)
- 55 |
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| 46 - Darrell Evans Detroit (26.25) - 75 |
Bruce Sutter Cards (9.21) - 53 |
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| 47 - Darryl Strawberry Mets (30.3) - 75 |
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| 48 - Dennis Eckersley A's (25.68) - 73 |
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| 49 - Fred Lynn Boston (23.6) - 73 |
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| 50 - Lonnie Smith Cards (28.71) - 73 |
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