Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site spuxll.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!spuxll!radio
From: radio@spuxll.UUCP (Rick Farina)
Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball
Subject: Team MVPs (84 Cubs and 85 Cards)
Message-ID: <711@spuxll.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 20-Aug-85 10:34:34 EDT
Article-I.D.: spuxll.711
Posted: Tue Aug 20 10:34:34 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 24-Aug-85 01:55:05 EDT
Organization: AT&T Information Systems, South Plainfield NJ
Lines: 30


> Whitey Herzog, the most brilliant
> man in baseball who can't be trusted as a general manager, may have
> hit it right on the button when he declared before the season began
> that, as nearly every Cub had an outstanding offensive season in 1984,
> the Cubs would never be able to match that level of production again
> with their present personnel.

I wonder if Whitey notices any similarities between the 84 Cubs and
his 85 Cardinals. Just look at the seasons some of his Cardinals are having:
McGee, Herr, Andujar, Tudor, Clark, Cox, and Coleman are all queuing up for
MVP honors. The only one we're not surprised about is Coleman, who is only
a rookie and therefore an "unproven" commodity; indeed, he may improve upon 
his numbers in seasons to come.

Of the others, only Clark is having a season that can be reasonably
related to his past performance; nevertheless, this looks like his
best season. McGee is 70 points over his career average. Herr broke 
his personal RBI high in June. Andujar is megapoints over his career 
winning percentage, etc, etc.

In addition, Herzog's "bullpen by committee" has been executed
brilliantly partly because ALL components (Lahti, Campbell, Horton, etc.)
have ALL performed unexpectedly well (unexpected based on past performances).

The 85 Cardinals, like the 84 Cubs, argue for the MVP to be occasionally
awarded to an entire team.

raf
---