Who Was the Best Baseball Team in the 90s?
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Welcome to the field, the best MLB team of the ‘90s…(insert your team here).
How would you finish this sentence? Did you answer the ‘92-‘93 Blue Jays that won back-to-back World Series? They had a solid pitching staff led by Key and Cone. Offensively, they were led by Olerud, Carter, and a pre-spitting Alomar. In ‘93 they add Ricky Henderson and Paul Molitor. They were a solid team that got by a good Braves team and a good Phillies team (sans Mitch “let me groove one to Joe Carter” Williams).
Some may have answered the ‘91, ‘92, ‘95, or ‘96 Atlanta Braves. The ‘91, ‘92, and ‘96 Braves are automatically eliminated because they failed to win the World Series. The ‘95 Braves had the three-headed monster pitching. They had a good offense anchored by Jones, McGriff, and Justice. They won the World Series in 6 over the Indians, but it was a team that never had the wow factor.
How about the talent-loaded ‘97 Florida Marlins? Kevin “what happened to me once I went to the Dodgers” Brown and World Series MVP Livian Hernandez anchored the pitching staff. Sheffield, Bonilla, and Alou powered their offense. However, they do not deserve the award because they were a wild card team who traded everyone away once they had their title.
I know some of you yelled out ‘98 and ‘99 Yankees (Yankee fans always think they have the best team…even when they finish 67-95 in dead last in the AL East like they did in ‘90). The ‘98 team won 114 games behind great pitching. Their staff included Cone, Hernandez, Pettitte, Wells, and Rivera. They had their leader in Jeter with a great supporting cast of Posada, Knoblauch (I know he couldn’t throw to first base), Martinez, Williams, and O’Neill. They swept the “I really don’t belong here but got hot” Padres in one of the most boring World Series ever. The ‘99 Yankees added little-known Roger Clemens to an already strong pitching core. They added Soriano to beef up their offensive numbers and get the ball from second to first. They rolled through the playoffs and swept the Braves. **Side note—Maybe Steinbrenner and Cashman should look at what won the Yankees 3 in a row and 4 out of 5. It was pitching, Jeter, and a solid supporting cast. End side note** The ‘98 Yankees are walking up to accept their award, but we are not going to give it to them. One, they are the Yankees; and two, this article would come to an anti-climactic ending with no room for others to disagree. Take a seat pin stripers.
Most of you are scratching your heads and asking who is left. ‘90 Reds, ‘91 Twins, ‘96 Yankees. Wrong, wrong, and wrong. So all together….let’s welcome to the field, your ‘94 Montreal Expos.
Before you say that I am smoking something or call me names, give me a minute. The ‘94 Expos never won the World Series. Who did? Nobody, it was a strike-shortened and ended season. The Expos will not be penalized for this. They were 74-40 at the time the strike ended the season; they were on pace to win 117 games. They were dominating their division that included a Braves team that ruled the division for the 90s.
I know I have not included payroll for any of the other teams, but it has to be mentioned for the Expos. Their team payroll was only $18,771,000 compared to their division rivals the Braves who come in at $44,100,000.
I could list a lot of the players that led them to this record, but most of you have not heard of them. Why? They are the Expos. They play in hockey country. They play in front of five Quebecois fans a night. Everyone knows they had a young Pedro Martinez. Most people have no idea who else pitched for them. Ken Hill was 16-5 in 23 starts and leading the pitching staff. John Wetteland had 25 saves and was a solid closer. The offense was led by Moises Alou and Larry Walker who hit a combined 41 home runs and had 164 RBI. They had a great supporting cast of Marquis Grissom, Mike Lansing, Cliff Floyd (rookie), Darrin Fletcher, and Wil Cordero. They were a great team with little to no publicity. Did I mention that they played in Canada? Go back and review some of their statistics. The strike ruined a for-certain Expos World Series and eventually led to their au revoir from Montreal. A lot of you will think my argument has holes the size of the ones in the ceiling of Stade Olympique (pre-removal of the roof), but I am sticking with my choice.
Congratulations Expos and let the debate begin.
Merci bien,
Jeron
Special Correspondent to SportProjections.com
