1990 Leaders & Numbers
Dogged by erratic performance through his first four years in the majors, maddened by an arbitration defeat and embarrassed that no team wanted to trade for him, Barry Bonds finally and absolutely came alive. Equally moody but more veteran, Rickey Henderson was never happier with the powerful A’s—and thus never better. One wondered how fans of the Cubs—surprised by Ryne Sandberg’s 30 homers in 1989—felt about his NL-high 40 in 1990. Thanks to a red-hot (.384) second half, 37-year-old George Brett became the only hitter to win batting titles in three different decades. Ron Gant, whose 1988 rookie star fell all the way down to Class-A ball in 1989, rebounded all the way back up, and then some. Yankees fans shook their heads yet again watching another former prospect (Doug Drabek) succeed elsewhere. Bobby Thigpen had the White Sox’ knack of keeping their leads short to thank for smashing the season saves record. As tough as Thigpen was, Dennis Eckersley was damn near perfect. Ramon Martinez’s terrific rookie showing came six years after he pitched for the Dominican Olympic team at 16. Sparky Anderson said every good pitcher has one great year—and so it was for Bob Welch, who flirted with 30 wins. Zane Smith, a combined 6-23 at Atlanta his previous two years, showed what he could do when paired with a winner at Pittsburgh. Ed Whitson, one of the few people to brawl with Billy Martin and win, effectively punched out opponents from the Padres’ mound.
The Ten Best National League Hitters, 1990 | ||||||||||||||||
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Name | Team | G | BA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | IB | HB | SB | CS | GD |
1. Barry Bonds | Pittsburgh | 151 | .301 | 519 | 104 | 156 | 32 | 3 | 33 | 114 | 78 | 15 | 3 | 52 | 13 | 8 |
2. Ryne Sandberg | Chicago | 155 | .306 | 615 | 116 | 188 | 30 | 3 | 40 | 100 | 42 | 8 | 1 | 25 | 7 | 8 |
3. Ron Gant | Atlanta | 152 | .303 | 575 | 107 | 174 | 34 | 3 | 32 | 84 | 50 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 16 | 8 |
4. Bobby Bonilla | Pittsburgh | 160 | .280 | 625 | 112 | 175 | 39 | 7 | 32 | 120 | 36 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 11 |
5. Lenny Dykstra | Philadelphia | 149 | .325 | 590 | 106 | 192 | 35 | 3 | 9 | 60 | 75 | 14 | 7 | 33 | 5 | 5 |
6. Kal Daniels | Los Angeles | 130 | .296 | 450 | 81 | 133 | 23 | 1 | 27 | 94 | 67 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 9 |
7. Eddie Murray | Los Angeles | 155 | .330 | 558 | 96 | 184 | 22 | 3 | 26 | 95 | 61 | 21 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 19 |
8. Darryl Strawberry | New York | 152 | .277 | 542 | 92 | 150 | 18 | 1 | 37 | 108 | 55 | 15 | 4 | 15 | 8 | 5 |
9. Eric Davis | Cincinnati | 127 | .260 | 453 | 84 | 118 | 26 | 2 | 24 | 86 | 54 | 6 | 2 | 21 | 3 | 7 |
10. David Justice | Atlanta | 127 | .282 | 439 | 76 | 124 | 23 | 2 | 28 | 78 | 60 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 2 |
The Ten Best American League Hitters, 1990 | ||||||||||||||||
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Name | Team | G | BA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | IB | HB | SB | CS | GD |
1. Rickey Henderson | Oakland | 136 | .325 | 489 | 119 | 159 | 33 | 3 | 28 | 61 | 95 | 2 | 4 | 65 | 10 | 13 |
2. Cecil Fielder | Detroit | 159 | .277 | 573 | 104 | 159 | 25 | 1 | 51 | 132 | 79 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 15 |
3. Fred McGriff | Toronto | 153 | .300 | 557 | 91 | 167 | 21 | 1 | 35 | 88 | 82 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 7 |
4. Kelly Gruber | Toronto | 150 | .274 | 592 | 92 | 162 | 36 | 6 | 31 | 118 | 46 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 2 | 14 |
5. George Brett | Kansas City | 142 | .329 | 544 | 82 | 179 | 45 | 7 | 14 | 87 | 42 | 14 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 18 |
6. Jose Canseco | Oakland | 131 | .274 | 481 | 83 | 132 | 14 | 2 | 37 | 101 | 64 | 8 | 5 | 19 | 10 | 9 |
7. Ken Griffey Jr. | Seattle | 155 | .300 | 597 | 91 | 179 | 28 | 7 | 22 | 80 | 51 | 12 | 2 | 16 | 11 | 12 |
8. Mark McGwire | Oakland | 156 | .235 | 523 | 87 | 123 | 16 | 0 | 39 | 108 | 101 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 13 |
9. Wade Boggs | Boston | 155 | .302 | 619 | 89 | 187 | 44 | 5 | 6 | 63 | 68 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
10. Julio Franco | Texas | 157 | .296 | 582 | 96 | 172 | 27 | 1 | 11 | 69 | 79 | 3 | 2 | 31 | 10 | 12 |
The Ten Best National League Pitchers, 1990 |
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Name | Team | ERA | W | L | PCT | SV | BS | G | GS | IP | TB | ER | BB | IB | WP | HB | BK | SB | CS | GD |
1. Doug Drabek | Pittsburgh | 2.76 | 22 | 6 | .786 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 33 | 231.1 | 280 | 78 | 54 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 9 | 11 |
2. Ed Whitson | San Diego | 2.60 | 14 | 9 | .609 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 32 | 228.2 | 297 | 66 | 39 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 7 | 16 |
3. Frank Viola | New York | 2.67 | 20 | 12 | .625 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 35 | 249.2 | 312 | 74 | 58 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 15 | 17 |
4. Zane Smith | Montreal-Pittsburgh | 2.55 | 12 | 9 | .571 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 31 | 215.1 | 280 | 61 | 46 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 4 | 34 |
5. Danny Darwin | Houston | 2.21 | 11 | 4 | .733 | 2 | 2 | 48 | 17 | 162.2 | 200 | 40 | 27 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 6 | 8 |
6. Ramon Martinez | Los Angeles | 2.92 | 20 | 6 | .769 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 33 | 234.1 | 309 | 76 | 62 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 22 | 13 | 11 |
7. Jose Rijo | Cincinnati | 2.70 | 14 | 8 | .636 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 29 | 197 | 223 | 59 | 77 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 4 | 10 |
8. Greg Maddux | Chicago | 3.46 | 15 | 15 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 35 | 237 | 323 | 91 | 61 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 4 | 27 |
9. Dwight Gooden | New York | 3.83 | 19 | 7 | .731 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 34 | 232.2 | 306 | 99 | 67 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 60 | 16 | 12 |
10. Dennis Martinez | Montreal | 2.95 | 10 | 11 | .476 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 32 | 226 | 281 | 74 | 40 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 9 | 13 |
The Ten Best American League Pitchers, 1990 |
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Name | Team | ERA | W | L | PCT | SV | BS | G | GS | IP | TB | ER | BB | IB | WP | HB | BK | SB | CS | GD |
1. Roger Clemens | Boston | 1.93 | 21 | 6 | .778 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 31 | 228.1 | 259 | 49 | 51 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 11 |
2. Dave Stewart | Oakland | 2.56 | 22 | 11 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 36 | 267 | 319 | 76 | 82 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 6 | 23 |
3. Chuck Finley | California | 2.40 | 18 | 9 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 32 | 236 | 303 | 63 | 78 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 18 | 22 |
4. Dave Stieb | Toronto | 2.93 | 18 | 6 | .750 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 33 | 208.2 | 249 | 68 | 64 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 7 |
5. Dennis Eckersley | Oakland | 0.61 | 4 | 2 | .667 | 48 | 2 | 63 | 0 | 73.1 | 58 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
6. Bobby Thigpen | Chicago | 1.83 | 4 | 6 | .400 | 57 | 8 | 77 | 0 | 88.2 | 87 | 18 | 29 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
7. Bob Welch | Oakland | 2.95 | 27 | 6 | .818 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 35 | 238 | 346 | 78 | 73 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 25 |
8. Kevin Appier | Kansas City | 2.76 | 12 | 8 | .600 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 24 | 185.2 | 237 | 57 | 52 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 21 |
9. Erik Hanson | Seattle | 3.24 | 18 | 9 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 33 | 236 | 293 | 85 | 62 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 8 | 17 |
10. Greg Hibbard | Chicago | 3.16 | 14 | 9 | .609 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 33 | 211 | 281 | 74 | 53 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 25 |
Brown type indicates league leader.
Notes: Walks (BB) do not include intentional walks (IB). For pitchers, caught stealing (CS) also includes pickoffs.
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