MLBN's Prime 9...best of the 80's

[Moose Milligan]

Ranking the all time starting 9 for the 1980's....

RF, Dwight Evans

CF, Dale Murphy

LF, Rickey Henderson (most dynamic player of the 80's, they say)

SS, Cal some cool old highlight clips.

3B, Mike Schmidt (most homers in the 80's)

2B, Ryne Sandberg

1B, Don Mattingly

C, Gary Carter

P, Jack Morris

Thoughts? Especially from the crowd old enough to really remember the 80's

[eddie83]

I am biased but Murray should be ahead of Mattingly. I would agree Mattingly was better in his peak but that was only about 4 years, 84-87. Murray had great years from 80-85. Mattingly didn't start playing fulltime until 1984. Murray already had 4 great years by then.

Dwight Evans I always thought was a good player but looking at his numbers he had a better career than I thought. I would say I always thought Andre Dawson was a better player than him though.

Clemens didn't have a full season until 86 so I would probably still take Morris over him.

[ShaneDawg85]

I think a case could be made for Raines or Dawson in the outfield over Evans. You can also make a case for Murray over Mattingly at 1st, but than again there is no DH here, so perhaps you put Murray there.

[Birds of B'more]

I am biased but Murray should be ahead of Mattingly. I would agree Mattingly was better in his peak but that was only about 4 years, 84-87. Murray had great years from 80-85. Mattingly didn't start playing fulltime until 1984. Murray already had 4 great years by then.

Dwight Evans I always thought was a good player but looking at his numbers he had a better career than I thought. I would say I always thought Andre Dawson was a better player than him though.

Clemens didn't have a full season until 86 so I would probably still take Morris over him.

I would take Dawson too, or Darryl Strawberry, over Evans in a heartbeat.

And Murray over Mattingly, definitely.

[jdwilde1]

Nolan Ryan is a better choice for the all decade team. He didn't always have the best win totals, but that's not always under the pitcher's control. For example, in 1986 Ryan led the majors in both ERA (2.76) and strike outs (276) but was only 8-16. In the decade he led the league in Ks three times and ERA twice (low of 1.69).

In comparison Jack Morris led the AL in strike outs once and never led in ERA. In fact his low ERA for the decade was 3.05 in 1981.

Overall it was a pretty weak decade for pitchers being in their prime and having continued success from 1980-89. Most weren't getting it going until the middle of the decade or were at the tail end of their careers after the early part of the 80's.

Other nominees are Fernando Valenzuala, Dave Steib, Orel Hershiser (came a little late), Mike Scott, Dave Stewart and Bob Welch (27 win season was 1990).

Also, Murray should be at first. He was productive for the entire decade, and while Mattingly was the best in baseball for 4 years ('84- '87) and was solid through '89, he still missed out on 35% of the decade.

[RShack]

Nolan Ryan is a better choice for the all decade team.

He was mainly good at K'ing batters, and he had a long career. That's not the same thing as being an excellent SP. He wasn't one. He had a smattering of excellent seasons in his career, but they were way too scattered and occasional for him to be considered the best. He is the poster boy for over-valuing K's.

[Dipper9]

I was also thinking Murray over Mattingley, but I guess they had to have a Yankee in there!

I liked the Cal highlights alot. Some good words from Fred Lynn about Cal.

Later on they did a Prime 9 on biggest Cinderella stories. Number one was the Amazin' Mets over the Orioles in the 69 Series.

[Avsfan]

Doc Gooden? Roger Clemens?

Really? Their 86' seasons alone respectively should of made the list...Gooden in 85' & 86' was unlike anything that anyone had seen in a long while. Gooden's WHIP in 85' was UNDER 1.0 in 276 innings.

[Babypowder]

I would take Dawson too' date=' or Darryl Strawberry, over Evans in a heartbeat.

And Murray over Mattingly, definitely.[/quote']

There is a decent case for Murray over Mattingly, but Evans was pretty clearly better than Dawson and Strawberry had a couple of good seasons in the 80's but didn't break in until '83 and wasn't as consistently good.

[Dipper9]

There is a decent case for Murray over Mattingly, but Evans was pretty clearly better than Dawson and Strawberry had a couple of good seasons in the 80's but didn't break in until '83 and wasn't as consistently good.

Not to mention the white powder that always seemed to cling to the noses of both Gooden and Strawberry!

[Moose Milligan]

I was surprised to see Dewey there but looking at his stats, pretty impressive.

[Dipper9]

I was surprised to see Dewey there but looking at his stats, pretty impressive.

Yeah, I would have never in a million years guessed that Dewey led the League in extra base hits during the decade of the 80's. :eektf:

[Birds of B'more]

I was surprised to see Dewey there but looking at his stats, pretty impressive.

I checked too and was pretty shocked. I never would have thought of him as an All-80's guy, but I can see the argument now.

[Moose Milligan]

Yeah, I would have never in a million years guessed that Dewey led the League in extra base hits during the decade of the 80's. :eektf:

Especially surprising because he never had a 40 double season.

[Arthur_Bryant]

Ranking the all time starting 9 for the 1980's....

RF, Dwight Evans

CF, Dale Murphy

LF, Rickey Henderson (most dynamic player of the 80's, they say)

SS, Cal some cool old highlight clips.

3B, Mike Schmidt (most homers in the 80's)

2B, Ryne Sandberg

1B, Don Mattingly

C, Gary Carter

P, Jack Morris

Thoughts? Especially from the crowd old enough to really remember the 80's

Not only was Rickey Henderson the most dynamic player of the 80s, you could take out the words "most dynamic" and still have an accurate statement.

I would consider replacing Dale Murphy with Tim Raines. Murphy was tailing off badly toward the end of the decade.

Yeah, Eddie at 1B.