ON Sports: MLB 1981-4/11-Houston Astros @ Los Angeles Dodgers: Full Game

Source:The New Democrat

The Astros-Dodgers rivalry was pretty good in the 1980s when both clubs were in the NL West and were consistently in the NL West race. The Astros won the division from the Dodgers in 1980 and the Dodgers took the division from the Astros in 1981, 85 and 88. Both teams were consistent winners in the 1980s, because they both played a big pitcher friendly ballparks and both had very good defense and pitching. And at least in the Dodgers case were also very good offensively, with speed, power and guys who could hit for average. The Astros of this period were sort of a light-hitting team that would score enough to win, because they didn’t need a lot of runs to win when they pitched well.

Cincinatti Reds: MLB 1986- New York Mets @ Cincinnati Reds: July 22, 1986

Source:Cincinnati Reds- vs the New York Mets, in 1986.

Source:The New Democrat  

"REDS VS METS JULY 22, 1986" 

From the Cincinnati Reds

The Reds were solid contender in the 1980s a divisional contender for most of that decade. They actually finished in the mid and late 1980s in second place several seasons in a row in that decade. But never quite good enough to win their division. 

The Mets obviously winning the World Series in 1986 and were very good in the mid and late 1980s. So this was a matchup of consistent 1980s contenders, with the Reds failing to ever win their division. 

The Reds never seemed to have enough pitching to win the NL West in the 1980s, which is where they played until 1994, but were generally very good offensively. And the Mets coming damn close to winning the NL East in 1985 and arguably had a better team than the St. Louis Cardinals in 85. But in 1986 is where they put everything together as a team. They had great pitching and consistent offense and defense and had all of those things for most of that season.

KTVU-TV: MLB 1987-8/18-San Francisco Giants @ New York Mets: Full Game

Source:The New Democrat. 

A great Giants-Mets matchup late in the 1987 MLB season, because both clubs were still deep in the pennant races. The Giants tied for first place in the NL West and the Mets just a few games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL East. The Mets and Cardinals won four straight NL East divisions titles from 1985-88 and took turns winning those titles. One of the best MLB rivalries in the mid and late 1980s. The Giants woke up from the dead in 1986 under Roger Craig after perhaps being the worst team in MLB in 1985. Bounced back in 1986 and had a winning season for the first time in a while. So 1987 they wanted to prove that they were back and at the very least contend for the NL West. The Mets won the MLB World Series in 1986 and obviously wanted to do that again in 1987.

Reds-TV: MLB 1986-07-22- New York Mets @ Cincinnati Reds: Full Game

Source:Classic MLB 11 

The Reds were solid contender in the 1980s a divisional contender for most of that decade. They actually finished in the mid and late 1980s in second place several seasons in a row in that decade. But never quite good enough to win their division. The Mets obviously winning the World Series in 1986 and were very good in the mid and late 1980s. So this was a matchup of consistent 1980s contenders, with the Reds failing to ever win their division. The Reds never seemed to have enough pitching to win the NL West in the 1980s, which is where they played until 1994, but were generally very good offensively. And the Mets coming damn close to winning the NL East in 1985 and arguably had a better team than the St. Louis Cardinals in 85. But in 1986 is where they put everything together as a team. They had great pitching and consistent offense and defense and had all of those things for most of that season.

ABC Sports: MLB 1982-NLCS-Game 3-St. Louis Cardinals @ Atlanta Braves: Full Game

Source:The Daily Press

An interesting matchup for a championship series with two teams that were almost nothing like. The St. Louis Cardinals as a team hit less than 100 home runs that season. George Hendrick who was a solid power hitter for a lot of his career, led the Cardinals with eighteen home runs. This was a team that would get on base by walking and slapping singles and the occasional double. And then stealing a lot of bases and stretching singles to doubles, doubles triples, scoring from first base. Playing great defense and getting great pitching. This was known as Whiteyball named after the great Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog. The Atlanta Braves in 1982 were a power hitting team led by Dale Murphy and Bob Horner with Chris Chambliss as well. So this was a matchup between a speed team in the Cardinals both on offense and defense. Vs a power hitting team that pitched and defended well enough to win the AL West in 1982.

NBC Sports: MLB 1983-NLCS-Game 4-Los Angeles Dodgers @ Philadelphia Phillies: Full Game

Source:NBC Sports- Philadelphia Phillies fans, at Veterans Stadium to watch game 4 of the 1983 NLCS.

“1983 NLCS Game 4 – Dodgers vs Philles @mrodsports” 

From Classic Phillies TV 

I don’t believe there was a better pitcher you would want pitching in a big game, a series clinching game than Steve Carlton. When he was on and generally that was most of the time, I believe he was the best of the 1970s and 80s. The only other two pitchers I would consider would be Tom Seaver and Jim Palmer of this era.  

And this is what the Dodgers were facing on the road at Philadelphia Veterans Stadium against perhaps still the best pitcher in the game at this point, certainly in the National League in Steve Carlton. And having to beat Carlton just to force another elimination game which would’ve been game 5. This game was perfectly set up for the Phillies. At home, with their best pitcher, if not the best in MLB and playing to eliminate the Dodgers and move on to the MLB World Series. 

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ABC Sports: MLB 1978- NLCS Game 4- Philadelphia Phillies @ Los Angeles Dodgers: Full Game

Source:ABC Sports- with the 1978 NLCS at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Al Michaels, Don Drysdale, and Johnny Bench with the call of the game.

“1978 NLCS Game 4 – Phillies vs Dodgers @mrodsports”

Source:Classic Phillies TV

This was a very good matchup for an NLCS between the Phillies and Dodgers because you had a more power-hitting offensive oriented team in the Phillies, going up against a pitching and defensive oriented team in the Dodgers that also had a very good lineup, with hitters like Steve Garvey, Reggie Smith, Ron Cey, Dusty Baker and others. And I think that was the difference in this series. The teams were fairly even, but the Dodgers had more pitching and I believe a more complete team than the Phillies.

On paper anyway, I think the Dodgers were better than the New York Yankees in 1978. I think they had more offensively and had just as must pitching. But the Yankees got better pitching and clutch hitting in the 1978 World Series and that was the difference. 

You can’t really afford any of games in a World Series or a championship series. Which is what happened to the Phillies in the first two games of the NLCS losing both of them at home. And having to win three-straight at Dodger stadium to win the series. 

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NBC Sports: MLB 1984-NBC MLB-GOW-6/23-St. Louis Cardinals @ Chicago Cubs: Full Game

Source:The Daily Press 

The baseball game that seemed like to would never end. A classic game in this great Cardinals-Cubs rivalry, great rivalry even though the Cardinals are traditional winners and champions. And the Cubs generally are not only losers, but tend to finish way out of contention. A great game if you hate pitching and perhaps see pitching as an inconvenience to slugfest and perhaps as a necessary evil that is necessary so that baseball games actually come to conclusion at some point. This game was essentially a home run derby where the team that could find away to get more outs and scored last was going to win. But not a great game in the sense that it was a great all around played game. With good pitching, defense and with timely hitting, that went down to last outs and into the ninth inning not knowing who was going to win at the end.

ABC Sports: MLB 1986-NLCS-Game 3-Houston Astros @ New York Mets: Full Game

Source:Real Life Journal 

An interesting matchup in the 1986 NLCS, because it sort of looked like a miss-match on paper. The Mets clearly looked like the best all around team in MLB in 1986 and dominated the National League. One of the best teams since divisional play started in MLB in 1969. They had great pitching, starting and the bullpen. A very good defense and very good, deep and balanced lineup offensively, as well as a very good bench. They had both speed and power in their lineup and Davey Johnson was their manager. All of these qualities for one team tend to equal MLB World Series champion.

The 1986 Astros sort of reminds me of the 1969 Mets. Very good pitching, very good defense and a lineup that only seemed to produce enough hits and runs for the team to win. This would’ve been a miss-match had the Astros not of gotten the pitching and defense that they did in this series. And they got a lot of timely hitting Kevin Bass in this series who had a career year and didn’t do much pre-86 or after 86. Which sounds like several New York Mets of 1969. The Astros did enough in 86 to make this series one of the best NLCS’s of all-time.

WGN Sports: MLB 1981-10/04-Chicago Cubs @ Philadelphia Phillies: Full Game

Source:The Daily Press 

1981 was an interesting season for Major League Baseball to say the least. It was a strike shorten season and the genius’ at MLB decided to do a minor league play. Which was to have the division leaders of the first and second halves of the season be the playoff teams of each league. Instead of the division winners being the teams with the best overall records in each league for the entire season. Which meant the Cincinnati Reds even though they had the best overall record in the NL West in 1981, didn’t win that division. Because the Los Angeles Dodgers had a better record in the second half of the season. This was the first four game playoff series in MLB because of the strike shortened season. The Cubs were the Cubs in 1981, finishing in last place. They parked themselves there early on that season and never left. The Phillies were again very good and trying to defend their 1980 World Series Championship.

ABC Sports: MLB 1988-NLCS-Game 4-Los Angeles Dodgers @ New York Mets: Full Game

Source:The Daily Press

The Mets and their fans have to feel that 1988 was a year that got away from them. Because the Mets and Oakland Athletics were the two best all around teams in MLB that year and neither one of them won the World series. 1988 goes to show you that baseball is a game where if you get great pitching and play great defense, all you need to do is score enough runs to win. Which is one more run than your opponent for every game that you win. That you don’t need a great lineup and even a very good lineup to win and be successful and even win the MLB World Series. The 1969 Mets proved that, the 1985 Kansas City Royals proved that and the 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers proved that as well. Probably the three worst World Series champions at least since divisional play started in 1969.

NBC Sports: MLB 1988-GOW-7/23-San Francisco Giants @ St. Louis Cardinals: Full Game

Source:The Daily Press

What a difference a year or a season makes for both the Giants and Cardinals. Who were both clearly the two best teams in the National League in 1987 and in the Cardinals case in 1988 were fighting to stay out of last place in the NL East in 1988. A division they played in until MLB realigned in 1994 and went to three divisions in both leagues. And in the Giants case, never making a real run at the NL West title at least by the All Star break and finishing eleven games behind their arch-rival Los Angeles Dodgers out of first place.

When teams when their division in MLB, especially over a 162 game schedule, unless they are very deep in talent with great chemistry and a great manager, they tend to have a lot going for them. And are able to avoid making critical mistakes during the season that costs them big games. And cost them games that might not seem big at the time, but come back to cost them in September when they’re fighting to make the playoffs or win their division. Both the Giants and Cardinals were able to avoid big mistakes and injuries in 1987. But 1988 they got hit by those things over and over and it really cost them.