SEATTLE
MARINERS |
| Grade: |
B
Won the division, and manager Lou Piniella didn't have to
strangle any
players. |
| Good News: |
Lefthander Jamie Moyer went
17-5. |
| Bad News: |
The bullpen, despite getting Mike Timlin, Paul Spoljaric
and Heathcliff (0-9) Slocumb at the July trading deadline,
still stinks. And outfielder Jose Cruz Jr. (26 homers for
Seattle and Toronto) is gone
forever. |
MVP:
|
Ken Griffey Jr.—with a .304 batting average, 56 HR and 147
RBI, he's the MVP of the league,
too. |
| Needed for '98: |
A closer. Maybe they'll trade Alex Rodriguez this time to
get
one. |
ANAHEIM
ANGELS |
| Grade: |
B Stayed in the race a lot longer than they had a right to,
given the injuries to the pitching
staff.
|
| Good News: |
Rookie pitcher Jason Dickson came from nowhere to win 13
games. |
| Bad News: |
The Chili Davis-for-Mark Gubicza trade was the worst of
the
season. |
MVP:
|
Rightfielder Tim Salmon. After a slow start, finished with
his usual terrific numbers (.296,
33 HR, 129
RBI).
|
| Needed for '98: |
Mark McGwire. Guess that's out. The Angels didn't trade
for him when they had the chance, thinking they might get
him as a free agent after the season.
Wrong.
|
TEXAS
RANGERS |
| Grade: |
D
From division champs to the same-old-Rangers, thanks to
poor defense, average pitching and not enough production
from the corners of the
infield.
|
| Good News: |
Texas signed catcher Pudge Rodriguez to a $42 million,
5-year contract. Instead of leaving as a free agent,
Rodriguez becomes a Texas
landmark. |
| Bad News: |
Unless the Rangers spend some money in the free-agent
market, and increase the payroll for players other than
Pudge, they won't run again with
Seattle. |
MVP:
|
Leftfielder Rusty Greer (.321, 26 HR, 87 RBI). Clutch
hitter, and one of the game's most underrated
players.
|
| Needed for '98: |
A shortstop and two
pitchers.
|
OAKLAND
A's |
| Grade: |
C
Major step backward might cost manager Art Howe his
job.
|
| Good News: |
Rightfielder Ben Grieve (.312, 3 HR and 24 RBI in 24
games) will be the 1998 Rookie of the
Year. |
| Bad News: |
The A's were last in pitching this year, third-from-last
in hitting, and they don't draw flies. Besides Grieve,
there's no one worth watching,
anyway. |
MVP:
|
Mark McGwire. And they traded him in July because they had
no choice. |
| Needed for '98: |
To move to another
city.
|
The season is over, and the grades are in
