Toronto Shoots Down High Flying Cardinals in Back & Forth ARAIGBB87 World Series

 1987 ARAIG World Series

 

St. Louis Cardinals

Manager Bill Schneider

 

VS

 

Toronto Blue Jays

Manager Scott Griffin

 

PREVIEW:

Both Coaches viewed this Series as a battle of the Cardinals Speed & Defense versus the Blue Jays Hitting & Power. It really turned out to come down to exactly that.

 

RESULTS:

In the end the Blue Jays were able to hold their end of the Series Preview up four times, while the Cardinals were only able to cash in their advantage twice. So it all added up to a six game victory for Toronto, their second Title of the 80’s in joining their 1985 Champion.

 

SUMMARY:

Just too much Blue Jays Bat Busting for the Cardinals to match. As a Team Toronto hit for a .299 Average, with an OPS of .868. That all added up to a St. Louis Team ERA of 6.06, while the Blue Jays Staff posted an ERA of 2.55. In the end, Toronto scored 40 Runs while only allowing 17 for their opponents, and that stat tells it all.

 

MVP:

Toronto’s George Bell finished off a magical season with an incredible World Series performance that resulted in his rightly be awarded the Series MVP. All he did was hit .481 with an awesome OPS of 1.407 while garnering 3 Doubles and 3 HR’s, drove in 10, and scored 7. He proved unstoppable. After earning the Regular Season MVP for his .313 Average, .969 OPS, 83 Extra Base Bits that included a League Leading 49 Home Runs, and a whopping 137 RBI’s it truly was a magical season I had the pleasure of watching. Don’t think I’ve seen any better in a while, that is for sure.

 

Toronto did get other contributions of course as names like 3B Rance Mulliniks (.423 AVG and 1.175 OPS), SP Jimmy Key (2-0 with a 1.80 ERA, SP Mike Flanagan (1-1 with a 1.38 ERA), and finally Closer Tom Henke (1 Win, No Saves, but always dominant in his 5 Appearances) all deserving mention.

 

For ST, Louis, 1B Jack Clark (only hit .217, but he had an OPS of .830 anyways built off a couple of Homers and a Double). He was ALWAYS a threat that had to be watched VERY carefully. 3B Terry Pendleton (.400 with an OPS of .920) was a force as well. Starting Pitcher Greg Matthews was tremendous in throwing 7 scoreless innings at Toronto in the Cardinals big Game #3 Win as you’ll see below. Sure glad I didn’t have to test him again in a Game #7!

 

 

 

Thanks much to the always super tough to play Bill Schneider, who once again guided one of his teams thru another outstanding season.

 

 

And of course, another HUGE Thanks & Gratitude extended to our Commissioner Chad Weyenberg for putting this League, and all his ARAIG for that matter, together and guiding us thru yet another successful season.

 

 

On the 1988!