1984 Tigers

[Dynasty]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, I have NEVER heard about this. I'm not a baseball fanatic, but I certainly follow it to a certain extent. Why isn't this talked about more? ?


[/ QUOTE ]

It's talked about fairly often. It came up quite a bit last year when the Tigers were being compared to the '84 team.

The 35-5 streak was ended when the Tigers were swept in Seattle by a Mariners team which finished the season in 5th/6th place with a 74-88 record.

Two of the losses were one run games (inlcuding a 1-0 loss to Bobby Ojeda and the Red Sox). Another loss was a two run game.

[mblax10]

Great team, but they would've lost in the World Series if not for Leon Durham's error.

Sutcliffe, Sandberg and Sarge were unbelievable that year.

[mblax10]

[ QUOTE ]
like the 1985 Chicago Bears.

[/ QUOTE ]

Jim McMahon missed the last 4 games and the playoff loss to the Redskins because Charles Martin of the Packers had bodyslammed a month earlier.

86 Bears went 14-2 and broke the NFL record for fewest points allowed in a 16 game season (since broken). They made the playoffs in 87 & made the NFC Championship in 88. It's not like the Bears fell into obscurity after 85.

Somehow this thread made me think of 2 of my least favorite sports moments. Does anybody want to bring up the 2003 NLCS?

[/Chicago Homerism]

[tuq]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
like the 1985 Chicago Bears.

[/ QUOTE ]

Jim McMahon missed the last 4 games and the playoff loss to the Redskins because Charles Martin of the Packers had bodyslammed a month earlier.

86 Bears went 14-2 and broke the NFL record for fewest points allowed in a 16 game season (since broken). They made the playoffs in 87 & made the NFC Championship in 88. It's not like the Bears fell into obscurity after 85.

[/ QUOTE ]
My point is that they never won another. The Cowboys won what, three of four in the early 90s? The same thing with the Patriots in this decade. And yet by most objective observer's assessment the 1985 Bears were >>>>> any of the six teams that New England or Dallas fielded. It's a shame they have but one title to show for it.

[disjunction]

Yeah 1984 was the first year I started watching baseball and reading the newspapers and stuff, so I remember the Tigers run well. They were clearly thought to be the best team. And the champion was a lot more preordained back then, with only two teams from each league making the postseason, one of the AL teams being 80-82 Royals from the "AL Less".

Great rotation with Morris and Petry (wins were respected a lot more back then). Great bullpen. Willie Hernandez and his screwball were hyped as untouchable, and you also had Aurelio Lopez, although I don't remember him. (Wow, I just looked, Willie was the MVP? I forgot that) Trammel and Whitaker were thought to be comparable to any all-time duo, Gibson in the outfield and Parrish behind the plate both got MVP votes.

As a side note, Darrell Evans 1985 was an awesome Strat-o-matic hitter.

I think they aren't talked about more because a different team was winning the AL each season, so it was a one year thing and not a dynasty. Detroit finished third place the next year and I don't remember them even being in the pennant race.

[disjunction]

[ QUOTE ]

For the Tigers, the problem looks to be that the bullpen got a lot worse, and they gave too many ABs to bad players. They also made the arguably foolhardy decision to trade Howard Johnson for Walt Terrell.

[/ QUOTE ]

Walt Terrell was a bulldog.

I miss major league pitchers being called bulldogs. I have no idea what it meant.

[slothinator]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

For the Tigers, the problem looks to be that the bullpen got a lot worse, and they gave too many ABs to bad players. They also made the arguably foolhardy decision to trade Howard Johnson for Walt Terrell.

[/ QUOTE ]

Walt Terrell was a bulldog.

I miss major league pitchers being called bulldogs. I have no idea what it meant.

[/ QUOTE ]

Being a bulldog means throwing a 120+ pitches, pitching the 8th and 9th when your tired/out of gas, and pitching on 3 days rest after a 120+ pitch start in September. To sum it up, it means blowing out your elbow/shoulder so your team can finish in 3rd place instead of 4th. For reference, see Lasorda/Valenzuela/Hersheiser.

[disjunction]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

For the Tigers, the problem looks to be that the bullpen got a lot worse, and they gave too many ABs to bad players. They also made the arguably foolhardy decision to trade Howard Johnson for Walt Terrell.

[/ QUOTE ]

Walt Terrell was a bulldog.

I miss major league pitchers being called bulldogs. I have no idea what it meant.

[/ QUOTE ]

Being a bulldog means throwing a 120+ pitches, pitching the 8th and 9th when your tired/out of gas, and pitching on 3 days rest after a 120+ pitch start in September. To sum it up, it means blowing out your elbow/shoulder so your team can finish in 3rd place instead of 4th. For reference, see Lasorda/Valenzuela/Hersheiser.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought you have to have an ERA between 4.00 and 5.00, to reach bulldog status. No?

[Triumph36]

i think also bulldogs come inside a lot - they may or may not chew tobacco also.

[slothinator]

No, with an ERA over four, you were a "workhorse". Over 4.50, approaching 5.00, you were known as an "innings eater". I love PC terms for "lousy [censored] pitcher".