#1/2 Seeded Teams

#1 1977 Dodgers

Original Season Record: 98-64, .605, 1st place, NL West, won NLCS, lost WS

Star Attractions: On the NL’s leading team in ERA, Tommy John went 20-7 with a 2.78 ERA to lead a balanced staff.  The offence was also extremely balanced with no true superstars, but OF Reggie Smith stood out, leading the club with a .407 batting average, 427 OB %, 576 slugging % and 1.003 OPS, in addition to excellent defence.

Also Featuring: 1B Steve Garvey led the team with 33 HR and 115 RBI, while 2B Davey Lopes provided the speed dimension with 47 SB in addition to strong defence at a premium position; Burt Hooton led the pitchers in ERA at 2.62; knuckleballer Charlie Hough saved 22 games, while Elias Sosa was a valuable bridge reliever, with a 1.98 ERA and 0.85 WHIP.

 

#2 1977 Red Sox

Original Season Record: 97-64, .602, 2nd place, AL East

Star Attractions: Carlton Fisk was arguably the backbone of the team, with stellar defence at C and scoring and driving in more than 100 runs apiece; LF/DH Jim Rice led a dynamic offence, leading the team with 39 HR, 15 3B and 114 RBI.

Also Featuring: Even at 37 years old, Carl Yastrzemski was still an everyday starter, swatting 28 HR, driving in 102 runs and scoring 99; Butch Hobson and George Scott both hit 30+ HR; the starting rotation was nothing special, but Bill Campbell proved to be a very effective closer with 31 saves and a 2.96 ERA.