At 6'10", Randy Johnson was the tallest player in baseball history. The
Mariners acquired Johnson from the Expos in 1989 in exchange for Mark Langston.
When he first arrived in Seattle, he threw very hard, but had very poor control.
Five years later, he still threw hard, and had a devastating curveball, but
now his great stuff was complemented by outstanding control. Add it all up,
and you've got one of the most devastating pitchers in baseball history. Johnson
this season struck out 12.36 batters per nine innings, a new record (that
has since been broken). At this writing Randy is still one of the best pitchers
in baseball, and won his second Cy Young Award in 1999.
The Indians' pitching staff was a strange mix
of characters. The staff aces were a pair of old guys, Dennis Martinez and
Orel Hershiser. Martinez was 40 years old, and still pitching the best ball
of his life; at age 37, Hershiser was a spring chicken by comparison, but
he too was pitching his best ball since his surgery in 1990. But the most
spectacular season by any Indian belonged to Jose Mesa; a failed starter,
Mesa was given a chance to see what he could do with the closer's role.
A big, hard thrower, Mesa had one of the greatest years ever by a closer;
he blew only 2 save opportunities all season.
The Boston Red Sox also made the playoffs, which
was a surprise (but then, isn't it always a surprise when the Red Sox make
the playoffs?) Their key ingredient was not ace fireballer Roger Clemens,
but knuckler Tim Wakefield. Wakefield debuted with the Pirates in 1992, was
8-1 during the season, and won two games in the playoffs. His career nosedived
after that, and he was returned to the minors. Boston rescued his career,
and Wakefield responded with his best season. Wakefield has since been a
very inconsistent pitcher, but he eats up innings, and may have another
decade of pitching ahead of him.
Kenny Rogers of the Rangers had his best season.
The Gambler began his career as a left-handed one-out reliever; the Rangers
tried him as a starter in 1993, and he responded by pitching well, and he even
threw a perfect game. After this season, Rogers signed a big contract
with the Yankees. But his time in New York was miserable; Rogers pitched
poorly for the Yanks, and was accused of wilting under the pressure of the
Big Apple. After two seasons he was dealt to Oakland, where he resumed
pitching outstanding ball. In 1999 Rogers was dealt to the Mets, and pitched
well, apparently liking Queens much more than the Bronx.
