There were some remarkable stories from the NL this year. The bad news, of course, was that a player strike ruined the season and wiped out the World Series. Some outstanding seasons were cut short by the strike, the best of them belonging to Greg Maddux. Having won consecutive Cy Young Awards in 1992-93, Maddux was already the best pitcher in baseball. This year, he took another leap forward, to become perhaps the best pitcher in baseball history.

         More than likely, the ball was juiced before this season. Offensive numbers shot through the roof, and at least one player (Matt Williams) was on pace to hit 60 home runs at the time of the strike. The offensive surge, helped by two expansions, has continued to this day; and of course, we have seen a player hit 70 home runs in a season. But it hasn't affected Maddux very much; his ERA was so vastly better than anyone else in the league, that it is hard to imagine how he lost 6 games during the season. Maddux was not the hardest thrower in the league, but he had great stuff and pinpoint control, and is among the smartest pitchers in baseball.
        The next best pitcher in the league was Bret Saberhagen, who had a very nice comeback season with the Mets. He too was a pretty good control pitcher, walking only 13 men all year. Saberhagen had struggled through years of injury problems, but this year was able to stay healthy and pitch brilliantly (and he did it in an even-numbered year, breaking his odd-year cycle).
        At the time of the strike, the best record in the league belonged to the Montreal Expos. The Expos are among the least successful franchises ever, so it is perhaps fitting that they should have their best season in a year wiped out by a strike. Their best pitcher was Ken Hill, who had an ugly start to his career with the Cardinals, but now settled down to become a durable and outstanding pitcher with the Montreal. The Expos also had a 23-year-old kid named Pedro Martinez, whom the Dodgers inexplicably traded away before the season started.
        This was Jose Rijo's last good year. Rijo was among the best pitchers of the early 1990's, but never got much credit because he never won more than 15 games in a season. Though he often battled injuries, he was a power pitcher with outstanding control, and a consistent winner. Rijo was overpowering in the 1990 World Series, winning both of his starts, and allowing only 1 run in 15 innings of work. An arm injury ended Rijo's career for good in 1995; he retired with 111 wins.