The 91-win Yankees in 1983 represents a Yankees team in transition. This was the end of the great late '70s Yankee teams, as this was the last season with Graig Nettles and Rich Gossage in a Yankee uniform, but the first full season with Don Mattingly, who would probably be considered the leader of the 1980's Yankees. The 91-win, respectable, but not in the playoffs is pretty typical for the Yankees throughout the 1980s.
Best Player: Dave Winfield
Best Pitcher: Ron Guidry
All-Stars: Ron Guidry, Dave Winfield
Rookie Card of the Year: Steve Balboni
Who holds the all-time single season Kansas City Royals home run record? Well, since this is listed under Steve Balboni, you can guess the answer. But how many home runs did he hit in his record setting season? 36, yes really, even after the steroid era, the Royals single season home run record is 36.
Other Rookie Cards: Jay Howell, Andre Robertson (note: none of these are true rookie cards, but represent the first time appearing solo on a card)
First Yankee cards: Don Baylor, Butch Hobson (listed under retired players), Steve Kemp, Matt Keough, Clyde King (listed under retired players), Lee Mazzilli (listed under players on new teams), Mike Morgan (listed under players on new teams), Dale Murray, Bob Shirley
Most interesting non-Topps card: Jay Howell
In a career that would last through 1994 with the Rangers, and reach a high point as the closer with the 1988 champion Dodgers, Jay Howell's first solo card is in the '83 Donruss set. His rookie card showed him on the Cubs Prospects card in the 1982 Topps set.
Other notes: In December 1982, Omar Moreno signed as a free agent with the Houston Astros. In August of 1983, he was traded to the Yankees for Jerry Mumphrey, too late to be shown as a Yankee in the traded set. His regular card shows him as a member of the Pirates and his traded card shows him as a member of the Astros, his Pirate card is listed in this checklist.
Then we come to our old friend Larry Milbourne. In 1982, he started out with the Yankees, was traded to the Twins, and then to the Indians. In the off season between 1982 and 1983, the Phillies picked him up from the Indians. In July 1983, the Yankees purchased him back from the Phillies. His regular card shows him as a member of the Indians and his traded card shows him as a member of the Phillies, his Indians card is listed in this checklist.
Starters
| __ | TO | 617 | C | Butch Wynegar | NYY |
| __ | TO | 110 | 1B | Ken Griffey | NYY |
| __ | TO | 140 | 2B | Willie Randolph | NYY |
| __ | TO | 460 | SS | Roy Smalley | NYY |
| __ | TO | 635 | 3B | Graig Nettles | NYY |
| __ | TO | 770 | LF | Dave Winfield | NYY |
| __ | TO | 670 | CF | Jerry Mumphrey | NYY |
| __ | TT | 53 | RF | Steve Kemp | NYY |
| __ | TT | 8 | DH | Don Baylor | NYY |
| __ | TO | 281 | MI | Andre Robertson | NYY |
| __ | UT | Don Mattingly | |||
| __ | TO | 254 | C | Rick Cerone | NYY |
Starting Pitchers
| __ | TO | 440 | SP | Ron Guidry | NYY |
| __ | TO | 176 | SP | Dave Righetti | NYY |
| __ | TO | 592 | SP | Shane Rawley | NYY |
| __ | SP | Ray Fontenot | |||
| __ | TT | 103 | SP | Bob Shirley | NYY |
| __ | DO | 587 | SP | Jay Howell | NYY |
Relief Pitchers
| __ | TO | 240 | CL | Rich Gossage | NYY |
| __ | TO | 123 | RP | George Frazier | NYY |
| __ | TT | 79 | RP | Dale Murray | NYY |
| __ | TT | 54 | SP | Matt Keough | NYY |
Other Players
| __ | TO | 19 | UT | Oscar Gamble | NYY |
| __ | TO | 485 | CF | Omar Moreno | PIT |
| __ | TO | 307 | OF | Lou Piniella | NYY |
| __ | TT | 18 | IF | Bert Campaneris | NYY |
| __ | TO | 8 | 1B | Steve Balboni | NYY |
| __ | TO | 91 | 2B | Larry Milbourne | CLE |
| __ | IF | Bob Meacham | |||
| __ | LF | Brian Dayett | |||
| __ | C | Juan Espino | |||
| __ | TO | 782 | DH | Bobby Murcer | NYY |
| __ | OF | Otis Nixon | |||
| __ | CF | Rowland Office | |||
| __ | SP | John Montefusco | |||
| __ | SP | Doyle Alexander | |||
| __ | TO | 539 | RP | Roger Erickson | NYY |
| __ | TO | 408 | RP | Rudy May | NYY |
| __ | RP | Curt Kaufman | |||
| __ | TO | 333 | RP | Dave LaRoche | NYY |
Manager
| __ | TT | 66 | MG | Billy Martin | NYY |
I think this is the first time I've ever read anything about the '83 Yanks without the pine tar incident mentioned. That's rather refreshing.
ReplyDeleteI watched almost every Yankees game that season. I vividly remember them battling the Royals in KC in early July. I remember how the Indians seemed incredibly tough for a last place team. I remember Dave Winfield getting a court date in Toronto for killing a bird by total accident. I remember Guidry pitching a game in the Kingdome one Sunday afternoon and Gossage almost blowing it. I remember being very confused, but excited, watching the whole pine tar moment unfold. I remember watching them finish that game weeks later. I remember being excited when Omar Moreno debuted, 'cause I loved base stealers and I was sure he would be great...and then feeling disappointed within a couple weeks. I remember getting my first glimpses of Rickey Henderson when the Yanks played the A's. I remember Billy Martin stroking his mustache as he peered at the action on the field from his perch on the dugout steps.