Wednesday, January 12, 2011

1983 New York Yankees



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

1 comment:

  1. 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.

    I 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.

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