He was named the Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News and Baseball Digest. He was the Pitcher of the Month in April and May.
He led the NL in wins (24), winning percentage (.750), IP (253.7), and strikeouts (276).
He was 4th in the league with a 2.94 ERA.
Smoltz started the season with an 11-1 record, on his way to winning the Cy Young.
During the postseason, he went 4-1 in the postseason with a tiny 0.95 ERA and had 33 SO in 38 IP.
Against LA in the division series Game One Smoltz tossed a complete game.
four-hitter, while just giving up one run in the Braves 2-1 win.
He won games one and five in the NLCS. In Game One went eight giving up two earned.
He helped the Braves erase a 3-1 series defect in Game Five with seven shutout innings.
Smoltz won Game One of the World Series in Yankee Stadium.
He was a tough luck loser in Game Five (1-0 New York win). He gave up one unearned run in eight IP and stuck out ten.
Atlanta won their second straight pennant and fourth in six years after sweeping the Dodgers and outlasting the Cardinals in seven games.
They fell to New York in the World Series in six games after taking the first two games on the road.
The Braves won the NL East with a 96-66 record.
2. John Wetteland: Was the World Series MVP. He saved all four of New York’s wins (the only closer ever to do that in the WS).
He was named the Rolaids Relief Man Award and TSN’s Reliever of the Year. He also was named to the AL- All-Star squad.
During the regular season he led the AL in saves with 43. He posted a 2.83 ERA and 69 K’s in 63 IP.
He closed out Games Two and Three with scoreless ninth innings against Texas.
He picked up the save in Game Three of the ALCS to put NY up 2-1 in the series vs. Baltimore.
In the Fall Classic, Wetteland allowed just one ER in 4.3 IP (2.08 ERA) and struck out six.
New York won the AL East with 92 wins. They beat the Rangers in four and Orioles in five to get to the World Series.
They won their first title since 1978 in six games over the Braves.
3. Albert Belle: Finished 3rd in the MVP. He was the AL All Star’s clean up hitter and starting LF. He also was a Silver Slugger.
He led the AL in RBIs for the 3rd time in four years with 148, a career high.
Belle was 2nd in the league in total bases (375), 4th in HR (48). He was also in the top 10 in slugging, OPS, runs (124), hits (187), and walks. He also hit .311.
He was known for his powerful swing and rage.
In the division series against Baltimore, he homered twice and drove in six runs.
His bottom of the seventh grand slam in Game Three off Armando Benitez broke a 4-4 tie. The Indians would eventually win 9-4.
Cleveland was upset in four games by Baltimore. The Indians won 99 games and AL Central by 14.5 games and had the top record in baseball.
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