The Real MVP

Sunday, April 4, 2010

MLB 1993

1. Paul Molitor: Was the World Series MVP for the Blue Jays. He was 12-24 in the six games with 10 runs scored and eight RBIs.

His two-run triple and solo HR sparked Toronto to a 10-3 Game 3 win and a 2-1 series lead

Molitor’s RBI double started the Blue Jays’ six run eighth inning rally in their epic 15-14 win in Game 4.

In Game 6 Molitor again started off the scoring in the 1^st with a triple, homered for the second time in the series in the 5^th, and singled in the bottom of the ninth, which set up Joe Carter’s Series winning walk-off, 3R-HR.

Against Chicago in the ALCS he was 9-23 (.391), with 7 runs and 5 RBIs. He had a 4-5, 3 RBI, 2 R Game 1 performance, as Toronto won 7-3.

In the regular season he was second in the MVP voting. He was an All-Star and Silver Slugger as a DH. He earned that status by leading the league with 211 hits, and finishing second in the AL in batting at .332, runs (121) and at bats (636).

At age 36 he had a career high 22 HRs, 111 RBIs (surpassed in 1996) along with 22 steals.

The Blue Jays had the best record in the AL with 95 wins and won the East by seven games over New York. They beat the White Sox in six games to win the pennant. Toronto won their 2^nd straight World Series 4-2 over the Phillies.

2. Barry Bonds: National League MVP for the third time in four years.

He was close to a triple crown. He led the NL with 46 home runs and 123 RBIs. He was 4^th in th e league with .336 averages.

Barry topped the senior circuit in on base, and slugging percentage as well as walks and total bases (365). He was second in the league scoring 129 runs. Bonds swiped 29 bases.

He was the starting leftfielder for the NL in the All-Star game (2-3, 2 R), a Gold Glover and Silver Slugger.

The 1993 Giants won 103 games and finished a game behind Atlanta in the NL West. That was 31 more than 1992 when Bonds was not in San Francisco. The Giants finished six games ahead of East champion Philadelphia.

3. Frank Thomas: He won the American League MVP. He was ML Player of the Year, named by the Sporting News. He was a All-Star and Silver Slugger as a first baseman.

He posted a .311 avera ge (6^th), 41 HR (3^rd), 128 RBI (2^nd), and 106 runs.

He finished in the top five in the AL in on-base and slugging %, OPS, total bases and walks.

In Game 4 of the ALCS Thomas helped Chicago tie the series at 2-2 with his game-tying home run in the sixth. The White Sox won 7-4. He was 6-17 in the series (.353) and walked 10 times (.593 OBP).

The White Sox won 94 games (eight more than 1992) and the AL West by eight games over Texas. They went to their first playoffs in a decade and lost in six games to Toronto.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

NBA 1993

1. Michael Jordan: Won his third consecutive Finals MVP. Was All-NBA first team and all league defensive. He was a All-Star starter for the East (30 pt., 5 ast and 4 steals)

He lead the NBA with 32.6 points and 2.8 steals per game. He also contributed 6.7 reb. and 5.5 ast. per contest.

He also lead the league in field goals made and attempted.

During the regular season MJ put up 17 dbl-dbls, and four triple doubles. He had a 57 point 10 assist performance vs Washington and 64 point outburst against Orlando.

In a round 1 sweep of Atlanta Jordan averaged 34 and 6. In round 2 he scored 31.3 per game in a 4-0 sweep of Cleveland.

In the East Finals New York built a 2-0 lead, until Jordan’s 54 point Game 4 that tied the series at 2. He hit 18-30 shots including 6-9 from beyond the arc. In Game 5 Chicago took control over the series beyond Jordan triple double of 29 pt, 14 ast and 10 boards. They would win the series in six.

In the Finals against Phoenix, he led Chicago to a Game 2 win with 42-12-9. He had 44 in the 3 OT loss in Game 3.

In Game 4 he buried the Suns with a 55 point (21-37 ) maste rpiece.

For the series he averaged 41 points per game (four straight 40+), 8.5 reb, and 6.3 ast.

The Bulls won their third title in a row in six games. They won 57 games and the Central Division, as they had the NBA’s #2 scoring defense.

He continued to be a global marketing machin e.

2. Charles Barkley: Was the 1993 MVP and 1^st team All-NBA. He was an All-Star starter for the West. He finished 5^th in the league in scoring (25.6 per game)

He posted 12.2 rebounds 5.1 assists while shooting 51%. He had 55 double doubles and six triple doubles in his 76 games played.

In the Playoffs Barkley put up 26.6 points and 13.6 rebounds per game in his 24 games.

He helped the top seed Phoenix to a comeback over the Lakers in their best of five series after digging a 2-0 hole. In the Game Five clincher Barkley had 31-14-5.

He had a 28 point 21 rebound and four steal Game 6 to clinch the next round over San Antonio.

In the West Finals the forward carried the Suns to the Finals. In Game 5 had a monster triple double with 43 points (16-22 fgs 11-11 fts) 15 rebs and 10 ast.

In game 7 he had 44 points and 24 rebounds in a 123-110 victory over Seattle.

In the NBA finals he had 42-13 in a game 2 loss and 24-19 in Phoenix’s triple overtime win.

In 1992-93 Phoenix finished with the NBA’s best record at 62-20. They also topped the league with 113.8 points per contest. They advanced to the franchise’s second finals losing in six games to Chicago.

3. 3. Hakeem Olajuwon: Was the MVP runner-up. Was 1^st team All-NBA center and All-Star starter. Was named Defensive Player of the Year as he led the NBA in blocks (4.2 per game).

Hakeem was 4^th in scoring (26.1), and rebounding (13). He also had 1.8 steals. He was second in minutes.

He displayed amazing consistency with 72 dbl-dbls in 82 games.