European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 6, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 18 Al playoffs the stars and stripes thursday october 6,1988 Al series stacks up about even by Ben Walker a i baseball writer Boston if pitching and Power dominate postseason then the Oakland athletics should heavily favored Over the Boston red sox in the american league playoffs. Why then arc the red sox slight Favourite Oakland led the league with a 3.44 earned run aver age and out homered Boston ij6-i24. The athletics beat the red sox nine out of 12 games including All six in Oakland and out homered Boston 13-1 in those a Only apparent Edge is the Home Field. The Busl of seven series begins at Fenway Park where the red sox were 53-28. Everyone saw whal Minnesota did at Mel Roume last year and inc twins Home record during regular season 52-29 was t As Good As Boston s red so finished h9-73, the fewest victories by an Al eat learn in a full season since the division was formed in 1969, and Boston lost six of its last seven. Oakland s 104 victories were the most by any Al West club in history. Numbers aside the series seems about even. Boston hits for a higher average the athletics have More Power and Speed. Each team has three Good starters and an outstanding bullpen. Middle Relief could the d inference. First base athletics1 Mark Mcgwire Mcgwire hit foursome runs with 11 runs batted in against Boston the most productive Hiiter in the athletics red sox series this year. His 81 Home runs Are the most by any major league player in his first two full seasons. Finished with 99 Bis and joins Jose Canseco As inc most Formida ble 1-2 punch in baseball red so Todd Benzinger Ben Inger halted just .167 against Oakland. Went s-Lbr-19 with 18 rib with the bases loaded. An average fielder about the same As Mcgwire Edge Allie ethics second Bine Alth Icv Glenn Hubbard Hubbard was a solid free agent pickup this season despite a pulled left hamstring that still slows him. Mike Gallego .209 would Start if Hubbard is unable to play. Hubbard hit Only iks against hos Lon. Still starts a fast double play pulling Ingon throws to shortstop. Red sos Marty Garrelt Barren was the most valuable 1 layer of the 1986 playoffs and then lied the world series record with 13 hits. Lost Job far a Short period in August to Jody Reed who eventually settled in Ai shortstop. Led Al for third straight season in sacrifice bunts with 20. Made Only one throwing error this red sox. Slur Stup athletics Wall Weiss the Rookie started All sea son. Balled .389 against Boston and Drew seven walks a switch hitter baited .262 left handed and .208 right handed. Made is errors in 147 games. Red sox Jody Reed the red sox Rookie broke into the starting lineup june 27. Shuttling Between Sec Ond base and shortstop and finally displaced Spike Owen at Short. Hil .193 and is a Good ?.e of the smallest players in the majors. Made 11 errors. Edge red sox. Third base athletics Carney Lansford Lansford got off to a torrid Start leading the majors with a ,400-plus aver age into May but finished at ,279. Baited .444 against Boston. Inc lop Hiller in this year s series. Stole a Ca reer High 29 sox Wade Bogas Boggs led majors at ,366 and became the first player this Century to get 200 hits in six straight seasons. Drew 125 walks 18 of them intentional and had a .476 on base average. Popped up to the infield Jusi 10 limes and Hal was still More than the last three years combined. Rarely swings at the first Pilch and loves to hit with an 0-2 count. Pre game ritual of taking 100 grounder has made him a Fine fielder. Is a .238 career hitter at Oakland his worst average at any Park. Edge red sox. Left Field athletics Dave Parker Parker is a questionable Star tar because of a thumb injury Tony Phillips .203 will Start otherwise. Another free agent Parker hit .257 with 12 homers and 5s Bis including .361 a Amsl Boston could a liability in the Field especially trying to play inc Green monster. Has .167 lifetime average in three playoff series with Pittsburgh. Red sox1 Mike arc Enwell arc Enwell eel an Al Oakland s Dave stewart., 21-game Winner ready Boston s Bruce Hurst. Game 1 starter primed for a s record with 23 game winning Bis. Baited .325 with 22 homers and 119 Bis in his second full season. Had a .416 on base average second Best in the majors to Boggs. Balled .402 in the first inning of games. Not a great fielder although is excellent at decoding run ners by pretending will catch balls that hit High off Fenway Park s left Field Wall. Edge red sox. Center Field athletics Dave Henderson Henderson was the hero of Boston s 1986 playoff comeback Hilling a Home run when the red sox were one so Rick from elimination in game 5 in was his Only hit in the series batted 400 in inc world series. One of the Best free agent acquisitions in baseball. Hit .304 with 24 Home runs and 94 Bis and played Tine in the Field. Horn Rcd twice against Boson this sox Ellis Burks Burks paced the red sox with 25 so Olin bases. Hit .294 with 18 homers and 92rbis, Hul Only .206 against Oakland. Was g-for-17 who the bases loaded. Had nine assists. Edge athletics. Right Fiel athletics Jose Canseco was the first player in history to hit 40 Home runs and steal 40 bases. Balled .307 and led the majors with 124 Bis with a .569 slugging percentage. Strong throwing Arm. Most pow Erful All around player in baseball. Red son Dwight Evans Evans continued a Lale career bid for the Hall of Fame batting .293 with 21 homers and til Bis. An eight Lime Gold Glove win Ner. Career .184 average in two playoff series. Drove in 27 of 41 runners from i hard base with less than iwo athletics. Terry Steinbach was Crivici cd for being cd cycled As an All Star game starter with a .219 average bul was map of that game and finished Al .265 with 51 Bis. With Ron Hascy Oakland catch ers threw out 56 potential Scalers while 93 were Suc sox Rich Gudman suffered through an other poor offensive season baiting .231 with nine homers. Threw out 28 of 71 base is Calcis 39 per Cunnup from last year s 30 percent. Edge athletics. Starting pitching athletics Dave Stewart storm Davis Bob Welch Trio combined for a 5-2 record against Boston its year. Stewart went 21-12. His second successive 20-win year. Welch won a career High 17 games in his first a season. Davis was 16-7 after winning a total of 21 in last three years. If Oakland wants to use a left hander. Curt Young 11-8 is sox Bruce Hurst. Roger Clemens Mike Bod Ilsc scr Hurst went 13-2 Al Home and is 5-1 lifetime against Oakland Al Fenway Park. Clemens perhaps bothered by Back problems struggled late in the year. Boddicker was 13-15 Overall but 7-3 after being acquired from Baltimore on july 29. Was Gardner could also Start if needed. Edge even. Relief pitching athletics Dennis Eckersley Rick Honycutt Greg Caparel Gene Nelson Eckersley led majors with 45 saves and did not allow a run in 6vi innings against Boston the team won 20 games for in 1978. Cada act had a 2.89 Era in setup sox1 Lee Smith Bob Stanley. Dennis lamp Smith saved 29 games just missing becoming the first Ever to save 30 in five straight seasons. Stanley had a 3,19 Era in setup role Edge athletics. Designated hitter athletics Don Baylor Baylor is in inc playoffs for the third consecutive season following appearances with Boston in 1986 and Minnesota last year. Hit Only .220 but drove in 34 runs with 58 sox Jim Rice Rice is a career .314 hitter against Oakland. Went 49 games into this season with out a Home run but rebounded to finish with 15 Hom ers and 72 Bis. Edge red sox. Luis Polonia Ron Hascy Stan Javier Mike Gallego Polonia hit .292 and stole 24 bases. Hascy drove in seven runs against Boson. Javier stole 20 sox Larry Parrish Rick Ccrone Spike Owen Ceroc Bailee .269 As a Catcher. Parrish signed in mid season. Hit seven Home runs for the red sox. Owen a switch hitting shortstop batted .276 As a right hander bul Only .233 from the Ift Side. Edge even. Manager athletics Tony la Russa la Russa is an even tempered Leader. Likes to play for big innings. Is patient with pitchers. One of five lawyers to a major league sox Joe Morgan Morgan look Over at the All Star break when John Mcnamara was fired and became the sixth manager in history to win a championship after a change in mid season joining Paul Owens of Philadelphia in 1983 and Harvey Kuperm of Milwaukee in 19s2aslhc most cell. Morgan tries to slay in the background although his Folksy tales bring him to inc forefront. Edge even
