The outcome of the race in the American League West could have an impact on this year’s Most Valuable Player Award.
If the White Sox make it to the playoffs, look for Frank Thomas to walk away with MVP honors.
If the Texas Rangers rally and overtake the Sox, Thomas could lose out to Juan Gonzalez or even Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr.
Thomas and Gonzalez are the only AL players who rank among the Top 10 in all three categories of the Triple Crown-home runs, batting average and runs batted in. But Thomas has more impressive all-around stats.
Coming into this weekend, Thomas was second in the league in RBIs (104), third in homers (35) and fourth in average (.320). He was among the top five in walks (90), slugging percentage (.620), extra-base hits (62) and total bases (273). And his 18-game hitting streak in June was tied for the fourth-longest in the league this year.
Gonzalez was second in homers (36), seventh in average (.316) and seventh in RBIs (93). He was among the top five in slugging percentage (.623), total bases (273) and extra-base hits (63).
Back-to-back two-homer games last week catapulted Griffey past Thomas and Gonzalez into the league lead with 39.
“People are talking about the year Frank Thomas is having and Juan Gonzalez for MVP, but I think we have the MVP sitting right here in our clubhouse,” said Griffey’s teammate, Mike Blowers. “You think about the injuries we’ve sustained and how much slack he has had to pick up to keep this team where it’s at.”
Clout: Griffey has a shot at hitting 50 homers this season, but even that might not be enough to help him overtake Thomas and Gonzalez. Cecil Fielder hit 51 home runs in 1990 and lost the MVP to Rickey Henderson.
Righting wrongs: It may be too late for this season, but the Boston Red Sox are doing their best to lift the curse-or whatever it is-that has plagued the team for 75 years. The last time the Red Sox won the World Series was 1918. But the players that year, including Babe Ruth, never received their awards because of a dispute with management. The Boston-based New England Sport magazine claims the Red Sox have been cursed for generations because the players never received their traditional mementos. The magazine campaigned to have the wrong redressed, and the Red Sox have given in. On Sept. 4, descendants of the 1918 champions will be given stickpins to commemorate their victory.
Turnaround: The Texas Rangers are defying tradition by staying in the race for the AL West. They usually melt in August. The last six seasons, the Rangers had a combined record of 78-96 during August. They were 14-10 this August, heading into a weekend series with the Orioles. One reason is catcher Ivan Rodriguez. He had driven in 20 RBIs since the All-Star break. Last year, Rodriguez drove in eight runs after the break.
Over the hill: Both were pleased, but Kansas City manager Hal McRae and ace reliever Jeff Montgomery differed ever-so-slightly on their approach last week when Montgomery got his 40th save of the season.
“We wanted to get that one out of the way,” McRae said. “He had 39 last year and missed a couple of chances at 40.”
Montgomery, however, downplayed the milestone.
“It wasn’t a big hurdle because there’s a lot of games to go,” he said. “But it is nice.”
Still chucking: Left-hander Frank Viola won the game that broke Boston’s losing streak. He allowed four hits in 7 1/3 innings. But Viola probably already has lost his chance at making history this season. Coming into this season, he had started 34 games or more for 10 consecutive years. Four other pitchers this century-Bob Friend, Jim Bunning, Gaylord Perry and Steve Carlton-have done that. But no pitcher this century has made 34 or more starts in 11 consecutive seasons. Cy Young is the only pitcher ever to do it. He started 34 or more games for 14 successive seasons from 1891-1904. Viola had never missed a start in his 12-year career until May 8, when an ankle injury sidelined him for one turn. A stiff elbow kept him out of several starts earlier this month. Viola has 25 starts so far this season. The only way he can make 34 is if the Red Sox shuffle their rotation.
Nightmare year: The Cleveland Indians fired pitching coach Rick Adair, who tried, and failed, to pull the staff out of a miserable tailspin that began with the spring training deaths of relievers Steve Olin and Tim Crews. Besides Crews and Olin, the Indians lost starter Bob Ojeda for most of the season with serious injuries suffered in the same boating accident. And fellow starter Charles Nagy, a 17-game winner last season, was lost to shoulder surgery. Adair, 35, was replaced by bullpen coach Dom Chiti, who has the job until the season ends.
Around the league: Former Rangers pitcher Jeff Russell returned to Arlington Stadium last week with the Red Sox and earned a save. “Some of the fans still remembered me,” he said. “They gave me a standing boo.” . . . Cleveland’s Felix Fermin is the toughest hitter in the AL to strike out. The last time he fanned, coming into this weekend, was July 27. . . . Seattle’s Randy Johnson (14-8) matched his career high for victories in a season with a victory over Toronto last Thursday. Johnson leads the majors with 234 strikeouts. . . . The Yankees could be moving their spring training home from Ft. Lauderdale to Tampa. Team officials say they expect to hear within 60 days from the city of Tampa about a plan that includes construction of a 10,000-seat stadium and new practice fields. The Yankees have trained in Ft. Lauderdale since 1962, and recently signed a contract extension that insures they will stay there until 1995. But the Florida Marlins rapidly are becoming the team of South Florida and the Yankees probably will move north in 1996. “I don’t think Ft. Lauderdale really wanted us back any more now that the Marlins are there,” said Yankees general partner Joe Molloy. “I think that’s understandable.”
