1989 Astrology League Recap
View the 1989 FABL Lineups Here!
With my comprehensive 2021 database complete, and in-depth sign-by-sign analysis underway, I’m finally ready to return to my reverse-chronological trip through Fantasy Astrology Baseball League history. As we enter into the 1980’s, I’m going to structure these recaps a bit differently. Rather than focus on just the yearly award winners, I’ll look at those winners through the lens of the four divisional leading signs, to game out who might emerge victorious in a hypothetical offseason astrology tournament.
The top scoring sign of 1989 was also the top scoring sign of 2021, which COULD be a coincidence… but I’ve done enough astrology blogging that I don’t much believe in those anymore. Virgo had a stronger overall offense than pitching staff in 1989, but the Maidens boasted the winners of both Negative Polarity pitching awards. Orel Hershiser (2,434 / 69.5) took home the Cy Young Award, mostly because he led the real-life National League in innings pitched... but despite also leading the same league in losses. Jeff Russell (2,069 / 29.1) was the only NP relief pitcher to crack 2,000 fantasy points, in the only season in which he led the real-life American League in saves.
Virgo didn’t have any offensive awards winners, although they did feature the real-life American League MVP Robin Yount (2,464 / 15.4), and real-life Silver Slugger and Gold Glove second baseman Ryne Sandberg (2,192 / 14.0). The co-MVP’s of the Negative Polarity occupy the corner outfield spots for Capricorn, the Earth Division runners up. Kevin Mitchell (2,621 / 17.0) won the real-life NL MVP with the Padres, by leading the league in home runs, RBIs, and OPS, while Rickey Henderson (2,547 / 17.0) led the AL in runs, walks, and stolen bases in a season split between the Yankees and the AL champion A’s. Rounding out the top NP batters is Pisces first baseman Will Clark (2,472 / 15.5) who led his own real-life league in runs for the NL champion Giants.
In a hypothetical offseason tournament scenario, Virgo would play the leaders of the Water Division in the semifinal round, which just happen to be my home sign Cancer. The Crabs won their division through a team effort, rather than individual stars, as the closest they got to any of the major awards was closer Doug Jones (1,770 / 30.0) finishing fourth among NP relievers. (The other two behind Russell being Pisces Tim Burke (1,807 / 26.6) and Capricorn Jeff Montgomery (1,772 / 28.1)). Cancer did have the real-life NL Rookie of the Year Jerome Walton (1,338 / 11.5), but he didn’t even make their official starting lineup.
The top sign in the 1989 Positive Polarity was Sagittarius. The Fire Division leaders got there partly due to the help of PP MVP Howard Johnson (2,688 / 17.6) who played third base and shortstop for the Mets. The Archers offense also sported All-Star Game MVP Bo Jackson (2,007 / 14.9), but their real strength was the pitching staff. Co-aces Jose DeLeon (2,478 / 68.8) and Mike Moore (2,466 / 70.5) were the number three and four scoring starters in the Positive Polarity. (They trailed only PP CYA winner Aries Bret Saberhagen (3,224 / 89.6) and all-time career strikeout leader Aquarius Nolan Ryan (2,673 / 83.5) in overall points.) SAG also had the number three and four top-scoring PP relief pitchers - Tom Henke (1,833 / 28.6) and Jay Howell (1,755 / 31.3) – but what’s impressive here is their depth, as the sign had a whopping nine relief pitchers with 1,000 or more fantasy points.
It’s hard to find a relief pitcher who can outshine Libra legend Dennis Eckersley (1,865 / 36.6), but his sign-mate Mark Davis (2,386 / 34.1) did just that in 1989, winning the National League Cy Young Award (as well as the Reliever of the Year) for the Padres. The Air Division leader’s bullpen also sported the PP Rookie of the Year Gregg Olson (1,800 / 28.1) and Jeff Reardon (1,523 / 23.4), who saved 30 games for a record fifth season in a row. On the offensive side, outfielder Ruben Sierra (2,497 / 15.4) was the PP MVP runner-up, followed by a pair of Geminis Wade Boggs (2,074 / 13.3) and Eric Davis (2,056 / 15.7).
The only award I have yet to cover is the Negative Polarity Rookie of the Year, which went to Scorpio reliever/starter Tom “Flash” Gordon (1,609 / 32.8), who would have a much stronger career than his PP counterpart. The same is true of the NP runners-up: Pisces Kevin Brown (1,507 / 53.8) and Scorpio Ken Griffey Jr. (1,404 / 11.1) had much more success than Bob Milacki (1,609 / 43.5), Mike Schooler (1,537 / 22.9), and Gregg Jefferies (1,509 / 10.7), who are coincidentally (or not) all Leo’s. Before I sign off, the runners-up for the NP CYA are Taurus Mike Scott (2,401 / 72.8) and Pisces (and World Series MVP) Dave Stewart (2,230 / 61.9).
Next time, I’ll continue with my in-depth looks at the 2021 signs with Pisces, the leader of the Water Division (by a VERY slim margin)!