All-Time Since 1990: Air Signs
It’s time for the last entry in my Astrology All-Time-Since-1990 database, which this time features the three Air Signs. As a reminder, rather than building out entirely new depth charts for each sign, I’m only focusing on the new additions from the 1990’s – which, since we’re going reverse-chronologically, is the latest decade to be added. I’ve already featured the Earth Signs, Fire Signs, and Water Signs in the above-linked articles. So let’s dive right into the final three signs!
Libra had a very “win more” group of 1990’s addition. Their top All-2000’s relief pitcher was the legendary Trevor Hoffman, who got supplanted by the even more legendary Dennis Eckersley. Similarly, in right field, Ichiro Suzuki has to play second fiddle to Dave Winfield, although in a simulation setting, those two would occupy both corner outfield spots. Granted, Eckersley and Winfield each had about 10,000 more fantasy points than the players they replaced, so there is a sizable improvement overall, but it’s too bad we couldn’t get more positional diversity. Case in point: the number three and four offensive 1990’s additions are Ruben Sierra and George Bell, another pair of corner outfielders.
Eckersley wasn’t the only significant Libra pitching addition of the decade. Former Mets ace Sid Fernandez only had the fourth-most career fantasy points among starting pitchers, but he’s the new leader in points-per-game average, just 0.3 above Zack Greinke. Tim Belcher and Charlie Leibrandt were more workhorses than front-of-the-rotation stars. (And it’s fun to note that you can’t spell the latter’s name without including his sign!) Mike Morgan’s career PPG takes a hit because of all the time he spent as a reliever (about 31% of his career appearances). Meanwhile, Jeff Reardon and Todd Worrell enter the reliever mix behind Eck and Hoffman, with the latter also falling behind the still-active Kenley Jansen.
The top 1990’s addition for Gemini is also one of the most beloved personalities in all of baseball. Dave Parker absolutely mashed during his career, mostly with the Gemini-appropriate Pirates, putting up enough career fantasy points to land second only to Manny Ramirez among “Twins” outfielders since 1990. Just a few hundred career points behind Parker is new starting third baseman Wade Boggs, who was certainly NOT beloved by Barney Rubble in the classic Simpsons episode “Homer at the Bat.” Catcher is the only other position that got a new starter, with both Lance Parrish and Tony Pena (Sr.) beating out the incumbent Sandy Alomar (Jr.) behind the plate.
Elsewhere, Gemini added a lot more depth to already strong positions. Andres Galarraga, Wally Joyner, and Kent Hrbek slot in behind Frank Thomas and Jeff Bagwell at first base. In center field, Brett Butler, Eric Davis, and Ray Lankford have to play second, third, and fourth fiddle to Kenny Lofton. Gemini pitching didn’t really take off until the 2010’s, with the likes of Jacob deGrom, Shane Bieber, and Zack Wheeler, but Kevin Gross and Don Robinson held down the fort until the arrival of gap-bridgers Andy Pettitte and Bartolo Colon.
For all the shade I throw Aquarius’s way for generally occupying the bottom of the standings in the Fantasy Astrology Baseball League, they have some of the most impressive top-end players in MLB history. We’re still many decades away from adding Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, and Hank Aaron to my database, but we’ve already seen the likes of Roberto Alomar and Vladimir Guerrero (Sr.) from the 2000’s. And now the 1990’s brings us Hall of Famer and eight-time All-Star pitcher Nolan Ryan. The all-time career leader in strikeouts (and walks) was the top-scoring new addition of the decade, and the second top-scoring ATS90 player overall, behind holdover Barry Bonds.
No other new Aquarius addition remotely approaches Ryan’s career total of 50,000 fantasy points, but Carney Lansford does supplant Melvin Mora as the new starting third baseman. Another “Homer at the Bat” veteran Steve Sax is stuck far behind Alomar on the second base depth chart. Lenny Dykstra and Mookie Wilson enter as the new top-scorers among primary center fielders, but they’re behind a very strong crop of holdover outfielders. Ryan also gets some rotation help in the form of John Tudor, and a new #2 reliever, Dave Smith, who’s behind holdover Bob Wickman in total relief points.
So that concludes the new 1990’s additions to my All-Time Astrology Database! It will likely be quite some time before I add the 1980’s, since I’ve been pouring every hour of free time into updating my comprehensive 2021 database, some of which I’ve already posted about on Twitter. Plus, there’s still the matter of the 2021 playoffs, which I will start covering over the weekend.