Omaha Wolverines

2009 All Star Game Tribute – Boston

Surprise announcement: the All Star game is in Boston.

History

Back in the late 1960s, the Kennedy family was reeling from the death of two sons, struck down in national tragedies. To help distract himself from his grieving, family patriarch Joseph Kennedy helped put together a baseball organization in the startup EWB. Kennedy was in fact one of the first owners attached to the league, signing on in late 1968. Throughout the year that followed, the elder Kennedy always had a gleam in his eye when it came to talking about the Irish. Kennedy himself didn't do the talking of course; a stroke had left him speechless since the early 1960s. But you could tell he was excited. Unfortunatley, tragedies come in threes, and just months before the inaugurral 1970 season Joseph Kennedy died, aged 81. Some say the fact that he never got to see the Irish play a single game was perhaps the "real" tragedy of his life. After his passing the team was put in control of the entire family, with the lesser known Patricia Helen Kennedy playing an especially large role in day-to-day operations.

The history of the Irish is dominated by a constant theme: a sustained period in which they can't break through a certain level of achievement -- can't get over the hump -- followed by a breakthrough, only to see the same problem occur at the next level.

So for instance, in the early years, between 1972-1974, they finished in 2nd place 3 straight years to 3 different teams, each time coming up either 1 or 2 games short. They just couldn't breakthrough to get to the playoffs. The most memorable figure on those early Irish teams was the almost mythical Kevin "Coyote" Sutherland. Coyote was a rare talent. The 1st overall pick out of high school in the 1971 draft, Sutherland was dominating EWB just 3 years later in 1974, when as a 21-year-old he won the Gibson Award going 21-13, 1.93. A year later in 1975 he threw two no hitters just a month apart; to this day, George Banks is the only other pitcher in EWB history to throw two no hitters in a career. Sutherland was with the Irish until 1982, and although he was a good pitcher during most of that time, he never quite lived up to his initial promise. Despite having 170+ wins by age 30, and looking on track for the Hall of Fame, he fell apart in his early 30s after leaving Boston for Carolina and never made the Hall, despite getting some votes.

After finally making it to the playoffs in 1975, the Irish went on a real run as the 1970s turned into the 1980s, making the NLCS in 1980, 1981, 1984, and 1986. So, they had finally broken through to the next level. But here, they got stuck, losing in the NLCS round in each of those seasons: 4 times in 7 years. In Philadelphia Eagle-like fashion, they just couldn't make it past the 2nd to last round.

These Irish teams were dominated by pitching. Besides Coyote Sutherland, who was in his last years with the organization, there was a young Cesar Martinez (SP) who won 215 games in a career split between Boston and D.C.; humans might remember him from his D.C. days. There was Gerardo Guevera (SP), who won 160+ games in his career; again, humans might remember him from his final days with New Orleans and Portland. And then there was Mal Collier, a relief pitcher who went into the Hall of Fame under the mantle of the greatest middle reliever in EWB history, but in fact spent several seasons closing, especially during this early 1980s run.

After years and years of coming up just short, things changed in 1987. Already a powerhouse, the Irish that season had arguably the greatest rookie crop of any team in the history of EWB. There was 2B Gerald Lewis, who would become one of the better second basemen in the game and just missed out on the Hall of Fame. There was 1B Rafael Valentin, the Angel Rosa winner that year who went .324/45/122 and who eventually did make the Hall behind 580 HRs. And then there was CL Frank "Mounds" Hearn, who also ended his career in the Hall. Add these three to a team that was already near championship caliber and you had something special.

Those 1987 Irish were the heavy favorites in the World Series against the out-of-nowhere Memphis Razorbacks, but the Miracle Razorbacks prevailed, breaking Irish hearts. Incidentally, that Razorbacks team was managed by Sparky Anderson. After one more year with the Razorbacks the team inexplicitly let him go, and Boston was quick to snatch him up and him their manager. They were impressed by what they saw in their series loss to him. Anderson cemented his eventual Hall of Fame career in Boston -- it was here that he perfected the now almost forgotten "Wildcat" strategy with closer Mounds Hearn.

In Anderson's first season at the helm, 1989, the Irish returned to the World Series on the stegth of Frank Hearn's Gibson Award winning season with 48 Saves an a 1.23 ERA -- one of the greatest years ever by a closer. In that series they played the Washington Admirals, a historic franchise, but this wasn't one of their historically great teams -- the Admirals  snuck into the Wild Card spot with 89 wins and were significant underdogs against the Irish.

But once again, the Irish fell, 4-1. Another hump the team couldn't get over. After years of not being able to win the one that gets you to the Big One, now they weren't able to win the Big One itself.

Going back to my own 1990 self, I remember thinking at the point that the Irish were the NL equivalent of the Miami Banditos. The Irish were the best team in the NL in the late 1980s, just as the Banditos were the best team in the AL. And yet neither could pull it out when it mattered most. The two organizations traded off World Series losses: the Irish lost in '87, the Banditos lost in '88, the Irish lost in '89, the Banditos lost in '90.

Between 1990 and 1992, the Irish made the playoffs 3 straight years but lost in the first round each season. They then were able to return to the World Series in 1994 to face the Omaha Wolverines. That Wolverine squad was a powerhouse, winning 107 games -- this was prior to the period when all humans won 100+ games. The Irish were led that year by league MVP Justin Johnston. Still just 24, Johnston was a phenom who hit .329/40/118 and was just one year off winning the Angel Rosa Award with even better stats. Arguably, no player has ever entered the league with more acclaim than Johnston, who was actually ranked by the game as one of the 20 best players in the game prior to his first major league at bat. I remember Omaha inquiring about him at the time, but being told he was untradeable because he was the "LeBron" of EWB. Surprisingly, Johnston's peak was short lasting: he started to seriously decline by 26, and was essentially out of the league by 30. Still, to this day he's the organizational leader in career HRs.

Back to the series, the underdog Irish actually took a 3-2 lead and there was a lot of thought that this was finally Boston's year, now that they no longer bore the burden of being favorites. But Omaha earned a comeback victory in Game 6 and won a close one in Game 7, and Irish hearts were broken once again. Now 0-3 in the Series.

This capped off the Irish's period of greatest dominance. Between 1979 and 1994, the squad made the playoffs 11 times and won their division 8 times -- remarkable for a 15 year span. No other team made the playoffs as often during that time, and only Washington and Miami can match such streaks in the entire history of EWB.

After a few years of wandering in the wilderness thanks to the decline of Johnston, the Irish made the playoffs again in 1999, and returned to the World Series in 2001, now as a member of the American League. That '01 team was an interesting mix of "first" and "second generation" EWB names. There was rookie Woody Allen, an Angel Rosa candidate going .280/21/61; Toichi Baba, another youngster in the outfield who hadn't yet come into his own; Dan Dawson, the veteran catching All Star and legitimate Hall of Fame candidate (he made the ballot, but didn't get in); Ernesto German, another Hall of Fame candidate who had two rings with Dallas (you'll recall German was on the ballot just a couple seasons ago); Lonnie O'Rorke, the team's MVP with a line of .278/39/119; Dan "DD" Parker, the former Omaha Wolverine who won a ring with that team in 1997; John Pittman, the slugging 3B that humans will remember from his time in New Orleans; and a washed up Coy Rollins, who saw the last major league action of his career with the '01 Irish. On the mound there was Deron Jenkins, Gordon Henderson as a 21-year-old closer, and Manny Rodriguez as a setup man, a role he perfected with the '08 champion Admirals. The ace was Billy Wagner, who went 17-8 with a 3.58. Overall this is a huge number of "name" players. Pick an arbitrary roster from 2001 and you won't find nearly as interesting a mix. And to top it off, the manager of the team was Luis "Gizmo" Delgado, perhaps the greatest EWB player ever, and a hot coaching commodity at the time. Gizmo was coming off 2 playoff appearances in 3 years before the Admirals let him go, and now he was succeeding during his first year in Boston.

The Irish faced the Miami Banditos that year, a team led in part by Rafael Valentin, the former Irish great who had been let go to make room for Justin Johnston years ago now. Again the series went a full 7 games and again Boston came up just short, losing 4-3. This now made them 0-4 in Series action while Miami was just starting their 3-peat. No other team has lost as many World Series.

The loss gave Boston a unique distinction. They had now lost a World Series against each of the original 3 human teams: in 1989 to the Admirals, in 1994 to Omaha, and in 2001 to Miami. Given realignment, no other team will ever be able to match this. Boston could add to their mark if some year they lose to San Francisco in the World Series.

The years since have seen some great players come to town, including Alex Davis who put up some of his very best years with the Irish; current star Eric Reed; Clay Vinson; Jonathan Manning; and others. But no Irish team has been a serious contender, let alone made the World Series. It is the longest dry streak in frachise history.

Worse, an organization that for years was among the best run in the league has fallen into confusion and sometimes incompetence, making poor trades and trying inept strategies. Gizmo Delgado is now in the last year of his contract and it's hard to see how he's kept on beyond the year, assuming Boston doesn't make a run.

Marks

The Irish have a .512 franchise winning percentage, good for 6th all time...

1. Washington .549

2. Miami .533

3. St. Louis .531

4. Denver .516

5. Houston .515

6. Boston .512

Notably, every team on the list above Boston has won a World Title.

Their 14 Playoff Appearances are tied for 4th all time...

1. Washington 26

2. Miami 22

3. St. Louis 17

4. Boston 14

4. San Francisco 14

4. Los Angeles 14

4. Denver 14

Again, every other team on the list has won a championship.

Awards

There have been 3 Irish MVPs: Dave "Pony" Tyler in 1984, Justin Johnston a decade later in 1994, and Alex Davis almost a decade later again in 2003.

They have won 2 Gibsons: Coyote Sutherland in 1974, and Frank "Mounds" Hearn in 1989.

They have won an impressive 6 Angel Rosas: Jose Montoya won in 1971, and was arguably one of the worst winners ever going .245/14/43 -- admittedly this was a pitcher's era, but these are bad stats even so. Montoya was out of the league in 3 years. Four years later Gary Glenn won in 1975.Glenn was a classic good average, poor power first baseman who finished his career with 1600+ hits. Sam Daniels won the very next year of 1976, but had an otherwise undistinguished career. Rafael Valentin took it home in 1987, while his successor Justin Johnston won in 1993. Steve Thompson won in 1999. Thompson is one of the most extreme examples of one year wonders in EWB history. After going .294/36/99 his rookie season he hit just .190/21/58 his sophomore year, and was essentially out of the league by his 3rd.

They have two Fireman of the Year Awards: Mounds Hearn in 1989 and Gordon Henderson in 2005.

Overall

The Irish are one of the big name franchises of the league. Given their histry of success and long list of great names, I'm not sure who would rank ahead of them besides human organizations.  Obviously D.C., say, has more championships, but I think Boston at least compares with them in iconic status.

That being said, the story of the team is coming close without ever fully making it. The Fog Devils are something like the Clippers of the league. I was going to say the Cubs, but the Cubs are at least an attractive organization while Portland is just bleak and nothing. The Pittsburgh Crusaders are, I don't know... something like the city of Cleveland. It's not just that the Crusaders haven't won, it's that injuries or bad luck always knocks them off before they get the opportunity to really take their chance. But with Boston, it's a matter of excelling, getting close time after time, and always falling a little short. The obvious analogy is the Red Sox -- prior to 2004. And I think that's about right.