Andre Dawson vs Ozzie Smith: The battle for the 1987 NL MVP
The battle for the 1987 NL MVP
Where Ozzie Smith Fit On His Team
Ozzie Smith did what he did when he walked on the baseball field and the 1987 season was no exception. He was a flashy player with the glove and a solid but not strong offensive force. Smith had been an All-Star six times prior to the ’87 campaign but he was a fan favorite for his pizazz in the field not his results in the batter’s box.
The St. Louis Cardinals were establishing themselves as a World Series contender in the 1980s for the first time since the Bob Gibson days of the late 60s. They won the World Series in 1982 and came up just short in 1985, losing in Game 7 to the Kansas City Royals.
Their 1987 team had a home run hitting Jack Clark and a run-producing Willie McGee. Vince Coleman stole 109 bases that year and scored 121 runs from the leadoff spot.
More. Cardinals: Top 3 closers in team’s history. light
The Cardinals had a league-worst 94 home runs, 115 less than the Cubs. The Cardinals walked the most and stole a league-high 248 bases while scoring the most runs in the league. The pitching staff walked the least amount of hitters and surrendered the least amount of home runs.
The 1987 team manufactured runs with old school National League style baseball and grinded out wins the hard way. They finished atop the NL East division with a record of 95-67.