Toronto Blue Jays: The franchise all-time bracket
By Bill Felber
Toronto Blue Jays: The All-Time Bracket
No. 1 vs. 8 seed
The 1992 Blue Jays get the top seed by virtue of their franchise-best 96 win total. That club took the AL East by four games over Milwaukee, beat the Athletics in six games for the American League pennant, and then beat the Atlanta Braves in a six-game World Series.
It was a strong, balanced lineup led by John Olerud, Roberto Alomar, Dave Winfield and Joe Carter. Alomar batted .310 while Carter hit 34 home runs and drove in 119 runs. Winfield added 108 RBIs.
Jack Morris came over from the defending champion Twins to win 21 of 27 decisions in 34 starts. Juan Guzman added a 16-5 record and 2.64 ERA.
The 1989 club finished two games ahead of Baltimore, but lost a five-game ALCS to the Athletics. Although only three seasons separated the 1989 and 1992 teams, the casts are almost entirely different.
Left fielder George Bell was the offensive centerpiece in 1989, hitting .297 with 18 homers and 104 RBIs. Fred McGriff, Tony Fernandez, and Kelly Gruber were infield forces who could hit.
Dave Stieb, 17-8 in 33 starts, was the staff ace.
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Game 1: The 1992 Jays had a 96-66 .593 record. In 1989 the Jays played 89-73 .549 ball, seven games worse.
Game 2: The 1992 club won 67 percent of its post-season games, taking out the A’s and Braves in six games each. The 1989 team won only one of its five ALCS games with Oakland.
Game 3: In 1992 Jays hitters compiled a 106 team OPS+. The 1989 team however, got to a 107 OPS+.
Game 4: Morris led the 1992 Blue Jays to a 104 staff ERA+. Behind Stieb, the 1989 staff only reached 102.
Game 5: The 1989 team compiled 42.3 WAR. But the 1992 Jays totaled 46.0 WAR, nearly a four-point advantage.
Result: 1992 in six games