The 1982 Milwaukee Brewers vs the 2021 Toronto Blue Jays - by Moses

1982 Milwaukee Brewers

Pitching Staff

1.  Mike Caldwell (RHP) - age 33

2.  Pete Vuckovich (RHP) - age 29

3.  Don Sutton (RHP) - age 37

4.  Moose Haas (RHP) - age 26

5.  Bob McClure (LHP) - age 30

6.  Randy Lerch (RHP) - age 27

7.  Doc Medich (RHP) - age 33

8.  Jim Slaton (RHP) - age 32

9.  Dwight Bernard (RHP) - age 30

10.Jerry Augustine (LHP) - age 29

11.Jamie Easterly (LHP) - age 29

12.Rollie Fingers (RHP) - age 35 

Batting Order vs Lefties

1.  Paul Molitor (3B) bats right - age 25

2.  Robin Yount (SS) bats right - age 26

3.  Cecil Cooper (1B) bats left - age 32 

4.  Gorman Thomas (CF) bats right - age 31

5.  Ted Simmons (C) bats both - age 32

6.  Don Money (DH) bats right - age 35

7.  Ben Oglivie (RF) bats left - age 33

8.  Charlie Moore (RF) bats right - age 29

9.  Jim Gantner (2B) bats left - age 29

Batting Order vs Righties  

1.  Paul  Molitor (3B) bats right - age 25

2.  Robin Yount (SS) bats right - age 26

3.  Cecil Cooper (1B) bats left - age 32

4.  Ben Oglivie (LF) bats left - age 33

5.  Gorman Thomas (CF) bats right - age 31

6.  Ted Simmons (C) bats both - age 32

7.  Roy Howell (DH) bats left - age 28

8.  Charlie Moore (RF) bats right - age 29

9.  Jim Gantner (2B) bats left - age 29

Bench

1.  Ned Yost (C) bats right - age 27

2.  Ed Romero (2B/SS) bats right - age 24

3.  Marshall Edwards (OF) bats left - age 28

4.  Mark Brouhard (OF) bats right - age 26

5.  Larry Hisle (DH/PH) bats right - age 35

2021 Toronto Blue Jays

Pitching Staff

1.  Robbie Ray (LHP) - age 29

2.  Hyun Jin Ryu (LHP) - age 34

3.  Alek Manoah (RHP) - age 23

4.  Jose Berrios (RHP) - age 27

5.  Steven Matz (LHP) - age 30

6.  Ross Stripling (RHP) - age 31

7.  Tim Mayza (LHP) - age 29

8.  Tayler Saucedo (LHP) - age 28 *

9.  Ryan Borucki (LHP) - age 27

10.Kirby Snead (LHP) - age 26

11.Adam Cimber (RHP) - age 30

12.Trevor Richards (RHP) - age 28

13.Julian Merryweather (RHP) - age 29

14.Nate Pearson (RHP) - age 24

15.Anthony Castro (RHP - age 26

16.Bryan Baker (RHP) - age 26 *

17.Jordan Romano (RHP) - age 28  

Batting Order vs Lefties

1.  George Springer (CF) bats right - age 31

2.  Marcus Semien (2B) bats right - age 30

3.  Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B) bats right - age 22

4.  Bo Bichette (SS) bats right - age 23

5.  Teoscar Hernandez (DH) bats right - age 28

6.  Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (LF) bats right - age 27

7.  Randal Grichuk (RF) bats right - age 29

8.  Alejandro Kirk (C) bats right - age 22

9.  Santiago Espinal (3B/2B) bats right - age 26

Batting Order vs Righties

1.  George Springer (DH) bats right - age 31

2.  Marcus Semien (2B) bats right - age 30

3.  Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B) bats right - age 22

4.  Bo Bichette (SS) bats right - age 23

5.  Teoscar Hernandez (RF) bats right - age 28

6.  Corey Dickerson (LF) bats left - age 32

7.  Reese McGuire (C) bats left - age 26

8.  Cavan Biggio (3B) bats left - age 26 *

9.  Jarrod Dyson (CF) bats left - age 36

Bench

1.  Danny Jansen (C) bats right - age 26

2.  Breyvic Valera (2B/3B) bats both - age 29

3.  Santiago Espinal (3B/2B) bats right - age 26

4.  Corey Dickerson (OF) bats left - age 32

5.  Jarrod Dyson (OF) bats left - age 36

* - currently in Minors

      

      In this comparison of teams from yesteryear to today we see many parables between both rosters as they both had the dominant offensive statistics.in MLB for the years studied (1982 and 2021)

  Both were teams that had an incredible scoring ability, evidenced by both teams hammering more than 200 Home-Runs in the season in the years studied.  The Brewers were known as the 'Harvey Wallbangers' in 1982 for their hitting proficiency, showcasing Molitor as the catalyst for the offence to get things started and steal bases at a healthy rate.  After Molitor the pitcher had to take on A.L MVP Robin Yount, perhaps the greatest hitting shortstop in the history of the game.  Cecil Cooper batted third and was a left-handed machine in hammering out hit after hit.  Then the pitcher had to take on deep threats Gorman Thomas and Ben Oglivie both 40 HR a year power.  Ted Simmons was arguably the greatest switch-hitting catcher of all-time and many looked at Jim Gantner as a plugger and a team player, Charlie Moore as a good defensive rightfielder, and Don Money and Roy Howell held the fort as the teams' DH tandom.  They were simply dynamite offensively and they almost won the World Series that year of 1982 losing a tight seven game affair against the St. Louis Cardinals and Ozzie Smith.  The Brewers Starting Pitching was strong (maybe not to this years' 2021 Toronto Blue Jays standard) and showcased Mike Caldwell, Pete Vuckovich, Don Sutton (picked up at the trade deadline), Moose Haas, Bob McClure, (and swingman Jim Slaton).  They had poor relief aside from Rollie Fingers (perhaps the best closer in the game that year) and Jim Slaton a swingman who was 10-6 with seven starts. 

  The 2021 Toronto Blue Jays  are a special team for many reasons.  The 2021 Toronto Blue Jays showcase power like perhaps no team before them.  They have a collective 7 men (once Springer belts his twentieth Home-Run of the year) with 20+ Home-Runs on the year.  Vladdy Jr., Semien, Teoscar, Bichette could each have 30+ Home-Runs should Bichette get hot over the last 6 games of the season.  Even leaving Vladdy Jr. and Marcus Semien out of the equation the offence is still powerful showcasing the exploits of Gurriel Jr., Grichuk, Alejandro Kirk, Reese McGuire, Bichette, Hernandez (and Cavan Biggio upon his return for the playoffs).  The Jays pitching this year has been strong from the starters.  Ray, Ryu, Manoah, Berrios, and Matz (and even Ross Stripling could be worked into the equation) are all capable starters.  Romano is arguably the best closer in the American League and has shown he's got the poise for the job.  With Adam Cimber and Trevor Richards in the mix alongside Julian Merryweather, Nate Pearson, Bryan Baker, and Tim Mayza (with another three lefties at the ready) the bullpen just needs to settle.

Starting Pitching

Advantage Toronto Blue Jays (9-8)

Relief Pitching

Even (7-7)

  

Catchers

Milwaukee Brewers - Ted Simmons 8/10

Toronto Blue Jays - Alejandro Kirk/Reese McGuire/Danny Jansen 6/10

Advantage Milwaukee Brewers

1st Basemen

Milwaukee Brewers - Cecil Cooper 8.5/10 

Toronto Blue Jays - Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 9.5/10

Advantage Toronto Blue Jays

 

2nd Basemen

Milwaukee Brewers - Jim Gantner 6/10

Toronto Blue Jays - Marcus Semien 9.5/10

Advantage Toronto Blue Jays

3rd Basemen

Milwaukee Brewers - Paul Molitor 9/10

Toronto Blue Jays - Santiago Espinal/Cavan Biggio 6/10

Advantage Milwaukee Brewers

Shortstops

Milwaukee Brewers - Robin Yount 9.5/10

Toronto Blue Jays - Bo Bichette 8.5/10

Advantage Milwaukee Brewers

Leftfielders

Milwaukee Brewers - Ben Oglivie 8/10

Toronto Blue Jays - Lourdes Gurriel Jr. 8/10

Even

Centerfield

Milwaukee Brewers - Gorman Thomas 8/10

Toronto Blue Jays - George Springer 8/10

Even

Rightfield

Milwaukee Brewers - Charlie Moore 6/10

Toronto Blue Jays - Randal Grichuk 7/10

Advantage Toronto Blue Jays

DH

Milwaukee Brewers - Don Money/Roy Howell 6.5/10

Toronto Blue Jays - Teoscar Hernandez 9/10

Advantage Toronto Blue Jays

Bench

Milwaukee Brewers - 7

Toronto Blue Jays - 7

Even

  The reality is that it will be history who decides who the better team was.  Should the Jays make the playoffs this year they'll be remembered as perhaps the greatest offence of today's' age like was said of the 'Harvey Wallbangers' of 1982.

The Toronto Maple Leafs Trade - by Moses (a.k.a Moshe Shalom)

Trade;  From the Toronto Maple Leafs - Curtis McElhinney to the Vancouver Canucks for - Michael Del Zotto

As a result this is our 2018/19 Toronto Maple Leafs

Head Coach - Mike Babcock

Goalies 

1.  Frederik Andersen
2.  Garret Sparks 
3.  Calvin Pickard

Defensemen

1.  Morgan Rielly
2.  Travis Dermott
3.  Michael Del Zotto
4.  Jake Gardiner
5.  Calle Rosen
6.  Ron Hainsey
7.  Connor Carrick
8.  Andreas Borgman
9.  Justin Holl
10.Andrew Nielsen


Forward Lines

                                   LW                                  C                                       RW

1st Line               Nazem Kadri                  John Tavares                  Mitch Marner

2nd Line              Zach Hyman                Auston Matthews           William Nylander

3rd Line           Andreas Johnsson *         Patrick Marleau            Kasperi Kapanen

4rth Line              Tyler Ennis                 Frederik Gauthier *          Connor Brown


Scorers                                    Goals            Assists          Points       +/-

1.  John Tavares                        50                  63                 113        +37
2.  Auston Matthews                 47                  59                 106        +33
3.  Mitch Marner                       30                  60                  90         +35
4.  Nazem Kadri                        35                  50                  85         +35
5.  William Nylander                24                  50                  74         +30
6.  Kasperi Kapanen                 23                  35                  58         +10
7.  Patrick Marleau                   25                  30                  55         +12
8.  Morgan Rielly                       16                 39                  55          +27
9. Jake Gardiner                        10                 40                  50          +17 
10.Andreas Johnsson                 22                 23                  45          +7
11.Connor Brown                       20                 20                  40          +5
12.Tyler Ennis                            12                 27                   39          +7 
13.Travis Dermott                       9                  25                   34         +42         

Toronto Maple Leafs Folklore - by Moses

  In 1893 the NHA was formed. At that time Toronto began their quest for the vaunted Stanley Cup. Most aren't aware, but we weren't the Toronto Maple Leafs. Between 1899 and 1902 we were known as the Toronto Wellingtons. The team was re-named the Toronto Marlboros, licenced by name from a Duke of the British Isles, Sir Winston Churchill's Grandfather. They remained until 1910, when a Lacrosse organization within the city bought the team becoming the Toronto Tecumsehs (a.k.a the Toronto Indians) for the 1911 season. The very next year they were re-named the Toronto Ontarios, as the Tecumsehs went bankrupt. The next year they were known as the Blueshirts and we took home our first Stanley Cup. From 1915-1919 our Hockey Team was called the Toronto Arenas and the Cup was brought home again in 1918. In 1920 the organization was known as the Toronto St. Pats, until 1927, when Conn Smythe bought the club and re-named the team the Toronto Maple Leafs.

  Throughout the proud history of the Toronto teams, we have won the second most Stanley Cups of all Franchises in NHA/NHL history (14 in total to date).

  It was in 1931 that Connie Smythe built Maple Leaf Gardens, and Charlie Conacher scored the first Maple Leaf goal in our new Arena. Maple Leaf Gardens was considered a remarkable achievement as the Arena was lavish and extraordinary, built during the 'Great Depression'.

During the 1930's there were many Maple Leaf greats. There was top notch coaching provided by Dick Irvin, there was the 'Kid' line of Busher Jackson, Joe Primeau, and Charlie Conacher. Ace Bailey was likewise a star player with the 'Buds' at this time. The blue-line was anchored by King Clancy and Hap Day, with Frank McCool as our Goaltender throughout the decade. All told Toronto took home the Stanley Cup as the Maple Leafs for the first time in 1932. Ace Bailey lost his ability to play the game in 1934, due to a bodycheck thrown by the great Boston Bruin defenceman Eddie Shore. They shook hands publically, as Bailey forgave Shore (even though he couldn't play Ice Hockey anymore). That year they held the All-Star Game in Ace Bailey's honour, with the Maple Leafs hosting the best of the League.

At the start of the 1936 campaign Syl Apps came aboard, and he became perhaps the most iconic Leaf Captain of all-time (being named such in 1940).

  In the forties, the Maple Leafs were led by Captain Syl Apps and new Head Coach Hap Day, alongside Defense-man Babe Pratt, Goalie Turk Broda, Harry Watson, Ted Kennedy, Cal Gardner, Howie Meeker, Gordie Drillon, Sid Smith, and Bill Barilko among others, and won the prized Stanley Cup 5 times over the course of the decade.

  

   Former player Joe Primeau joined the Leafs brass during the 50's as Coach and he brought in Dicky Duff, Bobby Baun, Harry Lumley, Tim Horton,  and Frank Mahovlich.  Although the Leafs only won one Stanley Cup during the 50's, Toronto was still considered a powerhouse team. This of course was in the time of Gordie Howe's' Detroit Red Wings, Maurice Richard's' Montreal Canadiens, Bobby Hull's' Chicago Black Hawks, and Andy Bathgate's' New York Rangers (the Bruins were a little soft in the 50's).

  In the sixties the Leafs caught fire, and were a dynasty with superstar #27 Frank Mahovlich, winning the Cup three years in a row, 1962-1964, and in 1967 for good measure. Led by Hockey Guru Punch Imlach the team featured George Armstrong as Captain, Johnny Bower and Terry Sawchuck as netminders, and Davey Keon. They teamed alongside mainstays Tim Horton, Bobby Baun, and Dicky Duff.

  The Seventies saw Jacques Plante come to Toronto in 1970, a year in which we saw the emergence of future Captain Darryl Sittler.  It is still a sour taste in this writers' mouth that the Leafs traded Bernie Parent to the Philadelphia Flyers for Doug Favell (a swap of Goalies) the next year.  Norm Ullman was perhaps the best Leaf during this time, and led alongside Captain Davey Keon until Sittler took over the reign. During the 1973/74 season, Toronto saw future Hall of Famers Lanny McDonald and Borje Salming join the big club.  Going into the 75/76 season Randy Carlyle joined the big club.  At the start of the 76/77 year we saw the emergence of rookies Dave 'Tiger' Williams and goalie Mike Palmateer.  Our Leafs peaked in 77/78 and beat the future dynasty New York Islanders in the Quarter-Finals, with the winning goal scored by Lanny McDonald on a wrist shot on Chico Resch that went five-hole.  Although the Leafs looked primed to make a run for the Cup, the team was dismantled by Harold Ballard and we went on a downside into the eighties. 

  

  It was in the early 80's that the Leafs provided the fans of Toronto with our first Maple Leaf to score 50 Goals.  Rick Vaive did so three times in fact and duly became the next Leaf Captain. The 1985/86 campaign saw Toronto with the first overall pick - Wendel Clark. Robbed at winning the Calder Trophy, Clark became an early fan favorite as he scrapped and scored goals at an alarming rate.  His body-checks were revered by most Hockey fans Worldwide, and spoken highly by Don Cherry on the CBC.  This of course were the Brophy days where we saw three fights a game, yet rarely made the playoffs. The city loved to talk about Head Coaches Brophy and Demers, with the inference of our mortal enemy, the Toronto/Detroit rivalry.  Late in the decade Wendel Clark was named our next Captain, and many would say he was a true great of the game.

  It was in 1991 that Cliff Fletcher, our General Manager, traded away 50 Goal scorer Gary Leeman among others to the Calgary Flames for Dougie 'Killer' Gilmour, Jamie Macoun, Rick Natress, and Rick Wamsley.  This was perhaps, the greatest Leaf trade to this point of Leafs history.  We saw a resurgence of Leaf dominance (although our Leafs couldn't bring home the Cup).  We made the Semi-Finals three times in the nineties, with Doug Gilmour as Captain in 1992/93 and 93/94.  A true leader, Gilmour took a slash in the face from Wayne Gretzky in the Semi's of 1993, and everyone knows the rest.  That team was stacked with solid players in the likes of Goalie Felix Potvin, Dave Andreychuk, Glenn Anderson, Mike Gartner, Wendel Clark, and Sylvain Lefebvre among others.  The 1992-1994 Leafs was run by coaching great Pat Burns and he almost took us to ‘the promised land’.

  

  As the nineties wore on we saw Curtis (Cujo) Joseph lead us to another Semi-Final appearance, on a team Captained by Mats Sundin. The Leafs of the late nineties and early 00’s showcased Gary Roberts, Larry Murphy, and a young Tomas Kaberle, this being the Pat Quinn era.

  To start the 2002/03 campaign Eddie Belfour took over for Curtis Joseph in net (as Cujo signed with the Detroit Red Wings) and Sundin remained our Captain until 2007/08 - the longest reign of all Maple Leaf Captains of twelve years from 1995/96-2007/08. 

   

  After Pat Quinn, came John Ferguson, and we put too much trust in Darcy Tucker, Pavel Kubina, Bryan McCabe, and signed them long contracts each with a no-trade clause.  Since Ferguson we’ve had to endure through Brian Burke shannannagan’s.  Seeing the likes of Vesa Toskala, Matt Stajan, Jonathan Bernier, Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul, Dion Phaneuf, we haven’t really succeeded in making the playoffs since 2002/03.

   

  In the 2016 off-season General Managers Brendan Shanahan and Sweet Lou Lamorillo were able to land the 1^st overall pick in the draft and chose big American Forward Auston Matthews.  Then we proceeded to select Mitch Marner as the fourth overall pick.  The prior year we were able to obtain William Nylander as the fifteenth overall pick.  In the 2016/2017 and the 2017/2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs we bowed out early (once against the Capitals and last year in Seven against the Bruins).  With the acquisition of John Tavares in the past off-season we look poised to contend for the prized Cup, and although Sweet Lou flew the coup we still have one the greatest hockey minds in Coach Mike Babcock (who won the coveted Stanley Cup with Detroit).
 Alongside Morgan Rielly, Nazem Kadri, Patrick Marleau, Zach Hyman, Kasperi Kapanen, Calle Rosen, Andreas Johnsson, Garret Sparks, and Frederik Andersen, the Leafs look poised to emerge to at least a serious playoff threat out of the Eastern Conference.
  The reality is that many of our current Leafs were farmhands at one point with the Toronto Marlies (who have played great Hockey over the last few years) and had enormous success in the American Hockey League culminated by a Calder Cup Win in 2017/2018.  Time will tell if we can look as imposing as the rival Franchise 2017/18 Stanley Cup winning Washington Capitals of last year or as dominating as our modern day Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Black Hawks and Los Angeles Kings dynasties. 

The Economic Restructuring of Major League Baseball - by Moses a.k.a Stacey Marc Goldman

  What would happen if MLB instituted a minimum salary of $60,000 U.S.D/ Year and maximum salary of $10 Million U.S.D/ Year within the signings of all ballplayers within each chain of MLB (including the Minor Leagues, and all aspects of the Players Association and Front Office positions)?

1.     IF the ultra-rich within MLB (the Owners and Marquee players) are taxed accordingly, the guy selling peanuts is a happy camper making $35,000 U.S.D/Year.  The least paid position would be $35,000 U.S.D/ Year.

2.     The player in A-Ball is seeing $60,000 U.S.D/ Year

3.     The player on the average level sees $1,000,000 U.S.D/ Year

4.     The marquee player sees $10,000,000 U.S.D/ Year

  The reason I stipulate is for this reason.  No team has 25 superstars.  I repeat no team has 25 superstars.  No hitter will ever bat 1.0000 with any consistency, and no pitcher will ever achieve a perfect record with any consistency.  You might have a guy who finishes his career 1 for 1 with a grand slam to boot, but try to repeat that over and over again...  It's the same thing for the pitchers within the game.  A pitcher is always trying for the perfect game.  Does he achieve this?  No. 

  The game of baseball is an institution for this reason.  The guy selling the peanuts and cracker jacks, the soda and the beer, the baseball and the jersey, all need to make a buck to bring enough chicken bacon home to feed the wife and kids.  The stories we tell after the game has been played is part and parcel of what North American cities and towns need.  Something to grow on that makes life worth living.  A reason to wake up in the morning.  When we look back on our lives as a baseball fanatic, we realize that success happens, mistakes happen, you roll with the punches.  You play the game.