Read the opposing arguments from Sports Geek and Loyal Homer.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s few teams were as talented and accomplished as the Oakland A’s. The Athletics consistently fielded an incredible ball club, with players capable of astonishing feats. Oakland’s star studded roster including names like Ricky Henderson, Mark McGuire, Dennis Eckersley, Dave Henderson, Goose Gossage and Willie Randolph. With players like these it should come as no small surprise that the Oakland A’s claim three MVP – Canseco, Henderson, and Eckersley – over the course of a five year period (from 1988-1992). But despite all this wealth of MVP caliber talent, no star shown brighter in the California night than Jose Canseco.
Today’s debate argues the question which of Oakland’s three MVPs during this time period had the best season? Beyond a shadow of a doubt it was Jose Canseco.
In 1988 Canseco was selected to the All-Star team, won a Silver Slugger, and of course the MVP. His ‘88 campaign saw him record 187 hits, walk 78 times, and notch a batting average of .307, all very impressive numbers… but not mind-blowing. What was so special about this season was his power and speed. During that season Jose Canseco became the first member of the exclusive 40-40 club, smacking an MLB leading 42 home runs and also stealing 40 bags. Baseball had never before been privy to such a mix of total athleticism. During this truly unforgettable season he also plated 120 runs, and led the majors in RBIs with 124, while slugging .569. Arguably his best game came in barnburner against the Toronto Blue Jays where the slugger went yard three times and drove in six runs.
There is no doubt that Canseco is great and deserved the MVP award, but you might be wondering how his MVP season stacked up against those of Henderson (1990) and Eckersley (1992).
Henderson matched Canseco accolade for accolade as he was also nominated to the All-Star team and won a Silver Slugger. And, like Canseco, he also led the majors in a few categories (65 stolen bases, 119 runs, and .439 on base percentage). But the key difference between the two is their overall contribution. Henderson stretched some of his 159 hits into runs the hard way by stealing bases, but his power numbers and RBI were significantly less. Henderson hit just 28 home runs in 1990 and drove in fewer than half the RBI of Canseco’s MVP season with only 61. While Henderson was no doubt a consummate hitter and an unprecedented speedster, his game was not as multifaceted as the well rounded Bash Brother Jose Canseco.
Don’t even get me started on trying to compare Eckersley, a pitcher, to Canseco, an everyday player. Yes Dennis Eckersley won the Cy Young, All-Star selection, and MVP award for his remarkable 51 saves season in 1992, but his contribution is limited. Being that Eck was just a pitcher he was not contributing to every single game the way that Jose Canseco was with his bat in the lineup day after day. As a closer I give him a lot more credit that I would a prima donna pitcher that pitches once every five days. In fact, that’s reflected in a 7-1 record. I will credit him for maintaining a great many leads through all 51 of his saves, but there is a big difference between keeping a game close and winning a game. While Eckersley’s achievement is noteworthy in its own right, it cannot compare with the monster 1988 season of Canseco.
For anyone who is still on the fence about the matter, I would like to point out how the A’s finished during each player’s respective MVP season. In each year Oakland finished in first place in the West, but the A’s record was slightly better in 1988 (104-58) and 1990 (103-59) than in 1992 (96-66). Can those numbers be shouldered solely on the players in question? No, but they are telling of the achievement and contribution those players made during said seasons. If that is not enough, one need only look at the post season achievements of the Athletics. The A’s made it all the way to the World Series in ‘88 and ’90, but lost in the ALCS in ‘92. It should be also noted that Oakland won one more game in the ‘88 Series than did the ‘90 team that was swept by the Cincinnati Reds. What does all this prove? That Eck is definitely out of the running, and Canseco’s 1988 season is microscopically better than Henderson’s 1990 campaign, in terms of team achievement.
Canseco is measurably better in the quantifiable realm, to say nothing of his charisma and appeal. Jose Canseco became a household name throughout the U.S. during the late ‘80s and ‘90s. Even as an East Coast kid I was enamored with his swing. Admittedly I also greatly respected and followed Ricky Henderson’s career, but I think part of that was inflated by the Yankees stint he did and the exposure he received playing in New York. Canseco was the player every little leaguer wanted to be. Even when he went to the smaller market of Texas, he took the attention of America with him.
I know that since this time Canseco has done significant damage to his legacy with his words (whether it be the truth or not) and actions, such as his participation in freak show matchups in MMA tournaments (which I, for the record, LOVE). But his performance in 1988 is something to still be marveled at today. Who knows how he might be received today if he had remained the ageless hero of his Oakland days.
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