Midwest League 1987

Summary

• Midwest League Champion: Kenosha Twins (Twins)
• Team with Best Won/Lost Record: Springfield Cardinals (Cardinals) 94/46, .671

• Most Valuable Players: Greg Vaughan (Beloit/Brewers) and Todd Ziele (Springfield/Cardinals)
• Prospect of the Year: Derek Parks (Kenosha/Twins)
• Manager of the Year: Don Leppert (Kenosha/Twins)
• Executive of the Year: Jack Roeder (General Manager, Wausau Timbers)

• League Attendance: 1,179,810
  • 12 teams in 3 divisions played a 140 game schedule.
  • The MWL had teams in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

• Best Big League Career: Greg Vaughn (Beloit/Brewers) or Todd Zeile (Springfield/Cardinals)
  • perhaps Roberto Hernandez (Quad City/Angels)?

Overview

Springfield dominated the 1987 season, setting a new record for games won and taking home an armful of the individual honors. In the end, though, an excellent Kenosha nine won the championship playoff--with some help from the weather.

Springfield parlayed a co-MVP, some fine position players, and excellent pitching into a dominating year. Even with the strong Springfield team, most of the league's teams had winning seasons and many teams got fine performances from one or two individual players.

The last game in the playoff series started late because the field was soaked, had several fog delays, and was ended with two Springfield runners on base in the seventh. Kenosha won the game, 5-3, to take the series in four games. An unsatisfactory ending, but an interesting year.

Composite Record for Each Team

                Nickname  Affiliate Won Lost  Pct (Rank)
Appleton        Foxes     Royals     71  69  .507  (6T)
Beloit          Brewers   Brewers    76  64  .543  (3)
Burlington      Expos     Expos      62  75  .453  (9)
Cedar Rapids    Reds      Reds       70  70  .500  (8)
Clinton         Giants    Giants     72  67  .518  (4)
Kenosha         Twins     Twins      82  58  .586  (2)
Madison         Muskies   Athletics  63  77  .450 (10)
Peoria          Chiefs    Cubs       71  69  .507  (6T)
Quad City       Angels    Angels     47  91  .341 (12)
Springfield     Cardinals Cardinals  94  46  .671  (1)
Waterloo        Indians   Indians    72  68  .514  (5)
Wausau          Timbers   Mariners   57  83  .407 (11)

Divisional Record

Northern
Kenosha  82 58 .586  ---  
Appleton 71 69 .507 11.0  
Madison  63 77 .450 19.0  
Wausau   57 83 .407 25.0  

Central
Beloit       76 64 .543 ---  
Clinton      72 67 .518 3.5  
Waterloo     72 68 .514 4.0  
Cedar Rapids 70 70 .500 6.0  

Southern
Springfield 94 46 .671  ---
Peoria      71 69 .507 23.0
Burlington  62 75 .453 30.5
Quad City   47 91 .341 46.0

1987 Post-Season

 Round 1:
 Kenosha d. Beloit, 2-1
 Springfield d. Clinton, 2-1

 Championship:
 Kenosha d. Springfield, 3-1

1987 All Star Game

Played July 13 at Wausau
Northern Division 9, Southern Division 8 (11 innings)
MVP: Rafael DeLima, Kenosha (3 for 6; 2 doubles, home run; 3 RBI)

1987 League Changes

• none known

Sources

• Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Durham: Baseball America, 1997)
• 1988 Baseball America Almanac
• 1988 Burlington Bees Yearbook
• 1987 Kenosha Twins Yearbook
• 1989 Midwest League Record Book
• 1995 Midwest League Yearbook

Note

This summary originated as the February 26, 2001, Midwest League Tidbit on the Midwest League Mailing List.