Midwest League 1989

Summary

• Midwest League Champion: South Bend White Sox (White Sox)
• Team with Best Won/Lost Record: South Bend White Sox (White Sox) 85-47, .644
• Most Valuable Player: Tom Redington (Burlington/Braves)
• Prospect of the Year: Tom Redington (Burlington/Braves)
• Manager of the Year: Dave Miley (Cedar Rapids/Reds)

• League Attendance: 1,716,443
  • 14 teams in two divisions played a 140 game, split-season schedule which began on April 7 and ended on August 18. A two-tiered post-season playoff determined the league champion.
  • The MWL had teams in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

Overview

Composite Record for Each Team

                Nickname        Affiliate    Won Lost  Pct (Rank)
Appleton        Foxes           Royals       67  68   .496  (7)
Beloit          Brewers         Brewers      62  72   .463 (10)
Burlington      Braves          Braves       60  77   .438 (12)
Cedar Rapids    Reds            Reds         80  57   .584  (2)
Clinton         Giants          Giants       55  84   .396 (13)
Kenosha         Twins           Twins        63  66   .488  (9)
Madison         Muskies         Athletics    59  72   .450 (11)
Peoria          Chiefs          Cubs         80  59   .576  (3)
Quad City       Angels          Angels       72  63   .533  (6)
Rockford        Expos           Expos        74  59   .556  (4)
South Bend      White Sox       White Sox    85  47   .644  (1)
Springfield     Cardinals       Cardinals    73  62   .541  (5)
Waterloo        Diamonds        Co-op        47  89   .346 (14)
                                 (Padres, Athletics, & Orioles)
Wausau          Timbers         Mariners     66  68   .493  (8)

First Half

North      W  L   Pct  GB    South       W  L   Pct  GB
South Bend 44 18 .710  ---  Cedar Rapids 41 27 .603  ---
Wausau     35 26 .574  8.5  Peoria       42 28 .600  ---
Rockford   34 32 .515 12.0  Quad City    34 34 .500  7.0
Kenosha    31 30 .508 12.5  Springfield  32 35 .478  8.5
Madison    32 31 .508 12.5  Burlington   30 38 .441 11.0
Appleton   31 33 .484 14.0  Waterloo     26 40 .394 14.0
Beloit     23 40 .365 21.5  Clinton      23 46 .333 18.5

First half ended on June 16.

Second Half

North      W  L   Pct  GB    South       W  L   Pct  GB
Rockford   40 27 .597  ---  Springfield  41 27 .603  ---
South Bend 41 29 .586  0.5  Quad City    38 29 .567  2.5
Beloit     39 32 .549  3.0  Cedar Rapids 39 30 .565  2.5
Appleton   36 35 .507  6.0  Peoria       38 31 .551  3.5
Kenosha    32 36 .471  8.5  Clinton      32 38 .457 10.0
Wausau     31 42 .425 12.0  Burlington   30 39 .435 11.5
Madison    27 41 .397 13.5  Waterloo     21 49 .300 21.0

1989 Post Season

Round 1:
Springfield d. Cedar Rapids, 2-0
South Bend d. Rockford, 2-0

Championship:
South Bend d. Springfield, 3-0

1989 All Star Game

June 26 @ South Bend, Indiana
South 4, North 1

          South             001 011 010 - 4 12 ?
          North             010 000 000 - 1  5 ?

WP: Brett Robinson (Peoria/Cubs)
LP: Mark Parnell (Appleton/Royals)
MVP: Tom Redington (Burlington/Braves)

Box Score and Details

MWL changes during the 1988-89 off-season

Franchise changes

• The Waterloo Diamonds changed names (from Indians) and affiliations (from Indians to co-op [Padres & Orioles])

Sources:

• 1989 Yearbook for South Bend White Sox
• 1989 Yearbook for Kenosha Twins
• Baseball America's 1990 Almanac
• Johnson & Wolff, eds., Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball
• 1989 & 1990 Programs/Yearbooks:
  • 1989 & 1990 Beloit Brewers
  • 1989 & 1990 Kenosha Twins
  • 1989 & 1990 Appleton Foxes
  • 1989 Waterloo Diamonds
  • 1989 & 1990 Wausau Timbers
  • 1989 & 1990 Peoria Chiefs
  • 1989 & 1990 Madison Muskies
  • 1989 & 1990 South Bend White Sox
  • 1989 & 1990 Quad City Angels
  • 1989 Cedar Rapids Reds
  • 1989 Rockford Expos
  • 1990 Clinton Giants