Representing the AL is Stockton Wings who had the second best record in the league with 92 wins. Stockton surprised the juggernaut 132 game winning team from Fort Worth. This series was played over the net via Team-viewer.

Winnipeg won last years champion as the wild card underdog. They were trying to do this again but this time as tied for the best record in the National League with 103 wins. Winnipeg took all 7 games vs Germantown to represent the National League.

Winnipeg is a team that wins with strong starting pitching and an incredible bullpen and a lineup and bench than can manufacture a run. Stockton has more hitting than Winnipeg, especially power hitting.

Las Vegas has this series as a toss up as Winnipeg’s ace Curt Schilling was hurt in the National League Championship Series, fortunately Winnipeg had Andy Benes available to fill the roll.

Game #1 –  Winnipeg sent last years playoff marvel Tom Glavine(15-8 3.01) vs Pedro Astacio (6-3 3.05 era in the regular season). Both pitchers were amazing Glavine went 8 innings allowed just 2 hits and no runs, and amazingly Astacio went a Jack Morris like 10 innings and only 3 hits and no runs! In the 11th Vizquel singled and scored on an Otis Nixon hit off Olin. Stockton went 9 up and 9 down vs Rojas as the Walls co-closer was just too much here.

Final Score:  Winnipeg 1 Stockton 0
W-Rojas (1-0) L-Olin(0-1)

Game #2 – Stockton came out hitting getting 3 runs of Candiotti and another off Power to be up 4-2 after 5 innings. Larry Walker doubled and tripled driving in 2. It looked like a Wings win but in the 8th Drabek, Wickhander, Dibble and Henry gave up 6 runs! Buhner and Wedge went back to back in this nightmare inning. The Walls other co-closer Beck faced just 7 batters to get 6 outs for the Winnipeg win.

Final Score: Winnipeg 8 Stockton 4
W-Howell(1-0) L-Wickhander(0-1)

Game #3 –A must win for Stockton and they had their ace Mike Mussina. Winnipeg asked Benes who won 19 games as a grade 9 to fill in for their ace Schilling. A Big Mac homer run gave Winnipeg a 1-0 lead in the 2nd. In the 6th it was Larry Walker getting on and scoring on a Chili Davis hit. With the game tied 1-1 it stayed that way until the 12th when McGwire walked off Henry, Browne ran stole 2nd and Otis Nixon once again plays extra inning hero with a rbi walk off hit.

Final Score: Winnipeg 2 Stockton 1
W-Beck (1-0) L-Henry(0-1)

Game #4 – Now the demoralized Stockton team had to face Tom Glavine down 3-0 dispite being in every game. Scott Erickson was asked to save the Wing season. Glavine was on again a no hitter through 6 innings and then the Winnipeg bats managed to score 2 runs as Bip Roberts came through. The desperate Wings did manage two this and a run off Glavine in the 8th as Thompson came up one legged with the bases loaded hitting a bases loaded sac fly to the Wall. Rojas then came in and locked it down.

Final Score: Winnipeg 2 Stockton 1
W-Glavine (1-0) S-Rojas (1) L-Erickson(0-1)

Winnipeg repeats as league champion sweeping an excellent Stockton team that Jim built. Winnipeg swept the series but every game was extremely close as neither team hit much.

Series MVP – Tom Glavine (1-0 allowing just 4 hits and 1 run in 15.1 innings).

Mel Rojas was also amazing 7.2 innings 2 hits a win and a save.

Hitting was nonexistent as only one Winnipeg hitter hit over .250 that was Otis Nixon 7 for 20 with 2 game winning RBI’s.  Stockton hit just .143 for the series without a home run.

Once again Jarl Jackson provides the Mid-West Winter League with his World Series Preview.

 1992 was Stockton’s first winning season in the MWWL and they knocked off AL juggernaut Ft. Worth who beat their own MWWL record winning an astonishing 134 games.  Stockton used the long ball and strong relief pitching to reach their first World Series. They also had one of the AL’s best starting pitchers in Mike Mussina.

Defending champions Winnipeg returns to the World Series tied for the NL best record at 103 wins. Winnipeg is a team that wins with strong starting pitching and an incredible bullpen and a lineup and bench than can manufacture a run. Primarily an offense built on speed they were still 3rd in the NL in home runs. Continue reading →