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Major Leagues
Join Date: Sep 2006
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1996 League Recap
Going into the 1996 season the USBL added 4 teams. Later this would be seen as a haphazard and dangerous move for the young league as it was still building the infrastructure and capital needed to give a league strength. Additionally, MLB threatened lawsuits against the USBL if they used any likeness whatsoever of any MLB team. So, the league moved cautiously with the cities that it chose for its expansion. The new teams were the Orlando Neptunes, Las Vegas Kings, Madision Green Sox and the Tacoma Burners.
The Burners drew a lot of criticism as many felt that it referred to some type of drug jaron. However, the Tacoma owner was attempting to use the term in reference to a Volcano.
To save on travel costs the league split up into the Northern League and Southern league each with two divisions.
The Southern League Emerald Award drew criticism as it was given to Kip Dorsey of the Memphis Legends. Many consider him the worst ROY ever.
Also, there was controversy with Errol Blankenship being given the Diamond Award as many felt it should have gone to Baltimore catcher Harold Coleman. Blankenship hit 50 HR but plays in hitter friendly park Costner-Ford Stadium in Detroit.
Juan Marin of the St.Louis Aviators took his 2nd Southern League Diamond Award establishing himself as the premiere player of the league.
Both Tim Stephens of the LA Dragons and Luis Miguel Coldivar of the Chicago Comets won their 2nd Golden Arm Award in their respective leagues.
North
South
| Post-Season Results | | Round 1 | Chicago over Baltimore, 4-2 | | Round 1 | Memphis over St. Louis, 4-2 | | Round 2 | Memphis over Chicago, 4-1 |
Northern League Awards
| Diamond Bat Award | Errol Blankenship | DET | .317/.387/.622, 50 HR, 150 RBI, 59.7 VORP | | | Golden Arm Award | Luis Miguel Coldivar | CHI | 23-5, 1.95 ERA, 262.2 IP, 236 K, 108.6 VORP | | | Emerald Rookie of the Year Award | Santiago Vargas | CHI | 13-6, 3.67 ERA, 142.1 IP, 109 K, 33.2 VORP | | | Platinum Glove Award | Pitcher Andy Harding | CHI | .959 PCT., 26 PO, 44 A, 3.14 RANGE | | | Catcher José López | CHI | .996 PCT., 833 PO, 76 A, 45.9 CS % | | | First Base Jason Murphy | TAC | .996 PCT., 938 PO, 67 A, 9.57 RANGE | | | Second Base Jorge Hernández | CLE | .986 PCT., 312 PO, 374 A, 5.53 RANGE | | | Third Base Vincent Piper | BAL | .967 PCT., 114 PO, 322 A, 2.87 RANGE | | | Shortstop Augusto Hernández | NY | .991 PCT., 215 PO, 361 A, 5.04 RANGE | | | Left Field David Seals | DET | .992 PCT., 247 PO, 6 A, 2.25 RANGE | | | Center Field Clayton Ferguson | BOS | .994 PCT., 322 PO, 3 A, 3.39 RANGE | | | Right Field Juan García | TAC | .979 PCT., 326 PO, 7 A, 2.33 RANGE | |
Southern League Awards
| Diamond MVP Hitter Award | Juan Marín | SL | .330/.450/.674, 48 HR, 140 RBI, 83.4 VORP | | | Golden Arm Pitcher Award | Tim Stephens | LA | 24-6, 2.37 ERA, 254.1 IP, 185 K, 86.6 VORP | | | Emerald Rookie of the Year Award | Kip Dorsey | MEM | .274/.345/.345, 4 HR, 64 RBI, -12.0 VORP | | | Platinum Glove Award | Pitcher Ángel Yánez | SL | .971 PCT., 19 PO, 49 A, 2.37 RANGE | | | Catcher Tom Myers | NO | .994 PCT., 912 PO, 75 A, 44.2 CS % | | | First Base Dave Boyer | ORL | .996 PCT., 904 PO, 76 A, 10.19 RANGE | | | Second Base Bill Hall | NO | .984 PCT., 344 PO, 469 A, 5.37 RANGE | | | Third Base Randall Reed | DAL | .992 PCT., 75 PO, 283 A, 3.28 RANGE | | | Shortstop Ed Rose | NO | .986 PCT., 255 PO, 457 A, 4.65 RANGE | | | Left Field Russ Mullins | SL | .987 PCT., 302 PO, 8 A, 2.30 RANGE | | | Center Field Jesús Batista | SL | .991 PCT., 452 PO, 13 A, 3.07 RANGE | | | Right Field Brian Bishop | LA | .985 PCT., 331 PO, 3 A, 2.29 RANGE | |
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