I was scanning some old stats the other day and came across a few old names from the 80s. It got me thinking about the very first baseball game I ever played on the old Nintendo Entertainment System, R.B.I. Baseball. My brothers and I wore this game out. It also help me as youngster to learn about other players from around the league, and helped me to hate the Red Sox at an early age as well. I usually played with the AL All-Stars, because Don Mattingly was on that team. But if I played with any other teams, it was usually the Tigers or the Mets. Doctor K was sick even in this game, as was Strawberry. But what about some other studs from the game that we remember?
Matt Nokes, Catcher, Detroit Tigers - Nokes burst on the scene in his first full year in the majors with 32 HRs, and helped the Tigers chase down the Toronto Blue Jays to help clinch the AL East on the last day of the season. Though Alan Trammel was the star of the team (and should have won the MVP), Nokes was the young power that the team needed. Nokes was the complete opposite of defensive catcher Mike Heath. All bat, no skills behind the plate. Following the 1987 season, Nokes would never recapture his rookie form, and was sent to the New York Yankees. Nokes would remain a member of the Yankees for a few seasons, but would be shipped out in favor of Mike Stanley. Noke would try to catch on with the Orioles, but failed and ended up playing independent ball before his career was over.
He is now a hitting coach for the Potomac Nationals, a minor league team for the Washington Nationals. And people wonder why the Nationals continue to suck.
Gary Pettis, CF, California Angels - Speed speed speed. That is what Gary Pettis had. He was a free swinging hitter her struck out a lot. The only player that had a higher K rate than him on the Angels was Reggie Jackson. But the few times that Pettis did get on base, he stole bases. He wasn’t as prolific as other base stealers of his time, like Rickey Henderson, Tim Raines and Vince Coleman, but he was their equivalent in the video game. What Pettis lacked at the plate, he made up for a little bit in the field. He was an outstanding centerfielder, often making the spectacular play.
Pettis is enjoying the retired life in SoCal. His nephew Austin is a member of the Boise State University Broncos football team.
Tony Armas, PH, Boston Red Sox - There were two substitutions that were needed when it came to the Red Sox. First was removing Marty Barrett and putting Ellis Burks in as the leadoff hitter. The other was dropping Spike Owen for Tony Armas. See, it was all about your hitting in RBI Baseball. There were no fielding stats. Now, the Red Sox in this game were supposed to be the 1986 team. However, Armas’ stats were from the 1984 season where he had his best power season ever. Armas’ 86 season was pretty pedestrian. It was a no brainer to have him play over the light hitting Owen.
Armas is the current Batting coach for the Leones del Caracas. His son Tony Jr has had an less than stellar MLB career.
Juan Berenguer RP, Minnesota Twins - Nobody who played RBI Baseball knew who he was. You knew Viola and Blyleven as the starters, and Jeff Reardon as the closer, but no idea who Berenguer was. If you were an 8 year old kid in the midwest, you definitely didn’t have any idea how to pronounce his name. But you knew he threw gas, or should we say smoke? Senor Smoke automatically became your first reliever out of the pen if you used the World Series Champion Twins. Oddly enough, Berenguer helped to dispatch of the Tigers in the ALCS in 1987. 3 years after being part of the Tigers last World Series team (though he didn’t record a postseason pitch in 84)
Berenguer has a concession stand named after him at the new Target Field.
Billy Hatcher, RF, Houston Astros - I remember Billy Hatcher for his torrid start to the 1990 World Series more than anything. But Billy was super fast in RBI Baseball. He had terrible contact, and could never hit a home run. But if he got on base, it was off to the races. Hatcher had a below average MLB career. He played for 7 teams in 11 seasons, never hitting more than 11 home runs in a season. His best season was the 87 year, when he swiped 53 bases. However, he is best known for going 9 for 12 in the 1990 Reds upset over the mighty Oakland A’s. Oddly enough, he didn’t steal one base.
Hatcher has worked his way up the ladder in coaching since his career ended. He spent 10 years in the Tampa Bay organization, before returning to the Reds, where he has been for the last 3 years.
Tim Teufel, PH, New York Mets - For all the greatness on the 86 Mets, their bench was kinda shorhanded. Howard Johnson wasn’t quite the hitter he would eventually become. Usually, there was zero reason to go to the Mets bench in RBI baseball, but if you did, you were most likely to select Teufel. Probably because his name looked fun.
Currently is the Binghamton Mets manager. Hey, what better place for bench player, than the bench?
Bill Schroeder, Catcher, American League - Along with the following player, Schroeder was not really an all-star. For whatever reason, RBI decided to throw a couple of bums on the team. Schreoder appeared in only 75 games all year in 1987 for the Milwaukee Brewers. Schroeder was out of baseball 3 seasons late.
He is now a color-commentator for the Brewers. Washed out catcher working the booth for the Brewers? Go figure.
Al Pedrique, SS, National League - Who? Who you ask? I have no friggin clue. He played in 88 games in 1987 and hit 1 home run and had 27 RBIs.
Al is currently the bench coach for the Astros. I hope nobody is taking hitting tips from him.
Original Story:
