We have reached the last revision for this MLB Monday miniseries: voted-upon MOTY awards to analyze! We’ve been doing it since 1903, of course, which was a whopping 80 entries ago … yikes. So much has been in real life since then, but we digress. We’re in the home stretch now for MLB awards analysis, so hang on, because it will be a bumpy ride considering the way we feel about managers who enabled cheaters … yep.

1983 World Series MVP: Rick Dempsey, C, Baltimore (original, confirmed)

The Baltimore Orioles, with a rookie manager, won their first World Series since 1970 with a 5-game triumph over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Os lost Game 1 by a single run before blitzing the Phils with a 4-game streak that clinched the title. Baltimore catcher Rick Dempsey (1 HR, 2 RBI, 1.390 OPS) won the MVP vote: we’re not sold on this, since several Orioles hitters contributed just as much to win-probability math.

None of the pitchers managed to win 2 games, though: the best effort we can identify is Game 2 winner Mike Boddicker, who allowed 0 earned runs in a 3-hit, complete-game effort at home, to ensure Baltimore didn’t lose the first 2 games on its home turf. That effort was huge; Boddicker also didn’t walk anyone (0.333 WHIP) while striking out 6 Philadelphia batters. But he never got the chance to pitch again in the Series …

Dempsey himself had only 13 ABs in the 5-game set, which isn’t a lot. But overall, we will confirm his award, pretty much by default, as no one else really stood out in any meaningful ways that we can justify in combination with statistical measurements.

1983 ALCS MVP: Mike Boddicker, SP, Baltimore (original, confirmed)

Baltimore lost the opening game of the series to the Chicago White Sox at home by a single run—and then won 3 straight games to clinch the pennant. Boddicker was voted the ALCS MVP, after he earned the victory in Game 2 with a 5-hit, complete-game shutout with 14 Ks. Sound familiar?! Without his dual Game 2 efforts, the Orioles don’t win the title. But are there any hitter to consider here? We have to do due diligence, always.

Shortstop Cal Ripken, Jr. (1 RBI, 1.033 OPS) played well, but it wasn’t an overwhelming performance. First baseman Eddie Murray also hit well, just as he did in the Fall Classic, but he also made an error in the field—just like in the World Series. Our pick for AL ROTY, Boddicker didn’t pitch enough against Philadelphia to get that nod, but in a short series like this, he did enough to warrant the award. We confirm it, readily.

1983 NLCS MVP: Gary Matthews, LF, Philadelphia (original, confirmed)

The Phillies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in 4 games to win their second pennant in 4 seasons. After winning Game 1 on the road by a 1-0 score, Philadelphia lost Game 2 before winning both games back home to wrap it up. Left fielder Gary Matthews (3 HRs, 8 RBI, 1.571 OPS) won the MVP vote; it’s hard to argue with those numbers, as the Phillies won Games 3 and 4 by identical 7-2 scores. Matthews was a machine.

1983 AL MOTY: Tony La Russa, Chicago (original, confirmed)

The White Sox ran away with the AL West by a whopping 20 games as Chicago Manager Tony La Russa (plus-3 PPP) won the first-ever AL MOTY vote. No other team in the division finished over .500, actually, while in the AL East, the Orioles finished 6 games ahead of the Detroit Tigers, as first-year field leader Joe Altobelli (plus-2 PPP) did enough to keep his team comfortably ahead of the pack. No one else stood out.

So, do we reward La Russa for being on cruise control all year against mediocre competition? Or do we reward Altobelli for maintaining the status quo in a tighter division race? Instincts say to go with the Baltimore manager here, but La Russa’s peripherals were better, too: superior records in 1-run games and extra-innings situations, etc. We’re going to err on the side of caution here and confirm La Russa’s trophy.

1983 NL MOTY: Tommy Lasorda, Los Angeles (original, confirmed)

Fletch jokes aside, Dodgers Manager Tommy Lasorda won his first MOTY nod, thanks to a plus-5 PPP effort in an NL West Division race won by L.A. over Atlanta. With Braves Manager Joe Torre (minus-4 PPP) basically costing his team the division, we will confirm the vote, readily, as nothing stood out in the NL East race between Philadelphia and the Pittsburgh Pirates to warrant consideration in this awards category.

While this miniseries has been fragmented without a lot of analysis between contemporary votes and present-day scrutiny, we will note that we confirmed all 5 vote winners here. We doubt this will happen very often going forward over the next 40 columns. Take note, readers!