Orlando’s Sports Leader – 740 The Team – Orlando, FL

Viola won the Cy Young Award with a 24-7 record in 1988, leading the AL in wins and winning percentage and finishing third in ERA (2.64) and strikeouts (193). The curly-haired changeup artist had already established himself as one of the AL’s finest pitchers and the ace of an otherwise mediocre Minnesota staff, leading the Twins to the 1987 World Championship with a 17-10, 2.90 record. In postseason play that year, he won Game Four of the LCS after a no-decision in the Twins’ Game One victory. He was the World Series MVP, winning Game One 10-1, losing Game Four 7-2, and coming back on three days’ rest to triumph in Game Seven 4-2.

 

Viola came up with the Twins in 1982. After posting a combined 11-25 record and a 5.38 ERA in his first two seasons, Viola posted two consecutive 18-win years in 1984 and 1985, adding a 16-13 record in 1986, when he led the league in starts. Key to Viola’s success was a changeup taught to him by Twins pitching coach Johnny Podres; it gave Viola more confidence in his fastball, and would eventually become his signature pitch.

 

After going 24-7 for the second-place Twins in 1988, Viola got all but one of the 28 first-place votes for the Cy Young Award. His 93 wins in the period from 1984-1988 were the most of any pitcher in baseball.

 

Frank was traded to the New York Mets on July 31 for Rick Aguilera, David West, and three prospects. Viola became the teammate of Ron Darling, whom he had bested in a famous NCAA playoff game between Yale and St. John’s. Darling no-hit St. John’s for 11 innings, but Viola and the Redmen won 1-0 in the 12th.  In what many consider to be the greatest college baseball game ever played.