Catching up with season 1 stars

It’s been seven seasons since Sharkey’s World began, and we are starting to get to a point where some of the stars from early seasons are starting to age and retire and being replaced by players who weren’t even in the game when this world was created. Here’s a look back at the MVP and Cy Young winners from season 1 and where they are now.

Season 1

AL MVP: Steven Widger. Widger had five more seasons playing with the Freezer Monkeys until new owner kjmulli moved him down to the AAA level. He played one season in the minors, batting .283 before retiring after season 6.

NL MVP: Troy Harper. Harper, who hit 73 home runs back in season 1, is now 37-years old and seeing his ratings quickly fall, but still has a significant roll with Pawtucket. While he’s no longer an everyday player, he still has hit .283 in 233 at bats over the past two seasons. The Polythene extended his contract during the regular season and he will return to Rhode Island for season 8.

AL Cy Young: Willie Tapies. Still a one of the top pitchers in the game, Tapies has moved around multiple times since being named the AL’s top pitcher in season 1. His latest stop is in Iowa City, where he’s pitched two straight years with an ERA under 3. In season 6 behind a 20-3 record he took his second Cy Young award at the age of 37.

NL Cy Young: Gary Wood. Wood was unable to get back to the 20-win plateau after season 1, and by season 3 was out of the Pawtucket rotation. Before season 4 he was traded to Tucson where he spent 3 season before the Polythene resigned him before this season to pitch out of the bullpen. This season Wood made $705,000 in contrast to the $15.5 million he made in seasons 2, 3 and 4.

List of other season 1 All-Stars who no longer on a Major League roster:

AL

Jeremi Warden (Retired)

Lorenzo Gardel (Norfolk AAA)

Wally Collins (Retired)

Dwight Weaver (Retired)

Curtis Cook (Retired)

Trevor Bradford (Retired)

Philip Ramirez (Retired)

Stevie Mateo (Retired)

Juan Johnson (Retired)

Michael Morris (Free Agent)

NL

Fausto Fernandez (Retired)

Billy Philips (Free Agent)

Joe Baldwin (Free Agent)

Julio Servet (Retired)

Rich Roosevelt (Free Agent)

Justin Krause (Retired)

Happy Kirby (Free Agent)

Nolan French (Retired)

Willie Brown (Free Agent)

Mike Gardner (Colorado Springs AAA)

Bubba Wall (Retired)

Jesus Soto (Retired)

Clarence Perez (Retired)

Johnny Linden (Retired)

Eugene Ryan (Retired)

Phillip Petrov (Retired)