The 1984 player draft is underway. Milwaukee receives the 10th pick in the first round.

In Round 1, the Riders select young starting pitcher Mark Gubicza.

In Round 2, the selection is rubber-armed reliever Steve Farr.

In Round 3, Milwaukee adds utility man Tom Foley.

With their final pick in Round 4, the Riders take young slugging third baseman Nick Esasky.

The 1984 season is upon us. The Riders have done little to improve their usual lack of power, but the rotation should be pretty solid and they have a ton of speed. Probably won't be enough to top the division but it should be an entertaining team to watch.

The season begins at home against Minnesota.

Game 1: Opening Day starter Frank Viola surrenders a three-run homer to Mike Schmidt in the first inning but shuts out the Lame Ducks over the next six frames. After seven, the Riders have outhit Minnesota 8-2 but trail 3-2 on the scoreboard. Reliever Gary Lavelle allows a one-out double in the eighth but does not allow a run, and Mike Marshall leads off the bottom half with a game-tying home run. Bill Madlock hits a two-out single in that frame, but does not advance from there. Minnesota puts runners on the corners in the ninth, but Lavelle coaxes an inning-ending grounder from Bob Horner. With one out in the bottom half, Tim Raines beats out an infield single, then steals second. Then steals third. Jerry Mumphrey punches a single to right center and the home crowd goes home happy with a 4-3 Milwaukee win.

Game 2: Jerry Mumphrey hits a two-run homer in the sixth and drives home the lead run in the eighth; Rich Gossage works a perfect ninth and the Riders have their second straight 4-3 win to start the season.

Game 3: Mike Marshall hits a two-run homer in the first; Tim Raines has four hits, and Rich Gossage earns his second save (working around a hit batsman and a walk to do it) as the Riders finish their home opening series with a 5-2 win.

Our first road trip takes us to Chicago, where the Goats have started 3-0.

Game 4: The Goats take the series opener in extra innings, 4-3, scoring off Ron Reed in the 10th to win it.

Game 5: The Riders draw eight walks to go with 11 hits and Frank Viola throws a complete game as Milwaukee beats Chicago 8-1.

Game 6: Mike Smithson throws seven strong innings and gets some backing from Jeffrey Leonard, who has three hits and two RBI, in a 5-2 Milwaukee victory that puts the Riders in first place.

We're off to San Diego to face the Mariners.

Game 7: Every starter except Bill Madlock has a hit, Jerry Mumphrey and Damaso Garcia hit consecutive triples in the second, and Rick Sutcliffe looks good for six innings as the Riders win at San Diego 8-2.

Game 8: Mark Gubicza walks six batter in 5.2 innings of work, but escapes without allowing a run and earns his first major league victory in a 5-3 decision over the Mariners.

Game 9: Milwaukee scratches out a run in the eighth that eventually sends the game to extras, but the Mariners get a run in the 10th on Larry Parrish's single off Bill Campbell to claim the series finale, 3-2.

The Riders will host Cleveland next.

Game 10: Tim Raines has three hits and three steals, and Rich Gossage somehow successfully navigates a ninth inning in which he loads the bases for Cecil Cooper as the Riders edge the Saltdogs 5-4.

Game 11: The Saltdogs have four players with at least three hits and Cleveland pounds out 17 hits in a 7-4 win over the Riders. Milwaukee uses five relievers to cover the final four innings.

Game 12: The Riders trail 7-3 going to the bottom of the ninth, but rally to tie the score on a bases-loaded walk, a two-run single, and a sacrifice fly. After a wild pitch puts the winning run at third base, Roger Clemens relieves for Cleveland. He strikes out John Russell, but Rich Gedman bloops a single to left to win it, 8-7.

We head to Atlanta to face Georgia Force.

Game 13: Andy Van Slyke's first home run of the season is a three-run shot that caps a six-run 6th inning, and the Riders take the opener in Atlanta 10-4 behind Frank Viola. Brian Harper also hits his first home run of the season.

Game 14: Starter Mike Smithson allows two home runs and six earned runs in 1.2 innings of work, and a few pitchers later, reliever Steve Farr does the same thing. Georgia Force rolls, 13-7.

Game 15: Roy Smalley ties the score at six in the 8th inning with an RBI single, but the Riders strand two runners that inning without taking the lead. That proves fatal when, with two down in the bottom of the ninth, Steve Balboni catches up with Sammy Stewart's fastball and deposits it in the left field bleachers. Atlanta wins 7-6 to take the series.

The Riders return home to face Washington.

Game 16: Washington's Bob Ojeda gets his first win of the year, allowing only two Rider runs in six innings of work and getting three innings of shutout ball from his bullpen to make a 3-2 lead stand up. Milwaukee gets nine hits, but none for extra bases.

Game 17: The Riders show they have learned nothing in the offseason about hitting a knuckleball; Joe Niekro throws seven scoreless innings at them to continue his family's usual dominance of Milwaukee bats. Ernie Whitt hits two homers for Washington and a ninth-inning rally by the Riders falls one run short as the Commandos win, 4-3.

Game 18: In the series finale it's Enos Cabell's turn to blast two homers off the Riders, as Milwaukee suffers its fifth straight loss (the last four by one run each), 6-5.

Off to New York to face the Mammoths.

Game 19: The Riders outhit New York 8-7, but Rick Sutcliffe walks seven batters in 4.2 innings and the Mammoths score an easy 8-3 win over Milwaukee.

Game 20: Tim Raines hits his first home run of the season, and Mike Marshall his fifth, but the Riders don't generate enough offense to beat the Mammoths as Mark Gubicza is shelled. New York wins 9-7.

Game 21: The losing streak reaches eight games as the Mammoths score a run off Bill Campbell in the ninth to win 4-3.

The Riders head to Minneapolis to face the Lame Ducks.

Game 22: The Riders pick a good time to end their skid, beating division rival Minnesota 3-1 behind Frank Viola. Nick Esasky gets the scoring started with his first home run of the season; Rich Gossage pitches a scoreless ninth for his sixth save. He seems quite well-rested.

Game 23: Rick Sutcliffe allows six runs before leaving in the third, and a decent offensive game by the Riders is wasted as they lose 10-8 to the Lame Ducks.

Game 24: The Riders get eight hits but no runs, shut out by Moose Haas and two Minnesota relievers, as the Lame Ducks claim a share of first place with a 3-0 win.

The Riders are reeling, having lost 10 of 11, and head home to face Chicago.

Game 25: The Riders get three-run homers from Jerry Mumphrey early and Mike Marshall late, allowing them to top the Goats 6-3. Rich Gossage picks up his seventh save.

Game 26: Don Slaught and Dave Bergman each hit their first home run of the season off Frank Viola (who gives up three homers in total) and the Goats even the series with a 6-4 win.

Game 27: In one of those "thought you'd seen everything" moments, the Riders are shut out on 12 hits, 7-0, by the Goats. All 12 Milwaukee hits are singles and they draw no walks.

The Mariners are in town next. Despite this horrid stretch, the Riders are only one game out of first in the division.

Game 28: The Riders get four scoreless innings from the bullpen and limit the Mariners to a three-run homer by Dwight Evans as they get a rare win, 5-3, in the series opener.

Game 29: Mike Smithson pitches a gem and the Riders have consecutive victories after a 6-1 decision over San Diego.

Game 30: San Diego scores four in the first off Frank Viola and adds four more in the eighth off Ron Reed to salvage the series finale, 9-5.

Milwaukee heads to Cleveland to face the Saltdogs.

Game 31: Rick Sutcliffe allows two homers in 3.2 innings of work, and reliever Steve Farr matches that while retiring only one batter. The end result is a 14-2 Cleveland win. Sutcliffe's ERA is 9.00.

Game 32: Milwaukee wastes most of its 14 hits and allows a back-breaking three-run homer to Bobby Grich in the eighth. Cleveland wins, 8-5.

Game 33: It's Milwaukee putting up the crooked numbers in the series finale as they score 11 times over the final three innings to beat the Saltdogs 15-8.

We head home to face Georiga Force (18-15).

Game 34: Frank Viola pitches a 6-hit shutout and Damaso Garcia hits his first home run of the season as Milwaukee topples Atlanta 3-0.

Game 35: The Riders hit five home runs, including two by Jerry Mumphrey, and they coast to a 12-4 win over Atlanta. Steve Farr gets the win in relief as Rick Sutcliffe is unable to get out of the fifth inning.

Game 36: Georgia Force gets some revenge in the series finale; Bob Brenly drives in six runs and the Riders play their accustomed role as losing team to a Niekro brother as Phil gets an easy win in a 15-3 blowout.

Milwaukee heads to Washington to face the Commandos.

Game 37: Mark Gubicza allows only a solo home run in six innings and Rich Gossage throws another scoreless ninth as the Riders top the Commandos 3-2 in the series opener.

Game 38: Tim Raines hits a three-run homer and Rich Gossage earns his 10th save as the Riders beat Washington 5-3.

Game 39: Mike Davis' 9th-inning double snaps a 4-4 tie, but Rich Gossage allows his first run of the season in the bottom half, sending the game to extras. In the 12th inning, Ozzie Smith's error opens the door and Roy Smalley takes advantage, singling home the lead run off Steve McCatty. Bill Campbell allows a one-out walk to Greg Brock but gets a double play grounder from Andre Dawson to end it; Milwaukee wins 6-5.

The Riders return home to host the Mammoths next.