The Whirled Baseball League

Baseball The Way It Never Was

TWIWBL 102.6: Year 3, Week 5 – Marvin Miller Division

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On October 18, 2026

In TWIWBL

TeamW/LPctGB
Wandering House of David18-13.581—
Houston Colt .45’s17-14.5481
Kansas City Monarchs16-15.5162
Birmingham Black Barons10-20.3337.5
Indianapolis ABC’s10-20.3337.5
Marvin Miller Division | 6 May

Birmingham Black Barons

Lefty Gomez had struck out 12 against Brooklyn, but left before Birmingham’s comeback that culminated in a 6-5 win over the defending champs.

Bruce Chen is back off the disabled list, with Slim Embrey optioned to make room. Embrey has the stuff to succeed in the WBL, but not the control: until that’s fixed, he’ll stick at AAA.

With Rube Melton injured, Bill Phyle has been named the 5th starter. Phyle was a perfectly serviceable back-end arm over 89 innings last year.

Melton and utility super-sub Jess Barbour have both begun rehab assignments.

Folk hero JP Arencibia — 19 homeruns in 195 trips for the Black Barons last year, on a .220 average — is back in the organization after testing the free-agent market, reporting to AAA Atlanta.

Houston Colt .45’s

Craig Biggio hit 2 solo homeruns in a 9-5 win over Homestead, one in the 6th and one in the 8th, and added a walk, a stolen base and 3 runs scored. Roger Clemens got the win and Tug McGraw his 4th save.

Jim Wynn is out 2 to 3 weeks. Harry Stovey comes up from San Antonio as Houston is forced to cover for 2 starting OFers on the DL.

Indianapolis ABC’s

Eppa Rixey moves into the rotation and Dolf Luque slides to the bullpen — the kind of shuffle Indianapolis makes without much ceremony. Rixey has walked one batter in 17.2 relief innings; Luque’s 4 starts produced 5 homeruns in 19 innings. Behind Padrón and Johnny Cueto, the ABC’s treat the rotation spots as unclaimed until somebody proves otherwise. So far this season, only Doc White has done so.

Ed Swartwood is back off the disabled list, and Pete Rose — who had been holding the corner-outfield reserve seat — accepted an assignment to Indianapolis.

Kansas City Monarchs

Smokey Joe Wood threw 8 shutout innings at Ottawa for a game score of 85, the best start in the WBL this week, and Lee Smith finished a combined 4-hitter. The only run of the game was Stan Musial‘s 2-out solo homerun in the 1st. Wood improved to 3-0 with a 0.69 WHIP.

Boog Powell hit 2 homeruns and drove in 5 in a 9-3 win at Wrigley Field against the House of David. Albert Pujols then hit 2 of his own, but Kansas City lost that one 10-8 after leading 8-4 into the 7th, when Mike Kume gave up 4 runs without recording an out. Kume, who seemed to do it with mirrors last season, was doing fine this year until this pretty disastrous outing.

A. Rube Foster lasted one inning on Saturday, giving up 7 runs on 7 hits, and came out with a hamstring injury that will cost him about a week. Sam Mongin has been recalled from St. Louis as middle-infield cover; he was hitting .296 at AAA.

Earl Hamilton, already on the disabled list, ruptured something in his elbow during a rehab outing and is out about 13 months — a 21-year-old left-hander the Monarchs think a good deal of, and now a 2003 question.

Kansas City is set to give Frankie Frisch more time at 2B, given Kolten Wong‘s struggles. Struggle might be generous: Wong is hitting around .130 on the season.

Wandering House of David

John Beckwith is back off the DL, with Dave Malarcher heading to AAA. With Mark McGwire showing signs of life at DH, look for Beckwith to see more time behind the plate, where he is no worse than others playing there for the House of David.

TWIWBL 102.5: Year 3, Week 5 – Effa Manley Division

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On October 17, 2026

In TWIWBL

TeamW/LPctGB
Philadelphia Stars20-11.645—
Ottawa Mounties18-11.6211
New York Gothams17-12.5862
Brooklyn Royal Giants16-14.5333.5
Homestead Grays14-15.4835
Effa Manley Division | 6 May

Brooklyn Royal Giants

Dick Redding struck out 12 over 7.1 innings in a 7-4 win over Ottawa. Redding allowed only 2 hits, and added a homerun of his own in the victory.

Smokey Joe Williams did much the same thing the next day: 11 strikeouts over 7 innings, a homerun, and a 9-6 win that moved him to 3-1 on the year.

Homestead Grays

Ricardo Rincón goes to the disabled list, and Gary Lucas comes up from Louisville to take the left-handed relief seat.

New York Gothams

Christy Mathewson struck out 11 over 7.2 innings in Indianapolis and won his 6th without a loss, 4-1. It was a 1-0 game until Grant Johnson hit a 3-run homerun with 2 out in the 8th; Brian Wilson closed it for his 7th save.

Tip O’Neill has begun a rehab assignment, offering an intriguing 2-way possibility when he’s recalled.

Ottawa Mounties

Randy Johnson, Kevin Gross, and BJ Ryan combined for a 4-hit shutout in a 6-0 win over Kansas City.

Philadelphia Stars

Harmon Killebrew hit 2 solo homeruns — one to open a 3-run 6th, the second in the 7th for the lead — to finish a 6-5 comeback win over Birmingham. John Clarkson won it in relief and Mark Melancon got the save as he continues to fill in for the injured Bob Howry.

TWIWBL 102.4: Year 3, Week 5 – Cum Posey Division

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On October 16, 2026

In TWIWBL

TeamW/LPctGB
Chicago American Giants18-12.600—
Portland Sea Dogs16-15.5162.5
Los Angeles Angels15-16.4843.5
Miami Cuban Giants15-16.4843.5
San Francisco Sea Lions15-16.4843.5
Cum Posey Division | 6 May

Chicago American Giants

Chino Smith hit 2 homeruns and drove in 5 in a 6-4 win over Baltimore. The second was a 3-run walk-off. Smith has 13 homeruns on the season, and is showing why he was the most highly sought after prospect in the WBL last year.

Carlton Fisk is out about 2 weeks. Rather than recall a catcher, the American Giants plan to give Jack Doyle the bulk of the starts behind the plate with Jake Stenzel being recalled from his rehab assignment. Dave Nilsson remains the backup catcher, although he will probably see some more action in Fisk’s absence.

Waite Hoyt is also down, but out for about a week. Joe Horlen is the likeliest man to see a spot start. Hoyt has been great–he did win the AL Pitcher of the Month–but Horlen has been nearly unhittable, throwing 20.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to open the year. Mike Fiore was recalled: with Mickey Vernon struggling mightily, the American Giants turned to the 2000 star and 2001 bust of Fiore, hoping to get something out of 1B as they wait for encouraging news on Frank Thomas‘ return.

Miami Cuban Giants

Jim Whitney struck out 12 Wolverines without a walk over 7 innings, but each of the 4 hits he allowed left the yard. Miami won it anyway, 6-5, on Gary Sheffield‘s walk-off double in the 9th. Robin Yount hit 2 solo homeruns in the game.

Cole Hamels then struck out 10 the following afternoon, but Miami fell 3-1 to Detroit.

Whitney did it again in his next start: 6 innings, 3 hits, 10 strikeouts in a 5-1 win over Los Angeles.

Julio Rodríguez is back off the disabled list after 3 weeks, with Mark Kotsay going back to Orlando. Kotsay started hot, but ended up with an OPS barely over .500 in his initial WBL trial.

Alejandro Oms has begun a rehab assignment, meaning the Cuban Giants’ OF may soon be back to full strength.

Portland Sea Dogs

Walter Johnson struck out 10 in a 4-1 loss to Memphis. Johnson gave up 3 homeruns, and hit one himself, his 3rd of the year.

Jerry Blevins, who missed the spring with an injury, is up from Seattle, and Russ Springer heads the other way.

San Francisco Sea Lions

Frank Grant — sporting a .933 OPS at 2B — is out about 2 weeks. Phil Garner and the surprising Bill Russell should split the job in his absence, and Bill Sweeney comes up from San Jose.

Aaron Heilman is back off the DL, with Dennis Eckersley sent to AAA. That leaves Charlie Ferguson as the only long arm in the bullpen, which the Sea Lions will live with for now.

Tim Hudson and Steve Ontiveros have both begun rehab assignments (Hudson would add some bullpen length, Ontiveros would not).

TWIWBL 102.3: Year 3, Week 5 – Bill James Division

By

On October 15, 2026

In TWIWBL

TeamW/LPctGB
Memphis Red Sox20-11.645—
New York Black Yankees18-13.5812
Cleveland Spiders11-17.3937.5
Detroit Wolverines11-20.3559
Baltimore Black Sox8-22.26711.5
Bill James Division | 6 May

Baltimore Black Sox

John Tudor is back from the disabled list, with Mike Mussina heading to AAA after an unimpressive brief return to the WBL.

Cleveland Spiders

Tris Speaker hit 2 solo homeruns in a 4-3 loss to Los Angeles.

Louis Santop is out about a week, and Tucker Barnhart has been recalled from Buffalo. With 37 year old Ed Bailey and John Ellis likely to get most of the starts behind the plate, Cleveland opted for a defensive backstop as the recall.

Willie McCovey hit 2 solo homeruns, the second a game winner, giving Stretch 6 on the year. Aroldis Chapman — who spent April turning leads into wild adventures — struck out the side in the 9th for his first save.

Detroit Wolverines

Sid Fernandez moves into the rotation, replacing the 0-5 Pete Conway, who goes to long relief (with his bat and legs likely to get some use on the side as well). Fernandez has earned the opportunity with a strong start to the season.

Connie Johnson had struck out 10, but ended up without a decision in a 3-1 win over Miami.

In his first start Fernandez struck out 16 Spiders over 6.2 innings, walking one. The 16 whiffs set a league record–which is a bit shocking if you think about it–and even though the Wolverines lost the game, they have to be pleased with what looks like a solid surprise starter.

Wander Franco‘s rehab assignment ended without a recall. Damion Easley has held the flex-infield seat since Franco went down in the first week and keeps it; Franco stays at AAA.

Memphis Red Sox

Ted Williams hit 2 solo homeruns off Walter Johnson — one in the 1st, one in the 3rd — in a 4-1 win over Portland, in support of Don Drysdale, who struck out 9 over 7 innings.

The next day, Tom Seaver, Jon Lester, Rollie Fingers and Andrew Miller combined on a 5-hit shutout in a 1-0 win over the Sea Dogs.

Rick Wilkins went 4-for-5 with a homerun and 2 doubles in a 10-6 win at Baltimore. Andrew Benintendi hit his first of the year and Williams his 15th as part of a 17-hit barrage.

New York Black Yankees

Ron Guidry struck out 12 over 7 innings against San Francisco, but it took 12 innings for the Black Yankees to win the game on a single by Thurman Munson, driving in Ed Charles.

The next afternoon Gaylord Perry and Hoyt Wilhelm combined on a 5-hit shutout, as New York topped the Sea Lions once more, this time 4-0.

Tony Brizzolara struck out 7 in 5 innings, Tony Mullane got the win in relief, Rhéal Cormier got his 2nd hold, and Goose Gossage closed it out as the 4 New York pitchers combined on a 4 hit shutout against Chicago for a 3-0 win in the first game of a doubleheader.

In the nightcap, Rogers Hornsby hit 2 homeruns, Babe Ruth and Don Mattingly added longballs of their own, Joe Sewell reached five times, and Lou Gehrig singled home the winner in the 10th in a 12-11 win for the Black Yankees.

TWIWBL 102.2: Year 3, Week 5 – Spotlight on the Portland Sea Dogs

By

On October 14, 2026

In TWIWBL

{Each week, we pick one club at random and give them a bit more depth–how they thought the season would go, how it’s going, and what the future might hold.}

After making the playoffs in 2000, Portland lost 91 games last year. They are 16-15 right now, in second place, and are a little puzzled by it all.

PORWBL rank2001 rank
Batting average.24111th18th
On-base.30414th17th
Slugging.40315th20th
OPS.70814th19th
Runs scored13811th19th
Homeruns3614th18th
ERA3.906th9th
WHIP1.237th16th
Strikeouts per 910.302nd11th
Walks per 93.4014th17th
Homeruns per 91.138th5th
Portland Sea Dogs | 6 May

#How We Thought it Would Go

The season preview was blunt about it: “Nobody in Portland is selling 2002 as a contention year, but getting back on track is the highest priority for the organization.” The club had sold every veteran they could, and had decided 2002 was a year to allow an extraordinary–and extraordinarily young–rotation (a 20-year-old, two 21-year-olds and a 26-year-old) to develop.

#How It’s Going

Second in the Cum Posey, 2.5 games out, 138 runs scored and 123 allowed. Not bad.

The pitching has done more than just arrive ahead of schedule — Portland strikes out more men per nine innings than every club in the WBL except one, after ranking 11th at that last season.

That needs a caveat: the league ERA has fallen from 5.38 to about 4.19, so a staff ERA of 3.90 against last year’s 5.33 is mostly the league coming back to earth. Griffith Stadium is also a harder place to score in than it was a year ago. The rank is the signal — 9th to 6th in ERA, 16th to 7th in WHIP, and 11th to 2nd in strikeouts. That last one is not a park effect.

Can this rotation stay together? So far, yes. All five starters have taken every turn. Walter Johnson is pitching like the best arm in the league: 42.1 innings, a 2.76 ERA, and 64 strikeouts to share the league lead. And his control has come around, with only 13 walks allowed. Joseíto Muñoz is 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA, and Bert Blyleven, despite an 0-3 record, is sporting a 2.70 ERA.

Not all is great on the mound (remember, the Sea Dogs are hovering around .500). Walter Ball, Portland’s Pitcher of the Year last year, is struggling with his control and has an ERA over 6.00 and Jake Peavy, given a rotation spot despite a limited resume, isn’t doing much better.

Does Griffey learn the strike zone? The early answer is a cautious yes. Ken Griffey Jr is walking in 8.3% of his trips, up from 4.5% last season, and is hitting (287/342/491) with 4 homeruns. The strikeouts haven’t moved. One month is one month, but it is the first month of his career that the walk rate has looked more acceptable than not.

Who gets the ball in the 9th? Right now, Jack Billingham does. Billingham has 7 saves. There remain calls for Johan Santana to return to his closer role, but Portland seems set on seeing if the young lefty can make the transition to a starter. Santana currently has a 1.06 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 17 innings, clearly showing a full return from last season’s injury.

#The Crystal Ball

The rotation seems to be delivering on its promise.

The more challenging question is the offense. Five men with 50 or more trips to the plate are hitting under .220, and the fixes available are all 26-to-32-year-olds at Seattle having good months — useful, but not what a rebuild is for.

Portland is 11th in average and 14th in on-base, and the lineup is carried by Bobby Murcer (297/351/446) — graded the worst regular on the roster coming in — plus Griffey and Paul Molitor (261/300/479, 6 homeruns).

#Buy or Sell?

Who knows? It’s May. The Sea Dogs did sell last year, so they don’t really have veteran talent to move this year. But by midseason some of their depth questions might have clarified to the point they can be answered.

#Stories

Shortstop

The preview called it “Hughie Jennings and Clayton and hope.” Through a month: Hughie Jennings is at (183/206/233) in 63 plate appearances and Royce Clayton at (149/184/319) in 51. 114 PA between them and 19 hits.

So I guess there’s hope.

The DH Problem

Gil Hodges hit 38 homeruns in 2001 and was worth −1.4 wins doing it; he is now at (185/228/222) in 57 plate appearances. Kent Hrbek is doing a little better than that, but at least Hrbek has some pedigree to fall back on. Still, patience with Hodges may be wearing thin, and there are some intriguing bats in the minors that may get a look sooner rather than later.

Right Field, Three Ways

Chuck Klein has 5 homeruns, but only a .192 average. Bobby Abreu has been … fine … and then there is Murcer, who seems to have recaptured his form. Klein’s power continues to intrigue, but the OF feels like it is still in its exploratory phase.

The Big Train, Both Ways

Walter Johnson is hitting (333/379/778) with 3 homeruns in 29 plate appearances, mostly from hitting when he starts. 29 PAs decide nothing, but it’s easily the most fun line on the roster.

#Down on the Farm

The system is thin, but there are some names worth tracking.

Hugh Duffy (RF, 21, AAA): 373/413/508 in 63 plate appearances at Seattle, with 3 steals. The preview named him the organization’s best raw power in the minors; he is now also its best performer and, given the discussion of the OF above … may be the next man up.

Vladimir Guerrero (RF, 21, AA): 143/200/286 in 55 plate appearances at Vancouver. Stalled, but only 21.

Brant Alyea (LF, 29, AA): 333/390/710 with 8 homeruns in 77 plate appearances. Loud, but he’s 29 and at AA, which muffles quite a bit.

Not much on the mound. Shaun Marcum (P, 25, AAA): 3.70 in 41.1 innings with 32 strikeouts, the closest thing to a sixth starter. Bill Dietrich (P, 26, A): 2.18 in 33 innings. Tom Glavine (P, 20, A-ball) has thrown 13 innings.

Jack Fournier (1B, 16, A-ball): 225/262/375 in 42 plate appearances. He is sixteen, and playing. That by itself is a confirmation of potential.

#One Number

13.6. Walter Johnson’s strikeouts per nine innings, against 7.6 last season and 7.0 the year before. Whatever Portland thought it had in him, this is even better.

TWIWBL 102.1: Year 3, Week 5 – One Month In!

By

On October 13, 2026

In TWIWBL

6 May, 2002

And we enter the second month of the season! Whoo Hoo!

Which means we have monthly awards for the first time, and we have our first review of the early standings.

#Awards

Miami‘s Robin Yount is the AL Player of the Week, hitting .450 with 2 homeruns, 6 runs and 5 RBI, and slugging an even 1.000. Yount is up to .283 with 6 homeruns and 12 doubles on the year.

The NL Player of the Week goes to Grant Johnson of the New York Gothams for the second week running: Johnson hit .409 with 3 homeruns, 3 doubles and 7 RBI while slugging .955. Overall, he’s hitting .379 with 9 homeruns and a league-leading 15 doubles.

In the minors: Freddie Lindstrom (Chicago American Giants) took the award at AAA Milwaukee, where the 21-year-old third baseman is hitting .306 with 7 homeruns, making his early demotion seem a bit of a mistake in judgement by the American Giants; Raúl Mondesi (Wandering House of David) won at AA Albuquerque, and Al López (Brooklyn) at A-ball Albany, where the 33-year-old catcher is hitting .426.

#April Awards

The first month is in the books, and one name on the list is no surprise at all.

Ted Williams (Memphis) is the AL Batter of the Month, having hit .437 with 14 homeruns, 30 runs and 34 RBI in April while slugging an even 1.000. Grant Johnson takes the NL award–not a surprise given the above.

Waite Hoyt (Chicago) is the AL Pitcher of the Month, going 4-1 with a 2.45 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 36.2 innings. For a team whose primary weakness was dependable starting pitching, the acquisition of Hoyt sure looks like good work for Chicago.

Over in the NL, the Pitcher of the Month goes to one of Johnson’s teammates on the Gothams, Christy Mathewson. Seemingly returning to his 2000 form, Matty has started the season perfectly, going 6-0 with a 2.27 ERA.

Whitey Ford (New York Black Yankees) went 3-2 with a 2.25 ERA in April, earning the AL Rookie of the Month Award, and in the NL, Philadelphia‘s Harmon Killebrew is the Rookie of the Month, despite only hitting .255. 9 homeruns in a calendar month will do that.

The minors have their own monthly awards too, of course.

At AAA, Roger Maris of the New York Black Yankees was the Batter of the Month, hitting .418 with 11 homeruns at Newark, and Mike Scott (Los Angeles) won the Pitcher of the Month, going 4-1 with a 1.98 ERA. Cody Bellinger (Wandering House of David) hit .404 at AA Albuquerque and Hugh Mulcahy (Homestead) went 3-0 with a 1.93 at AA Syracuse. At A-ball, John Bass (Philadelphia) hit 10 homeruns and Fred Gladding (Indianapolis) allowed only 2 earned runs in 15.1 innings, as they took home the monthly honors.

#Team Performance

I know it’s early. You know it’s early. Still, it is May. And that’s no longer April, right?

The best records in the WBL belong to two surprise teams: Memphis leads the Bill James Division and Philadelphia tops the Effa Manley, each with a 20-11 record–that’s a .645 clip.

Ottawa (a game behind Philadelphia) and Chicago (leading the Cum Posey Division) are the only other teams playing over .600 ball.

The Baltimore Black Sox sit at the other end of the scale, already 11.5 games out in the Bill James Division, sitting at 8-22. But they aren’t the only major disappointments: both Birmingham and Indianapolis are only winning at a .333 clip (10-20).

Full standings are at the top of each divisional page for the curious.

#Player Performance

Five weeks in, qualifying is 3.1 plate appearances or 1 inning per team game — about 96 PA and 31 innings.

Some early season streaks of note: The Gothams’ Grant Johnson has a 15 game hitting streak going and Memphis’ Ted Williams has reached base in 30 straight. On the mound, Chicago’s Joel Horlen hasn’t allowed a run in 23 innings and Kansas City’s Smokey Joe Wood in 14.

#Batters

Ted Williams is still the story, and it is getting harder to describe without sounding like an advertisement: he leads the WBL in batting average, on-base, slugging, homeruns, runs, RBI, walks and WAR, outright. That only leaves 2B, 3B, and SB for others.

This list should reduce a little over time, but it’s got some decent WBL storylines in it–the resurgence of a healthy Pete Browning, Rico Carty‘s deal with the devil to combat his age, Cool Papa Bell giving Rickey Henderson some competition for the SB crown, etc.

But it’s really all about The Splendid Splinter for now.

Ernie Banks (HOD). .225/.299/.549. 9 HR, 27 RBI.
Cool Papa Bell (KAN). .204/.295/.280. 10 SB.
Dan Brouthers (BRK). .369/.416/.612. 11 2B.
Pete Browning (HOD). .331/.389/.508. 10 2B, 9 SB.
Rico Carty (PHI). .374/.442/.670.
Oscar Charleston (IND). .300/.341/.642. 12 HR, 29 RBI, 1.9 WAR.
Roberto Clemente (HOM). .372/.413/.698. 7 HR.
Ty Cobb (DET). .345/.390/.708. 10 HR, 2.0 WAR.
Eric Davis (NYY). .260/.353/.452. 8 SB.
Lou Gehrig (NYY). .288/.373/.635. 25 RBI.
Hank Greenberg (DET). .272/.348/.476. 4 3B.
Bobby Grich (BBB). .202/.362/.279. 22 BB.
Rickey Henderson (SFS). .229/.333/.365. 9 SB.
Grant Johnson (NYG). .379/.402/.741. 9 HR, 15 2B, 1.6 WAR.
Harmon Killebrew (PHI). .275/.325/.569. 10 HR.
Willie Mays (NYG). .289/.344/.588. 25 R.
Joe Morgan (IND). .253/.405/.374. 23 BB.
Jackie Robinson (BRK). .336/.381/.509. 14 2B.
Babe Ruth (NYY). .232/.387/.611. 11 HR, 21 BB.
Chino Smith (CAG). .292/.324/.736. 13 HR, 30 R, 32 RBI.
Mike Trout (LAA). .300/.349/.567. 12 2B.
Ted Williams (MEM). .419/.533/.914. 15 HR, 33 R, 39 RBI, 27 BB, 2.7 WAR.

#Pitchers

#Starters

There’s nowhere near the single person dominance on the mound–early days, of course, but it looks like we may have some good years on the mound coming.

Brett Anderson (HOD). 4-2, 2.84.
Steve Carlton (PHI). 4-1, 2.56. 41 K.
Don Drysdale (MEM). 2-1, 2.48. 49 K.
Bob Feller (CLE). 1-4, 4.58. 52 K.
Whitey Ford (NYY). 3-2, 3.19. 2.94 FIP.
Ned Garvin (BAL). 1-2, 4.10. 50 K, .208 BABIP.
Lefty Gomez (BBB). 2-4, 2.82. 2.30 FIP.
Dwight Gooden (LAA). 2-2, 4.30. 1.96 FIP, 1.7 WAR.
Lefty Grove (SFS). 3-1, 3.47. 62 K.
Waite Hoyt (CAG). 4-1, 2.52. 42 K, 2.60 FIP.
Walter Johnson (POR). 3-3, 2.76. 64 K, 2.66 FIP.
Christy Mathewson (NYG). 6-0, 2.74. 64 K, 49.1 IP.
José Méndez (MCG). 3-2, 2.57. 0.93 WHIP.
Joseíto Muñoz (POR). 2-0, 2.55. 46 K, 2.48 FIP.
David Price (HOM). 2-1, 2.90. 0.94 WHIP.
Charles Radbourn (OTT). 3-1, 1.57. 2.28 FIP, 1.5 WAR.
Toad Ramsey (HOU). 2-3, 3.24. 50 K, 2.53 FIP, 1.5 WAR.
Tom Seaver (MEM). 2-1, 1.59.
J.M. Ward (PHI). 4-2, 3.51. .213 BABIP.
Jim Whitney (MCG). 1-1, 3.40. 54 K, 0.86 WHIP.
Smokey Joe Wood (KAN). 3-0, 2.23. 47 K, 0.69 WHIP, 2.31 FIP.

#Relievers

Rate stats still want another week or two. The saves and holds:

Rod Beck (SFS). 1-2, 4.09. 7 Sv.
Dellin Betances (HOD). 2 Sv, 4 Hld.
Jack Billingham (POR). 3.60. 7 Sv.
Chad Bradford (DET). 2-2, 3.68. 5 Hld.
Jeurys Familia (LAA). 3.21. 5 Hld.
Eric Gagné (BRK). 0.75. 8 Sv.
Andrew Miller (MEM). 1.26. 6 Sv.
Jonathan Papelbon (MCG). 3.27. 7 Sv.
Eustaquio Pedroso (MCG). 4.87. 4 Hld.
Vito Tamulis (NYG). 3.38. 6 Hld.
Kent Tekulve (NYG). 2-0, 4.76. 5 Hld.
Brian Wilson (NYG). 1.74. 9 Sv.

Note that the Gothams may be back on track in their quest to rebuild their bullpen.

Two arms have yet to allow a run at all: Birmingham’s Kerry Ligtenberg over 16.1 innings, with 21 strikeouts and 4 hits allowed, and Chicago’s Joe Horlen over 20.2.

#Hardest Shots

Birmingham’s Eddie Mathews hit the hardest ball of the season so far, a 126 mph solo homerun. Mathews doesn’t hit many balls, but at least that one was a freaking rocket. Cleveland‘s Ed Bailey and Birmingham’s Bobby Grich also hit balls over 120 mph.

The hardest out belonged to a pitcher: Jim Whitney (Miami) flew out to center at 118 mph.

#Injuries

Houston‘s outfield took another hit–with Tony Gwynn already sidelined, the eternally underappreciated Jim Wynn will miss 2-3 weeks.

Frank Grant of the San Francisco Sea Lions is out a couple weeks and some other important names (Ottawa’s Gary Peters, Cleveland’s Louis Santop, Kansas City‘s Rube Foster, and Homestead’s Ricardo Rincón) will each miss about a week.

TWIWBL 101.6: Year 3, Week 4 – Marvin Miller Division

By

On September 22, 2026

In TWIWBL

TeamW/LPctGB
Wandering House of David16-10.615—
Houston Colt .45’s15-11.5771
Kansas City Monarchs14-12.5382
Birmingham Black Barons8-17.3207.5
Indianapolis ABC’s7-18.2808.5
Marvin Miller Division | 29 April

Birmingham Black Barons

Melky Cabrera was hit by a pitch 3 times in the same game, a 3-2 loss to Chicago, for a somewhat minor statistical oddity.

Jess Barbour is out about a week, not long after being recalled. Birmingham had already lost Asdrúbal Cabrera, the everyday shortstop, so the middle infield is down to Bobby Grich and Dick Groat with Tommy Davis as the spot cover. The once-prized Cupid Childs was recalled.

Bruce Chen has begun a rehab assignment.

Lefty Gomez struck out 12 in 6 innings at the House of David and lost 3-2. He is 2-4 with a 2.78 ERA, which is the shape of a man getting no run support.

Kerry Ligtenberg is quietly having about as good a start as any reliever in the league: 14.2 scoreless innings, 4 hits, 19 strikeouts, and a 0.61 WHIP. He came into the year with no WBL track at all, having only 24 rookie-ball innings under his belt, so this performance is quite a pleasant surprise for the Black Barons.

Eddie Mathews hit 2 homeruns the next day and Birmingham lost that one too, 9-6, with 3 errors behind a 12-hit attack. That is Mathews’ 2nd multi-homer game in a fortnight, but he still struggles in most of his at bats, with a batting average hovering around .200.

Indianapolis ABC’s

Luis Padrón struck out 11 and walked 1 against Homestead and lost anyway–marking just how much of a difference a year can make. Last year, that sentence would be followed by glory; in 2002, Padrón gives up only 6 hits, but 4 of them leave the yard, and the ABC’s lose the game, 5-4. The best pitcher in the league last year sits at 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA.

Kansas City Monarchs

Smokey Joe Wood struck out 10 and homered in the same game, a 3-2 win over Los Angeles in 10 innings — 8 innings of 4-hit ball and his 1st homerun of the year. Cool Papa Bell won the game with an RBI double in the 10th.

Bob Shawkey struck out 11 in 6 innings in another 1-run win over Los Angeles, this one 4-3.

Wandering House of David

Mark McGwire will get most of the DH role vacated by John Beckwith‘s injury. This will be the 3rd chance for McGwire to show that his legendary batting practice performances can transfer into everyday production at the WBL level. The House of David has 3 bodies for the 1B/DH group even with Beckwith out (McGwire, Anthony Rizzo, and Cap Anson), so we’ll see how long McGwire’s leash is.

He answered almost immediately: 2 homeruns and 5 RBI in a 12-3 rout of San Francisco, doubling his season total to 4. Could this be the year for Big Mac?

Beckwith has begun his rehab assignment, so the whole thing may become a roster construction question sooner than expected.

TWIWBL 101.5: Year 3, Week 4 – Effa Manley Division

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On September 21, 2026

In TWIWBL

TeamW/LPctGB
Ottawa Mounties16-8.667—
Philadelphia Stars16-10.6151
Homestead Grays13-11.5423
New York Gothams13-11.5423
Brooklyn Royal Giants13-12.5203.5
Effa Manley Division | 29 April

Brooklyn Royal Giants

A 12-run fifth inning carried Brooklyn past Baltimore 18-6. The game was tied 4-4 when the inning started and it was 16-4 when it ended: Brooklyn scored 12 runs on 11 hits in the frame. In that game, Dan Brouthers went 5-for-6 with a homerun and 2 doubles and Roy White reached 5 times and scored 4 runs.

Ron Cey hit 2 homeruns and drove in 5 in the second game of a doubleheader, an 8-6 win over Philadelphia. Smokey Joe Williams struck out 12 in the game, but gave up all 6 runs (3 of them on homeruns, which are plaguing the young right-hander). Williams was 2-for-4 with a double as the DH, and did manage to get the victory, thanks to Cey’s heroics.

Homestead Grays

Andrew McCutchen hit 2 homeruns and drove in 3 against San Francisco in a game the Grays took 10 innings to win, 5-3.

New York Gothams

Christy Mathewson struck out 10 in 6 innings to beat Detroit 3-2 at the Polo Grounds, which was (foreshadowing here) his 4th win without a loss. The next day, HR Johnson hit 2 homeruns and drove in 5 in a 9-8 win over the Wolverines.

Don Buford hit 2 homeruns and a double the next afternoon in a 6-2 win over Baltimore. Mathewson took that one too, moving to 5-0.

Dave Righetti is out about 2 weeks. This may hurt, as Righetti posted a 2.84 ERA over his 4 starts, making an argument that he was more than a throw-in in the Gaylord Perry for HR Johnson trade. Vic Raschi was recalled to cover it.

Ottawa Mounties

Charles Radbourn threw a 2-hit shutout of Cleveland, for a game score of 87. The 2-0 win improved Radbourn’s record to 2-0 with a microscopic 1.38 ERA.

Dupee Shaw has begun a rehab assignment.

Philadelphia Stars

The injuries keep being the news in Philadelphia, with a couple big ones.

Charles Rogan is out about 2 weeks–a massive loss, but it is only 2 weeks. Obviously, nobody replaces both halves of Rogan, with the Stars opting to recall an arm in the form of John Burkett.

Closer Bob Howry is being shut down for about a month after a rocky start. Mark Melancon becomes the Stars’ closer, although expect Philadelphia to use Ryan Madson in that role as well.

But wait, there’s more: Ted Kennedy, recalled only a few days prior, hits the DL for a week and Bill Gatewood is out for a little more than that. All of this results in, in addition to Burkett, John Clarkson and Tommy Hunter being recalled.

On the other side of the seesaw, Jack Kralick has begun a rehab assignment.

Steve Carlton threw a complete game against the Black Yankees, holding them to a single run and striking out 11 for a game score of 84. With the 6-1 victory, Carlton improves to 4-1 with a 2.01 ERA.

TWIWBL 101.4: Year 3, Week 4 – Cum Posey Division

By

On September 20, 2026

In TWIWBL

TeamW/LPctGB
Chicago American Giants16-9.640—
Los Angeles Angels14-12.5382.5
Portland Sea Dogs14-12.5382.5
San Francisco Sea Lions14-12.5382.5
Miami Cuban Giants11-15.4235.5
Cum Posey Division | 29 April

Chicago American Giants

Jake Stenzel has started a rehab assignment. It was thought that Stenzel could have a crucial role to play for Chicago– Cristóbal Torriente‘s torrid start makes that seem less likely.

Wilbur Wood was sent to AAA, making room for Raisel Iglesias in a middle relief role.

Waite Hoyt carried a 1-hitter into the 9th at Birmingham and finished with a 2-0 combined 3-hitter. The game was scoreless through 8 — Chicago scored both runs in the top of the 9th — and Hoyt went back out and gave up 2 singles before A. J. Minter got the last out. Hoyt struck out 12 for a game score of 89, and is 3-1 with a 2.64 ERA: everything the American Giants could have hoped for in his arrival from the Black Yankees late last season.

Los Angeles Angels

Dwight Evans is on the disabled list, which leaves Los Angeles with no cover in CF, prompting the choice of Brian Giles being recalled as the fourth outfielder during Evans’ absence.

Carlos Delgado hit 2 homeruns and drove in 4 in a 6-3 win over Portland.

Miami Cuban Giants

José Méndez went the distance in a 4-1 win at Indianapolis, allowing 4 hits and no walks with 9 strikeouts for a game score of 84. Méndez is 2-2 with a 2.48 ERA–so he’s doing his job out there, but not getting a ton of support.

Robin Yount doubled 3 times in a 4-2 win at Cleveland on Sunday, giving him 11 on the season.

Julio Rodríguez has begun a rehab assignment, the first firm sign of a return date for the budding star CF.

Phenomenal Smith has been … well, less than that. Miami has moved Smith to the pen, with Cole Hamels sliding into the back of the rotation.

San Francisco Sea Lions

Watty Clark and Joe Nathan combined on a 3-hit shutout of the House of David, with San Francisco winning 2-0. Clark went 7.2 innings with 8 strikeouts and Nathan retired the last 4 for his 1st save.

TWIWBL 101.3: Year 3, Week 4 – Bill James Division

By

On September 19, 2026

In TWIWBL

TeamW/LPctGB
Memphis Red Sox15-10.600—
New York Black Yankees13-13.5002.5
Detroit Wolverines10-16.3855.5
Cleveland Spiders7-16.3047
Baltimore Black Sox7-17.2927.5
Bill James Division | 29 April

Baltimore Black Sox

Miller Huggins hit 2 homeruns in a 9-4 loss to the Gothams, his first 2 bleacher shots of the season.

Cleveland Spiders

Pat Malone and Firpo Marberry have both begun rehab assignments, which makes 3 Cleveland arms working their way back from injury simultaneously, with closer Terry Adams having started his last week. The stints were short-lived for Adams and Malone, who were recalled during the week, with Chuck Porter and Andrew Bailey optioned to Buffalo to make room. A decision on Marberry will come next week.

Adams slid back into the closer spot, much to the relief of Spiders’ fans, who were getting tired of Aroldis Chapman throwing gasoline on fires he was expected to put out. Malone looked like he had never been away, striking out 12 in his first start back. He didn’t get a decision, but Adams did get the save in the eventual 3-2 Cleveland win.

Detroit Wolverines

As evinced by his AL Player of the Week Award, it was quite a week for Al Kaline: 3 doubles in one game, and then 2 homeruns in another.

Jack F Wilson is out a week or two, with Felipe Vázquez being recalled.

Memphis Red Sox

Len Barker is on the DL, costing Memphis their end of rotation arm. Dean Chance was recalled once more, as the Red Sox reach for the same reserves in 2002 that have let them down in prior years–can Nixey Callahan or Eddie Cicotte be far behind?

New York Black Yankees

Babe Ruth hit 2 homeruns in a wild 7-5 win in 10 innings at Philadelphia. Ruth opened the game with a dinger in the 1st, then led off the 10th with his second. The Babe did it again 4 days later hitting a pair and driving in 4 in a 6-2 win at Baltimore. Ruth was off to a somewhat slow start, but finished the week with 9 homeruns, nearing his customary spot towards the top of those leaderboards.

Whitey Ford threw a 1-hitter at Baltimore, with the Black Yankees winning 4-0. Ford was masterful over the 9 innings allowing no walks and striking out 5. That comes out to a game score of 90, the best in the WBL to date this year. Ford is 3-2 with a 2.25 ERA, and is surpassing all expectations in New York.

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