Tag: Bill Byrd

This Week In Whirled Baseball: Spring Training Update I

On June 30, 2020

Welcome to the very first installment of TWIWBL, 10 days into Spring Training. Each team’s individual Spring Training Preview page has been updated, and here are some highlights from around the league, focusing on injuries and performances that have shuffled depth charts.

#BALTIMORE BLACK SOX

When Bill Byrd went down, Mike Mussina was called up and his early performances have moved the 23 year old into the competition for the end of the rotation spots.

#BROOKLYN ROYAL GIANTS

Closer Watty Clark has been nearly unhittable with 3 saves in 3 chances in the Spring.

#CLEVELAND SPIDERS

CF Tris Speaker is out for several months with a torn calf muscle, throwing the Spiders OF into some chaos, and opening the door for both Larry Doby and Kenny Lofton to see more playing time.

#HOMESTEAD GRAYS

C Josh Gibson will miss most of Spring Training, but should be back for Opening Day. His absence, however, has revealed a paucity of talent at C, both at the WBL level and throughout the organization. Hobie Landrith and Blake Swihart will see some time during the Spring in support of Peaches Graham and the GM has begun scouring the land to help fill up the Grays’ roster of minor league backstops.

#INDIANAPOLIS ABC’S

Some of the best battles of the Spring are in the infield in Indianapolis, where Jake Stenzel and Johnny Bench are both hitting incredibly well at C, and there’s barely a hair’s width difference between Joe Morgan and Miller Huggins at 2B and Piggy Ward and Ed Charles at 3B.

#MEMPHIS RED SOX

With projected front of rotation SPs Sadie McMahon, Roger Clemens, and Nixey Callahan all posting ERA’s over 8, and Jon Lester‘s 7.00 ERA the best of other options, the starting rotation is a mess in Kansas City. Luckily, they’re only 10 games in.

#NEW YORK BLACK YANKEES

One thing is constant in the WBL: Babe Ruth leads the league in HR, with 5 in 9 games. He, Mickey Mantle, Eric Davis, and Aaron Judge may be the best 4 man OF in the league.

#NEW YORK GOTHAMS

The trio of Christy Mathewson, Gaylord Perry, and Mickey Welch are having a remarkable Spring, with 5 wins and only 5 ER in over 30 IP between them.

#SAN FRANCISCO SEA LIONS

The Sea Lions are committed to the running game, with Pete Browning and Rickey Henderson tied for the Spring league with 5.

Spring Training Preview: Baltimore

By mknn

On June 19, 2020

In 2000 Spring Training, Team News

Ned Garvin and Mark Baldwin are pretty much set, as much from their ability to eat innings as anything else.
It is likely that Rube Foster, Bob Welch, and Johnny Sain fill out the rotation, but Bill Byrd, Dennis Martinez, and Jim Palmer each could force their way into the conversation.
- 10 games in, Foster and Welch have struggled, Sain has been magnificent, and Palmer has impressed. Byrd will miss the rest of Spring Training, and both Mike Mussina and McDaniel have joined Martinez in the back of rotation competition.
  - Sain & Baldwin are set, with Martinez, Garvin, and Palmer the most likely behind them, with Foster having an outside chance. Mussina and Welch were sent to minor league camp, with Milt Pappas being recalled in case an emergency SP is needed.
Similarly, both John Wetteland and Lindy McDaniel‘s role to start the season is likely to be determined by their Spring performance.
- B.J. Ryan has struggled so far, and Bob Miller may push him on the closer role, with newly promoted Gregg Olsen also an outside possibility.
  - Ryan has lost the closing role, but nobody else has really jumped forward. Miller and Don Bessent have been the best, but the rest have been miserable, with Wetteland and Don Aase possibly pitching themselves off the roster.
The other major Spring contests are at SS, where both Bobby Wallace and Cal Ripken, Jr. look good enough to start and the OF, where the roles behind Merv Rettenmund and Frank Robinson need to be settled.
- SS is just weird. The presumed starter, Wallace, hasn’t been able to hit; Ripken hasn’t shown any power, and defensive whiz Mark Belanger is hitting well over .500.
  - Belanger has cooled off: now he’s only hitting exactly .500. Nothing clarified here.
- Right now, Ken Singleton, Alex Johnson, and Paul Blair are in the lead for the rest of the OF slots.
  - The OF is still a bit unsettled, but Jesse Burkett and Chick Stahl have been returned to AAA and 19 year old Bryce Harper recalled.
C is far too crowded. The problem is that the weaker candidates–Rick Ferrell and Ramon Hernandez especially–are performing as well as the presumed frontliners. Still, something must be done to free up playing time, sending Ferrell back to AAA.
- Chris Hoiles is sent to AAA, reducing the Cs in camp to 3.
3B is now difficult, as Brooks Robinson is struggling and both Harlond Clift and Bill Sweeney are knocking the cover off the ball.

	Near Definite	Likely	Possible	Long Shot
Starting Pitchers	Johnny Sain Mark Baldwin	Ned Garvin Dennis Martinez Jim Palmer	Rube Foster ~~Bill Byrd~~
Middle Relievers		Rafael Betancourt	Don Aase John Wetteland Lindy McDaniel	Milt Pappas
Setup			Gregg Olson
Closer			BJ Ryan Bob Miller Don Bessent
C	Curt Blefary	Tom Haller Ramon Hernandez
1B			Dan McGann Eddie Murray	Richie Sexson
2B			Larry Gardner Brian Roberts
3B		Brooks Robinson	Harlond Clift Bill Sweeney
SS		Bobby Wallace Cal Ripken, Jr.	Mark Belanger
OF	Frank Robinson	Ken Singleton Paul Blair	Merv Rettenmund Alex Johnson	Baby Doll Jacobson Ron Northey Bryce Harper