75 - 87, .463 pct.
5th in Effa Manley Division, 24 GB

Overall

A miserable year, and a particularly horrid back half of the season. This marked quite a fall for a team that won 87 games last season, finishing only 2 games out in their division and making the playoffs.

There is some talent here to build around, but the on-field product has not gelled, leaving the top half of the lineup with far too little support. And the less said about the pitching–especially the rotation–the better. The leading batters–Buster Posey and Willie Mays, especially, but well supported by Will Clark, Johnny Bates, and Benny Kauff–form a good core, and should all be entering or in their prime for the next few years.

There’s just so little to highlight with the Gothams–they ran the bases well and played solid defense? Their 3 leading starters (Christy Mathewson, Gaylord Perry, and Don Sutton) ate a lot of innings, albeit with limited effectiveness?

What Went Right

Willie Mays is spectacular, leading the team with 48 homeruns, 112 RBIs and 107 runs scored (the only Gotham who reached the century mark in either stat). Will Clark had a slightly better year by the numbers, but Mays plays CF. Still, Clark’s .952 OPS makes him a fixture at first for the foreseeable.

Buster Posey is a top-tier catcher and Kauff (DH) and Callison (RF) are more than adequate for a playoff team.

Dick Dietz was one of the better backup catchers in the WBL, hitting with impressive power behind Posey.

Larry Doyle came on during the season, eventually laying sole claim to 2B. If Doyle can hit as well as he did this year across a full season, it will go a long way towards improving the Gothams’ chances. Similarly, of several candidates, Jim Ray Hart (a .958 OPS over 45 games) looks most likely to seize the role at 3B. However, Doyle is 35 and Hart 30, so neither looks like a particularly long-term solve.

Don Buford was acquired at the trade deadline, and did what was expected: get on base, steal a few bases, show a little power. The Gothams have very little speed, so Buford was a welcome addition, despite his being on the wrong side of 30 at 32.

Fred Lewis and Bill Terry were very impressive in late season cameos, but both are pretty blocked in the organization.

Gaylord Perry and Don Sutton were actually quite good, with Sutton leading the team with a 17-8 record and Perry maintaining a fantastic WHIP of 1.13 over 211 innings.

Brian Wilson remains an elite closer, managing 22 saves in 36 games with solid peripherals (he missed quite a bit of time through injury early in the season).

While not at the Phineas Flint Award winning levels of last season, Mike Norris keeps chugging along as an excellent bullpen arm, contributing 6 saves and 12 holds over 52 games. At 36, however, it’s not clear how much more Norris has in the tank.

Pete Donohue was impressive in limited opportunities, and may be a rotation contender next season.

ALL STARS
Will Clark; Willie Mays; Robb Nen.

MAJOR AWARDS

The lack of entries above just about sums up the season for the Gothams …

RECOGNITIONS

Don Buford, NL Over 30 Team
Will Clark, All NL 2nd Team
Dick Dietz, NL All Rookie 2nd Team
Pete Donohue, NL 21 & Under Team
Benny Kauff, All NL, 2nd Team
Willie Mays, All NL, 2nd Team
Gaylord Perry, NL Over 30 Team

ORGANIZATIONAL AWARDS

Willie Mays, MVP
Don Sutton, Pitcher of the Year
Buster Posey, Heart & Soul
Mike Norris, Fan Favorite

George Jeffcoat, Minor League Pitcher of the Year
Tim Shinnick, Minor League Player of the Year

Jeffcoat had 32 saves and a sub 3.00 ERA at AAA, and should be a strong contender for the Gothams’ bullpen next year.

Shinnick is a bit of an odd choice, but it was, as they say, slim pickens down there. He gets on base very well (.404 OBP) and is fast (72 steals). OK.

What Went Wrong

The left side of the infield was a mess all season. Brandon Crawford played nearly full time at SS, and while his defense was fine, his offense was pretty miserable.

And then there was 3B. Pinky Higgins, Jim Ray Hart, Terry Turner, George Kell, Ryan Zimmerman, Matt Williams, and Eugenio Suárez each saw time there (mostly in the 2nd half, after Higgins was moved to the minors with an OPS barely over .600). Hart hit quite well, Williams and Kell were acceptable, and the rest even worse than Higgins, so while hart may have the inside track on the job moving forward, overall this was washout of a year at the hot corner.

LF was similarly rough until Buford’s arrival, with Jimmy Sheckard a huge disappointment and only Jo-Jo Moore showing any promise among about a half-dozen possible replacements.

Carl Furillo continues to be useless at the WBL level, slashing 135/169/230 across 30 games.

There’s almost too much to go through on the mound. Let’s start with Christy Mathewson, who finished the year 7-16 with a 5.61 ERA, a far cry from last year when Matty seemed on the verge of moving into the elite starters in the league. Mathewson still eats up innings–210 over 36 starts this year–but he needs to live up to his potential for the Gothams to go anywhere. At 22, there is still plenty of time.

Carl Hubbell (6-10, 5.75) was thoroughly mediocre as the 4th starter, and nobody could hold onto the fifth rotation slot (Rube Waddell was miserable in 6 starts, Vean Gregg even worse in 3).

The rest of the bullpen was pretty awful as well, with perhaps Carson Smith‘s struggles (after a very solid season last year) the most disappointing.

Transactions

March

P Sad Sam Jones, 4th Round Pick to IND for IF Davey Concepción, 3rd Round Pick.

Jones looks like he may never establish himself in the WBL, making this a pretty significant win for the Gothams, as Concepción will get a shot at the starting SS job this Spring.

July

This was an attempt to fix a glaring weakness and salvage the season.

IF Freddie Patek, 2nd Round Pick, 5th Round Pick to LAA for OF Don Buford.

This was a lot to give up–especially the 2nd Rounder–but if Buford solidifies the leadoff spot for a year or 2, it will be fine.

August

It didn’t work, so the Gothams tried to parlay current talent into future infield solutions.

P Juan Marichal, P Robb Nen to HOM for IF Howard Johnson, IF Davey 
Johnson, 3rd Round Pick.

Hmm. Marichal seems destined to marginal mediocrity in the WBL, but Nen is an excellent bullpen option. Still, if either Johnson has a career (and both could), this will be a win.

P Steve Howe, P Troy Percival to DET for P Dellin Betances, IF Robby Thompson, 3rd Round Pick.

Seems fine, perhaps a slight win. But these 2 deals essentially emptied the Gothams bullpen, and if they cannot fill those slots from within the organization, these trades could look pretty ugly.

IF Joe Adcock to MCG for 5th Round Pick.

This was a courtesy trade, as Adcock wanted to end his career on a contender, but settled for Miami.

Positional Overview

C

Very set, with Buster Posey backed up by Dick Dietz.

Last year’s darling, Wes Westrum, struggled a bit at AAA. but is still waiting in the wings should the need arise. Westrum is expensive, having turned his success last year into a 3 year deal that, at this points, he looks unlikely to prove out.

Beyond that, probably the only actual prospect is 23 year old Steve O’Neill, but he slates more as an eventual replacement for Dietz than anything else.

1B

Will Clark has this locked down for a while.

35 year old Casey Blake could provide some offense at some point, but is not, of course, a long-term solution.

More challenging is what to do with Bill Terry, who has hit well everywhere, but seems blocked organizationally. Beyond Terry, Justin Morneau and Dominic Smith hold some promise, and John Kerins looks to bounce back to his form from last year (which would make him a useful bench piece, nothing more).

2B

Larry Doyle started the season as half a platoon here, but he hit well against lefties, and looks like he’ll be the starter heading into next season. However, at 35, the question of when his skills slip will loom large over Spring Training.

Robby Thompson and Davey Johnson were brought in via trade to shore up this position. Both of them have had some WBL success in the past, and either could take over from Doyle.

At A ball, Joe Gerhardt and Tim Shinnick both have some potential. Shinnick managed an OBP over .400 and over 70 SB en route to being named the Gothams’ Minor League Player of the Year, but Gerhardt may have a higher ceiling.

SS

Brandon Crawford is the incumbent, but he was one of the weaker regulars in the league last year. Look for young Davey Concepción to give him a decent battle this Spring, with veteran defensive whiz Neifi Pérez a dark horse as well.

3B

This is Jim Ray Hart‘s position to lose right now, as his power is needed in this lineup. Should he falter, there are plenty of contenders, but no real standouts. Casey Blake and George Kell may be short term solutions, given their age, with Matt Williams and Eugenio Suárez sporting better long term prospects.

Teenager Howard Johnson is still several years away from showing his full potential, but the Gothams’ hopes remain high.

LF/RF

Johnny Callison remains a solid WBL corner outfielder, and Don Buford looks to be the LFer for at least a few years.

Beyond those 2, there just isn’t a ton here: Steve Kemp, Ben Oglivie, and Carl Furillo have stumbled at every opportunity, and of the rest, perhaps only Mike Tiernan shows real promise.

Teenager Kyle Tucker–who does look to have a decent WBL ceiling–may end up here as well, as he is blocked at CF by Mays.

CF

Willie Mays forever.

There’s actually a bit of talent here behind Mays–Wally Berger, Fred Lewis, George Van Haltren, Rick Manning, and Tully Hartsel all look like they would be decent backup CFers at some point. But for now, it’s Mays, with Kauff behind.

DH

The Gothams may use Kauff in LF more often this season, but for now, he’s going to once again be slotted in at DH.

SP

Right now, the rotation projects as Mathewson, Perry, and Sutton, with Carl Hubbell and Pete Donohue taking the final two slots. However, Buck O’Brien will be given a long look in Spring Training, and a cluster of arms at AAA, led by Tony Mullane and Guy Hecker, may get a shot as well.

William VanLandingham, Jordan Montgomery, and Logan Webb are probably the most promising young starters in the organization.

RP

Brian Wilson and Mike Norris return, and the Gothams are optimistic that Kent Tekulve–who may finally have found a WBL home–will sign a multi-year contract. Aaron Loup is penciled into the bullpen as well, and George Jeffcoat will be given a chance to translate his minor league success to the Gothams.

Beyond that, there’s a lot of mediocrity, with perhaps only Dellin Betances clearly possessing an arm likely to lead to WBL success.

Draft Outlook

DRAFT PICKS

1st Round: 1
2nd Round: 0
3rd Round: 4
4th Round: 0
5th Round: 1

The Gothams need talent, and are likely to draft the best available prospects, avoiding C/1B/CF.

Featured Team: Austin Black Senators

The Black Senators have the best record in AA, playing at a .650 clip and leading their division by 5 games.

Their offense is thoroughly mediocre, but their pitching is something else, led by Kyle Kendrick (6-2, 3.84) and Bill Harper, who is 4-2 with 13 saves and a 1.07 ERA out of the bullpen. Nineteen year-old Vida Blue has shown flashes of great potential, averaging almost 11 K’s per 9 innings, but is currently injured.

Offensively … well it’s hard to find who the real leaders are, but it’s probably IF Russ Adams (311/404/444) and OF Derek Bell (315/344/489). Dick Williams leads the team with 9 HRs and 30 RBIs. Part of the issue is who’s no longer here: Travis Jackson, Pete Hill, and Von Joshua, each of whom have been stellar offensively, are at AAA, the majors, and on the injured list respectively. Mid-season acquisition Harry Stovey (part of Houston’s trade for Roger Clemens) looks to add something as well: overall, he’s slashing 374/447/835, although he’s a little off that in his first 10 games with Austin.

#AA Leaders

John Briggs, perhaps the most dominant player at AA has been recalled to Brooklyn. Briggs was slashing 315/437/518 with a dozen homeruns and over 50 Rs and RBIs. Behind Briggs, the best batters at AA are probably Adam Dunn (Nashville / Indianapolis ABC’s) and Jimmie Foxx (Sacramento / San Francisco Sea Lions). They are 1st and 2nd in SLG and OPS, and Dunn is 2nd in the league in homeruns with 21, while Foxx has 20. Vancouver’s Frankie Hayes (Portland Sea Dogs) leads AA with 23 HRs and Prince Fielder is tied with Dunn (Atlantic City / Philadelphia) with 21. Fort Wayne’s Billy Nash (Detroit Wolverines), Rochester’s Ken Keltner (Cleveland Spiders), and Tulsa’s Willie Crawford (Memphis) join Dunn and Foxx as the only AA batters with an OPS over 1.000.

Two teenagers from Albuquerque (Wandering House of David), 15 year-old Joe Nuxhall and 17 year-old Larry Dierker, continue to dominate on the mound. Nuxhall is first in ERA (2.59), Dierker leads in wins with 11, and the 2 are first and second in strikeouts. Vern Law (Syracuse / Homestead Grays) and Jeremy Sowers (Fort Wayne) have 10 wins each, and are 2nd and 3rd in ERA behind Nuxhall (Dierker is 6th).

AA can be a little odd: Heathcliff Slocumb (Montgomery / Birmingham Black Barons) leads with 19 saves, but 18 of those were with Hudson Valley (New York Black Yankees). Slocumb was part of the Tom Herr trade, taking over from Steve Bedrosian for Montréal, who had 17 saves before being called up to the WBL. Albuquerque’s Karl Spooner (2.08 ERA, 0.65 WHIP), Havana’s Glenn Spencer (Miami Cuban Giants; 2.92 ERA, 0.89 WHIP), and Madison’s Víctor Cruz (Chicago American Giants; 2.42 ERA, 0.92 WHIP) are among the other strongest relievers.

#AA Awards

Dierker won the AA Pitcher of the Month Award, going 4-0 with a 2.83 ERA, striking out 45 while walking only 4. Jorge Orta of Nashville was the AA Batter of the Month, hitting .330 with 7 homeruns in June.

Players of the Week: Casey Blake (Rochester), John Mayberry (Edmonton / Ottawa Mounties), Orta, Travis Jackson (Austin).

#AA Hottest Prospects (24 Years and Younger)

80 AAA PA/40 AA IP minimum; must be in AA now, or only recently promoted.

C: Frankie Hayes (19, Vancouver). 256/344/584. 23 HR.
1B: Jimmie Foxx (20, Sacramento). 302/397/649. 20 HR.
2B: Asdrúbal Cabrera (21, Charlotte). 327/399/565.
3B: Mike Moustakas (24, Sacramento). 323/392/684.
SS: Bert Campaneris (22, Albuquerque). 322/387/527.
LF: George Burns (23, Troy / New York Gothams). 371/458/667.
CF: Willie Crawford (17, Tulsa). 338/448/556.
RF: Adam Dunn (21, Nashville). 279/433/637. 21 HR, 52 RBI.

SP: Larry Dierker (17, Albuquerque; 11-4, 3.60, 1.09 WHIP); Vern Law (24, Syracuse; 10-0, 2.86, 1.17 WHIP); Joe Nuxhall (15, Albuquerque; 7-2, 2.59, 1.07 WHIP); Jeremy Sowers (Fort Wayne, 24; 10-4, 3.19, 1.28 WHIP).

RP: Jeff Heathcock (23, Albuquerque; 1-3, 2.34, 15 Sv); Karl Spooner (23, Albuquerque; 0-2, 2.08, 4 Sv, 0.65 WHIP); Glenn Spencer (22, Havana; 2-0, 2.92, 0.89 WHIP).

A great first half performance from the Cleveland Spiders, who are basically keeping pace with the Black Yankees in the Effa Manley Division, only 1.5 games behind.

What’s Gone Right

Big Ron. Ron Blomberg is a borderline MVP candidate, with an OPS over 1.000.

C/1B. The trio of John Ellis, Jake Stahl, and Louis Santop has been fantastic at those three positions. Santop’s 297/333/446 is the worst slash line of the three, and they have combined for 76 extra-base hits (including 29 homeruns). Ellis and Santop are very young (Santop is only 19).

Solid Starting. Only Cy Young has been excellent, but the rest of the Spiders’ starting pitching has been uniformly solid. Of the quartet of Pat Malone, Whit Wyatt, Bob Feller, and Bill Steen, the highest ERA is 4.82 and the highest WHIP is 1.32 (both Wyatt). It’s a testament to how far you can go as long as none of your starters are bad.

What’s Gone Wrong

Centerfield. Kenny Lofton has been decent since being handed the job, but the real story here is Larry Doby, whose .600 OPS has finally earned him a trip to AAA. Tris Speaker–yet to play after a gruesome injury in spring training–may return as an option.

Peanut & Office. Rowland Office shockingly won the LF job in the preseason, then collapsed to be replaced by another AAA callup, Peanuts Lowrey. Both Office and Lowery started insanely hot, and then fell hard.

The Hot Corner. The Spiders have tried Evan Longoria, Sammy Strang, Ken Keltner, and Casey Blake at third. Longoria has the job right now, but his OPS is in the mid .600s, which tells you just how bad the others have been.

Key Storylines

Are they for real–and if so, where they may end up if they can solve some of their weaknesses.

This has been a rotation that has survived with a variety of relatively unknown contributors–initially Hit Wyatt, but also Steen and Malone. The question is if that can continue.

Offensively, Blomberg has outperformed all expectations. If he can maintain anything close too that level, and if Ellis can as well, the Spiders could go far.

Trading Outlook

BUYERS.

Detroit finds themselves perhaps surprisingly high in the standings: they need to take advantage of the opportunity. The problem is they really have no established talent to move. There are some intriguing minor leaguers, but that’s about it.

AAA Shuttle

It hasn’t really worked so far, although it must be recognized that Office and Lowery did well before collapsing.

Midseason Changes

Johnny Bates takes over in LF, with Blomberg taking the field in right. This allows the Spiders to get Ellis in the lineup more reliably.

The 3B question remains unresolved–Keltner (who struggled with the big league club) has hit well at AA. But it’s AA.

Awards

All Stars: Terry Adams (P); Ron Blomberg (DH); Chuck Knoblauch (2B); Cy Young (P).

Player of the Month: Ron Blomberg (May)
Player of the Week: Ron Blomberg (5/1)

Offensive MVP: Ron Blomberg (OF)
Pitching MVP: Cy Young (SP)

Down on the Farm

AAA: Buffalo Bison

Next to the Show: There’s not a ton of help here as the better performers-Tony Solaita and Hal Trosky–are both primarily 1B.

Prospects: None, really.

Projects: 2B Bobby Knoop (27), OF Gibby Brack (30), C Andy Etchebarren (24), P Firpo Marberry (27), P Sudden Sam McDowell (24), OF Harry Stovey (25), 1B Tony Solaita (25), P Wade LeBlanc (23).

Suspects: SS Rick Burleson (33), P Willis Hudlin (27).

AA: Rochester Hustlers

Prospects: 3B Ken Keltner (22), 1B Charlie Grimm (20), RPs Arodys Vizcaíno (21) and Jae Kuk Ryu (23), SS Joe Sewell (22).

Projects: RP Balor Moore (19)

Suspects: OF Félix Pié (22), 2B Bill Wambsganss (25), OF Darrell Miller (26), OF Charlie Jamieson (33), SP Alex Cobb (31), P Wild Bill Widner (27)