There is a ton of offensive talent here, but it falls off drastically, and suffers from a lot of positional overlap. Add in downright poor pitching, and you have the worst team in the Bill James Division.
It’s not clear where Memphis goes, but it certainly looks like trading some of their positional depth for some pitching should be on the table.
THE OFFENSE
It’s a top heavy team, with some true standout talent.
#What’s Going Right
Ted Williams is an elite talent, and while his 298/412/619 slash line doesn’t move him into the absolute top tier, at 22 there is quite some room for improvement.
Manny Ramírez has stepped up dramatically from last year, leading the team with 42 HRs and 2nd behind Williams in RBI. Ramírez’ OPS has hovered around 1.000 all season, powered by a SLG in the mid .600’s.
David Ortiz has essentially displaced Bill White at 1B, slashing 286/370/680 in just over 300 PAs.
Gabby Hartnett is an excellent offensive C, posting an OPS in the mid 800’s with 37 HRs and his backup, Billy Bryan, has been even better offensively, with 14 HRs in 140 PA’s.
For a 20 year old, Dobie Moore‘s debut has to be considered a success, slashing 291/352/427 while playing across the IF.
#What’s Not Going Right
OF Mookie Betts and 3B Wade Boggs have been fine, but the Red Sox need more if they are going to compete.
Nobody getting a ton of playing time has really been awful offensively, although only Iván De Jesús‘ defensive flexibility has kept him in the league.
The positional distribution remains unsolved: Ortiz, White, and Travis Shaw all seem to be reasonable WBL alternatives at 1B, and the leading young talent (Hack Wilson and Lefty O’Doul) play the same positions as Reggie Smith, Betts, Ramírez, and Williams.
THE PITCHING
When your best pitcher is a middling middle reliever (Tommy de la Cruz, whose 6.20 ERA belies some very good supporting numbers), you’re in trouble.
#What’s Going Right
That is a little unfair to Stubby Overmire, who leads the team with 11 wins and looks like an excellent #2 or #3 rotation starter being asked to be a #1.
Andrew Miller‘s been solid out of the bullpen with a 7-8 record, 3 saves, and 11 holds while leading the WBL in appearances.
#What’s Not Going Right
Everything else.
David Bush, Len Barker, and Jon Lester have all failed to impress, with Bush (8-8, 6.82) being the best of a bad lot.
Some of the other hurlers given opportunities, especially Eddie Cicotte and Nixey Callahan, have been unbelievably bad.
There is some help, as Memphis has a middle-of-the-road farm system, with some strong talent that is blocked at the WBL level (all the more trade fodder for some pitching).
OFs Dwight Evans, Hack Wilson, Willie Crawford, Roy Thomas, Lefty O’Doul, and Carl Yastrzemski all look to have high ceilings. On the IF, it’s a bit more sparse, with Candy Jim Taylor and Joe Cunningham leading the way.
There is also some potential on the mound. Sadie McMahon remains well regarded despite his struggles, and he, Jim Kaat, Josh Beckett, and Nathan Eovaldi should all be given some long looks in the Spring.
WHAT’S NEEDED
A re-distribution of the talent, using some of the excess to bring some arms to town.
Storylines to Watch
Key Questions from Spring Training
Who is going to fill out the rotation and the bullpen? Remains totally unanswered.
Memphis’ scouts are agog over Dobie Moore, but scouts don’t play the game: is Moore the real thing and, if so, what happens to Vern Stephens? Moore looks to be the real thing, and Stephens was pretty bad, eventually moving on to Brooklyn (where, it must be said, he has flourished) for a 4th round pick.
Sosa was moved out, essentially for Gabby Hartnett, putting more pressure on the OF the step up. Hartnett is doing well, and the last thing the Red Sox need is more OF talent.
FEATURED SERIES
Since the Cuban Giants still have an outside shot at the playoffs, we’ll use the opportunity to focus on the Red Sox’s visit to Miami for a 4 game set at the start of the week.
Projected Starters
Memphis starter listed first, although I would expect at least a few of these to change.
David Bush (8-8, 6.82) @ Cole Hamels (11-10, 5.88) Stubby Overmire (11-9, 4.81) @ Jim Whitney (8-6, 3.90) Len Barker (10-12, 5.07) @ Phenomenal Smith (2-0, 1.93) TBA @ Hugh McQuillan (4-3, 4.82)
Just because it will make the end of the year far more interesting, let’s go with a 3-1 series win for Miami.
Game One
The Red Sox used 2 homeruns from Dustin Pedroia and just enough from their bullpen to take game 1, 8-6.
Memphis took the lead on a 2 run homer from Gabby Hartnett, but 2 wild pitches from David Bush (one in the 2nd, one in the 3rd) tied the game at 2.
Pedroia’s first homer, in the top of the 5th, put Memphis back on top. The Red Sox hit 3 out of the park in the 7th, getting homers from David Ortiz, Pedroia again, and Manny Ramírez. That gave the Red Sox an 8-2 lead, which should have been enough …
Except, Sadie McMahon, in relief of Bush, imploded, giving up 4 runs before being relieved by Andrew Miller. Miller, however, was effective, earning his 12th hold of the year, and Tommy de la Cruz closed the door for his 5th save as Memphis played spoiler to Miami’s Wild Card chase.
MEM 8 (Taylor 11-10) @ MCG 6 (Mathewson 7-15) HRs: MEM – Hartnett (38), Pedroia 2 (4), Ortiz (32), Ramírez (43); MCG – Oliver (8). Box Score
Game Two
Dean Chance got the start for Memphis in game 2 and was actually quite good. Unfortunately for Memphis, Miami’s Jim Whitney was better, allowing 3 hits and 1 run over 7 innings–a solo shot from Ted Williams in the top of the 1st–as the Cuban Giants edged the Red Sox, 6-1.
Miami got longballs from Julio Rodríguez, Jim Thome, and Joe Adcock in the victory.
MEM 1 (Chance 0-1) @ MCG 6 (Whitney 4-4, George 1 H) HRs: MEM- Williams (40); MCG – J. Rodríguez (37), Thome (54), Adcock (2). Box Score
Game Three
Bucky Walters would get the start for Memphis, with Miami countering with Phenomenal Smith, whose return from injury has come at just the right time for the Cuban Giants.
Memphis jumped on Smith in the top of the 1st with Bill White–whose playing time has declined regularly over the season–hitting a 3 run homerun. Miami tied the game in the 3rd with a 3 run homerun from Julio Rodríguez.
The Red Sox took the lead on a sacrifice fly from Wade Boggs in the top of the 5th, but 4 consecutive hits–doubles from Alejandro Oms, Rodríguez and Yasiel Puig wrapped around a single from José Canseco–chased Walters and gave the Cuban Giants a 6-4 advantage.
The Red Sox would score again, but not enough as Miami edged it, 7-6. Rodríguez continued his hot streak with 3 hits and 4 RBI’s, and the revamped Miami bullpen closed it out, this time with Ricky Nolasco getting the hold and Jonathan Papelbon his 8th save since coming over to the Cuban Giants.
MEM 6 (Walters 0-3) @ MCG 7 (Smith 3-0, Papelbon 8 Sv, Looper 10 H, Nolasco 3 H) HRs: MEM – White (23); MCG – Rodríguez (38). Box Score
Game 4
So this one matters as a series win would impact the post-season picture. Memphis would trot out their best starter, last year’s ERA champ, Stubby Overmire while Miami would counter with the impressive, but essentially untried, Hugh McQuillan.
Or, the once impressive, as the Red Sox jumped on him for 6 runs in 5 innings, and then pounded his relief, Don Wilson, for 4 more in an 11-3 rout.
The offensive onslaught was led by Ted Williams‘s 3 hits, but almost everyone got involved, with Williams, Lefty O’Doul, Wade Boggs, Mookie Betts, and Travis Shaw each going deep. Pair that with Overmire’s solid 7 innings, giving up 4 hits and 3 runs and–most surprisingly for Red Sox fans–2 scoreless innings in relief from Nixey Callahan–and you have an easy victory for Memphis and a vital defeat for Miami.
MEM 11 (Overmire 12-9) – MCG 3(McQuillan 4-4) HRs: MEM – Williams (41), O’Doul (2), Boggs (10), Betts (25), Shaw (18); MCG: Canseco (65). Box Score
The series split is a solid result for Memphis as it continues to give some of its young players time; a far more disappointing result for Miami, who look to fall just short of the postseason.
We’re going to do this by position group, ignoring league differences (although we will have a Rookie Team for each league in the offseason).
Only 6 players are officially full time (that is, they qualify for the batting stats): IF Jimmie Foxx, OFs Turkey Stearnes, John Briggs, Adam Dunn, and Ichiro Suzuki, and everywhere playing Charles Rogan. That group probably forms the core of the shortlist for the final Rookie of the Year Award: if you’re able to hold down a fulltime starting spot as a rookie in the WBL …
#C
Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are no fulltime rookie catchers, although 2–Philadelphia’s Bill Dickey and the House of David’s Frank Chance–have seen more and more time as the season has worn on.
Name
Age
Tm
Lg
OPS / WAR
Other
JP Arencibia
30
BBB
NL
.769 / -0.3
166 PA, 15 HR, 29 RBI
Frank Chance
24
HOD
NL
.658 / -0.2
250 PA
Bill Dickey
23
PHI
NL
.772 / 0.4
159 PA, 23 RBI
Dick Dietz
29
NYG
NL
.937 / 0.7
94 PA
Tom Haller
33
BAL
AL
.839 / 0.7
127 PA
AJ Pierzynski
28
LAA
AL
.630 / -0.4
191 PA, 9 HR
Really, that’s it. Chance has played about 3/4 of the time behind the plate, so the playing time is pretty consistent. So … Tom Haller (who is likely to not have a very long career, although he’ll be retained as the backup in Baltimore next season for sure) in the AL and Dickey in the NL.
#1B/3B
The corner IF spots are a bit rough, given the high end talent in the AL and the lack of presence in the NL.
Name
Pos
Age
Tm
Lg
OPS / WAR
Other
Jimmie Foxx
1B/3B
21
SFS
AL
.924 / 2.3
510 PA, 44 HR, 82 RBI
Joe Harris
1B
36
HOD/ KCM
NL
.899 / 1.1
429 PA
Eddie Murray
1B
22
BAL
AL
.857 / 0.2
79 PA
David Ortiz
1B
27
MEM
AL
1.039 / 2.0
293 PA, 30 HR, 62 RBI
Andy Pafko
3B
29
BBB/ MCG
NL/ AL
.851 / 0.6
260 PA
Chris Sabo
3B
29
IND
NL
.780 / 0.2
297 PA
Foxx’s being the only rookie infielder to qualify for the batting championship gives him the lead, despite Ortiz’ remarkable production. Foxx played a little more at 1B than 3B, but given the paucity of hot corner candidates, may get the recognition there, clearing the way for Ortiz.
Pafko played as much in RF as 3B, but we needed more 3B here. Harris is a nice feel-good story–nothing like a 36 year old rookie come good.
#2B/SS
2 of the best here–Cal Ripken, Jr. and Judy Johnson–played regularly elsewhere (including 3B), but logged the majority of their innings in the middle infield.
Name
Pos
Age
Tm
Lg
OPS / WAR
Other
Royce Clayton
SS
22
SFS
AL
1.020 / 0/7
100 PA
Charlie Gehringer
2B
25
DET
AL
.798 / 0.3
418 PA, 14 HR, 48 RBI
Frank Grant
2B/SS
22
HOD/ SFS
NL/ AL
.754 / 1.1
283 PA
Judy Johnson
SS
18
HOM
NL
.809 / 1.2
240 PA
Dobie Moore
SS
20
MEM
AL
.779 / 1.1
378 PA
Cal Ripken, Jr.
SS
23
BAL
AL
.876 / 2.3
370 PA, 22 HR, 62 RBI
Joe Sewell
SS
23
CLE
AL
.852 / 0.9
133 PA
Interesting list, with Gehringer being the only truly full time player for the entire season, although both Moore and Ripken are close enough to count. The lack of talent at 2B and in the NL is striking.
#OF
Here we have the clear overall RoY from the field players, but there’s more to chew on here than Turkey. Sorry.
Name
Pos
Age
Tm
Lg
OPS / WAR
Other
Juan Beníquez
LF
35
DET
AL
.916 / 1.9
400 PA
John Briggs
CF
21
BRK
NL
.930 / 2.7
448 PA
Kiki Cuyler
LF
32
POR
AL
.675 / -0.5
305 PA
Adam Dunn
LF
22
IND
NL
.831 / 0.5
502 PA
George Foster
RF
22
IND
NL
.841 / 1.5
432 PA
Al Kaline
RF
21
DET
AL
.919 / 2.1
422 PA, 75 RBI
Elliott Maddox
OF
21
NYY/ HOU
AL/ NL
.766 / 0.2
406 PA
Rick Monday
CF
24
OTT
NL
1.019 / 1.6
307 PA
Julio Rodríguez
CF
20
MCG
AL
1.024 / 1.8
355 PA, 35 HR
Charles Rogan
CF
27
PHI
NL
.964 / 3.0
466 PA
Turkey Stearnes
CF
22
SFS
AL
1.134 / 6.0
512 PA, 47 HR, 115 RBI
Ichiro Suzuki
RF
28
LAA
AL
.698 / -0.5
513 PA
Sam Thompson
RF
27
OTT
NL
.820 / -0.2
362 PA
We’re not going to be too picky about positions here, going with Stearnes, Kaline, and J-Rod in the AL and Briggs, Rogan, and Foster in the NL; or perhaps Monday, if you want to recognize Rogan on the mound.
The surprises here are probably Briggs (who had an army of doubters, but is 2nd here in WAR) and Monday, whose offense just kept demanding more and more playing time. And mention has to be made of Beníquez–35 years old and a dominant year. He played 1B and 3B as well, so may see recognition there.
#SP
A dozen rookies made 10 or more starts; of those, a half-dozen are worth taking a closer look at.
Name
Age
Tm
Lg
W-L
ERA
IP
WHIP
FIP
WAR
A. Rube Foster
23
KCM
NL
10-6
3.21
185
0.99
3.72
5.1
Bump Hadley
23
SFS
AL
16-5
4.15
169
1.22
4.07
4.3
Charles Rogan
27
PHI
NL
11-9
4.41
169
1.23
4.81
3.1
Fernando Valenzuela
24
BRK
NL
13-5
3.60
148
1.02
4.32
3.1
Jim Whitney
24
BBB/ MCG
NL/ AL
8-6
3.79
176
1.08
4.39
4.2
Joe Williams
24
BRK
NL
12-11
3.87
188
1.24
3.69
6.0
Foster is the clear class of this group, but Smokey Joe is a very close 2nd. I would add Whitney and Valenzuela to the award list, giving Brooklyn 2 of the 4 slots.
#RP
There aren’t a ton of relievers who are impactful enough to really warrant discussion here, but there are some.
Name
Age
Tm
Lg
W-L
ERA
Sv
H
WHIP
Terry Forster
22
BRK
NL
1-2
3.56
2
14
1.12
Eddie Guardado
25
KCM
NL
2-2
2.20
1
9
1.00
Billy Hoeft
19
DET
AL
2-3
6.10
2
10
1.50
Brad Kilby
27
PHI
NL
3-3
6.20
2
14
1.24
Firpo Marberry
28
CLE
AL
7-0
4.72
3
11
1.34
Tug McGraw
27
HOU
NL
5-4
2.95
12
5
1.20
Andrew Miller
23
MEM
AL
6-8
4.41
3
11
1.33
Skel Roach
28
MEM
AL
2-1
4.31
3
12
1.49
Marberry, McGraw, Forster, and Guardado look pretty solid.
Cal Ripken Jr went deep twice and drove in 5 in a 14-11 win over Chicago. Moody slugger Gavvy Cravath will miss about 3 weeks with a quadriceps injury, with the Black Sox recalling OF Ken Griffey Sr, a stalwart AAA performer, for a complimentary cup of WBL coffee.
Curt Blefary had quite an unexpected day. His 9th inning homer to break up a shutout wasn’t so surprising, but his throwing out six runners trying to steal was quite a shock for a catcher not exactly known for his defensive prowess. Baltimore wasted a fine outing from Dennis Martínez in a 2-1 loss to Chicago.
Bryce Harper hit 2 homeruns and he and Asdrúbal Cabrera each had 4 hits as Baltimore topped Chicago, 9-1.
#Cleveland Spiders
Ron Blomberg was recalled from his rehab assignment which leaves the Spiders in the envious position of having to find at bats for the shockingly good Willie McCovey, who was recalled when Blomberg went down. McCovey has a .952 SLG over a tiny 50 AB sample, but still. .952 SLG.
The Spiders recalled Joe Smith to take the place of the injured Terry Adams and then, as part of roster expansion, recalled Ps Claude Passeau, Willis Hudlin, and Sergio Romo and position players Bob Elliott, Kenny Lofton, and Paul O’Neil.
Johnny Bates went deep twice, but that was about all the Spiders could manage in a 13-4 loss to Memphis.
Evan Longoria and Lance Berkman each went deep twice and the Spiders bullpen held on for dear life as Cleveland topped Memphis, 11-10.
#Detroit Wolverines
Johnny Marcum and George Bechtel started rehab assignments. Logan Hensley was promoted from AA for the stretch run.
Juan Beníquez scored 4 times and hit his 17th homerun in a taut, 8-7 win over Baltimore. The victory went to Jack Wilson, who improved to 6-0 on the season.
#Memphis Red Sox
Skel Roach will miss about a month with an elbow issue, meaning his season is most likely over. Nixey Callahan was recalled.
Not a great day for the Red Sox: they fell 8-6 to Miami, and lost Dobie Moore for 2-3 weeks. They recalled Wayne Causey to help out at SS.
Ted Williams and David Ortiz went back-to-back twice as the Red Sox dominated Cleveland, 13-4 behind a decent effort from Len Barker, who evened his record at 10-10.
Two homeruns from Frank Robinson weren’t enough as the Black Sox fell to Los Angeles, 5-2. There was a positive: Ned Garvin pitched very much like the Ned Garvin of last year despite taking the loss.
After a few trades, the Black Sox welcomed Gene Conley and recalled Bill Byrd to their bullpen, and recalled Larry Gardner to backup Miller Huggins at 2B.
#Cleveland Spiders
Ed Bailey went deep twice, giving him a dozen with Cleveland and 32 on the season, as the Spiders topped Portland, 13-4.
#Detroit Wolverines
Superstar Ty Cobb hit for the cycle, but it wasn’t enough, as the Wolverines fell to Miami in a slugfest, 16-11.
The next day, Oscar Gamble hit 2 homeruns and this time the Wolverines prevailed, 11-5. However, starter Johnny Marcum had to leave the game, and is headed to the DL nursing an oblique injury. Gene Conley was recalled, having improved a bit during his stint at AAA.
Needing a starter, the Wolverines exchanged Billy Hoeft (who has struggled mightily after a promising start to the season) for Ray Sadecki. Sadecki did alright–2 earned in over 5 innings–but still got tagged with the loss as Detroit fell 10-1 to Miami. George Bechtel, who had pitched well of late, was injured, and will spend about a week on the DL, with Detroit recalling Buddy Napier from his rehab stint after the game.
Ernie Lombardi had 2 round trippers, leading the Wolverines to an 8-6 win over Miami. Chili Davis did the same: 2 homeruns, reaching 30 on the year, in a 10-6 victory over Memphis.
To make room for trade acquisitions, Dick Donovan and Sadecki were both shipped to AAA. Connie Johnson steps into the rotation, while Troy Percival and Steve Howe hit the Wolverines’ bullpen and Bobby Wallace steps into the starting role at SS.
#Memphis Red Sox
At some point, you gotta’ produce … veteran IF Nomar Garciaparra was released, with Dobie Moore being recalled from his rehab assignment.
Sadie McMahon was recalled from AAA leaving the Red Sox bullpen full of arms, but not terribly clear on roles.
Stubby Overmire tossed a complete game 3-hitter as Memphis topped Detroit, 5-0. With the win, Overmire improved to 11-9 and lowered his ERA to 4.27.
#New York Black Yankees
Rogers Hornsby was recalled from his rehab assignment, with Tom Herr heading back to AAA.
Dave Righetti returned to the Black Yankees’ rotation.
Babe Ruth hit his 53rd and 54th homers of the year, leading New York to a 7-1 win over Memphis.
With Waite Hoyt‘s departure, the Black Yankees named the surprising Tony Brizzolara to their rotation for the time being and promoted reliever Jeff Nelson from AAA.
Mike Schmidt and Hornsby went back-to-back twice, but it wasn’t enough as New York’s bullpen couldn’t close it out in an 11-10 loss to Baltimore. The next day, it was Lou Gehrig‘s turn to hit 2 out of the park, giving him 47 on the year and leading New York to a 5-2 win over Baltimore.
In addition to the natural clarification of the playoff races, August has 2 very important dates: 8/17 is the trading deadline and 8/23 marks the day rosters can be expanded.
#Awards
#July Awards
All hail Homestead‘s Josh Gibson, who hit .487 with 11 homeruns and 36 RBIs in July to win the NL Batter of the Month. For good measure, Gibson added 19 walks, giving him an OBP for the month approaching .600 (.598).
Los Angeles‘ Kal Daniels continues to deliver on his talent, hitting .371 with 12 homers and 30 RBI’s to take home the AL Batter of the Month.
Don Drysedale was in what could most generously be called a funk until July hit, with some even calling for Brooklyn‘s ace to be moved to the bullpen. Instead, he went 5-0 in the month with a 1.81 ERA to take home the NL Pitcher of the Month Award.
Memphis‘ Stubby Overmire was named the AL Pitcher of the Month, going 3-0 with a 1.36 ERA in the year, finding some of the form that led to his ERA crown last year.
Drysedale’s teammate John Briggs just keeps proving his doubters wrong. The 21 year old CF took home the July Rookie of the Month Award in the NL, hitting .366 for the month with 8 homeruns, 17 RBI’s, and 20 runs scored. Another CF–Detroit‘s budding superstar Turkey Stearnes–took home the honors in the AL, hitting .337 with 9 homeruns and 25 RBI’s in the month.
For once, there wasn’t much controversy with the awards. Gibson, whose 1.651 OPS led the league for the month, was a clear choice, meaning Houston‘s Jeff Bagwell–second at 1.375–could understand the decision not going his way.
Birmingham‘s Hank Aaron, and Cleveland‘s Lance Berkman and Ron Blomberg each had 13 homers on the month, with Blomberg driving in a ridiculous 39 runners. But Daniels had the higher OPS, and certainly was a defensible choice.
Drysedale was the only hurler with 5 wins in July, and Overmire and he were 1-2 in ERA. So, overall, solid selections across the board.
#Weekly Awards
Stearnes’ hot streak also earned him the AL Player of the Week Award, as he hit .500 with 5 homers in the first week of August. In the NL, a .536 average with 3 homers earned Brooklyn’s Jackie Robinson the Player of the Week Award.
#Team Performance
In the Bill James Division, it looks like a 2-team race, with Cleveland now leading the New York Black Yankees by a single game. That makes it and the Marvin Miller Division the ones worth watching–the Marvin Miller is a 3 team race currently, with Kansas City leading Indianapolis by 1.5 and Houston by 3. But Birmingham and the House of David are only 5.5 games back, so nobody is truly out of the picture.
Not so in the Cum Posey Division: with the best record in baseball, San Francisco is the only team in the division over .500 and leads second place Miami by 18.5 games.
The Effa Manley Division is edging closer to being settled, as Brooklyn, now with the 2nd best record in the league, leads Homesteads by 7.5.
Chicago–yes, last year’s playoff contender Chicago–has the worst record in baseball, at 49-63.
#Player Performance
#Batters
I mean … Josh Gibson, ladies and gentlemen. Ty Cobb has regained the SLG lead by .003, but Gibson is having himself a year for the ages at this point.
Top 2 across all categories.
Ron Blomberg (CLE). 291/358/668. 117 RBI. José Canseco (MCG). 259/370/741. 50 HR. Oscar Charleston (IND). 342/384/637. 145 H, 12 3B. Ty Cobb (DET). 369/423/799. 145 H, 44 2B, 96 R, 6.2 WAR. Kal Daniels (LAA). 339/432/656. Josh Gibson (HOM). 406/505/794. 7.7 WAR. Tony Gwynn (HOU). 348/386/558. 141 H. Joe Jackson (CAG). 355/408/580. 50 2B. Charles Rogan (PHI). 287/339/614. 12 3B. Babe Ruth (NYY). 280/413/739. 51 HR,117 RBI,102 R, 5.9 WAR. Ted Williams (MEM). 313/432/651.
#Pitchers
#Starters
7 players have 13 or more wins, led by San Francisco’s Bump Hadley with 16; we’ve included all of those as well as the top 2 in other categories.
The list has settled somewhat–only the Black Yankee’s Ron Guidry doesn’t really belong on a list of the best starters in the WBL (those strikeouts tho …).
Roger Clemens (HOU). 13-6, 3.43. A. Rube Foster (KCM). 7-3, 2.89. 0.98 WHIP. Lefty Grove (SFS). 14-4, 3.93. 167 IP. Ron Guidry (NYY). 8-7, 4.14. 191 K. Orel Hershiser (BRK). 14-5, 3.92. Bump Hadley (SFS). 16-5, 4.05. José Méndez (MCG). 9-5, 4.34. 164 IP. 0.98 WHIP. Luis Padrón (IND). 15-3, 3.40. 3.65 FIP, 5.0 WAR. Eddie Plank (SFS). 15-5, 4.14. Toad Ramsey (HOU). 13-8, 3.13. 197 K, 0.97 WHIP, 3.17 FIP, 6.2 WAR. Jim Whitney (MCG). 7-3, 3.05.
#Relievers
All 5 closers with 20 or more saves are listed, as well as top 2 in relevant stats. Relievers are weird–Rod Beck and Michael Jackson have had strong years, but have also had a couple disastrous outings each, leading to ERA’s over 5.00 despite leading the league in saves and holds, respectively.
24 Min IP.
Terry Adams (CLE). 1-4, 3.82. 20 Sv, 2 H. Rod Beck (SFS). 3-3, 5.17. 27 Sv, 1 H. Eric Gagne (BRK). 2-1, 2.76. 23 Sv. Ken Howell (SFS). 4-1, 2.09. 4 Sv, 6 H. Michael Jackson (HOM). 1-6, 5.73. 1 Sv, 15 H. Ted Kennedy (PHI). 2-2, 3.64. 4 Sv, 13 H. Josh Lindblom (HOM). 7-3, 3.60. 26 Sv. Joe Nathan (LAA). 5-4, 3.57. 20 Sv. Akinori Otsuka (CAG). 4-1, 1.99. 5 Sv, 5 H. BJ Ryan (OTT). 2-3, 3.43. 1 Sv, 13 H.
#Looking Back at Preseason Predictions
Some good/some bad, as usual.
In the AL, The San Francisco Sea Lions were the clear preseason favorite, and they’ve delivered; but the experts also had the New York Black Yankees running away with their division, which has certainly not been the case. And nobody saw Chicago’s collapse–the experts saw the American Giants in 2nd place behind the Sea Lions, led by an MVP quality season from Frank Thomas. The Big Hurt has been good, but not that good, and the American Giants have floundered for most of the season.
Over in the NL, the prediction was for Brooklyn and Homestead to be tied for first place, which is not far off. But the Marvin Miller Division is a bit mixed up, with Houston being predicted to coast to a 7 game lead with Kansas City and Indianapolis (currently 1-2) foundering at the bottom of the table.
#Injury Report
Memphis’ Dobie Moore should start a rehab assignment this week, as will the New York Gothams‘ Carson Smith and Ottawa’s Bill Smith.
Josh Gibson of the Homestead Grays hit .409 last week–which barely moved his overall batting average of .408. That, along with 5 homers and 12 RBIs earned him the NL Player of the Week Award. In the AL, one of the surprising cogs in the Detroit Wolverines‘ machine, Juan Beníquez, earned the Award, hitting .423 with 3 homers.
#Team Performance
More of the same.
San Francisco is riding a 9-1 streak, improving their winning percentage to .648, easily the best in the WBL. They lead the Cum Posey Division by 17 games over Miami.
In the Effa Manley Division, the surprising Brooklyn Royal Giants are extending their edge over Homestead, now leading the Grays by 5.5 games.
But the other 2 divisions are building to be close races: in the Bill James Division, the New York Black Yankees continue to struggle, falling to the 3rd best record in the league and only leading Cleveland by a single game. And, in the Marvin Miller Division, while the Kansas City Monarchs are in first, both Indianapolis and Houston sit only 1.5 games back.
Baltimore, despite better showings as of late, continue to hold the worst record in the league at .429.
#Player Performance
#Batters
Remember when we were talking about Tony Gwynn and Ty Cobb competing to hit .400? They now sit roughly 40 points behind Josh Gibson, leading the universe with a .408 average. Offensively, the league revolves around three players: Gibson, Cobb, and Babe Ruth. And Ruth’s exploits are even more impressive when you consider his .285 average.
But, for now, Gibson stands alone, leading in all 3 slash categories.
As always, top 3 in most stats with the leaders in bold.
Ron Blomberg (CLE). 255/370/668. 40 HR, 105 RBI. José Canseco (MCG). 255/370/717. 44 HR. Oscar Charleston (IND). 342/385/641. 136 H, 12 3B. Ty Cobb (DET). 369/421/794. 136 H, 41 2B, 86 R, 5.8 WAR. Kal Daniels (LAA). 332/431/640. Josh Gibson (HOM). 408/503/809. 102 RBI, 88 R, 7.2 WAR. Tony Gwynn (HOU). 360/398/574. 138 H. Joe Jackson (CAG). 358/409/587. 47 2B. Stan Musial (KCM). 319/388/569. 40 2B. Babe Ruth (NYY). 285/420/751. 49 HR, 113 RBI, 98 R, 81 BB, 6.0 WAR. Ted Williams (MEM). 312/429/656. 770 BB.
Tim Raines and Rickey Henderson are in a see-saw battle for the SB lead, with Raines currently on top , 78-73. See below for some more on speed in the league …
#Pitchers
#Starters
San Francisco’s big three is just humming along. Bump Hadley and Eddie Plank are the only hurlers with 15 wins, and Lefty Grove has 13. Only Indianapolis’ Luis Padrón (14) and Houston’s Toad Ramsey (13) have that many.
Ramsey or Kansas City’s A. Rube Foster are probably the best overall starters in the league right now, but we’ll see how August plays out.
A. Rube Foster (KCM). 7-3, 2.66. 0.96 WHIP. Lefty Grove (SFS). 13-4, 3.92. 170 K. Ron Guidry (NYY). 8-7, 4.16. 187 K. Bump Hadley (SFS). 15-4, 3.64. José Méndez (MCG). 9-5, 4.38. 0.99 WHIP. Luis Padrón (IND). 14-3, 3.58. 3.60 FIP, 4.6 WAR. Eddie Plank (SFS). 15-5, 4.02. Toad Ramsey (HOU). 13-7, 3.04. 190 K, 0.96 WHIP, 3.07 FIP, 6.1 WAR. Jim Whitney (MCG). 6-3, 3.10. 1 Sv, 2 H. Smokey Joe Williams (BRK). 9-9, 3.62. 3.59 FIP, 4.5 WAR.
#Relievers
Brooklyn’s Eric Gagne is probably the league’s dominant closer, but some of the hurlers whose role has been more fluid–notably the Gothams’ Robb Nen and the Black Yankees’ Goose Gossage–have perhaps been more valuable.
23 IP Min.
Rod Beck (SFS). 3-2, 3.72. 26 Sv. Eric Gagne (BRK). 2-1, 2.93. 21 Sv. Goose Gossage (NYY). 3-3, 2.02. 122 Sv, 8 H. Eddie Guardado (KCM). 2-1, 2.02. 1 Sv, 7 H. Michael Jackson (HOM). 1-6, 5.35. 1 Sv, 14 H. Ted Kennedy (PHI). 2-2, 3.83. 4 Sv, 12 H. Josh Lindblom (HOM). 6-3, 3.65. 25 Sv. Robb Nen (NYG). 3-2, 1.88. 10 Sv, 9 H.
#Steals and Speed
Seemed a good time to check in on some oddities in running the bases.
Let’s start with some players who perhaps should be running a bit less, led by the New York Gothams‘ recently acquired Don Buford, who has 21 steals, but has been caught 20 times. Houston’s Craig Biggio has been even worse, with only 10 steals in 26 attempts. Chicago‘s Eddie Collins has been gunned down 23 times, but has 45 swipes: not a great success rate, but far ahead of Buford and Biggio.
San Francisco’s Rickey Henderson has been caught the most times in the league, but with 73 steals against 25 caught stealings, his success rate remains decent.
On the other end of the scale, Indianapolis’ Bob Bescher has only been caught 10 times in 53 attempts; Kansas City’s Ozzie Smith is doing even better, with an 84% success rate (42 for 50 so far); and the Black Yankees’ Eric Davis has gone 37 for 42.
Ottawa‘s Carlos Beltrán has been thrown out only once in 26 tries but, interestingly, nobody with at least 5 steals has a perfect record on the basepaths.
#Injury Report
A big week, led by Chicago perhaps finally getting some insight into Tricky Nichols‘ year-long struggles, as last year’s ace will miss 4 or 5 months with a shoulder ailment.
Detroit and Homestead both may have some help for their pitching staffs on the way, as Buddy Napier and Joakim Soria should start rehab assignments this week for the Wolverines while Cliff Lee and Doug Drabek should do so for the Grays.
Memphis‘ Dobie Moore, the Black Yankees’ Dave Righetti, and the House of David‘s Anthony Rizzo should also find their way back this week.
A rough year gets rougher, as surprise all-star Justin Hampson will miss most of the rest of the season. RA Dickey, who was decently effective in an earlier run with the Black Sox, was recalled.
Manny Machado hit 2 out giving him 29 for the year, but the Black Sox bullpen couldn’t hold a lead and Baltimore fell to San Francisco, 11-9.
#Cleveland Spiders
Al Smith was recalled from a rehab assignment, with Claude Passeau heading back to AAA.
Bob Feller and Ron Reed combined on a 2-hit shutout of Baltimore, with the Spiders taking the contest 5-0. Feller, who improved to 5-3, allowed 2 hits (but 7 walks) in 7 innings, and Reed was perfect in relief.
Recent acquisition Ed Bailey went deep twice, giving him 4 in his short tenure with the Spiders, as Cleveland topped Detroit, 7-4. Bill Steen was solid, improving to 8-5, and Reed and Cory Gearrin did their job, getting the ball to Terry Adams who picked up his 16th save.
#Detroit Wolverines
George Bechtel hit the DL, with Detroit recalling Gene Conley, who may have gotten himself straightened out at AAA after a miserable start to the year.
#Memphis Red Sox
Dobie Moore will miss a couple of weeks, prompting the Red Sox to recall veteran IF Nomar Garciaparra. Garciaparra had 2 hits in his first game, but was overshadowed by Travis Shaw‘s 2 homeruns as the Red Sox beat the Black Yankees, 8-7 in 12 innings.
In need of a starter, the Red Sox moved Bill Doak to AAA, recalling Nixey Callahan.
#New York Black Yankees
Jack Scott was sent to AAA to make room for Dave Righetti‘s return from the DL. Righetti will move to the bullpen for the time being. It was expected that Nick Etten would head down when Don Mattingly returned, but Etten just continues to mash the ball, leaving Tom Herr the odd man out.
Righetti’s return lasted one appearance, as a strained back will put him on the shelf for up to 22 weeks. Needing a starter, the Black Yankees recalled Tony Brizzolara, the only rested arm at AAA.
The American Giants were a strong playoff team last year. At the halfway mark this season, they find themselves 14 games back in the Cum Posey Division, but only 2.5 games back in the Wild Card race.
But, it’s not enough: this team should be doing better.
The problems are clear: an offense that falls off dramatically after its top half, struggles on the mound, and issues at a couple key positions (CF and SS). The solutions aren’t so obvious, and if things aren’t better by mid-August, the American Giants are a candidate to mortgage their future to address those shortcomings.
THE OFFENSE
The top end–Frank Thomas, Joe Jackson, Eddie Collins, and the surprising Paul Konerko are all excellent and, especially if Dick Allen regains his stroke, may be enough to carry Chicago in a playoff run. But Chicago regularly trots out 5 starters with OPS’ below .750, leaving too many holes.
#What’s Going Right
The big 4 are stunning. Thomas and Shoeless Joe are virtually tied in OPS around .975, with Konerko not too far behind.
Carlton Fisk lags behind in OPS, but as a C, he’s well above average, and leads the American Giants with 21 homers. Thomas leads in RBIs and Jackson has an incredible 41 2Bs.
Collins isn’t the all around leader of last season, but 309/406/418 with 41 SBs from a middle infielder is nothing to sneeze at.
#What’s Not Going Right
The 2 obvious problems are SS and CF. Freddy Parent, picked up at last year’s All-Star break, has been thoroughly disappointing, with an OPS under .550 (although he has flashed some decent leather). Damian Jackson has been given some opportunities, but has fared even worse offensively.
In CF, 18 year old Cristóbal Torriente is clearly still a large part of Chicago’s future. But he may not be part of their present: 188/235/245 won’t cut it, no matter how fast you are or how good you are in the field. This issue has gotten better: Vernon Wells has taken over for Torriente, and is doing alright.
I have no idea how to evaluate Mike Fiore. He’s hitting .181, but his OBP is .340, and he has 12 homers. Is that going right? Going wrong? No idea, but I think going wrong.
Duffy Lewis was injured at the start of the year, and hasn’t clicked since, and is increasingly losing time to Kevin Mitchell in LF.
THE PITCHING
It’s not bad. And some of it–Ed Walsh, Akinori Otsuka–is downright excellent. But everything else needs to step forward.
#What’s Going Right
Last year’s Rookie of the Year, Ed Walsh, is pitching fantastically, despite a modest 6-4 record, sporting a 3.55 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP.
Akinori Otsuka, Tom Williams, and Hoyt Wilhelm are a very solid trio in the bullpen, especially Otsuka and Williams.
#What’s Not Going Right
Last year’s ace, Tricky Nichols, has struggled mightily, with an ERA approaching 7.00, and is in danger of losing his spot in the rotation.
The trio of Jamie Moyer, Ben Sheets, and Mark Buehrle have been … thoroughly meh. Just meh. Meh not’s good enough for the playoffs.
AJ Minter has a dozen saves, but also an ERA of roughly 6.50.
The jewel of the system is the much-traveled Chino Smith. What’s not clear is if Smith will be used as trade bait at the deadline or be asked to move to SS–he’s not going to unseat Collins at 2B.
There is some decent OF talent here: Lenny Dykstra, Walter Davis, Henry Cotto, and Jorge Orta has the bat, if not the glove, to help a WBL team.
On the mound, Jacob deGrom, Harry Buckner, Scott Radinsky, and Ted Lyons all have some ceiling.
So, yeah, some help here.
WHAT’S NEEDED
The bottom of the lineup to step forward, and the pitching overall to improve a shade across the board.
Storylines to Watch
Key Questions from Spring Training
How is the rotation going to fall out? Can Ed Walsh handle a fulltime starting role, and can Mark Buehrle and Ben Sheets handle the back end of the rotation? Still a question, with Walsh, Buehrle, and Sheets now being asked to move up in the rotation.
How long do the American Giants stick with Parent–he’s fine, but his level of play over the second half of the season (after the American Giants picked him up from Ottawa) was below championship. How long, indeed.
FEATURED SERIES
The American Giants start the week hosting Memphis for 4 games, so we’ll look at those.
Projected Starters
Memphis’ starter listed first.
David Bush (5-3, 5.98) @ Tricky Nichols (4-8, 6.89) Jameson Taillon (2-3, 5.12) @ Ben Sheets (4-9, 5.69) Stubby Overmire (8-6, 4.70) @ Ed Walsh (6-4, 3.55) Jon Lester (5-4, 5.61) @ Mark Buehrle (6-8, 4.61)
So. Much. Mediocrity. Although the Overmire-Walsh tilt should be a good one. Both teams can score a lot of runs, so let’s say this one goes 2-2.
Before the first game, the American Giants made a move, promoting Rocky Colavito to the big leagues to take the place of Mike Fiore. Colavito and Mitchell will split time in LF, with Duffy Lewis taking on an unfamiliar bench role.
Game One
Carlton Fisk put the American Giants up 1-0 in the 2nd with a solo shot to left. Joe Jackson added to the lead the next inning with a sacrifice fly to deep center, scoring Freddy Parent. Fisk would add a 3rd run in the most unlikely of ways: a walk, a stolen base, and then crossing the plate on a single from Vernon Wells, and Dick Allen would go deep in the 4th, increasing the lead to 4-0.
Tricky Nichols recaptured some of his form from last year, holding the Red Sox scoreless until Gabby Hartnett hit a 2-run shot in the top of the 7th, closing gap to 4-2 and chasing Nichols from the mound in favor of Hoyt Wilhelm. Wilhelm got through the inning without further damage, other than a double from Dobie Moore.
A homer from Wells was offset by a sacrifice fly from Ted Williams, so the lead was still 2, at 5-3 in favor of Chicago.
The American Giants added a couple in the 8th with the key hits being a triple from Jackson and another RBI hit form Fisk. It turned out to matter, as David Ortiz took AJ Minter deep with 2 on and 2 out in the top of the 9th, bringing Memphis within 1 run at 7-6. Minter was able to induce a groundout from Wade Boggs, bringing home the victory for Chicago.
Game 2 will pit Memphis’ Jameson Taillon against Chicago’s Ben Sheets in a matchup of end-of-rotation starters.
Memphis took the lead in the 3rd, scoring 1 on a Wade Boggs double and 2 more on a two-bagger from Bill White. Dobie Moore added a solo shot in the 4th, making it 4-0.
Taillon was sailing along, holding Chicago scoreless through 6. But Joe Jackson singled and Frank Thomas went deep, halving the deficit and chasing Taillon. Sheets, who calmed down after Moore’s shot, lasted until 1 out in the 7th, when a double from Reggie Smith sent him to the showers.
Joe Lake, Sheets’ replacement, gave up an RBI single to Ted Williams, increasing Memphis’ lead to 5-2, cut to 5-3 when Jackson tripled home Eddie Collins. Dave Nilsson singled in one in the 8th, but Andrew Miller got Collins to groundout with the bases loaded, keeping the Red Sox up by 1, 5-4.
An RBI from Smith sent us to the bottom of the 9th with the Red Sox up, 6-4, with their closer, Jonathan Papelbon, coming in from the bullpen.
Papelbon whiffed 2, and the series was tied at a game apiece.
Moore and Smith had 3 hits each for the Red Sox.
MEM 6 (Taillon 3-3; Papelbon 14 Sv; de la Cruz 1 H; Roach 9 H; Miller 8 H) @ CAG 4 (Sheets 4-10) HRs: MEM – Moore (8); CAG – Thomas (20). Box Score
Game Three
Tied at one, we get the premier pitching matchup of the series, with Memphis’ Stubby Overmire taking on Chicago’s Ed Walsh. It’s a bit of an odd game for the American Giants, with several regulars getting the day off, resulting in a bit of a patchwork lineup. So, we’ll see.
Walsh gave up 2 in the 2nd on 2-out RBI’s from DJ LeMahieu and Billy Bryan. Reggie Smith hit his 23rd homer of the year in the 5th, extending the lead to 3-0. Meanwhile, Overmire was dealing, holding Chicago scoreless through 5 on only 2 hits. despite loading the bases in the 2nd.
Overmire departed in the 7th after surrendering his 6th walk, to Rocky Colavito, and an infield hit to Freddy Parent. Heath Bell loaded the bases, but escaped without damage.
That was it, really: Bell pitched well in the 8th and Jonathan Papelbon shut the door in the 9th on a combined 3 hit shutout.
MEM 3 (Overmire 9-6; Papelbon 15 Sv; Bell 5 H) @ CAG 0 (Walsh 6-5) HRs: MEM – Smith (23); CAG – none. Box Score
Game Four
The American Giants will try to salvage a split behind Mark Buehrle who will be opposed by Memphis’ Jon Lester.
The full strength lineup for the American Giants came through immediately, as Frank Thomas launched a 3 run homerun in the bottom of the 1st. But Jack McAleese–who seems to have locked down the utility OF spot for the Red Sox–drove home 2 in the 2nd and scored on a base hit from Dobie Moore, tying the game at 3.
Ted Williams launched his 25th of the year in the 3rd, giving Memphis a 1 run lead. Chicago evened the score the following inning on a sacrifice fly from Paul Konerko. That lasted into the top of the 5th, when Williams went deep again, this time with a man on. 6-4 Memphis. Buehrle made it into the 6th but a DJ LeMahieu double chased him from the game. His relief, David Price, allowed 2 more runs, making the edge 8-4, Red Sox.
Lester got through the 5th, but by that point he had given up 7 walks and was clearly fatigued. Then, suddenly and surprisingly, the relievers figured out how to pitch, keeping it scoreless until Memphis added a few more in the top of the 9th.
Just about the only bad news for Memphis was Moore having to leave the game after being hit on the hand with a pitch: his ultimate injury status is yet to be known.
MEM 11 (Lester 6-4; Roach 1 Sv) @ CAG 4 (Buehrle 6-9) HRs: MEM – Williams 2 (26); CAG – Thomas (21). Box Score
This is emblematic of everything disappointing about Chicago’s year so far: loss after loss and question after question of what if and what’s next. This team needs some help: immediately, they are looking at sending AJ Minter down to AAA and installing Akinori Otsuku as the closer, but it’s going to take more than that.
The Black Sox recalled Buddy Groom and Bobby Wallace from rehab assignments, sending RA Dickey and Dave Anderson to AAA. They also named Johnny Sain and newly-acquired Mike Cuellar to fill out the rotation.
Wallace’s return is complicated–honestly, the Black Sox had hoped to deal the veteran, but found the market wanting, especially given his recent injury. Wallace returns to a backup role behind Cal Ripken, Jr., although he will see some time at 3B as well.
Frank Robinson homered twice and drove in 5 as the Black Sox won a slugfest over Memphis, 12-11.
#Cleveland Spiders
Cleveland’s trades led to some roster shuffling. Joe Smith and Chico Walker were sent to AAA to clear room for Claude Passeau and Ed Bailey. Bob Feller and Pat Malone were named to the rotation for the Spiders with Passeau starting off in Cleveland’s bullpen for the time being.
Evan Longoria won a see-saw game with a walkoff homer in the bottom of the 10th against the Black Yankees. John Ellis, Larry Doby, Ron Blomberg, and Bailey also went deep for the Spiders in the 9-7 victory.
#Detroit Wolverines
Recently acquired Victor Martinez steps into the reserve catching role for Detroit, who have also decided to juggle their middle infield, with Tony Lazzeri being recalled from AAA to take over at SS. JD Martinez was also recalled to add some power from the bench, with Billy Nash heading down to AAA.
George Bechtel was added to the rotation while Felipe Vásquez was sent to AAA in exchange for Mike Griffin.
It’s not quite the wholesale commitment to youth some have been asking for (Lazzeri is 36, replacing George Davis who is 35), but it’s something. I guess.
The Martinez boys came through, with JD hitting a homerun in his first WBL at-bat and Victor adding 3 hits in a 3-2, 10 inning win over Los Angeles. Ty Cobb hit one out in the top of the 10th for the go-ahead run.
#Memphis Red Sox
The Red Sox recalled Iván De Jesús to fill a utility role. One impact of this is allowing Dobie Moore to focus more exclusively on SS.
David Ortiz went deep twice and Manny Ramírez homered a record-tying 3 times (the second time this year he’s done that), driving in 7 … but the Red Sox failed to hold several leads, falling to Baltimore, 12-11.
#New York Black Yankees
Dave Righetti started a rehab assignment. AJ Burnett and Josh Harrison were sent to AAA, with newcomers Pascual Pérez and Rogers Hornsby stepping right into the rotation and the starting lineup, respectively.
Babe Ruth went deep twice in a 12 inning, 8-4 win over Cleveland. Lou Gehrig did the same the next day, but once again Aroldis Chapman couldn’t hold a lead, and the Spiders won in extra innings, 9-7. This latest meltdown may trigger a shakeup in the Black Yankees’ bullpen, with Goose Gossage taking over the closer role.
We’ll preview the All Star selections, so this will be a bit of a longer entry.
#Awards
Lots of awards, as we moved into a new month!
First, the smaller ones. Houston‘s Jeff Bagwell was the National League Player of the Week, hitting .409 with 5 homeruns while Eric Davis of the juggernaut New York Black Yankees was the American League Player of the Week, hitting .481 with 5 homers in the same span.
In the monthly awards, the American League Rookie of the Month for June was San Francisco‘s Turkey Stearnes, who hit .378 with 11 homeruns in the month.
Kansas City‘s A. Rube Foster was both the National League Rookie of the Month and the NL Pitcher of the Month, going 3-1 with a 1.65 ERA, as the young hurler announced himself as, at least so far, a premier WBL starter. The American League Pitcher of the Month was Bump Hadley, Stearnes’ teammate in San Francisco. Hadley was 5-0 in June with a 2.66 ERA.
Ottawa‘s star backstop, Gary Carter, was the National League Batter of the Month, hitting .397 with 14 homeruns in June while in the American League, unsurprisingly, the award went to the stellar Ty Cobb. The Detroit OF hit .408 with 11 homers in June, which actually brought his overall average down in that span (Cobb is leading the WBL in BA at .418).
#Team Performance
Yawn.
The Black Yankees and the Sea Lions continue to be the 2 best teams in the league, leading their divisions by 5 and 11 games respectively.
The Effa Manley Division might offer some excitement in the second half, as Brooklyn still leads Homestead by 4 and the New York Gothams by 5.5. But the only true race is in the Marvin Miller Division, where Kansas City has overtaken Indianapolis, now leading the ABC’s by 2.5 games.
The Houston Colt 45’s are 8-2 over their last 10 games, but still sit 5 games under .500. Detroit and Philadelphia are moving in the other direction, with each team managing only 2 wins in their last 10 contests.
Birmingham still has the worst record in the league, but they have moved over .400, sitting at .410 (34-49).
#Player Performance
Batters
It’s still Ty Cobb’s world, although Babe Ruth is doing Babe Ruth things, and reached the 40 homerun plateau during the last week.
José Canseco (MCG). 254/375/734. 36 HR. Oscar Charleston (IND). 336/386/642. 103 H, 9 3B. Ty Cobb (DET). 416/464/885. 116 H, 37 2B, 8 3B, 5.8 WAR. Josh Gibson (HOM). 392/481/748. 5.1 WAR. Tony Gwynn (HOU). 389/425/601. 116 H. Pete Hill (HOU). 291/371/487. 10 3B. Joe Jackson (CAG). 356/398/588. 103 H, 39 2B. Stan Musial (KCM). 329/392/573. 37 2B. Babe Ruth (NYY). 292/426/775. 40 HR, 90 RBI, 82 R, 68 BB, 5.0 WAR. Larry Walker (OTT). 293/369/721. 36 HR, 85 RBI.
Rickey Henderson (San Francisco) and Tim Raines (Ottawa) continue to be 1-2 in the league in steals, but it’s getting closer, with Henderson’s edge now 60 to 53.
Pitchers
Starters
While his performance has been somewhat below par, the New York Gothams’ Christy Mathewson continues to be definition of workhorse, leading the WBL with 20 starts, 2 ahead of a bevy of hurlers with 18.
7 pitchers have reached double-digits in wins, with Luis Padrón (Indianapolis) leading the way at 11-2. All 7 are included below. Houston’s Toad Ramsey was so dominant for so long, he is still the top starter in the league despite a recent dip in form, but I would probably choose Lefty Grove of San Francisco or the emergent A. Rube Foster.
Frank Castillo (KCM). 10-1, 4.22. A. Rube Foster (KCM). 5-1, 2.30. .203 BABIP, 0.98 WHIP, 3.70 FIP. Lefty Grove (SFS). 10-4, 3.71. 126 IP, 132 K, 3.1 WAR. Ron Guidry (NYY). 8-4, 3.86. 143 K, 3.80 FIP, 3.2 WAR. Bump Hadley (SFS). 11-4, 4.21, 3.50 FIP, 3.0 WAR. Orel Hershiser (BRK). 10-4, 3.87. Luis Padrón (IND). 11-2, 4.21. 3.57 FIP, 3.3 WAR. Eddie Plank (SFS). 11-3, 3.54. Toad Ramsey (HOU). 11-4, 2.77. 124 IP, 152 K, 0.89 WHIP, 2.80 FIP, 5.2 WAR. Ed Walsh (CAG). 6-3, 3.41. 1 Sv, .201 BABIP. Smokey Joe Williams (BRK). 7-7, 3.41. 3.66 FIP, 3.4 WAR.
Relievers
We’ve listed the top 3 leaders in saves, all 5 of the relievers who have reached double digits in Holds, as well as all 5 with an ERA below 2.00.
18 IP minimum.
Rod Beck (SFS). 3-2, 3.47. 21 Sv. Rheal Cormier (NYY). 0-2, 6.03. 11 H. Eric Gagne (BRK). 1-1, 2.92. 19 Sv. Ken Howell (SFS). 4-1, 1.72. 1 Sv, 4 H. Michael Jackson (HOM). 1-4, 4.13. 1 Sv, 10 H. Brad Kilby (PHI). 1-2, 4.39. 2 Sv, 10 H. Craig Kimbrel (KCM). 2-1, 1.14. 2 Sv, 11 H. Josh Lindblom (HOM). 4-2, 3.45. 20 Sv. Rob Murphy (IND). 1-3, 3.75. 1 Sv, 11 H. Robb Nen (NYG). 3-2, 1.95. 9 Sv, 6 H. Ron Robinson (SFS). 1-0, 1.64. 3 Sv, 3 H. BJ Ryan (OTT). 1-2, 4.15. 1 Sv, 10 H. Harley Young (BBB). 1-0, 1.23. 3 Sv, 5 H.
#Injury Report
Portland lost half of their backstop platoon as AJ Pierzynski will be out for close to a month. News was worse for Ottawa, as SP Bob Moose is out for close to a year.
Houston’s Casey Stengel and Kansas City’s Lou Brock are awaiting diagnosis on their current injuries.
Baltimore’s Bobby Wallace, Detroit’s Billy Hoeft, and the Black Yankees’ Dave Righetti should all begin rehab assignments this week.
#The All Star Candidates
We’ll look at these by position, mixing the two leagues for the time being.
For each position, we’ve included as many players as it takes to have at least 3-4 candidates from each league, highlighting some pretty severe disparities in talent between the AL and the NL.
If players don’t qualify for the batting stats, their playing time is noted, as are some other potentially influencing factors. This indicates a leader at that position among the players listed (but not necessarily overall).
Each league can only select 32 players for the All Star Game itself (usually 20 or 21 position players and 11 or 12 pitchers), so quite a few of the players listed here will be left on the outside looking in.
#C
The NL dominates here, with 3 catchers with an OPS over 1.000. That means some worthy candidates–most notably NYG’s Buster Posey –are likely to miss out.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Josh Gibson
HOM / NL
1.229
5.1 WAR; 67 RBI
3.1 FRM
Gary Carter
OTT /NL
1.073
28 HR
47.1 RTO%
Mike Piazza
BRK / NL
1.042
29 HR; 65 RBI
4.87 CERA
Ed Bailey
DET / AL
.972
57 G/216 PA; 43.6 RTO%
Jim Pagliaroni
BBB / NL
.925
61 G/231 PA
Mickey Cochrane
SFS / AL
.917
10 SB; 4.39 CERA
Ted Simmons
KCM / NL
.900
63 G/256 PA; 4.15 CERA
Buster Posey
NYG / NL
.870
3.8 FRM
Joe Mauer
POR / AL
.856
14 SB
Curt Blefary
BAL /AL
.826
Carlton Fisk
CAG / AL
.800
67 G/254 PA; 11 SB
FRM = Framing Runs | RTO% = Runners Thrown Out | CERA = Catcher ERA
The other stalwart defensive catchers–Miami‘s Iván Rodríguez and Indianapolis’ Johnny Bench–just haven’t hit enough, although a late surge by Bench has moved him up these lists.
I don’t think there is any question in the NL, where it’s Gibson, Carter, and Piazza. Cochrane and Mauer should be in for the AL, with a question of whether you go with Bailey’s bat in more limited appearances or Blefary. Should the NL decide to carry 4 backstops, the choice between Pagliaroni and Simmons (and, perhaps, Posey) is close.
Gibson and Cochrane should be the starters.
#1B
The AL has a slight edge here, but there’s a lot of talent throughout.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Lou Gehrig
NYY / AL
1.057
28 HR; 21 2B; 65 RBI
.995 Fldg
Will Clark
NYG / NL
1.006
Frank Thomas
CAG / AL
1.004
Hank Greenberg
DET / AL
.991
26 HR
.998 Fldg; 3.1 ZR
Mike Epstein
HOM / NL
.965
Anthony Rizzo
HOD / NL
.964
Lance Berkman
CLE / AL
.957
Jim Thome
MCG / AL
.927
28 HR; 64 RBI
Jeff Bagwell
HOU / NL
.923
66 RBI
.995 Fldg
Boog Powell
KCM / NL
.920
.995 Fldg; 9.23 RF; 2.9 ZR
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
Gehrig and Clark are almost certainly the starters, and the AL will likely take Thomas and Greenberg as well. In the NL, it gets a little trickier, as Powell (along with Greenberg) is one of the better 1B defensively. Epstein’s offense will carry him, but after that my guess is Rizzo gets the selection (but cannot participate via injury), and is replaced by Powell, with Bagwell having a legitimate complaint.
#2B
The NL is ridiculously stacked in terms of offensive-minded 2B.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Joe Morgan
IND / NL
1.088
47 G/199 PA
Roberto Alomar
OTT/ NL
1.008
21 2B; 18 HR; 64 RBI; 31 SB; 3.5 WAR
Ryne Sandberg
HOD / NL
.995
28 HR; 60 RBI; 2.9 WAR
.997 Fldg; 5.00 RF
Jackie Robinson
BRK / NL
.938
Rogers Hornsby
POR / AL
.919
53 G/234 PA
Charlie Gehringer
DET / AL
.876
57 G/225 PA; .989 Fldg; 5.09 RF
Eddie Collins
CAG / AL
.850
36 SB
Bobby Grich
LAA / AL
.845
15 HR
Craig Biggio
HOU / NL
.841
Chase Utley
PHI / NL
.781
4.92 RF; 9.3 ZR
Cookie Rojas
MCG / AL
.766
27 2B
.987 Fldg
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
Joe Morgan is included just for interest–he missed too much time to injury to warrant serious consideration. Detroit’s Charlie Gehringer, on the other hand, probably makes the cut, despite starting the season in the minors.
In the NL, it’s pretty clear: Alomar, Sandberg, and Robinson, with the starter being decided between Sandberg and Alomar over the next week. The AL is trickier, but I think it ends up going according to form: Eddie Collins to start, with Gehringer and Hornsby behind him.
#SS
It’s pretty impressive there are this many shortstops that can hit, and Ernie Banks‘ production is incredible.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Ernie Banks
HOD/ NL
.978
30 HR; 71 RBI
Cal Ripken, Jr.
BAL / AL
.967
39 G/140 PA; .993 Fldg; 4.90 RF
Carlos Correa
HOU/ NL
.929
18 2B; 2.8 WAR
Arky Vaughan
CLE / AL
.887
19 2B; 2.4 WAR
6.3 ZR
Álex Rodríguez
OTT / NL
.885
23 HR
Robin Yount
MCG / AL
.845
15 HR
5.8 ZR
Jim Fregosi
POR / AL
.793
Dick Lundy
SFS / AL
.783
7 3B; 2.1 WAR; 33 SB
Derek Jeter
NYY / AL
.762
Dobie Moore
MEM / AL
.750
22 SB
.983 Fldg
Ozzie Smith
KCM / NL
.672
19 2B; 25 SB
.994 Fldg; 6.3 ZR
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
Ripken, Jr. is really not a serious contender, but he has been impressive in the 40 G’s he’s played. That gives us Banks, Correa, and Rodríguez in the NL and Vaughan, Yount, and either Fregosi or Lundy in the AL.
Smith is included because of his superlative defense, but doesn’t probably make the cut.
This is an interesting position: Vaughan and Rodríguez changed teams in the off season, and Correa’s performance has been a bit of a shock.
#3B
The top 5 are locks, beyond that, it gets much trickier, especially in the NL.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Albert Pujols
KCM / NL
1.046
32 2B; 60 RBI; 2.8 WAR
Ron Cey
BRK / NL
.967
2.4 WAR
.976 Fldg; 3.3 ZR
Gary Sheffield
MCG/ AL
.929
22 HR; 55 RBI; 15 SB
Evan Longoria
CLE / AL
.926
2.2 ZR
Mike Schmidt
NYY / AL
.926
23 HR; 55 RBI
2.59 RF
Scott Rolen
PHI / NL
.922
2.1 WAR
.974 Fldg; 2.7 ZR
Ron Santo
HOD /NL
.906
52 G/192 PA
Eddie Mathews
BBB / NL
.904
24 HR
.978 Fldg; 2.66 RF
Wade Boggs
MEM / AL
.896
26 2B
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
After Pujols and Cey, it’s hard in the NL. Matthews and Rolen edge ahead of Santo due to defense and Santo’s relative low usage, but picking between the two of them is very challenging, to the point the NL may go with 4 players at the hot corner.
#OF
All of the OF spots are a bit combined in the end, but we’re keeping them separate for the sake of comparison.
#LF
When Detroit’s Ty Cobb plays the OF, he plays here as well, making the AL selections pretty simple.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Babe Ruth
NYY / AL
1.201
40 HR; 90 RBI; 5.0 WAR
.988 Fldg; 5.1 ZR
Ted Williams
MEM / AL
1.063
23 2B; 65 RBI
Frank Robinson
BAL / AL
1.035
24 HR; 64 RBI; 2.3 WAR
1.000 Fldg
Adam Dunn
IND / NL
.906
24 HR
.989 Fldg; 3.41 RF
Roy White
BRK / NL
.866
Oscar Gamble
DET / AL
.852
Rickey Henderson
SFS / AL
.840
2.8 WAR; 60 SB
7.2 ZR
Tim Raines
OTT / NL
.773
7 3B; 53 SB
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
So, Ruth, Williams, and Robinson are in, and perhaps Henderson’s 60+ SB warrant a spot. In the NL, it’s more challenging. Dunn seems to be a lock, and White is a bit of a sentimental choice. It may be just those 2 from this group.
#CF
Tris Speaker, as despicable of a human being as he is, is the best in the AL right now, especially considering the defensive contribution. Over in the NL, Willie Mays probably edges Oscar Charleston as the starter.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Rick Monday
OTT /NL
1.172
41 G/136 PA
Tris Speaker
CLE / AL
1.088
31 2B; 4.0 WAR
2.68 RF; 5.1 ZR; 6 Kills
Turkey Stearnes
SFS / AL
1.065
7 3B; 24 HR
Eric Davis
NYY / AL
1.058
26 SB
41 G/188 PA; 1.000 Fldg
Julio Rodríguez
MCG / AL
1.052
39 G/177 PA
Oscar Charleston
IND / NL
1.027
9 3B; 60 RBI; 24 SB
Willie Mays
NYG / NL
.977
31 HR; 62 RBI; 2.9 WAR
.990 Fldg; 2.70 RF; 7.7 ZR
Mike Trout
LAA / AL
.965
24 2B; 2.8 WAR; 21 SB
1.000 Fldg
Carlos Beltrán
OTT / NL
.916
63 RBI; 21 SB
Alejandro Oms
MCG / AL
.883
5 3B
6.3 ZR
Curtis Granderson
BBB / NL
.876
26 HR
3.01 RF
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
Monday, Davis, and Rodríguez aren’t really in contention, but their performances in limited action have been pretty spectacular.
Speaker, Stearnes, and Trout are pretty much locks in the AL, with Oms being a hard luck case. Beltrán deserves the spot behind Mays and Charleston.
#RF
A deep, deep group, probably 4 deep in each league.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
José Canseco
MCG / AL
1.109
36 HR
Larry Walker
OTT / NL
1.090
36 HR; 85 RBI; 22.4 WAR
3.89 RF
Reggie Jackson
SFS / AL
1.027
63 RBI; 2.8 WAR; 24 SB
Tony Gwynn
HOU / NL
1.026
6 3B; 24 2B; 2.8 WAR
Aaron Judge
PHI / NL
.994
.992 Fldg
Mickey Mantle
NYY / AL
.993
30 HR; 76 RBI
Joe Jackson
CAG /AL
.986
39 2B; 27 SB
Stan Musial
KCM / NL
.964
37 2B
5.5 ZR
Johnny Callison
NYG / NL
.945
.993 Fldg
Mookie Betts
MEM / AL
.865
24 2B
1.000 Fldg
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
Canseco, Mantle, and the 2 Jacksons seem locks in the AL, with Walker, Gwynn, and Judge in the NL. It’s possible Musial misses the cut, as ridiculous as that sounds.
#DH
The pressure here is immense, given the competition for the other OF spots.
Name
Tm / Lg
OPS
Reg Stats
Other
Ty Cobb
DET / AL
1.350
37 2B; 8 3B; 26 HR; 73 RBI; 5.8 WAR; 31 SB
Kal Daniels
LAA / AL
1.023
21 2B; 2.3 WAR; 30 SB
Manny Ramírez
MEM / AL
.986
56 G/224 PA
Ryan Braun
MCG/ AL
.982
31 HR
Willie Stargell
HOM / NL
.980
27 HR
Gavvy Cravath
BAL / AL
.926
22 2B; 69 RBI
Benny Kauff
NYG / NL
.909
Fldg = Fielding % | RF = Range Factor | ZR = Zone Rating
Cobb is, of course, a lock, and it would be hard to keep Daniels off the roster. Beyond that, though, it gets difficult to justify a pure DH, although Braun, Stargell, and Cravath all have decent arguments.
#P
Pitching is, of course, a constant crapshoot, and a lot could change in the outings this week.
All pitchers are sorted by ERA.
#SP
This list has everyone with an ERA under 4.00 or 10 or more wins.
Name
Tm / Lg
W-L; ERA
Reg Stats
Other
Toad Ramsey
HOU / NL
11-4, 2.77
152 K; 0.89 WHIP; 5.2 WAR; 2.80 FIP
71% QS; 5 CG; 2 SHO; 2.34 SIERA; 1.7 WPA
Doc Gooden
LAA / AL
7-5, 3.17
Hardie Henderson
PHI/ NL
9-6, 3.18
Smokey Joe Williams
BRK / NL
7-7, 3.41
3.4 WAR
Ed Walsh
CAG / AL
6-3, 3.41
1.06 WHIP
Eddie Plank
SFS / AL
11-3, 3.54
Roger Clemens
HOU / NL
9-4, 3.71
65% QS
Lefty Grove
SFS / AL
10-4, 3.71
132 K
4 CG; 3 SHO; 2.87 SIERA
Johnny Cueto
IND / NL
8-4, 3.75
67% QS
Rube Foster
IND / NL
6-4, 3.80
Ron Guidry
NYY / AL
8-4, 3.86
143 K
2.58 SIERA
Orel Hershiser
BRK / NL
10-4, 3.87
Brett Anderson
LAA / AL
7-2, 3.91
1.06 WHIP
Andy Pettitte
NYY / AL
9-5, 4.05
Bump Hadley
SFS / AL
11-4, 4.21
3.50 FIP
Luis Padrón
IND / NL
11-2, 4.21
3.3 WA; 3.57 FIP
Frank Castillo
KCM / NL
10-1, 4.22
3 CG; 2 SHO
José Méndez
MCG / AL
6-4, 4.45
FIP = Fielding Independent Pitching | QS = Quality Starts | SIERA = Skill Interactive ERA | WPA = Win Probability Added
Right now, I would guess the starting matchup is Toad Ramsey for the NL and Eddie Plank for the AL.
Beyond that, in the AL, I see Gooden, Walsh, and Grove as easy picks. Guidry is likely in as well, leaving Anderson and Hadley on the bubble.
The NL is much harder to figure out. Henderson, Hershiser, Padrón, and Castillo feel like they deserve selections, with Williams having a very strong case as well. That would leave some excellent performances–Clemens and Cueto especially–on the outside looking in.
#Swingmen / Long Relivers
These are players who are either swing starters or have seen more innings than the finishers below. As is often the case, there are a few folks here who, for whatever the reason, took a while to be inserted into the rotation.
Name
Tm / Lg
W-L; ERA
Reg Stats
Other
A. Rube Foster
KCM/ NL
5-1, 2.30
0.98 WHIP
7 GS; 90 IP; 86% QS; 2 SHO; 1.0 WPA
Jim Whitney
BBB / NL
4-2, 3.26
1 Sv; 2 H; 1.03 WHIP
11 GS; 94 IP; 73% QS; 1.9 WPA
Tom Brewer
SFS / AL
0-1, 2.33
1 Sv; 2 H
2 GS; 27 IP
Fernando Valenzuela
BRK / NL
5-0, 2.37
1 Sv; 4 H; 0.96 WHIP
1 GS; 60 IP; 1.0 WPA
Rheal Cormier
NYY / AL
0-2, 6.03
11 H
FIP = Fielding Independent Pitching | QS = Quality Starts | SIERA = Skill Interactive ERA | WPA = Win Probability Added
Foster and Valenzuela seem clear selections, with Brewer and Cormier missing the cut and Whitney being on the bubble.
#Closers & Setups
20 IP Minimum, with a possible exception for Brian Wilson of the New York Gothams.
Name
Tm / Lg
W-L; ERA
Reg Stats
Other
Brian Wilson
NYG/ NL
1-0, 1.08
11 Sv
17 IP
Craig Kimbrel
KCM / NL
2-1, 1.14
2 Sv; 11 H; 0.89 WHIP
15 SD; 5.6 IRS%; 2.90 SIERA; 2.0 WPA
Harley Young
BBB / NL
1-0, 1.23
3 Sv; 5 H
Ron Robinson
SFS / AL
1-0, 1.64
3 Sv; 3 H
Ken Howell
SFS / AL
4-1, 1.72
1 Sv; 4 H
Robb Nen
NYG / NL
3-2, 1.95
9 Sv; 6 H
Eddie Guardado
KCM / NL
2-1, 2.08
1 Sv; 5 H
2.92 SIERA
Tug McGraw
HOU / NL
3-3, 2.16
7 Sv
Ross Reynolds
LAA / AL
2-0, 2.19
1 Sv; 1 H
Goose Gossage
NYY / AL
2-3, 2.32
9 Sv; 8 H
.90 Sv%
Lee Smith
HOD / NL
4-1, 2.73
5 Sv; 6 H; 0.73 WHIP
Eric Gagne
BRK / NL
1-1, 2.92
19 Sv
17 SD
Justin Hampson
BAL / AL
0-0, 3.00
7 H; 0.95 WHIP
Terry Adams
CLE / AL
1-2, 3.18
15 Sv; 2 H
.94 Sv%
Josh Lindblom
HOM / NL
4-2, 3.45
20 Sv
.95 Sv%; 16 SD; 1.3 WPA
Rod Beck
SFS / AL
3-2, 3.47
21 Sv; 0.73 WHIP
15 SD
Rob Murphy
IND / NL
1-3, 3.75
1 Sv; 11 H
Michael Jackson
HOM / NL
1-4, 4.13
1 Sv; 10 H
BJ Ryan
OTT / NL
1-2, 4.15
1 Sv; 10 H
Brad Kilby
PHI / NL
1-2, 4.39
2 Sv; 10 H
2.73 SIERA
Rob Dibble
IND / NL
2-2, 5.25
16 Sv
Jeff Pfeffer
KCM / NL
1-3, 5.61
16 Sv
FIP = Fielding Independent Pitching | QS = Quality Starts | SIERA = Skill Interactive ERA | WPA = Win Probability Added
A difficult set of choices for sure. Of the true closers, Gagne, Lindblom, and Beck seem locks, with Kimbrel, Young, Howell, Nen, McGraw, Gossage, and Smith deserving nods as well.
That would give the NL 7 selections, likely keeping Wilson from making the team. It would also give the AL only 3, opening the door for Adams and even Reynolds or Hampson.
