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.

There is exactly one acceptable outcome in the Bronx, and it hasn’t changed since the day Babe Ruth first pulled on the pinstripes: a Whirled Championship. Year II delivered neither the parade nor the collapse — 90-72, a Bill James Division title, and a quick playoff exit. Progress on paper; but nothing meaningful in the trophy case.

What keeps the win-now posture from being empty bluster is the age of the core. Ruth is 26. Lou Gehrig is 24. Mickey Mantle 22. Of the offensive core, only Mike Schmidt (29) and Rogers Hornsby (34) have crossed the far side of 25 (!). This is the rare club that can demand a title this year and still expect to be great for a decade — which is exactly why the front office has never once flinched at trading the future to reinforce the present. There is no future, the board sneers, there is only now.

Welcome to my supervillain origin story …

2001 Revisited

We spent last spring insisting it was all about the bullpen, and that Ron Guidry would seize the ace role in front of a revived pen fronted by Aroldis Chapman. The universe, as it does, laughed: the bullpen remained the same slow-motion catastrophe it has been for multiple years, and Guidry never made the traditional leap either: he was excellent by every advanced metric and thoroughly ordinary by the ones on the scoreboard (11-7, 4.51, but second in the league with 251 K).

Two things made up for it. Andy Pettitte, acquired for the departed Albert Belle, quietly became the ace we’d wished onto Guidry (18-9, AL All-Star). And Ruth authored maybe the best offensive season in league history (hush you voices in Detroit and Pittsburgh) — 73 homers, 167 RBI, a 1.156 OPS, runner-up for the Mel Trench Award. We had fretted about regression from Munson, Davis, and Mantle; the regression that actually arrived came from the man we’d listed as trade bait, Derek Jeter, who, at 33, slid all the way to the bottom of the SS lists in the AL.

The eternal lesson for the Black Yankees: the stars carry you, the margins betray you, and the bullpen is simply a tax you pay every year.

Key Changes

In: Ed Charles (IND); Ted Lilly (FA); Tony Mullane (FA); Gaylord Perry (NYG); Joe Sewell (CLE); Robby Thompson (NYG)

Out: Aroldis Chapman (CLE); Grant Johnson (NYG); Dave Righetti (NYG); Jeff D Robinson (IND); Red Ruffing (FA)

Opening Day Rookies: Whitey Ford

Best Case for 2002

The back of the rotation finally coheres — Gaylord Perry, the winter import, gives them a genuine third starter, one of Whitey Ford or Tony Brizzolara steps forward, and Guidry’s peripherals at last catch up to his ERA. Gehrig and Mantle keep climbing, Ruth keeps being Ruth, and — dare we dream — the bullpen merely stops actively losing games rather than winning them (a burden that weighs heavy on designated closer Goose Gossage). That team runs away with the division and, for once, keeps winning past September.

Worst Case for 2002

Jeter’s collapse turns out to be contagious. The 33-year-old shortstop and the 34-year-old Hornsby both give out up the middle, Eric Davis misses another 50 games, and the rotation behind Pettitte and Guidry is a mishmash of below-average auditions. The pen does what the pen does. 90 wins becomes 78, and the only now mandate starts ringing increasingly hollow, as the rest of the universe cheers the decline.

Key Questions

• Who, exactly, plays shortstop? Jeter isn’t giving them enough to hold the job. Chapman was unloaded for Joe Sewell and Robby Thompson came over in the Perry trade, so look for a 3-man rotation for a while. This is the question most likely to shove New York back into the market the instant the trade window opens at the break.
• Is there a back of the rotation? Pettitte and Guidry are locks, and Perry was brought in to solidify behind them. After that it’s an untried rookie in Ford, the only slightly tried Brizzolara, and arms with nothing actually proven (Ted Lilly, Tony Mullane).
• Is Mattingly still a WBL first baseman? An .800-ish OPS doesn’t play at 1B, and Gehrig is standing right there. It’s not clear how long these 2 split the DH/1B role, but it’s also not clear who would take over.

Roster Evaluation

Tier = the player’s 2001 positional grade (S best → F worst; color coded S A B C D F). Bold names carry a substantive WBL track; italic names are pure projection — a hope, not a grade — with no qualifying track to anchor them.

4 bats as good as any in the league — Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Schmidt — and not much of anything else. And the quiet standout may be the one nobody talks about: Schmidt hit 45 homers with a .914 OPS and plays a real third base, the connoisseur’s Yankee the sharper fans prize precisely because the box-score crowd looks past him.

Talent Ratings

Best In The Minors

Others: OF Rich Coggins, IF John Kruk, P Noah Syndergaard, OF Jackie Warner.

Meh, who cares.

A year ago, this list ran 7 deep, almost all arms. Where did they go? Whitey Ford and Tony Brizzolara graduated into the back of the rotation; Jake Peavy, last spring’s No. 2, was the centerpiece headed to Portland for Rogers Hornsby; Carlos Rodón and Elliott Maddox were shipped out in other deals; and last year’s No. 1, Noah Syndergaard, has slid off the national board entirely (still only 22, throwing at AAA). What’s left is Charlie Irwin, a 24-year-old vaguely mediocre looking shortstop.

New York still owns the worst farm system in the league by a distance.

Superlatives

Stats across all levels, 2001 season. 200 PA / 75 IP minimum. Non-WBL levels tagged in parentheses.

The Gothams are the 3rd team in their own city, behind a Brooklyn club that just won it all and the rich/arrogant Yankees up the road. 2001 was a wake-up call — after winning 87 games, they plummeted to 75-87 and last in the Effa Manley Division, 24 games back.

The top of the roster is not the problem. Willie Mays hit 49 home runs at 24 and was worth 4.4 wins. Buster Posey hit 39 from behind the plate and was worth 4.2. Will Clark put up a .952 OPS, Johnny Callison hit 39 more, and all 4 are 24 to 29 years old.

The problem is … well … everything else. Shortstop gave New York 442 plate appearances of 221/268/381. Third base needed 7 different men before Jim Ray Hart claimed it in the 2nd half, and it’s not like he set the world on fire. Left field was a hole until Don Buford was bought at the deadline, and Jimmy Sheckard, a 4-WAR outfielder in 2000, hit .172 in the WBL and finished the year at Triple-A.

And the rotation wasn’t much better — Christy Mathewson keeps giving both ace potential and thoroughly average performances, and the bullpen — the pride of the club in 2000 — was showing its age. So the Gothams tore it all down (which may mean, panicked uncontrollably, or may mean made a smart investment in their future).

Juan Marichal, Robb Nen, Troy Percival and Steve Howe all went out at the deadline; then, in January, the Gothams sent Gaylord Perry — its own 2001 WAR leader — up the road to the Yankees for HR Johnson, Dave Righetti, a 1st-round pick and a 3rd. Johnson is an infielder, and may offer some long-sought-after stability there.

▌ 2001 Revisited

We asked for a deep playoff run, much like last year, and added a note about the Gothams’ habit of trading away all their damn picks. They went 75-87.

The worst case we sketched was that the bullpen falters, and only Matty remains viable as a starter while everyone not named Mays and Posey struggles offensively. That was close, and still too kind. The bullpen didn’t falter so much as get sold for parts. Mays and Posey did carry the offense. And Mathewson was the one who faltered.

Which is where 2001 gets strange. Mathewson went 7-16 with a 5.61 ERA, and he was the best pitcher on the staff: 210 innings, 207 strikeouts, 4.0 WAR at 22, a figure that actually rose from the year he led the league in wins. Don Sutton went 17-8 with a 5.23 and was worth 1.9. Same rotation, same season, 2 records that just add to the lack of internal clarity.

The best case wanted Perry or Marichal to step forward and join Mathewson among the league’s elite. Perry did have a decent year — a 1.13 WHIP across 211 innings, but went packing when the Black Yankees came knocking. Benny Kauff, who the preview wondered how they’d find at-bats for, found them, made the All-NL 2nd Team, and was traded in March.

A lot of churn. But it’s not clear the Gothams are any better.

▌ Key Changes

In: Grant Johnson (NYY); Dale Murphy (KAN); Dave Righetti (NYY)

Out: Dellin Betances (FA); Benny Kauff (KAN); Tony Mullane (FA); Gaylord Perry (NYY); Robby Thompson (NYY)

Opening Day Rookies: Santiago Casilla; Dick Dietz; George Jeffcoat; Doggie Miller; Buck O’Brien; Vito Tamulis; Masahiro Tanaka

▌ Best Case for 2002

The middle fills in. HR Johnson, 26, takes second base and hits the way he did in Houston; Hart holds third; Brandon Crawford finds enough of a bat to go with the glove, or somebody takes the job from him. That alone is worth several wins, because the 4 men at the top are already producing at a playoff standard.

Mathewson’s record catches up to his arm. Righetti, 24 and coming off a 2.5-WAR season in the Bronx, gives the rotation a 2nd real starter, and Pete Donohue — 22, a 3.61 across 120 innings at Triple-A and a NL 21 & Under Team pick — turns his September look into a rotation spot.

And the bullpen rebuilds itself from inside. Brian Wilson is still an elite closer when healthy, George Jeffcoat saved 32 games at Hartford, Santiago Casilla was untouchable there. So perhaps the identity returns.

▌ Worst Case for 2002

Johnson is the latest name on a long list. New York has spent 3 years betting on the undervalued bat — Pinky Higgins, John Kerins, Matt Williams, Pete Runnels, Carl Furillo, Wes Westrum — and the bets keep landing in the same unremarkable middle. If Johnson doesn’t hit, the club will have sold its best pitcher to the richest team in its own city for another meh return.

Mathewson doesn’t take the step, Sutton’s ERA finally catches his record, and the rotation behind them is a 26-year-old with a 5.75 and a set of Triple-A arms. Dale Murphy hit .193 in Kansas City last year and is the insurance in center. Crawford keeps the shortstop job by default. A 75-win team wins 75 games again.

▌ Key Questions

• Does HR Johnson hit? He is 26, he plays the position New York has needed for 3 years, and he cost the club a pitcher who had just led it in WAR. Johnson produces and the trade is the cleverest thing the Gothams have done. Get him wrong and it is an all-too-familiar mistake.
• Will the real Matty please stand up? He has now led the league in wins and, a year later, in losses, with his WAR going up in between. Read that again. At 22 with 207 strikeouts he has every ingredient of a front-line starter and a 5.61 to explain away. The org has never been sure whether it has an ace or a very good innings-eater. It would be nice to know.
• Can the left side of the infield be fixed from inside? Shortstop and third combined for less production than most clubs get from a single player. Johnson will swing across these positions, but someone else needs to contribute here as well.

▌ Roster Evaluation

Tier = the player’s 2001 positional grade (S best → F worst; color coded S A B C D F). Bold names carry a substantive WBL track; italic names are pure projection — a hope, not a grade — with no qualifying track to anchor them.

Dick Dietz was among the better backup bats in the league, which on most rosters is a luxury and on this one is a way to get a real hitter into a lineup that runs out of them by the 6th spot. And Mike Norris, 37 and the club’s Fan Favorite, is almost certainly taking his last lap — which may be cut off early, as age catches up with the 2000 Reliever of the Year in the WBL.

▌ Talent Ratings

▌ Best In The Minors

Graduated to the active roster since the ranked list: Masahiro Tanaka (77).

Others: IF Carlos Baerga, IF Alvin Davis, IF Howard Johnson, OF Tully Hartsel.

3 names on the ranked list, and the Gothams know exactly how it got that way — last year’s preview asked them to stop trading away all their damn picks, and they spent 2001 trading more of them. Amos Rusie is the exception and a real one: 18 years old and 27th in all of baseball.

Underneath, the system is infielders the club is hoping into relevance. Carlos Baerga, 19, came from Kansas City in the Kauff deal; Howard Johnson and Davey Johnson arrived from Homestead for Marichal and Nen. At least the January trade brought back picks instead of spending them.

▌ Superlatives

Stats across all levels, 2001 season. 200 PA / 75 IP minimum. Non-WBL levels tagged in parentheses.

For complete statistics, poke around on the WBL Stats Page.

Batting Statistics

2+ 3B Games

3+ 2B Games

3. Lou Gehrig (NYY); Grant Johnson (NYG); Al Kaline (DET); JD Martinez (DET); Jackie Robinson (BRK); Robin Yount (MCG).

3+ HBP Games

3. Melky Cabrera (BBB).

3+ HR Games

3. Gary Carter (OTT); Oscar Charleston (IND); Lou Gehrig (NYY); Rogers Hornsby (NYY).

3+ OF Assists

4+ BB Games

4+ CS Games

4+ Run Games

4. Oscar Charleston (IND); Roy White (BKR); Ted Williams (MEM).

4+ SB Games

5+ Hit Games

6. Rogers Hornsby (NYY).
5. Dan Brouthers (BRK); Charles Rogan (PHI).

5+ SO Games

5. Lou Gehrig (NYY); Evan Longoria (CLE).

6+ RBI Games

8. Lou Gehrig (NYY); Rogers Hornsby (NYY).
6. Gary Carter (OTT).

Cycles

Longest HRs

{ OOTP has, for a long time had a problem with surreally long HR distances. So we threw math at it–these distances are modified based on the game’s projected exit velocity, which puts a cap on how far the ball could actually travel. Far more realistic. }

510. Chuck Klein (POR).
497. Willie Mays (NYG).
495. Duke Snider (BRK); Willie Stargell (HOM).
490. Rogers Hornsby (NYY).
485. Buster Posey (NYG); Anthony Rizzo (HOD); Ted Williams (MEM).
484. Don Buford (NYG).
481. Andrew Payne (PHI).
480. Ted Williams (MEM).
475. Jim Ray Hart (NYG).
472. Eric Davis (NYY).

Pitching Statistics

80+ Game Scores

90. Whitey Ford (NYY).
89. Waite Hoyt (CAG); Mickey Welch (KAN).
88. Christy Mathewson (NYG).
87. Old Hoss Radbourn (OTT).
85. Smokey Joe Wood (KAN).
84. Steve Carlton (PHI); José Méndez (MCG).
83. Walter Johnson (POR).
82. Walter Johnson (POR); JM Ward (PHI).
81. Bill Byrd (BBB).
80. Watty Clark (SFS).

10+ Strikeout Games

16. Sid Fernandez (DET).
13. Bob Feller (CLE); Lefty Grove (SFS); Christy Mathewson (NYG); Walter Johnson (POR).
12. Lefty Gomez (BBB); Lefty Grove (SFS); Ron Guidry (NYY); Waite Hoyt (CAG); Pat Malone (CLE); Dick Redding (BRK); Jim Whitney (MCG); Smokey Joe Williams (BRK).
11. Steve Carlton (PHI); Bob Feller (CLE); Ned Garvin (BAL); Bump Hadley (SFS); Hardie Henderson (PHI); Walter Johnson (PR); Joseíto Muñoz (POR); Luis Padrón (IND); Charlie Root (DET); Bob Shawkey (KAN); Bill Steen (CLE); Smokey Joe Williams (BRK).
10. Don Drysedale (MEM); Ned Garvin (BAL); Cole Hamels (MCG); Connie Johnson (DET); Walter Johnson x2 (POR); Pat Malone (CLE); Christy Mathewson (NYG); Toad Ramsey (HOU); Sam Streeter x2 (CAG); Fernando Valenzuela (BRK); Justin Verlander (DET); Jim Whitney x2 (MCG); Smokey Joe Wood x2 (KAN); Cy Young (CLE).

8+ Walk Games

8. Hardie Henderson (PHI).

Shutouts

1 Hit. Mark Buehrle (CAG, 6 IP); Whitey Ford (NYY).
2 Hit. Old Hoss Radbourn (OTT); Mickey Welch (KAN).

Shutouts (Combined)

1 Hit. Old Hoss Radbourn / Kevin Gross / Ryan Dempster / Billy Koch (OTT).
3 Hits. David Price / Babe Adams (HOM, 7 IP); Charlie Root / Dick Donovan / Jason Frasor / Troy Percival (DET); Dave Righetti / George Jeffcoat / Vito Tamulis / Brian Wilson (NYG); Whitey Ford / Hoyt Wilhelm / Goose Gossage (NYY); Jock Menefee / Jeff Reardon / Lee Smith (KAN); Pete Donohue / Masahiro Tanaka / Kent Tekulve / Brian Wilson (NYG; 10 IP); Bump Hadley / Charlie Ferguson (SFS); Watty Clark / Joe Nathan (SFS); Waite Hoyt / AJ Minter (CAG).
4 Hits. Mel Harder / Whit Wyatt / Ron Reed / Aroldis Chapman / Terry Adams (CLE); Brett Anderson / Jimmy Key / Dellin Betances / Karl Spooner / Ed Bauta (HOD); Toad Ramsey / Jim Kern / Billy Wagner / Tug McGraw (HOU); Smokey Joe Wood / Lee Smith (KAN); Randy Johnson / Kevin Gross / BJ Ryan (OTT); Tony Brizzolara / Tony Mullane / Rheal Cormier / Goose Gossage (NYY).
5 Hits. Cy Young / Ron Reed / Cory Gearrin (CLE); Greg Maddux / Kerry Ligtenberg / Bruce Chen / Akinori Otuska / Harley Young (BBB); Waite Hoyt / Wilbur Wood / Will Smith (CAG); Joseíto Muñoez / John Wetteland (POR); Gaylord Perry / Hoyt Wilhelm (NYY).

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

#Chicago American Giants

Looking to bolster their competition at SS, Chicago signed Jay Bell to a one year deal.

More importantly, in late February, the American Giants got some good news on Frank Thomas, with the medical staff now saying he could be looking at a May return.

#Kansas City Monarchs

Signed Jeff Reardon to help in their bullpen.

Draft pick Chris Carpenter refused to sign with the Monarchs, so back into the draft pool he goes, and Kansas City will get a compensation pick.

#New York Black Yankees

Giancarlo Stanton refused to sign, so the Yankees will get a compensation pick. More importantly, this potentially scuttles a deal with the Gothams to obtain Gaylord Perry. We’ll see what the two sides can work out.

#Portland Sea Dogs

Added FA IF Lonny Frey to the MI mix–at $550k for 1 year, this is a low-risk move to try to find some stability at 2B.

Trades

These are all fallout from the Rookie Draft that were contingent on draft picks signing. The blockbuster here is how NYY’s win-now posture led to what could be a major reshaping of their roster.

The Big One

NYG sends P Gaylord Perry, IF Robbie Thompson to NYY for P Dave Righetti, IF Grant Johnson, 1st Round Pick, and 3rd Round Pick.

It’s a lot to give up. But the Black Yankees get a solid #3 starter, clear room for Hardy Richardson to play, and, as they are wont to do, further mortgage their future.

A Three Way

This was really just to resolve some errors in the draft itself. All low level noise.

KAN sends P Tex Pruitt, P Fred Holdsworth to DET for P Jakie May.
DET sends P Tex Pruitt, P Fred Holdsworth to MEM for C Billy Sullivan, P John Healy.

Gant Comes Home

BBB sends OF Yoenis Céspedes, P Ed Hanyzewski to HOD for SS Ron Gant.

Interesting deal. Gant, of course, doesn’t stay at SS, and Céspedes may impact HOD immediately.

More Noise

MCG sends P Jing Johnson to SFS for 2B Joe Dunand, P Kevin Kobel.

Housekeeping.

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.

In this post, we’ll slowly carve people off those lists as we get younger, beginning with the under 25’s. As we get younger, future potential will begin to be more of a thing.

A full lineup, with DH, plus 3 starters and 3 relievers for each. We’ll start by relisting the overall selections, then new entries for each group will be bolded.

#WBL Teams of the Year

#WBL 25 & Under Teams

#WBL 23 & Under Teams

300 PA Minimums for batters, with 1 exception: Murray only had 145 PAs–1B in the AL just did not have a lot of youth.

#WBL 21 & Under

All praises to Ty Cobb, Josh Gibson, and Oscar Charleston for remaining on the list this far. The relievers dip into some rarely used arms, but of the rest, only Freddie Lindstrom was a late-season callup.

There really isn’t an all-teenager team: the only change from the teens above would be the addition of Chicago’s Cristóbal Torriente, perhaps the worst offensive player in the league this year in CF, but surprisingly effective in a few mound appearances.

One more, largely for fun

#WBL Over 30 Team

Only 3 names from the All-League Teams (Baily, Konerko, and Lee Smith), reflecting on just how young the league is. This is a very wide range from some very strong performers who are expected to keep it up for a while (those 3, Pettitte, Hornsby, some others) to folks like Dave Henderson and Kiki Cuyler, who are just barely hanging onto their roster spots.

This is everyone who qualified for the ERA crown, plus a heaping handful of others who made at least 10 starts during the season. If a player had less than 162 innings, they are (a) probably knocked down a tier and (b) their name is prefaced by a * and italicized.

We’ve leaned on valuing IP in these rankings, perhaps a bit too much. But these are your starters, and they need to show up, game after game. It also means the Tiers are a little different: there are D-Tier pitchers here that you would welcome at the back end of your rotation, and it’s really only some of them, and the F Tier, that are truly an issue.

Our usual practices prevail: bold for top 3 and italics for bottom 3. Pitchers with below 162 IP aren’t included in the top/bottom markers.

#S Tier

Just look at all that bold.

It’s been these 3 all year, and there’s a hair’s breadth between them. The analytics like Toad Ramsey, but Luis Padrón‘s record is stunning and while his ERA crown came by the absolute thinnest of margins, it did come.

Knuckleballers are always a bit unpredictable season-to-season, and it may very well be that A. Rube Foster has the best career of these three. But great things are expected of each of them.

#A Tier

Lefty Grove and Smokey Joe Williams each have an argument to move up a tier, but are held back, Grove’s instance by his ERA, in Williams’ by his record. Still, they are the class of this group.

If José Méndez hadn’t led the league in innings, he would probably drop down a level, but we’re nitpicking: these are staff aces on most teams. Note that Miami, Brooklyn, and Kansas City already have 2 pitchers each on this list.

#B Tier

Hardie Henderson, Roger Clemens, and perhaps Eddie Plank (but that would be giving an awful lot of weight on 20 victories) could all be nudged up, but I’m comfortable with this. These are all front of rotation hurlers, with the only real surprise being Brett Anderson, who quietly excelled in a difficult year for Los Angeles. Ed Walsh, last year’s Rookie of the Year, avoided the sophomore slump entirely.

If you’re looking for skepticism, both Ice Box Chamberlain (due to age) and Kyle Peterson (due to coming out of nowhere) are decent bets to regress.

#C Tier

Gaylord Perry and JM Ward were perhaps the unluckiest pitchers in the league this year: a bit of good fortune, and either could be several tiers above. If anyone is ranked too highly, it’s probably Bill Steen. There are a lot of names here that could easily take a step forward–Steve Carlton, Don Drysdale, and Walter Johnson especially.

Sandy Koufax blossomed in the bullpen after losing his rotation spot, but Brooklyn is likely to try him again as a starter next season.

Joe Rogan is just a remarkable talent. Everyone else here has great value solely from being on the mound: add Rogan’s bat and … yoikes.

#D Tier

There are some absolute conundrums here. Greg Maddux‘s issues are obvious in the final column: his BABIP is top-3 in the league, showing just how good his stuff is. But he has to keep the ball in the ballpark. At least once in a while.

Christy Mathewson and Cy Young seem like they could do more than be massive inning eaters, but they need to be harder to hit to make the jump forward. But pitching is weird: Jack Taylor and Gerrit Cole (see below) were among the best on the mound last season, and struggled mightily this.

Bob Feller would warrant a bump as well with a few more solid starts.

#F Tier

Most of these issues are clear: too many homeruns, too many walks, way too many runners on the basepaths. Maybe Old Hoss Radbourn could argue to be one tier up. Maybe.

Other than that, it must be said there is a ton of talent here: Roy Oswalt, Tom Seaver, and Justin Verlander jump out as most likely to bounce back next year.

It must be said there are probably 2 dozen more names that could be listed in the F Tier. Check out the individual team maps as they are published for those, but suffice to say that, when a pitcher goes down in flames in the WBL, they burn awfully bright.

#Brooklyn Royal Giants

Dickie Thon was recalled from a rehab assignment, along with Dick Redding, Eric Karros, and Raúl Mondesi. With Brooklyn having clinched the pennant, look for Karros and Jim Gentile to platoon at 1B, and for Redding to get a few starts in the final 2 weeks of the season.

Redding pitched well in his first start, but wasn’t around for the decision in a 5-4, 12 inning win over Kansas City. Ron Cey went deep twice, as the victory went to Trevor Hildenberger, who improved to 6-2 on the year.

With Dan Brouthers‘ return from injury, Karros was returned to the minors.

John Briggs hit 2 out, giving him 30 on the year, as the Royal Giants beat the Gothams, 7-6 in 10 innings.

#Homestead Grays

David Price will miss most of the reset of the season with young Tim Lincecum being recalled for a few more WBL innings.

#New York Gothams

Despite a decent showing in his last outing, the Gothams sent Guy Hecker down to take a look at young Masahiro Tanaka, who impressed all season at AA.

While Christy Mathewson and Gaylord Perry may each get a start or 2 as the year winds down, the Gothams are looking at the last 2 weeks as a time to audition arms for next year. With that in mind, OFs George Van Haltren and Ben Oglivie were traded out for Wally Berger and Fred Lewis.

Benny Kauff hit 2 out and Tanaka had a solid debut as the Gothams edged Homestead, 8-7.

#Ottawa Mounties

Clark Griffith was sent back to the minors, allowing the Mounties to take a look at Billy Koch, who has a chance at a bullpen role next year.

Larry Walker‘s magnificent season may be over, as the OF/1B with a near 1.000 OPS heads to the DL. Mike Sharperson was recalled from AAA for the final 10 days of the season.

Max Scherzer strained a hamstring, landing the young right-hander on the 60 Day DL. Chris Bosio was recalled for the final week.

#Philadelphia Stars

With AAA club Norfolk being knocked out of the playoffs, the Stars recalled Ps Don Newcombe and John Burkett, IFs Jung Ho Kang and Harmon Killebrew, C Sherm Lollar, and OF Odúbel Herrera.

Harry Hooper–who has struggled since joining the Stars–will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury. Rafael Palmiero was recalled, creating even more of a logjam at 1B for the Stars.

With Bill Gatewood‘s return from injury, Burkett was returned to the minors.

Newcombe made a statement in his first start of the year, twirling a 3-hit, complete game shutout of Ottawa. Powered by a grandslam from Scott Rolen as well as homeruns from Aaron Judge and Chase Utley, the Stars rolled to a 7-0 win. Newcombe fanned 7 and didn’t walk anyone, showing the promise that made him so highly rated before a disastrous season last year when he led the WBL in losses. Perhaps now, on his 3rd franchise, the 31 year old is finally set to deliver.

HOME PAGE | ROSTER | POSITIONAL STRENGTH | LEADERS

This is what happens when you struggle to hit with mediocre pitching. While a monstrous close to the season could maybe possibly see the Gothams edging into the playoffs, really, this year is toast for them.

THE OFFENSE

There are a few very high end highlights, and a couple feel-good stories. But … it needs to get better across the board.

#What’s Going Right

Willie Mays is a spectacular talent: power, speed, defense, and at 24, coming into his prime. He leads the Gothams in homeruns, RBI, R, and (for batting qualifiers) OPS.

Buster Posey‘s raw numbers trail Mays, but he’s a catcher, and an OPS over .900 from a solid backstop is remarkable. He’s backed up by Dick Dietz, who may be the best offensively performing backup catcher in the league.

Last years AAA MVP, Benny Kauff, has stepped right into a WBL role, sitting 2nd on the team in most offensive rates.

Will Clark has emerged as an excellent 1B, with an OPS around .950.

Larry Doyle has exploded this year, outpacing even Mays with most of his rate stats. Doyle is 35, so he may not be a long-term solve there, but he’s been a revelation.

3B has been an issue for the Gothams all year, but it feels like Jim Ray Hart may have claimed it moving forward.

#What’s Not Going Right

The rest of the lineup is essentially a mess. LF and SS are weak, and the people that have been run through those, plus 2B and 3B before the emergence of Doyle and Hart, have been ridiculously bad. Jo-Jo Moore, Terry Turner, Pete Runnels, Eugenio Suárez, George Van Haltren, Ryan Zimmerman, Steve Kemp, Carl Furillo … none of them could stick with the WBL club.

THE PITCHING

There was such potential here. You have the rotation anchored by Christy Mathewson, Gaylord Perry, and Don Sutton, and one of the best bullpens in the league, led by Brian Wilson, but also featuring Mike Norris.

It didn’t work out: Mathewson has been shockingly mediocre, Perry and Sutton merely good, Norris is showing signs of age, and Wilson spent a fair bit of time on the DL.

#What’s Going Right

Brian Wilson is excellent, a true shutdown closer at the end of the bullpen, and he looks fully recovered from his earlier injury.

Mike Norris, while not as incandescent as last year, has been excellent behind Wilson.

Gaylord Perry has excellent peripheral numbers despite a mediocre win/loss record and ERA.

#What’s Not Going Right

Mathewson hasn’t been outright bad, and, as always, he chews up innings. But a 7-14 record and an ERA in the mid 5.00’s is not what the Gothams expect from him.

The back end of the rotation has been a mess, with Rube Waddell, Carl Hubbell, and others all sort of stumbling through their opportunities.

The much traveled Kent Tekulve has done well with the Gothams, but is insisting on pursuing free agency, so his signing ends up not mattering much for the team overall.

THE FARM SYSTEM

TOP PROSPECTS | MINOR LEAGUE SYSTEM

The system is ranked dead last, but may not actually be that bad. There is some high level talent, especially in OF Kyle Tucker and 3B Howard Johnson and Sean Burroughs. On the mound, William VanLandingham and Masahiro Tanaka have some upside as well.

OK, maybe it is that bad.

WHAT’S NEEDED

A general upgrade of talent to surround the stars and the stars–especially Mathewson–stepping forward.

Storylines to Watch

Key Questions from Spring Training

• Like so many other teams, the rotation is key. Yes.
• The infield feels fragile, so how that plays out will bear watching. Yes. Fragile is an interesting word–they certainly broke apart.
• How will the Gothams get PA’s for Benny Kauff? Quite easily as the fulltime DH became the answer.

FEATURED SERIES

We’ll focus on the 3 game matchup with the House of David, only becuase, if the Gothams can sweep this series, they may actually have some Wild Card hopes.

Projected Starters

House of David starter listed first.

Jack Taylor (10-10, 6.07) @ Christy Mathewson (7-14, 5.36)
Bob Rush (10-7, 5.28) @ Gaylord Perry (11-12, 4.99)
CC Sabathia (5-11, 5.77) @ Don Sutton (15-7, 5.01)

These are unlikely to be the actual starters as both teams are auditioning rotation candidates as the season winds down.

Game One

Game 1 of this series which may determine the fate of the House of David this year. Both teams trot out their struggling aces–Jack Taylor for the House of David and Christy Mathewson for the Gothams.

Anthony Rizzo gave the House of David the lead in the first with his 24th homer of the year. Ernie Banks tripled and scored on a single from Ryne Sandberg, doubling the lead to 2-0. After Jim Edmonds scored on a passed ball, Rizzo did it again, this time with a 3 run shot. Banks followed with a solo shot of his own, making it 7-0.

Davey Johnson plated a run in the bottom of the 2nd, but there was still a long way to go.

Matty didn’t make it out of the 3rd, chased from the mound by Jim Edmonds‘ 18th of the year, replaced by Guy Hecker.

More runs were scored, but this was a rout. The only real drama was if Rizzo–who launched his 3rd of the game earlier–would become the 2nd player in WBL history to hit 4 in a game. He had 2 chances, but neither resulted in a homerun. Still, Rizzo had himself a day: 5 hits, 5 RBIs, and 4 runs scored. Sandberg added 4 hits and 4 RBIs.

Bob Shaw and Karl Spooner were solid in relief of Taylor, while the less said about the Gothams’ efforts from the mound, the better.

HOD 15 (Taylor 11-10) @ NYG 6 (Mathewson 7-15)
HRs: HOD – Rizzo 3(26), Banks (55), Edmonds (18), Sandberg (38), Stone (13); NYG – Thompson (2), Buford (8), Terry (4).
Box Score

Game Two

Bob Rush will take on Gaylord Perry in game 2.

Johnny Callison‘s 32nd homerun of the year put the Gothams in front 1-0 in the bottom of the 2nd, and his 33rd doubled the lead in the 4th.

Perry was sailing into the 5th, until a couple hit batters loaded the bases and Anthony Rizzo delivered a 2 run single to right, tying the game.

New York pulled into the lead again via a 2 run homerun from Buster Posey. A double from Willie Mays chased Rush. His relief, Ferguson Jenkins, got 2 quick outs, but gave up a double to Bill Terry, plating Mays and making it a 5-2 game.

Perry got 2 outs in the 7th before walking Richie Hebner. He had a good outing, fanning 10 and allowing only the 2 runs.

Ben Oglive, mired in one of the worst starts to a WBL career we’ve seen, went deep for his first career homerun for the final margin of victory. So, a split to the series, with a deciding game 3 on tap.

HOD 2 (Rush 10-8) @ NYG 6 (Perry 12-12; Waddell 3 H)
HRs: HOD – none; NYG – Callison 2 (33), Posey (35), Oglivie (1).
Box Score

Game Three

A win for the Gothams would pull them to within 3 games of the Wild Card spot, so there is still a bit to play for here.

CC Sabathia will take the mound for the House of David while New York will turn to Pete Donohue, giving him his 4th start of the season.

Buster Posey, Willie Mays, and Will Clark each took Sabathia deep in the home first, giving New York an early 3-0 lead. Mark McGwire got one back in the 2nd, but Donohue worked out of a jam, escaping with the 3-1 lead.

Robby Thompson launched one in the 2nd with a runner on, extending the edge to 5-1.

Sabathia settled down, but the damage was done. Donohue lasted into the 7th, and the combination of Aaron Loup, Santiago Casilla, and Brian Wilson kept the House of David under wraps.

HOD 2 (Sabathia 5-12) @ NYG 5 (Donohue 3-1; Wilson 19 Sv; Loup 1 H)
HRs: HOD – McGwire (21); NYG – Posey (36), Mays (45), Clark (30), Thompson (3).
Box Score

While a sweep would have been nice, taking 2 out of 3 keeps New York in the running for the Wild Card, leaving that position no clearer than before.