Summary
A great first half performance from the Cleveland Spiders, who are basically keeping pace with the Black Yankees in the Effa Manley Division, only 1.5 games behind.
What’s Gone Right
Big Ron. Ron Blomberg is a borderline MVP candidate, with an OPS over 1.000.
C/1B. The trio of John Ellis, Jake Stahl, and Louis Santop has been fantastic at those three positions. Santop’s 297/333/446 is the worst slash line of the three, and they have combined for 76 extra-base hits (including 29 homeruns). Ellis and Santop are very young (Santop is only 19).
Solid Starting. Only Cy Young has been excellent, but the rest of the Spiders’ starting pitching has been uniformly solid. Of the quartet of Pat Malone, Whit Wyatt, Bob Feller, and Bill Steen, the highest ERA is 4.82 and the highest WHIP is 1.32 (both Wyatt). It’s a testament to how far you can go as long as none of your starters are bad.
What’s Gone Wrong
Centerfield. Kenny Lofton has been decent since being handed the job, but the real story here is Larry Doby, whose .600 OPS has finally earned him a trip to AAA. Tris Speaker–yet to play after a gruesome injury in spring training–may return as an option.
Peanut & Office. Rowland Office shockingly won the LF job in the preseason, then collapsed to be replaced by another AAA callup, Peanuts Lowrey. Both Office and Lowery started insanely hot, and then fell hard.
The Hot Corner. The Spiders have tried Evan Longoria, Sammy Strang, Ken Keltner, and Casey Blake at third. Longoria has the job right now, but his OPS is in the mid .600s, which tells you just how bad the others have been.
Key Storylines
Are they for real–and if so, where they may end up if they can solve some of their weaknesses.
This has been a rotation that has survived with a variety of relatively unknown contributors–initially Hit Wyatt, but also Steen and Malone. The question is if that can continue.
Offensively, Blomberg has outperformed all expectations. If he can maintain anything close too that level, and if Ellis can as well, the Spiders could go far.
Trading Outlook
BUYERS.
Detroit finds themselves perhaps surprisingly high in the standings: they need to take advantage of the opportunity. The problem is they really have no established talent to move. There are some intriguing minor leaguers, but that’s about it.
AAA Shuttle
It hasn’t really worked so far, although it must be recognized that Office and Lowery did well before collapsing.
Midseason Changes
Johnny Bates takes over in LF, with Blomberg taking the field in right. This allows the Spiders to get Ellis in the lineup more reliably.
The 3B question remains unresolved–Keltner (who struggled with the big league club) has hit well at AA. But it’s AA.
Awards
All Stars: Terry Adams (P); Ron Blomberg (DH); Chuck Knoblauch (2B); Cy Young (P).
Player of the Month: Ron Blomberg (May)
Player of the Week: Ron Blomberg (5/1)
Offensive MVP: Ron Blomberg (OF)
Pitching MVP: Cy Young (SP)
Down on the Farm
AAA: Buffalo Bison
Next to the Show: There’s not a ton of help here as the better performers-Tony Solaita and Hal Trosky–are both primarily 1B.
Prospects: None, really.
Projects: 2B Bobby Knoop (27), OF Gibby Brack (30), C Andy Etchebarren (24), P Firpo Marberry (27), P Sudden Sam McDowell (24), OF Harry Stovey (25), 1B Tony Solaita (25), P Wade LeBlanc (23).
Suspects: SS Rick Burleson (33), P Willis Hudlin (27).
AA: Rochester Hustlers
Prospects: 3B Ken Keltner (22), 1B Charlie Grimm (20), RPs Arodys Vizcaíno (21) and Jae Kuk Ryu (23), SS Joe Sewell (22).
Projects: RP Balor Moore (19)
Suspects: OF Félix Pié (22), 2B Bill Wambsganss (25), OF Darrell Miller (26), OF Charlie Jamieson (33), SP Alex Cobb (31), P Wild Bill Widner (27)