Summary
The Marvin Miller is a hard division. The Sea Lions are over .500, and within striking distance of Portland, but it will take some doing.
What’s Gone Right
REG-GIE REG-GIE. Those chants may turn into MVP MVP MVP by the end of the year. Reggie Jackson is threatening the triple crown and while that feels very unlikely, well, he’s got a shot.
The Rest of the Lineup. Bobby Bonds and AAA find Pedro Guerrero have OPS’ just under .900; Jimmy Bloodworth, Rickey Henderson, Jack Clark, and Wally Moon follow them without a real weak link.
High End Arms. Lefty Grove, Rod Beck, Ken Howell, Charlie Root, and Diego Seguí have all performed excellently in their roles.
What’s Gone Wrong
The Rest of the Arms. Jim Devlin and Cy Falkenberg have pitched themselves back to AAA, but it’s not clear who is there to replace them.
Achilles’ Heels. Henderson has 52 steals and an OBP around .400 … but little else. John Beckwith hits the ball as hard as anyone in the league … but only to a .700 OPS. Clark has power … but not much else. There are significant questions about many key contributors.
Shortstop. Dick Lundy solved this … and then he got hurt, putting San Francisco back in the hands of Eddie Joost, who has a good eye, some power, but cannot put it all together in a way that lifts his OPS over .600.
Key Storylines
Can the new players–Guerrero, Lundy, Seguí–keep up their torrid pace? And can a team likely to stay pat during the trading period improve in the second half?
The continued development of Grove bears watching, and the OF has storylines at all three spots: is Jackson’s triple crown pursuit for real? Can Henderson improve offensively to complement his unworldly base-stealing? And can Bonds continue to perform at a very high level?
Trading Outlook
HOLDING.
Bob Cerv and Moon could each move on in search of more playing time, but that’s about it.
AAA Shuttle
Guerrero and Seguí look to be true gems, as did Lundy before his injury, and both Cerv and Miguel Cairo have started very well. Overall, it’s been quite a success.
Midseason Changes
Falkenberg and Devlin head to AAA, with Nick Altrock coming back, as well as Dennis Eckersley, who struggled mightily to start the year with the big league club.
Awards
All Stars: Rod Beck (P); Lefty Grove (P); Rickey Henderson (LF); Ken Howell (P); Reggie Jackson (RF); Charlie Root (P).
Offensive MVP: Reggie Jackson (OF)
Pitching MVP: Lefty Grove (SP)
Down on the Farm
AAA: San Jose Bees
Next to the Show: P Nick Altrock, 2B Ron Hunt, 3B Sal Bando
Prospects: P Bump Hadley (21)
Projects: P Nick Altrock (28), 3B Sal Bando (25), Ron Hunt (29)
Suspects: P Rube Walberg (34)
AA: Atlantic City Bacharach Giants
Prospects: 1B Jimmie Foxx (20)
Projects: P Chad Gaudin (22), OF Dwayne Murphy (24), 2B Dick Green (23), SS Bill Russell (20), P Shawn Estes (35), RP Turk Wendell (28), RP Joe Klink (28), P Matt Barnes (25).
Suspects: C John Mizerock (22),