This game looks to be a bit of a mismatch: the sheer volume of talent on team USA is a bit overwhelming.
Tony Solaita of the World Team led off the inaugural Futures Game with a single up the middle off Bob Gibson, but a popout and a double play would end the inning without damage.
Fernando Valenzuela‘s opening frame didn’t go as well: Art Devlin singled and stole second, and then attempted to score on a base hit from Charlie Gehringer, but César Hernández‘ throw home was strong enough to nail him at the plate. Gehringer would score on a base-hit from Jimmie Foxx to put the USA up, 1-0.
Foxx was at it again in the bottom of the 3rd, scoring Devlin with a mammoth shot to left field, increasing the lead to 3-0.
Roberto Alomar greeted A. Rube Foster in the top of the 4th with a leadoff double. Alomar moved to third on a flyball to center by Shin-Soo Choo, and scored on a soft single from Sammy Sosa. Despite loading the bases, however, that was all the World team could muster, leaving the score 3-1.
Gehringer would drive in 2 more in the bottom of the frame upping the lead to 5-1.
And that would be it.
For the USA, Terry Forster, Frank Smith, Smokey Joe Williams, Jake Peavy, and Mike Adams combined for 5.1 innings of scoreless relief, while for the World, Steve Chitren, Jesse Crain, Moe Drabowsky, Arodys Vizcaíno, and Luiz Gohara closed the game without allowing a hit over the final 4 innings.
Foxx’s homerun and 3 RBIs were enough to walk away with the MVP Award, although Gehringer (2-for-4 with a run and 2 RBIs) and Devlin (2-for-2 with a run scored) each had an argument.
For the World, Tip O’Neill reached base 4 times, with 2 hits and 2 walks. It was a much worse day at the plate for Sosa and Hernández, each of whom struck out 3 times.
The idiotic choice by the AI to not select a catcher was impactful, as Abreu split time behind the plate with Jorge Orta, combining for 5 passed balls.
World 1 (Valenzuela 0-1) @ USA 5 (Maddux 1-0)
HRs: USA – Foxx (1).
Box Score
Roster Notes
The Wandering House of David and the Brooklyn Royal Giants each have 7 representatives in the game, and the Chicago American Giants have 5. Time will tell if that is an indicator of a strong talent pipeline or not.
Two of the players–the House of David’s Sosa and Los Angeles’ Carlos Beltrán–were traded over the all-star break. Both of them, along with San Francisco’s Sal Bando, Ottawa’s Alex Rodríguez and Roberto Alomar, and Birmingham’s Greg Maddux were recalled to the big leagues over the break.
Here are the full rosters, listing the level and WBL organization. Starters are listed in bold.
World Team Roster
Abreu was drafted in to catch, O’Neill as the DH, and López at 3B.
C: None. Whoops.
1B: Tip O’Neill (AA, Ottawa); Tony Solaita (AAA, Cleveland)
2B: Roberto Alomar (AAA, Ottawa); Jorge Orta (AA, Detroit)
3B: None, but both López and Hernández can play here.
SS: Luis Aparicio (AA, House of David); Bert Campaneris (AA, House of David, suspended); Jhonny Peralta (AAA, Indianapolis)
LF: Shin-Soo Choo (AAA, Houston)
CF: Carlos Beltrán (AA, Los Angeles); Héctor López (AA, New York Black Yankees); César A. Hernández (AA, Philadelphia)
RF: Bobby Abreu (AAA, Philadelphia); Willie Montañez (AA, Baltimore); Sammy Sosa (AAA, House of David)
P: José Capellán (AA, Memphis); Steve Chitrin (AAA, Brooklyn); Jesse Crain (AA, Ottawa); Víctor Cruz (AA, Chicago); Moe Drabowsky (AA, New York Gothams); Luiz Gohara (AAA, Memphis); Tom Harrison (AA, House of David); Fergie Jenkins (AAA, House of David); Sergio Valdéz (AA, Homestead); Fernando Valenzuela (AAA, Brooklyn); Arodys Vizcaíno (AA, Cleveland)
Team USA Roster
C: Cliff Lee (AAA, Portland); Mike Piazza (AAA, Brooklyn)
1B: Cap Anson (AA, House of David); Jimmie Foxx (AA, San Francisco)
2B: Charlie Gehringer (AAA, Detroit)
3B: Sal Bando (AAA, San Francisco); Art Devlin (AAA, New York Gothams)
SS: Ray Chapman (AA, Detroit); Alex Rodríguez (AAA, Ottawa)
LF: Bob Watson (AAA, Chicago)
CF: John Briggs (AA, Brooklyn); Kirby Puckett (AA, Portland)
RF: Dwight Evans (AAA, Memphis); Al Kaline (AAA, Detroit); Merv Rettenmund (AAA, Baltimore)
P: Mike Adams (AAA, Chicago); Terry Forster (AAA, Brooklyn); A. Rube Foster (AAA, Chicago); Bob Gibson (AAA, Kansas City); Greg Maddux (AAA, Birmingham); Jake Peavy (AAA, New York Black Yankees); Chris Short (AA, Brooklyn); Frank Smith (AAA, Chicago); Karl Spooner (AA, House of David); Smokey Joe Williams (AAA, Brooklyn).
