Minors (Rookie Ball)
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 25
|
1926
Preseason predictions from the media had Pittsburgh and Cleveland as projected league champions. The top ten prospect list was led by Los Angeles' Jimmie Foxx and also included P Danny MacFayden (Los Angeles), P Jumbo Elliott (Los Angeles), P Bob Osborn (St. Louis), OF Babe Herman (St. Louis), OF Mel Ott (Baltimore), P Bump Hadley (New York), P Jim Brillheart (Boston), P Ownie Carroll (St. Louis) and OF Paul Waner of Chicago.
St. Louis opened the year trading OF Denver Grigsby, a .310 hitter, to Pittsburgh for 3B Russ Wrightstone. Cleveland traded starting OF Irish Meusel and OF Carr Smith to Pittsburgh for pitcher Howard Ehmke.
Through the trading deadline there were close pennant races going on - at the end of July the Eastern League had Philadelphia leading Boston by 2, with Pittsburgh struggling stay alive six games back. In the Central, Chicago had a half game lead on Cleveland with Los Angeles two and a half back. Babe Ruth continued to dominate the headlines, with 24 home runs at that point, 15 more than his closest competitor. By the end of August Philadelphia had pulled away to an eight game lead over Boston, 8.5 over New York and 9 over Pittsburgh so the East looked like it might be locked up. The Central wasn't as close either, down to a two team race with Cleveland up three and a half on Chicago.
Philadelphia ended up winning the East by 7.5 games, with much of the credit going to off-season acquisition Jim Bottomley (323-9-83). The Minutemen had one of the league's best outfields with Harry Heilman (304-6-65), Bibb Falk (316-5-60) and Taylor Douthit (309-2-40). Sam Gray (15-13, 3.29) and Jesse Haines (18-13, 3.54) led the rotation while Red Lewis (6-3, 2.01, 16 saves) and John Slappey (2-0, 1.20) were nearly unhittable out of the bullpen. Boston finished second, led by the league's best middle infield - Pie Traynor (350-4-99) and Eddie Collins (342-5-68).They had an excellent bullpen but not enough in the rotation to challenge the Minutemen. Pittsburgh fell short of expectations, though outfielders Al Simmons (314-11-76) and Hack WIlson (288-12-71) did their part. The Grays' Herb Pennock (13-8, 2.83) was one of the league's best starters but then was lost for the last two months with an injury and fellow starters Guy Bush and Stan Coveleski also had injury issues. New York had plenty of offense, including EL HR champ Lou Gehrig (303-14-79). He received ample support from Mickey Cochrane (333-4-72), Kiki Cuyler (337-12-72), Tony Lazzeri (275-9-67), Goose Goslin (295-8-63) and Cy Williams (316-9-59), not to mention Ben Paschal who hit .313 with six homers filling in for an injured Goslin. Once Dutch Leonard (6-6, 2.70) was traded to Detroit the Titans didn't really have an effective starter. Baltimore finished a distant fifth, winning only 35% of their games. Outside of RF Curt Walker (341-3-67) their only real threats were aging outfielders Tris Speaker and Baby Doll Jacobson.
In the Central, Cleveland continued to terrorize opponents. Ruth (340-34-112) had a huge year and Ty Cobb (330-5-61), Joe Judge (334-1-41) and Bob Fothergill (391-1-32) all hit for high averages. Chicago, as fitting a team called the Aces, led the Central in starters ERA, thanks to Burleigh Grimes (12-8, 3.12) and George Uhle (13-13, 3.34). Rookie OF Paul Waner crushed pitching all year (350-4-71, including the season's only cycle) with some able support from Bob Meusel (283-8-60) and 2B Spencer Adams (357). Los Angeles finished last in several pitching categories, undoing fine offensive work done by Zack Wheat (329-5-62), Frankie Frisch (311-3-57), Bill Terry (331-8-55) and rookie Jimmie Foxx (298-5-63). Detroit led the CL in batting average, thanks to league leader Heinie Manush (363-10-71) and SS Buddy Myer (358-4-54). The Iron Horses also got big years from Ken WIlliams, whose 36-year old bat still generated 14 homers and a .288 average, and RF Chick Hafey (322-11-58). The once proud St. Louis franchise finished last for the third straight year. Losing Rogers Hornsby (333-5-32) to a hamstring injury for much of the season didn't help. Harry Rice (306-5-67) and Babe Herman (317-7-63) had nice years for the Spirit and the pitching, led by trade pickup Lefty Williams, was solid, but the lineup needed a lot of work.
The 1926 Championship Series opened in Philadelphia and Cleveland's Jimmy RIng pitched a gem for the Spiders, allowing just one run over nine innings. Babe Ruth's third inning grand slam provided all the offense the Spiders needed in a 5-1 win. The Minutemen bounced back in Game Two, as they scored ten runs in the second and third innings combined. Harry Heilmann's three-run homer was the big blow, but SS Mark Koenig and CF Taylor Douthit each drove in a pair of runs as well in the 11-2 win. The Spiders won Game Three as they returned to Cleveland by a 5-4 margin. Philadelphia actually had a 4-1 lead going into the bottom of the eighth, but the Spiders pieced together four runs on three hits, an error and two walks. Howard Ehmke went the distance on the mound for the Spiders, closing out the game with a scoreless ninth.
Cleveland got more standout pitching in Game Four, as Virgil Barnes pitched a three-hit shutout and Babe Ruth provided all the offense with a 2-run homer in the fourth, the only mistake made by Minutemen pitcher Charlie Root. Back in Philly for Game Five, Cleveland won a close one 5-4. Ruth again homered and teammate Joe Judge contributed a two-run blast. The MInutemen had a brief last chance rally when Freddie Lindstrom hit a two-out double in the ninth, but Earl Smith then flew out for the final out. On the verge of being eliminated Philadelphia bounced back for a 6-4 win in Game Six. First baseman JIm Bottomley went four for four with a double, home run and two RBI to lead the way, while Sam Gray picked up his second victory of the series.
The series returned to Cleveland for Game Seven, with the Spiders up 4-2, but the Minutemen's Dutch Ulrich surprised everyone by pitching seven shutout innings. Syl Johnson didn't allow a baserunner in the final two frames to close out a 5-0 win. Philadelphia got all of their runs in the first thanks two a two-run single by Earl Smith and a two-run double by Taylor Douthit. Cleveland hoped Virgil Barnes could work more magic in Game Eight, but the Minutemen battered him on the way to a 10-3 win. Mark Koenig drove in 3 while going 3 for 4, while Douthit had 2 doubles and 2 RBI and Charlie Gehringer was four for five. The series came down to Game Nine and started well for the Spiders, as Max Bishop and Joe Judge opened the game with singles and Babe Ruth blasted a three-run homer. Cleveland scored one more to be 4-0 after their first at bat, but Philadelphia countered with three in the bottom half, including a 2-run double by Freddie Lidstrom. The Spiders tied the game at five in the top of the fifth, but the Minutemen broke it open in the bottom half behind a 2-run double by Earl Smith. Jesse Haines, despite giving up 7 runs on 13 hits and 4 walks, went the distance and made the lead stand up, ending with a 9-7 Philadelphia win, giving the Minutemen their second championship in three years and sending Cleveland home with their third straight championship series defeat.
The first big name to move in the offseason was 38-year old center fielder Tris Speaker, who was sent from Baltimore to Boston for five minor leaguers. Baltimore also surprisingly dealt their main star, OF Curt Walker, to Los Angeles for four more minor leaguers. St. Louis sent 1B/3B Russ Wrightstone to Chicago for pitcher Al Yeargin and 2B Jim Begley.
For awards, the Rookie of the Year went to pitcher Red Lucas of Philadelphia and shortstop Buddy Myer of Detroit. Pitcher awards went to Jakie May (19-7, 3.56) of Boston and Howard Ehmke of Cleveland. The hitter awards were given to Pittsburgh's George Grantham (337-7-45 and CBA leader in on-base percentage) and Cleveland's Babe Ruth, who remained the only hitter to win the award in the seven year history of the league.
The draft was one of the less eye-catching drafts in years. The top overall pick was SS Red Kress, who went to Baltimore. The rest of the first round was OF Carl Reynolds (St. Louis), OF Sam West (Detroit), P Ben Cantwell (Los Angeles), OF Fred Schulte (New York), SS Woody English (Pittsburgh), OF DIck Spalding (Boston), OF Ernie Orsetti (Chicago), P Wilcy Moore (Cleveland) and 2B Dick Bartell (Philadelphia). A sleeper to watch is Pittsburgh second rounder Wes Ferrell, who was immediately included in a deal with pitcher John Glaser to Philadelphia for catcher Pat Collins.
|