[CT Wolverine]

The young New York Giants had high hopes after showing great improvement in the 2005 season. The 2005 draft class had a few top prospects at the top but fell off quickly. Among the coveted names were Mark McGwire, Charlie Pick, Pascual Perez and David Price. The top 3 selections were:
• #1 LF Charlie Pick – Boston Beaneaters
• #2 1B Mark McGwire – Boston Americans
• #3 SP David Price – Chicago Cubs

The Giants, picking #13, selected C Mike Diaz. Other notable New York picks: Dick Green, 2B (2) and sleeper 2B Lou Whitaker (9).

The Giants surprising stood pat during the off-season, only making one minor deal, sending reserve 3B Scott Livingstone to Cleveland for prospects RP Bobby Locke and CF Bill Whaley.
Spring training featured several battles for positions as rookie Mike Diaz was given 1B and OF gloves and quickly entered into a 1B platoon with Claude Cooper. Erv Dusak emerged as the starter at 3B over Al Smith.. Dick Green and Lou Whitaker battled for 2B. Green appeared to emerge as the winner before an injury sent him to the DL to start the season. Cooper and Diaz challenged for OFD time when not playing 1B. On the mound, Gary Ryerson earned his way back into the starting rotation.

The youthful Giants got off to a fast start, going 9-6 in April, holding a percentage points lead over the Reds in the NL. Early Wynn (now the MLB career innings pitched leader) was named NL Pitcher of the Month, going 4-0 with a 0.47 ERA. Lou Whitaker was named Rookie of the Month, finishing 1-11-.318.

May was another solid month overall. Ryerson struggled and was replaced in the rotation by George Dumont, but Mote Ward emerged to win NL Pitcher of the Month, going 6-1, 0.75. The Giants ended May 22-17 overall, ½ game behind the defending champion Phillies.

In June, reality began to set in. New York played .500 ball for the month, dropping to 3rd place, still only 3 ½ games back of the Phillies.

The Giants slid further back in July, to 48-47, 5th place, 7 games behind the surging Cardinals. They seemed to give up on the season on 7/30 when they dealt 4th OF Jim Russell, hitting .308 to the A’s for prospect MR Rex Dawson.

In the end, the Giants finished a disappointing 5th, 78-76, 16 games back, a step back from the previous year. Some individuals showed good growth however:
• Johnny Bench (20) finished 5-64-.259, and threw out more than 50% base-stealers
• Monte Ward finished 21-17-1.59
• Early Wynn went 22-17-1.98
• George Dumont established himself as 3rd starter, 17-14, 2.13
Overall, however, the team still needs more consistent offense and a bullpen that can hold a lead (they finished dead last in bullpen ERA).


As for the pennant races, the Cincinnati Reds (94-60) got stronger as the year evolved, and eventually ran away with the NL race, winning by 11 games over the Cardinals. The Reds were led by SP Harry Salisbury. Salisbury became the first player to win the pitching Triple Crown with 28 wins, a 1.49 ERA and 257 K’s. By winning, the Reds became the first team in MLB to make a second appearance in the World Series.

The AL race was much tighter. With 2 days left, the Senators held a ½ game lead on the Tigers. The Senators had 1 game to play and the Tigers had 2 remaining. The next day a Senators victory and Tigers loss sent the Senators (86-68) to their first World Series appearance.

The Reds were heavy favorites in the World Series, but the teams were deadlocked after 6 games. The finale was played in Cincinnati with “triple-crown” Harry Salisbury, already 2-0 in the series on the mound for Cincinnati. However, on this day, John Fulgham of Washington shut down the Reds and Washington won 2-0 to take the World Championship, denying Salisbury his perfect season.

Of Note:
• Rookie David Price(ChC) pitched a no-hitter vs St.L 9/1, with 4 K’s and 6 BB’s
• Harry Salisbury (Cin) won the pitching “triple crown” at 28-9, 1.49, 257 K’s