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CT Wolverine · 05-01-2013, 06:39 PM

Metaphysical League Baseball (MLB)
1918 Season

The 1917 draft was not particularly deep but will be a memorable one. Several players to note:
1. 1B Jackie Robinson, 26, Phillies
2. SS Alex Rodriguez, 18, Red Sox (not signed previous year) (#1 rated on Opening Day)
3. CF Hack Wilson, 21, Tigers will not be signed)
7. SP Bobo Newsom, 20, Indians (#2 rated on Opening Day)
8. LF George Anderson, 23, Braves
11. C Mike Napoli, 23, Indians (#10 rated on Opening Day)

This season we will follow the Cleveland Indians into battle. The Indians have been a contending team for the past few seasons. They are the MLBs only repeat World Champions, in 1914 and 1915. They finished a disappointing 4th in 1917, 8 GB @ 84-70. The Indians are led by 3-time Batter of the Year Mickey Mantle (1912, ’14, ’15). Their biggest competition will come from the defending World Champion and favored New York Yankees and from the dark-horse Chicago White Sox.

The Indians were relatively quiet in the off-season. They made two minor deals:
• Acquired OFs Ira Flagstead and Tommy Madden for 3B Billy Lush
• Acquired 2B Dick Schofield for 2B Ed Giavanola and RP Edgar Ramos
They had already acquired three player midway the previous year expected to start. Their biggest additions, however, were #1 draft picks SP Bobo Newsom and C Mike Napoli They went into the season with this lineup:

C: Mike Napoli SP: Tex Hughson
1B: Tony Solaita 8-59-.272 SP: Vinegar Bend Mizell
2B: Al Dark 2-67-.263 SP: Scott Bankhead
3B: Pepper Martin (acq 6/17) SP: Bobo Newsom
SS: Frank Smykal (acq 7/1917) SP: Joel Pineiro
LF: Wes Covington 3-31-.298 CL: Henry Jones
CF: Bill Bankston (acq 6/1917) RP: Dan Bickham
RF: Mickey Mantle (28) 11-66-.291-14

Not a single starter had won more than 17 games the previous year. They needed an ace.

The first two months of the season went largely as expected, with New York ending May on top by 3 ½ games over Cleveland. The Indians had lost Dark for 6 weeks on 5/12 (Schofield to 2B) and Bankston for 4 months on 5/25 (J. Sandberg to 3B, P Martin to OF), but they continued to play well.

Led by June Batter of the Month Mantle: 2-14-.307, 23 R, Pitcher of the Month Hughson: 6-2-2.77, and Dark’s return, the Indians went 20-8 to overtake NY and build a 1 ½ game lead by July 1. Management, spurred by these hopes, on 7/8 dealt Swigler and Lachemann to the A’s for Rich Rollins, who was promptly inserted into the lineup at 2B for Dark on the very day that the Yankees again passed the Indians in the standings.

July continued to be a month of ups and downs for Cleveland. On 7/22 they lost 1B Solaita for 5 weeks (Rob Sasser 1B). But on 7/23 they acquired closer Dave Lemonds (lifetime 30 saves, 2.82 ERA) from the Phillies. By the end of the month, they were hanging on, still in 2nd, but 3 ½ games back. Fighting through additional injuries, and again led by Pitcher of the Month Hughson, the Indians drew within a game by the end of August.

Next commenced the best September/October finish in MLB history to date:
• 1st week in Sept, Pepper Martin goes crazy, hitting .556, Cle closes to % behind
• 2nd week, Cle goes 5-1, NY 1-5, both look up and White Sox won 11 straight, 1 ½ bk
• 9/21: Chicago wins 15th in row, Cle loses to propel Chi into 1st by 1 game, 10 rem
• 9/23: Cle & Chi tied 1st @ 84-61, NY 5 ½ GB, 9 to play
• 9/25, Chi goes up by 2 games.
• 9/29: Chi def Cle 5-0 to clinch tie for pennant w 3 games rem
• 10/6: (final day). Cle wins 3rd straight, playing earlier in day. Chi has lost 2 straight. Chi loses to St. Louis 3-2 in 31 innings and Cle and Chi tie for the pennant.
• In the ensuing playoff game, Cleveland, behind Tex Hughson, 26-14, wins relatively easily, 5-2, to advance to the World Series.

1918 World Series: Cleveland Indians (90-65) vs Boston Braves (100-54)

Cleveland appears in its unprecedented 3rd Fall Classic in five seasons, having won in both 1914, and 1915. The Braves make their 1st appearance in the World Series in the league’s 18-year history.

The Indians are without SP Vinegar Bend Mizell (11-12-2-3.03, Sept. elbow surgery) and 3B/OF Pepper Martin (0-35-.311-6). The Braves are without SP/RP Phil Knell (19-8-8-1.57, NL ERA and saves leader).

Game 1: Bos 4, Cle 3. In a battle of 2 rookie SPs, Boston’s Lefty Chambers (18-10-2.41) bests Newsom (21-11-3-2.20) as Bos jumps out with 4 runs in the first 3 innings then holds off Cle rally. POG: Doug Radar 3-4, 2 RBI. Batting champ George Anderson 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R.

Game 2: Bos 7, Cle 5. Dan Casey bests Scott Bankhead (17-13-1-2.17). Cle scores in the 1st on a Solaita infield 1B. But Bos ties it in its half of the 1st, goes ahead in the 2nd, and builds a big lead before a late Cle comeback makes it close. POG: Gerald Young 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI, R.

Game 3: Cle 3, Bos 0. Ace Tex Hughson (26-14-4-2.50) spins a 5-hit shutout. Mantle goes 3-4, 2B; Rich Rollins 1-3, 2 RBI, R.

Game 4: Cle 4, Bos 3. Best game of the series to date. Tied 3-3 into the bottom of the 9th. Smykal reaches on an error on SS Myatt, steals second and scores on Dark’s walk-off 1B. W: Dave Lemonds, (1 perfect IP in relief). POG: Alvin Dark.

Game 5: Bos 4, Cle 2. Casey again bests Bankhead with his 2nd CG. Same Bos formula, and early 3-0 lead, hold on for the win. POG: Casey. Radar 2-3, 3B, RBI, R BB. Danzig 3-4, RBI.

Game 6: Bos 2, Cle 0. Hughson vs Boston’s Junior Thompson (14-6-1-2.56). A scoreless duel through 7. In the 8th, Bos finally gets to Hughson after 17 IP in the series with a Myatt leadoff 2B, Danzig BB, Nick Hundley RBI 2B, Hector Lopez SF for a 2-0 lead. Thompson finishes the 3-hit shutout to win the game and the series and garner the series MVP award.

The Boston Braves win the World Championship for their 1st try, after an 18-year wait!

Milestones/Achievements

Season:
• No-hitter: Dan Casey, Braves, vs Giants @ Polo Grounds, 4/22, 9 0 0 0 2 7.
• No-hitter: Monty Stratton, Pirates, vs Cubs @ Wrigley, 8/11, 9 0 0 0 2 4
• 2B: Honus Wagner, Pit, 51
• 3B: Charley Jones, Pit, 33
Career:
• 300 wins: Anibal Sanchez (2nd all-time), Pit, 10/6 (final day of season), 2-1 over Cubs @ Wrigley. 8.2 12 1 1 0 3. Year: 22-8-1.94. Career: 300-251-2.20.
• 200 wins: Stephen Strasburg (7th all-time), Det, 4/20, 4-3 over White Sox @ Comiskey. 8.2 IP. Career: 200-182-2.33. Suffered torn labrum during the game and is out 7-8 months.
• 200 wins: Preacher Roe (8th all-time), ChW, 5/4, 3-1 over Det @ Navin Field. 9 7 1 1 0 1. Career: 200-152-2.48.
• 2000 Hits: Nap Lajoie (2nd all-time), Bro, 6/21, @ Ebbets Field, 1-3 in 4-2 win vs Giants. Career: 33-767 (6th)-.303 (7th), 2000 H, 573 SB (14th), 869 R (5th), 1612 G.
Retirement:
• Edd Roush: 32-660-.295-637. Sixteen seasons with Washington., on 2 pennant winners, World Series winner in 1906. AL Batter of Year 1902 & 1906, led league in H 3 times, TB 4 times, Avg 2 times. Career: 4th in H & TB, 7th in SB, 8th in R.
Awards
• Avg: AL Bill North, ChW, .313 ; NL George Anderson (rookie), Bos, .355
• Rookie of Year: AL Bobo Newsom, Cle, 21-11-3-2.20
• Rookie of Year: NL Charley Jones, Pit, 2-65-.270-25, 86 R, .351 OBP
• All-Time Rookie of Year: Jackie Robinson, Phillies, 2-55-.277-34, 63 R (compared with real-life debut 29 years later: 12-48-.297-29, 125 R)
• Best Pitcher: AL Larry Jansen, NYY, 28-11-1.94 (LL wins, ERA)
• Best Pitcher: NL Bret Saberhagen, Bro, 24-10-4-1,66 (LL wins(t))
• Best Hitter: AL Mickey Mantle, Cle, 13-68-.308-23 (LL HR, R, BB, OBP, SLG, OPS, K), 4th time awarded Best Hitter award in last 7 seasons (’12, ’14, ’15)
• Best Hitter: NL Pete Reiser, Bro, 1-75-.327-15. (2nd consecutive Best Hitter award; amazingly, exactly same # of HR, RBI and Avg as previous season).

05-01-2013, 06:39 PM	#35
CT Wolverine Minors (Single A) Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 93	1918 Season Summary Metaphysical League Baseball (MLB) 1918 Season The 1917 draft was not particularly deep but will be a memorable one. Several players to note: 1. 1B Jackie Robinson, 26, Phillies 2. SS Alex Rodriguez, 18, Red Sox (not signed previous year) (#1 rated on Opening Day) 3. CF Hack Wilson, 21, Tigers will not be signed) 7. SP Bobo Newsom, 20, Indians (#2 rated on Opening Day) 8. LF George Anderson, 23, Braves 11. C Mike Napoli, 23, Indians (#10 rated on Opening Day) This season we will follow the Cleveland Indians into battle. The Indians have been a contending team for the past few seasons. They are the MLBs only repeat World Champions, in 1914 and 1915. They finished a disappointing 4th in 1917, 8 GB @ 84-70. The Indians are led by 3-time Batter of the Year Mickey Mantle (1912, ’14, ’15). Their biggest competition will come from the defending World Champion and favored New York Yankees and from the dark-horse Chicago White Sox. The Indians were relatively quiet in the off-season. They made two minor deals: • Acquired OFs Ira Flagstead and Tommy Madden for 3B Billy Lush • Acquired 2B Dick Schofield for 2B Ed Giavanola and RP Edgar Ramos They had already acquired three player midway the previous year expected to start. Their biggest additions, however, were #1 draft picks SP Bobo Newsom and C Mike Napoli They went into the season with this lineup: C: Mike Napoli SP: Tex Hughson 1B: Tony Solaita 8-59-.272 SP: Vinegar Bend Mizell 2B: Al Dark 2-67-.263 SP: Scott Bankhead 3B: Pepper Martin (acq 6/17) SP: Bobo Newsom SS: Frank Smykal (acq 7/1917) SP: Joel Pineiro LF: Wes Covington 3-31-.298 CL: Henry Jones CF: Bill Bankston (acq 6/1917) RP: Dan Bickham RF: Mickey Mantle (28) 11-66-.291-14 Not a single starter had won more than 17 games the previous year. They needed an ace. The first two months of the season went largely as expected, with New York ending May on top by 3 ½ games over Cleveland. The Indians had lost Dark for 6 weeks on 5/12 (Schofield to 2B) and Bankston for 4 months on 5/25 (J. Sandberg to 3B, P Martin to OF), but they continued to play well. Led by June Batter of the Month Mantle: 2-14-.307, 23 R, Pitcher of the Month Hughson: 6-2-2.77, and Dark’s return, the Indians went 20-8 to overtake NY and build a 1 ½ game lead by July 1. Management, spurred by these hopes, on 7/8 dealt Swigler and Lachemann to the A’s for Rich Rollins, who was promptly inserted into the lineup at 2B for Dark on the very day that the Yankees again passed the Indians in the standings. July continued to be a month of ups and downs for Cleveland. On 7/22 they lost 1B Solaita for 5 weeks (Rob Sasser 1B). But on 7/23 they acquired closer Dave Lemonds (lifetime 30 saves, 2.82 ERA) from the Phillies. By the end of the month, they were hanging on, still in 2nd, but 3 ½ games back. Fighting through additional injuries, and again led by Pitcher of the Month Hughson, the Indians drew within a game by the end of August. Next commenced the best September/October finish in MLB history to date: • 1st week in Sept, Pepper Martin goes crazy, hitting .556, Cle closes to % behind • 2nd week, Cle goes 5-1, NY 1-5, both look up and White Sox won 11 straight, 1 ½ bk • 9/21: Chicago wins 15th in row, Cle loses to propel Chi into 1st by 1 game, 10 rem • 9/23: Cle & Chi tied 1st @ 84-61, NY 5 ½ GB, 9 to play • 9/25, Chi goes up by 2 games. • 9/29: Chi def Cle 5-0 to clinch tie for pennant w 3 games rem • 10/6: (final day). Cle wins 3rd straight, playing earlier in day. Chi has lost 2 straight. Chi loses to St. Louis 3-2 in 31 innings and Cle and Chi tie for the pennant. • In the ensuing playoff game, Cleveland, behind Tex Hughson, 26-14, wins relatively easily, 5-2, to advance to the World Series. 1918 World Series: Cleveland Indians (90-65) vs Boston Braves (100-54) Cleveland appears in its unprecedented 3rd Fall Classic in five seasons, having won in both 1914, and 1915. The Braves make their 1st appearance in the World Series in the league’s 18-year history. The Indians are without SP Vinegar Bend Mizell (11-12-2-3.03, Sept. elbow surgery) and 3B/OF Pepper Martin (0-35-.311-6). The Braves are without SP/RP Phil Knell (19-8-8-1.57, NL ERA and saves leader). Game 1: Bos 4, Cle 3. In a battle of 2 rookie SPs, Boston’s Lefty Chambers (18-10-2.41) bests Newsom (21-11-3-2.20) as Bos jumps out with 4 runs in the first 3 innings then holds off Cle rally. POG: Doug Radar 3-4, 2 RBI. Batting champ George Anderson 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R. Game 2: Bos 7, Cle 5. Dan Casey bests Scott Bankhead (17-13-1-2.17). Cle scores in the 1st on a Solaita infield 1B. But Bos ties it in its half of the 1st, goes ahead in the 2nd, and builds a big lead before a late Cle comeback makes it close. POG: Gerald Young 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI, R. Game 3: Cle 3, Bos 0. Ace Tex Hughson (26-14-4-2.50) spins a 5-hit shutout. Mantle goes 3-4, 2B; Rich Rollins 1-3, 2 RBI, R. Game 4: Cle 4, Bos 3. Best game of the series to date. Tied 3-3 into the bottom of the 9th. Smykal reaches on an error on SS Myatt, steals second and scores on Dark’s walk-off 1B. W: Dave Lemonds, (1 perfect IP in relief). POG: Alvin Dark. Game 5: Bos 4, Cle 2. Casey again bests Bankhead with his 2nd CG. Same Bos formula, and early 3-0 lead, hold on for the win. POG: Casey. Radar 2-3, 3B, RBI, R BB. Danzig 3-4, RBI. Game 6: Bos 2, Cle 0. Hughson vs Boston’s Junior Thompson (14-6-1-2.56). A scoreless duel through 7. In the 8th, Bos finally gets to Hughson after 17 IP in the series with a Myatt leadoff 2B, Danzig BB, Nick Hundley RBI 2B, Hector Lopez SF for a 2-0 lead. Thompson finishes the 3-hit shutout to win the game and the series and garner the series MVP award. The Boston Braves win the World Championship for their 1st try, after an 18-year wait! Milestones/Achievements Season: • No-hitter: Dan Casey, Braves, vs Giants @ Polo Grounds, 4/22, 9 0 0 0 2 7. • No-hitter: Monty Stratton, Pirates, vs Cubs @ Wrigley, 8/11, 9 0 0 0 2 4 • 2B: Honus Wagner, Pit, 51 • 3B: Charley Jones, Pit, 33 Career: • 300 wins: Anibal Sanchez (2nd all-time), Pit, 10/6 (final day of season), 2-1 over Cubs @ Wrigley. 8.2 12 1 1 0 3. Year: 22-8-1.94. Career: 300-251-2.20. • 200 wins: Stephen Strasburg (7th all-time), Det, 4/20, 4-3 over White Sox @ Comiskey. 8.2 IP. Career: 200-182-2.33. Suffered torn labrum during the game and is out 7-8 months. • 200 wins: Preacher Roe (8th all-time), ChW, 5/4, 3-1 over Det @ Navin Field. 9 7 1 1 0 1. Career: 200-152-2.48. • 2000 Hits: Nap Lajoie (2nd all-time), Bro, 6/21, @ Ebbets Field, 1-3 in 4-2 win vs Giants. Career: 33-767 (6th)-.303 (7th), 2000 H, 573 SB (14th), 869 R (5th), 1612 G. Retirement: • Edd Roush: 32-660-.295-637. Sixteen seasons with Washington., on 2 pennant winners, World Series winner in 1906. AL Batter of Year 1902 & 1906, led league in H 3 times, TB 4 times, Avg 2 times. Career: 4th in H & TB, 7th in SB, 8th in R. Awards • Avg: AL Bill North, ChW, .313 ; NL George Anderson (rookie), Bos, .355 • Rookie of Year: AL Bobo Newsom, Cle, 21-11-3-2.20 • Rookie of Year: NL Charley Jones, Pit, 2-65-.270-25, 86 R, .351 OBP • All-Time Rookie of Year: Jackie Robinson, Phillies, 2-55-.277-34, 63 R (compared with real-life debut 29 years later: 12-48-.297-29, 125 R) • Best Pitcher: AL Larry Jansen, NYY, 28-11-1.94 (LL wins, ERA) • Best Pitcher: NL Bret Saberhagen, Bro, 24-10-4-1,66 (LL wins(t)) • Best Hitter: AL Mickey Mantle, Cle, 13-68-.308-23 (LL HR, R, BB, OBP, SLG, OPS, K), 4th time awarded Best Hitter award in last 7 seasons (’12, ’14, ’15) • Best Hitter: NL Pete Reiser, Bro, 1-75-.327-15. (2nd consecutive Best Hitter award; amazingly, exactly same # of HR, RBI and Avg as previous season).