The first month of play has come to a close in the Continental League of Professional Baseball Clubs, and it's been an encouraging start for the new league. All of the teams have reported major financial success, and the league has been a hit for fans. Both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Minneapolis Millers have attendance numbers well north of 300,000 over the first month.
While that is a look at what is happening off the field, let's take a look at what is happening on the field. First, we visit the Western Division.
The Western Division is a really tight race after the first month of play. The
Dallas Texans currently lead the league with a 13-11 record. They are led by second baseman
Bobby Avila. Avila is hitting .452 with 3 homers and 16 RBI's over 109 plate appearances. He also has 5 steals. The former Cleveland Indian is enjoying his resurgence.
"It feels great. You turn 37 and you get released, and you think your career is over, but I've been able to come here and be successful. God bless Branch Rickey, William Shea, and the rest of the people that put this league together, because without it, my career might be over."
The Texans have been able to mitigate the loss of Mel Stottlemyre in the rotation with an absolutely potent offense. Aside from Avila, the Texans have two other players hitting above .300 in
Earl Torgeson and
Bobby Morgan.
Tied for second behind the Texans are the
Denver Doves and the
Houston Colt .45s. Both teams are 12-12. The Doves are led by 18-year-old third baseman
Bob Bailey. Bailey is hitting .253 with 11 homers and 22 RBI's. His 11 home runs have him tied for third place in the league. The Colt .45s are led by right fielder Jim King. King most recently played for the Cleveland Indians. He is hitting .278 with 11 home runs.
Rounding out the Western Division are the
Minneapolis Millers. The Millers struggled mightily, limping to a 7-17 record out of the gate. The injury to
Maury Wills undoubtedly hurt the team, as he was off to a good start. His 9 stolen bases had him in first place in the league. Wills is expected back in two weeks from his intercostal strain.
The Western Division might be close, but the
Toronto Maple Leafs look to be a runaway train in the Eastern Division. Their 19-5 record gives them a commanding 7 game lead over the Atlanta Pilots and Buffalo Lakers for the division crown. Toronto is first in the entire league in both runs scored and runs allowed. The rotation is led by 17-year-old youngster
Tommy John. John is 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 43.1 IP. John won the league's Pitcher of the Month. The lineup is anchored by right fielder
Leon Wagner. Wagner, who spent last year with the St. Louis Cardinals, is hitting .279 with 12 home runs and 30 RBI's.
The
Atlanta Pilots might not be hot on Toronto's heels, but they do look like a serviceable ball club. At 12-12, they are led by a solid 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation in
Al Downing and
John Smith. Downing has a 1-1 record and a 2.70 ERA over 5 starts, while Smith has a 4-0 record and a 0.92 ERA over 5 starts. People doubt the staying power of Smith, who spent last year with the Columbia Reds of the South Atlantic League. While Downing is just 19-years-old, he was one of the top five prospects in the league.
The Pilots are tied with the
Buffalo Lakers, who are led by none other than
Ted Williams. The 42-year-old is having a magnificent season, and is the early favorite for the Most Valuable Player Award. He's hitting .376 with 17 homers and 29 RBI's. The Lakers hope Williams can help generate enough offense to overcome their lackluster rotation, which is currently dead last in run prevention.
In last place in the Eastern Division at 9-15 are the
New York Mets. The Mets have few positives, but 22-year-old outfielder
Tony Oliva has been a bright spot for the team. Hitting out of the leadoff spot, Oliva is batting .337 with 2 HR and 7 RBI. He also has 4 steals.
Ted Kluszewski has played well since signing with the Mets, hitting .350 with 8 home runs. The biggest story coming out of Flushing has been the poor play of
Jackie Robinson, who has been relegated to bench duty and hasn't started a game since Kluszewski signed with the club.
