A long roadtrip kicks August off. This, as you may remember, was the month that pretty much won us last year’s pennant. Hoping to repeat that this time around.
Early indications do not instil confidence of this happening, as we begin the month poorly, dropping five of our first seven games. The Cubs, on the other hand, are firing on all cylinders and zoom past us to the top of the standings.
Among this, we play consecutive marathons, winning in 15 against the Phillies (to narrowly avoid a series sweep), then dropping the next game in 16 to the Beaneaters.
The rest of the month is incredibly streaky, as best encapsulated by a seven-game run we have against the Giants in which we win the first three and lose the next four. The Cubs, meanwhile, are doing what you’re supposed to do in August – grinding out wins, doing to us what we did to the rest of them in ’03. Then they go on an absolute tear, winning 11 straight to close out the month (actually, they lose their last of August to snap the string).
And so, by this fairly quotidian combination of factors, we find ourselves 6½ back and, realistically one would think, out of contention.
Hot- Honus Wagner: remains on track for his best season yet, and his 9.1 WAR is a full point above all other players. Cools off a bit late, but still hits 337 with a wOBA of 395 and a 183 OPS+.
Not- Apart from Robinson, who is yet to settle here or contribute in any meaningful way (187 / 5 RBI), no player stands out as grossly underperforming. The situation in which we find ourselves isn’t really about us not playing well, or performing on the field, although there’s no doubt we’ve never fully hit our straps this season (we are four games worse off than at the corresponding point last season). This is more about the Cubs simply being a really strong club with arguably the two best pitchers in the league playing to their full potential.
Around the Leagues- The Naps’ strong start to the month – winning their first six games – brings them right into contention. The Highlanders, too, continue to improve with each month, and post a 16-11 sectional. Both sides now sit 4 GB of the A’s, who continue to do things right and will be tough to run down.
- As mentioned above, the Cubs have just streaked the field with their impeccable form (20-6 for August) and look unstoppable from here. The Reds are a further 5 ½ adrift of us.
- Cubs ace Rube Waddell becomes this season’s first 20-game winner and must be some chance for the first ever pitching Triple Crown. Cleveland’s Addie Joss does likewise a few days later, the first in the AL.
- A’s immortal Nap Lajoie reaches the 100 RBI plateau and, the way things are looking, will be the only player to do so this season. The next best in either league is 78.
Awards- 08/01 POTW: AL – Eddie Plank (Philadelphia) 2-0 / 0.00 / 11 K / 18 IP; NL – Kitty Bransfield (Boston) 632 / 4 RBI.
- 08/08 POTW: AL – Nap Lajoie (Philadelphia) 481 / 7 RBI; NL – Mordecai Brown (Chicago) 2-0 / 0.50 / 7 K / 18 IP.
- 08/15 POTW: AL – Doc White (Detroit) 2-0 / 0.00 / 5 K / 10 IP; NL – Honus Wagner (Pittsburgh) 440 / 2 RBI.
- 08/22 POTW: AL – Fielder Jones (Chicago) 565 / 2 RBI; NL – Harry Lumley (Brooklyn) 448 / 1 HR / 7 RBI.
- 08/29 POTW: AL – Doc Gessler (New York Highlanders) 577 / 2 RBI; NL – Rube Waddell (Chicago) 2-0 / 0.00 / 20 K / 18 IP.
- AL Batter of the Month: Nap Lajoie (Philadelphia) 400 / 2 HR / 24 RBI.
- NL Batter of the Month: Jimmy Sheckard (Brooklyn) 400 / 1 HR / 20 RBI.
- AL Pitcher of the Month: Addie Joss (Cleveland) 6-2 / 2.88 / 25 K / 72 IP.
- NL Pitcher of the Month: Mordecai Brown (Chicago) 6-1 / 1.16 / 34 K / 70 IP.
- AL Rookie of the Month: Elmer Stricklett (Cleveland) 4-0 / 2.85 / 20 K / 53 IP.
- NL Rookie of the Month: Frank Smith (St. Louis) 4-2 / 2.48 / 27 K / 65.1 IP.
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