We score a baker’s dozen in two of the new month’s first three games and a traditional dozen in the fourth, although that last one costs us Ferrell for a week after he is beaned. Still, we string a bunch of wins together (it ends up at 12 before we drop our first game for the month to the Jints) and clinch with 20 games still to play.
I won’t lie to you, the remainder of the way is like the lead-up to performing The Scottish Play, with injuries the main – perhaps
only – thing on my mind. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if you heard my sigh of relief as we get through unscathed.
We close out the season with a 21-8 September and finish with a record 110 wins.
Every man has played his part on offence, but two deserve special mention. Arky Vaughan racks up nearly 11 bWAR with a 339/460/523 line, 16 HR and 80 RBI. Willie Wells has the season we've been waiting for, with his 356 BA taking the NL batting title. He hits 433 in September to grab the monthly award - amazingly the first and only one won by any of our players this season for either hitting or pitching, and the first of
El Diablo's career. We set a new MLB record by scoring 962 runs.
Likewise, our pitching has been a total group effort, with our ERA 80 points under the league's and only two of our guys finishing with an ERA+ under 100. Again I want to highlight two among them. Paul Derringer has a breakout year, going 26-9 / 3.06 and leading our staff with 8.3 pWAR. Bill McCall has a superb season in the Stopper role with a 13-2 mark and 17 saves to go along with his sparkling 1.52 ERA over 59+ IP. Sadly this will be his last year with us. At age-36 and accustomed to SP money he is a luxury we cannot afford.
Final day drama again in the AL as the Tigers rally late to beat the Browns and get home by a game from the Yanks, who had made Detroit’s result count with a 5-2 win at Washington, but all to no avail.
Bob Johnson of the A's has a superb season, finishing third in BA and leading the league with 46 HR and 139 RBI. Hal Trosky sr also has podium finishes in all three stat cats, winning his first batting title. Satchel Paige misses his bid for another Triple Crown by just 2 ERA points.
Here are final the Top 20s by WAR, awards, news and leaders.
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