The wild ride continues for the rest of this opening section of the 1935 campaign – and I don’t mean that in the fun way it might imply. On the contrary, given the lofty expectations with which we entered the season, what has transpired over these first 40-odd games has been anything but fun.
The main problem for us lies with our pitching - currently ranked 6th for ERA at 4.27 and pretty ordinary right throughout the staff.
Our offence, on the other hand, has been fantastic with Foxx (whose efforts earn him the monthly prize, just the third time he has won it) and Wells leading the way. Their performance has been even more impressive given Arky's absence and the mid-month loss of Kiddo Davis, which has upset our shape against LHP. Arky will be back during June, but Kiddo's return date is up in the air.
Returns from our three key recruits have been mixed to say the least. Gibson has heated up after his frigid start and ends the month with a 266/383/547 line, 7 homers and 29 RBI. Dandridge has been handy in Vaughan's absence but needs to improve upon his productivity at the plate. Radcliffe - whose contract we extend thru 1938 for $17k per - has been abominable, going 1-3 with a 7.42 ERA in his six starts for us.
Still, with all of this, we enter June tied for the NL lead at 24-19. That is most encouraging.
Both divs are about as tightly-bunched as you can imagine them being six weeks in. Just 6 1/2 games separate top from bottom in the NL, while - apart from the sorry Senators, who are sitting at 11-34 - the remainder of the AL sides are within reach and the top four sides are all within a game.
With the Babe out for 3 months with another injury, Lou Gehrig has stepped right up and has 15 HR in 159 AB to this point. A few milestones reached with John Beckwith passing 2000 hits, Jimmie Foxx, Mel Ott and Ossie Bluege getting to 1500 and Waite Hoyt notching his 200th win.
Awards, news and leaders
S+ HOME
REPORTS HOME
PIRATES HOME