A messy start to June sees the pop come out of our cork a bit as we struggle to get it right on a consistent basis and only a dogged 7-6 walkoff win in 10 gets us off a home sweep at the hands of the Dodgers.
Consistent niggles don’t help and then we lose Bob Bailey for a more substantial duration as a knee sprain sidelines him for six weeks. Flea has played strongly since his recall and will take over while he’s out but it isn’t ideal by any stretch.
As this is panning out, the Cubs go on a tear, winning 11 on the trot and closing in on our lead with gusto. Glass half-full says this will at least chase away any complacency among the group. If not, we’ll get what we deserve.
Nevertheless, when both Singer and Pizarro come off the IL, we play it safe and rehab both as the guys dig in and grind out some good wins despite playing well beneath our capabilities, particularly on offence.
The lads respond, and by the time we go to Chicago and take 3 of 4 from the Cubbies our lead is back out to 9. We have 57 wins at the midpoint of the season.
We lose Gene Alley for six weeks to a knee strain to really test our IF depth and put on ice any thoughts of rehabbing Bailey when he is activated.
The closing part of this stanza highlights all of our shortcomings in the most vivid terms as we lose a bunch of games just as the Cubs heat up again. While we enter August still some way clear, there’s no doubt that, rather than slamming the door shut we have unlocked it and left it a sliver ajar for our rivals.
What a white-knuckle ride!
While our batting metrics might pass the basic eyeball test, they don't show some of the negatives. We are still too slappy for my liking on occasion and continue to have protracted fallow periods where runs dry right up.
The BP is still giving away runs like candidate’s promises on the eve of a key primary. To be totally honest, I don’t see us winning squat with the relief corps we have at present. I go shopping but the stores are either closed or have pushed their prices up to unfeasibly high levels and we end up sitting pat. Guess we’re goin’ home with the girls we came with.
The A's and Astros look home. That AL East race is set to be worth the price of admission alone. Heat up the popcorn!
News, Leaders and Top 20s
Monthly Award Winners
June
American League
- Batter – Rico Petrocelli (Red Sox): 412 / 12 HR / 32 RBI
- Pitcher – Vida Blue (A’s): 5-0 / 2.70 / 44 K / 46.2 IP
- Rookie – Reggie Cleveland (Red Sox): 5-0 / 2.62 / 27 K / 48 IP
National League
- Batter – Tony Taylor (Astros): 407 / 5 HR / 17 RBI
- Pitcher – Fergie Jenkins (Cubs): 5-1 / 2.29 / 41 K / 51 IP
- Rookie – George Foster (Reds): 364 / 9 HR / 24 RBI
July
American League
- Batter – Harmon Killebrew (Yankees): 301 / 12 HR / 23 RBI
- Pitcher – Clay Kirby (Brewers): 4-1 / 1.32 / 44 K / 47.2 IP
- Rookie – Ken Singleton (Orioles): 391 / 4 HR / 27 RBI
National League
- Batter – Jim Wynn (Astros): 361 / 7 HR / 17 RBI
- Pitcher – Sandy Koufax (Dodgers): 5-1 / 2.16 / 62 K / 50 IP
- Rookie – Wayne Simpson (Braves): 3-1 / 3.45 / 35 K / 47 IP
Milestones and Observations of Note
- 2000 Hits: Curt Flood
- Vida Blue is some chance of taking the AL Pitching Triple Crown, as is Sandy K in the NL.
- Atlanta’s Luke Walker, who we very nearly acquired in the offseason, has his season cut short by a labrum tear.
- The Red Sox re-up with pitcher Gary Nolan for 4 years at a cost to them of a little shy of $1.2m and we make a few more integral extensions, with Davey Johnson retained with a 3+1/1200 deal and John Gelnar, Clay Carroll and Bob Miller also re-signed.
- Some trades of note from a very quiet Deadline:
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