Apart from a couple strong bursts in May and July, this has been more of a grinding season than one containing consistent good form. As I have said previously, this group just doesn’t have that winning swagger about it. And so it proves down the stretch as we regress to inconsistent and middling performances, with the bats in particular looking impotent far too often and the group as a whole lacking any real vim or vigour. In one especially fruitless period, we get just 26 hits over a 5-game stretch. It’s a real concern. Or is it? Maybe they are just playing doggo, working up to peaking just at the right time. If so, then well played lads because you’ve got me completely fooled.
Despite continuing right through to the end of the season, this perceived listlessness has no material effect other than on my psyche as we do it pretty easy and clinch in mid-September before finishing at 97-65 and 12 games clear. We are lucky to secure home-field advantage for the LCS as we lose our final three and only a better H2H record against the Jints earns us this key advantage.
We've regressed this year with our conversion and efficiency, as evidenced by the low run total compared with the other hitting metrics.
Another stellar Stargell season, with Sangy and Bobs T (who also swipes a career-high 61 bases) and B offering good support.
Sadly, in the shadows of the post we lose Davey Johnson for a fortnight to a foot contusion. That means he’ll definitely miss the LCS. From there, it’s wait and see but we aren’t counting on having him back again this year.
Poor run support and a couple BP meltdowns cost Joe Coleman a much-deserved 20-win season. All the same, his is one of the best pitching performances in franchise history, recording new club bests in ERA, Win% and OAV, second of all-time in WHIP and the 9th-best rWAR.
The Giants make heavy weather of the AL West, only clinching on the next-to-last day. The others are each fairly decisive.
Batting titles to Tony Oliva and Ted Simmons, with Stretch McCovey recording the league's best HR (38) and RBI (118) totals. No AL player drives in 100.
Only Nolan Ryan's strong arm keeps Vida Blue from the AL pitching Triple Crown. The Express's 311 K are a clear league leader, with Vida and Hoot Gibson's 22 Wins the high mark this year. Vida just pips Joe Coleman for the low ERA, while Tom Hall's 40 Saves are the most of any pitcher.
Final Top 20s and Leaders
Monthly Award Winners
August
American League
- Batter – Rick Reichardt (Tigers): 396 / 8 HR / 17 RBI
- Pitcher – Vida Blue (A’s): 3-1 / 1.89 / 44 K / 52.1 IP
- Rookie – Paul Pelz (Tigers): 3-1 / 2.43 / 25 K / 15 IP (Never made it to the bigs IRL)
National League
- Batter – Willie Montanez (Astros): 408 / 7 HR / 21 RBI
- Pitcher – Joe Coleman (Pirates): 5-0 / 1.32 / 35 K / 47.2 IP
- Rookie – Willie Montanez
September
American League
- Batter – Nate Colbert (Senators): 402 / 8 HR / 21 RBI
- Pitcher – Vida Blue (A’s): 5-0 / 0.85 / 40 K / 42.1 IP
- Rookie – Ross Grimsley (Red Sox): 4-0 / 1.25 / 15 K / 36 IP
National League
- Batter – Bobby Bonds (Giants): 309 / 8 HR / 22 RBI
- Pitcher – Ray Sadecki (Cardinals): 4-1 / 1.29 / 31 K / 42 IP
- Rookie – Monty Montgomery (Astros): 4-0 / 1.64 / 3 K / 11 IP
Milestones and Observations of Note
- 2500 Hits: Eddie Mathews
- 400 HR: Al Kaline
- Mickey Mantle had been having a great season before that trade from Montreal - where he was getting plenty of ABs - to Houston, where he only gets 32. This leaves him stranded on 598 career HR. Will he come back next year to try get those final two for 600?
- Royals OF Bernie Carbo misses 6 weeks with a torn quad and Twins youngster Bert Blyleven’s season finishes early thanks to a UCL tear.
- The Giants lose key 2B Dick Green for the year to a broken kneecap, as do the Braves Pitcher Dick Selma to a labrum tear.
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