We make somewhat heavy weather of it in the early part of August as the bats really struggle and we go through an amazing run on five straight games in which one side is shut out, with just 12 runs in total scored. We’re lucky Montreal are having some problems of their own so at first it doesn’t cost us in the standings. But as the iffy performances continue into the second half of the month, they do eventually close the gap, wave as they pass us and keep on going—albeit almost in slow motion, like the Zapruder film, only at 1/10th speed.
We go 13-16 in August but still the Expos fail to put us away and we know if we can get a run on their inexperience at being in this sort of position will be brought to bear. We try and make it so when we pay them a visit for three in early September but in fact it is they who take two of three as our offence continues to sputter.
A week after that, when Montreal comes to TRS for our final three games of the campaign against them, we have indeed caught them again by winning four straight. Behind some solid pitching and excellent offensive contributions from Dave Parker, George Hendrick and Tim Foli, we win all three to wrest back a little bit of control of the division for now: 3 ˝ clear with 13 to play.
We extend that run to a season-high 8 games but then run full pelt into a wall that stops us in our tracks as we lose our next 7. Crucially, however, the Expos fail to fully cash in and we still lead by 2 as we head to St. Louis for our final scheduled three-game series. We go there without Dave Pagan, whose season is cruelly curtailed by a labrum tear. Kent Tekulve gets his well-deserved and eagerly-awaited call-up. Richie Stennet also picks up a niggle but will hopefully be able to play through it.
The drama ends before it begins, as we hand the ball to John Candelaria for the opener and, while he delivers a nifty 3-1 win for us the Expos are eliminated by a loss at the Cubs. In what has been a fairly problematic second half of the season, it is nice for us to have at least some agency in sending ourselves back to the playoffs. Then, in our final game, we are no-hit. Seems kinda fitting, really.
We go 26-28 from August 1.
Dave Parker should be well in the thick of Wagner-Lajoie considerations after a superb season. Rennie Stennet's addition bolsters us both at the plate and in the field.
Another solid campaign by Jerry Reuss and Candy Man showed why he is so highly-touted. Jim Bibby was OK, but Joe Coleman regressed heavily and as for Doc Ellis, well you already know my thoughts there... Griffin and Forster stand up mightily after Gossage goes down.
The Red Sox and Reds clinch easily (but each lose key personnel in the process), while the AL West race is one of the best in recent memory with the Halos, White Sox, Rangers and Twins each at some point looking likely before Chicago seals the deal with a two-game sweep of Cali in their penultimate series.
Batting crowns to Boston's Bucky Dent 331 and Hal McRae of the Cards, the first for each. Oscar Gamble and Mike Schmidt lead the league with 34 HR, Stretch McCovey with 111 RBI.
Lou Brock is now the all-time SB leader, his 884 eclipsing Bill Wright by two.
Sandy Koufax misses his third TC by one measly Win but can console himself with having become the first player to amass 5000 career Strikeouts. Nolan Ryan wins the King of K this year with 286, while the low ERA is Sandy's 2.07 and the most wins are Andy Messersmith's 21 (only he and Reggie Cleveland record 20+ for 1975).
Final Top 20s and Leaders
Monthly Award Winners
August
American League
- Batter – Fred Lynn (Indians): 381 / 6 HR / 25 RBI
- Pitcher – Andy Messersmith (Red Sox): 6-0 / 2.05 / 33 K / 52.2 IP
- Rookie – Lamar Johnson (Twins): 381 / 3 HR / 17 RBI
National League
- Batter – Johnny Bench (Reds): 423 / 7 HR / 21 RBI
- Pitcher – JR Richard (Astros): 5-0 / 2.09 / 44 K / 56 IP
- Rookie – Jim Umbarger (Phillies): 2-0 / 1.71 / 8 SV / 13 K / 21 IP
September
American League
TO COME
National League
TO COME
Milestones and Observations of Note
- 2500 Hits: Billy Williams
- 2000 Hits: Carl Yastrzemski
- Henry Aaron fails to add another HR to his one for the season / 613 for his career - the big question is will he come back for another go at it in '76? Personally, I doubt it; I reckon he's done.
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