We are heading the wrong way fast from the very start of June, losing five straight to slip under 500 as our offence completely dries up until we narrowly escape losing a sixth with a 7-run 9th in a game at Chicago.
Joe Orsulak is the next one we lose to injury, with a back injury keeping him on ice for a fortnight or so and with Gary Redus still not having returned, Bill Almon will get a bit more playing time as we still want to hold back from promoting Cangelosi.
By this stage we are a dozen off the pace and we’ve already turned our focus to trying to right the ship come ’86.
To which end, we sign a few more minor extensions: Neal Heaton (1/398), Larry McWilliams (1/190); Bill Almon (1/180) and Rod Scurry (1/290).
I fast-sim from July onwards (although I still do it day-by-day; I just take fewer notes is all). No point prolonging the agony.
Here, in bullet-point form, are the lowlights:
- We finally get Gary Redus back from the IL
- John Cangelosi is injured at AAA and misses 6 weeks
- Lance Parrish’s dirty year gets dirtier as he strains an oblique and needs a minimum IL stint, with Steve Nicosia called up to replace him
- We go 11-17 in June
- Joe Orsulak comes back, George Hendrick’s cameo comes to an end for now
- We win 8 straight to storm back into 4th place…
- We claim reliever Ted Power off the WW and stash him at AAA
- Another run of wins puts us at 46-40 when the ASB rolls around, tied for second but miles back from the all-conquering Expos
- We go 18-9 in July
- We make a few trade overtures at the Deadline but only in the search for an absolute bargain or two. As painful as it is to endure, this season is just one of those things and has been coming for a while. It notwithstanding, we actually think our squad is in pretty good shape moving forward and with the top pick in this year’s Draft, we should pick up at least two key guys and one or two other useful additions.
No stats rundown or any of that, as I want to keep things moving apace.
Just a bit of news below from around the league:
- The 25-42 Astros fire Manager Sandy Koufax, later replacing him with Charlie Maxwell
- While the Expos go from strength to strength and look set to cruise to the NL East title, the Jays moonwalk back to the pack and will have a fight on their hands down the stretch
- Reds veteran Joe Morgan tears his labrum in July and is done for the season
- Some deadline trades of note
Monthly Award Winners
June
American League- Batter – Dave Parker (A’s): 388 / 6 HR / 18 RBI
- Pitcher – Charlie Hough (Tigers): 5-0 / 1.88 / 25 K / 48 IP
- Rookie – Teddy Higuera (Brewers): 4-1 / 2.41 / 27 K / 37.1 IP
National League- Batter – Tim Raines (Expos): 404 / 3 HR / 15 RBI
- Pitcher – John Franco (Expos): 4-0 / 1.19 / 8 SV / 16 K / 22.2 IP
- Rookie – Joe Johnson (Cardinals): 5-1 / 2.42 / 22 K / 44.2 IP
July
American League- Batter – Alvin Davis (Indians): 326 / 6 HR / 18 RBI
- Pitcher – Roger Clemens (Red Sox): 4-2 / 1.71 / 51 K / 52.2 IP
- Rookie – Ernest Riles (Rangers): 309 / 6 HR / 20 RBI
National League- Batter – Tom Brunansky (Braves): 319 / 9 HR / 24 RBI
- Pitcher –JR Richard (Astros): 4-1 / 1.71 / 46 K / 47.1 IP
- Rookie – Kirk McCaskill (Expos): 3-0 / 1.78 / 28 K / 35.1 IP
Here are the standings and we're done for this report:
