The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

OK, so a quick sidebar. With 1961 being such a seminal season and the improvements the game seems to have made with regard to handling outlier seasons, I have spent most of the past 24 hours testing v24 with the view of "trading up" this save, which is currently sitting on v22.

Long story short, it did not go well. I still believe I'll go through with this transfer - just not now, with so much going on and so many high expectations. Two straight imports, Expansion Drafts and new clubs, arguably the most famous season of all - it is simply asking too much of the game (although from what I have just been through I do believe it should do way better with this process, both with insights as to how to effectuate it and the results from doing so - that discussion, however, is for another time and place).

Let's be clear - with this save operating with 3-year recalc / no double-weight applied and, as mentioned, on v22 - we are long odds of seeing anything near the fireworks of 1961 IRL. Still, I'm stoked to have Maris on our ballclub to watch him at close quarters.


AL CHAMPIONS: New York Yankees (109-53)
NL CHAMPIONS: Cincinnati Reds (93-61)
WORLD SERIES: Yankees 4, Reds 1

Pittsburgh Pirates: 75-79, 6th in NL

AL MVP: Roger Maris (Yankees)
NL MVP: Frank Robinson (Reds)

AL CYA: Whitey Ford (Yankees)
NL CYA: not given

AL RoY: Don Schwall (Red Sox)
NL RoY: Billy Williams (Cubs)


Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. FRANK ROBINSON, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: .323 average, 117 runs, 176 hits, 32 doubles, 7 triples, 37 home runs, 124 RBIs, 71 walks, 23 intentional walks, 10 sacrifice flies, 22 stolen bases, .611 slugging percentage.
• He didn’t lead in any major offensive stat categories, but Robinson collectively had the best set of numbers to be found in the NL—and MVP voters perhaps noted that when making him the top choice.

2. WILLIE MAYS, SAN FRANCISCO

• Key Numbers: .308 average, 129 runs, 176 hits, 32 doubles, 40 home runs, 123 RBIs, 88 walks, 18 stolen bases.
• Bringing in the left-field fence at Candlestick Park certainly helped in pushing Mays’ home run totals to 40 for the first time since 1955, but a couple of impressive road contests—a four-homer game at Milwaukee and a three-homer game at Philadelphia—also provided some added power push.

3. HANK AARON, MILWAUKEE

• Key Numbers: 155 games, .327 average, 115 runs, 197 hits, 39 doubles, 10 triples, 34 home runs, 120 RBIs, 20 intentional walks, 21 stolen bases.
• The future home run king was, for the moment, something more of a Ted Williams-like legend; over six years ending in 1961; no one in the NL batted higher than his .325 average.

4. ORLANDO CEPEDA, SAN FRANCISCO

• Key Numbers: .311 average, 105 runs, 182 hits, 28 doubles, 46 home runs, 142 RBIs, 12 stolen bases.
• Nearly doubling his home run output of a year earlier, Cepeda seemed more at ease when playing at his customary spot at first base (hitting .348 with 26 homers in 82 games at the position) than when shifted in the outfield to make room for hot young slugger Willie McCovey.

5. KEN BOYER, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .329 average, 109 runs, 194 hits, 26 doubles, 11 triples, 24 home runs, 95 RBIs.
• Peaking at age 30, Boyer set a personal best for batting average and runs while hitting for his first of two career cycles.

6. DICK STUART, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 138 games, .301 average, 83 runs, 160 hits, 28 doubles, 8 triples, 35 home runs, 117 RBIs, 121 strikeouts, 22 grounded into double plays.
• The Pirates may have struggled in defense of their world championship, but an improved Stuart was not to blame. Still, Stuart’s 35 homers were far short of his professional peak of 66 for the Western League’s Lincoln Chiefs in 1956.

7. WALLY MOON, LOS ANGELES

• Key Numbers: 134 games, .328 average, 25 doubles, 17 home runs, 88 RBIs, 89 walks, .434 on-base percentage.
• In his last solid year before the Dodgers’ move to pitching-friendly Dodger Stadium sapped him of his offensive confidence, Moon hit an astounding .382 with 14 homers in the team’s final year at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

8. EDDIE MATHEWS, MILWAUKEE

• Key Numbers: .306 average, 103 runs, 175 hits, 23 doubles, 6 triples, 32 home runs, 91 RBIs, 93 walks, 12 stolen bases.
• Because of his keen eye at the plate—and because his name was Eddie, like so many others of the time who collected walks by the sackful—Mathews led the NL for the first of three straight years in bases on balls.

9. VADA PINSON, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: .343 average, 101 runs, 208 hits, 34 doubles, 8 triples, 16 home runs, 87 RBIs, 23 stolen bases.
• Down the stretch, the in-the-shadows star hit .396 over his last 60 games to finish a not-so-distant second to Roberto Clemente in the NL batting race with a personal-best average.

10. GEORGE ALTMAN, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 138 games, .303 average, 28 doubles, 12 triples, 27 home runs, 96 RBIs.
• With Ernie Banks’ power numbers beginning to soften and Billy Williams getting acclimated to the big-league scene, Altman best impressed on the Wrigley Field turf—and became the only left-handed batter ever to belt two homers in a game off the great Sandy Koufax.

AL Hitters

1. MICKEY MANTLE, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .317 average, 131 runs, 163 hits, 16 doubles, 6 triples, 54 home runs, 128 RBIs, 126 walks, 12 stolen bases, .687 slugging percentage.
• The Mick’s career-high 54 homers still weren’t enough to place first on his own team (Roger Maris), but one wonders how different things would have been had he not missed eight games after September 1 as late-season pains otherwise quelled his output.

2. NORM CASH, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .361 average, 119 runs, 193 hits, 22 doubles, 8 triples, 41 home runs, 132 RBIs, 124 walks, 19 intentional walks, 11 stolen bases, .487 on-base percentage.
• For his incredible spike of success, Cash thanked not so much expansion and additional games but a corked bat, as he would confess to using years later.

3. JIM GENTILE, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: .302 average, 96 runs, 25 doubles, 46 home runs, 141 RBIs, 96 walks, 11 hit-by-pitches.
• Gentile, anything but with his frequent dugout tantrums, had little to pout about in his monster year; his five grand slams would set an AL standard lasting through 1987.

4. ROCKY COLAVITO, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 163 games, .290 average, 129 runs, 169 hits, 30 doubles, 45 home runs, 140 RBIs, 113 walks.
• Colavito’s performance had Detroit fans chanting “we like steak”—a retort to the remarks of Frank Lane, the Cleveland GM who traded Colavito to Detroit for Harvey Kuenn in 1960 and, at the time, felt so good about the deal that “it was like trading hamburger for steak.”

5. ROGER MARIS, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .269 average, 132 runs, 159 hits, 61 home runs, 141 RBIs, 94 walks.
• Only batting in front of Mickey Mantle could allow Maris to launch 61 homers with no intentional walks.

6. HARMON KILLEBREW, MINNESOTA

• Key Numbers: .288 average, 94 runs, 20 doubles, 7 triples, 46 home runs, 122 RBIs, 107 walks.
• Unleashed in the Bloomington wilds, Killebrew hit the only inside-the-park homer of his career—this from a guy with 19 lifetime steals over 22 years.

7. AL KALINE, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .324 average, 116 runs, 190 hits, 41 doubles, 7 triples, 19 home runs, 82 RBIs, 14 stolen bases.
• All but lost within the statistical euphoria whipped up at Tiger Stadium by Norm Cash and Rocky Colavito, Kaline just purred along with his usual, trusty set of numbers.

8. ROY SIEVERS, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 141 games, .295 average, 76 runs, 26 doubles, 6 triples, 27 home runs, 92 RBIs.
• The veteran slugger notched 20 homers with a .321 average before the midseason point, but a cooling off in the warming months to follow possibly was the reason a new White Sox regime dealt him to the Phillies after the season.

9. NORM SIEBERN, KANSAS CITY

• Key Numbers: .296 average, 36 doubles, 5 triples, 18 home runs, 98 RBIs, 82 walks.
• For losing Roger Maris two years earlier, K.C. fans accepted Siebern—one of four Yankees sent to the A’s in that trade—as their consolation prize.

10. TITO FRANCONA, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .301 average, 87 runs, 178 hits, 30 doubles, 8 triples, 16 home runs, 85 RBIs.
• Francona continued to be a reliable and steady hand at the plate among a transitional roster of intriguing characters that included Vic Power and Jimmy Piersall.

NL Pitchers

1. WARREN SPAHN, MILWAUKEE

• Key Numbers: 3.02 ERA, 21 wins, 13 losses, 38 appearances, 34 starts, 21 complete games, 4 shutouts, 262.2 innings, 64 walks, 30 grounded into double plays.
• The fountain of youth overflowed for the Braves’ southpaw, who paced the NL in victories for a record fifth straight year, became the first pitcher (after Cy Young) to throw a no-hitter after turning 40, and captured a third ERA title—each in a different decade, something no one else would accomplish until Roger Clemens.

2. JIM O’TOOLE, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 3.10 ERA, 19 wins, 9 losses, .679 win percentage, 39 appearances, 35 starts, 252.2 innings.
• The rising Reds ace excelled down the stretch, winning 11 of his last 12 decisions with a 2.29 ERA.

3. SANDY KOUFAX, LOS ANGELES

• Key Numbers: 3.52 ERA, 18 wins, 13 losses, 42 appearances, 35 starts, 255.2 innings, 96 walks, 269 strikeouts, 12 wild pitches.
• Reining in his wildness, Koufax set the NL strikeout record at 269—but that was just a small precursor of things to come.

4. JOEY JAY, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 3.53 ERA, 21 wins, 10 losses, .677 win percentage, 34 starts, 4 shutouts, 247.1 innings, 16 stolen bases allowed.
• For years denied a consistent spot in the Braves’ starting rotation, Jay got one in Cincinnati and tied former teammate Warren Spahn for the NL lead in wins and shutouts.

5. JOE GIBBON, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 3.32 ERA, 13 wins, 10 losses, 29 starts, 195.1 innings, 57 walks.
• The second-year pitcher, once drafted by basketball’s Boston Celtics, had enough game to be the one guy on the Pirates’ staff not to self-destruct in 1961.

6. DON CARDWELL, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.82 ERA, 15 wins, 14 losses, 38 starts, 259.1 innings, 10 hit-by-pitches.
• Something of a career year for the 14-year veteran, who plied the rare workhorse trade to please his committee of coaches in Chicago.

7. STU MILLER, SAN FRANCISCO

• Key Numbers: 2.66 ERA, 14 wins, 5 losses, .737 win percentage, 17 saves, 63 appearances, 0 starts, 122 innings, 37 walks.
• A full-blown reliever (no pun intended) with no starts for the first time in his career, Miller ended up winning more games than any of the Giants’ starters—Juan Marichal, Mike McCormick and Jack Sanford included.

8. CURT SIMMONS, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 3.13 ERA, 9 wins, 10 losses, 29 starts, 195.2 innings.
• So how does a guy with the team’s best ERA and most generous run support still manage only nine wins? Because in all but two of his losses, the Cardinals lost by two or fewer runs.

9. BOB GIBSON, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 3.24 ERA, 13 wins, 12 losses, 35 appearances, 27 starts, 119 walks, 22 grounded into double plays.
• The future Hall of Famer got into his groove late in the year after the firing of Cardinals manager Solly Hemus, who made Gibson and his African-American teammates uncomfortable with his racist tendencies.

10. LEW BURDETTE, MILWAUKEE

• Key Numbers: 4.00 ERA, 18 wins, 11 losses, 40 appearances, 36 starts, 272.1 innings, 33 walks, 22 grounded into double plays.
• In what would be his most prodigious year on the mound innings-wise, Burdette gave up more runs than any other National Leaguer for the second time in three years—but as with the first time, still managed to finish at or near the top of the chart for wins.

AL Pitchers

1. WHITEY FORD, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.21 ERA, 25 wins, 4 losses, .862 win percentage, 39 starts, 283 innings, 0 stolen bases allowed, 28 grounded into double plays.
• A well-preserved Ford finally got to pitch every fourth turn and had his best year yet; for the third time in four years, he didn’t allow a single stolen base. (Three tried and failed, another four were picked off.)

2. STEVE BARBER, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: 3.33 ERA, 18 wins, 12 losses, 37 appearances, 34 starts, 8 shutouts, 248.1 innings, 130 walks, 38 grounded into double plays.
• The 22-year-old lefty—they were all that young in Baltimore, it seemed—led the Orioles in wins during a season in which they’d set a then-franchise record with 95 triumphs overall.

3. FRANK LARY, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 3.24 ERA, 23 wins, 9 losses, .719 win percentage, 36 starts, 22 complete games, 275.1 innings, 25 grounded into double plays.
• Lary got the offensive support that so badly eluded him the year before.

4. BILL STAFFORD, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.68 ERA, 14 wins, 9 losses, 36 appearances, 25 starts, 195 innings.
• His start to the year slowed up by U.S. Army service carried over from the winter, Stafford warmed up, became a rotation regular by June and furnished the AL’s second-best ERA in his second season.

5. LUIS ARROYO, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.19 ERA, 15 wins, 5 losses, .750 win percentage, 29 saves, 65 appearances, 0 starts, 119 innings.
• In a sudden and all-too-brief burst of success, Arroyo became the latest reliever to reset the bar on saves.

6. DICK DONOVAN, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 2.40 ERA, 10 wins, 10 losses, 22 starts, 168.2 innings, 35 walks.
• Left unprotected by the White Sox in the expansion draft after a miserable 1960 existence in the bullpen, Donovan regrouped, won the AL ERA title and was rewarded with a trade to a better side (Cleveland).

7. JIM BUNNING, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 3.19 ERA, 17 wins, 11 losses, 37 starts, 268.1 innings.
• No one liked AL expansion more than Bunning, who was 9-0 with a 2.04 ERA against the first-year Senators and Angels.

8. RALPH TERRY, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.15 ERA, 16 wins, 3 losses, .842 win percentage, 27 starts, 188.1 innings, 42 walks.
• Perhaps still rattled by serving up Bill Mazeroski’s World Series walk-off the year before, Terry stumbled off to a poor start (5.16 ERA in early June) before piling up 10 wins over the season’s final two months.

9. HAL BROWN, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: 3.19 ERA, 10 wins, 6 losses, 27 appearances, 23 starts, 166.2 innings, 33 walks.
• The one old guy in the Orioles’ otherwise infant (but good) rotation, the 37-year-old Brown produced what is still the franchise’s second longest streak of consecutive scoreless innings, having it snapped just three frames shy of Barney Pelty’s record 39-inning run way back in 1907.

10. DON MOSSI, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 2.96 ERA, 15 wins, 7 losses, .682 win percentage, 34 starts, 240.1 innings, 47 walks.
• How serendipitous was Mossi’s year? He gave up a major league season-high five home runs on June 23 at Cleveland—and still won.

[Brad K]

OOTP has Freese listed as being born in Wheeling Illinois. He was born in Wheeling West Virginia. Apparently OOTP doesn't know about Wheeling West Virginia as it does the same thing with Mazeroski.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

OOTP has Freese listed as being born in Wheeling Illinois. He was born in Wheeling West Virginia. Apparently OOTP doesn't know about Wheeling West Virginia as it does the same thing with Mazeroski.

Nice pickup - have fixed both. You noted this in the bug forum? How odd to have two guys on the same club and for the game to have both of them listed incorrectly.

[Brad K]

I noticed it on Maz a long time ago. Don't know why it popped out at me on Freese. I haven't reported it anywhere.

[luckymann]

A fairly low-key offseason indeed, with extensions and returns to former clubs seemingly the name of the game. The Twins are unusually prominent – amazing what a change of scenery can do for a club – and make Larry Jackson the league’s highest earner. One club stalwart who is moved on is Robin Roberts, who heads to Beantown. Bob Trowbridge, acquired by Cincy in a trade with the O’s, is attacked by a mugger and will miss pretty much the entire season. And a nice bit of serendipity as, in what could well be his final season, Jackie Robinson ends back in Kansas City.

Here are the highlights:

• P Larry Jackson: Twins, 6 years / $842000
• P Joe Nuxhall: Reds, 5 years / $490000
• 2B Daryl Spencer: Twins, 4 years / $320000
• P Warren Spahn: Yankees, 3 years / $312000 (extension)
• OF Minnie Minoso: White Sox, 3 years / $306000 (extension)
• P Mike McCormick: Athletics, 5 years / $271200 (extension)
• P Don Newcombe: Cubs, 3 years / $237000
• C Yogi Berra: Yankees, 3 years / $222000 (extension)
• OF Dick Kokos: Yankees, 2 years / $176000
• C Hank Foiles: Cardinals, 3 years / $173000
• SS Eddie Bressoud: Cardinals, 3 years / $146400 (extension)
• 3B Jackie Robinson: Phillies, 1 years / $97000

• 3B Frank Thomas from White Sox to Reds for C Cam Carreon
• C Jimmie Coker from Indians to Twins for OF Jackie Brandt
• P Red Murff from Cardinals to Braves for OF Ken Hunt
• 2B Billy Moran and 1B Hawk Taylor from Giants to White Sox for P Bill Fischer and P Gary Peters
• P Billy O’Dell from Cardinals to Athletics for 3B Steve Boros and 3B Charley Smith
• P George Perez from Reds to Orioles for P Bob Trowbridge
• P Joe Schaffernoth, OF Don Landrum and OF Leo Posada from Cubs to Orioles for P Ralph Terry
• P Robin Roberts and 1B Duke Carmel from Phillies to Red Sox for OF Danny Murphy and SS Bobby Wine
• P Billy Hoeft from White Sox to Cardinals for P Tracy Stallard
• P John Tsitouris from White Sox to Red Sox for 1B Pete Runnels

A 9-9 ST that is uneventful other than another injury to George Brunet. We get cheeky and defer our decision on what to do with him by putting him on the 60-day.

ALL TRANSACTIONS


The BNN boffins see a tight Yankees win and an easy Giants one, with us mid-table and not very competitive. No sign of Maris in the leaderboards but Killer Killebrew is tipped to hit 50 HR.

FULL PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

[luckymann]

A reminder that our team page can be accessed HERE.


A few new faces but, at its core, the squad is virtually the same. We are weak at the corner IF slots, no doubt about that, but I like the look of this group all the same. O'Connell makes his return, Bridges starts the season at AAA. Mudcat Grant gets first dibs on the SP5 slot, but it is a tenuous grasp. Gibbon comes up and takes over the poisoned chalice of being our Stopper.

I think we'll be a bit more of a feature in calculations than the prognosticators do, but not sure we are the Giants' match this year - they look mighty strong.

[luckymann]

So we are making good inroads in this endeavour, with 11 ineligible players - 5 pitchers and 6 hitters still on our AR.






At this point, the longer-term plan involves keeping Felipe Alou as one of our 3 ringers and having he, his brother and Arriba man the OF. Patata will stay as the other ringer and we'll deploy the third as we see fit once the roster has been brought 100% into line.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

I noticed it on Maz a long time ago. Don't know why it popped out at me on Freese. I haven't reported it anywhere.

I have done so.

[luckymann]

A first for the neophyte LA Angels as their main man Jim Fregosi records the club's first 5-hit game in a win over Boston. History, folks!

[luckymann]

After earlier passing Bill Sayles as the all-time leader, Hoyt Wilhelm becomes the first player with 200 career Saves.

[luckymann]

It’s funny how the timing of these recaps so heavily dictates their tone. Were I to be writing this at some totally arbitrary point in late-April with us at 5-6, it would have reeked with the incredulity of how poorly our pitching had started the season; if written a month later it would it have resounded with the ring of ebullience forged by an 11-game win streak that had moved us to the top of the standings at 17-8. Here at this traditional May-June abutment, however, with us having almost literally split wins and losses for the rest of the sectional, it has a sort of confused vibe to it as I feel like we have learned next to nothing about our group over the first 44 games, at the end of which we sit at 24-20.




Given our dire lack of run production and the generally middling look of those metrics, it can be argued that this opening stanza has indeed been a Pyrrhic victory for us, with a bunch of apparent improvement in the group and our relative proximity to the top of the standings. And yet, we are certainly not playing well and need to start manifesting some of that rumoured upside quick smart or risk being dropped off.




Blanchard has been the driving force here, with Freese also proving a most useful addition and Maris chiming in albeit without the hoped-for power surge. On the counterpoint, however, the rest have been pretty flat indeed - Clemente being the most noticeable. Walls' excellent performance vs Rodgers' poor one is putting pressure on the removal or at least flipping of their 3B platoon, although we'll hold steady for now.




Friend has been the only SP to be better than expected, with Pascual and Podres both really struggling early. Patata seems to be on the bounce, but Johnny Pod's last 14 months have not been his best and we really need to see him get things back on track. The BP, with Joe Gibbon in the all-important Stopper role, has been superb to this point and really the main reason we are where we are. Had they been shaky, the many close wins we have had would have been close losses instead.




The Expansion clubs haven't been completely helpless or hopeless, which is how I want it to be throughout this era. Only early days, however, so we'll see how they fare over the rigours of a full season before making any concrete judgment calls in this regard.


Monthly Award Winners

April

American League

• Batter – Jackie Brandt (Indians): 391 / 2 HR / 16 RBI
• Pitcher – Whitey Ford (Yankees): 5-0 / 1.56 / 22 K / 40.1 IP
• Rookie – Chuck Hinton (Yankees): 380 / 2 HR / 12 RBI

National League

• Batter – Bill White (Phillies): 391 / 5 HR / 18 RBI
• Pitcher – Jack Kralick (Dodgers): 4-0 / 2.18 / 20 K / 33 IP
• Rookie – Ken McBride (Cardinals): 2-0 / 3.29 / 24 K / 27.1 IP

May

American League

• Batter – Mickey Mantle (Yankees): 369 / 9 HR / 23 RBI
• Pitcher – Jim Bunning (Detroit): 4-0 / 2.13 / 29 K / 50.2 IP
• Rookie – Claude Raymond (Yankees): 1-0 / 1.45 / 9 SV / 13 K / 18.2 IP

National League

• Batter – Jim Gentile (Reds): 330 / 8 HR / 22 RBI
• Pitcher – Jimmy Ochoa (Braves): 5-0 / 1.05 / 27 K / 34.1 IP
• Rookie – Lee Thomas (Giants): 280 / 5 HR / 20 RBI

News and Leaders






Milestones and Observations of Note

• 400 HR: Stan Musial
• 300 HR: Gil Hodges, Eddie Mathews
• 2000 Hits: Duke Snider
• A serious setback for O’s veteran pitcher Dick Donovan, with news that he won’t make a return from the UCL tear he suffered last year until late next season.
• The Twins lose reigning RoY Floyd Robinson for 6 weeks to a PCL strain, while the Cards lose their star tyro Lou Brock for 3 months with a torn meniscus.
• A ruptured finger tendon puts a dent in Giants Closer Stu Miller’s 1961 campaign with him expected to miss 4 months, while veteran Tigers outfielder Wally Moon is done for the year after suffering a torn ACL.
• A torn flexor tendon closes the door on the season of Indians reliever Bob Mahoney, while elbow troubles also put White Sox reliever Jim Duffalo on ice for the remainder.
• Holding out pays off big time for Rocky Colavito when he inks an 8-year / $1.562m deal with the Cubs that makes him the league’s big dollar dog.
• We’ll be seeing more of Vern Law again after the Senators send him to San Francisco for OF Dave Nicholson.

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[luckymann]

All 100 R/100 RBI/100 BB Seasons

[luckymann]

Sandy Koufax gives us our first no-no in two full years or near enough to (Ike DeLock's previous one was on 6/30/59), with this gem against archrivals San Francisco.

[luckymann]

All-time leader is Wild Bill Wright with 882.

[luckymann]

Arguably the best - and undoubtedly the most entertaining - of the season so far as the Jints and Braves slug it out over 10 rounds.

[luckymann]

Sadly, Teddy has been given very little game time this season and is currently sitting on 0 HR and 3 RBI in just 35 AB. His ratings are tanking and, with his defence virtually non-existent, the writing is on the wall that this might be the end for the Splendid Splinter.

[luckymann]

A veritable downpour of no-nos with Baltimore's Dick Stigman blanking what is turning out to be a fairly hapless Indians side (his actual IRL club for '60 and '61) in a 3-0 win at Memorial Stadium. The sole walk issued that prevents it being a perfect game doesn't come until the 8th.

[luckymann]

Five of our boys get the nod, but Blanchard is the only position player among them.




Henry Aaron wins his maiden HR Derby, beating George Altman 19-15 in the final, and MVP Norm Siebern leads the AL to a 3-1 ASG win.

[luckymann]

What a nice little pick-up Gene Freese has been for us, leading the group in BA and RBI (as well as SB) and showing more pop than we'd anticipated.

Much more in this big game against the Braves, capping it off with a walkoff winner.

[luckymann]

A superb couple months by the lads, as we go a combined 36-16 to wrest the NL lead from the Giants.




Our +3 Pythag and 24-13 record in one-run and extra-inning games speaks volumes about how tight-knit this group has become and how well they have handled the pressure yet again.




What the group has done becomes even more extraordinary when you look at the seasons three of our main guys - Maz, Arriba and Dick Groat - are having. None have been disastrous by any stretch, but each has suffered a noticeable dip in performance. If we can get them to turn things around and have Maris - who, regardless of which, has been fantastic again - at least accelerate his HR frequency over the remainder, then we have a decent chance of holding off the Giants.




While Pascual and Friend have been solid for the most part, the bottom half of our rotation - which has been vulnerable to fairly severe beatdowns that seem to come in bunches - remains a real concern, in particular the ongoing struggles of Johnny Podres. Countering this, however, has been a simply magnificent performance from the BP, led by Joe Gibbon, who wins both monthly Rookie awards and is actually tied for second at the club with 9 wins and leads both leagues with 17 Saves.




So it looks like the NL race is down to us and San Fran, although I wouldn't 100% rule the Cubs out just yet although they have a huge gap to make up.

Plenty of jockeying in the AL sees a big move from the A’s, winning 10 in a row as the Tigers backslide and the two switch places for a while, until the Yanks go on a tear and push past both of them. It goes on like this as if the three have conjoined into a king rat and it looks like this is set to continue to the finish line. The Twins, while close to it, aren't quite out of the race yet.


News, Leaders and Top 20s








Monthly Award Winners

June

American League

• Batter – George Altman (Athletics): 340 / 9 HR / 26 RBI
• Pitcher – Joey Jay (White Sox): 5-0 / 1.94 / 31 K / 51 IP
• Rookie – Donn Clendenon (Twins): 354 / 5 HR / 14 RBI

National League

• Batter – Bill White (Phillies): 390 / 8 HR / 29 RBI
• Pitcher – Jim O’Toole (Cubs): 4-1 / 0.96 / 38 K / 46.2 IP
• Rookie – Joe Gibbon (Pirates): 4-0 / 2.08 / 2 SV / 14 K / 17.1 IP

July

American League

• Batter – Mickey Mantle (Yankees): 356 / 15 HR / 33 RBI
• Pitcher – Roy Face (Angels): 3-0 / 3.15 / 7 SV / 10 K / 20 IP
• Rookie – Bob Hendley (Tigers): 5-1 / 3.03 / 23 K / 35.2 IP

National League

• Batter – Frank Robinson (Reds): 366 / 12 HR / 27 RBI
• Pitcher – Jack Sanford (Giants): 5-0 / 1.95 / 31 K / 50.2 IP
• Rookie – Joe Gibbon (Pirates): 3-1 / 1.33 / 7 SV / 13 K / 20.1 IP

Milestones and Observations of Note

• Ralph Terry of the Cubs has his season curtailed by an RC tear, same goes for Giants reliever Erv Palica, albeit courtesy of a torn labrum.
• The Indians lose rookie relief gun Jack Baldschun for the duration to shoulder impingement, while a finger injury shuts down White Sox reliever Lindy McDaniel until next year as well.
• In a nice bit of serendipity, oft-traded catcher Tim McCarver – still to play his first game in the bigs – ends up at the Cardinals along with Claude Raymond via a trade for Karl Spooner.
• The Salt Lake Gulls – the Angels’ newly-minted AAA club – takes no time settling in, winning 12 straight to move to the top of the standings, only to later regress and lose touch with the leaders. One of their players Dave Philley, who leads the vast majority of AAA offensive stat cats, becomes the first player to reach the 2000-hit plateau at that level.

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