The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

San Francisco Giants v Minnesota Twins
Best-of-seven, Twins with the home-field advantage.


SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS S+ PAGE

MINNESOTA TWINS S+ PAGE

Almost impossible to believe that, with all of the legendary players that have at one time been on their roster, that this is only the 7th WS appearance for the Giants and that they have only their 1911 Championship to show for it. If they want to finally add to that, they’ll have to do it without elder statesman Willie Mays, lost for the season, although his has been more of an emeritus role these past few years with the emergence of McCovey and the arrival of guys like Bonds and, perhaps the final ingredient to their mix, Tommy Harper. Harper has given them the spark good clubs need at the top of their lineup, hitting 281 with 18 homers and swiping an astonishing 97 bases (just 2 shy of the all-time record). Combine that with a quite underrated pitching staff led by Gaylord Perry and Juan Marichal, and the San Franciscans finally look to have the sort of balanced and deep rota that brings success to a club.

Still, they’re going to need to earn it against a Twins club that has shown it doesn’t need Killer Killebrew belting moonshots to be effective. Theirs is a smaller brand of baseball now, led by the soon-to-be-great-if-not-already Rod Carew and Tony Oliva, along with Bob Allison, and they have a couple of young pitchers in Tom Griffin and Jim McAndrew who have really snuck in under the searchlights.

So this is a matchup of two fairly similar groups who will beat you with timely hits and good pitching but also put the ball into the seats where needs be. For which reason I see this being a long series full of twists and turns that will eventually result in a Giants win in six or seven.

[Brad K]

Wow, real life Pirates minor leaguer Ron Woods starting in the WS. And Clendenon on the Twins. Two of the 69 Mets have made it to the Series, Clendenon and Ed Charles.

[luckymann]

Game 1 in Minnesota

Tom Griffin (15-10, 3.19) v Juan Marichal (18-10, 2.80)

An absolute thriller to get us underway, as the Giants go ahead 3-0 early on a Bill Sudakis homer then withstand a furious Twins comeback that sees the game tied at 5 late before an RBI double in the 9th by Luis Aparicio puts them ahead for good. Oliva and Tresh go yard for the hosts, who will rue a couple missed chances but take heart from how they hung in there and nearly pulled off the miracle win.

Game 2 in Minnesota

Jim McAndrew (19-5, 2.79) v Jim Archer (10-7, 4.42)

Giants lead series 1-0

Another early 3-run homer, this time by Duke Sims, proves the difference as the Giants head west with a stranglehold on this Series after a 5-2 win.

Jim Archer scatters 8 hits over 8 innings and the Twins threaten again in the middle innings, closing to within a run before Sudakis’s second homer of the series in the 8th and then an RBI double in the 9th by John Briggs settles it.

Game 3 in San Francisco

Gaylord Perry (20-8, 2.99) v Bill Hands (15-15, 4.23)

Giants lead series 2-0

A familiar pattern in this series as the Giants take an early lead only for the Twins to claw it back with the Giants finally seeing them off. This one was a far closer affair, with that winning flourish a dramatic yet anticlimactic walkoff walk to rookie Darrell Evans that secures a 6-5 San Fran win and puts them on the verge of a series sweep. Bonds and Briggs each has 3 hits for the victors, Oliva a homer and 3 ribbies for the vanquished.

Not sure the reasoning behind Gaylord Perry being pulled after only 60-odd pitches and having given up just 5 hits, but it nearly backfires as the Twins once again dominate the middle innings. If they are to have any chance of coming even part of the way back here, it starts with these poor early frames.

Game 4 in San Francisco

Al Downing (11-13, 3.63) v Claude Osteen (13-11, 3.61)

Giants lead series 3-0

Absolute desperation on full display from both sides in a game that will join the annals of World Series classics. It goes 16 enthralling innings and ends with a 4-3 victory to the Twins after it is tied at 3 after the regulation 9.

Claude Osteen becomes an instant cult hero by going 11+ and both BPs are heroic in the extreme, while the offensive plaudits are spread evenly as what proves to be the winning run comes in on a Tony Oliva sac fly. Even if it only delays the seemingly inevitable, this is a proud day in the Twins’ history.

Game 5 in San Francisco

Juan Marichal (1-0, 0.84) v Jim McAndrew (0-1, 3.46)

Giants lead series 3-1

A gutsy move by the Twins, putting McAndrew on the mound with shortened rest, pays dividends as they keep their hopes alive with another brave win and send this unbelievably high-quality series back to the Twin Cities precariously poised.

The Giants once again pull a starter who seems to be going OK out of the game early (Marichal: 5 IP / 4 H / ) ER / 6 K, 80 pitches), and it once again costs them big-time, with Estevis having a nightmare series and blowing the lead again. Whoever came up with this strategy should pay for it with their job, because it’s not unfeasible that the club is going to pay for it with the title that seems somehow to be inexorably slipping out of their grasp after looking squarely within their keeping.

Game 6 in Minnesota

Tom Griffin (1-0, 2.35) v Jim Archer (1-0, 2.02)

Giants lead series 3-2

Rookie Griffin does gets the assignment tonight that he missed out on in Game 5 and stands tall as the Twins continue their resurgence with the most decisive game of the series so far, a cruisy 8-3 win that sends us to a deciding Game 7.

Griffin allows 3 runs over 8+ but will have to share some of the bouquets with SS Ted Sizemore, who goes 3-for-4 with a double and a homer, driving in 4. The Giants, it is fair to say, look utterly shell-shocked and I’ve got no idea how they’ll find whatever it’s going to take to turn this thing around.

Game 7 in Minnesota

Bill Hands (0-0, 3.60) v Gaylord Perry (1-1, 2.79)

Series tied 3-3

Isn’t it funny how the universe works on occasion. I doubt Bill Hands would have envisaged himself pitching in Game 7 of the 1969 World Series when we traded him in midseason. And yet, here he is!

Sadly for him and his teammates, it just isn’t to be as the Giants do find that inner reserve and finally earn that precious fourth win and second World Championship with a hard-fought – as you'd expect in this fabulous series that must rank with the best of all-time – 5-2 victory. Bill Sudakis, so key to their early wins, comes through for them again here with a 3-run blast in the 8th that holds up to the end.

Bobby Bonds caps off an outstanding second year in the MLB with the MVP award.

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[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Wow, real life Pirates minor leaguer Ron Woods starting in the WS. And Clendenon on the Twins. Two of the 69 Mets have made it to the Series, Clendenon and Ed Charles.

I thought the Mets were on track in this timeline to at least partway replicate the '69 success but they were dreadful this year.

[luckymann]

OUT & OUTS

Another stark reminder as to how tenuous the existence of MLB Managers as - just a year after delivering them the Holy Grail - the Cards cut skipper Kirby Higbe.


ROSTER MOVES

Very little action required of us this offseason. We send RP Tom Butters to arb and let both Joe Gibbon - who is after big $$ to stay - and Jim Bunning walk.


SIM ACCURACY





HANGIN' THEM UP

Another relatively quiet year on the retirement front. Ashburn and Ford might sneak in some year with few others to pick, but the stars will have to align fully.

[luckymann]

AL 1969 HISTORY INDEX

NL 1969 HISTORY INDEX

AWARDS HISTORY


It's all about Sandy Koufax this year as the great man wins his 6th Johnson-Waddell and 3rd Wagner-Lajoie, both unanimously, and even manages a Gold Glove to boot. His compatriots in the AL are Rico Petrocelli (his 2nd) and Sam McDowell (his 4th). RoYs to Bernie Carbo and Jerry Reuss, with Paige Plates to first-timers Tug McGraw and Wayne Granger.


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[luckymann]

We pass through the seventh decade of this sim and head into the volatile world of the 1970s with Free-Agency the big thing to watch for, along with some pretty special uniforms...

Here are the club records to this point.

And just for the 1960s.

Here are the individual and team stats for the decade just past.

INDIVIDUAL HITTING

INDIVIDUAL PITCHING

TEAM HITTING

TEAM PITCHING


As always, you can dive as deep as you please via this league's Stats+ page, using the links below.

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PIRATES HOME

[Pelican]

Richie Ashburn played another seven years in your sim, until he was 42! How many hits did he have in that time? His cumulative totals would pad his HOF credentials. But those of us in Philly would have been deprived all those years of hearing him do radio and TV broadcasts. He was my favorite ever behind the mic. Honest, with a sense of humor, and unabashedly pro-Phillies.

[luckymann]

Here's Put Put's player page which gives every bit of info from his time in this sim.


He added about 600 over his bonus seasons and made it just past 3000. But his abject lack of power (37 career HR) might prove a hindrance for his HoF chances, and his WAR total is a bit on the low side for how voting has gone to this point. Still, as I commented earlier - he's not entirely without hope, especially given few other big names have retired the past few years.

[luckymann]

More handy types joining the league this year—these are the Legacy Players for the 1970 Season:

Baltimore Orioles: Ken Singleton (41.8; 1446)
California Angels: Bobby Grich (71.1; 1222)
Cincinnati Reds: Dave Concepcion (40.1; one-club player)
Houston Astros: Jose Cruz (54.3; 1870)
Kansas City Royals: Paul Splittorff (23.0; one-club player CONCEDED)
Minnesota Twins: Bert Blyleven (94.5; 345 GS)
Philadelphia Phillies: Greg Luzinski (26.3; 1289)
Washington Senators: Charlie Hough 38.4; 313 GS)


Ken Forsch (25.1; 421 GP) was also eligible for the Astros, but Cruz’s higher WAR makes him the selection.

Cesar Cedeno (52.9; 1512) was also eligible for the Astros, but Cruz’s higher WAR makes him the selection.


There are 141 MLB rookies for this season, and another 250 historical minor leaguers being added as the player pool is frightfully thin at present, so this Draft will consist of 12 rounds.

The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1969 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round):

Round 1

[B]1. Minnesota Twins (599)
2. California Angels (438)
3. Houston Astros (500)
4. Baltimore Orioles (673)
5. Cincinnati Reds (549)
6. Washington Senators (531)
7. Philadelphia Phillies (389)
8. Kansas City Royals (426)
9. Montreal Expos (321; dice roll)
10. San Diego Padres (321; dice roll)
11. Cleveland Indians (385)
12. Milwaukee Brewers (395)
13. Chicago White Sox (420)
14. New York Yankees (497)
15. Los Angeles Dodgers (525)
16. St. Louis Cardinals (537; dice roll)
17. Boston Red Sox (537; dice roll)
18. Pittsburgh Pirates (543; dice roll)
19. Oakland Athletics (543; dice roll)
20. San Francisco Giants (556; dice roll)
21. Detroit Tigers (556; dice roll)
22. Chicago Cubs (568)
23. Atlanta Braves (574)
24. New York Mets (617)


Rounds 2 thru 12

1. Montreal Expos (321; dice roll)
2. San Diego Padres (321; dice roll)
3. Cleveland Indians (385)
4. Philadelphia Phillies (389)
5. Milwaukee Brewers (395)
6. Chicago White Sox (420)
7. Kansas City Royals (426)
8. California Angels (438)
9. New York Yankees (497)
10. Houston Astros (500)
11. Los Angeles Dodgers (525)
12. Washington Senators (531)
13. St. Louis Cardinals (537; dice roll)
14. Boston Red Sox (537; dice roll)
15. Pittsburgh Pirates (543; dice roll)
16. Oakland Athletics (543; dice roll)
17. Cincinnati Reds (549)
18. San Francisco Giants (556; dice roll)
19. Detroit Tigers (556; dice roll)
20. Chicago Cubs (568)
21. Atlanta Braves (574)
22. Minnesota Twins (599)
23. New York Mets (617)
24. Baltimore Orioles (673)


Eligible PIT players: 4 position players + 5 pitchers = 9.


Slim pickings once again means our strategy will be dictated by the picks ahead of us, although there’s one guy who stands out for us that we should be able to grab, if not with our first then definitely our second pick.

We choose as follows:

1. C Milt May, 21

• For once, none of our eligible guys went before we got a crack at them. I’ll admit this caught us a bit off-guard with OF Gene Clines and P John Curtis both highly appealing, but we went with Milt because we would be in strife if Sangy went down hurt and can slot him in anyway and give Spanky Kirkpatrick more time in the OF.

2. IF Tim Foli, 19

• The gent I was referring to earlier, a much-needed IF utility type.

3. P John Lamb, 23

• Almost certainly just organisational depth.

4. C Larry Howard, 24 (ineligible)

• Trade fodder for a year’s time.

By this point, it was mere padding left and I handed responsibility elsewhere with our depth chart needs at AAA. Not even going to list those chosen as they are all ineligibles, other than P Dick Colpaert, who nevertheless won’t see the light of day.

Turned out better than expected.


FULL DRAFT LOG

[luckymann]

So, who is the active leader in the MLB in career RBI?

• Mickey Mantle, NYY, 1661
• Willie Mays, -, 1547
• Eddie Mathews, -, 1507
• Henry Aaron, ATL, 1360
• Frank Robinson, CIN, 1349

All-time Leader: Babe Ruth, 2013

[luckymann]

Bob Feller's bid comes up short, while Warren Spahn misses out narrowly again.

[luckymann]

Four teams in the thick of this era’s action converge on the playoffs, but it is for Brooks Robinson’s heroics with bat and glove that this postseason will be remembered, as the O’s make up for the ’69 loss by beating an early prototype of the Big Red Machine in five.


AL EAST / WEST CHAMPIONS: Baltimore Orioles (108-54) / Minnesota Twins (98-64)
NL EAST / WEST CHAMPIONS: Pittsburgh Pirates (89-73) / Cincinnati Reds (102-60)
ALCS: Orioles 3, Twins 0
NLCS: Reds 3, Pirates 0
WORLD SERIES: Orioles 4, Reds 1

Pittsburgh Pirates: 89-73, 1st in NL East

AL MVP: Boog Powell (Orioles)
NL MVP: Johnny Bench (Reds)

AL CYA: Jim Perry (Twins)
NL CYA: Bob Gibson (Cardinals)

AL RoY: Thurman Munson (Yankees)
NL RoY: Carl Morton (Expos)


Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. BILLY WILLIAMS, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 161 games, .322 average, 636 at-bats, 137 runs, 205 hits, 34 doubles, 42 home runs, 129 RBIs, 72 walks.
• Williams finally pled exhaustion after playing over 1,000 straight games, but you wouldn’t sense burnout looking at his most productive set of statistics ever.

2. WILLIE MCCOVEY, SAN FRANCISCO

• Key Numbers: .289 average, 98 runs, 39 doubles, 39 home runs, 126 RBIs, 137 walks, 40 intentional walks, .612 slugging percentage.
• Willie Mac’s peak period came to a close as various injuries over the next few years would usher in a far less productive period as he aged well into his 30s.

3. TONY PEREZ, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: .317 average, 107 runs, 186 hits, 28 doubles, 6 triples, 40 home runs, 129 RBIs, 83 walks.
• A roaring start—a .455 average, 10 homers and 26 RBIs in April—hoisted the future Hall of Famer to a career-year performance; his chances of securing a home run title faded as he collected just one round-tripper over his last 30 games.

4. JIM HICKMAN, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .315 average, 102 runs, 33 doubles, 32 home runs, 115 RBIs, 93 walks.
• A refugee of the early, awful Mets, Hickman suddenly and all-too-briefly bloomed in a career where he otherwise batted .243 with no more than 21 homers and 64 RBIs in any one season.

5. JOHNNY BENCH, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: .293 average, 97 runs, 177 hits, 35 doubles, 45 home runs, 148 RBIs, 11 sacrifice flies.
• No catcher before or since has knocked in more runs in a season (Roy Campanella drove it more while actually playing catcher in 1953, but never mind), and no Red in general collected more RBIs until George Foster edged Bench by one in 1977. Bench’s MVP was the first of six over the next eight years for a Cincinnati player.

6. BOBBY BONDS, SAN FRANCISCO

• Key Numbers: .302 average, 663 at-bats, 134 runs, 200 hits, 36 doubles, 10 triples, 26 home runs, 78 RBIs, 77 walks, 189 strikeouts, 48 stolen bases.
• Bonds’ record 189 whiffs were a case of “so what?” given the serious damage he otherwise laid on opposing pitchers.

7. HANK AARON, ATLANTA

• Key Numbers: .298 average, 103 runs, 26 doubles, 38 home runs, 118 RBIs, 74 walks.
• Perhaps the most interesting stat of all for the 36-year-old Aaron was that he stole nine bases—without once getting caught.

8. RICO CARTY, ATLANTA

• Key Numbers: 136 games, .366 average, 84 runs, 175 hits, 25 home runs, 101 RBIs, 77 walks, .454 on-base percentage.
• After going hitless on Opening Day, Carty began a 31-game hit streak that’s currently third in Braves history. It would be the zenith of his career and a comeback from a bout of tuberculosis in 1968.

9. BOBBY TOLAN, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: .316 average, 112 runs, 186 hits, 34 doubles, 6 triples, 16 home runs, 80 RBIs, 57 stolen bases, 20 caught stealing.
• Congratulations to Tolan, who became the only player between 1966-74 not named Lou brock to lead the NL in steals—and who, like teammates Johnny Bench and Tony Perez (above), enjoyed his finest season.

10. DICK ALLEN, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 122 games, .279 average, 88 runs, 34 doubles, 101 RBIs, 71 walks.
• Freed from Philadelphia after a combative seven years with the Phillies, Allen relaxed and was on pace for a career year—with possibly 45-plus homers and 130-plus RBIs—when a torn hamstring cropped down his year in mid-August.

AL Hitters

1. CARL YASTRZEMSKI, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .329 average, 125 runs, 186 hits, 29 doubles, 40 home runs, 102 RBIs, 128 walks, 23 stolen bases, .452 on-base percentage, .592 slugging percentage.
• Yaz just missed out on a batting title and blasted 40 homers for the third time in four years—but finished only fourth in the AL MVP vote; he had to settle for MVP of the All-Star Game. A wrist injury would sap him of future power.

2. FRANK HOWARD, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: .283 average, 90 runs, 44 home runs, 126 RBIs, 132 walks, 29 intentional walks, 23 grounded into double plays.
• Hondo hit over 40 homers for the third straight year, and by now opposing pitchers certainly were getting the message, as they carefully threw around him to the tune of a franchise-record 132 walks.

3. BOOG POWELL, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: .297 average, 82 runs, 28 doubles, 35 home runs, 114 RBIs, 103 walks.
• The unpredictable slugger finally pieced together two straight solid campaigns; it was good enough to earn him the AL MVP.

4. TOMMY HARPER, MILWAUKEE

• Key Numbers: .296 average, 104 runs, 179 hits, 35 doubles, 31 home runs, 82 RBIs, 77 walks, 38 stolen bases.
• Harper showed unexpected pop and became the second American Leaguer (after Ken Williams, in 1922) to homer and steal 30 times each in a year.

5. HARMON KILLEBREW, MINNESOTA

• Key Numbers: .271 average, 96 runs, 41 home runs, 113 RBIs, 128 walks, 28 grounded into double plays.
• Killer collected 40-plus homers for the eighth and last time; outside of Hank Aaron, he’s the only player to hit at least 40 in three different decades.

6. ROY WHITE, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 162 games, .296 average, 109 runs, 180 hits, 30 doubles, 6 triples, 22 home runs, 94 RBIs, 95 walks, 24 stolen bases.
• One of the few CBS-era Yankee stars who got to taste championship glory in the upcoming Age of Steinbrenner, White put together his best cache of statistics over a 15-year career.

7. TONY OLIVA, MINNESOTA

• Key Numbers: .325 average, 96 runs, 204 hits, 36 doubles, 7 triples, 23 home runs, 107 RBIs.
• Enjoying a second career wind after an explosive debut back in the mid-1960s, Oliva led the AL hits for the fifth (and last) time.

8. FRANK ROBINSON, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: 132 games, .306 average, 88 runs, 25 home runs, 78 RBIs, 69 walks.
• Of the eight grand slams Robbie would hit in his Hall-of-Fame career, two of them came in back-to-back innings on June 26 at Washington.

9. TONY CONIGLIARO, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .266 average, 89 runs, 36 home runs, 116 RBIs.
• Three years after a terrifying beanball injury, the still young (25) Conigliaro looked to get firmly back on track—but increased headaches, likely the result of getting beaned, would unravel his career for good the next year.

10. CESAR TOVAR, MINNESOTA

• Key Numbers: .300 average, 650 at-bats, 120 runs, 195 hits, 36 doubles, 13 triples, 10 home runs, 54 RBIs, 30 stolen bases.
• Baseball’s best-known Venezuelan of the moment after Luis Aparicio—some might call him Tony Oliva Light—became the 10th player to lead a league in both doubles and triples. Surprisingly, no one has done it since.

NL Pitchers

1. BOB GIBSON, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 3.12 ERA, 23 wins, 7 losses, .767 win percentage, 34 starts, 23 complete games, 294 innings, 274 strikeouts.
• Gibson became the first (and still, only) pitcher to win a Cy Young Award and bat over .300 in the same season.

2. TOM SEAVER, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.82 ERA, 18 wins, 12 losses, 36 starts, 290.2 innings, 283 strikeouts.
• Seaver won his first of five strikeout crowns, but a late-season slump likely led to the Cy Young Award slipping away to Gibson.

3. GAYLORD PERRY, SAN FRANCISCO

• Key Numbers: 3.20 ERA, 23 wins, 13 losses, 41 starts, 23 complete games, 5 shutouts, 328.2 innings, 11 wild pitches, 31 grounded into double plays.
• For the second time in three years, Perry put together a streak of exactly 40 consecutive scoreless innings.

4. FERGUSON JENKINS, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.39 ERA, 22 wins, 16 losses, 39 starts, 24 complete games, 313 innings, 60 walks, 274 strikeouts.
• About a third of the way into the season, Jenkins was on pace to give up nearly 60 home runs before clamping down and rebounding to his fourth straight 20-win campaign.

5. LUKE WALKER, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 3.04 ERA, 15 wins, 6 losses, .714 win percentage, 3 saves, 42 appearances, 19 starts, 163 innings.
• Despite not becoming a full-time starter until August, Walker led the Pirates in victories—and his 5-0, 1.43 performance in September was instrumental in the Bucs making it to the postseason for the first time since 1960.

6. WAYNE SIMPSON, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 3.02 ERA, 14 wins, 3 losses, .824 win percentage, 26 starts, 176 innings.
• What could have been: The 21-year-old rookie right-hander was 13-1 with a a 2.27 ERA at the start of July, throwing a hard fastball that wore out Johnny Bench’s glove(s). Then he suffered what was later discovered to be a torn rotator cuff, and his career never came back to life.

7. GARY NOLAN, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 3.27 ERA, 18 wins, 7 losses, .720 win percentage, 37 starts, 250.2 innings.
• Unlike Simpson, Nolan would overcome arm woes of his own to start a stretch of solid (though not spectacular) pitching at Cincinnati.

8. BILL HANDS, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.70 ERA, 18 wins, 15 losses, 38 starts, 265 innings, 32 grounded into double plays.
• Backed by strong offensive support, Hands managed to put together respectable numbers despite a tough go at it inside Wrigley Field, where he gave up 17 of his 20 home runs.

9. STEVE BLASS, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 3.52 ERA, 10 wins, 12 losses, 31 starts, 196.2 innings, 25 grounded into double plays.
• Blass stayed in control of the strike zone—a good thing, given what was forthcoming in the not-so-distant future—but just couldn’t nail down the wins; the Bucs triumphed in six of his nine non-decisions.

10. WAYNE GRANGER, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 2.66 ERA, 6 wins, 5 losses, 35 saves, 4 blown saves, 84.2 innings.
• Granger upped the standard for saves (in its second year as an official stat), with his 35 setting a new record.

AL Pitchers

1. JIM PERRY, MINNESOTA

• Key Numbers: 3.04 ERA, 24 wins, 12 losses, 40 starts, 278.2 innings, 57 walks.
• It wasn’t Gaylord who got the first Cy Young Award; it was brother Jim, who survived a long stretch floating between the rotation and bullpen to re-emerge as the ace he once was nearly a decade earlier.

2. FRITZ PETERSON, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.90 ERA, 20 wins, 11 losses, 37 starts, 260.1 innings, 40 walks, 25 grounded into double plays.
• Fritz Peterson reached 20 wins for the only time in his career; it must have been enough to impress the wife of teammate Mike Kekich, who would agree to a spouse swap a few years later.

3. SAM MCDOWELL, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 2.92 ERA, 20 wins, 12 losses, 39 starts, 19 complete games, 305 innings, 131 walks, 304 strikeouts, 17 wild pitches, 22 grounded into double plays.
• McDowell won his fifth AL strikeout title in six years while winning 20 for the only time in his career.

4. DAVE MCNALLY, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: 3.22 ERA, 24 wins, 9 losses, 40 starts, 296 innings, 31 grounded into double plays.
• The Beltway was very, very good for McNally; of his career-high 24 wins, 15 took place at Baltimore while three others were notched down in Washington against the Senators.

5. JIM PALMER, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: 2.71 ERA, 20 wins, 10 losses, 38 starts, 5 shutouts, 305 innings, 100 walks, 20 stolen bases allowed.
• Arguably the top pitcher of the 1970s began the decade with the first of eight years over the next nine picking up at least 20 wins.

6. CLYDE WRIGHT, CALIFORNIA

• Key Numbers: 2.83 ERA, 22 wins, 12 losses, 39 starts, 260.2 innings.
• After an abysmal 1-8 showing in 1969, Wright righted himself by pitching winter ball at Puerto Rico before breaking out at Anaheim; included in the comeback effort was a no-hitter against the A’s on July 3.

7. TOM HALL, MINNESOTA

• Key Numbers: 2.55 ERA, 11 wins, 6 losses, 4 saves, 52 appearances, 11 starts, 155.1 innings.
• After spending much of the year in the bullpen, Hall was given a pass to operate out of the rotation—and went 5-0 in seven September starts. Opponents hit just .173 against him all year, and he struck out 10.7 batters per nine innings.

8. MIKE CUELLAR, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: 3.48 ERA, 24 wins, 8 losses, .750 win percentage, 40 starts, 21 complete games, 297.2 innings, 26 grounded into double plays.
• No one gave up more home runs (34) or earned runs (115) in the AL than Cuellar—but nobody won more games, either.

9. DIEGO SEGUI, OAKLAND

• Key Numbers: 2.56 ERA, 10 wins, 10 losses, 47 appearances, 19 starts, 162 innings.
• A failed starter early in his career, Segui got a second chance late in the season and pitched well enough to become the first A’s pitcher since Lefty Grove to win an ERA crown.

10. ANDY MESSERSMITH, CALIFORNIA

• Key Numbers: 3.01 ERA, 11 wins, 10 losses, 37 appearances, 26 starts, 194.2 innings.
• In stark contrast to Tom Hall and Diego Segui above, the once-and-future Angels ace thrived once he was ‘demoted’ to the bullpen over the last two months; overall, he posted a 0.77 ERA, 3-0 record and five saves in 11 relief appearances.

[luckymann]

The trade and FA market is much busier this year, both in volume and size, with the Yanks making some strong moves:

• OF Tommy Harper: Yankees, 7 years / $3140000
• 1B Willie McCovey: Giants, 6 years / $3060000 (extension)
• 2B Denis Menke: Dodgers, 6 years / $2832000
• 2B Willie Horton: Phillies, 7 years / $2346000
• P Stan Williams: Mets, 5 years / $1600000
• P Bob Moose: Cubs, 5 years / $1538000 (extension)
• 1B Norm Cash: Red Sox, 3 years / $1376000
• P Jim Perry: Yankees, 4 years / $1330000
• OF Don Buford: Twins, 4 years / $1128000
• 3B Ken McMullen: Red Sox, 3 years / $1044000
• 1B Danny Cater: Indians, 3 years / $908000
• 1B Orlando Cepeda: Mets, 3 years / $882000
• C Curt Blefary: Reds, 3 years / $832000
• OF Tony Conigliaro: Yankees, 3 years / $816000
• OF John Briggs: Giants, 4 years / $614000 (extension)
• OF Willie Mays: Giants, 1 year / $306000 (extension)

• P Skip Lockwood, 1B Nate Colbert and 2B Ken Boswell from Yankees to Senators for OF Bobby Murcer
• P Mike Paul and OF Del Unser from Dodgers to Mets for P Jim Nash
• C Dave Duncan and 1B Bob Watson from Cardinals to Twins for SS Tom Tresh
• P Warren Bogle from Reds to Royals for 1B Matty Alou
• P Bill Hepler and OF Tom Shopay from Giants to Senators for P Denny McLain
• 3B Aurelio Rodriguez from Senators to Cardinals for OF Lou Brock
• 2B Bobby Valentine from A’s to Tigers for OF Mack Jones (retaining 55%)
• P Jim Dickson and OF Billy Buckner from Expos to Tigers for C Bob Stinson
• 2B Ike Brown and from Red Sox to Astros for P Jim Duckworth and OF Larry Hisle
• P Bill Champion and 1B Bob Robertson from Dodgers to Senators for OF Jim Hickman
• P Grover Powell from Expos to Orioles for OF Hal McRae
• OF Felipe Alou and OF Cesar Geronimo from A’s to Expos for P Jack Aker

We go 13-5 in ST without incident.

ALL TRANSACTIONS


Boy are the BNN boffins keen on the Astros, tipping them to win a league-high 102 and take out the NL West in a canter. Their other picks are Boston, the White Sox and ourselves.

FULL PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

[luckymann]

You know it - the Buccos' page is HERE.

Our only roster action outside of the Draft is among our pitching staff. We sign FA Joe Coleman - who oh so briefly played for the club IRL in his final 1979 season - on a 4+1/800 deal, and grab Bob Miller in the R5 Draft.




Our toughest decision is a nice problem to have - who fills out our starting OF slots; or, perhaps more to the point, who misses out. In the end, Tolan looks ready to burst and so it is Al Oliver who'll start the season as our 4th OF. Our system means he'll get almost as many ABs as the others, but you need to embrace it rather than take it as a slight on your talent. Let's hope he does that.

Other than that small adjustment and the fact that - to avoid risking players on the WW - Flea Patek will be starting at AAA, our position player group is unchanged.

No doubt the pressure is on this year with expectations high. Here's hoping the group responds appropriately.

Just a note about the AAA comp - the offseason has seen a complete makeover with almost every club replaced (and a slight nod given to the historical), the alignment set to match the big clubs and new LTMs applied. Hopefully that influx of historical MiLBers will get these clubs properly populated, although we'll keep the ghosts on until that is clearly the case.

Our new farm club is the Lincoln Links.

[luckymann]

Johnny Bench making some noise to usher in the new season and decade.

[luckymann]

Very few loose ends of note for us over the next few years, with most players locked down long-term. Ellis and Johnson are the obvious exceptions, along with Gelnar and Robinson and a few others. We'll get to these in due course so we can concentrate on matters afield rather than anywhere else.

We might have 1970's 7th-highest payroll but watch how quickly that falls as our fixed costs are overtaken by market forces.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Pelican

Richie Ashburn played another seven years in your sim, until he was 42! How many hits did he have in that time? His cumulative totals would pad his HOF credentials. But those of us in Philly would have been deprived all those years of hearing him do radio and TV broadcasts. He was my favorite ever behind the mic. Honest, with a sense of humor, and unabashedly pro-Phillies.

FYI I just noticed the Red Sox actually retired #1 for Richie. In this timeline, he never played for the Phils.

[luckymann]

So, who is the leader in the MLB in career games started?

• Eddie Collins, -, 3123
• Ty Cobb, -, 3007
• Tris Speaker, -, 2945
• Stan Musial, -, 2870
• Willie Wells, -, 2867

[luckymann]

Although the game for whatever reason doesn't acknowledge it as one, the Twins pull off a strange combined no-no against the Orange Birds, with Tom Griffin doing all but one of the outs himself. Given the scoreline, this is an odd decision to say the least.