The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

OUT & OUTS

The Twins franchise changes hands again, as do the Phillies.

Cleveland fires Manager Mel Queen, as do the Mets with Clarence Beers and the Reds with Chuck Tanner, another skipper just one season past a title.


ROSTER MOVES

We reluctantly void Jangles Robinson's final year after he loses his 3B rating and Dave Kingman regains his at 1B. Lee lacy also loses his IF skills, but at $330k vs a $40k buyout we deem him worth keeping and exercise his. Derrell Thomas lowers his demands enough to make him viable and we re-up him for two years at $600k per to cover the void left by Lacy.

Gary Alexander is almost done but we arb him just for backup purposes because he's pretty low-cost, and UL Washington also heads for a hearing. Dave Alexander is non-tendered, while we get a bunch of payroll back with Ken Brett, Woodie Fryman, Gene Garber, Andy Hassler and Jangles soon to be off the books.

Dave Roberts, who spent the year at AAA, announces his retirement.

We don't renew 3B Jay Moore's contract and replace him with former Pirate Cesar Tovar.


SIM ACCURACY




*Ignore the SB figure, I often bump it up in the LTMs if I feel it's too low.


HANGIN' THEM UP

Just the one truly big name here and we'll cover him separately.

[luckymann]

And so another challenger to the HR title comes up short as Willie McCovey retires just one behind the Mick.

See you in upstate NY in five years, big guy.

[luckymann]

Boy, what a decade the 1970s turned out to be with a bunch of new and newish clubs joining the fray and some epic pennant races throughout.

Here's the traditional end-of-decade update.

Club records to this point, with us having just passed the 7000-win mark.

And just for the 1970s.

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

INDIVIDUAL HITTING

INDIVIDUAL PITCHING

TEAM HITTING

TEAM PITCHING

ZR Leaders

C: Johnny Kling 49.4
1B: Jiggs Donahue 64.9
2B: Johnny Evers 252.7
3B: Brooks Robinson 97.3
SS: Joe Tinker 353.5
LF: Bobby Veach 99.8
CF: Willard Brown 252.6
RF: Roberto Clemente 187.5

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

S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

AL 1979 HISTORY INDEX

NL 1979 HISTORY INDEX

AWARDS HISTORY


A bit of a boilover this year with JR Richard taking out the Johnson-Waddell / Wagner-Lajoie double, with the latter being somewhat unexpected. The AL awards go to pitcher Scott Sanderson, backing up his Mantle-Mays of a year ago, and Fred Lynn. This year's best rookies are Rickey Henderson and pitcher Frank Pastore, while Monty Montgomery wins his third Paige-Koufax Plate and Guy Hoffman his first. Only a Ruth-Gibson to Pops saves us from a total wipe.


Note for 1979 only, just give these awards links a day or two as I had to upload early to get the decade recap in and will wait until OD before I do it again.


S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

No all-time greats here, but plenty of cult heroes and personalities among the six new Legacies.

These are the Legacy Players for the 1980 Season:

Boston Red Sox: Bruce Hurst (34.1; 217 GS)
Chicago Cubs: Lee Smith (28.9; 458 GP)
Chicago White Sox: Harold Baines (38.8; 1670)
Los Angeles Dodgers: Fernando Valenzuela (41.4; 320 GS)
Montreal Expos: Tim Wallach (38.5; 1767)
Toronto Blue Jays: Lloyd Moseby (27.5; 1392)

Mike Scioscia (26.1; 1441 – one-club player) was also eligible for the Dodgers, but Valenzuela’s higher WAR makes him the selection.


There are 145 rookies for this season, along with another influx of 290 minor leaguers making 435 in total, and the Draft will consist of 10 rounds.

The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1979 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round):


Round 1

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (488)
2. Chicago White Sox (456)
3. Montreal Expos (594)
4. Boston Red Sox (569)
5. Chicago Cubs (494)
6. Toronto Blue Jays (327)
7. Oakland Athletics (333)
8. New York Mets (389)
9. Atlanta Braves (412)
10. Seattle Mariners (414)
11. San Diego Padres (422)
12. San Francisco Giants (438)
13. Cleveland Indians (503)
14. Minnesota Twins (506)
15. Texas Rangers (512)
16. Philadelphia Phillies (519)
17. Kansas City Royals (525)
18. Detroit Tigers (528)
19. St. Louis Cardinals (531)
20. California Angels (543)
21. Houston Astros (549)
22. New York Yankees (556)
23. Cincinnati Reds (559)
24. Milwaukee Brewers (590)
25. Pittsburgh Pirates (605)
26. Baltimore Orioles (642)


Rounds 2 thru 10

1. Toronto Blue Jays (327)
2. Oakland Athletics (333)
3. New York Mets (389)
4. Atlanta Braves (412)
5. Seattle Mariners (414)
6. San Diego Padres (422)
7. San Francisco Giants (438)
8. Chicago White Sox (456)
9. Los Angeles Dodgers (488)
10. Chicago Cubs (494)
11. Cleveland Indians (503)
12. Minnesota Twins (506)
13. Texas Rangers (512)
14. Philadelphia Phillies (519)
15. Kansas City Royals (525)
16. Detroit Tigers (528)
17. St. Louis Cardinals (531)
18. California Angels (543)
19. Houston Astros (549)
20. New York Yankees (556)
21. Cincinnati Reds (559)
22. Boston Red Sox (569)
23. Milwaukee Brewers (590)
24. Montreal Expos (594)
25. Pittsburgh Pirates (605)
26. Baltimore Orioles (642)



Eligible PIT players: 8 position players + 5 pitchers = 13


A fairly thin Draft this year means we go into it really not knowing how things will unfold. As seems almost tradition by now, we are idle until the latter part of Round 1 with very few eligible options, but we know how to deal with this and also what we need.

The following players are who we select:

1. 2B Wally Backman, 20 (PIT IRL: 1990)

• Certainly didn’t expect Wally to still be available and we’re almost certain we’ll get some use out of him.

2. P Rod Scurry, 23 (PIT IRL: 1980-85)

• In a rarity for us, Rod will almost surely be in our roster for OD next year. Fills our dire need for LHRP quite nicely.

3. OF Reggie Walton, 27 (PIT IRL: 1982)

• Doubtful he’ll ever see the light of day but was the best of those few eligibles for us left.

4. C Robert Bailey, 23 (ineligible)
5. UT Dan Hanggie, 21 (ineligible)
6. P Jeff Morris, 22 (ineligible)
7. OF Tim Knight, 22 (ineligible)
8. IF Marvin Clack, 20 (ineligible)
9. P Ronald Sylvia, 21 (ineligible)
10. P Edward Rech, 21 (ineligible)

• All AAA depth.

Better than expected.


FULL DRAFT LOG

[luckymann]

Just the mighty Hoot Gibson added to the pantheon on MLB immortals this year, with both Rocky Colavito and Whitey Ford making nice moves but not quite getting there. The big surprise is Brooks Robinson being dropped on his first ballot.

[luckymann]

The new decade is welcomed in with – hold the press! – a first-ever win for the long-maligned Phillies, who beat the Royals in what is the first World Series meeting (since the inaugural one, I presume) between two franchises looking to earn their maiden title.

In a preview of the strife to come, a brief lockout cancels some Spring Training games but the issue is resolved before Opening Day and no official games are missed.


AL EAST / WEST CHAMPIONS: New York Yankees (103-59) / Kansas City Royals (97-65)
NL EAST / WEST CHAMPIONS: Philadelphia Phillies (91-71) / Houston Astros (93-70)
ALCS: Royals 3, Yankees 0
NLCS: Phillies 3, Astros 2
WORLD SERIES: Phillies 4, Royals 2

Pittsburgh Pirates: 83-79, 3rd in NL East

AL MVP: George Brett (Royals)
NL MVP: Mike Schmidt (Phillies)

AL CYA: Steve Stone (Orioles)
NL CYA: Steve Carlton (Phillies)

AL RoY: Joe Charbonneau (Indians)
NL RoY: Steve Howe (Dodgers)


Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. MIKE SCHMIDT, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .286 average, 104 runs, 25 doubles, 8 triples, 48 home runs, 121 RBIs, 89 walks, 12 stolen bases, 13 sacrifice flies, .624 slugging percentage.
• With subpar batting averages in 1978-79 that threatened to make him the next Dave Kingman, Schmidt awoke and initiated a reign of supremacy among NL hitters; his slugging percentage was nearly 100 points higher than second-place Bob Horner.

2. KEITH HERNANDEZ, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .321 average, 111 runs, 191 hits, 39 doubles, 8 triples, 16 home runs, 99 RBIs, 86 walks, 14 stolen bases, .408 on-base percentage.
• All that separated Hernandez from his second straight NL batting title was the Cubs’ Bill Buckner, who hit just three points higher.

3. ANDRE DAWSON, MONTREAL

• Key Numbers: .308 average, 96 runs, 178 hits, 41 doubles, 7 triples, 17 home runs, 87 RBIs, 6 hit-by-pitches, 34 stolen bases.
• Don’t blame Dawson, still in his early, speed-trumps-power phase of his career, for keeping the Expos from overtaking the Phillies in the NL East; he hit .319 with four homers in 18 games against them.

4. KEN GRIFFEY, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: .294 average, 89 runs, 28 doubles, 10 triples, 13 home runs, 85 RBIs, 23 stolen bases, 1 caught stealing.
• Griffey—senior, not junior—remained one of the few stars within the Big Red Machine to still be running on all cylinders.

5. TED SIMMONS, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .303 average, 84 runs, 33 doubles, 21 home runs, 98 RBIs.
• The future Hall of Famer played his 13th and final season in St. Louis, finishing with a .298 average that’s the highest among catchers in Cardinals history.

6. JACK CLARK, SAN FRANCISCO

• Key Numbers: 127 games, .284 average, 77 runs, 20 doubles, 8 triples, 22 home runs, 82 RBIs, 74 walks.
• Clark’s numbers, most of which were on their way to setting career highs, were curtailed after having his hand broken by a pitch late in the season.

7. JOSE CRUZ, HOUSTON

• Key Numbers: .302 average, 79 runs, 185 hits, 29 doubles, 7 triples, 11 home runs, 91 RBIs, 36 stolen bases.
• Cruz remained the epitome of a punchless yet feisty Astros offense, one of five Houston hitters with at least 10 homers—though none of them hit more than 13.

8. DALE MURPHY, ATLANTA

• Key Numbers: .281 average, 98 runs, 27 doubles 33 home runs, 89 RBIs, 133 strikeouts.
• Failing as a catcher, Murphy finally became a success story after the Braves transitioned him to the outfield.

9. STEVE GARVEY, LOS ANGELES

• Key Numbers: 163 games, .304 average, 78 runs, 200 hits, 27 doubles, 26 home runs, 106 RBIs.
• Garvey managed to stay focused on baseball and collect 200 hits for the sixth time in seven years while his wife publicly bashed him.

10. CESAR CEDENO, HOUSTON

• Key Numbers: 137 games, .309 average, 32 doubles, 8 triples, 10 home runs, 73 RBIs, 48 stolen bases.
• Solid comeback effort for Cedeno, who hit over .300 for the first time since 1973 while racking up terrific stolen base numbers despite bad knees.

AL Hitters

1. GEORGE BRETT, KANSAS CITY

• Key Numbers: 117 games, .390 average, 87 runs, 175 hits, 33 doubles, 9 triples, 24 home runs, 118 RBIs, 15 stolen bases, .454 on-base percentage, .664 slugging percentage.
• Lost in Brett’s pursuit of .400 was that he became the first player since 1950 to average at least one RBI per game.

2. CECIL COOPER, MILWAUKEE

• Key Numbers: .352 average, 96 runs, 219 hits, 33 doubles, 25 home runs, 122 RBIs, 17 stolen bases.
• Had it not been for Brett, Cooper—the majors’ biggest unsung talent since Vada Pinson—might have caught some rays in the national spotlight.

3. BEN OGILVIE, MILWAUKEE

• Key Numbers: .304 average, 94 runs, 180 hits, 26 doubles, 41 home runs, 118 RBIs, 19 intentional walks, 11 stolen bases.
• At 170 pounds, Ogilvie became the lightest player to hit 40 home runs since Mel Ott.

4. RICKEY HENDERSON, OAKLAND

• Key Numbers: .303 average, 111 runs, 179 hits, 9 home runs, 53 RBIs, 117 walks, 100 stolen bases, 26 caught stealing.
• While two other major leaguers (Ron LeFlore and Omar Moreno) topped 90 stolen bases, the 21-year-old Henderson broke Ty Cobb’s AL season mark and became the first in the Junior Circuit to reach 100—with 34 of those over his last 28 games alone.

5. REGGIE JACKSON, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .300 average, 94 runs, 41 home runs, 114 RBIs, 83 walks.
• For the only time in his career, Jackson hit .300 (actually, it was .2996), while he topped 40 homers for the first time since his breakout 1969 performance.

6. WILLIE WILSON, KANSAS CITY

• Key Numbers: .326 average, 705 at-bats, 133 runs, 230 hits, 28 doubles, 15 triples, 3 home runs, 49 RBIs, 79 stolen bases.
• Wilson became the AL’s first switch-hitter to collect over 200 hits since Buck Weaver for the 1920 White Sox.

7. ROBIN YOUNT, MILWAUKEE

• Key Numbers: .293 average, 121 runs, 179 hits, 49 doubles, 10 triples, 23 home runs, 87 RBIs, 20 stolen bases.
• Already in his seventh season as he turned 25, Yount dialed up the power and hit over 20 home runs—let alone 10—for the first time in his career.

8. EDDIE MURRAY, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: .300 average, 100 runs, 186 hits, 36 doubles, 32 home runs, 116 RBIs.
• The switch-hitter, now fully immersed as the Orioles’ top offensive threat, hit over .300 with 100 RBIs and runs each for the first of two times (1983) in his career.

9. AL BUMBRY, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: .318 average, 118 runs, 205 hits, 29 doubles, 9 triples, 9 home runs, 53 RBIs, 78 walks, 44 stolen bases.
• Fully recovered from a devastating 1978 leg injury that nearly ended his career, the veteran outfielder scored his best year yet, leading to his lone All-Star Game appearance.

10. AL OLIVER, TEXAS

• Key Numbers: 163 games, .319 average, 96 runs, 209 hits, 43 doubles, 9 triples, 19 home runs, 117 RBIs.
• The 33-year-old former Pirate, who seemed to be getting better with age, had his second hat trick of home runs in as many years—even though he didn’t hit more than 19 in either one of those seasons.

NL Pitchers

1. JERRY REUSS, LOS ANGELES

• Key Numbers: 2.51 ERA, 18 wins, 6 losses, .750 win percentage, 3 saves, 2 blown saves, 37 appearances, 29 starts, 6 shutouts, 229.1 innings, 40 walks, 23 grounded into double plays.
• Winner of 10 total games from 1978-79, Reuss rediscovered himself and threw the year’s only no-hitter.

2. STEVE CARLTON, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 2.34 ERA, 24 wins, 9 losses, .727 win percentage, 38 starts, 13 complete games, 304 innings, 90 walks, 286 strikeouts, 17 wild pitches, 7 balks.
• Pitchers threw over 300 innings 40 times during the 1970s, but only once since—by Carlton in 1980.

3. DON SUTTON, LOS ANGELES

• Key Numbers: 2.20 ERA, 13 wins, 5 losses, .722 win percentage, 1 save, 31 starts, 212.1 innings, 47 walks, 24 stolen bases allowed.
• After a series of relatively disappointing years that suggested a slow fadeout was in the works, Sutton refreshed and grabbed his first and only ERA title.

4. STEVE ROGERS, MONTREAL

• Key Numbers: 2.98 ERA, 16 wins, 11 losses, 37 starts, 14 complete games, 281 innings, 27 stolen bases allowed.
• Sign of the times: Rogers’ 14 complete games was, to date, the fewest ever notched by a NL leader. It was just the beginning of a glacial but definitive trend.

5. VERN RUHLE, HOUSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.37 ERA, 12 wins, 4 losses, .750 win percentage, 28 appearances, 22 starts, 159.1 innings, 29 walks.
• Knocked around between the minors and the parent club for the previous few years, Ruhle was ramped up to full-time rotation duty after J.R. Richard’s career-ending stroke in mid-July and answered the call with a 7-2 record and 1.86 ERA over his last 15 starts.

6. VIDA BLUE, SAN FRANCISCO

• Key Numbers: 2.97 ERA, 14 wins, 10 losses, 31 starts, 224 innings.
• After a horrible 1979 in which he posted the NL’s worst ERA (5.01), Blue quickly rebounded to vintage Vida form and put together the league’s fourth best figure.

7. JIM BIBBY, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 3.32 ERA, 19 wins, 6 losses, .760 win percentage, 34 starts, 238.1 innings, 30 stolen bases allowed.
• Bolting to a 13-1 start, the 35-year-old Bibby proved that the Pirates had been wasting his time the previous two years being shuffled in and out of the bullpen.

8. JOE NIEKRO, HOUSTON

• Key Numbers: 3.55 ERA, 20 wins, 12 losses, 36 starts, 256 innings, 34 stolen bases allowed.
• Starting the 163rd game, a playoff against the Dodgers to decide the NL West, gave Niekro the opportunity to capture his second straight 20-win season; he made good on it, going the distance with just an unearned run allowed.

9. FRANK PASTORE, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 3.27 ERA, 13 wins, 7 losses, 27 starts, 184.2 innings, 42 walks.
• This would be Pastore’s only winning season among five as a Reds starter; but he was hardly an Astros killer, going 0-4 with a 7.30 ERA against Houston.

10. RICK CAMP, ATLANTA

• Key Numbers: 1.91 ERA, 6 wins, 4 losses, 22 saves, 2 blown saves, 77 appearances, 108.1 innings.
• Camp walked into Atlanta camp without a roster spot, and finished the year as the NL’s most effective closer.

AL Pitchers

1. MIKE NORRIS, OAKLAND

• Key Numbers: 2.53 ERA, 22 wins, 9 losses, .710 win percentage, 33 starts, 24 complete games, 284.1 innings, 4 balks.
• Norris, who’d seen it all since joining the A’s in 1975, became the top dog on Billy Martin’s ironman staff; five times, he pitched at least 10 innings—and won four of those starts.

2. TOMMY JOHN, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.43 ERA, 22 wins. 9 losses, .710 win percentage, 36 starts, 6 shutouts, 265.1 innings, 56 walks, 33 grounded into double plays.
• Give my regards to Dr. Frank Jobe: The 37-year-old John ran his post-Tommy John surgery record to 90-44 and led the league in shutouts for the first time since doing it back-to-back, way back in 1966-67.

3. RICK LANGFORD, OAKLAND

• Key Numbers: 3.26 ERA, 19 wins, 12 losses, 33 starts, 28 complete games, 290 innings, 64 walks, 23 grounded into double plays.
• Like Mike Norris, Langford excelled under the A’s exhaustive start-‘em-and-finish-‘em rotation mindset before mid-career burnout. Evoking Robin Roberts, Langford completed 22 straight starts, and 25 of 27—with the two “non-completes” being outings of 8.2 and 10 innings.

4. RUDY MAY, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.46 ERA, 15 wins, 5 losses, .750 win percentage, 3 saves, 41 appearances, 17 starts, 175.1 innings, 39 walks.
• Returning to the Yankees after short stays with the Orioles and Expos, May spent the season’s first half exclusively in the bullpen before a midseason promotion to the rotation—where he won his last eight decisions and the AL ERA title.

5. DOUG CORBETT, MINNESOTA

• Key Numbers: 1.98 ERA, 8 wins, 6 losses, 23 saves, 7 blown saves, 73 appearances, 136.1 innings.
• The 28-year-old rookie proved that it’s never too late to make a major league debut—especially when it’s as good as this.

6. DAN QUISENBERRY, KANSAS CITY

• Key Numbers: 3.09 ERA, 12 wins, 7 losses, 33 saves, 3 blown saves, 75 appearances, 128.1 innings, 27 walks, 15 intentional walks.
• Quisenberry won the first of five save titles, thanks to a submarine-style delivery taught to him by fellow sub-hurler Kent Tekulve.

7. LARRY GURA, KANSAS CITY

• Key Numbers: 2.95 ERA, 18 wins, 10 losses, 36 starts, 283.1 innings.
• On a Royals rotation where everyone else struggled to keep their ERAs below 4.00, Gura emerged as the pennant-winning staff ace—all despite a late-season (0-5, 6.46 ERA) meltdown after August.

8. SCOTT MCGREGOR, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: 3.32 ERA, 20 wins, 8 losses, .714 win percentage, 36 starts, 252 innings, 26 grounded into double plays.
• It was a very good year for El Segundo High near Los Angeles; Besides George Brett, there was fellow alum and teammate McGregor, who kept his ERA in the 3.30s for the third straight year but finally got rewarded with a 20-win ledger.

9. STEVE STONE, BALTIMORE

• Key Numbers: 3.25 ERA, 25 wins, 7 losses, .781 win percentage, 37 starts, 250.2 innings, 101 walks, 16 caught stealing/picked off.
• Stone’s over-dependence on the curveball made him a sudden star in 1980—and a sudden flameout afterward, before a new life as Harry Caray’s even-tempered foil in the WGN booth.

10. BRITT BURNS, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.84 ERA, 15 wins, 13 losses, 32 starts, 238 innings, 4 balks.
• The hard-throwing, 21-year-old rookie made for a welcoming debut on a White Sox team struggling to find itself.

[luckymann]

Interesting to see two future IRL teammates (and World Champs!) in Carney Lansford and Dave Stewart on opposite sides of one of the more notable trades, and to see both Luis Tiant and Jerry Remy come “home”, while Tom Seaver crosses town from the Mets to the Yanks and Pete Rose follows the historical timeline by heading to the Phils.

• 3B Buddy Bell: Red Sox, 6 years / $11900000
• C Ted Simmons: Cardinals, 7 years / $9540000 (extension)
• OF Mickey Rivers: Cubs, 4 years / $5920000
• 1B Bob Watson: Mets, 5 years / $5700000
• P Rudy May: Mets, 3 years / $5420000
• OF Ellis Valentine: Rangers, 3 years / $5380000
• C Butch Wynegar: Reds, 4 years / $5250000 (extension)
• P Dave Goltz: Reds, 3 years / $4700000 (extension)
• P Len Barker: Tigers, 3 years / $4120000 (extension)
• P Craig Swan: Twins, 3 years / $3960000
• 3B Larry Parrish: Astros, 3 years / $3800000
• 3B Doug DeCinces: Blue Jays, 3 years / $3540000
• OF Ruppert Jones: Red Sox, 4 years / $3468000 (extension)
• P Tom Seaver: Yankees, 3 years / $3340000
• OF Don Baylor: Dodgers, 3 years / $3170000
• 2B Manny Trillo: Rangers, 3 years / $3120000
• 1B Lamar Johnson: Yankees, 3 years / $3000000
• 1B Pete Rose: Phillies, 2 years / $2640000
• OF Claudell Washington: A’s, 3 years / $2360000
• P Les Cain: Royals, 3 years / $2280000
• P Doc Medich: Cardinals, 2 years / $2220000
• P Doug Rau: Indians, 3 years / $1930000
• 3B Bill Madlock: Brewers, 3 years / $1780000
• OF Dusty Baker: Expos, 3 years / $1590000
• P Luis Tiant: Red Sox, 1 year / $1380000

• OF Thad Bosley from Braves to Indians for OF Morris Nettles
• OF Jeffrey Leonard and SS Harry Chappas from Cubs to Rangers for C Bob Boone
• P Ross Baumgarten from Royals to Expos for P Steve Renko
• 3B Carney Lansford from Reds to Angels for P Dave Stewart and P Stan Perzanowski
• 1B Andre Thornton (retaining 80%) from Phillies to Indians for P Greg Minton and P Silvio Martinez
• P Mike Parrott and P Dave Ford from Astros to Phillies for OF Amos Otis
• P Dave Rozema and SS Todd Cruz from Royals to Padres for 1B John Mayberry
• P John Henry Johnson from Red Sox to Rangers for 2B Jerry Remy
• 2B Damaso Garcia from Rangers to Expos for 1B Dan Driessen (retaining 30%)
• P Moose Haas, 2B Domingo Ramos, P Lary Sorenson and P Matt Keough from Brewers to Giants for P Larry Christenson (retaining 60%)
• P Fergie Jenkins from Angels to Astros for 2B Tom Herr

ALL TRANSACTIONS

We go 13-5 in Spring Training with Pops Stargell missing a fortnight but back in time for OD.

Once again BNN Is seeing our division as a hectic tussle, although our expectations sit a bit lower than theirs. They really like the look of the Tigers this year and that is fair enough, they have one heck of a team.


FULL PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

[luckymann]

What a difference a year makes, hey, as we have an incredibly uneventful and low-key offseason. Some changes of heart both by the players and ourselves means we ended up extending Woodie Fryman (1/350), Andy Hassler (3/480) and Gene Garber (3/420) and our only contribution to the transactions list over the break was another recycled LHRP as we sign Lou Marone on a 1+1/400 deal that allows us to take a slower approach with Rod Scurry.

Look, if I’m being totally frank I think we are getting a bit long in the tooth and a long-overdue hard rebuild is probably on the cards before too long. We’ll try and do it gradually first, but if that fails then we may need to take some pain in the interim while we effectuate the change.

That said, we still have plenty of quality among the bunch and if we can get our pitchers to do as expected and don’t suffer key injuries then we might be as competitive as BNN is saying we will. But that’s a lot of “ifs” and we’re more looking for a winning campaign as being the benchmark.

UL Washington gets the starting 2B job, while Milt May – who we’d picked up on a minors deal last season – comes in at the expense of Gary Alexander as the backup catcher. Another old face (although Milt has never actually played for us at the MLB level) in Rennie Stennett, acquired via the same means, is also back in the fold albeit in a backup role. Pops and Kong will work a platoon at 1B and I think we'll try extend Dave as Pops is nearly done and very proppy, as we have already seen in ST.

Rick Rhoden gets one more chance as an SP, with Rick Langford to operate in LR out of the bullpen to begin with and come in as our spot starter as needed. Garber gets the nod over Victor Cruz but I get the feeling our pen will be a bit of a revolving door this year.

[luckymann]

Pressing extension discussions needed for Ed Whitson, Dave Kingman, Milt May and Tony Armas. We'll also see if Wheel Parrish is interested in a long-term deal. Re-upping Armas and Kong makes Lee Lacy a likely no-go moving forward. We'll probably keep Bill Almon on as he is a handy IF utility.

The rest we'll have a look-see at later except for Wash, as I am worried about paying big money for a guy who looks like he'll narrow right down to just a 2B. So we'll wait with him until the offseason.

[luckymann]

We resume hostilities with the Cubs early on, playing out this classic that we scrape home in on a walkoff 2-run single by Rennie Stennett.

[luckymann]

Fernandomania is alive and well in this timeline, as Senor Valenzuela no-hits Houston in just his second MLB start.

[luckymann]

We get into the roster management process early, locking down Lance Parrish on a 5+1/4000 deal.

Both Dave Kingman and Lee Lacy want about $750k per and we’re going to have to think on that some more. At any rate it will only be one of them, if any.

Milt May wants $600k per and that ain’t going to happen so we move him on before we are left with nothing via this trade with the Mets.



With Rennie Stennett on board and UL Washington almost the defensive and offensive equal of Tim at SS, we feel this is a good move for us to just line the coffers a bit moving forward.



Ed, who played with us IRL 1974-80, is on $122k this season with two further years under team control. He did have an earlier stint with us although never appeared for the big club during that tenure.

Bill Almon is recalled from AAA.

[luckymann]

What a gutsy first sectional from this group that I am labelling The Little Engine that Could.

We start in a positive manner with 8 wins from our first 10 games as Pops once again comes out of the gates hot, but it is a struggle after that as he, and we, cool right down.

Then he gets injured and a broken elbow bone means he’ll have to sit out the maximum 3-month Legacy stint. We call up rookie Reggie Walton from AAA.

Then we lose Tony Armas to a hip injury for 4 months. Fair to say the wheels are falling off. Veteran Dave May comes up to fill the spot but we are desperately thin at CF now.

We also lose Dave Parker for a week with back spasms but he doesn’t need to go on the IL.

But the guys dig really deep throughout and, despite some light hitting from a few of them, somehow get through this most challenging period with a 24-21 record and in a virtual tie for first with our friends the Cubbies.




Definitely a case of the sum of the parts being greater than the whole. But, as usual in circumstances like these, one has to worry about the toll all of these exertions will take at the pointy end of the season.




Depending on one's perspective, you could say that the big dropoff from the top 3 is a cause for concern or an opportunity for improvement.




The rotation has basically been the glue in this early bit, with only Whitson failing to impress. The BP, on the other hand, has looked anywhere from shaky to downright scary - and I don't mean that in a good way.


We re-up Kent Tekulve for 4 years at a ridiculously low $115k (vs his $180k this season) and for a year at $105k with Bill Almon.




The Dodgers, riding the Fernando craze and scintillating form to win 18 from their first 30, look impressive so far, as does Oakland, and it's nice to see the Brew Crew doing well.


Monthly Award Winners

April

American League

• Batter – Jim Rice (Red Sox): 392 / 5 HR / 17 RBI
• Pitcher – Steve Renko (Royals): 3-1 / 1.67 / 15 K / 32.1 IP
• Rookie – Steve Howe (Twins): 3-1 / 2.37 / 3 SV / 7 K / 19 IP

National League

• Batter – Dale Murphy (Braves): 384 / 6 HR / 20 RBI
• Pitcher – Fernando Valenzuela (Dodgers): 4-0 / 1.10 / 28 K / 41 IP
• Rookie – Fernando Valenzuela

May

American League

• Batter – George Brett (Royals): 420 / 6 HR / 18 RBI
• Pitcher – Larry Christenson (Brewers): 5-0 / 1.41 / 18 K / 44.2 IP
• Rookie – Neil Allen (Red Sox): 4-1 / 2.57 / 5 SV / 16 K / 21 IP

National League

• Batter – Mike Schmidt (Phillies): 308 / 8 HR / 21 RBI
• Pitcher – Fernando Valenzuela (Dodgers): 5-1 / 2.25 / 37 K / 48 IP
• Rookie – Fernando Valenzuela

News and Leaders






Milestones and Observations of Note

• 2000 Hits: Al Oliver
• 200 Wins: Don Sutton
• The O’s lose quality OF Dave Collins for most of the season to an elbow break, while our old mate Bill Robinson – now with the Friars – sadly suffers a season-ending version of the same injury. Seems to be the in thing right now.
• Astros rookie 2B Dave Stapleton is done for the year courtesy of a torn labrum and Blue Jays 3B Doug DeCinces almost certainly likewise thanks to a broken kneecap, while the Expos will be without pitcher Roger Erickson for the rest of 1980 thanks to another torn labrum. Many an injury trend at the moment.
• White Sox rookie Harold Baines homers in each of his first three games in the bigs.

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[luckymann]

I think the most I have ever seen is three. Maybe four, as it says in the game review was the previous record (Emmet Heidrick in 1903, apparently), but certainly not five triples in a game by a single player, as San Diego's Garry Templeton does here against the Phils.

According to StatHead, three is the IRL single-game 3B record, by a bunch of players (47 to be more specific).

[luckymann]

Unsurprisingly, we have just Al Oliver representing our club this year.


American League

• SP Larry Christenson (ML4) - 11-2, 2.29 ERA, 117.2 IP, 1.09 WHIP, 4.5 K/9, 1.7 WAR
• SP Danny Darwin (SEA) - 12-4, 2.04 ERA, 136.2 IP, 1.10 WHIP, 6.3 K/9, 2.5 WAR
• SP Jerry Koosman (NYY) - 8-7, 3.98 ERA, 126.2 IP, 1.40 WHIP, 4.9 K/9, 2.4 WAR
• SP John Montefusco (ML4) - 8-4, 2.45 ERA, 106.1 IP, 1.30 WHIP, 4.7 K/9, 1.4 WAR
• SP Scott Sanderson (CLE)* - 3-6, 3.13 ERA, 115.0 IP, 1.27 WHIP, 4.1 K/9, 1.5 WAR
• SP John Tudor (CLE) - 7-7, 2.95 ERA, 125.0 IP, 1.19 WHIP, 4.5 K/9, 2.3 WAR
• RP Barry Cort (OAK)* - 2-0, 7 SV, 1.30 ERA, 41.2 IP, 1.25 WHIP, 4.5 K/9, 0.5 WAR
• RP John Fulgham (TOR) - 2-0, 1.96 ERA, 41.1 IP, 1.06 WHIP, 3.7 K/9, 0.4 WAR
• RP Geoff Zahn (BOS) - 3-2, 3.48 ERA, 67.1 IP, 1.23 WHIP, 4.3 K/9, 1.3 WAR
• CL Steve Howe (MIN) - 5-3, 13 SV, 1.57 ERA, 57.1 IP, 1.22 WHIP, 3.9 K/9, 1.7 WAR
• C Darrell Porter (DET)* - .323/.436/.511, 186 AB, 8 HR, 1 SB, 171 wRC+, 2.6 WAR
• C Gene Tenace (BOS) - .238/.378/.416, 185 AB, 8 HR, 126 wRC+, 1.2 WAR
• 1B Eddie Murray (BAL)* - .330/.380/.525, 297 AB, 14 HR, 2 SB, 156 wRC+, 2.5 WAR
• 2B Paul Molitor (ML4)* - .321/.366/.455, 290 AB, 7 HR, 27 SB, 134 wRC+, 2.8 WAR
• 3B George Brett (KC)* - .336/.407/.541, 268 AB, 10 HR, 10 SB, 162 wRC+, 3.5 WAR
• 3B Bill Madlock (ML4) - .370/.402/.495, 289 AB, 4 HR, 15 SB, 155 wRC+, 2.4 WAR
• SS Rick Burleson (BOS) - .309/.351/.455, 275 AB, 8 HR, 4 SB, 124 wRC+, 2.9 WAR
• SS Roy Smalley (MIN) - .294/.408/.478, 255 AB, 10 HR, 141 wRC+, 3.7 WAR
• SS Alan Trammell (DET)* - .287/.369/.457, 258 AB, 7 HR, 7 SB, 131 wRC+, 2.4 WAR
• LF Gary Matthews (CWS) - .358/.416/.509, 285 AB, 8 HR, 5 SB, 165 wRC+, 3.6 WAR
• LF Jim Rice (BOS)* - .350/.392/.637, 234 AB, 17 HR, 3 SB, 185 wRC+, 3.5 WAR
• CF Rickey Henderson (OAK) - .300/.424/.415, 253 AB, 4 HR, 55 SB, 142 wRC+, 3.6 WAR
• CF Fred Lynn (NYY)* - .296/.383/.473, 243 AB, 10 HR, 2 SB, 141 wRC+, 1.7 WAR (Injured)
• CF Gorman Thomas (KC) - .271/.372/.526, 247 AB, 18 HR, 4 SB, 152 wRC+, 3.4 WAR
• RF Ken Singleton (BAL)* - .296/.378/.554, 267 AB, 18 HR, 161 wRC+, 2.6 WAR
• RF Reggie Smith (BOS)* - .316/.414/.577, 272 AB, 19 HR, 2 SB, 175 wRC+, 3.5 WAR

National League

• SP Rudy May (NYM) - 2-8, 4.11 ERA, 118.1 IP, 1.29 WHIP, 5.9 K/9, 2.0 WAR
• SP Frank Pastore (ATL) - 6-5, 3.83 ERA, 127.0 IP, 1.27 WHIP, 4.5 K/9, 3.1 WAR
• SP Gaylord Perry (CIN) - 9-5, 2.16 ERA, 108.1 IP, 1.13 WHIP, 5.1 K/9, 3.2 WAR
• SP J.R. Richard (HOU)* - 6-4, 3.56 ERA, 126.1 IP, 1.42 WHIP, 8.3 K/9, 2.0 WAR
• SP Don Robinson (SD) - 9-5, 2.06 ERA, 122.1 IP, 0.87 WHIP, 4.8 K/9, 2.2 WAR
• SP Fernando Valenzuela (LAD) - 13-1, 1.85 ERA, 136.0 IP, 0.93 WHIP, 7.0 K/9, 4.0 WAR
• RP Guy Hoffman (LAD)* - 2-2, 3 SV, 1.35 ERA, 26.2 IP, 1.43 WHIP, 5.4 K/9, 0.4 WAR
• RP Scott McGregor (HOU) - 3-2, 1.99 ERA, 72.1 IP, 1.12 WHIP, 4.4 K/9, 1.2 WAR
• CL Rollie Fingers (CHC) - 1-8, 14 SV, 5.07 ERA, 55.0 IP, 1.51 WHIP, 5.4 K/9, -0.2 WAR
• CL Jim Willoughby (MON) - 2-5, 9 SV, 1.83 ERA, 54.0 IP, 1.11 WHIP, 4.0 K/9, 1.2 WAR
• C Gary Carter (MON)* - .263/.315/.478, 232 AB, 13 HR, 121 wRC+, 2.5 WAR
• C Joe Ferguson (SD) - .280/.409/.476, 189 AB, 9 HR, 2 SB, 152 wRC+, 1.9 WAR
• 1B Keith Hernandez (STL) - .314/.408/.483, 290 AB, 6 HR, 6 SB, 146 wRC+, 2.5 WAR
• 1B Jason Thompson (CHC)* - .322/.408/.570, 270 AB, 18 HR, 174 wRC+, 2.7 WAR
• 2B Joe Morgan (CIN)* - .245/.382/.464, 237 AB, 12 HR, 19 SB, 142 wRC+, 3.0 WAR
• 2B Tim Raines (MON) - .321/.403/.509, 159 AB, 7 HR, 53 SB, 156 wRC+, 2.6 WAR
• 3B Mike Schmidt (PHI)* - .291/.410/.540, 265 AB, 16 HR, 5 SB, 159 wRC+, 4.2 WAR
• SS Ozzie Smith (STL) - .312/.375/.413, 288 AB, 1 HR, 46 SB, 119 wRC+, 3.4 WAR
• SS Garry Templeton (SD)* - .303/.325/.406, 310 AB, 30 SB, 101 wRC+, 3.1 WAR
• LF Al Oliver (PIT) - .343/.375/.542, 277 AB, 10 HR, 157 wRC+, 3.0 WAR
• LF Dave Winfield (SD)* - .349/.421/.539, 269 AB, 8 HR, 10 SB, 167 wRC+, 3.1 WAR
• CF Dale Murphy (ATL)* - .298/.376/.562, 265 AB, 18 HR, 4 SB, 164 wRC+, 3.1 WAR
• RF Clint Hurdle (SD) - .311/.380/.504, 270 AB, 8 HR, 1 SB, 142 wRC+, 2.3 WAR
• RF Sixto Lezcano (PHI)* - .264/.332/.444, 284 AB, 14 HR, 2 SB, 119 wRC+, 2.3 WAR
• RF Jerry Turner (ATL) - .352/.407/.544, 193 AB, 8 HR, 8 SB, 168 wRC+, 1.9 WAR

Reggie Smith takes out his first HR Derby, beating Ken Singleton in the final, while MVP Mike Schmidt helps the NL break the AL's three-game win streak with a 5-4 victory in the game itself.

[luckymann]

Which pitchers are leading the MLB in career strikeouts?

• Sandy Koufax, -, 5293
• Satchel Paige, -, 4496
• Walter Johnson, -, 4015
• Nolan Ryan, NYY, 3712
• Don Drysdale, -, 3321

[luckymann]

... yes, I am aware they are unrelated (after checking BBRef...).

[luckymann]

OK, get comfy, this is a long one…

Another dreadful outing costs Ed Whitson his rotation spot, with Rick Langford put in his place.

The injury whirlygig continues with UL Washington forced onto the IL for the minimum stint with a wrist injury, with Dale Berra finally getting his shot in the bigs. Bill Almon steps into the everyday role while Wash is recuperating.

Some iffy form then takes hold, with Rich Gossage imploding a number of times (ERA above 6 at one point) as we slip below 500 for the first time this year. Certainly can’t blame Al Oliver, who is having another fine season, but we’re getting next to nothing other than flexibility from Derrell Thomas and not enough from Phil Garner.

We get Wash back and Reggie Walton heads back to Lincoln. After 70 games we are 34-36 and 3 back of the Cubbies. The Dodgers have 50 Wins under their belt by this stage and that’s a fair indication how far we are off the pace right now.

It all goes a bit hell-in-a-handbasket as we lose Guidry for 5 weeks with back problems. We move Whitson back into the spin and recall Victor Cruz from AAA. After dropping 5 straight, we take 3 from 3 at home to the Cards and thank heavens for them—that puts us at 11-3 against the Redbirds; 26-36 versus all others. Once again our weak division also works in our favour as, despite all of the injuries and poor form, we’re still only a couple off the lead with no club in the group above 500 at this point and only 5 games separating top from bottom.

A few more wins against the Cubs and, almost unbelievably, we go into the ASB – which also coincides with this season’s halfway point – in first place at 41-40. A pretty amazing result, really and full credit to the Little Engine, who are playing their hearts out.

Our return from the break is a poor one as we win just one of our first seven and it doesn’t take long before we are 5 games below 500 and look headed for one of our worst seasons ever. Sadly, it would seem, this Little Engine might not be able.

I’ve not given up just yet. All the same, I think it is time to cut a bit of bait. Well, actually, a whole netload full as it turns out.

We flip Lee Lacy to Toronto for a reliever we’ve been eyeing for a while now and a big wad of cash to defray some of the costs you hear about in a bit.



This is one of those “pain for gain” transactions you have to make from time to time, where we trade away a great player who still has some good years left in him but who we aren’t getting much use out of because of our entrenched OF for a solid player who should be a mainstay in our pen for years to come or even perhaps the rotation. That’s not to say we won’t feel Lee’s absence for the remainder, but our BP is in tatters (10th-ranked 4.00 ERA) and Larry, who played for us IRL from 1982 thru ’86, should hopefully provide the first few stitches in the repair job. He still has two years’ TC remaining and we lock down the first of those within days of his arrival at a cost of $170k. Lou Marone is sent to AAA via the WW.




That’s just the nibble. Next comes the chum. Or, more accurately, the throw everything out of the boat that isn’t nailed down. Won't die wondering, this Hill lad, that's for sure.

If the earlier swap was “pain for gain”, this one is certainly the opposite. It makes little sense long-term and yet I simply can’t walk away from it and pull the following move with the Cubbies.



The big risk here is that both players are pending FAs. Jason is an eligible who played for us IRL 1981-85 and will likely cost us about $1.5m per to retain. Thus the importance of that cash payment in the Lacy trade, which all but covers the differential. This also frees up Kong’s CC slot.



Ben is a gun but purely a rental (after the retention, a fairly cheap one), as there’s no way we can pay what he’ll be after when he’d be used as a backup OF. Still, he gives us so much more in the short-term. It’s a pure dicre-roll. I figure we’ve had all the bad luck we can have and played about as bad as we can so far this year, yet we’re still only a handful of games out of first and well in contention. The trade’s worth will be fairly easily judged, given it was conducted with the club we are chasing. Having missed out last year and with the Dodgers looking so strong I decided to have a real crack and then take my medicine later. Genius or goat move? We shall see.




As for the players dealt away, they are replaceable but at a slight downgrade. Langford has been great this season but we think that’s about his ceiling and there’s a cliff coming for him. We could have just kept Kong, who has stood up admirably in Pop’s absence, but in Thompson we get most of the power with much-improved contact. We don’t, however, get Kong’s OF skills. That’s where Ogilvie comes in. Replace him in the aggregate, as a voice from the future might put it. Not that he had given us much this season with the bat, but Wash was the big issue and we did everything we possibly could to not have him be part of this deal. It means Derrel Thomas, currently hitting sub-200 and only possessed of an average glove at the position, now becomes our everyday SS. We could go with Bill Almon, but he is much more a backup than starter and we like having Bill roaming around in that capacity. He’ll sub in for DT in late and close. The other option is to promote Wally Backman and have Rennie Stennett move to SS. Another imperfect solution but we’ll consider it if the need arises.

I need a lie down. This stuff is exhausting. Exhilarating, sure, but exhausting. This one particularly so, as it ran the whole gamut from sally-dumping Kong and signing FA Bill Buckner, through the trade initiated by the Cubs that involved Rollie Fingers (another for Bruce Sutter was also briefly in the mix), to its final blockbuster conclusion.

As all this unfolds – almost certainly more in spite of than due to the trades – we start to turn things around with a 7-1 burst and finish the sectional bang on 500 at 51-51 and just a game back of the Cards, who have just leapfrogged the Cubs by a half-game, with the Mets two in back of us. The only one we drop in that period is an 8-7 loss to the Jints in which a struggling Victor Cruz blows a massive lead that shows us just how wild a ride the next two-and-a-bit months might prove to be.





We get Ron Guidry back just at the end of July and put him straight back to work, with Langford gone. Pops is due back next week and we’ll send him off to Lincoln for some rehab before bringing him back into the fold. We won’t get Tony Armas back until mid-September.




While the corner OFs and Lance Parrish have been great, there seems to me to be a bunch of improvement in this facet of our game, especially with the new boys on board and Pops' return imminent.




We'll need all those runs from the look of it. Lightning has been great and both Reuss and Rhoden better, but Candy has struggled and I've already spoken about our BP, which looks like the wall at the back of the secretive spot where they carry out executions, so profuse are the holes.


Plenty of strength on the other coast with the A’s (sparked back into action by the one and only Man of Steal, along with a surprising Ray Knight) and Dodgers (led by 17-2 rookie sensation Fernando Valenzuela) looking like good things to take out the respective West division. That said, not so much if you are a fan of either the Jints or Halos, either or both of which might lose 100 this season. The AL East is, like our group, set for another tight-run tussle with multiple chances in each.




News, Leaders and Top 20s










Monthly Award Winners

June

American League

• Batter – Roy Smalley (Twins): 400 / 6 HR / 24 RBI
• Pitcher – Danny Darwin (Mariners): 6-0 / 1.05 / 34 K / 51.1 IP
• Rookie – Dan Quisenberry (Royals): 3-2 / 2.11 / 7 SV / 4 K / 21.1 IP

National League

• Batter – Jason Thompson (Cubs): 354 / 9 HR / 27 RBI
• Pitcher – Mario Soto (Reds): 5-0 / 2.42 / 30 K / 44.2 IP
• Rookie – Fernando Valenzuela (Dodgers): 4-0 / 2.25 / 35 K / 40 IP

July

American League

• Batter – Ray Knight (A’s): 434 / 3 HR / 19 RBI
• Pitcher – Bruce Hurst (Red Sox): 5-0 / 2.02 / 15 K / 35.2 IP
• Rookie – Bruce Hurst

National League

• Batter – Ken Griffey (Reds): 344 / 4 HR / 21 RBI
• Pitcher – Fernando Valenzuela (Dodgers): 4-1 / 1.58 / 43 K / 45.2 IP
• Rookie – Fernando Valenzuela

Milestones and Observations of Note

• 2000 Hits: Bob Watson
• The A’s extend Vida Blue with a 2/1040 deal.
• The Twins lose 2B John Henry Johnson for 4 months to a knee injury, while Dave Collins suffers a rehab setback and will miss an additional 9 months.
• While we're not the only team making moves, it is still a very quiet Deadline; there are a bunch of pending FAs this year so I anticipate this will overcorrect during the offseason - either way, here are the trades of note:

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