The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

Not that I think any of you care one way or the other, but I thought this a good juncture at which to reiterate the modus operandi I am following in this save.

I want us to be successful, but understand how easy it is to game the game to one's own advantage, which is why I have put up the various hurdles such as trading restrictions and Legacy players to increase the challenge in doing so.

What I want above all, however, is to have fun in the fairest and most representative way I can.

I'll admit I have recently upped the scouting accuracy from Very high to 100% because, to be completely honest, I just can't wrap my head around this "fog of war" nonsense. To compensate, I have increased TCR from 110 to 120, and I believe that this, with the combination of 5-year recalc and dev on, will provide plenty of boom-bust uncertainty irrespective of player ratings.

One area I am fastidious in not allowing myself any form of advantage is the Draft. I only prep up the Legacy Players and Draft Order a couple days prior, thereby removing the temptation to make roster moves with the foreknowledge of what is about to happen, which the AI managers do not have.

I'm pretty sure the upcoming Draft, which I have just finished prepping for, will prove this to be the case.

Expansion will be another feature I'll be taking great care not to exploit. And I will continue to tinker with the rules as necessity demands.

Anyway, just thought I should put this out there.

[luckymann]

Held on 12/20/14.

A solid group of ten Legacies, led by arguably the greatest NL player of all in Rajah Hornsby.

These are the Legacy Players for the 1915 season:

Brooklyn Robins: Dazzy Vance (60.2; 378)
Chicago White Sox: Happy Felsch (19.4; 749 – one club player)
Cincinnati Reds: Pat Duncan (9.6; 727 conceded – all but 3 games)
Cleveland Indians: Charlie Jamieson (22.3; 1483)
Detroit Tigers: Bernie Boland (10.8; 202)
New York Giants: Art Nehf (28.9; 226)
Philadelphia Athletics: Cy Perkins (11.5; 1154)
St. Louis Browns: George Sisler (56.3; 1647)
St. Louis Cardinals: Rogers Hornsby (126.9; 1580)
Washington Senators: Joe Judge (47.1; 2084)

Ken Williams (42.5; 1109) was also eligible for the Browns, but Sisler’s higher WAR makes him the selection.
Baby Doll Jacobson (28.4; 1243) was also eligible for the Browns, but Sisler’s higher WAR makes him the selection.
High Pockets Kelly (25.3; 1136) was also eligible for the Browns, but Nehf’s higher WAR makes him the selection.
Jack Smith (13.2; 1111) was also eligible for the Cardinals, but Hornsby’s higher WAR makes him the selection.
Leon Cadore (19.3; 189 – conceded (98.4% of career games) was also eligible for the Robins, but Vance’s higher WAR makes him the selection.

There are 196 rookies for this season, and the Draft will consist of 6 rounds.

The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1914 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round):

Round 1

1. St. Louis Cardinals (529)
2. Brooklyn Robins (487)
3. St. Louis Browns (464)
4. Washington Senators (526)
5. New York Giants (545)
6. Cleveland Indians (333)
7. Chicago White Sox (455; dice roll)
8. Philadelphia Athletics (651)
9. Detroit Tigers (523)
10. Cincinnati Reds (390)
11. Pittsburgh Pirates (448)
12. New York Yankees (455; dice roll)
13. Philadelphia Phillies (481)
14. Chicago Cubs (506)
15. Boston Red Sox (595)
16. Boston Braves (614)

Rounds 2 thru 6

1. Cleveland Indians (333)
2. Cincinnati Reds (390)
3. Pittsburgh Pirates (448)
4. New York Yankees (455; dice roll)
5. Chicago White Sox (455; dice roll)
6. St. Louis Browns (464)
7. Philadelphia Phillies (481)
8. Brooklyn Robins (487)
9. Chicago Cubs (506)
10. Detroit Tigers (523)
11. Washington Senators (526)
12. St. Louis Cardinals (529)
13. New York Giants (545)
14. Boston Red Sox (595)
15. Boston Braves (614)
16. Philadelphia Athletics (651)


We have a lot to thank our 1914 IRL Pirates for right now. By dint of their humble winning percentage and our being one of just six clubs without a Legacy this year, we obtain the first free pick of the Draft and then the 19th overall. With what I think is the strongest group of unattached players so far coming through in this year’s Pool, the timing of this could not be better, as it means we should get an absolute gun and another really strong player. This Draft could, and should, be a game-changer for our franchise over the next decade.

Here’s who we end up selecting:

1. OF / 1B Oscar Charleston, 19

• Would I have still recruited Ty had I known we would be having first crack at this group? Undoubtedly. Would I still have taken Charlie first if he didn’t play 1B as well as the OF? That I am not so sure of. With guys like Bullet Rogan – who profiles as a two-way player – and Dave Bancroft, among those available, it’s a tough question to answer. Fortunately, it is also a rhetorical one and we take Oscar, who projects as an out-and-out superstar.

2. C Bob O’Farrell, 18

• It was touch-and-go between Bob and Muddy Ruel, but he just gets the nod on various key metrics. A few years away but should hopefully prove the ideal successor to the Duke.

3. P Carl Mays, 23

• At 23, a bit of a slow-burner, but we like the look of Carl for a couple seasons’ time.

4. P / OF Sam Rice, 24

• We like Sam more for his offence than pitching, but it’s nice to have the option.

5. P Dana Fillingim, 21
6. 3B Tommy Vereker, 21

• Scout’s picks.

Let's see how this plays out.

FULL DRAFT LOG

[luckymann]

What Oscar's arrival does, hopefully as well as helping to turn us into a regular contender, is make Wally Pipp obsolete. As I have said previously, his inability to play any other position than 1B was always going to make him vulnerable to becoming trade bait, as he does here in a swap that fills another key hole for us: second base.

TRADE 1 OF 5 (12/22/14)

1B Wally Pipp, P Rip Hagerman and P Marc Hall traded to Philadelphia (AL) for 2B Heinie Groh

A quality infielder with both bat and glove, Heinie will move into the everyday 2B slot that unfortunately pop Lloyd just doesn’t seem up for. Pop is a great club man, and will see his fair share of game time, albeit in a backup role.

[luckymann]

The Red Sox sneak past fellow 100-game winners Detroit to claim the AL pennant, while the Phillies break through for their first NL title. The Boston boys prove too strong in the WS, winning it in 5.

AL CHAMPIONS: Boston Red Sox (101-50)
NL CHAMPIONS: Philadelphia Phillies (90-62)
WORLD SERIES: Red Sox 4, Phillies 1

Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. GAVVY CRAVATH, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .285 average, 89 runs, 31 doubles, 7 triples, 24 home runs, 115 RBIs, 86 walks, .393 on-base percentage, .510 slugging percentage.
• Shades of the future Babe Ruth: Cravath was out-homered by only four other teams in the majors.

2. LARRY DOYLE, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .320 average, 86 runs, 189 hits, 40 doubles, 10 triples, 70 RBIs.
• After an off-year (.260) by his standards, Doyle returned to star form and collecting the only batting title of his career.

3. BILL HINCHMAN, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .307 average, 177 hits, 33 doubles, 14 triples, 77 RBIs.
• Batting .238 over five years at Cleveland before a five-year relegation to the minors—where his hitting exploded—Hinchman returned to the majors and, at 32, finally got it.

4. VIC SAIER, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .264 average, 35 doubles, 11 triples, 11 home runs, 64 walks, 29 stolen bases.
• Saier reached double-figures in homers for the third straight year—no small feat in the Deadball Era—but a late-season leg injury signaled the beginning of his decline.

5. FRED LUDERUS, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .315 average, 36 doubles, 7 home runs, 62 RBIs.
• The powerful first baseman failed to reach 10 or more homers for the fifth straight year, but compensated with a career-best .315 average.

6. SHERRY MAGEE, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .280 average, 34 doubles, 12 triples, 87 RBIs.
• An injury on the first day of spring camp led to a more muted—but still superior—set of numbers in his first year with the Braves.

7. TOMMY GRIFFITH, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 160 games, .307 average, 179 hits, 31 doubles, 16 triples, 85 RBIs.
• Appropriately born 120 miles from Cincinnati in the Ohio town of Prospect, Griffith had a sterling full-season debut for the Reds. But it would have helped had he just stayed on base rather than try to swipe a bag; he was only successful in six of 30 stole base attempts.

8. HONUS WAGNER, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .274 average, 32 doubles, 17 triples, 6 home runs, 78 RBIs, 22 stolen bases.
• At age 41, Wagner had enough juice left to forge one last solid season—leading his team in doubles, triples, home runs and RBIs.

9. TOM LONG, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .294 average, 21 doubles, 25 triples, 19 stolen bases.
• One of the few (if, maybe, only) players to play a decent amount of major league ball and finish his career with more triples than doubles, Long led the NL with 25 three-baggers in his first of three full seasons.

10. GEORGE BURNS, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .272 average, 622 at-bats, 83 runs, 27 doubles, 14 triples, 27 stolen bases.
• A slight slump for the Giants’ tablesetter, but he remained effective enough to make the cut here.

AL Hitters

1. TY COBB, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .369 average, 144 runs, 208 hits, 31 doubles, 13 triples, 99 RBIs, 118 walks, 96 stolen bases, 38 caught stealing, .486 on-base percentage.
• Cobb stayed healthy and out of trouble to retain his status as the AL’s premier hitter.

2. EDDIE COLLINS, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .332 average, 118 runs, 173 hits, 22 doubles, 10 triples, 77 RBIs, 119 walks, 46 stolen bases.
• Along with Joe Jackson (below), Collins was one of two Hall-of-Fame-caliber stars who helped turned typically clueless White Sox hitting around—while thrilling typically exasperated White Sox pitchers.

3. JACK FOURNIER, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 126 games, .322 average, 86 runs, 20 doubles, 18 triples, 77 RBIs, 15 hit-by-pitches, .491 slugging percentage.
• Before emerging as an all-around solid hitter with Brooklyn in the 1920s, Fournier experienced the most efficient (and busiest) year of a relatively fleeting major league existence during the 1910s. Note that of all the great names on this list, he outslugged them all.

4. SAM CRAWFORD, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .299 average, 81 runs, 183 hits, 31 doubles, 19 triples, 112 RBIs, 24 stolen bases.
• Long-time Cobb teammate Crawford, enjoying the last great year of his career, co-led the AL in RBIs with…

5. BOBBY VEACH, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .313 average, 81 runs, 178 hits, 40 doubles, 10 triples, 112 RBIs, 68 walks.
• …Tigers teammate Veach, enjoying the first great year of his career.

6. TRIS SPEAKER, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .322 average, 108 runs, 176 hits, 25 doubles, 10 triples, 81 walks, 29 stolen bases.
• In his last year as a Red Sock, Speaker was happy to let pitcher Babe Ruth (four homers in 92 at-bats) do the power thing while hitting none for only one of two times in his long, star-studded career.

7. RAY CHAPMAN, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .270 average, 101 runs, 17 triples, 70 walks, 36 stolen bases.
• Five years from meeting his fate against Carl Mays, the proactive Chapman reached peak performance after the White Sox attempted to trade for him. (Chicago had to “settle” for Joe Jackson instead.)

8. JOE JACKSON, CLEVELAND-CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .308 average, 14 triples, 5 home runs, 81 RBIs.
• The shoeless one produced a mild batting average by his standards (some 50 points below his eventual career mark), but the White Sox were all too happy to secure a naturally gifted hitter—something they seemed to had forever lacked.

9. BURT SHOTTON, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .283 average, 93 runs, 11 triples, 118 walks, 43 stolen bases.
• Shotton did everything a leadoff guy was expected to do, placing in the AL’s top five in walks, steals and on-base percentage; he might have also been in the top five for runs had the Browns’ lineup behind him not been so lackluster.

10. BRAGGO ROTH, CHICAGO-CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .268 average, 109 games, 67 runs, 17 triples, 7 home runs, 26 stolen bases.
• Whereas the average of Joe Jackson (above) went down after he was dealt to Chicago, Roth—the main guy going the other way in the trade—punched it up with the Indians, hitting .299 with 14 steals in 39 games.

NL Pitchers

1. PETE ALEXANDER, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 1.22 ERA, 31 wins, 10 losses, .756 win percentage, 36 complete games, 12 shutouts, 376.1 innings, 241 strikeouts.
• Pete Alexander never threw a no-hitter, but he repeatedly came close in 1915—throwing four one-hitters.

2. TOM HUGHES, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.12 ERA, 16 wins, 14 losses, 9 saves, 50 appearances, 280.1 innings.
• No relation to pitcher Long Tom Hughes from a decade earlier, this Hughes went long and short for the Braves by relieving in as many games as he started. He certainly enjoyed the advent of spacious Braves Field, where he posted a 0.38 ERA (and allowed just 16 hits) over 47.2 innings.

3. JEFF TESREAU, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.29 ERA, 19 wins, 16 losses, 8 shutouts, 306 innings.
• With aging Christy Mathewson and burned-out Rube Marquard both fading out of the Giants’ spotlight, Tesreau took over as New York’s prime ace for the moment.

4. DICK RUDOLPH, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.37 ERA, 22 wins, 19 losses, 43 starts, 341.1 innings.
• The Boston workhorse gave an equally worthy follow-up to his sensational 1914 campaign, even if the wins were harder to come by.

5. AL MAMAUX, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 2.04 ERA, 21 wins, 8 losses, 8 shutouts.
• The Pittsburgh native enjoyed the first of two 21-win seasons before a mid-career collapse.

6. FRED TONEY, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 1.58 ERA, 17 wins, 6 losses, 6 shutouts, .739 win percentage.
• After laboring briefly and with little success for the 1911-13 Cubs, Toney returned to the majors as a newborn pitcher; only Pete Alexander allowed a lower opposing batting average than the Nashville native’s .207.

7. JEFF PFEFFER, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: 2.10 ERA, 19 wins, 14 losses, 6 shutouts, 291.2 innings.
• Never one to shy away from intimidating opponents, the husky (6’3”, 210 lbs.) Brooklyn ace began a three-year run in which he hit a total of 50 batters.

8. ERSKINE MAYER, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 2.36 ERA, 21 wins, 15 losses, 274.2 innings.
• Like Al Mamaux (above), Mayer won 21 this year and 21 the next before becoming enshrouded in a fog of anonymity.

9. ERV KANTLEHNER, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 2.26 ERA, 5 wins, 12 losses.
• The colorful, hard-luck southpaw who once claimed to be a master fisherman—but could never prove it—found it hard to reel in wins for the Pirates.

10. PAT RAGAN, BROOKLYN-BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.34 ERA, 17 wins, 12 losses.
• Ragan’s tour of the National League brought him to the Braves after an early-season trade from Brooklyn, making much-needed improvement after going 32-51 with a 3.49 ERA that was substandard for Deadball Era times.

AL Pitchers

1. WALTER JOHNSON, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 1.55 ERA, 27 wins, 13 losses, 39 starts, 35 complete games, 7 shutouts, 336.2 innings, 203 strikeouts.
• The Big Train’s continued mastery of the AL made a lot of folks wonder how invincible he would have been had he fled to the Federal League, as he momentarily did before 1915.

2. JIM SCOTT, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.03 ERA, 24 wins, 11 losses, 7 shutouts, 296.1 innings.
• Entering the year with a career 2.34 ERA but a losing (70-82) record, Scott finally got way, way overdue offensive support in Chicago thanks to new White Sox arrivals Eddie Collins and Joe Jackson.

3. ERNIE SHORE, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 1.64 ERA, 19 wins, 8 losses, 247 innings.
• The second-year right-hander fashioned a great campaign with a career-high total of wins and the AL’s third-best ERA.

4. SMOKY JOE WOOD, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 1.49 ERA, 15 wins, 5 losses, .750 win percentage.
• Long since unable to ply his trade as a workhorse that won him 34 games three years earlier, Wood pitched sparingly and in pain—but made it worth his while with the only ERA title of his career.

5. HARRY COVELESKI, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 2.45 ERA, 22 wins, 13 losses, 50 appearances, 312.2 Innings.
• In a decade in which the Tigers excelled with great hitting but poor pitching, Coveleski made great gains toward making the 1915 season an exception to the rule.

6. DOC AYERS, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 2.21 ERA, 14 wins, 9 losses, 40 appearances, 16 starts.
• The rare case of a spitballer who threw underhanded, Doc provided proper relief from the bullpen (1.83 ERA in 24 non-starts).

7. HOOKS DAUSS, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 2.50 ERA, 24 wins, 13 losses, 309.2 innings.
• In his third of 15 years with the Tigers, Dauss set a career high with 24 wins as Detroit hitters supported him to the tune of over five runs per start.

8. JOE BENZ, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.11 ERA, 15 wins, 11 losses.
• Like Jim Scott (above), Benz got a big bump in support from a better lineup; he won the same number of games as the year before, but lost eight fewer and saw his average runs per start jump from 2.86 to 4.61.

9. RED FABER, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.55 ERA, 24 wins, 14 losses, 50 appearances, 299.2 innings.
• Ditto Benz above, but even better; he got 5.47 runs per start, helping to kick his Hall-of-Fame career into high gear with his first of four 20-win campaigns.

10. CARL WEILMAN, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 2.34 ERA, 18 wins, 19 losses, 295.2 innings.
• Weilman had to wait for George Sisler, his future Hall-of-Fame support, to realize he was a better hitter than pitcher.

[luckymann]

Honus back where he should be, in a Pirates uniform. Purely for backup, pinch hitting duties and presence.

[luckymann]

Offseason moves and FA signings of note:

• P Eddie Plank: Reds, 3 years / $13200
• P Cy Falkenberg: Yankees, 3 years / $7320
• P Ralph Caldwell: Tigers, 3 years / $5160
• 1B Hal Chase: Red Sox, 1 year / $3060
• C George Gibson: Giants, 1 year / $2140
• 2B Nap Lajoie: Brooklyn, 1 years / $1800
• 3B Mike Mowrey: Giants, 1 year / $1720
• P Addie Joss: Cubs, 1 years / $1660
• P Eddie Summers: Giants, 1 years / $1660
• P Heinie Berger: Giantss, 1 year / $1640
• P Elmer Steele: Red Sox, 1 year / $1520

The White Sox traded P Eddie Cicotte and 1B Harry Williams to the Reds for OF Ernie Walker and 3B Bill Kindle.

The Cards re-signed SS Bienvenido Jimenez to an 8-year extension for $20860.

The Browns re-signed SS Harry Spratt to an 8-year extension for $17540.

ALL TRANSACTIONS


The Naps have officially changed their nickname to the Indians.

A 13-5 Spring Training, but the experts remain unconvinced just yet of our chances, tipping us to finish well back of the Braves at 80-74.

FULL PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

[luckymann]

Don’t forget you can access our team page if so inclined HERE, but here’s the annual summary.

Look, I am not expecting some miraculous surge straight off. All I want this season is for us to consolidate last year’s efforts and keep the trajectory headed in the right direction.

Catchers

• C Les Nunamaker (R)
• Roger Bresnahan (R)

Les holds the starting spot thanks to his great 1914 campaign.

Infielders

• 1B Ty Cobb (L)
• 2B Heinie Groh (R)
• 3B Frank Baker (L)
• SS Buck Herzog (R)

• Honus Wagner (R)
• John Henry Lloyd (L)
• Scott Ingerton (R)
• Larry Kopf (S)

Ty has been working non-stop on the defensive requirements of a first-baseman, and we’ll just have to see how he handles it in game situations. Oscar will most likely come in as a defensive sub late, with Ty rotating to CF, or some combination thereof. Not ideal, but hopefully the bat covers the glove.

Outfielders

• LF Elmer Smith (L)
• CF Max Carey (S)
• RF Zaza Harvey (L)

• Oscar Charleston (L)
• Armando Marsans (R)

Some concerns about Carey in the offseason, and form will dictate the composition here as we progress. Will almost certainly look different in the latter part of the season than the earlier.

Rotation

1. RHP Rube Vickers
2. RHP Babe Adams
3. LHP Wilbur Cooper
4. RHP Hooks Dauss

After a couple years in the wilderness, Babe has worked super hard and deserves another shot. He must perform, though, or he’ll be done with us.

Bullpen

• RHP Louis Drucke
• RHP Russ Ford
• RHP Al Mamaux
• LHP Lefty Williams

[luckymann]

An encouraging start with an 11-5 sectional. One highlight has been Babe Adams' continued resurgence, as he goes 4-0 with a sparkling 0.25 ERA to nab the NL Pitcher of the Month Award.

Standings, awards, news.









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[luckymann]

Most seasons between saves

[luckymann]

Runs batted in, career

[luckymann]

Just a quick update here, with a more comprehensive recap at end June.

We post a 17-13 May that is more impressive than it seems because it was achieved without us going close to hitting our straps on offence. We have hit just 3 HR in 46 games (two of which came in the same game), and a few players have struggled for consistent production. Charlie, on the other hand has hit the ground running (295 / 333 / 446 with 18 RBI) and should consider himself unlucky not to have won the monthly Rookie Award. Groh, too, has been a fantastic pick-up for us.



Both races are still nice and tight, with Cleveland’s strong performance perhaps the biggest surprise to date.



Awards, news, leaders.







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[luckymann]

... a bit of a mess here, entirely accidental but still on me and needing reparation.

Sam Rice should in fact have been Washington's Legacy Player in last year's Draft instead of Joe Judge. Because he rated so low being imported as a pitcher, he escaped my notice when I was doing the Legacies for that Draft.

I wouldn't mind so much if the matter hadn't then been compounded by my Drafting him with our 4th Round pick, not at all putting together that this mistake had been made or even - to be totally honest - realising that this was the HOF Sam Rice. Looking at some roster moves, I flipped him from a pitcher to position player, and his strong ratings tipped me off that this was indeed the case.

So, what to do?

After much consternation and cogitation, I have decided the fairest measure here is to square the ledger by transferring a player of similar worth to them from us.

Looking at their roster I finally decided upon P Dana Fillingim as this player. Close enough to the 7 WAR differential between Judge and Rice, and he was whom we selected the Round after Rice. I consider the matter now closed but will try to ensure this doesn't happen again.

G

[luckymann]

A stunning 20-5 June built around the foundation of a 12-game win string including five straight 2-1 victories, which shows that it is our pitching doing most of the heavy lifting as our offence continues to sputter.





I can't complain too much about our hitting, with Baker (365), Groh (358), Cobb (318) and Smith (310) all hitting above 300 for the month. But Herzog (203) continues to be of real concern with bat in hand and Charleston (193) is finding things tough at this level.



The aforementioned pitching actually sees come changes this month: one necessary, the other by design. Mays gets the call-up after Cooper fractures a rib on the bases (he’ll be out for about a month), whilst a sorely out of form Dauss is moved to the pen with Williams taking his spot in the spin. Adams continues his renaissance with another monthly award and a special word for our bullpen, which has been fantastic as their 1.19 ERA to this point attests.



The Braves have only got better with the addition of Rogan giving them the best rotation in the game. Despite our surge, they only trail us by 3 entering July. Over in the junior circuit, the Browns put together a superb 20-6 sectional to leapfrog the BoSox and lead the division by 4 1/2.



Awards, news leaders.







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[luckymann]

Most SB without a CS

[luckymann]

Hall of Fame Metrics, all players

[luckymann]

Definitely a month of two halves for us, as we begin poorly and cede our advantage in the standings with a series of ordinary performances. We do, however, right the ship in the last fortnight to finish with a 16-13 sectional.



Vickers has been unlucky in the context of wins and losses, not receiving much by way of run support, but he has been as superb as his sparkling 1.69 ERA suggets. Adams shows no signs of letting up and the others have done their bit as well, with Drucke a real force in the latter innings.



Even with the rest of the bats doing well, I’m not sure I can carry Herzog much longer. His metrics have been trending downward for the last few seasons and he is all but unplayable this year, hitting sub-200 all year and a measly 178 for July. Neither Lloyd nor Kopf appear to be the solution in this productivity black hole at shortstop. So concerned am I about the situation that, on the very eve of the deadline, I make the following move:

TRADE 2 OF 5 (07/31/15)

OF Armando Marsans, OF Dutch Sterrett and IF Larry Kopf traded to Cincinnati for IF Bob Fisher.

I’m not 100% convinced Bob is a long-term solution, but at worst we have upgraded at backup and at best the competition sparks Buck to life.



The upshot of all this is that we retain our exact lead of 3 1/2 games over the Braves of the previous month, with the Cards the only other side really in with some chance. The AL looks like it is going to be a cracking race, as the Sox and Browns continue to track each other and keep the others at bay.



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[luckymann]

Most Ks in debut season (excluding inaugural season)

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

Another strong month as we go 20-8 including an 11-game win string (carried over from July).



We are still too inconsistent at the plate for my liking. That said, Ty won his 17th Batter of the Month Award for his 359 / 1 HR / 11 RBI performance. The pitching remains solid, as I hope is the case down the stretch and beyond.





Both races remain very much in play, with the Braves lurking dangerously 6 back of us and the Browns just hanging on, 4 GB of the BoSox.

Our three game homestand against the Braves toward the end of September looms large. I suspect it's going to take 100 wins or close enough to for us to get the job done.



Awards, news, leaders. Hopefully my next post is to tell you we've clinched. But I doubt it will be that cut and dried.







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[luckymann]

Most seasons at .600+