The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

In the interests of making this game ever more challenging for me and interesting for you following along while still making it broadly representative of the historical, I have decided to make a few key changes to some of the game settings.

All Legacies will henceforth have a 2-year extension added to their 10-year contracts at the outset, with salaries reflective of the historical. The exception to this will be those whose IRL careers were 10 years' duration or fewer.

I will also be introducing a new class - Marquee Players.

A Marquee will be a Legacy Player with 70+ career WAR (as per BBRef) and a minimum 60% of career games played for the club that initially receives them as a Legacy.

One year will then be added to their extension per every 5% over 60% they played at that club, with those having played their entire career for the club receiving the maximum of 10 years or the same number of seasons their IRL career lasted.

Of the current Legacies this new distinction only applies to Detroit’s Harry Heilmann, who gets a 9-year extension; Babe Ruth, whose stay with the Yanks is extended by 6 years; and Rogers Hornsby, who gets a total of 4 more seasons with the Cards.

If we want to sign a Marquee Player when they become a FA, we can. However, once any deal has been consummated, we have to match that player's historical salary for the duration. We still cannot trade for them before that, nor trade away our Legacies and Marquees.

Other changes to be made are as follows:

• AI trading is currently set to VERY LOW. I will be ticking that up to LOW at the end of this season and again up to AVERAGE for the start of the 1920 season. I just feel some teams are being stuck with the same playing group and want to try and encourage the AI managers to be more proactive in building competitive squads.
• I always intended to introduce MiLB along the way, but my plan was to wait until 1950. Now I will be creating an AAA level for 1920. Then I’ll add an AA level in 1950 and see where that leaves us. A third level will almost certainly be brought in sometime around 1975-80. This, of course, will mean option years and waivers and all that, which should again encourage plenty of franchise-shaping.
• Injury frequency is currently set to VERY LOW. I will be upping this to LOW at the start of 1920 and looking to bring it up to NORMAL in the years after that. I just want to see how things play out first. The last thing I want is a host of big-name players taken out of the game for prolonged periods with injuries.
• FA eligibility, which is currently at 10 years, has just been moved down to 8. It will be reduced by another year at the end of each of the 1917, 1918 and 1919 seasons to make it 5 years come 1920. Arb eligibility will remain at the game-enforced 3-year setting. This will mean more players at younger ages entering the FA market or clubs having to be more aggressive in keeping them.
• Because I feel it is just too arbitrary, at the end of the 1917 season, I will be removing personality / morale / chemistry from the game.
• TCR is currently set at 120, and I just feel with both DEV and RECALC at play, having it set so high is making ratings and performance a bit too erratic. So at the end of the next few seasons I will be ticking it down to 100 then 75 then 50 for the start of 1920.

As I said, I need to keep an eye on what this all means for the game and will be quick to tinker further should I not like what I am seeing.

Any input and feedback welcome, as always.

G

[luckymann]

We lose our way a bit this month, especially in the middle part, as both our offence and pitching comes off the boil somewhat. We steady the ship with some late wins and finish with a 15-9 June.



We are getting plenty of hits (NL-best 272 BA), but have next to no power being generated, with just 6 HR so far by the group. The rotation isn’t as tight as we’d like it to be, although the bullpen – led once again by the redoubtable Drucke, along with Mamaux (the two have identical 0.55 ERAs over 16.1 IP) – is limiting the damage.



The Cards go on the move with a 10-game win streak and their 23-5 month makes a huge statement. More importantly, it takes a huge chunk out of our lead, which now stands at 5 ½ games. We know, they know, everyone associated with the game knows one thing: this is going to be one heck of a battle for the 1917 NL pennant. Across in the AL, the Indians head in the wrong direction as the Browns continue to hold sway by a narrow margin over the Sens and Yankees. The Red Sox are really missing Speaker, entrenched toward the bottom of the junior circuit standings, although it's pretty tight top-to-bottom.



We tidy up some arb-eligible players, inking Smith, Williams and Charleston to 1-year deals, and locking down Easterly for 3 more plus a team option at $8k per.

Awards, news, leaders. Not sure he'll be able to sustain it, but Boston's Bullet Rogan is on course for a 15 WAR season.






S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

Most wins without starting a game

[luckymann]

... for the struggling BoSox. And against the Evil Empire, no less.

[luckymann]

... just the third to reach this mark after Crawford (who leads the category all-time with 2933) and Lajoie (2723). Seven years Wahoo Sam's junior, it looks inevitable that Ty will sit atop this leaderboard before he leaves the game. But will he reach his IRL mark of 4189? I reckon he'll go pretty close unless something untoward gets in the way.

[luckymann]

... mixed emotions about this one. I'm glad to see some clubs trading for team needs as we enter the stretch run, but Hippo is a Legacy and I would prefer Legacies to see out their initial contracts. Oh well, win some and lose some.



The Sens stay busy and swap another player only a couple days later with the other Chicago club. Not a Legacy this time, thankfully.

[luckymann]

... another no-no for the league's collection. Given his record this season, one can safely assume this came out of the blue.

[luckymann]

... and with it some more trade action.

[luckymann]

... making it three in each of the past two seasons.

[luckymann]

We begin the month with a truly epic series early against the Redbirds that sees us win 3 of 4, with every game a one-run affair. This seems to take it out of both teams, and we end up with a patchy 17-11 month in which we intersperse stretches of good form with poor.




We've pushed out our lead a bit to 9 games. The AL looks set for yet another nailbiter as the Browns and Sens are tied entering August.



Awards, news, leaders, full report in a month. Heavy Johnson of the A's appears ready to have a decent run at the AL Triple Crown.






S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

Not a great first half of the month for us at all. Not just with regard to our ordinary 5-5 record, but also the style in which some of those losses occur. Some big losses, some lucky escapes, some late-inning fadeouts – none of which are acceptable – and just a general malaise in how most of the squad is playing. Then Foster goes down with a shoulder injury and has to have a stint on the IL, just for the minimum thankfully but he’ll need to be monitored.

We do turn things around with 6 wins from 7, but this is nothing but a false dawn as we then proceed to lose 6 straight in which we score just 11 runs combined. When the Cards come to town for two to finish off the month, our lead is down to just 4.

The first of these games shows just how much trouble we are in as we give up 12 unearned runs and, despite the bats finally coming alive (including a 4 hit, 5 RBI performance by Lundy), take a ridiculous 14-12 loss after they score 8 in the 9th off Mamaux and Mays. We finally halt the skid with a most unconvincing 7-6 win on the final day of the month, with Lundy again starring. And so we finish August with a 13-14 record and enter the stretch a very shaky 4 to the good.



Carey is struggling, as he seems to do every other year, to the point that – after hitting less than 200 for the month – I bench him. Foster’s 5.13 ERA (allowing an OBA of 278) for the month is another major concern and we need him to get back on track ASAP.




Very much helping the Cards' cause is the fact that Rajah is putting together one of the best individual seasons on record. Nearly 10 WAR with just under 30 games to go, and he looks almost certain to break Honus's single-season mark of 12.12.

The AL race eases up a bit as, after a few different sides look set to challenge and the Sens stay level with them, the Browns put their foot down with a 17-9 sectional and kick 6 clear. What a dramatic change in the landscape.



Awards, news, leaders. I suspect you'll be hearing from me sooner than I'd prefer.






S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

Highest pitching WAR in final season

[luckymann]

Wins Above Replacement - batters, season 1917 to date

Wins Above Replacement - pitchers, season 1917 to date

[luckymann]

This makes Walter the 4th to reach this mark. Of the other three, only Charles Bender - the all-time leader with 325 - is still active, and I don't see him being so for much longer nor adding many to this total.

[luckymann]

A messy start to the month for both us and the Cardinals mean we still hold a 4-game lead when we head there for our last 4 scheduled (a key word here) regular season games against them. They take 3 of them and our lead is cut to 2 with 16 to play.

The lads somehow drag themself off the canvas and string 7 wins on the trot but still the Cards hang tough and our lead is only 3 with 10 to play.

They are almost dead on their feet at this stage, having played 14 days straight. When we do finally get a day off there are 7 to play, our lead is 2 ½ and our MN is 5.

2 wins against Philly coupled with 2 Cards losses put us 3 ½ ahead and needing just a win or St. Louis loss to clinch, as the Browns lock down their 2nd AL Pennant.

An emphatic 13-0 win at home over Brooklyn behind a Mamaux 3-hitter gets us there.

We finish the regular season with 97 wins, 5 clear of the Redbirds.



While this race should never have been as close as it turns out to be, there are still many more positives than negatives to be taken from this campaign. The boys show so much heart in the final stretch, with everyone doing their bit.



Easterly has been huge all year, Groh is arguably our best player over the past month after a sluggish start to the season. Lundy’s rookie season is a solid foundation on which to build what looks set to be a most promising career. Charleston has become a real force at the top of the lineup. Smith continues to improve. Cobb is just... well, Cobb. Even Carey and Baker finally show some form when we need it the most, credit where due, and the backups all contribute mightily when called upon to do so.



On the pitching side of the ledger, while Foster doesn’t quite live up to expectations, Johnson more than compensates. Cooper, Mamaux and Mays all play their part, and the pen is once again as reliable as they come.



That said, we need to be much better than this moving forward. I doubt very much the 1918 and beyond St. Louis Cardinals will permit us such profligacy in future.


Heavy Johnson claims his first batting title with a 338 BA and leads HR with 18, but comes up just 9 RBI short in his quest for the AL Triple Crown. Chicago’s Jim Viox pips Ty Cobb on the final day to win the NL crown by crumbs with a 343 mark. And Rogers Hornsby just fails to reach the all-time WAR seasonal figure, finishing with 11.7.







Back for the Big Dance preview soon.


S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

St. Louis Browns (89-65) v Pittsburgh Pirates (97-57)

Best-of-seven, Browns with the home-field advantage.

ST. LOUIS BROWNS S+ PAGE

PITTSBURGH PIRATES S+ PAGE

Putting on my neutral cap for a second, this should be a fascinating Series between two sides that are not just evenly-matched, but also very similar. Each hits more for average than power. Each has a decent amount of speed on the bases. Each has had its problems on defence but saw some improvement this year.

Looking at things analytically, they probably edge us on offence, we probably edge them on pitching. I am expecting a lot of hits from both sides, and so those defensive issues I mentioned may very well come into play. I think there’ll be a few 5-4 and 6-5 results.

Our boys know what they need to do. Tightness and opportunism are the keys here. I think they’re ready.

[luckymann]

Game 1 in S. Louis, October 7th 1917
Joe Williams (24-13, 2.07) v Walter Johnson (27-16, 2.28)

Williams may not have had the utterly dominant season he did a couple of years ago when he haunted us in the playoffs, but he was still very good and will take a ton of beating here, especially in front of his adoring home fans. It has been a while since Train saw post-season action but he knows what it is all about nonetheless and we need him to step up here to get us off on the right foot.

Not a lot to report early as these two aces bring their A Game and there’s no score and only a handful of baserunners thru 6.

We finally break the deadlock in the 7th on a Baker single and he then scores all the way from first on a Groh double. An RBI single by Carey makes it 3-0 and Lundy then goes yard to add 2 more.

Train has only given up one hit to this point but their bats come alive in the home 7th as 3 straight hits get them on the board and a poor misplay by Cobb puts 2 more in SP with still none out. A double scores them both and it’s game on again.

They have lifted Williams and Perritt is on in relief. I stick with Walter, who settles down again and goes all nine to get us the key away win.

Pirates 5, Browns 3

BOX SCORE


Game 2 in St. Louis, October 8th 1917
Carl Weilman (25-10, 2.26) v Andrew Foster (19-14, 2.73)
Pirates lead series 1-0

Rube has struggled a bit this year and I’m not 100% sure the arm injury that took him out of action for a bit is totally right. But he is one of the most dogged competitors in the game and will be giving this his all. He’ll need to against Weilman, one of the more underrated pitchers going around. We’re not quite the same side against southpaws, so we must make sure we capitalise on whatever chances we get here.

We start positively as Charleston leads off the game with a triple and scores on a hit by Groh but then the pitchers once again gain the ascendancy with no further scoring until the top 7th when Lundy once again comes through with a 2-run longball to make it 3-0.

They come for us in the bottom 8th as the heart of the order comes alive with three straight singles to score a run but Foster recovers well to keep it at that.

Baker leads off the 9th with a solo shot to reinstate our 3-run advantage and Schultz pads it further with a 2-run triple, then scores himself on a wild pitch to put it at 7-1. A two-base error puts Foster at second and Ingerton knocks him in with a single.

We make a bit of a mess of the home half, allowing 2 to score before closing out another solid win that sends us back to Steeltown in a good position, albeit with plenty of work left to do.

Pirates 8, Browns 3

BOX SCORE


Game 3 in Pittsburgh, October 10h 1917
Wilbur Cooper (23-14, 2.55) v Juan Padron (4-3, 2.21)
Pirates lead series 2-0

Lefty against lefty here and Wilbur needs to improve upon his poor post-season showings of previous years.

He starts nervously, conceding 2 runs on 3 hits in the 1st but settles down and we get one of them back in the 4th when Groh triples and comes in on a Cobb single.

Then errors by Charleston and Groh seem to throw Cooper off his axis as they whack him all over the place and it’s 6-1 when I get the hook out. Some players just aren’t built for the big games, and I am afraid Wilbur seems among their number. Mamaux comes on in relief.

Their bats have certainly come alive and they hammer him as well, adding another in the 6th to make it 7-1, before Lundy continues his good form with a 2-run single in the home half.

But this is a flat performance from the group and they put us away with 3 more in the 9th and take it easily, 10-3.

Browns 10, Pirates 3

BOX SCORE


Game 4 in Pittsburgh, October 11h 1917
Walter Johnson (1-0, 3.00) v Joe Williams (0-1, 6.43)
Pirates lead series 2-1

As is almost always the case in a 7-game series, Game 4 is set to be a pivotal one.

Both teams waste 1st-inning chances but we take the lead in the next on a two-out single by Train after an error by their CF extends the inning. Their bats, however, pick up where they left off in G3 and get to Johnson big time in the 3rd, scoring 3 on 4 hits. Collins and Sisler, in particular, are having a field day, while our offence is quiet again.

Cobb is one exception to that, and he makes it a one-run game with an RBI trip in the 5th. Smith then singles him in to tie it at 3.

But Johnson can’t hold it as they go back ahead in the 6th. They have racked up 12 hits to this point. We then waste loaded bases and remain behind entering the 7th.

Train keeps us close but we just can’t get anything going and, down to our last out, look beaten. Then Gibson doubles and moves to third on a wild pitch to give us some hope, but Cobb grounds out meekly to 1B and the series is tied.

Browns 4, Pirates 3

BOX SCORE


Game 5 in Pittsburgh, October 12th 1917
Andrew Foster (1-0, 1.04) v Carl Weilman (0-1, 7.56)
Series tied 2-2

To go back to St. Louis needing two from two may well be a bridge too far, which makes this game even more important than it perhaps would be otherwise. It’s all on Rube now.

We load the bases on an error and two hits with none out in the 2nd, and another error gets us the first run of the game. A Schultz single adds another and Foster knocks in two more with a hit. A long fly by Charleston advances the runner to third and he scores on a Groh groundout.

They threaten in both the 3rd and 4th but Foster holds them at bay. We know, however, how their lineup can score on you in bunches, and I urge the lads to keep at it, not let up. They oblige with a run in the home 4th, although the Browns’ defence has more to do with it as they make 3 errors. Cobb twists the knife further with a two-out RBI single, ending Weilman’s day, and a 2-run double by Baker off Urban Shocker makes it 9-0.

Foster’s flirtations with trouble finally cost him 2 runs in the next but we get one ourselves in the bottom 6th on an Easterly single.

Rube’s travails mean 7 is all we get from him and Cobb gives the pen some more elbow room with a 2-run double in the home half.

They get 2 off Pernoll in the 9th before we close out a big win.

Pirates 12, Browns 4

BOX SCORE


Game 6 in St. Louis, October 14th 1917
Juan Padron (4-3, 2.21) v Wilbur Cooper (0-1, 4.15)
Pirates lead series 3-2

I’m not sure I’ve spent as much time deliberating over a choice of starting pitcher as I have for this game. In the end, I stick with Cooper because of their strong LHB bias and because I just don’t see Williams up to such a huge assignment at this point. Wilbur just needs to slow himself down and spot his pitches better and he’ll at least be more competitive than he has on a number of prior occasions. Their guy is pretty inexperienced, having logged less than 100 career innings in the bigs, so we need to get on him hard and early and stay that way all the way through.

Cooper starts strongly, retiring the first six he faces, but the 3rd inning is a shocker as Schultz makes two dreadful gaffes and they take their full measure with 3 runs.

If their lad is feeling any nerves, he certainly isn’t showing it, keeping us very quiet at plate with just two hits thru 5, and our defence lets us down yet again in the 5th as a Baker error gives them their 3rd unearned run to go ahead 4-0.

We finally get a run in the 7th on a Schultz double and I lift Cooper for a PH. He did all he could in this one, but those behind him let him and us down. That switch comes to nothing as Fisher flies out to end the threat.

Williams comes on in relief and gives us 2 scoreless. We load the bases with two out in the 9th, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate in the form of Smith, but he grounds out and we are off to yet another Game 7.

Browns 4, Pirates 1

BOX SCORE


Game 7 in St. Louis, October 15th 1917
Joe Williams (1-1, 3.50) v Walter Johnson (1-1, 3.94)
Series tied 3-3

For the unaligned this is about as good as it gets, with two top-notch teams led by two legendary pitchers going at it with everything on the line. No doubt whatsoever that the team who wins today deserves all the glory coming their way. This has been quite the Series, a true showcase for our great game.

Nice sentiment and all, and I hope we get a game worthy of the occasion, but more than anything I want to win.

Rain is in the forecast.

We take the lead in the 3rd on a two-out Easterly single after the inning stays alive on a Spratt error. Then Cobb, having a monster series, bangs in 2 more with a long double. Smith misses adding another couple by about 5 feet.

Lundy is another making a name for himself this October, and he adds a fourth for us in the next with a two-out double. A Groh error in the home half puts us under pressure but Train escapes unscathed.

We keep the score humming along with a run on a Cobb double and then Baker, having another quiet World Series, comes through with a two-out RBI single to make it 6-0. That is it for Williams.

The bats are on their game tonight and Carey extends our lead in the 7th with a 2-run double. They get their first run in the home half.

As much as I want to leave Walter in to finish things off, we get a man at third with one out in the 9th and I call for Schultz to pinch hit for him. He gets the run in on another Spratt error and then scurries home from first on a Charleston two-bagger to make it 10-1.

Pernoll lets two get aboard but closes it out without conceding for our 4th World Championship.

Due reward for the lads. It may not have been as cut-and-dried as we’d hope but that matters not now.

Pirates 10, Red Sox 1

BOX SCORE



PITTSBURGH WINS SERIES 4-3

SERIES MVP: Ty Cobb (Pittsburgh)



S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

A massive shock when the Red Sox announce they have sacked two-time Champion manager Steve Martz. He’ll be joined in the unemployment queue by John Taber of the Tigers and the Phillies’ Tom Bannon.

We lose two club stalwarts to retirement in Rube Vickers and Legacy Player Babe Adams. Rube, on account of his 164 wins for us, will have #68 retired in his honour.

Others hanging up their cleats include Hans Lobert, Charlie Smith, Doc Gessler, Miller Huggins, Red Ames and Howie Camnitz.

We do not offer Scotty Ingerton arbitration, meaning he’ll become a Free Agent.

[luckymann]

AL 1917 HISTORY INDEX

NL 1917 HISTORY INDEX

AWARDS HISTORY


A fantastic year for the NeL players, who win all of the major awards save Rajah Hornsby's NL MVP. Heavy Johnson wins the AL MVP, Joe Williams (AL) and Bullet Rogan (NL) win the newly-minted Rube Waddell Award, while Detroit's George Britt and our own King Richard Lundy win the rookie gongs.

Everything green this year, including the HR.

[luckymann]