The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[Brad K]

I didn't figure an AI manager would do that but if he was I wanted to know how you made him do it.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

I didn't figure an AI manager would do that but if he was I wanted to know how you made him do it.

Yeah, I don't think you could.

It's not as if Rube's particularly slow or anything:



So I probably have overcorrected here, especially given the overriding team strategy. He is 0-for-1 in steal attempts in 3 years, although was batting 2 until this season.



I might just tick him up a bit next year, we'll see. Then again, he scored nearly 100 runs two years ago and is on pace for that again, so...

[luckymann]

The big guy is having another stellar season. Love to see what he could do on a better club.

[luckymann]

Biding his time down at AAA Scranton after a pre-season injury and then a cup of coffee with the parent team Braves, Marty Dihigo is, as one would expect, carving it up.

Not even sure why he's down there. Service time concerns are past, the big club is dead last at 46-65 - where's the downside? Two of these homers came off Jose Mendez, down on a rehab assignment, which shows he can hit the big-leaguers. I presume he'll come up with expanded rosters, but - despite my knowing full well that on many occasions in the future I'll wish he was back down there because he just kicked our behinds - it makes little or no sense to me.

[luckymann]

Fair to say Mr Wilson's impact on the league has been pretty much immediate, and he's putting together a stellar sophomore campaign that should see him in the mix come awards season. After a few lean years, the BoSox faithful will be hoping he ushers in another period of success for the club.

[luckymann]

Just as the stretch looms and they can least afford it, the Redbirds lose one of their main men almost for its duration as Frankie Frisch goes down with a groin strain.

[luckymann]

Another disappointing year for the Bronx Bombers but the big guy keeps doing his bit all the same.

[luckymann]

Truth be told things have turned slightly surreal this past month.

Consider these monthly statistics:

• Games played: 28
• Wins: 23
• Losses: 5
• Runs conceded: 82
• Runs conceded per game: 2.93
• HR conceded: 3
• Pitching WAR accumulated: 6.5
• Current win streak: 14 games

You don't win anything in August, but gee this has been fun.






I've not seen pitching of the quality we put up this month. It is simply stunning. Even more so when you consider Dave Brown only rejoins the squad on August 30th and is yet to pitch. Wilbur Cooper's 8-0 / 1.67 sectional is the stuff of legends, but all are superb.




While they get a bit lost in the rush, our hitters deserve their share of the credit as well. Charleston (429/448/643; 4 HR / 20 RBI) can consider himself most unlucky not to join Cooper and Foster on the monthly awards list, Bressler hits 400 and drives in 13. Toporcer has been a massive add. All have done their bit, big or small.




All of which means we are in the box seat. Not quite home yet, but close. Same goes for the Sens.




Awards, News, Leaders.






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[luckymann]

More Triples than Doubles (Minimum 50 PAs)

[luckymann]

Batting Average on Balls in Play - Batters (1924 season to date)

Batting Average on Balls in Play - Pitchers (1924 season to date)

[luckymann]

We all but put the Cards away with a 4-game sweep early in the month and clinch in mid-month.

But little good happens from there as we take our foot right off the pedal and go a horrid 10-17 for the month, including a 3-10 stretch to finish things off.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is called peaking too early.




The pitching cools off to near sub-zero temps with Brown and Streeter’s form the biggest worry. The bats continue with the patchy form that has plagued them all year.




But look, the main thing is we are back at The Big Dance, where anything can happen and usually does. Our opponent will be the Senators, looking for their 3rd Championship. We are going for number 8.



Al Simmons, who seems almost guaranteed of winning the AL RoY award, wins the AL batting title with a 367 mark, while Philadelphia outfielder Kiki Cuyler's 366 gets him the NL crown.

Heavy Johnson puts together another scintillating campaign, finishing top 3 in each of the TC categories, including a 366 BA. He also records his 1500th career hit.

Our own Wilbur Cooper leads the NL in ERA and Wins.

A sad finish to the year for Lewis Hampton of the Phillies, who is sure to feature heavily in the NL Waddell Medal calculations this year. He ruptures his UCL right and will miss all of 1925.





Finally, here are the Top 20 players by WAR for the year.

Hitters




Pitchers




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[luckymann]

Pittsburgh Pirates (91-63) v Washington Senators (91-63)

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

PITTSBURGH PIRATES S+ PAGE

WASHINGTON SENATORS S+ PAGE

Both sides fairly limped home with dreadful Septembers and this Series will be won by the team who best manages to turn things around. Identical records for the year reflect the closeness in natural talent both have at their disposal, and the two are actually very similar in structure. All of which means if everything goes according to Hoyle, this should be a really tight one.

Of course, that is predicated on us performing to our ability. We have been scorching and we have been arctic, form-wise, this year. Our success here rides on which end of this spectrum we find ourselves at over the 4 to 7 games required to settle the matter.

Apart from Streeter, the final composition of our rotation was a really close-run thing. Brown’s injury-interrupted season has left his form in tatters. Cooper has been great but historically struggles at this time of the year. Foster is raw and inconsistent. Mirabal was great as our SP4 in Brown’s absence. Even McDonald got a look-in. But in the end I played it conservatively and we’ll go with Streeter-Brown-Cooper. But any early shockers and this will almost certainly change.

With the position players, Traynor gets the nod over Lundy at 2B. Marcell will start at 3B against the lefty Sherdel, a former member of our farm system.

[luckymann]

Game 1 in Pittsburgh, October 3rd 1924
Sam Streeter (19-13, 3.39) v Dick Redding (18-15, 3.65)

The young tyro faces the wily veteran to kick things off here. Streeter was just so good for us until a dire September, and we need him to recapture that form here to give us a positive start to the Series.

The two teams exchange hits but no runs until Williams goes solo yard in the bottom 3rd. Despite it staying that way into the middle innings, neither pitcher has their best stuff and the game looks ready to blow open at any stage. But heart is what makes good pitchers great and these two great pitchers show plenty of it.

We finally extend our lead in the 7th on a 2-run trip by Charleston. I hit for Streeter in the 8th and Braxton takes over in the 9th and finishes off the shutout win.

Pirates 3, Senators 0
BOX SCORE


Game 2 in Pittsburgh, October 4th 1924
Dave Brown (3-6, 4.00) v Bill Drake (21-16, 4.84)
Pirates lead series 1-0

After a long injury layoff like the one Dave had to endure this year, the battle is more mental than mechanical. You have to trust those mechanics that make you the pitcher you are. You have to believe in yourself unequivocally. We know how dominant he can be, that’s why we acquired him and gave him the long contract. He just needs to drink from the Kool-Aid.

Cobb gives us the early lead with a solo shot in the 1st and Williams does likewise the very next AB. But Brown gets the wobbles in the next, walks 2 and they put one in the frame without the benefit of a hit. We get two RISP in the home half but waste the chance to go further ahead.

We do that in the 3rd on an RBI double by Charleston but again Brown struggles with his control and they cancel that run out with one of their own in the 4th. The see-sawing continues in the bottom of that frame as Toporcer knocks in 2 with a trip but again we leave the runner stranded.

We make no such mistake in the 6th as we load the bases and a Snyder hit plates a pair, chasing Drake. They score one in the top 7th and that ends Brown’s game as well.

They threaten but don’t score in each of the 8th and 9th to send us on the road two to the good.

Pirates 7, Senators 3
BOX SCORE


Game 3 in Washington, October 6th 1924
Jim Shaw (18-11, 3.87) v Wilbur Cooper (24-11, 2.84)
Pirates lead series 2-0

It really looked like Wilbur had overcome his early postseason bluesfest. He was great in 1917 thru 1920. But then he slipped back into trouble again in our two most recent WS appearances, albeit only pitching a handful of innings. Still, we’ve every confidence in him today. They’ve flip-flopped and are going with Jim Shaw instead of Bill Sherdel.

Things start disastrously for us when Toporcer is injured running the bases in the 1st. I put Marcell in to replace him at 3B and he scores the game’s first run on a Williams SF. Their second miscue of the inning extends it and we make them pay with another run on a Traynor single. Quite the eventful top 1st.

We keep the score ticking over with another run in the 3rd via a sac fly by Charley, who adds a fourth with a two-out single in the next as well.

From there, little happens as Cooper gives us just what we need and, despite a wee spot of bother in the 9th, ends up with a fantastic 6-hitter.

Pirates 4, Senators 0
BOX SCORE


Game 4 in Washington, October 7th 1924
Dick Redding (0-1, 3.38) v Sam Streeter (1-0, 0.00)
Pirates lead series 3-0

Sadly, Specs is done for the year with knee tendinitis and Steel Arm Davis – the only other eligible position player on our roster – gets the call-up to fill the spare spot.

We’ve done everything pretty much perfectly so far, but none of that counts if we don’t get win number four. We need to be clinical and finish the job. The Game 1 combatants return for this one. On a hunch I move Moore to 3B and start Gerber at SS.

They come out swinging as Willie Wells takes Lefty deep in the bottom 1st and another 2-run jack by Goose Goslin puts us in an 0-3 hole before we’ve even got an out. They go further ahead with another run in the 4th as the inconsistency that seems to plague Streeter rears its ugly head again.

We don’t register our first hit until the 7th, when Traynor goes solo yard and I lift Streeter for a PH in the 8th, but the bats stay quiet with just 4 hits and we take our first loss of the Series. Redding is injured in the late part of the game, which may have huge ramifications down the track. But hopefully not.

Senators 4, Pirates 1
BOX SCORE


Game 5 in Washington, October 8th 1924
Bill Drake (0-1, 11.81) v Dave Brown (1-0, 3.86)
Pirates lead series 3-1

While he got the job done in Game 2, you can’t say Dave was all that convincing, and I doubt Drake will be so easy to score off this time around. So we need to shrug off yesterday’s disappointing performance and get this done. Marcell in at 3B for this one.

No score thru the first 3 but then we go ahead on a run-scoring double by Cobb. Once again, however, we leave runs on the deck as we strand him there from none out to three.

It stays 1-0 with Brown working a two-hitter entering the 9th. He gets Goslin on a flyout to RF but then walks Jackson and I go with the splits and bring in Comstock. Joe Judge flies out to CF to bring us within an out of the win and a groundout to Marcell at third brings us our 8th World Championship.

I wasn’t being deprecating at the start of the season when I said my expectations were low. After last year I really did see a winning record being a step in the right direction. So to have the boys do what they’ve done here will always remain one of my most treasured memories in the game. They have been nothing short of magnificent and – given how crucial our pitching has been to this success – it is entirely appropriate that three of our wins in the WS are shutouts.

Pirates 1, Senators 0
BOX SCORE



PITTSBURGH WINS SERIES 4-1
SERIES MVP: Pie Traynor (Pittsburgh)





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[luckymann]

Huge news from out of the blue as the Pirates franchise is sold, with ownership going from Kevin Sanchez to “investment magnate” Antonio Gutierrez.

Meet Antonio and see my comments in a few posts’ time for my response to this development.



We do not exercise the option over Wally Gerber’s final contract year. Nor do we offer Smoky Joe Wood an extension. Let’s see how the FA market looks and, you never know, we might see him again.

Curt Welch of the Braves and William Burke of the Reds get their pink slips.

Some big names give the game away at the end of the season. Rube Foster. Pete Alexander. Rube Marquard. Pete Hill. Stuffy McInnis.

[luckymann]

AL 1924 HISTORY INDEX

NL 1924 HISTORY INDEX

AWARDS HISTORY

Ruth and Hornsby win the Wagner-Lajoie Medals as expected. That's Babe's third and Rajah's 5th. A couple of surprises in the Waddell Medal as former Pirate Lefty Williams wins in the AL and Wilbur Cooper wins his 3rd in the NL. Glenn Wright edges out Al Simmons for AL RoY and Earle Combs wins it in the NL.

Given my LTM misadventure, little surprise that the Sim Accuracy comes in all green.

[luckymann]

120 years is a long time...

As you may have gathered, I've just been having a bit of an existential crisis these past few seasons. Not with the save, which is easily the most fun I've had with this wonderful game. Rather, with my role at Pittsburgh. 8 wins now from 24 including a bunch of late. Success, as the old saying goes, breeds contempt. In my case, contempt is far too harsh a word. More dulled my motivation.

I need a new challenge for a while.

The advent of our new "unmerciful" owner opens a door for me here. Up until now, because of the nature of the save I have turned off the ability to be fired.

I now intend to turn that back on.

Longer-term, I plan to stay at the Bucs until 1930. If I last that long, I will scope the current lay of the land. My initial thoughts are to take a few years off then go to Beantown in time for Teddy Ballgame's arrival in '35 or '36. But this will all depend on the state of the Red Sox franchise. If they are strong then there isn't much of a challenge for me, so I'll look elsewhere for one.

I will return to the Pirates at some point. May even leave them again and go back again. But I definitely want to be there for the drought-ridden years after Pops and the gang thru the present day. Maybe even earlier for Bobby C et al.

Anyway, that's the outline. The next few years will fill it in. Until then it's On with the Show.

G

[luckymann]

With Wood gone, Bigbee in his last year and unlikely to be extended, Mueller not really having come on after his stunning rookie year, Cobb a rising 38 and Williams not far behind him, our OF larder is a bit bare.

So I use one of our FA slots to sign Curt Walker to a 5+1 $90k deal. He is just 28 so that should cover his fruitful years and, while he'll backup this season, he will see plenty of ABs as we transition him into RF. He's a lifetime 295 hitter, not much pop - sort of like a Ty "lite".

A handy pickup.

Then, on the eve of the Draft, the Braves offer us a deal we can't - and don't - refuse, even though I am sure it results from the player in question being up for FA in 1926:

TRADE 1 OF 3 (12/19/24)

OF Heinie Mueller and P Guy Bush traded to Boston (NL) for 3B John Beckwith.

Both Oliver Marcell and Dick Lundy are off-contract after this season and have really struggled to contribute in the past couple years. John will give us a fantastic power corner guy for at least one year and hopefully more. I’ve commented on Heinie earlier and Guy was only a remote chance of ever figuring into our plans. So it was a bit of a no-brainer.

[luckymann]

Held on 12/20/1924.

Lefty Grove becomes the league’s latest Marquee Player and heads a Legacy class of just 7 this year. Some really handy unattached players and a couple NeL guns will make this another fascinating Draft.

These are the Legacy Players for the 1925 season:

Detroit Tigers: Billy Rogell (25.1; 1207)
New York Giants: Freddie Fitzsimmons (35.8; 403)
Philadelphia Athletics: Lefty Grove (106.8; 402) MARQUEE
Philadelphia Phillies: Ray Benge (13.3; 210)
St. Louis Browns: George Blaeholder (22.0; 280)
St. Louis Cardinals: Bill Hallahan (14.2; 259)
Washington Senators: Buddy Myer (48.6; 1643)

Jimmie Foxx (93.1; 1256) was also eligible for the A’s, but Grove’s higher WAR makes him the selection.

Mickey Cochrane (49.9; 1167) was also eligible for the A’s, but Grove’s higher WAR makes him the selection.

There are 119 rookies for this season, and the Draft will consist of 6 rounds.

The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1924 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round):

Round 1

1. Philadelphia Athletics (579)
2. Washington Senators (636)
3. New York Giants (566)
4. Detroit Tigers (526)
5. St. Louis Browns (536)
6. St. Louis Cardinals (503)
7. Philadelphia Phillies (444; dice roll)
8. Boston Red Sox (309)
9. Chicago Cubs (442)
10. Brooklyn Robins (444; dice roll)
11. New York Yankees (448)
12. Cleveland Indians (455)
13. Boston Braves (458)
14. Chicago White Sox (513)
15. Cincinnati Reds (523)
16. Pittsburgh Pirates (621)

Rounds 2 thru 6

1. Boston Red Sox (309)
2. Chicago Cubs (442)
3. Philadelphia Phillies (444; dice roll)
4. Brooklyn Robins (444; dice roll)
5. New York Yankees (448)
6. Cleveland Indians (455)
7. Boston Braves (458)
8. St. Louis Cardinals (503)
9. Chicago White Sox (513)
10. Cincinnati Reds (523)
11. Detroit Tigers (526)
12. St. Louis Browns (536)
13. New York Giants (566)
14. Philadelphia Athletics (579)
15. Pittsburgh Pirates (621)
16. Washington Senators (636)


No Legacy again for us this year and sadly the 16th overall pick means no absolute guns either. Still, we should pick up one or two handy types from a fairly deep pool. Given our two big offseason acquisitions, that’s fine with me as our current squad is pretty set now.

Here’s who we end up selecting:

1. OF Mule Haas, 21

• Despite the Walker acquisition, I still feel Mule was the best option for us of those available. Just 21 and a few years off the bigs, hopefully we can orchestrate his entrance to seamlessly transition our OF into the next generation. There’s also the off-chance that Charley opts out at the end of this season, so this could prove a wise contingency plan if we can’t retain him.

2. P Lloyd Brown, 19

• Could prove a useful spot starter a few years on.

3. P Guy Cantrell, 20

• Very little else left by now after we lost our 3rd Round pick as compensation for Walker’s signing.

4. C Leo Tankersley, 23
5. P Jess Doyle, 26

• AAA filler Scout’s picks.

Here are all the 1st Round picks:



FULL DRAFT LOG

[luckymann]

Fairly cruisy pennant wins for the Senators and Pirates, each of whom finish 8½ games clear. The Sens take a 3-1 lead in the World Series and look set for back-to-back Championships, only to fall apart and lose it in 7.

AL CHAMPIONS: Washington Senators (96-55)
NL CHAMPIONS: Pittsburgh Pirates (95-58)
WORLD SERIES: Pirates 4, Senators 3

Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. ROGERS HORNSBY, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .403 average, 133 runs, 203 hits, 41 doubles, 10 triples, 39 home runs, 143 RBIs, 83 walks, .489 on-base percentage, .756 slugging percentage.
• Rajah batted over .400 for the third time in four years and became one of two players—Ted Williams is the other—to twice win the triple crown.

2. KIKI CUYLER, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 153 games, .357 average, 144 runs, 220 hits, 43 doubles, 26 triples, 18 home runs, 102 RBIs, 58 walks, 13 hit-by-pitches, 41 stolen bases.
• You name it, Cuyler did it…though he may not have matched some of Hornsby’s stats, he still stunningly represented the NL’s most potent and complete package of numbers.

3. JACK FOURNIER, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .350 average, 99 runs, 191 hits, 21 doubles, 16 triples, 22 home runs, 130 RBIs, 86 walks.
• A third stellar year in which Fournier easily hit over .300, belted 20-plus homers and knocked in over 100 runs—but advancing age combined with a love-hate affair with Ebbets Field’s more leathery fans would force an end to the good times.

4. JIM BOTTOMLEY, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 153 games, .367 average, 92 runs, 227 hits, 44 doubles, 12 triples, 21 home runs, 128 RBIs.
• The forecast looked bright for Sunny Jim as the 25-year old evolved into a star presence to go along with Hornsby in St. Louis.

5. ZACK WHEAT, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: .359 average, 125 runs, 221 hits, 42 doubles, 14 triples, 14 home runs, 103 RBIs.
• At 37, Wheat gave one last great go at it before his oft-injured ankle finally got the best of him.

6. GEORGE HARPER, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .349 average, 35 doubles, 18 home runs, 97 RBIs.
• After wandering about with Detroit and Cincinnati, Harper finally found everyday traction in Philadelphia and saved his best for Baker Bowl (as most Phillies often did), hitting .402 with 12 home runs and 57 RBIs.

7. PIE TRAYNOR, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .320 average, 114 runs, 189 hits, 39 doubles, 14 triples, 6 home runs, 106 RBIs.
• The superb third baseman was equally good with the bat and became an RBI machine despite a single-digit home run total; it was something baseball would see more of from him in the coming years.

8. MAX CAREY, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .343 average, 109 runs, 186 hits, 39 doubles, 13 triples, 66 walks, 46 stolen bases.
• At age 35, Carey won the last of his 10 basestealing crowns; he’d depart the Pirates the following year as a centerpiece of the team’s internal turbulence.

9. IRISH MEUSEL, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .328 average, 35 doubles, 8 triples, 21 home runs, 111 RBIs.
• The year of the Meusels: Irish, along with younger Yankee brother Bob (below) both led their respective New York teams in home runs and RBIs.

10. RAY BLADES, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 122 games, .342 average, 112 runs, 37 doubles, 8 triples, 12 home runs.
• The short-lived leadoff spark had a career year and, at one point, safely reached base in 54 straight games.

AL Hitters

1. HARRY HEILMANN, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .393 average, 97 runs, 225 hits, 40 doubles, 11 triples, 13 home runs, 134 RBIs, 67 walks, 19 hit-by-pitches.
• In securing his third straight odd-year batting crown, Heilmann batted .479 over his last 29 games—and hit .454 for the season on the road.

2. AL SIMMONS, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .387 average, 654 at-bats, 122 runs, 253 hits, 43 doubles, 12 triples, 24 home runs, 129 RBIs, .599 slugging percentage.
• Simmons catapulted to superstar status and served notice that the A’s were primed to reclaim the AL penthouse after years in its outhouse.

3. TY COBB, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 121 games, .378 average, 98 runs, 31 doubles, 12 triples, 12 home runs, 102 RBIs, 65 walks.
• For the 38-year-old Cobb, age was nothing but a number—and speaking of numbers, he was part of a Detroit outfielder that hit a collective .369 in 1925.

4. GOOSE GOSLIN, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: .334 average, 116 runs, 201 hits, 34 doubles, 20 triples, 18 home runs, 133 RBIs, 27 stolen bases.
• Griffith Stadium taketh, and Griffith Stadium giveth; Goslin continued to be robbed of home runs at the voluminous ballpark, but made up by hitting a franchise-record 20 triples (12 of them at home).

5. TRIS SPEAKER, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 117 games, .389 average, 35 doubles, 12 home runs, 87 RBIs, 70 walks, .479 on-base percentage.
• Speaker was denied his second batting title at age 37 when Heilmann passed by him with six hits in a season-ending doubleheader.

6. KEN WILLIAMS, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 102 games, .331 average, 83 runs, 31 doubles, 25 home runs, 105 RBIs.
• The veteran slugger might have matched his monster numbers of 1922 had he not missed the Browns’ final 43 games due to a concussion.

7. BOB MEUSEL, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 156 games, .290 average, 101 runs, 181 hits, 34 doubles, 12 triples, 33 home runs, 134 RBIs.
• Meusel ramped it up as the de facto Yankee bopper in Babe Ruth’s intestinal absence.

8. SAM RICE, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: .350 average, 111 runs, 227 hits, 31 doubles, 13 triples, 87 RBIs, 26 stolen bases.
• Rice set personal highs in batting average and hits, but didn’t lead the AL in the latter department despite collecting more than both the year before or after—leading the league both times.

9. AL WINGO, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .370 average, 104 runs, 34 doubles, 10 triples, 69 walks.
• In his one full season at the major league level, Wingo had the lowest average among the three everyday Tigers outfielders—at .370.

10. GEORGE SISLER, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .345 average, 100 runs, 224 hits, 21 doubles, 15 triples, 12 home runs, 105 RBIs.
• The Sizzler began the season by hitting safely in 34 straight games, second in Browns/Orioles history to his 41-game run in 1922.

NL Pitchers

1. PETE DONOHUE, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 3.08 ERA, 21 wins, 14 losses, 38 starts, 27 complete games, 301 innings, 49 walks.
• In a year where no NL pitcher was dominant over the others, Donohue had the best overall collection of numbers; his 2.14 ERA at pitcher-friendly Redland Field certainly helped.

2. EPPA RIXEY, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 2.88 ERA, 21 wins, 11 losses, 287.1 innings.
• Ditto Rixey, who won 15 of his games at Redland with a 2.38 ERA.

3. DOLF LUQUE, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 2.63 ERA, 16 wins, 18 losses, 4 shutouts, 291 innings.
• Another year of frustration for Luque, who posted his fourth losing record over his past five seasons despite decent ERA numbers; his own efforts at the plate weren’t enough, even though just two everyday regulars on the Reds hit more home runs than his two.

4. DAZZY VANCE, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: 3.53 ERA, 22 wins, 9 losses, 4 shutouts, .710 win percentage, 265.1 innings, 221 strikeouts, 10 hit-by-pitches.
• The Brooklyn ace surpassed 200 strikeouts for the second straight year; no one else during the 1920s could do it even once.

5. JACK SCOTT, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.15 ERA, 14 wins, 15 losses.
• Scott lowered his ERA by nearly a run but saw his record drop from 16-7 to 14-15; getting two runs less of support per start had something to do with it.

6. BILL SHERDEL, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 3.11 ERA, 15 wins, 6 losses, .714 win percentage.
• After being the Cardinals’ top reliever for much of his previous seven seasons in St. Louis, Sherdel began a new chapter as starter with pleasing results.

7. LARRY BENTON, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 3.09 ERA, 14 wins, 7 losses.
• Stuck in the Braves’ bullpen for two previous seasons and the first two months of 1925, Benton was finally given an audition for the rotation and won the part—posting a 2.75 ERA with 16 complete games in 21 starts.

8. PETE ALEXANDER, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.39 ERA, 15 wins, 11 losses.
• That the future Hall of Famer could get in even a decent campaign was somewhat remarkable given an alcohol addiction that had grown so bad, he had to enter a sanitarium at year’s end.

9. LEE MEADOWS, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 3.67 ERA, 19 wins, 10 losses, 255.1 innings.
• As he piled up the wins for the champion Pirates, Meadows was likely thanking—from his knees—the front office folks who got him traded from the horrendous Phillies two years earlier.

10. VIRGIL BARNES, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.53 ERA, 15 wins, 11 losses.
• Maybe Virgil wasn’t living up to the level of success his brother Jesse had enjoyed a few years earlier while a Giant, but he was still quality enough on a staff that was lacking a solid ace until the arrival of Carl Hubbell.

AL Pitchers

1. STAN COVELESKI, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 2.84 ERA, 20 wins, 5 losses, .800 win percentage.
• The former Cleveland ace gave the Senators the steal of the year after being traded outright from the Indians for two unequivocal benchwarmers.

2. HERB PENNOCK, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.96 ERA, 16 wins, 17 losses, 47 appearances, 31 starts, 277 innings.
• Pennock was as workhorse as workhorses go in the AL; his 277 innings were the fewest yet by a league leader in the century to date, and the fewest by an AL leader until Jim Bagby Jr. in 1943.

3. TED LYONS, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.26 ERA, 21 wins, 11 losses, 43 appearances, 32 starts, 262.2 innings.
• Lyons’ star emergence rose the White Sox to a winning record for the first time since the banishment of the Black Sox Eight.

4. WALTER JOHNSON, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 3.07 ERA, 20 wins, 7 losses, .741 win percentage.
• An all-around strong effort for the Big Train; he would win 20 games for the last time in his storied career, and set a major league record for a pitcher by hitting .433 in 97 at-bats.

5. TED BLANKENSHIP, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.03 ERA, 17 wins, 8 losses.
• The common player turned uncommon in the season’s second half, winning 15 of his 17 games after July 13.

6. SLIM HARRISS, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 3.49 ERA, 19 wins, 12 losses, 46 appearances, 33 starts, 252.2 innings.
• After going 45-76 over his first five years, Harriss was finally able to get over the .500 hump as the A’s evolved into a winner.

7. EDDIE ROMMEL, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 3.69 ERA, 21 wins, 10 losses, 52 appearances, 28 starts, 261 innings.
• Again making nearly half of his appearances out of the bullpen, Rommel won 14 games as a starter and seven as a reliever as he led the AL in victories for the second time in his career.

8. SAM GRAY, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 3.27 ERA, 16 wins, 8 losses.
• The second-year right-hander from Texas hogged the hype limelight reserved in Philadelphia for high-priced rookie Lefty Grove by winning his first eight starts—going the distance in the first seven of those—before cooling off.

9. JAKE MILLER, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 3.31 ERA, 10 wins, 13 losses.
• The rookie righty easily had the best ERA of any Cleveland starter—but also the worst run support. Hence, the losing record.

10. DUTCH RUETHER, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 3.87 ERA, 18 wins, 7 losses, .720 win percentage.
• After four years with Brooklyn, Ruether made solid contributions to the World Series-bound Senators—but his only appearance in the Fall Classic would be as a pinch-hitter after batting .333 during the season.

[luckymann]

The Yankees and Phillies both make their intentions clear in the offseason with key signings. The Vance acquisition is a particularly astute one for the Bronx Bombers, after they let both Pennock and Shawkey go. The A’s are another club I feel is heading in the right direction, especially with Grove on the books now.

Here are the main transactions from over the break:

• P Willis Flournoy: Indians, 7 years / $85300
• P Jesse Hubbard: Phillies, 7 years / $70000
• P Herb Pennock: Athletics, 6 years / $57000
• C Bubbles Hargrave: Senators, 7 years / $57000
• P Bullet Rogan: Robins, 5 years / $49500
• C Earl Smith: Giants, 4 years / $45000
• P Jose Leblanc: Giants, 5 years / $41800
• 1B Ray Grimes: Phillies, 4 years / $33600 (extension)
• 1B Jack Fournier: Tigers, 3 years / $31200
• 2B Eddie Collins: Phillies, 3 years / $29500
• C Butch Henline: Cubs, 4 years / $21040 (extension)
• P Harry Coveleski: Athletics, 2 years / $19000
• OF Whitey Witt: Giants, 3 years / $18900
• P Reuben Curry: Cardinals, 3 years / $17520 (extension)
• P Jim Shaw: Senators, 2 years / $14800
• P Stan Coveleski: Cubs, 1 years / $10200

• P Dazzy Vance (retaining 25%) from Robins to Yankees for C Pinky Hargrave
• P Carl Mays, 2B Heinie Scheer and OF Wally Shaner from Cubs to Tigers for OF Braggo Roth

ALL TRANSACTIONS


Mainly just niggles around the league in ST this year, which we finish 9-9. We lose Cobb for a month to a back strain and then have a brief moment of panic when Brown is injured. Fortunately at this stage it just seems like dead arm and he should be right to go.

The pundits, who even caught me on the hop when they picked us last year, are looking for a rematch between us and the Sens.


FULL PRESEASON PREDICTIONS