The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

We've had some problems keeping him on the field as much as we'd have liked these past few seasons and he can be streaky, but when he is healthy and in form Bill Foster is up there with the best.

This is a fitting way for him to bring up his 200th win. Wilbur Cooper is our club's all-time leader in this category with 259 and I see no reason why Bill won't overtake that mark before he's done with us. In a perfect world, he remains a one-club player for us just as Wilbur was, and follows him to C-Town after he's done.




Here are his career pitching stats to this point in full.




Big brother Rube won 247 and is in the HoF. With the Dean brothers both in the league now, I wonder which pair will combine for the most wins?

[luckymann]

Lou becomes just the second to this mark and it's not as if there's going to be a rush of players joining them, at least not for a while.





You'd have to think Beck gets there, but then I'm not sure any others on that list do until Ott and Foxx, but that probably won't be until next decade.

Babe is definitely slowing down and I reckon a year or two might see him out. I expect this season's recalc to be fairly cruel to the big guy but still hold out hope of him mashing 600. It'll be a close-run thing as to whether or not Lou catches him.

[luckymann]

We score a baker’s dozen in two of the new month’s first three games and a traditional dozen in the fourth, although that last one costs us Ferrell for a week after he is beaned. Still, we string a bunch of wins together (it ends up at 12 before we drop our first game for the month to the Jints) and clinch with 20 games still to play.

I won’t lie to you, the remainder of the way is like the lead-up to performing The Scottish Play, with injuries the main – perhaps only – thing on my mind. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if you heard my sigh of relief as we get through unscathed.

We close out the season with a 21-8 September and finish with a record 110 wins.





Every man has played his part on offence, but two deserve special mention. Arky Vaughan racks up nearly 11 bWAR with a 339/460/523 line, 16 HR and 80 RBI. Willie Wells has the season we've been waiting for, with his 356 BA taking the NL batting title. He hits 433 in September to grab the monthly award - amazingly the first and only one won by any of our players this season for either hitting or pitching, and the first of El Diablo's career. We set a new MLB record by scoring 962 runs.




Likewise, our pitching has been a total group effort, with our ERA 80 points under the league's and only two of our guys finishing with an ERA+ under 100. Again I want to highlight two among them. Paul Derringer has a breakout year, going 26-9 / 3.06 and leading our staff with 8.3 pWAR. Bill McCall has a superb season in the Stopper role with a 13-2 mark and 17 saves to go along with his sparkling 1.52 ERA over 59+ IP. Sadly this will be his last year with us. At age-36 and accustomed to SP money he is a luxury we cannot afford.




Final day drama again in the AL as the Tigers rally late to beat the Browns and get home by a game from the Yanks, who had made Detroit’s result count with a 5-2 win at Washington, but all to no avail.




Bob Johnson of the A's has a superb season, finishing third in BA and leading the league with 46 HR and 139 RBI. Hal Trosky sr also has podium finishes in all three stat cats, winning his first batting title. Satchel Paige misses his bid for another Triple Crown by just 2 ERA points.

Here are final the Top 20s by WAR, awards, news and leaders.








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[luckymann]

Pittsburgh Pirates (110-44) v Detroit Tigers (91-63)
Best-of-seven, Pirates with the home-field advantage.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES S+ PAGE

DETROIT TIGERS S+ PAGE


You can’t help but sound churlish saying this, and yet it needs to be said all the same: as great a season as this has been, it means next to nothing without the trophy and rings at the end of it. The group and the season they have put together deserves nothing less. Sadly, as the great Clint Eastwood’s character says in Unforgiven, “deserve’s got nothing to do with it.” We are playing a fantastically talented Tigers side and will have to earn this the hard way – of this, I have no doubt.

[luckymann]

Game 1 in Pittsburgh - October 3rd, 1934

Willie Foster (16-5, 2.75) v Jim Willis (21-13, 3.28)

No more talk, now it is time for the doing.

We go ahead in the 2nd when Combs triples and scores on a Ferrell sac fly and, after we barely escape a bases-loaded jam in the 4th, go further ahead in the home half on a 2-run Wells double.

Foster seems forever on the verge of collapse but somehow digs deep and keeps them scoreless thru six, but our bats are offering very little with just three hits to that point and the game is still very much in the balance.

It is still the same scoreline entering the bottom 8th and, with the pitcher due up and Bill’s pitch count up at 135, I decide to play it safe and go to the pen. Vaughan gives us an extra one to play with via a huge solo shot, but we don’t need it as McCall gets us the shutout win.

Pirates 4, Tigers 0

BOX SCORE

Game 2 in Pittsburgh - October 4th, 1934

Paul Derringer (26-9, 3.06) v Schoolboy Rowe (9-4, 4.19)

Pirates lead series 1-0

Looking for more of the superb service Duke has given us all season to get us in a strong position heading to Motown. Rowe is a genuine talent so we will need to be much better with bat in hand than we were in Game 1.

Once again we are sluggish at plate but Combs cranks one out with one on in the 4th to give us the lead.

Gehringer replies with a solo shot in the 6th, their first run of the series, and their second comes in quick succession as they tie the game in the next.

I hit for Duke in the 8th with the tie still in place but it comes to naught as our bats stay unnervingly cold. All the same, we get away with it as Wells gives us a walkoff win with a run-scoring double.

Pirates 3, Tigers 2

BOX SCORE

Game 3 in Detroit - October 6th, 1934

Paul Derringer (26-9, 3.06) v Schoolboy Rowe (9-4, 4.19)

Pirates lead series 2-0

On his day, Ted is right up there with the elite, but he can also look dreadful and consistency hasn’t been his strong suit over the years. It goes without saying we are hoping the first of these two versions of “Big Florida” comes out to play today and that our bats can generate a bit more offence than they have to this point. Combs and Wells are our only two starters currently hitting higher than 200 for the series. Irrespective of whichever Ted is on tonight, this needs to change.

We do get an early one as Davis doubles home a run in the 2nd and he pulls the same trick again in the 4th to double our advantage. However, they counter with one of their own in the bottom half of that frame and then, as Trent gets a bit wild and woolly, leapfrog us with a deuce in the 5th while another is thrown out at home.

In search of runs, I lift Trent in the 8th. But Whitehill is excellent, holding his nerve for a CG win as this vaunted offence of ours continues to struggle.

Tigers 3, Pirates 2

BOX SCORE

Game 4 in Detroit - October 7th, 1934

Jim Willis (0-1, 4.50) v Willie Foster (1-0, 0.00)

Pirates lead series 2-1

Hard to comprehend that these two outstanding lineups have scored a combined 14 runs to this point. A lot of this has been due to excellent pitching, no doubt, but neither offence has looked their usual threatening self at any stage. Vaughan, Dihigo, Beckwith all hitting sub-100? I just don’t see that continuing for the duration. Game 1 opponents back in action here trying to prove me wrong. I mix things up a bit, switching O’Doul in at LF for Ferrell.

Sure enough, El Inmortal belts a solo homer in the 1st but the Tigers respond with a run in the 3rd to level it up.

O’Doul makes me look good with an RBI double in the next and then a fantastic assist when he mows down a runner at home in the bottom half. We capitalise on that with another run in the 5th on a Paul Waner triple and Foxx doubles him in to make it 4-1.

Big P strikes again in the next with a solo jack and Vaughan finally comes alive with a crucial two-out two-run two-bagger to get us up by six, although it costs us big-time as he is hurt in the process and likely done for the duration.

It is the only blot on a really clinical win as it finishes 8-1 with Foster magnificent again, going the distance and fanning 10.

Pirates 8, Tigers 1

BOX SCORE

Game 5 in Detroit - October 8th, 1934

Schoolboy Rowe (0-0, 1.17) v Paul Derringer (0-0, 2.25)

Pirates lead series 3-1

So close and yet, as we have seen many times before, still so much longer to go. Frey comes in for Arky, who won’t take any further part unless absolutely necessary; O’Doul stays in.

A disastrous start sees them get two off Duke and then a third as Wells throws one into the dugout. They add another in the next for good measure, then two more in the 3rd and Duke is outta there.

Big Poison finally gets us a run in the 4th with his second longball of the series and we get another in the 7th but this was, to be blunt, a shocker and certainly not the sort of performance that clinches titles, which - if we are to do it at all - we now must do back home.

Tigers 6, Pirates 2

BOX SCORE

Game 6 in Pittsburgh - October 10th, 1934

Ted Trent (0-1, 3.86) v Earl Whitehill (1-0, 2.00)

Pirates lead series 3-2

Well we have only ourselves to blame for this, a blame that can only be atoned for with a strong rebound performance here. We have already seen that Earl Whitehill can handle the pressure – can Ted Trent? Against the southpaw I have opted to play the splits, with Ferrell at LF and Davis moving across to man CF. Koenig will play at 3B with Dihigo covering SS. Far from ideal but, hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.

We begin poorly again as an error by Dihigo in the 2nd opens the door for them to get a run, but reply straight away with one on a Koenig double. However, he is injured running the bases and so Frey comes in at SS and Martin moves back to his more-favoured hot corner. When that is all sorted, we go ahead with a run on a Hemsley groundout.

They go ahead in the top 6th on a 2-run gopher ball and we have just two hits to our credit at this point. We do respond with a run on a Foxx groundout in the home half and then come alive, finally.

Ferrell leads off the next with a single and gets to second on a misplay by their LF, then Rollie Hemsley comes up with what might prove the biggest hit of his career, singling in the go-ahead run. Trent has been shaky and so I lift him for a PH at this point, much to his displeasure. He quietens down a bit when O’Doul, in perhaps his final act as a Pittsburgh Pirate, absolutely crushes one to make it 6-3. Davis triples but Dihigo, who has had a forgettable series, fails to bring him in and we leave him stuck there.

But then McCall, so reliable all year, lets them right back in it with a 2-run 8th. I decide to stick with him and, bless his heart, he doesn’t let us down, closing it out with some help from the defence to give us Championship number lucky 13.

Bill Foster is rightfully named MVP for his 2-0 / 0.53 performance.

Pirates 6, Tigers 5

BOX SCORE

PITTSBURGH WINS SERIES 4-2

SERIES MVP: Willie Foster (Pittsburgh)

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[luckymann]

They started the year slowly, but our AAA Wilkes-Barre boys got it going and eventually cruise to their 5th title.

[luckymann]

One lingering question is answered on the first day of the offseason as Willie Wells decides not to opt out of his contract. I never really thought he would given the money he is on (only Lefty Grove earns more at the moment) but you just never know.

Bill McCall was magnificent for us this year and I just think we need him for a couple more years, despite the lofty price tag. So we pitch him a 2+1 deal at what I think is a fair rate. Sadly, he is unwavering and is simply asking too much for the role he is destined to play at our club, especially at a rising 37 and historically injury-prone. And so I am forced to let him walk - reluctantly, as guys of his calibre are almost impossible to find.

We also non-tender Lloyd Brown, Rollie Hemsley – who wanted way more than our assessment of his value – and Lefty O’Doul.

It’s a cruel old game this managing gig, as Bill Essick is let go by the Tigers. Let’s face it, a couple of different bounces of the ball and they could well be World Champions right now. Somewhat easier to understand is the firing of both St. Louis skippers – Tom “Sugar Boy” Dougherty (those of you following my OFA save might recognise that name…) by the Browns and Carl Lundgren by the Cards.

We lose to retirement three of the game’s absolute legends – each of whom I shall deal with separately. Others of note hanging them up include Pete Donohue, Rube Curry, Jesse Hubbard, Joe Hauser, Herb Pennock, Bing Miller, Jimmy Dykes, Joe Sewell, the mighty Biz Mackey and George “The Bull” Uhle.

[luckymann]

No matter how long this league lasts and even well after it has gone, the exploits of Rogers Hornsby will always rank right at the pinnacle of its history. Since joining the MLB ranks in 1915 he has dominated like few others, and hangs up his glove with an array of stats that will make your head spin.

A 332 BA (9th best at present), 3239 hits (4th), 565 doubles (3rd), 183 triples (8th), 321 HR (4th), 1748 RBI (2nd), 1246 walks (5th) - all of which adds up to 7 Wagner-Lajoie Medals and 138 bWAR, second only to Tris Speaker. After giving his all and then some over 14 seasons for a pretty ordinary Cardinals club, nobody could deny him deserving that elusive Championship Ring with the Tigers a few years back and he is a dead-set first ballot lock when he becomes eligible for HoF enshrinement in five years' time.



Andy "Lefty" Cooper was his teammate on a lot of those Cards teams, and again later at Detroit, although not for the '29 title - an honour that sadly eluded him to the end. He finishes his career with a 255-170 record and a touch over 87 pWAR, with 4 Johnson-Waddell Medals to his credit. Again, I think he'll get to C-Town first go, although he's not quite the dead cert Rajah is.




And finally, while Harry "Slug" Heilmann's numbers might not pop off the screen like Rajah's, he certainly deserves his spot in this group. Given he played all but 15 of his 2569 MLB games for Detroit - he was a teammate of Rogers' in '29 - I find it impossible to understand how they haven't retired his number. A career 309 hitter, Slug racked up 2830 hits including 547 doubles, 158 triples and 187 homers while driving in nearly 1500 runs and amassing nearly 70 WAR - all franchise highs for the Tigers. He's far from guaranteed a plaque at the Hall, but I assure you he'll be getting my vote every year until he does or he's done.

[luckymann]

AL 1934 HISTORY INDEX

NL 1934 HISTORY INDEX

AWARDS HISTORY


First-time Wagner-Lajoie Medallists in both leagues with Bob Johnson and our own Arky Vaughan taking the honours.

Satchel Paige wins his fourth Johnson-Waddell, Duke Derringer his first

RoYs go to Harlond Clift of the Browns and the Phillies' Zeke Bonura, while Reliever gongs go to Tom Zachary of Washington and the departing Mr McCall, the first for each.


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[luckymann]

With McCall gone and our lineup fairly settled, we use our one FA signing on Leroy Matlock, who will operate from our BP as the main lefty and be available for SP duties if needed.

[luckymann]

Just 4 Legacies this year in another fairly thin pool, although the mighty Willard Brown is also up for grabs.

These are the Legacy Players for the 1935 season:

Chicago Cubs: Claude Passeau (45.1; 92)
Philadelphia Athletics: Wally Moses (36.5; 1168)
St. Louis Cardinals: Terry Moore (21.6; 1298; one-club player)
Washington Senators: Buddy Lewis (29.1; 1349 – one-club player)


There are 116 rookies for this season, and the Draft will consist of 5 rounds.

The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1934 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round):

Round 1

1. Chicago Cubs (570)
2. Philadelphia Athletics (346)
3. Washington Senators (434)
4. St. Louis Cardinals (621)
5. Cincinnati Reds (344)
6. Chicago White Sox (403)
7. Philadelphia Phillies (376)
8. St. Louis Browns (441)
9. Brooklyn Dodgers (467)
10. Pittsburgh Pirates (493)
11. Boston Red Sox (500)
12. Boston Braves (517)
13. Cleveland Indians (552)
14. New York Giants (608)
15. New York Yankees (610)
16. Detroit Tigers (656)


Rounds 2 thru 5

1. Cincinnati Reds (344)
2. Chicago White Sox (403)
3. Philadelphia Phillies (376)
4. Washington Senators (434)
5. St. Louis Browns (441)
6. Philadelphia Athletics (453)
7. Brooklyn Dodgers (467)
8. Pittsburgh Pirates (493)
9. Boston Red Sox (500)
10. Boston Braves (517)
11. Cleveland Indians (552)
12. Chicago Cubs (570)
13. New York Giants (608)
14. New York Yankees (610)
15. St. Louis Cardinals (621)
16. Detroit Tigers (656)



A few different things going on in the background as the Draft takes place, and the result of the latter may well have some bearing on whether anything eventuates from the former.

Here’s who we take:

1. C Ken O’Dea, 21

• A solid backstop both offensively and defensively, he was the player we had realistically earmarked as our first pick and is a really nice pickup for our club.

2. P Harry Gumbert, 25

• Pretty much only pitchers of worth left and Harry was in our eyes clearly the best of them.

3. P Clyde Shoun, 22

• Got the nod in a close-run decision purely on the basis of his left-handedness, a trait hard to find in the league right now.

4. P Hugh Casey, 21

• Hugh was one of those in contention for the previous pick and we are pleasantly surprised when he is still available here.

5. P Ed Heusser, 25

• Given this is the 5th Round we’re talking about, Ed is a real steal. Plus, who could possibly resist a guy with the nickname "The Wild Elk of the Wasatch"?

Let’s see how that leaves the state of play.



FULL DRAFT LOG

[luckymann]

Sometimes, as they say, you gotta risk it to get the biscuit...

These negotiations began with us trying to trade for Ray Dandridge because I just feel we are undermanned in the infield, particularly if one of our starters goes down. He is a plus-defender at 2B/3B/SS and, despite being a bit light of bat, a perfect fit for us.

In the course of the to-ing and fro-ing, just as a laugh really although there was obviously some intent there as well on my part, I threw out the other name. Long story, short - this is the deal we have just signed off on - our first trade in three years.




Let's cover the most important part of this blockbuster - Josh is a FA at the end of the 1935 season. I knew that when I entered into the trade and, while I knew we were going to have to sacrifice some good young talent to get him, I was not going to trade away the franchise. Paul Derringer, Jimmy Foxx and Bill Lee were all thrown up by them and knocked down by us.

The Drafting of Ken O'Dea made Earl Grace expendable; same goes the acquisition of Leroy Matlock and our depth in the pitching ranks for Bobo Newsom and Bill Swift. The two minor-league lads were unlikely to ever see action with the parent club.

So, now we have to try and put a package together that keeps Josh at Forbes Field without breaking the bank. The $25k left over from the departure of Trent and O'Doul after Leroy's salary, plus the $10-15k per that Earl would have been looking for once team control had finished at the end of next season, gives us a decent enough war-chest. That said, some belt-tightening will still be in order and we'll need to start watching every penny. Furthermore, Earl Combs' team option for 1937 is now no longer an option.

As it turns out, he is more than open to re-signing and his opening gambit is a 9-year $255k deal with an opt-out after Year 4 and a couple player options for the final two seasons. I counter with a $240k offer with the opt-out and Player Options removed, and a Team Option instead for Year 9. It is slightly back-ended for after Wells, Bill Foster and a few others' contracts will have run their course. In other words, totally manageable.

While he is mulling that over, I dangle a few players on the Waiver Wire that we are happy to salary dump: Ray Benge, Boom-Boom Beck and Gus Suhr. The first two get picked off, freeing up an additional $8.5k for this season and three additional Arb years for Beck.

A week later, Josh agrees to the package we proposed, the details of which are as follows:





Oh that all such deals were so easily transacted.


The final piece in this long and convoluted puzzle is the Rule 5 Draft, for which we have left a host of salaried players exposed to hopefully further reduce our payroll.

This strategy pays dividends as we free up another $50k in future commitments. It does, however, mean we are going to be weak at AAA this season. Apologies to the fans.

[luckymann]

One of the biggest intakes yet as C-Town gets five new enshrinees including two NeLers.

[luckymann]

In a race that isn’t as close as the final standings might indicate, the Tigers win the AL pennant. Meanwhile, an 18-game win streak helps the Cubs shake off a dogged Cardinals outfit and take the NL title. In the Fall Classic, the Big Cats beat the Baby Bears in six for their first title after four previous losses.

AL CHAMPIONS: Chicago Cubs (100-54)
NL CHAMPIONS: Detroit Tigers (93-54)
WORLD SERIES: Tigers 4, Cubs 2

AL MVP: Hank Greenburg (Tigers)
NL MVP: Gabby Hartnett (Cubs)


Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. ARKY VAUGHAN, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 137 games, .385 average, 108 runs, 192 hits, 34 doubles, 10 triples, 19 home runs, 99 RBIs, 97 walks, .491 on-base percentage, .607 slugging percentage.
• Honus Wagner apparently did a pretty good job tutoring shortstop Vaughan, who hit higher than the great Wagner ever did.

2. JOE MEDWICK, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .353 average, 132 runs, 224 hits, 46 doubles, 13 triples, 23 home runs, 126 RBIs.
• Among Medwick’s many achievements on the year was the NL’s longest hitting streak (28 games) and the league’s only cycle on the year.

3. MEL OTT, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .322 average, 113 runs, 191 hits, 33 doubles, 31 home runs, 114 RBIs, 82 walks.
• As if opposing defenders needed to make it tougher on their pitchers, Ott led the NL in reaching base via error (24 times).

4. RIPPER COLLINS, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .313 average, 109 runs, 181 hits, 36 doubles, 10 triples, 23 home runs, 122 RBIs, 65 walks.
• A mild drop-off from his superlative 1934 effort; unfortunately, the slide would continue until 1939, when he was sold to the Pacific Coast League.

5. AUGIE GALAN, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .314 average, 133 runs, 203 hits, 41 doubles, 11 triples, 12 home runs, 79 RBIs, 87 walks, 22 stolen bases, 15 caught stealing.
• In a breakout campaign for the sophomore speedster, Galan became the first known player to log action in every game and not hit into a double play.

6. WALLY BERGER, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: .295 average, 91 runs, 174 hits, 39 doubles, 34 home runs, 130 RBIs.
• Babe Ruth was second to Berger on the Braves with six home runs; Pinky Whitney was second in RBIs with 60. Which leads one to ask; if Berger was so dominant and unsupported by his teammates, how did he only walk 50 times?

7. HANK LEIBER, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .331 average, 110 runs, 203 hits, 37 doubles, 22 home runs, 103 RBIs, 10 hit-by-pitches, 20 grounded into double plays.
• Like Galan above, Lieber’s second major league season was arguably his best; he was part of the last NL trio to date (along with Giants teammates Bill Terry and Jo-Jo Moore) to each have 200 hits in a season.

8. BILLY HERMAN, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .341 average, 666 at-bats, 113 runs, 227 hits, 57 doubles, 6 triples, 7 seven home runs, 83 RBIs, 24 sacrifice hits.
• Herman could have easily been confused with Babe Herman, both in terms of name and ability to mash a baseball.

9. GABBY HARTNETT, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 116 games, .344 average, 32 doubles, 13 home runs, 91 RBIs.
• In a year where so many other players compiled better numbers, Hartnett managed to snatch the NL MVP—though much of that had to do with a sharp ability to steer his pitchers behind the plate while throwing out 44 of 64 attempted basestealers.

10. JOHNNY MOORE, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .323 average, 194 hits, 33 doubles, 19 home runs, 93 RBIs.
• Not to be confused with the Giants’ Jo-Jo Moore, Johnny thrived in the relatively easy offensive environment of Philadelphia’s Baker Bowl—hitting .354 at home while collecting a .289 figure on the road.

AL Hitters

1. HANK GREENBERG, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .328 average, 121 runs, 203 hits, 46 doubles, 16 triples, 36 home runs, 168 RBIs, 87 walks.
• Respect was initially tough to find for Greenberg, left off the All-Star Game roster despite 110 RBIs at the break; he found it at year’s end with the AL MVP.

2. JIMMIE FOXX, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .346 average, 118 runs, 185 hits, 33 doubles, 7 triples, 36 home runs, 115 RBIs, 114 walks, 99 strikeouts, .636 slugging percentage.
• Starting in the place of Greenberg at the All-Star Game, Foxx knocked in all three runs in the AL’s 3-1 victory.

3. LOU GEHRIG, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .329 average, 125 runs, 176 hits, 26 doubles, 10 triples, 30 home runs, 119 RBIs, 132 walks, 21 intentional walks, .466 on-base percentage.
• In his one year after Babe Ruth and before Joe DiMaggio, it was safe to pitch around Gehrig, who set a personal high for walks.

4. CHARLIE GEHRINGER, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .330 average, 123 runs, 201 hits, 32 doubles, 8 triples, 19 home runs, 108 RBIs, 79 walks, 11 stolen bases.
• Another year, another .300-plus average for the Mechanical Man—though winning his first World Series certainly made the season far more special than normal.

5. JOE VOSMIK, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .348 average, 93 runs, 216 hits, 47 doubles, 20 triples, 10 home runs, 110 RBIs.
• A brilliant year in which Vosmik became the first American Leaguer to lead the circuit in hits, doubles and triples was soured by his play-it-safe routine on the season’s final day that likely cost him the AL batting title.

6. BUDDY MYER, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: .349 average, 115 runs, 215 hits, 36 doubles, 11 triples, 5 home runs, 100 RBIs, 96 walks.
• The veteran second baseman gave up smoking, took up golf and was named team captain—all in advance of a career year that ended with a batting title won by a razor-thin margin.

7. PETE FOX, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 131 games, .321 average, 116 runs, 38 doubles, 8 triples, 15 home runs, 73 RBIs, 14 stolen bases.
• Nearly traded to Washington after a bad start, Fox revived his game with a 29-game hit streak and a career-high 15 home runs before starring in the World Series.

8. BOB JOHNSON, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .299 average, 103 runs, 174 hits, 29 doubles, 28 home runs, 109 RBIs, 78 walks.
• Another fast start—hitting over .400 through the first two months—led to his first All-Star appearance, and his first of seven straight years knocking in over 100 runs for the A’s.

9. MOOSE SOLTERS, BOSTON-ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .319 average, 94 runs, 201 hits, 45 doubles, 7 triples, 18 home runs, 112 RBIs, 11 stolen bases.
• Solters became the first AL player to collect 200 hits while splitting his year between two teams; fortunately for the Browns, they profited from most of his work.

10. EARL AVERILL, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .288 average, 109 runs, 34 doubles, 13 triples, 19 home runs, 79 RBIs, 70 walks.
• In his seventh major league season, Averill hit under .300 for the first time and saw muted power numbers, but he was still effective enough to scare opposing pitchers (and make this list).

NL Pitchers

1. DIZZY DEAN, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 3.04 ERA, 28 wins, 12 losses, .700 win percentage, 5 saves, 50 appearances, 36 starts, 29 complete games, 325.1 innings, 190 strikeouts.
• Almost anything would have been a letdown after winning 30 games, but the hangover was almost non-existent for Dean in his post-1934 performance.

2. CY BLANTON, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 2.58 ERA, 18 wins, 13 losses, 4 shutouts, 254.1 innings, 55 walks.
• The 27-year-old rookie was certainly the year’s underrated surprise, leading the NL in ERA, opposing average (.229) and on-base percentage (.272).

3. HAL SCHUMACHER, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.89 ERA, 19 wins, 9 losses, 18 complete games, .679 win percentage, 261.2 innings.
• Schumacher had three chances to secure a second straight 20-win season, and pitched well enough to win them all—but the Giants neither couldn’t keep his leads nor score for him.

4. BILL SWIFT, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 2.70 ERA, 15 wins, 8 losses, 39 appearances, 22 starts, 203.2 innings, 37 walks.
• Not related to (we have a few of these on this page) his namesake who won 21 games for the 1993 Giants—though they had eerily similar career numbers; this Swift was 95-82, the later-day one 94-78.

5. PAUL DERRINGER, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 3.51 ERA, 22 wins, 13 losses, 45 appearances, 33 starts, 276.2 innings, 49 walks.
• After two years of 20-plus losses, Derringer said enough and won over 20 with a Reds staff from which no one else won more than eight. Further proving his first-class value on a second-class club, Derringer performed better against first-division teams than those from the second tier.

6. CARL HUBBELL, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.27 ERA, 23 wins, 12 losses, 42 appearances, 35 starts, 302.2 innings, 49 walks.
• Conceding a league-high (and career-high) 27 home runs didn’t keep the Meal Ticket from experiencing his third of five straight 20-win campaigns.

7. PAUL DEAN, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 3.37 ERA, 19 wins, 12 losses, 5 saves, 46 appearances, 33 starts, 269.2 innings, 55 walks, 9 hit-by-pitches.
• Like Schumacher above, “Daffy” failed in his last few starts to win his 20th game—outdueled by the Cubs’ Lon Warneke, 1-0, in his last outing. Thanks in large part to arm issues, he would win only 12 more games for the rest of his career.

8. BILL LEE, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.96 ERA, 20 wins, 6 losses, .769 win percentage, 39 appearances, 32 starts.
• Along with Lon Warneke, Lee was the Cubs’ last 20-game winner until 1969—and the last pitcher, until 1969, to be named Bill Lee (minus the nickname “Spaceman”).

9. LARRY FRENCH, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 2.96 ERA, 17 wins, 10 losses, 42 appearances, 30 starts, 4 shutouts, 246.1 innings, 44 walks.
• In his first year with the Cubs after six seasons with the Pirates, French helped the Cubs down the stretch with five straight complete-game victories.

10. WATTY CLARK, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: 3.30 ERA, 13 wins, 8 losses, 207 innings, 28 walks.
• A fine (if short) return to form for the 33-year old, who returned to Brooklyn a year after a brief and disastrous tenure with the Giants.

AL Pitchers

1. MEL HARDER, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 3.29 ERA, 22 wins, 11 losses, .667 win percentage, 42 appearances, 35 starts, 287.1 innings, 53 walks.
• No one played longer in a Cleveland uniform than Harder, who had the best showing of his 20 years with the franchise.

2. LEFTY GROVE, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.70 ERA, 20 wins, 12 losses, 23 complete games, 273 innings, 65 walks.
• Grove captured his sixth ERA title—and first with the Red Sox—after an abysmal injured-plagued debut the year before at Boston.

3. SCHOOLBOY ROWE, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 3.69 ERA, 19 wins, 13 losses, 42 appearances, 34 starts, 6 shutouts, 275.2 innings.
• Rowe won 14 of his 19 games at home, including five of his major league-leading six shutouts; he also hit .312 and knocked in 28 runs over 109 at-bats at the plate.

4. WES FERRELL, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 3.52 ERA, 25 wins, 14 losses, 41 appearances, 38 starts, 31 complete games, 322.1 innings.
• Bothered for two years with a sore arm after four straight seasons winning 20 games, Ferrell returned to that plateau; he also complimented his pitching with 52 hits (tied for the most ever by a pitcher) and a .347 batting average.

5. RED RUFFING, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.12 ERA, 16 wins, 11 losses.
• While on the subject of good-hitting pitchers, Ruffing—one of best at the plate among hurlers, ever—hit .337 over, also, 109 at-bats.

6. WILLIS HUDLIN, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 3.69 ERA, 15 wins, 11 losses, 5 saves, 36 appearances, 29 starts.
• The 29-year-old right-hander had one of the season’s most impressive outings, throwing a 15-inning shutout of the A’s on August 24.

7. IVY ANDREWS, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 3.54 ERA, 13 wins, 7 losses, 50 appearances, 20 starts, 213.1 innings, 53 walks.
• On a Browns staff in which only one full-time member relieved more than he started, Andrews emerged as the most effective, posting an ERA two full runs better than the rest of the team’s pitchers combined (5.57).

8. TOMMY BRIDGES, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 3.51 ERA, 21 wins, 10 losses, .677 win percentage, 36 appearances, 34 starts, 274.1 innings, 163 strikeouts.
• Bridges won his first of two straight AL strikeout crowns while racking up another 20-plus wins.

9. JOHNNY MARCUM, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: 4.08 ERA, 17 wins, 12 losses, 39 appearances, 27 starts, 242.2 innings.
• Marcum found brief success with the A’s with the addition of the suddenly popular screwball to his repertoire.

10. LEFTY GOMEZ, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.18 ERA, 12 wins, 15 losses.
• Gomez may have had the best 12-15 record of 1935, but don’t tell him; after Yankees exec Ed Barrow told the usually light pitcher to add 20 pounds so that he would make the fans forget Jack Chesbro, the results made Gomez crack, “I almost made them forget Gomez.”

[luckymann]

Here are the notable offseason moves; good to see it looks like the Babe will finish out his career a Yankee for life:

• P Jim Willis: Yankees, 6 years / $139000
• 3B John Beckwith: Indians, 4 years / $110400
• OF Rap Dixon: Braves, 4 years / $81600
• P Bill McCall: Cubs, 3 years / $61600
• P Slim Branham: Senators, 4 years / $62400
• OF Goose Goslin: Tigers, 3 years / $57600
• OF Babe Ruth: Yankees, 3 years / $51800 (extension)
• P Willis Flournoy: Yankees, 3 years / $51400
• 1B Ripper Collins: Red Sox, 4 years / $49200
• 1B Bill Terry: Giants, 2 years / $37600 (extension)
• 1B George Giles: Athletics, 3 years / $36300

• 1B Ed Morgan from Red Sox to Giants for P Duke Sedgwick and 2B Boze Berger
• 3B Bill Brubaker and P Bob Brown from White Sox to Reds for 1B Monk Sherlock
• OF Lou Finney from Tigers to Reds for OF Carl Reynolds
• OF Phil Weintraub from Yankees to Senators for P Tex Carleton
• P Curt Davis and 3B Joe Cicero from Reds to Yankees for C Charlie Moss
• OF Tommy Thompson from Indians to Cardinals for P Red Ruffing

ALL TRANSACTIONS


We go a strong 15-3 in ST. Arky Vaughan picks up a rib cage strain that will require some nursing over the first month.

BNN is keen on our group and the Yankees, predicting 100-win seasons and comfortable Pennants for both.


FULL PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

[luckymann]

Our team page can be accessed HERE.

We enter the season with the 2nd-highest payroll ($269k) and 4th-lowest budget ($530k).

Our Opening Day squad will look like this:

Catchers

• C Josh Gibson (R)
• C Ray Hayworth (R) v LHP and when Josh needs a rest

In the end, we had to keep Hayworth at Pittsburgh and send Ken O’Dea to AAA for the simple reason that Ray is out of option years and we can’t afford to lose him on waivers right now. We’ll play it by ear.

Infielders

• 1B Jimmie Foxx (R)
• 2B Willie Wells (R)
• 3B Martin Dihigo (R)
• SS Arky Vaughan (R)

• Ray Dandridge (R)
• Andy Reese (R)
• Lonny Frey (L)
• Mark Koenig (S)

I feel happier about our depth here than I have in some time, but still would prefer no injuries…

Outfielders

• LF Wes Ferrell (R)
• CF Lloyd Waner (L)
• RF Paul Waner (L)

• Earl Combs (L)
• Kiddo Davis (R)
• Mule Haas (L)

Really weak on D out here, Davis will come in at LF in late & close. Don't be surprised to see Dihigo moved out here at some point.

Rotation

1. LHP Willie Foster
2. RHP Ted Trent
3. RHP Paul Derringer
4. RHP Bill Lee

No doubt the Gibson trade and salary dump will test our depth here if anything should go wrong. I’ve my second trade pass ready should it be needed because the stocks at Wilkes-Barre are pretty lean, even more so after Oral Hildebrand goes down with an injury that will keep him out for 3 months.

Bullpen

• RHP Harry Gumbert (LR)
• RHP Wes Ferrell (MR)
• RHP Ed Heusser (MR)
• LHP Al Smith (MR)
• LHP Neck Stanley (LR)

Matlock will join us in a few weeks after a bit of rehab – he was injured last year. Another risk, but if all goes well he will take the Stopper role McCall performed so brilliantly last season. No doubt this is our weak spot unless these guys step up.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

While things have started poorly for the parent club, our Wilkes-Barre boys are having a fine time if it. Case in point, this rampage against JC.

[luckymann]

Season 1935 opens in interesting fashion with a series against the Reds in which we face – and, in both cases, beat – Bill Swift and Bobo Newsom in successive games. Not the most auspicious start for Josh against his former club as he hits just 100, although he does smack his first homer as a Pirate.

We get an early window into what I fear this season is going to contain plenty of when, after we pull Duke out of a game against the Cardinals after he feels back tightness, the pen blows a lead and we take our first loss of the year. That said, a few games later neck Stanley gives us 6 scoreless in relief as we win an 18-inning marathon at Cincy and then 5 scoreless a couple games after that.

Our unsettled early section is exacerbated when Vaughan succumbs to another injury, with a bout of shoulder inflammation set to sideline him for 5 weeks. All of which is very much reflected in our play with not much working how we’d like.

Then Ted Trent goes down as well, but thankfully it turns out to be only minor. Still, aside from Duke Derringer our rotation’s early form is nothing short of diabolical. And with Gibson still only hitting 169 at this point that trade is casting a big shadow.

And then Harry Gumbert tears his rotator cuff completely, ending his career.

Looks like it’s going to be one of those seasons.

This forces my hand and I use my final trade pass to make the following move.




I've been coveting Double Duty for some while and had even made enquiries about him on a number of occasions to no avail. He is a FA at the end of the season and a year older than Ted, so once again there is some risk involved - although not that much as I'm pretty sure Ted was planning to opt out at season's-end anyway. It gets us a guy known for his durability, key given the state of play right now, who can also fill in behind the plate and be a handy bat off the bench on days when he isn't pitching. I wouldn't, however, have pulled the switch without a second player thrown in and Vern will take Harry's BP spot.

I hate being reactive rather than proactive, but necessity is the mother yada yada yada.

I also take this opportunity to move Wes Ferrell into the spin at the expense of Bill Lee, who just looks a bit out of his depth at this stage, and promote Pete Washington from AAA, where he has been - as the previous post attests - killing it.

[luckymann]

Willis Flournoy was a decent enough pitcher IRL in his NeL career spanning 14 seasons, with SH crediting him with 12.2 total pWAR and EC allotting him 24.2 in his MLEs.

That said, not in my wildest expectations was this magnificent milestone even remotely feasible, nor his near-100 pWAR / 88 FIP- / 115 ERA+.




He's 38 now and, with two years after this one left on his current contract with the Yanks, looks like he could well follow John Donaldson's lead and pitch well into his 40s, which would see him move even further up this list - perhaps even into the top 3. Either way, he's a HoF lock.