The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

Just the one managerial firing this year as the Phillies kick Paddy Greene to the kerb.

The Braves have changed their moniker from "Braves" to "Bees" commencing with the 1936 season.

We void Earle Combs’ final contract year and non-tender the two arb-eligible players on our books, Bob Weiland and Whit Wyatt. All in all, we free up a tad under $40k in salary.

Players hanging them up this year include Austin McHenry, George Grantham, Dazzy Vance and Curt Walker.

The mighty John Donaldson finally calls it quits, as do fellow NeL legends and former Bucs Oscar Charleston and Dick Lundy. Of the three, I'd have to say Oscar is the only real chance of making it to Cooperstown, and I'm not quite sure he gets there either.

Oscar Charleston




John Donaldson




Dick Lundy

[luckymann]

AL 1935 HISTORY INDEX

NL 1935 HISTORY INDEX

AWARDS HISTORY


Turkey Stearnes wins his second AL Wagner-Lajoie Medal in three years, while Sam West takes the NL prize, his first.

A fifth Johnson-Waddell for Satchel Paige, while Bill Foster - in a bit of a boilover - wins his first.

RoYs for Chicago's Ival Goodman in the AL and Terry Moore of the Cards in the NL, with just an NL Reliever award given out this season to Benny Frey, his second.


S+ HOME

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PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

Again this year, with our squad fairly settled, it is all about improving our depth and planning for the future. I get the sneaking feeling that Bill Foster is going to exercise his opt-out at the end of this year and be looking for the sort of money we are unable or unwilling to offer him, especially at his age. Even if we can strike a deal, we're still thin in this department.

So I use my one FA ticket on a guy who will start in our BP but almost certainly see some action in the rotation over the course of his time with us. He costs us $48k for 3 years.




Chet is coming off a few ordinary years, but I'll set Dave Brown onto him and hopefully he can turn things around.

[luckymann]

Just 4 Legacies again this year, although the quality of a couple of Marquee Players joining our ranks cannot be questioned. There are also quite a few handy types unspoken for, led by the great John Mize.

These are the Legacy Players for the 1936 season:

Chicago Cubs: Bill Nicholson (41.8; 1349)
Cleveland Indians: Bob Feller (63.5; 570 – one-club player) MARQUEE
New York Yankees: Joe DiMaggio (79.2.5; 1736 – one-club player) MARQUEE
St. Louis Browns: George McQuinn (21.6; 1138)

NB During the WW2 period, I will be accommodating players who, had they not missed time in the service, would have qualified as either or both Legacy and Marquee players. Feller is the first of these.

There are 105 rookies for this season, and the Draft will consist of 5 rounds.

The Draft order will be as follows (winning percentage from 1935 IRL season in brackets; bold indicates Legacy Pick in 1st Round):

Round 1

1. New York Yankees (667)
2. Cleveland Indians (519)
3. Chicago Cubs (565; dice roll)
4. St. Louis Browns (375)
5. Philadelphia Athletics (346)
6. Philadelphia Phillies (351)
7. Brooklyn Dodgers (435)
8. Boston Bees (465)
9. Cincinnati Reds (481; dice roll)
10. Boston Red Sox (481; dice roll)
11. Washington Senators (536; dice roll)
12. Chicago White Sox (536; dice roll)
13. Detroit Tigers (539)
14. Pittsburgh Pirates (545)
15. St. Louis Cardinals (565; dice roll)
16. New York Giants (597)

Rounds 2 thru 5

1. Philadelphia Athletics (346)
2. Philadelphia Phillies (351)
3. St. Louis Browns (375)
4. Brooklyn Dodgers (435)
5. Boston Bees (465)
6. Cincinnati Reds (481; dice roll)
7. Boston Red Sox (481; dice roll)
8. Cleveland Indians (519)
9. Washington Senators (536; dice roll)
10. Chicago White Sox (536; dice roll)
11. Detroit Tigers (539)
12. Pittsburgh Pirates (545)
13. St. Louis Cardinals (565; dice roll)
14. Chicago Cubs (565; dice roll)
15. New York Giants (597)
16. New York Yankees (667)


This is one of those Drafts into which we go without any real fixed plan. We have some broad strokes to go on, but we’ll just see how the cards fall and take it from there.

Here are our new additions:

1. OF Roy Weatherly, 20

• It was a close-run thing between Roy and a couple others, with our only concern being he doesn’t play CF. But with Combs gone and Haas, Davis and Washington all nearing the end of their careers, we need some up-and-coming OFs and Roy fits the bill nicely.

2. C Bill Atwood, 24

• This is the season in which Ken O’Dea usurps Ray Hayworth as backup to Josh, which means running the risk of losing Rita on the Waiver Wire. This is a precautionary choice to cover that possibility. With Double Duty and XX both able to play backstop, we are flush here at the parent club, but AAA would be left weak there and you can never have too many catchers.

3. P Johnny Lanning, 25
4. P Ken Chase, 22
5. P Jake Mooty, 23

• Only pitchers left by this stage, so these guys are once again purely to deepen the stocks at AAA. Anything over and above that is cream and I suspect, of the three, only Chase is a chance of ever seeing MLB action.

A low-key event for us, but – as much as was possible – we got what we needed out of it.


FULL DRAFT LOG

[luckymann]

The great Walter Johnson gets in first go, although not unanimously, as I thought he might. Hooks Wiltse also makes it on his 8th ballot.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

The Yanks win 102 and cruise to the AL pennant by nearly 20 games. The Giants overcome a slow start to eventually overhaul the Cards and Cubs and put on a brave if ultimately futile showing in the Fall Classic, taking the newly-resurgent Bronx Bombers to six games.

AL CHAMPIONS: New York Yankees (102-51)
NL CHAMPIONS: New York Giants (92-62)
WORLD SERIES: Yankees 4, Giants 2

AL MVP: Lou Gehrig (Yankees)
NL MVP: Carl Hubbell (Giants)


Top Ten Lists (courtesy of thisgreatgame.com)

NL Hitters

1. MEL OTT, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: .328 average, 120 runs, 28 doubles, 33 home runs, 135 RBIs, 111 walks, 21 intentional walks, .588 slugging percentage.
• It seems hard to believe considering his preponderance for power, but Ott led the NL in slugging percentage for the one and only time in his illustrious career.

2. JOE MEDWICK, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .351 average, 115 runs, 223 hits, 64 doubles, 13 triples, 18 home runs, 138 RBIs.
• Medwick hit 40 of his NL-record 64 doubles after the All-Star Break.

3. DOLPH CAMILLI, PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .315 average, 106 runs, 29 doubles, 13 triples, 28 home runs, 102 RBIs, 116 walks.
• Camilli, whose brother died in a boxing bout against Max Baer, thought the better of continuing his own boxing career and slugged baseballs out of the park at an increasing rate for the Phillies.

4. PAUL WANER, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: .373 average, 107 runs, 218 hits, 53 doubles, 9 triples, 5 home runs, 94 RBIs, 74 walks.
• Big Poison failed to reach double-figures in triples for the first time in his career, but did earn his third (and final) official NL batting title.

5. ARKY VAUGHAN, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 156 games, .335 average, 122 runs, 190 hits, 30 doubles, 11 triples, 9 home runs, 78 RBIs, 118 walks, .453 on-base percentage.
• The nifty third-sacker from Clifty, Arkansas continued to be a pest for opposing pitchers as he led the NL in on-base percentage for the third straight year.

6. GUS SUHR, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 156 games, .312 average, 111 runs, 182 hits, 33 doubles, 12 triples, 11 home runs, 118 RBIs, 95 walks.
• Rewarding himself with his dutiful attendance, Suhr set career bests in many categories while leading the NL in games played for a fifth straight year.

7. JOHNNY MIZE, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 126 games, .326 average, 30 doubles, 8 triples, 19 home runs, 93 RBIs, 21 intentional walks.
• Mize could have been property of the Reds—actually, he was theirs for a brief time a year earlier, before returning him back to the Cardinals because of a groin injury. If only they knew.

8. CHUCK KLEIN, CHICAGO-PHILADELPHIA

• Key Numbers: .306 average, 102 runs, 184 hits, 35 doubles, 7 triples, 25 home runs, 104 RBIs.
• The once-and-current Phillie happily showed you could go home again.

9. PEPPER MARTIN, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: .309 average, 121 runs, 177 hits, 36 doubles, 11 triples, 11 home runs, 76 RBIs, 23 stolen bases.
• Arguably the best set of numbers for the Wild Horse of the Osage, a year before a serious knee injury curtailed his output for the rest of his career.

10. BILLY HERMAN, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .334 average, 101 runs, 211 hits, 57 doubles, 7 triples, 5 home runs, 93 RBIs.
• Herman finished second to Medwick’s 64 doubles with 57 of his own—tied for the fifth highest output of two-baggers in NL history. The man Herman tied was himself, from a year before.

AL Hitters

1. LOU GEHRIG, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 155 games, .354 average, 167 runs, 205 hits, 37 doubles, 7 triples, 49 home runs, 152 RBIs, 130 walks, .478 on-base percentage, .696 slugging percentage.
• If not off the field, Joe DiMaggio certainly became Gehrig’s best new friend on it, as the star rookie’s presence greatly benefited the Iron Horse in the Yankee lineup.

2. JIMMIE FOXX, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 155 games, .338 average, 130 runs, 198 hits, 32 doubles, 8 triples, 41 home runs, 143 RBIs, 105 walks, 119 strikeouts, 13 stolen bases.
• A change of scenery didn’t affect Foxx’s prodigious numbers—although his 119 strikeouts were the most by any big leaguer since 1914.

3. EARL AVERILL, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .378 average, 136 runs, 232 hits, 39 doubles, 15 triples, 28 home runs, 126 RBIs.
• A comeback to top form and then some, as Averill hit for a career-best average while easily increasing all of his power numbers.

4. HAL TROSKY, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: .343 average, 124 runs, 216 hits, 45 doubles, 9 triples, 42 home runs, 162 RBIs.
• After a switch-hitting experiment muddied up his 1935 numbers, Trosky returned to left-handed form and averaged over an RBI per game; he also fashioned together the year’s longest hitting streak at 28 games.

5. CHARLIE GEHRINGER, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: .354 average, 144 runs, 227 hits, 60 doubles, 12 triples, 15 home runs, 116 RBIs, 83 walks.
• Gehringer’s 60 doubles—making him the last AL player to date to reach the milestone—didn’t include a 61st rapped at the All-Star Game.

6. LUKE APPLING, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .388 average, 111 runs, 204 hits, 31 doubles, 7 triples, 6 home runs, 128 RBIs, 85 walks, 10 stolen bases.
• No other player in a White Sox uniform—Joe Jackson included—has ever hit higher than Appling did in 1936.

7. BILL DICKEY, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 112 games, .362 average, 99 runs, 26 doubles, 8 triples, 22 home runs 107 RBIs.
• Dickey’s .362 batting average—an 83-point jump from the year before—was the highest batting average recorded by an American League catcher—though by today’s rules he would have fallen just short of qualifying. (Joe Mauer eventually topped Dickey’s mark in 2009.)

8. JOE DIMAGGIO, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 138 games, .323 average, 132 runs, 206 hits, 44 doubles, 15 triples, 29 home runs, 125 RBIs.
• Joltin Joe’s belated start to the season likely kept him from a higher ranking on this list; he certainly tried to make up for lost time, as evidenced with a June game at Chicago where he became the first Yankee to belt two home runs in one inning.

9. ZEKE BONURA, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: .330 average, 120 runs, 194 hits, 39 doubles, 7 triples, 12 home runs, 138 RBIs, 84 walks.
• Bonura his more home runs at Philadelphia’s Shibe Park (five, in 11 games) than he did at his own home field (the more voluminous Comiskey Park).

10. JOHN STONE, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 123 games, .341 average, 95 runs, 22 doubles, 11 triples, 15 home runs, 90 RBIs.
• The red-haired veteran finished a superlative season at Washington with a five-hit performance, including two triples, on the season’s final day against the Yankees.

NL Pitchers

1. CARL HUBBELL, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 2.31 ERA, 26 wins, 6 losses, .813 win percentage, 42 appearances, 34 starts, 25 complete games, 304 innings, 57 walks, 12 intentional walks.
• For the fifth time in six years, Hubbell was the toughest pitcher to get reach safely against by allowing a .276 on-base percentage.

2. DIZZY DEAN, ST. LOUIS

• Key Numbers: 3.17 ERA, 24 wins, 13 losses, 11 saves, 51 appearances, 34 starts, 28 complete games, 315 innings, 53 walks, 195 strikeouts.
• Perhaps because his brother Paul collapsed under the weight of injury, the hard-working Dizzy tried to do the work of two men—and easily accomplished it by leading the Cardinals both in wins and saves.

3. DANNY MACFAYDEN, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.87 ERA, 17 wins, 13 losses, 37 appearances, 32 starts, 21 complete games, 266.2 innings.
• After years of relying on a fastball that seldom got him south of a 5.00 ERA, Danny MacFayden mixed up his selection and started a string of four straight years under the 3.00 mark—and helped in bringing the Bees (nee Braves, temporarily) back to respectability.

4. VAN LINGLE MUNGO, BROOKLYN

• Key Numbers: 3.35 ERA, 18 wins, 19 losses, 45 appearances, 37 starts, 22 complete games, 311.2 innings, 118 walks, 238 strikeouts.
• Van Lingle Mungo wasn’t the latest dance craze but the frustrated workhorse who threatened to leave Brooklyn if Dodgers hitters didn’t start backing him up.

5. RED LUCAS, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 3.18 ERA, 15 wins, 4 losses, .789 win percentage, 175.2 innings, 26 walks.
• The 34-year-old Lucas was not the workhorse of earlier years—especially against his former team, the Reds, for whom he was 12-0 against after being traded to the Bucs in 1933.

6. BILL LEE, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.31 ERA, 18 wins, 11 losses, 43 appearances, 33 starts, 4 shutouts, 258.2 innings, 12 intentional walks.
• Hair and eyebrows above the rest of a solid Cubs rotation, Lee was one of four pitchers on the team to co-lead the NL with four shutouts.

7. PAUL DERRINGER, CINCINNATI

• Key Numbers: 4.02 ERA, 19 wins, 19 losses, 5 saves, 51 appearances, 37 starts, 282.1 innings, 42 walks.
• The Reds’ ace overcame a rough summer (5-10 with a 5.42 ERA in July/August) to still win nearly 20 games.

8. LARRY FRENCH, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 3.39 ERA, 18 wins, 9 losses, 4 shutouts, .667 win percentage, 43 appearances, 28 starts, 252.1 innings.
• In his second year with the Cubs, French co-led the NL for a second straight time in shutouts; he also owned the year’s longest consecutive scoreless inning streak, at 31.2 frames.

9. CY BLANTON, PITTSBURGH

• Key Numbers: 3.51 ERA, 13 wins, 15 losses, 44 appearances, 32 starts, 4 shutouts.
• Blanton’s follow-up to his outstanding rookie effort got off to a rocky start which led him to the bullpen, but a comeback surge in June righted him even as he failed to reach .500 in the win-loss column.

10. FRANK GABLER, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.12 ERA, 9 wins, 8 losses, 6 saves, 43 appearances, 14 starts.
• An unsung effort, mostly out of the bullpen, amid an otherwise forgettable four-year career in which Gabler forged a 5.26 ERA.

AL Pitchers

1. LEFTY GROVE, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 2.81 ERA, 17 wins, 12 losses, 6 shutouts, 253.1 innings.
• Thank goodness that Grove’s grumpy attitude had eased with age, as below-average run support couldn’t hide yet another ERA crown and career-high total in shutouts.

2. JOHNNY ALLEN, CLEVELAND

• Key Numbers: 3.44 ERA, 20 wins, 10 losses, 4 shutouts, .667 win percentage, 243 innings.
• Used sparingly in New York, Allen proved with Cleveland that his winning knack wasn’t a byproduct of generous Yankee support.

3. TOMMY BRIDGES, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 3.60 ERA, 23 wins, 11 losses, .678 win percentage, 39 appearances, 38 starts, 26 complete games, 5 shutouts, 294.2 innings, 175 strikeouts.
• Bridges’ magical curve garnered his third 20-win season, leading the AL in victories for the only time in his career.

4. WES FERRELL, BOSTON

• Key Numbers: 4.19 ERA, 20 wins, 15 losses, 39 appearances, 38 starts, 28 complete games, 301 innings.
• Despite winning 20 games for the sixth (and last) time, the tempestuous Ferrell pouted on the few occasions he didn’t triumph by sometimes storming off the mound.

5. RED RUFFING, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.85 ERA, 20 wins, 12 losses, 25 complete games, 271 innings.
• The veteran right-hander got into sync with the Yankees, winning 20 or more games for the first of four years—all of which ended with a World Series triumph for the Bronx Bombers.

6. PETE APPLETON, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 3.53 ERA, 14 wins, 9 losses, 38 appearances, 20 starts.
• The 32-year-old wanderer returned to the majors after a virtual three-year absence as a changed man, not only on the field but on the scorecard—having changed his last name from Jablonowski.

7. MONTE PEARSON, NEW YORK

• Key Numbers: 3.71 ERA, 19 wins, 7 losses, .731 win percentage.
• As the guy going to New York in the trade that sent Johnny Allen the other way to Cleveland, Pearson certainly appreciated the help from teammates who supported him with eight runs per start.

8. SCHOOLBOY ROWE, DETROIT

• Key Numbers: 4.51 ERA, 19 wins, 10 losses, 41 appearances, 35 starts, 245.1 innings.
• The man who would throw 15 years in the majors never tossed a no-hitter or one-hitter, but he did fire three two-hitters—all of them in 1936.

9. VERN KENNEDY, CHICAGO

• Key Numbers: 4.63 ERA, 21 wins, 9 losses, .700 win percentage, 274.1 innings, 147 walks.
• Sign of the times: Kennedy grabbed a 21-9 record in spite of a 4.63 ERA and blasé 1.56 WHIP. Of course, he also got 6.5 runs per start from his teammates.

10. BOBO NEWSOM, WASHINGTON

• Key Numbers: 4.32 ERA, 17 wins, 15 losses, 43 appearances, 38 starts, 24 complete games, 285.2 innings, 146 walks.
• In his first of five separate stints with the Senators, Newsom continued his habit for walking too many batters—but he actually was the only guy in the Washington rotation who collected more strikeouts than bases on balls.

[luckymann]

A few offseason signings and trades of note, with the usual suspects right in the thick of it:

• OF Joe Vosmik: Red Sox, 8 years / $178200
• P Luis Tiant: Phillies, 7 years / $163800
• OF Agustin Bejerano: Cubs, 7 years / $140000
• OF Ben Chapman: Yankees, 6 years / $127200
• OF Turkey Stearnes: Tigers, 4 years / $112800
• SS Billy Rogell: Tigers, 6 years / $108000
• OF Cool Papa Bell: Dodgers, 5 years / $101000
• P Ted Trent: Phillies, 5 years / $101000
• C Mickey Cochrane: Red Sox, 5 years / $99000
• OF Al Simmons: Red Sox, 5 years / $96000
• SS Dick Bartell: White Sox, 4 years / $85600
• P Hilton Smith: Red Sox, 4 years / $49200

• P Hugh Mulcahy from Red Sox to Bees for P Leo Mangum
• P Joe Bowman and C Dutch Fehring from Senators to Indians for 1B Frank McCormick
• OF Earl Browne from Phillies to Bees for SS Billy Jurges
• 2B John Kroner from Tigers to Giants for OF Dutch Holland and C Whitey Ock
• OF Alex Metzler from White Sox to Yankees for P Darltie Cooper
• P Monte Stratton, 2B Alex Kampouris and P Johnny Babich from Dodgers to Senators for P Van Mungo
• OF Len Koenecke from Reds to Athletics for OF Mel Mazzera and OF Dick Siebert
• C Ray Mueller from Yankees to Senators for P Tommy Bridges

The Red Sox will be without ace Satchel Paige for the first 4 months of the season after he suffers a herniated disc in his back, while a fractured elbow will sideline the Cubs’ Larry French until July.

ALL TRANSACTIONS


We finish Spring Training with a 12-6 record and get through it injury-free.

BNN sees a fairly comfortable repeat for ourselves and the Yankees. With both the Dodgers and Phillies making plenty of offseason noise, I'm preparing for it to be much more competitive on our side of the draw.

FULL PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

[luckymann]

Our team page can be accessed HERE.

We let AAA Pitching Coach George Uhle leave to become Manager of the Senators, replacing him with the recently-retired John Donaldson.

We enter the season with the 2nd-highest payroll ($281k) and 3rd-lowest budget ($550k). With every season this narrows, we need to get progressively smarter in a fiscal sense. That budget of ours is now exactly half of the big guys’ – the Yankees, Tigers, Red Sox and Phillies – a gap that will only widen with time. We’re OK for the foreseeable future because we’ve locked our main guys down on long-term contracts, but this is an area I need serious improvement in and I’ll be using every season to do precisely that until pinching every penny becomes an invariable part of our franchise’s everyday existence. Our success at finding cheap serviceable players to back up our stars will be key to our success overall. Before we know it, we’ll have no room whatsoever for carrying excess flab. I want to start running the club as if this is the case now.

To which end, I have made waiver claims for three Yankees players: pitchers Tex Carleton and Bill Walker, and outfielder Hub Walker. All cheap, all handy. These are still being processed, so I won’t include them here just yet. But, from the looks of it, all three will be in our squad should our claim on them be successful.


Our Opening Day squad will look like this:


Catchers

• C Josh Gibson (R)
• C Ken O’Dea (L)

Ken had a huge year at AAA in ’35. This isn’t an easy task for someone as good as him, playing backup. In all likelihood, he’ll be traded for whatever we need and Jimmie, Double Duty and our catchers at AAA will share this responsibility. We’ll see.

Infielders

• 1B Jimmie Foxx (R)
• 2B Willie Wells (R)
• 3B Lonny Frey (L) / Ray Dandridge (R) platoon
• SS Arky Vaughan (R)

• Andy Reese (R)
• Mark Koenig (S)

Absolutely no depth here; thus why I have kept my trading powder dry. Obviously Martin is the top option around the diamond should one of these guys go down.


Outfielders

• LF Martin Dihigo (R)
• CF Lloyd Waner (L)
• RF Paul Waner (L)

• Pete Washington (R)
• Mule Haas (L)

Kiddo Davis misses out here. If the Hub Walker claim is successful, one of the other two will as well, and then there’s draftee Roy Weatherly as well down at AAA.

Rotation

1. LHP Willie Foster
2. RHP Paul Derringer
3. RHP Ted Radcliffe
4. RHP Wes Ferrell

If early signs are any indication, I’m expecting a big season from Double Duty. We'll be chatting with Bill Foster fairly early on to gauge his intentions and hopefully strike a mutually-beneficial deal for the next few years. This will all come down to price and duration expectations on his part.

Bullpen

• LHP Leroy Matlock (ST)
• RHP Chet Brewer (LR)
• RHP Bill Lee (MR)
• LHP Al Smith (MR)
• LHP Neck Stanley (LR)

Once again, the final makeup here is dependent upon those waiver claims.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

A full recap at end May given we've only been at it a fortnight. Here, to tide you over, are the monthly awards and latest news.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

An unusually quiet start for Chuck, as he goes 78 AB without a homer. I guess he's over that now...

[luckymann]

Frankie continues to hold his own into his age-37 season and yet again one can only marvel at how good this game is. IRL, Frankie finished at the end of this year with precisely the number of hits he has reached today. That, especially given my various tinkerings with LTMs etc, is scarily accurate.




He's just the fifth player to reach this mark and, as you can see from the leaderboard below, there aren't too many on the horizon who look likely to join him. The Babe is done, I doubt he'll be back for '37 and even if he does he's not seeing many PA (he's just 2-for-6 this year). All the others still active are in their mid-30s. Were I a betting man, the only one I reckon is an outside chance is Big Beck.

[luckymann]

After an OD loss at Cincy, we rattle off six straight wins before dropping one to the hot-starting Cubs. But our bats begin dreadfully, with Foxx, Wells, Gibson, Paul Waner and Frey all hitting sub-200 over the first ten games. In one three-game stretch, we manage just 3 runs on 14 hits.

Fortunately, our pitching is in much better shape, and when the bats do awaken, we start winning again. And keep winning… and winning… and winning – 15 games on the trot, in fact, including a 20-1 demolition of the Dodgers in which Gibson drives in 6 for the second straight game. It is easily the best string of baseball I have ever seen played, with a combined scoreline of 128-48, and it takes a 17-inning marathon to bring it to an end.

We don’t exactly collapse from there, but we do suffer the inevitable cooling-off, especially with our pitching. Still, if you’d have offered me a 33-14 start on OD I would have taken it before you’d even finished the sentence.





Gibson looks set to produce the sort of season we acquired him for, winning the May award by hitting 380 with 6 HR and 45 RBI. Bill Foster also nabs the pitching gong, but Paul Derringer’s early form is a major concern.

The claim on Hub Walker comes through, but not the other two. We also get relievers Bud Tinning from the Red Sox and Jumbo Brown from the Bees, along with outfielder Myril Hoag from the Yanks, via the same means.





Slow starts for the Red Sox, Tigers and Yanks - although all three seem to have got it together now and set themselves to chasing the Tribe, A's and White Sox.




Awards, news and leaders. Gabby Hartnett gets his 2000th career hit. Hank Greenberg is on pace for a 54 HR / 191 RBI season. Age-36 John Beckwith is currently hitting 416.






S+ HOME

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PIRATES HOME

[Makonnen]

Catching up on a day or two ...

Donaldson's career looks solid, Lundy's within reason. Shame about Oscar--it's like Gehrig being a borderline HoF player.

How much do you think having "perfect vision" of your draft picks has helped over the replay?

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Makonnen

Catching up on a day or two ...

Donaldson's career looks solid, Lundy's within reason. Shame about Oscar--it's like Gehrig being a borderline HoF player.

How much do you think having "perfect vision" of your draft picks has helped over the replay?

Yeah, Oscar just never really got going enough to have the impact you might expect. He was good, just not great - and as I said is only a chance of making the HoF, not a lock.

By "perfect vision", do you mean 100% scouting?

[Makonnen]

More your knowledge of how their IRL careers unfolded. Sure, it can unfold differently here (see, Oscar), but you have a sense of positions, longevity, rough value, etc.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Makonnen

More your knowledge of how their IRL careers unfolded. Sure, it can unfold differently here (see, Oscar), but you have a sense of positions, longevity, rough value, etc.

It's no different from every other player, really. In fact, the real-life stats for the NeL players don't show because I'm still in v22 for this save and am using cloned edited versions. I obviously have a rough idea of their trajectory over the course of their career but that's it.

Because I'm hand-editing these players the biggest issue is keeping them close to where they should be so the AI treats them accordingly. Which means I redo the edits at 1st day of offseason and the day before OD.

I have absolutely loved having these guys in the league. I know I haven't done many of the earlier guys full justice because I was doing this on the fly and made some rookie errors with LTMs and input data. Nevertheless, imperfections and all, it has been an honour to see this play out in real time.

But the save has become almost wholly both a showcase for these guys and the Petri Dish for my work on them. Because of this, I am very limited in how challenging I can make it for myself until they have all passed through. So I'll also be very happy when they have all been and gone so I can really toughen up some of the settings and not have my guys so dominant.

There are only six more NeLers to come through from here, including the first three crossover guys into the "integrated" MLB - Campy, Larry and of course the great 42. So from 1947 onwards I'll be moving this save to 23 and making those changes. Seems appropriate.