The Bucs Start Here - A Pirates Do-Over

[luckymann]

Worst 100 RBI seasons by OBP

(Scaled to 95 for this league)

[luckymann]

I expected a few bits off oddness when I made the changes to various settings over the offseason, but this is some crazy stuff going on here.

Under those circumstances, this injury to Joe almost seems appropriate.

[luckymann]

Ben Chapman is certainly making the Yanks rethink their decision to trade him away last year, especially in light of the previous post.

He carves up the poor old Sens in this one.

[luckymann]

Well, a reckoning is coming, that I can assure you.

In prepping my monthly recap along the way as I do, I have got as far as,

Our second game of the month sees us paste the Jints by a ridiculous 27-10 as our bats run amok, and this bizarre early part of the season turns almost surreal as we rattle off...

but remain unable to complete the sentence because, well, we haven't lost a game since. That's 15 wins and counting, which gives us a record of 46-11.

Now, as I have said on here before, I play this game to win. That said, what is unquestionably stronger than my competitive drive is my drive for it to be competitive.

And so, rather than enjoy the fruits of my labour here, I am finding this all quite dull.

More importantly in the context of this thread, I want to write about it as little as I'm sure you want to read about it.

The settings changes are not totally responsible for what's happening here, although there's no doubt they are playing their part. But, as I pore through the stats and team sheets I see nothing unbearably out of the ordinary. The slash remains in keeping with the historical and the ERA is only slightly elevated from last year, which is to be expected given the fact I am using 1949 LTMs to cover the NeLers still in the league, thereby upping the HR total by approximately 8%. There are the usual amount of tight and low-scoring games, all of the individual stats are OK with perhaps the exception of the two guys batting well over 400, both of whom are slowly but surely regressing (both are currently sitting at 433). If anything, in fact, overall HR seem a bit low.

AAA is a dog's breakfast, even after I have realigned teams to have properly filled rosters, with San Antonio at 29-7 and Amarillo at 7-29. The main problem is that there simply aren't enough pitchers who can start. But that's OK, I only have that level operating in preference to the players withering on the reserve roster vine. Even there, it's not as if the stats being produced are ridiculous.

But I digress.

Given my aversion to posting a monthly update on us apparently headed for 120-win season, I'm just going to fast-sim the remainder of the season out and only report things of vital importance and / or general interest.

At its completion, I have a decision to make, the options for which I'll be sifting through in the time intervening.

Thanks for your patience, regular programming will return soon.

G

[luckymann]

The all-time leader is, of course, Ty Cobb with 4125.

[luckymann]

On the way out now and never seems to be able to replicate in-game what he did in life. Little chance of a call but, all the same, should reach 50 career bWAR, finish top 3 in SB, and this is a nice milestone for the great man.

[luckymann]

Making it a most elite club of, now, nine.

[luckymann]

Still with a comfortable lead in the AL, Chicago tries to lock it down with a blockbuster trade for one of the best IFs going around. They have, quite literally, sold the farm - let's hope it's worth it.

[luckymann]

A whopping 11 Pittsburgh players are selected.



Jeff Heath of the Phillies wins the HR Derby, beating Ted Williams in the final, while the AL overcomes an MVP-winning performance from Mel Ott to win the game 5-4 and extend their overall lead to 6-2.

[luckymann]

563!!!!!

One down, seven to go!

[luckymann]

A bit further down the pecking order, but Hank Greenberg has a fair bit of time left to threaten the eleven above him on the list.

[luckymann]

And just like that, the world once again seems normal...




Let's see if this means more game time and the procurement of those elusive home runs.

[luckymann]

564!!!!!

565!!!!!

[luckymann]

... this has happened.

[Brad K]

Originally Posted by luckymann

Worst 100 RBI seasons by OBP

(Scaled to 95 for this league)

I hadn't looked at this before. I clicked on some of the other links. The one for middle IF double plays lists assists not double plays.

Real interesting stats. Great conversation starters.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

I hadn't looked at this before. I clicked on some of the other links. The one for middle IF double plays lists assists not double plays.

Real interesting stats. Great conversation starters.

So it does, I'll bring to their attention at Stats+.

[Brad K]

Is it really double plays mislabeled?

Lots of fun stuff on that list.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Brad K

Is it really double plays mislabeled?

Lots of fun stuff on that list.

Have to see what they say.

[luckymann]

We finish the season with 107 wins, with the later part of the season nowhere near as dominant as the earlier - 13-13 since September 1.

All the same, a truly dominant campaign.





What is there to say about Josh Gibson? A 363/451/609 slash with 28 HR and 131 RBI sees him just one dinger shy of the NL Triple Crown. Arky Vaughan is terrific again, with 9 bWAR to his name. XX handles the move to Catcher like the professional he is, Hank Leiber hits 317 with 19 homers. Wild Bill Wright confirms his spot as one of the league's elite, while Ray Dandridge has a breakout season and Bob Elliott takes great strides forward. We score more than 900 runs and end up with a run diff of nearly +300.




Our pitching is less overwhelmingly positive, with none of our starters winning 20 and each having periods of poor form. Our BP, too, shows signs of slippage and if there is one area in which we are vulnerable this it is.




The Yanks come good late and end up taking the AL pennant by a handful of games. The White Sox will no doubt be disappointed that they couldn't get the job done, but they have had a fantastic season all the same.




That batting title is Josh's second straight, and Ted Williams hits 351 to win his first in the AL. Hank Greenberg again leads the league with 39 HR, while Buck Leonard finishes top three across the TC cats including a league-high 133 RBI.

Luis Tiant and Satchel Paige tie for the most wins with 22, but Whit Wyatt beats out Luis by 0.01 in ERA to prevent him from claiming the TC, while Satchel also records the league's lowest ERA with 2.68, and misses out on the TC by 7 strikeouts to Bob Feller's 197 in another stellar campaign. Ken Raffensberger's 22 saves are the most in either division and also a new single-season record.

Final Top 20s, awards, news and leaders.








S+ HOME

REPORTS HOME

PIRATES HOME

[luckymann]

Pittsburgh Pirates (107-47) v New York Yankees (91-63)
Best-of-seven, Pirates with the home-field advantage.


PITTSBURGH PIRATES S+ PAGE

NEW YORK YANKEES S+ PAGE

We get our much-desired rematch with the Yanks, with the roles reversed as we are regarded as the overwhelming favourites this time around. I’m not so sure about that. As I mentioned in the season recap, our pitching has had its moments this year, and Lord help us if we lose one of our starters to injury because or second-liners have been all but ineffectual this season.

Then again, the 1940 Yankees are not quite as good as the 1938 Yankees, either. Gehrig is nearing the end, and DiMaggio’s injury-plagued season has left him looking a bit underdone. That said, if they catch fire then look out.

No easy ride here, that’s for sure. Should be a good’un. I have handed in my notice at the Bucs and intend to take a few years' sabbatical, more on which a bit later. Would love to close out this stint with another Championship.